Chapter 2 Ghost Cry Village: The Escort
In the vast expanse of heaven and earth, only those lingering, mournful cries remained.
From Zhongjing to Xia Nan, the further south you go, the less peaceful it becomes.
During the war, many people from the southern border fled into the territory of the Great Xia. After the defeat of the southern border, many small countries were severely weakened and have not yet recovered. They still have to pay tribute to the Great Xia with grain, fodder, gold and silver every year, and the situation is extremely unstable.
Even those who longed to return to their homeland did not know what days awaited them or what fate awaited them. As a result, a large number of refugees simply remained in Daxia.
Without identification documents, they cannot engage in legitimate business. The better ones can do manual labor, the worse ones live by begging, and some eventually become outlaws.
Therefore, south of Daxia, those who transported goods often only dared to travel along the official roads.
Modu was the last major city before the Xia dynasty entered the south.
This place has long been rife with bad practices. The government charges exorbitant fees for passing through the city, ostensibly to avoid disaster by paying money, but in reality, it is a blatant exploitation.
Even if many caravans knew this, they would still choose to stop and rest in the main city of Modu, considering it a way to avoid trouble by paying money.
However, experienced bodyguards or those escorting valuable goods often choose to take a detour.
First, avoid having too many people around to attract attention and attract unwanted attention; second, avoid getting involved with the government to prevent increasing risks.
If you want to bypass Modu and go to Xia Nan, there is only one village with an inn in between. This is where Tang Yu will stay, and it will also be the last stop for Wangyuan Escort Agency before arriving in Xia Nan.
Strangely enough, this village is known in the surrounding area as the Village of Ghost Cries.
It is said that whenever it rains and the wind is strong, faint, ghostly cries can be heard in the village, and over time this name came about.
Tang Yu looked out at the sky. It was sunset, but there was no evening glow; instead, the clouds hung low, making the sky even more gloomy. A strong wind howled, causing the branches and leaves outside to rustle and fall.
Everything foreshadowed an impending downpour, which had a somewhat eerie, "ghostly" quality to it.
However, Tang Yu doesn't believe in ghosts or gods.
She grew up in Yunling Mountain, a desolate place where she was used to all kinds of strange birds and beasts, strange sounds and phenomena, some of which were even more eerie than the "ghostly cries" of the village legends, yet no ghosts ever harmed her.
So she lived there with a clear conscience, showing no sign of anything amiss.
Instead, they worried that the caravan might not be able to reach this place in time due to the weather and would have to settle elsewhere.
She looked away, picked up the wine cup, and poured herself another cup of Hu Niang (a type of Chinese liquor).
This Hu brew was a specialty from southern Xinjiang, a gift from the shopkeeper. It had a rice aroma with a slightly fermented sour taste, which not all people from the Great Xia Dynasty could get used to. However, Tang Yu surprisingly didn't dislike the taste.
After waiting a while longer, with her excellent hearing, she could faintly hear the sound of hooves approaching in the distance from a caravan.
Tang Yu's lips curved slightly, and her expression relaxed a bit.
It seems the person has arrived.
Sure enough, a short while later, a caravan of guards arrived at the gate of the post station. The sound of wheels stopped, and the leader of the caravan, dressed in a tight-fitting outfit, was remarkably young, exuding youthful vigor.
He reined in his horse at the gate, dismounted, looked up at the heavy sky, and frowned with some concern. "Hurry up and get ready, lest it rain later."
The innkeeper and waiter inside immediately greeted them with smiles, their attitude exceptionally attentive and respectful, as if someone had made prior arrangements.
"Oh dear! The镖爷 (bodyguards) have arrived! Please come in quickly, the best rooms have been prepared for you."
The shopkeeper took the tip money, his eyes shining, and thought to himself how generous he was. He hurriedly urged the waiter to take the men to the stable to release the horses.
He also reminded them, "Remember to feed the镖师's horses the good feed we bought a few days ago!"
"Alright, alright." The leading boy waved his hand, smiling broadly, appearing very easygoing and approachable.
He turned to the innkeeper and instructed, "Serve the brothers some good wine and food, and make sure one table has something vegetarian and light."
After saying that, he walked straight to the only carriage.
The curtain was lifted by a folding fan, revealing a figure inside the carriage—surprisingly, a handsome young man.
His slender eyes were slightly upturned at the corners, and his expression was indifferent and arrogant. Although he had a scholarly air about him, he exuded a noble and discerning air about him.
That plain-colored long gown, though simple and elegant in style, was made of brocade with subtle patterns, making it clear at a glance that it was a priceless treasure, just like the person himself.
The young man in the sporty outfit grinned and reached out to help him dismount. But the other man frowned in disdain and handed him a handkerchief, saying, "Wipe your hands."
"Understood, A-Liang." The boy wasn't annoyed. Instead, he quickly took the handkerchief, wiped his hands, and carefully helped the person out of the carriage.
Tang Yu was sitting in a position where he could clearly see the scene at the entrance. The young man at the head of the group was probably Wang Shanyue, the second son of the head of the Wangyuan Escort Agency, who was in charge of this escort mission.
To her surprise, the pampered young master from a noble family was unsteady on his feet. His clothes were spotless, so clean that he didn't seem like a江湖人 (jianghu person, someone from the martial arts world), and it was obvious at a glance that he didn't know martial arts.
He's also a germaphobe and picky, such a troublesome person, why did he also accompany the caravan?
Before I could think about it, a large group of people had already entered the small post station, immediately making the lobby crowded and noisy.
The few guests scattered throughout the hall couldn't help but glance at them frequently, including Tang Yu, who mingled among the curious crowd, looking them over as she pleased, but her gaze never left the two people.
After Wang Shanyue entered the house, he carefully wiped the tables and chairs before Xiao Fangliang slowly sat down, right next to Tang Yu.
With so many people and so much work to do, the innkeeper and waiter first served several prepared cold dishes, and then brought a cup of Hu Niang (a type of fermented rice wine) to each table.
"This is a type of rice wine unique to the Xia Nan area, a specialty of southern Xinjiang. I'm offering it to everyone to try." The shopkeeper smiled broadly, his chubby cheeks puffed up as he introduced it in a flattering manner.
Wang Shanyue was clearly curious about the rice wine. He poured a bowl and turned to ask the person next to him, "A-Liang, do you want to try it?"
"Since we've come all this way to the south, we should definitely give it a try."
Despite the fatigue from the long journey, Xiao Fangliang's face showed signs of exhaustion, but his back remained ramrod straight. He gracefully accepted the wine bowl with composure, as if savoring fine wine, and took a sip while half-covering his mouth with his hand.
But the sour smell, like spoiled rice porridge, caused a slight crack in his composed expression, yet he managed to swallow it down with the help of his excellent manners.
He then pushed the wine cup towards Wang Shanyue, clearly somewhat angry: "I'm not drinking anymore."
Seeing his reaction, Wang Shanyue knew the wine probably wouldn't taste good. He chuckled sheepishly, but couldn't resist his curiosity. He picked it up and took a sip, immediately showing a look of disgust. "Why is it sour?"
Seeing this, Tang Yu couldn't help but chuckle, handing over his wine cup and raising it in invitation: "Southern Xinjiang Hu wine is not something that ordinary people from Great Xia are used to drinking. But if you add some licorice to it to neutralize the sour taste, you can taste a different flavor."
Wang Shanyue was a cheerful and outgoing person who loved making friends. This was his first time leading a group on his own. Upon hearing this, his eyes lit up. He bowed and thanked the man generously, then poured out some and took a sip.
Sure enough, just as he said, the licorice aroma carried a hint of sweetness, which cleverly neutralized the sourness. Upon tasting, it was surprisingly smooth and had a long-lasting aftertaste.
He immediately handed it to Xiao Fangliang, "A-Liang, you should try it."
Despite some initial disdain, she couldn't resist her curiosity and took a small sip of the wine bowl he offered. She raised an eyebrow, revealing a hint of surprise.
Turning to look at the person at the next table, the man was dressed in coarse cloth clothes, simply but neatly and cleanly, with a touch of detached indifference in his eyes.
Xiao Fangliang chuckled and said, "It is indeed fine wine, but may I ask your name, brother? And how did you learn of this recipe?"
"My name is Su Yutang." Tang Yu smiled slightly and explained, "I am just a wandering doctor. I often encounter things that I don't like to eat or drink, so I ponder them and have some little thoughts."
The three chatted casually for a few more minutes in a relaxed and warm atmosphere. Wang Shanyue was cheerful, and Xiao Fangliang, though seemingly proud and aloof, was not averse to conversation.
Despite having such a good opportunity, Tang Yu remained tactful and did not deliberately continue the conversation.
Although she wanted to infiltrate the escort team, she knew that some things should not be said too much and some enthusiasm should not be excessive.
At that moment, a thunderclap ripped through the sky.
Dark clouds surged and a fierce wind howled, the sky suddenly darkened, and the oppressive atmosphere made it almost impossible to breathe.
Upon seeing this, the shopkeeper's expression changed. He hurriedly told the waiter to close the doors and windows, and then smiled and reassured everyone, "Don't panic, everyone. Our village is like this every year during the thunderstorm season."
He paused halfway through his sentence, his smile fading, his tone lowering, and his expression becoming serious: "It looks like it's going to rain heavily all night, everyone... you'd better stay indoors and don't go out. It's not safe at night."
After saying that, he gave an apologetic smile and hurriedly turned to check the backyard.
Another streak of silver light pierced the clouds, followed by a deafening roar of thunder.
The predictable rain finally came.
At first, it was just a few scattered raindrops hitting the ground, but in no time it turned into a downpour. A strong wind carried large raindrops that pounded against the windowpanes, making the wooden windows creak. A cold wind seeped in through the cracks, carrying a damp chill, and made the lamplight inside flicker.
The group of people escorting the goods in the hall, who had been chatting and laughing happily, gradually quieted down, exchanging glances with different expressions.
The waiter, having checked the doors and windows, returned and chuckled softly, reassuring them, "Gentlemen, you'll get used to it after a while..."
"Why did the shopkeeper just say it's not safe at night?" Wang Shanyue wasn't afraid, but he was a little curious.
The waiter's expression stiffened, and he looked hesitant, as if he was unwilling to say more.
Seeing the other party's intense gaze, he couldn't just brush it off, so he could only sigh softly and say in a low voice, "In our village... in recent years, whenever there's a thunderstorm, the sound of the wind mixed with the rain sounds like someone is crying. Because of this crying at night, outsiders have even given it the name 'Ghost Cry Village'."
His tone was bitter: "If this weren't one of the few places to rest between Modu and Xia'nan, the village would probably have been emptied out long ago."
After saying that, he didn't forget to remind everyone: "The shopkeeper is doing this for everyone's sake. It's better to believe it than not. Everyone should lock the doors and windows at night and not go out."
After hearing what the waiter said, the atmosphere in the hall froze. No one laughed or joked for a moment, and even the aroma of the wine seemed to have lost its flavor.
The sound of rain was clearly getting louder, but at this moment it seemed to be covered by something, and there was a faint, mournful "whooshing" sound that seemed to penetrate the wind and rain, appearing and disappearing, seemingly both near and far.
The meal was unpleasant for everyone, and they finished quickly. They had no interest in chatting in the hall and got up to go back to their rooms to rest, unwilling to stay any longer.
Late at night, Tang Yu suddenly heard a faint noise coming from next door. She was a light sleeper and woke up instantly.
The thunderstorm had not yet subsided when a flash of lightning illuminated her pale face and made her eyes appear cold and sharp.
She quietly got up, put on her clothes, and got out of bed. Just as she was about to approach the door, she saw a dark shadow suddenly flash by outside the door, light and airy, not like a living thing.
She held her breath and disappeared into the shadows, staring at the door for a long while.
The door seemed to have been blown open a crack by the wind, but then closed silently.
The word "ghost" suddenly popped into my head, but I quickly realized how ridiculous my thought was.
She grew up in the mountains, where rumors of "ghosts" were common, so how could she believe in such things?
But the "crying" outside the window seemed closer, faint and continuous, like a baby crying, or a woman sobbing, mournful and plaintive, making one's heart turn cold and one's spine go cold.
Between heaven and earth, it seemed that only those lingering, mournful cries remained, drifting through the village, searching for the lost soul.
Tang Yu stood quietly for a moment, then finally relaxed her brow and suppressed her curiosity.
She turned and lay back on the bed, closing her eyes amidst the ghostly wails.
Forget it, what does it have to do with her?
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