Green Mountain
Chapter 284 - 226, The Cursed Place

Chapter 284: 226, The Cursed Place

The sunset in Guyuan was a bit more magnificent than that of Luocheng City.

From afar, a round of red sun dyed the loess, the city walls, and the clouds all a shade of orange-red, as if the edge of the sky was ablaze, burning like a strong liquor slashing down one’s throat.

But as soon as the sun dipped behind the city, the temperature dropped sharply.

Ji stood quietly by the window, peering through the crack at the street below, until the last trace of light disappeared from his face. Then he slowly closed the window.

It had been three hours since Chen Liqin had been summoned away by the Crown Prince, and there was still no sign of his return.

Ji turned his gaze to Zhang Xia, next to the other window, "How is it?"

Zhang Xia frowned, "In half a day’s time, over a thousand people have come and gone in front of the Guyuan Inn. Among them, thirty-four people have passed by several times pretending to be casual, seventeen have lingered in front of the inn for more than thirty minutes, including old people, children, men, and women. In addition, nine people have entered and exited the Guyuan Inn."

Ji looked at her in surprise, "Second Miss Zhang can remember so clearly?"

Zhang Zheng laughed heartily, "Scared, huh? When she plays chess with her father, they don’t even need a board. They just close their eyes and call out their moves. You guys better not mess with her; people with good memories remember both grudges and favors. When I pissed her off when I was six, she remembered it until now, but if you do her a favor, she’ll also keep it in her heart for a very long time."

Zhang Xia glared at him, "Brother, you sure talk a lot."

Ji returned to business, "During our time in Guyuan, make sure to lock your doors and windows at night when you go to sleep, and if you encounter any danger, be sure to call for help loudly immediately."

Zhang Xia bowed her head in thought, "So many people are watching the Chen family, they must not all be from the same group. It’s strange, just how many forces are keeping an eye on us?"

Ji shook his head, "I’m not sure, just be careful."

Zhang Zheng, huddled in his chair, lamented, "The weather in Guyuan is so strange; in the daytime, it’s so hot you feel your skin might peel off, but as soon as the sun sets, it’s cold to the bone."

Xiao Man whispered, "Some say Guyuan is a cursed place, where the restless spirits of soldiers who died in battle from two dynasties linger. Spring without flowers, summer without rain, autumn without fruit, winter without survivors, doomed to war all year round."

Ji looked at her, "Did your aunt say that?"

Xiao Man hummed, "I heard it when I was a child, overhearing my aunt talking with Nanny Li."

Ji smiled, "That’s not the case. The large temperature differences between day and night in Guyuan are due to the dry climate. Without clouds, the earth cannot retain the heat of the day. Of course, this is just one of the reasons."

Xiao Man retorted sullenly, "Where did you hear such a strange theory, Young Master? Such light and fleeting clouds can hold the earth’s heat? That makes no sense. I still believe what my aunt said."

Ji laughed without words.

Knock knock knock, the sound of knocking on the door.

Ji was about to get up to open the door, but Xiao Man stopped him, "I’ll go!"

The door opened to reveal an official in simple attires holding a coal brazier with tongs, who politely said, "Ladies and gentlemen, it gets cold here in Guyuan at night. Here is a brazier of charcoal for you."

Zhang Zheng exclaimed, "Just in time!"

He stretched out his hands, palms facing the brazier to warm them, the wave of heat puffing onto his face, making his cheeks swell.

Ji pointed to Zhang Zheng and Zhang Xia as he asked the servant, "My two friends are staying in A Room no. X and Room G. Could you also add some charcoal to their braziers?"

The official hesitated, "I’m sorry, but our inn is rarely occupied year-round, and we don’t even have enough firewood for cooking, let alone charcoal for heating. This charcoal was allocated by General Zhou from the Governor’s Mansion, specifically for your use."

Zhang Zheng rubbed his hands and then held them out to the brazier again. Despite his complaints, he said, "I’ve been in several official inns, and this one is by far the most run-down and spartan."

Zhang Xia frowned, "Brother, let’s not be picky; we’re not here at anyone’s invitation."

Zhang Zheng laughed, "I was just saying... Never mind, never mind."

The official said awkwardly, "Sir, we’re just a humble and remote place here. No official willingly comes to stay, and the inn is just for show. Even when military documents from the Ministry of War arrive, they go straight to the Governor’s Mansion. At first, the Eunuch Party was here to investigate Jing Dynasty spies, but they found it too unbearable and withdrew."

Zhang Zheng uttered an oh, "Then it should be possible for us to go out and buy some coal ourselves, where can we get it?"

The minor official hurriedly said, "Noble one, I’d advise against going out to purchase anything yourself. It’s getting dark outside, and it’s not very peaceful... Oh, would you like some dinner? Here at Guyuan Inn, we only have coarse tea and simple food today, corn porridge, pickled vegetables—just things the servants eat. I’m afraid it might not suit your palate."

Chen Ji smiled and said, "No need, we had mutton for lunch and we’re still quite full."

"Alight then." The minor official bowed to Chen Ji and left the room.

Xiao Man wished to keep him and suggest they try a few bowls of the porridge, but seeing the expressions of the others, she held back.

Zhang Xia said to Zhang Zheng, "Brother, we’ve been traveling all day; let’s all go back to rest."

Zhang Zheng sprawled carelessly on the chair, refusing to move, "I’m not going back, the room’s as cold as an ice cellar. I’ll stay in Chen Ji’s room tonight; I’ll share the bed with him."

Xiao Man got anxious, "Why are you acting like a hooligan? Don’t disturb our young master’s rest."

Zhang Zheng casually retorted, "I could just sleep in the chair if you prefer, it’s all the same to me. Wherever there’s a brazier, that’s where I’ll be. Axia, you don’t go back either. How about we both roll out our bedding and sleep on the floor in Chen Ji’s room tonight? It’ll be safer if we look out for each other."

Xiao Man’s eyes widened, "Is that proper? Is Second Miss Zhang not going to marry? Even if our young master is a stranger, siblings shouldn’t stay in the same room either."

Zhang Zheng laughed heartily, "As long as we don’t tell anyone, who’s to know? Our Zhang Family dislikes all those tedious formalities. In urgent times, it’s safer for everyone to stick together."

After a moment of thought, Chen Ji said, "Fine, it would be easier on our minds if we all stay together. Second Miss Zhang can sleep on the bed and the rest of us will make do on the floor."

Xiao Man muttered reluctantly under her breath, "The floor is so cold, what if someone falls ill from sleeping on it... Young Master, I’ll go get you an extra quilt to spread out underneath."

Zhang Zheng beamed, "Little maid, I thought you were going to keep shooing us away."

Xiao Man rolled her eyes at him, "Who are you looking down on? When the young master has made a decision, I wouldn’t dare to object."

With that, she turned and left the room.

Before long, the sound of footsteps was heard, someone walking on the wooden floor of the inn’s second story, making a creaking noise.

Zhang Xia stood up and said, "I’ll go open the door for Xiao Man."

She moved forward to open the door, only to stand rooted to the spot. Outside there was only a pitch-black corridor, with no one in sight.

Without a moment’s hesitation, Zhang Xia quickly retreated to the room, "Chen Ji, something’s wrong!"

As she stepped back, Chen Ji had already picked up the Whale Blade and brushed past her to check the corridor.

No one to the left, no one to the right, and no one on the ceiling beams.

The footsteps had seemed to come from nowhere and disappeared into nothing.

Clutching the Whale Blade, Chen Ji slowly began to unwrap the cloth around it, but before he could finish, he heard Xiao Man’s scream from downstairs!

He immediately grabbed the Whale Blade and dashed out the door, unraveling the cloth as he ran. The door next to the stairs opened, and Chen Wenzong, wrapped in a fox fur coat, asked with concern, "What’s wrong?"

Chen Ji passed by him without looking back, flinging the cloth he had just removed to the floor, "Brother, go back inside, don’t come out."

Downstairs, Xiao Man stood by the counter, still clearly unsettled.

Chen Ji asked in a focused tone, "What happened?"

Xiao Man glanced at the Whale Blade in his hand and then pointed inside the counter, "I just came to ask that minor official for a new quilt, but I found him collapsed inside the counter, bleeding from all seven orifices."

Chen Ji went to have a look, but Xiao Man grabbed his arm tightly, "Young master, don’t go, this man is bleeding from all seven orifices. It must be the vengeful spirits of Guyuan taking their toll, it’s unclean!"

He turned to look and saw the minor official who had brought them a brazier earlier lying on the floor, his eyes and nostrils issuing purple blood as if he wept in resentment.

Chen Ji inwardly cursed. He picked up an oil residue lamp from the counter and, holding the Whale Blade, moved along the corridor, pushing open the doors to the communal rooms, marked with the character for "Man".

The Chen family’s maids and servants were all lying dead on their beds, their bodies also bleeding from seven orifices!