Chapter 49: The Big Troupe

These are all the clues we have for now; discussing further won't yield new results. After tossing and turning for so long, everyone is tired. Yang Xiao forced himself to stay alert to take the first watch, letting Kuang Hongyi and Su Tingting rest.

Su Tingting tossed and turned, unable to sleep at all. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw those children walking toward her. Finally, she gave up on sleeping, got out of bed, and came to the table to keep watch with Yang Xiao.

"Thank you, Mr. Chu."

Su Tingting said this sincerely. Without him, she wouldn't have survived until now. Moreover, she could clearly feel the exclusion these so-called veteran players showed toward new players. Yang Xiao was also a newcomer, yet he had completely earned the veterans' respect through his ability.

Yang Xiao was so sleepy his eyelids were about to close; he could only gulp down strong tea and replied perfunctorily, "I thank you too, for being willing to take the risk to warn me on the stage."

"That was what I should have done; it's just a pity for those children." Mentioning those little girls who died miserably, Su Tingting's eyes dimmed. "I didn't expect the Feng family to have committed so many heinous acts. It is only right that they are haunted by Xi Yao; they must atone for their crimes! You must think so too, right?"

After a moment of silence, Yang Xiao suddenly asked, "Hmm... you're not sleepy, are you?"

Su Tingting was stunned. It took her a long time to react, as she had been immersed in a sorrowful atmosphere she couldn't pull herself out of. "I... I can't sleep when I think about what happened tonight."

"Then you keep watch. I can sleep; I'm exhausted." Yang Xiao yawned and walked toward the bed Su Tingting had been using. Kuang Hongyi had said earlier that nothing would happen tonight, and besides, it was almost dawn.

However, out of caution, Yang Xiao still added a reminder, "Remember, pay attention while keeping watch. Wake me up in half an hour."

After saying this, Yang Xiao collapsed onto the bed. Good, the quilt was still warm. Yang Xiao felt so comfortable he almost fell fast asleep immediately.

Without Yang Xiao to keep her company, Su Tingting didn't dare to sit at the table alone to keep watch. With the shadow of earlier events, she always felt something was hiding behind the window or the door.

After confirming that Yang Xiao was truly asleep, Su Tingting walked over quietly. "Mr. Chu? Mr... Mr. Chu?"

After calling out softly twice, Yang Xiao didn't respond. Su Tingting felt relieved. She tentatively sat down very lightly, occupying only a tiny spot at the foot of the bed. Being closer to Yang Xiao increased her sense of security exponentially. "Hoo—, it would be best if it stays like this until dawn."

The night passed without dreams. By the time Yang Xiao woke up, it was already bright outside. Sunlight spilled in through the gaps in the window, leaving a bright streak of light on the floor.

Yang Xiao had rested very well, but he felt a bit embarrassed. After all, he had promised Kuang Hongyi he would keep watch; sleeping until dawn was too irresponsible.

Seeing Yang Xiao wake up, Kuang Hongyi, who was sitting at the table, walked over with a teacup and handed it to him. "Brother Chu, how was your rest?"

"It... it was fine."

Kuang Hongyi took the opportunity to sit on the edge of the bed and teased, "Hey, you fell asleep really fast. Last night, when you asked Su Tingting to wake me up, I had intended to say a few words to you, but as soon as I got up and turned my head, I saw you were already asleep. It's great to be young; you just drop off to sleep."

"Mr. Chu, wash your face." As she spoke, Su Tingting also walked over, carrying a copper basin in her hands and a white towel draped over her shoulder.

Su Tingting winked at Yang Xiao secretly. Yang Xiao understood immediately: Kuang Hongyi didn't know he had slacked off and slept, and Su Tingting had helped him cover it up. She had been the one keeping watch for him all night.

Taking the basin, Yang Xiao said thank you. He hadn't even chatted with Kuang Hongyi for two sentences when footsteps sounded outside, and Liu Guanjia hurried over.

Seeing that all three of them were there, Liu Guanjia's nervous expression relaxed slightly, but he still announced with a sorrowful tone, "Three Lucky Guests, Lucky Guest Shi is dead. The body is floating on the lake."

They had known this news since last night, so they weren't surprised. Kuang Hongyi directly recounted what had happened on the stage last night—excluding the children, of course—and then confronted Liu Guanjia, asking if there was anything else he was hiding from them. After all, the ghost thing that was summoned last night was definitely not Xi Yao!

Liu Guanjia was stunned after hearing this, unable to recover for a long while. "Not Xi Yao? How... how could it not be her?"

"If it were Xi Yao, then how do you explain the death of Shi Guanming?" Yang Xiao joined in to help. "There must be something wrong with that Birth Date and Time!"

"Impossible, the Birth Date and Time must be Xi Yao's, no mistake. We specifically had an expert calculate it; there is absolutely no problem!" Liu Guanjia's attitude was firm.

"On the night of the wedding arrangement for Feng Laotaiye, were there any other strange occurrences?" Yang Xiao changed his approach, probing indirectly.

Thinking for a moment, Liu Guanjia shook his head. "I don't remember clearly, but there shouldn't have been. Wait a moment, I will go find the old accountant of the mansion. Everyone who came with the opera troupe that night was registered, and everyone received a reward from the mansion."

Liu Guanjia took a step out the door, then turned back and said, "By the way, you don't need to wait for Lucky Guest Shi. Lucky Guest Shi, who was with him last night, is dead, and he has been called by the master for questioning."

After waiting for about the time it takes to burn a stick of incense, an elderly-looking man came leaning on a cane, with a cloth bag slung over his shoulder.

The old man looked to be in his early 70s, but considering the standards of care in ancient times, he might actually be around 60. As soon as the old man entered, he politely bowed. "I am the accountant of the mansion. Are you the Lucky Guests invited by the master?"

"It is us, old sir."

Looking Yang Xiao up and down, the old man took off his cloth bag and pulled out a thick book with yellowed edges. "This is the account of the silver spent by the mansion on the night the Bai family troupe arrived, along with the receipt signed by the troupe leader Bai."

Everyone took it to look closely. Although the receipt used classical language, fortunately, the handwriting was neat, and Yang Xiao could roughly understand what it said.

There were two receipts in total: one for exactly 1,000 taels of silver, and the other for 200 taels. Together, troupe leader Bai received 1,200 taels. Moreover, the receipt specified that it must be in cash and that no silver notes would be accepted, which matched what Master Feng had said.

As for the accounts, they showed that besides the 1,200 taels spent that night, there was another expenditure. Most of these were small change, and the recipients didn't have specific names, just some strange titles.

"Lead role, Troupe Leader, Da Tiaodiao, Second-tier actor, Literary Manager, Martial Manager, Junior Manager, Base troupe, Box keeper, Stage hand, Person in charge of the color box..."

"What kind of mess is this?" Su Tingting became more confused the more she looked.

The old accountant bowed unhurriedly. "It is normal for you all not to know, as you don't usually listen to operas. The Bai family troupe is considered a big troupe with status in town. The entire troupe has twenty or thirty people. Anyone who stepped into my Feng Mansion that night could receive a reward, but the amount of the reward depended on their status and seating in the troupe."