Chapter 62: The truth is revealed. Sun Tart jokes, art comes from life...
When the cold river water flooded over his chest, Zhang Renbai felt a little more relaxed and the heat was gone.
The screams from the shore and Xu's cries were blocked out by the sound of water. He closed his eyes until the water spread to his face, then he choked on the water, and his confused mind became a little clearer.
"Don't come over here... Don't come over here!"
Several brothers from the Inspection Office wanted to jump down to save people under Lu Lan's order, but were stopped by Zhang Renbai.
"Son, please come up first. I won't force you anymore. I won't force you anymore!"
Xu leaned on the river bank, crying bitterly, as if she was repenting. If Zhan Wenxing had not stopped her, she would have fallen in as well.
Father Zhang was trembling all over. He really couldn't imagine that his sensible son would suddenly do such a rebellious thing.
He has always been the most obedient. When he was seven or eight years old, I vowed to him, "Dad, I will bring honor to our family in the future." He was obviously very obedient... No matter what he and his wife asked, he would do it.
How could it become like this!
“Cough… cough cough…”
The river flooded again, and Zhang Renbai floated helplessly with his hands. He heard the sound of chaotic footsteps on the shore, but he dove his face into the water.
He didn't want to be rescued, didn't want to live under his parents' control. As soon as he closed his eyes, all their annoying words would flood into his mind.
After the winter solstice, the river was covered in thin ice, freezing him to the point of bone aching. He fished out the extra paper packages in his arms, the contents of which had long since become sticky from being soaked in water.
"They want to use my dead head to ship real goods out of the city..."
His mind was in a trance when a voice entered Zhang Renbai's ears.
"Don't come over here..."
He kept mumbling to himself, his voice trembling with the river water, which seeped into his mouth and nose. "I don't know anything... Really, I don't know..."
He suddenly thought of the river in summer, teeming with minnows and whitebait. They'd fished together, walking barefoot along the riverbank, scooping up lively shrimp with flat baskets. Clouds drifted across the water, and the wind carried the scent of reeds and lotus flowers. But the river water now was so cold it felt like it would freeze a person's bones.
It would be better to just die.
Amidst the chaos on the shore, a small figure suddenly squeezed in.
Meng Ge'er had two crooked pigtails. He pushed aside the legs of the adults who were watching and looked towards the river bank with his round face raised.
"Brother Renbai!"
His voice drowned out the sound of water. "You went down to the river to catch some fish. Mother said the water is cold these days and fishing will freeze your stomach. Brother Renbai, come closer. Brother Meng will hold you. Stop fishing."
Zhang Renbai suddenly surfaced and shouted at him, "Brother Meng, don't come over here!"
"I won't slack off, I'll pull you up."
Meng Ge'er crouched forward and reached his little hand into the water. He tried for a long time but couldn't reach it. His hands turned red from being soaked in the river water and his brows were furrowed in anxiety.
He turned back to the shop entrance, where the clothes were drying on bamboo poles. He ran over, grabbed the base of the pole, and dragged it toward the river. The pole was taller than him, weighing him down, causing him to stagger, but he managed to carry it to the bank.
"Brother Renbai, grab this!"
He pushed the bamboo pole into the water until it floated to Zhang Renbai's hand. "My mother said that a bamboo pole can carry water and also pull people. Hold on tight, I'm very strong!"
Wei Fuqiu and Wei Fuling also squeezed to the shore. Wei Fuling stood on the edge, waving her hands and shouting, "Brother Renbai, hurry up and catch it! The water is cold!"
The bamboo pole swayed, and the water droplets on the tip of the pole dripped into the water, splashing small circles.
Meng Ge'er's face turned red, but he was still pushing the bamboo pole forward with all his strength.
"Don't send it forward."
"Brother Renbai."
Wei Fuqiu grabbed the bamboo pole and said, "You're not a bad person, right... Then can you please tell me who the bad person is?"
Zhang Renbai looked at the three small figures, took a deep breath, and reached out to grab the bamboo pole.
When Meng Ge'er saw that he had caught it, a smile immediately broke out on his face, revealing his front teeth that had grown halfway since the summer.
"Brother Renbai, hold on tight!"
He clutched the bamboo pole, leaning back, his pigtails swinging high in the wind. Wei Fuqiu and Wei Fuling also squatted down, one holding Meng Ge'er's waist while the other helped hold the bamboo pole. Although the three children had little strength, they gathered their strength and worked together.
The adults watching on the shore also reacted, took the bamboo pole, and pulled Zhang Renbai up together.
The water was still flowing towards Zhang Renbai, and Meng Ge'er was still smiling.
"Brother Renbai, come up here so I can show you my calligraphy. I wrote the three characters Zhao Wenmeng on red paper. Mother said that sticking it on the shop door can ward off evil spirits. Sister Chuntao and Sister Xiaoman always say the same thing...Brother Renbai, please teach me again. You've been ignoring me these days."
When Zhang Renbai was dragged ashore, the water on his body flowed down his clothes and formed a small puddle on the ground.
Xu rushed over and hugged his shoulders, crying breathlessly, "Son, you scared me to death! Let's go see a doctor right away!"
He didn't respond, but just lay straight on the ground, staring at the sky. Drops of water on his eyelashes rolled down the corners of his eyes, mixing with tears, and spreading a wet mark on his cheek.
Lu Lan's official boots stopped in front of him.
He turned his head, his gaze passing Lu Lan and landing on Wei Jinyun beside him. The wind lifted the strands of hair on her temples, and her eyes finally caught his.
When he woke up in the morning, he suddenly saw the door of the shop next door quietly open. She came out with a basket on her back, crouching down. When she looked up at him, a faint smile curved her lips.
It's a sunny day.
Zhang Renbai's throat moved and he slowly closed his eyes.
"I have already called Doctor Sun."
Lu Lan said, "Would you like to see it?"
He still had his eyes closed, his lips pursed, and didn't utter a single word.
"Carry it away."
Lu Lan turned and said to the men behind him, "Ask Doctor Sun to check carefully."
Zhang's father wanted to step forward to stop him, "Sir, I was just confused for a moment..."
Before he could finish his words, he met Lu Lan's emerald eyes. Those eyes, a color unlike any other, glared at him coldly. Father Zhang's words got stuck in his throat, and he swallowed them back.
The people from the Inspection Office watched, and no one in the crowd dared to speak loudly, and they all returned to their shops.
Lu Lan stood by the counter of Yunlaixiang, her eyes fixed on Zhen Meiyou in the corner.
Zhen Meiyou held the tea bowl, her head still bowed. Even though the air was warm, she shivered as she held the bowl. The bustling scene just now seemed to have never occurred to her.
"You really don't want to say it?"
Lu Lan walked up to her and looked down at her, "Zhen Meiyou, you always deliver goods to Zhaoji Delicatessen. You should know Zhang Renbai... and you are targeting these things and continue to harm people?"
Zhen Meiyu's shoulders trembled, and the edge of the tea bowl touched his lips, but he didn't drink it.
She knew Zhang Renbai, of course. He had been reading in the shop as a child, the sound of his reading resonating in her ears. When she was delivering goods to Zhaoji Cooked Food Store, he was a well-built young man.
Wei Jinyun came out from the backyard carrying the freshly baked sun tarts.
She walked over to Lu Lan and put the plate on the counter. "Would you like to eat? You must be hungry after all this trouble."
She always felt that Lu Lan knew everything in his heart, but he did not force anyone to speak.
Lu Lan raised his eyes and responded, "Yeah."
He walked over to the counter and slowly picked up a sun tart.
Wei Jinyun leaned against the counter and watched him finish one before asking softly, "You asked me to tie that sachet for you. Was that intentional?"
"Yes, Shopkeeper Wei is smart."
Lu Lan didn't wait for her to finish. She wiped her hands and looked up at her. "Zhang Renbai has always been addicted, but he's been suppressing it. When people like him lose control, whether it's anger or despair, they subconsciously want to numb themselves with that thing."
"So, the inspector is using me."
Wei Jinyun rolled his eyes at him.
The inspection made the master forget how to tie the sachet, and it was a good thing he could tell it.
“It’s not exploitation.”
Lu Lan said.
"How can it not count?"
Lu Lan looked at her and suddenly leaned forward. "Do you want to know?"
Wei Jinyun nodded.
"Come closer."
Wei Jinyun leaned forward and heard his low voice.
"I really like this tied knot."
Wei Jinyun ran away on the spot and ran quickly into the backyard.
What knot...
What is he talking about!
"Master Lu, what did you say to Manager Wei?"
Gu Xiang was just coming out of the backyard. Seeing Wei Jinyun's appearance, he scratched the back of his head and laughed.
Lu Lan, still holding the Sun Tart, smiled faintly and glanced at her, "Guess."
Zhan Wenxing, who was standing next to him, had just picked up the tea bowl when his hand suddenly twisted.
He had hallucinations. Lord Lu should not be a person who likes to laugh. How many times has he laughed recently?
"Alas, this is a vivid joke... As expected, art comes from life."
Chang Siyan sat on a bench in the corner, pen in hand, and shouted to the backyard, "Boss Wei, come and listen to the jokes of Sun Tart!"
Wei Jinyun ran back again.
"Tell me quickly!"
"A story that asks children to collect suns."
Chang Siyan bit the pen, his face full of smiles. "Sun Tarts are made with milk and sugar, and are very popular with children. Our main customers this time are the children of Pingjiang Prefecture."
"Oh, let me guess, it's not based on a joke that Lao Chang came up with."
Wei Jinyun sat down next to Chang Siyan, "Are you going to praise your grandfather? I almost cried when I saw you looking at your grandfather's back today."
"Manager Wei is so smart."
Chang Siyan held Wei Jinyun's face and said, "I really miss you, but I won't cry."
Lu Lan glanced at her sideways, and Chang Siyan just smiled.
Chang Siyan remembered how starving she was, scavenging for food in a stinking garbage dump. It was a particularly windy day, and she huddled together in a ball, freezing cold, unable to find anything to eat. She was about to faint when something hard tapped her foot.
She looked up and saw a man leaning on a bamboo stick. His left eye was a slit, his right eye was also white, and he was carrying a cloth bag.
"Is there a kid here?"
The man's voice was hoarse, but not scary.
He squatted down and touched her head with his hand, "Are you hungry?"
She didn't dare to speak, she just shrank back. The man smiled, took out a cake from his cloth bag, and handed it to her mouth, "Eat it, my last name is Chang, you can call me Lao Chang."
The cake was not tasty, it was dry and hard. She took a bite and her tears fell on the cake.
Later, she followed Old Chang. His surname was Chang, so she also took the surname Chang and became Chang Siyan.
He always carried a bamboo stick with a cloth bag hanging on his arm. When he was tired, he would sit on the roadside and sing Lotus Falls.
"The bamboo stick knocks, the cloth bag shakes, where are the baby's parents..."
When he sang, the cloth bag would sway gently.
Once in Bianjing, they heard crying from behind a haystack. Lao Chang tapped the tree with his bamboo cane, and sure enough, he pulled out a bound child. He quietly went behind a tree, waiting for the kidnapper to retrieve the child. Suddenly, he tripped the child with his cane and called the patrol officer.
When the little kid was taken away by his parents, he stuffed a lot of malt candy into Old Chang, who then stuffed it all into little Si Yan's hands.
"Old Chang, we've helped so many kids, why do we still eat cakes?"
Lao Chang touched the cloth bag and said, "Because this bag is used to hold other things."
His cloth bag was indeed always filled with a lot of things: sometimes it was a piece of mohele for a lost child, and another time it was a piece of wild flowers stuffed in by a little girl. She said, "Old Chang's cloth bag is warm, and the flowers will never wither."
Old Chang was still poor. He had changed the ends of his bamboo stick several times and helped many children, but only little Si Yan followed him around the country.
Little Si Yan has been following Lao Chang for more than ten years. She has grown from a little girl following behind him to a girl who can help him carry his luggage.
Old Chang’s cloth bag contained a lot of things, but there was never a letter written to “Chang Siyan’s parents”.
She remembered how they had rescued a pair of siblings together in Jiangning Prefecture. When Lao Chang tucked the two crying children into their mother's arms, the woman knelt down to kowtow, and Lao Chang quickly backed away, leaning on his bamboo stick.
On the way back to the dilapidated temple, Xiao Siyan kicked a stone and asked, "Old Chang, do you think... my parents are also somewhere, clinging to the door frame and waiting?"
Lao Chang knocked the ground a few times with his bamboo stick, then stopped to touch her head.
His hands seemed rougher than the day he picked her up.
"Yes."
He said, "Let's keep looking, and we'll find it eventually."
But Xiao Siyan knew that Lao Chang was just trying to coax her.
With his half-blind eyes, the sun was just a blurry light, but he could tell at a glance which little girl was her in the crowd. The copper coins in his pocket could buy two hot steamed buns, but he wanted to give them all to her.
"The little kid's smile is brighter than the sun in the sky..."
Lao Chang loved to sing lotus songs, which he composed himself, singing whatever came to mind. After all, they all depended on Lao Chang's lotus songs to earn money and have a living.
Old Chang always said that those dolls were the sun, and he was the one who picked up the sun, picking it up and sending it back.
But she felt that he was.
His bamboo stick led the way, his cloth bag was filled with many things, and his half-blind eyes held a light more powerful than the sun. It wasn't the kind that blinded people, but the kind that slowly warmed the heart and carried people for a long way.
She followed behind and reached out to grab the light.
"Xiao Chang, you're really going to cry."
Wei Jinyun waved in front of Chang Siyan and brought the Chuanbei loquat paste she had prepared for her. "Drink it quickly. I'll grind the Chuanbei that your grandfather sent me into powder later and make it for you."
Chang Siyan came back to his senses, took a sip, and coughed lightly, "I always have to drink so much every day, I've become a water buffalo."
"Water buffaloes are great, they're very energetic and vigorous. They all work for Shopkeeper Wei."
Wei Jinyun carefully read the story written by Chang Siyan, "Then Shopkeeper Wei became the richest man in front of Tianqing Temple."
Good jokes go well with good snacks.
The promotion and marketing of the Sun Tart has been settled.
"Manager Wei is thinking too small."
Chao Jiu smiled and said, "What do you mean by Tianqing Temple? Our shopkeeper Wei is the richest man in the entire Pingjiang Prefecture!"
The three of them played around for a while, and Zhao Xiangping also went into Yunlaixiang for tea. Because of this case, the shops in front of Tianqing Temple were deserted; even idle young men were reluctant to go there. She saw Zhen Meiyou, paused for a moment, and then went over to him.
"Sister Mei You, please go home. Lord Lu will not agree with what you said."
She still patted her shoulder and comforted her softly.
After all, they are friends who have known each other for many years.
Zhen Meiyou whispered back, "I want to take my brother's body back home and bury him in peace."
"But the case has not been investigated."
"What does this have to do with my brother? He was killed and left in the river in such a miserable state. He should be buried in peace!"
Zhen Meiyou looked up, looking excited.
"Don't you want to catch the murderer? Ziming is so innocent."
Zhen Meiyou's eyes widened, tears streaming down her face. "Innocent? Zhan Ziming is so young, but he might as well have been ruthless! He helped you teach my brother a lesson, and then the next moment, my brother is gone. How could such a coincidence happen?"
Zhao Xiangping's face turned pale. "Sister Mei You, what are you talking about?"
"My brother's body is still in the morgue of the Inspection Office, unable to be buried. My brother has a hot temper, and he might have made an enemy of me, and he's holding a grudge and taking ruthless action. You're protecting him because you're young. Don't you consider your own age? How can a young boy like him be sincere to you?"
"Sister Mei You, how could you say that..."
Zhao Xiangping's eyes became hot and tears almost rolled out, but she forced herself to hold them back.
Seeing her like this, Zhen Meiyou's gaze softened slightly. "Don't get involved in this anymore. Just take care of your shop. Are you really moved by Zhan Ziming? That's why you divorced him and still believe those sweet-talking men? Ah Ping, I told you to stop interfering in this matter."
Zhao Xiangping fell silent.
She turned and went to another small table and asked for a pot of tea.
"Hey, Brother Du!"
Gu Xiang came forward with a teapot in hand, smiling, "I haven't seen you in a while. Would you like something sweet or savory today? The freshly steamed chestnut cake is still hot!"
Ah Du walked in, wrapped in cold air, followed by a fat porter.
He didn't respond, but glanced around the shop. Seeing Lu Lan at the counter, his steps immediately quickened. He pulled the fat porter behind him and knelt down with a plop.
"Lord Lu!"
Ah Du cried, "Please find my friend, he...he's gone!"
The fat porter also kowtowed and said, "Sir, we two work with him at the dock, and we haven't seen him for more than ten days before and after the winter solstice!"
They went to the Inspection Office and were told that Lord Lu was handling a case in front of Tianqing Temple, so they hurried over.
"Tell me more."
Lu Lan raised her hand and asked them to stand up.
Ah Du wiped his face. "His name is Wang San, and he's a porter like us. The last time we saw him was on the 28th of last month, unloading a batch of medicinal herbs at the Changmen Wharf. He said that after he got paid for the job, he would go buy a new cotton-padded jacket for his son and wife. But he disappeared after that... The child at home cries for his father every day. We searched all over the Changmen Wharf and the small restaurant he often visited, but we couldn't find him..."
Another fat porter chimed in, "He works the hardest. He's never picky about the work at the docks, moving rocks and sacks—everything others find tiring, he takes on, just to earn a few more coppers. A few days ago, his child had a cough, and he even went out to haul goods at night, saying he wanted to save money for the child's medicine. How could a man like that abandon his wife and child for over ten days straight, not even coming home on the winter solstice?"
Lu Lan asked, "What medicinal herbs did he unload? Who was he with? Did he say he wanted to go somewhere else?"
"They were unloading angelica and astragalus. They said it was from Longxi and was destined for the medical clinic on Shantang Street. There were five people working together: me, Wang San, him, Lao Zhou, and Liu Qiang. They were all old buddies at the dock."
The fat porter beside him nodded quickly. "Yes, we finished the work early that day and dispersed before the evening hour. Wang San collected his wages and smiled at us, saying that he would weigh two pounds of spare ribs to bring back for his wife and children. Then he headed south. His home is in the south of the city, and he usually goes this way."
"Didn't you say you wanted to go somewhere else?" Lu Lan asked.
Ah Du shook his head. "Absolutely not. His child has a terrible cough, and he kept telling us he'd be taking care of him lately, so he wouldn't be moving any more goods. But his wife came to Changmen Wharf today, saying Wang San hadn't been home in a while. She thought he was just staying at the wharf to make some extra money, like he was doing last winter solstice. We searched several times along his usual route, from Changmen Wharf to the several streets in the shantytown, but we couldn't find him."
Gu Xiang was distressed when he heard this and asked, "Could something have happened on the road? It rained for several days last month, and the roads are very slippery."
"Impossible."
Ah Du immediately retorted, "Wang San is very familiar with the road. He can walk with his eyes closed. Gu Xiang, you know he is very strong. If he really encounters a robber, he may not suffer any loss."
"Is the clinic the Miaoshoutang on Shantang Street?"
Ah Du asked curiously, "Sir Lu, how do you know?"
There are four or five clinics on Shantang Street, and they did not say which one to send the patient to.
Lu Lan's eyes darkened. "Is there anything wrong with the goods from Miaoshoutang?"
"Something is definitely wrong."
The fat porter replied honestly, "That batch of herbs looked very strange. Usually, angelica roots come in whole roots, but that day, they were mostly broken into pieces. There was even some black soil at the bottom of the sacks, and it smelled fishy, unlike anything from Longxi. Wang San even muttered something about how the angelica root smelled so fishy, but Doctor Sun heard him and glared at him, and he didn't dare say anything."
"Wang San's appearance."
"I know."
Hearing Lu Lan's question, Gu Xiang continued, "Wang San is a thin guy. He doesn't look strong, but his arms and legs are full of tough muscles. He can carry the work at the docks just as fast as others... We carried goods together a few times in the past."
She continued, "Yun Laixiang comes here often, too. Every time, he's with Brother Du and that Brother Zhao. The three of them sit at that table, order a couple of dim sum dishes, and chat for the entire afternoon. He doesn't talk much. Most of the time, Brother Du does the talking, and he listens with a cup of hot tea, occasionally chiming in."
Lu Lan turned to Zhan Wenxing beside him and instructed, "Go to the shantytown in the south of the city and invite Wang San's wife. You can't hide it from the person closest to you no matter how hard you try."
Zhan Wenxing left in response, and Lu Lan's gaze swept over to Zhen Meiyou who was standing beside him.
She lowered her head, clutched the hem of her cotton jacket tightly with both hands, and was shaking violently.
At this moment, another subordinate came in and said, "Sir, Zhang Renbai has woken up. Doctor Sun examined him and said that he had indeed taken Wushisan."
Lu Lan raised her eyebrows slightly, "Didn't he say anything after he woke up?"
"He just kept repeating what I said, but I didn't have time to ask the rest."
"Um."
Lu Lan added, "Please invite Doctor Sun over as well."
Chaojiu had just brewed a pot of tea, and the mist blurred the light and shadow behind the counter.
Wei Jinyun turned her head and glanced at Lu Lan who was standing beside her. "Master Lu, what secret are you hiding?"
Lu Lan was flipping through the files. He looked up when he heard the words, and the white mist in his eyes became a little warm.
He held his chin and asked, "Want to know?"
"Um."
Wei Jinyun nodded.
"I'm investigating a case."
Lu Lan's voice softened a bit. "We need to make sure all the shopkeepers in front of Tianqing Temple have business. Shopkeeper Wei's sun tarts are so delicious, they can't fail to sell."
He continued, "I also have to help someone solve their fear of walking at night. Otherwise, if I'm really busy, won't she have to carry a pair of scissors and look back all the way?"
"you!"
Wei Jinyun was both angry and embarrassed. "Just investigate the case, why do you always mention me?"
"Want to know?"
Wei Jinyun continued to nod.
"I won't tell you."
“…”
She didn't want to talk to Lu Lan anymore.
Wei Fuqiu supported Zhang Renbai's left arm, Wei Fuling held up his right elbow, and Meng Ge'er blocked the wind for him. The three of them almost half-carried him in.
Zhang Renbai's face was pale, but his lips were abnormally red. He coughed three times with every step he took, and his waist was bent like a bow.
"Lord Lu..."
Zhang Renbai slowly raised his head.
Lu Lan raised her hand to indicate that it was okay, and placed it on Zhang Renbai's trembling hand, "Sit down."
Zhang Renbai collapsed on the stool, his chest heaving violently. After a long pause, he raised his eyes. "Zhen Yong, Zhen Yong is the contact person for Doctor Sun...buying and selling medicinal herbs. He was the one who took over the shipment from Changmen Wharf."
As soon as he finished speaking, Doctor Sun, who had just been brought to the small table by the Inspection Office, stood up suddenly.
He pointed at Zhang Renbai's nose and cursed, "You're talking nonsense! I've been practicing medicine for thirty years. When did I ever need Zhen Yong to make contact?"
"Lord Lu!"
Doctor Sun turned to Lu Lan anxiously, "This kid must have taken the Five Stones Powder and damaged his brain. He's talking nonsense!"
Lu Lan glanced at Doctor Sun coldly and said, "Sit down. Let him speak."
Doctor Sun sat back in his chair angrily, but his butt felt like it was stuck with needles and he twisted and turned in vain.
When the inspection team came looking for him today, he felt uneasy. Now they wanted him to treat Zhang Renbai and bring him before Lord Lu. He knew he was doomed... There was no way he could escape.
Zhang Renbai coughed twice and let out a bitter smile. "I farted? Didn't you give me that Wu Shi San? My father sent me to your clinic for treatment. You secretly told me that this medicine can invigorate the mind and enlighten the mind, and you tricked me into taking the first sip. What happened next? You said if I wanted the medicine, I had to help you."
Doctor Sun's face flushed crimson, and he slammed the table as he stood up. "Nonsense! I'm a doctor who saves lives, how could I do such a thing? You must have been bewitched by the Five Stones Powder, and you're slandering me!"
A cold wind blew in.
Jing Liulang was holding a man standing at the door. The man was short and wore a fine brocade robe, but it was stained with mud and chicken feathers. His hair was disheveled, and his face was streaked with blood. He hung his head, his shoulders clamped by Jing Liulang, unable to move.
"Sir, the person has been brought here."
Jing Liulang said in a deep voice.
Zhen Meiyou was stunned at first, and then he began to tremble as if all his bones were pulled out, and he couldn't sit still.
Everyone in Yunlaixiang was so shocked that they stood up.
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Author's words: Jinyun: [rolling eyes]
Mr. Lu: [Sunglasses]
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