Chapter 196: The Marvelous Kitchen, Chapter 198: Encountering Evil

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Protagonist:

Song Miao

The coachman hurriedly pulled the reins, and the mule was obedient enough, slowing down a bit and honestly climbing up the slope, but soon it grew restless again, constantly edging to the left. The coachman tugged the reins and shouted, urging it hard to the right.

The mule moved a few steps to the right, but after running not far, it veered left again.

Traveling back and forth every day, Song Miao was already very familiar with the situation along the route. She knew this place had reached the temporary road opened up more than half a month ago. To the right of the slope was ordinary wasteland, and to the left, seventy or eighty steps away, was the newly dug river channel, over two zhang deep.

She had already been somewhat alert just now and had not closed the carriage door. Seeing this, she immediately called for a stop.

The coachman responded and reined in the carriage. Even though it was uphill, he had to pull the reins several times to stop the mule's footsteps. Not only that, the mule, usually very docile, now kept making "chi chi" sounds from its nose and kept scraping the ground with its hooves.

Seeing the animal react this way, Song Miao couldn't help but feel a thump in her heart. After hesitating only slightly, she had everyone get off the carriage and asked them to stop the following few mule carts.

Several coachmen gathered around. Asked about the situation, they all said everything had been fine along the way, but just after turning this bend, the mules had started to find it hard to hold back. However, they weren't disobedient, just a bit stubborn.

Song Miao pondered for a moment, then asked the people from the kitchen behind her: "The road isn't far. How about everyone walks a bit?"

If it were usual times, it would just be a small abnormality with the mules, and most people probably wouldn't care much.

But having just experienced the barren bean incident, everyone in the kitchen, high and low, was very alert. Seeing Song Miao say this, not only did no one voice a complaint, they all spoke up in agreement.

One said: "It's still dark now, and the downhill slope is steep. The mules can't see well. If they misstep and fall, that wouldn't be good."

Another said: "Young Lady, there are only about two li left. We can walk back to the kitchen!"

Someone else said: "Riding in the carriage makes me a bit sleepy. Just right to walk a few steps and wake up!"

Seeing this, the several coachmen naturally agreed. The one at the front said: "Though I can hold them, the young lady is right. It's better to be careful."

Several people didn't get on the carriage but only drove the mules up the slope from the side, while the rest followed from afar.

Going uphill was fine, but once they started downhill, before reaching halfway, the several mules became even more restless. Suddenly, no one knew why, one mule made "he e, he e" sounds from its mouth, like a firecracker had been lit behind its tail, and charged straight toward the lower left of the steep slope.

This mule was just the start. Once it took the lead, the other several horses all followed at once, each dragging the carriage behind them, racing madly downhill.

Although the several coachmen were on guard, they were still startled. Each pulled hard, but were dragged forward, and one was directly pulled down.

That person cried out "ah," and no longer caring about the rest, hurriedly let go, letting the mule drag him as it charged madly out.

At this time the sky was only slightly bright. The people from the kitchen walked in twos and threes. Although they couldn't clearly see the situation below, they could hear that something was wrong, and saw the mule cart rushing toward the river channel as if risking its life. The front and rear carriage doors flew open with two "bang" sounds, causing the mule to crash around everywhere. For some reason, the wheels hit something blocking the road, and with a "bong" sound, both mule and carriage toppled to the ground together.

Everyone was startled and hurriedly surrounded them. Halfway, they saw someone on the ground. Some helped the person up, while others, familiar with the coachmen, hurriedly went to help hold the remaining few mules.

Song Miao also hurriedly stepped forward. Confirming that the one ahead was just an empty carriage, and although two coachmen had some scrapes and one had sprained his foot, fortunately there was no serious trouble, she finally breathed a sigh of relief.

She knew they couldn't linger here. She left three steady people to clean up with her, sent another to report to the person in charge on duty on the river channel today, and arranged for the rest to go to the kitchen first to make breakfast according to last night's plan.

Seeing everyone off with torches, knowing that with so many people it had become a force, no one would easily dare to cause trouble, and not far ahead there were patrol soldiers, so even if something happened it would be limited. Song Miao finally relaxed a little, turned back to take a lantern, and went to light her way back.

She had been anxious just now. Although she felt something was off, she hadn't looked closely. This time, carefully distinguishing, sure enough, as she walked, halfway she smelled a faint fishy smell. At first it wasn't strong, but by the time she reached where the mule had gone mad and been frightened, the smell was already somewhat pungent. Further on, it was unusually strong.

That fishy stench was like urine, but compared to the urine smell of ordinary cats, dogs, horses, mules, and other animals or beasts, it was heavier by who knows how much. It was like a piece of meat being urinated on repeatedly every day, then covered with a non-ventilated cover to stew. When someone remembered it one day and opened the cover, that fishy stench rushed out from the cramped cover, stimulating people's eyes and nose until they were uncomfortable.

Song Miao's five senses were sharp. Smelling the smell, she found it especially unbearable.

She moved forward along the way, and soon used her nose to roughly circle out the area with the fishy smell.

This place was indeed very close to the river channel. Not long after, the person who reported the news brought the person on duty today, who was a Chai Guan from the Hua Prefecture Government Office, along with a student from the Du Shui Jian.

Song Miao explained the whole matter in detail.

The several coachmen had simply treated their wounds and were now standing to the side, serving as witnesses.

The official on duty and the Du Shui Jian student, one irritable and one anxious, walked the route once and checked the mules and carriages again. Indeed, they found no other problems, only that they all smelled the fishy stench.

Delaying for a while, another carriage train came from behind.

This time the carriage train was horse-drawn carriages, transporting materials for the river sweep.

Song Miao hurriedly sent people to stop them, explained the situation here again, and then asked to borrow a horse and a coachman from them.

Sure enough, this time when the coachman led the horse and just reached the downhill place, the horse seemed stimulated, just like the previous mules, constantly dodging to the left. Even when forcibly pulled forward, once they reached the place where the fishy smell was strong, it immediately flung open its legs and rushed forward desperately, impossible to stop.

This time, everyone knew it was absolutely not an accident, and no one dared to harbor any侥幸 anymore.

The person on duty soon sent someone to report to the superior, and the dogs held by the two patrol soldiers were also led over.

The patrol dogs were not put to use. Instead, the carriage train transporting supplies was blocked on this downhill road. The people behind didn't know what had happened and sent someone up to ask questions at the front. One of them was from the mountains and forests and had been a hunter for over ten years.

As soon as this person approached, his complexion looked somewhat ugly. He blurted out: "Why is there a smell of big beast urine here!"

This place was neither mountain nor forest. There was a village ahead and the county city behind. For decades, there had never been news of big beasts causing trouble.

Moreover, according to the hunter's account, the smell of big beast urine here was frighteningly strong. Not to mention ordinary horses and mules, even passing wolves would turn and run if they smelled it. Unless the big beast could urinate ten or twenty times a day wherever it went, it would be hard to produce this effect.

Song Miao had originally thought it was almost certainly man-made. Now it was almost confirmed to be man-made. Seeing the wide-open carriage door and the position where the mad mule stopped—just a few more steps forward, and its hooves would misstep, directly falling into the river channel.

Falling from such a height, even if not dead, one would be seriously injured.

Even if not falling into the river channel, Song Miao had just stepped forward to look and found many stones on the road that hadn't been there before.

These stones were scattered by the roadside, about the size of two fists of an ordinary person. This place was downhill, and the carriage was running so fast. If the wheels were accidentally tripped by a stone, the carriage door would open, and the people sitting inside would almost certainly be thrown out.

Although nothing happened in the end, just thinking of the possible scene made Song Miao's heart tighten.

The kitchen still had matters to attend to. She naturally couldn't stay here long. After explaining everything she knew, she hurriedly took her subordinates and took her leave.

Along this way, the people following all had ugly expressions.

They all had eyes and ears. Seeing and hearing what had just happened, and also the results found out, who wouldn't be fearful afterward?

And Song Miao walked at the very front. Besides fear afterward, there was more anger.

Even without evidence, only a fool wouldn't know who was directing things from behind and for what purpose.

Once poisoning, twice harming people. Every time bullied to the point of being on top of their heads, and every time it was a life-threatening method. If indulged and not dealt with, what would happen next time? Who could guarantee they could dodge every time?

She pondered for a long time. Seeing the kitchen was just ahead, she stopped her steps, greeted the three people behind her, and said: "I really didn't expect such a thing to happen. It has caused everyone to be frightened. When we return, I will apologize to everyone myself and explain the situation."

She also said: "But I'm afraid they might feel it's a matter of face and not dare to say it directly. You also help ask around. If anyone feels this work isn't very suitable, they can take leave to rest for a few days, or if they want to resign, that's fine too."

One of the three hurriedly said, "Young Lady, you're overthinking! It's rare to find a good job; everyone is counting on doing it long and steady until this river is dug through. Who would be willing to resign?"

Another said, "Young Lady, why apologize? It's the wicked who do bad things; what does it have to do with us!"

Someone else said, "Qian Dachong is too hateful—he acts like a big beast himself, yet goes looking for beast urine to harm people! He's done so many things that defy heaven and reason; why hasn't heaven punished him! With so many officials above, can't a single one rein him in!"

"His underlings aren't any better either, especially a Dutou surnamed Ding, who bullies people everywhere. As long as a case lands on his desk and money is paid, the unreasonable becomes reasonable, and the guilty become innocent! Only the victim is pitied!"

As they spoke here, Song Miao heard the word "case" and suddenly had a thought. She said, "I want to inquire about something. If you're convenient, see if you can help ask around—who knows of any cases judged by the Zhou Ya in the last year or two, preferably wrongful or mistaken cases where the wrong person was arrested or jailed?"

The three agreed at once, each speaking a sentence, and immediately listed seven or eight.

When they returned to the cookhouse and breakfast was done, Song Miao explained the matter. Everyone had already been indignant over the barren bean incident last time, and this time they were even more incensed. Not only did no one want to quit, but some even wanted to fight back.

Someone shouted, "That Qian Dachong is too shameless! When I go back, I'll bring a basket to the Fangzi to pick up rotten vegetable leaves and smash them on his door!"

"Pity his gatehouse is guarded day and night, so you can't smash it even if you want to—why doesn't heaven strike him dead with thunder!"

As they spoke here, there was one person—namely Xia Shenzi—who secretly tugged at Song Miao's sleeve and went to a side room, asking, "Song Xiaoniangzi, I heard them say you want to inquire about wrongful cases from these past two years?"

Song Miao nodded and said, "There is such a matter. Auntie, have you heard of any?"

"As for wrongful cases, I have an old sister whose family has been like they've been possessed by an evil spirit these past two years, constantly having bad luck. They got involved in a case, and now they're just short of losing their family and dying."

"Her husband originally did porter work. Because he worked hard without sparing effort, was willing to think for his employer, and was also resourceful, a cloth merchant took a liking to him and hired him to help manage the shop."

"Her family had a pair of twins; the daughter was older than the son by Ban Ge Shi. She was born beautiful and had a straightforward temper. Since her family surname is Yang, we call her Yang Yuan Niang."

"This Yuan Niang often went inside the cloth block to deliver meals. Coincidentally, there was a junior master in the shop, plus a steward named Wei and his only son, called Wei Jie, all working inside together, and the three were about the same age."

"Yuan Niang delivered meals for over half a year, and both young men had confessed their feelings to her, saying they liked her. But the junior master already had a marriage arrangement, so he could only take her back as a concubine. The steward's son, however, discussed it with his family and was determined to marry her properly—naturally, in the end, he chose the steward's son."

"Fortunately, that father-in-law had worked inside the cloth shop for half his life, saved some money, and through connections, scraping together funds, and borrowing, he finally opened a small cloth shop for Yuan Niang and her husband—right on San Rong Street."

"The shop had been open for three or four years. Because Yuan Niang had given birth to a son and a daughter, and the daughter was just three months old, with her mother-in-law often ill, her father-in-law still working as a steward in the front shop, and her husband often going out to purchase goods, she had to manage the shop and take care of the children. She couldn't keep up, so she would call her brother over from time to time to help."

"Only her brother, whom we call Yang Erlang, though under twenty, truly had improper conduct. He went out every day to drink wine and carouse, and spent any money he got recklessly."

"Coincidentally, one day, it was heard that he had drunk heavily with someone and went to a Tower to seek a courtesan. For some reason, that courtesan already had a guest. He refused to accept it and only made a scene at the door of the room. Finally, he forced his way in, only to see that on the bed lay his brother-in-law and that courtesan, naked and embracing each other in sleep."

"He had already been drinking, and made a scene on the spot, cursing his brother-in-law for having no conscience. His sister was at home bearing children, yet as a husband, he was out spending and drinking. The quarrel escalated until the two were grappling with each other. Finally, his brother-in-law couldn't beat him and ran off without even having time to gather all his clothes. Yang Erlang then returned to his sister and brother-in-law's shop."

"As a result, I don't know what happened, but the next morning, Yuan Niang and her mother-in-law went to open the stall. Entering the back, they saw Wei Jie covered in blood, lying on the ground, with over ten knife wounds in his chest. Yang Erlang held a bloody weapon in his hand, his face and body also covered in blood, and he was still sitting on the ground to the side, leaning against a chair leg, fast asleep."

"The village head hadn't yet reported it upward when yamen runners brought patrol soldiers to the door and took Yang Erlang away to prison. Within a few days, he was sentenced for intentional murder, saying that since the conflict started in broad daylight, he must have harbored hatred, and with a weapon in hand, the weapon matched the wounds well, and there were only the two of them in the room."

"Yang Erlang, however, was very unwilling to accept it. He said he didn't kill anyone. The day before, another person had eaten at the same table with him—namely that junior master of the cloth shop from before—who said he wanted to mediate between the two. For some reason, when he woke up, the junior master was gone, but the room was in that state."