Chương 19: The Widow

Xu Yongchang seemed strange, but Fang Cheng had tried every kind of questioning and probing without finding a crack in the old man's facade. His Divine Energy and the demon sword both detected no sign of demonic influence. Maybe he really was just a drunk old man. Helpless, Fang Cheng left Harmony Wine Shop and moved on to the next suspect. Zhang Ruilin's wife was named Chen Yalan, a woman in her thirties from White Flower City.

Her home was a small courtyard in the southeastern part of the city, her shared home with Zhang Ruilin. That meant Zhang Ruilin had to get up early every morning and cross half the city just to reach the City God Temple and open for business. Fang Cheng thought that was terribly inconvenient. When he was a Land God, he'd just lived right in his temple, sleeping until the sun was high before getting up and opening the doors for the villagers to burn incense.

Fang Cheng found Chen Yalan kneeling before her family's mourning hall, dropping paper money into a brazier. Her face was streaked with tears, her expression numb. The mourning hall was decorated entirely in red. Red curtains, red cloth, red paper lanterns. Anyone walking in would have thought a wedding was taking place. On the wooden cabinet against the wall sat only Zhang Ruilin's spirit tablet. Normally, tablets for the Jade Emperor and the Everlasting Emperor should have been placed above it.

If Zhang Ruilin had been a dutiful City God, he would have emphasized this during his lifetime. It was the rule. Three long red incense sticks burned in the censer on the offering table, flanked by two large red candles. Besides these, there was a bowl of tea, a plate of braised pig intestines, and an unopened jar of yellow wine, the three offerings Yuan Min had brought yesterday. Chen Yalan wore a red dress, her black hair coiled in a high bun pinned behind her head, a small red flower tucked at her temple.

The red flower, the red surroundings, and the red glow from the brazier made the whole room feel somewhat eerie. Chen Yalan burned paper money and muttered under her breath, so lost in mourning her husband that she didn't notice Fang Cheng approaching.

"Excuse me..." Fang Cheng spoke. Hearing his voice, Chen Yalan turned, wiped the tears from her eyes, and said, "Young man, are you here to pay respects? You don't need to come to the house. My husband said before he died, just go to his grave." She looked at Fang Cheng, saw he was a stranger, and apologized.

"The grave is in the crabapple pear forest to the east. Forgive me for not being able to lead you there myself. If you can't find it, just ask. Everyone in the city knows."

"I've already paid my respects to Lord Zhang. I watched him being buried." Fang Cheng said, then introduced himself.

"I'm Zhu Youchang, the new City God." Chen Yalan's face showed a complex, hard-to-read expression. She seemed to want to say something but held back. Two streams of tears ran from her eyes. She nodded silently and said to Fang Cheng:"Thank you, City God." Fang Cheng continued, "I'd like to ask about Yuan Min." Chen Yalan wiped her tears.

"If Yuan Min has done something wrong, you can ask him directly. He lives in the eastern market. Though he was my husband's apprentice, I don't know him well, so I can't speak much about him. I hope the City God will forgive me."

"Oh, it seems you don't know. Yuan Min is dead." Fang Cheng said slowly, watching her.

"Yuan Min is dead?" Chen Yalan's face showed shock. She shook her head, murmuring to herself.

"How is that possible? He was fine yesterday. He brought things over, carrying half a lamb rack, saying he'd cut half for me. But I didn't want it. Ever since my husband died, I haven't wanted to eat anything. I wish I could just follow him... but I can't. I promised him I'd live on. Wuwuwu..." You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. She began to cry again, sobbing heartbreakingly.

"Madam, my condolences." Fang Cheng felt this was the appropriate thing to say. So far, he hadn't found anything suspicious about Chen Yalan. Other than her slightly odd attire, she seemed no different from any other woman from a bureaucratic household. Chen Yalan cried for a while, then lifted her tear-streaked face to look at Fang Cheng.

"City God, let me ask you. What crime did my husband commit? What crime did Yuan Min commit? They worked diligently, and the people of White Flower City saw it. Everyone said they were good people. So is it the good people who deserve to die?"

"No, no. It's the bad people who deserve to die." Fang Cheng said with feeling.

"Being a good person is hard. You face gossip from colleagues, sneak attacks from villains, and judgment from the world. As a well-known good person, I understand this struggle deeply. Madam Zhang, don't worry. If Lord Zhang was truly a good man, I'll seek justice for him. And I'll find the real killer of Yuan Min. But I need information from you. For example, did Yuan Min have conflicts with anyone before he died? What was he doing recently?" Chen Yalan wiped the tears from her cheeks.

"City God, my husband walked upright and stood firm. He never did anything shameful. Why would he need you to seek justice? Has he done something unjust?"

"Not that I know of." Fang Cheng replied. Though Zhang Ruilin was connected to the demon somehow, nothing was certain until the investigation was complete.

"Let's focus on Yuan Min. After he came here yesterday, did anything seem unusual about him?" Fang Cheng asked. Chen Yalan frowned in thought.

"Yuan Min was usually quiet. But yesterday, after my husband's death, it seemed to hit him hard. He talked more than usual. He said once he'd finished everything my husband had asked him to do, he'd leave White Flower City and go out into the world. After hearing that, I took out the Immortal Bank Note my husband had left with me and gave it to Yuan Min. Actually, my husband had foreseen that Yuan Min wouldn't stay in White Flower City forever.

He'd given me the money specifically to pass on when Yuan Min decided to leave. But I do find it strange. Why didn't my husband give it to him directly instead of having me hold onto it?"

"An Immortal Bank Note? How much?" Fang Cheng asked. He hadn't found any check on Yuan Min's body. Chen Yalan said, "Five hundred mid-grade Immortal Crystals. My husband saved it over most of his life. With that check, Yuan Min could withdraw it from any immortal bank." Fang Cheng's eyebrows lifted. A thought struck him. Could Yuan Min have been killed for the money? A cultivator who saw the check and got greedy?

"Madam Zhang, is there an immortal bank in White Flower City?"

"Yes. In the eastern market, where Yuan Min lived." Hearing that, Fang Cheng didn't even bother saying goodbye. He rushed off to the eastern market. After asking around, he found the immortal bank. The door was shut. Unbelievable. Ordinary people closed their shops to avoid bad luck, but this was a bank run by cultivators. What were they afraid of? Bang, bang, bang! Fang Cheng pounded on the door. After a few seconds, there was movement inside.

The wooden door slowly opened, and a tall, thin man with dark skin poked his head out.

"Oh! City God, please come in." The man greeted him warmly, ushering Fang Cheng inside. Fang Cheng glanced around. The shop was sparse, with broken tables and chairs, and a few damaged paintings on the walls. It looked quite shabby.

"Your name?" Fang Cheng asked.

"Zhao Baocai." The shop owner bowed slightly, his posture humble.

"Owner Zhao, did Yuan Min come to your shop yesterday?"

"Didn't see him. Just a few Land Gods from outside the city came to exchange some Immortal Crystals."

"Did anyone else see him?" Zhao Baocai smiled.

"City God, I'm the only one who runs this bank. If I didn't see him, then he didn't come. I only saw his body in the street this morning. Tsk, tsk. A strong, broad-shouldered young man killed with a little knife. Unbelievable." Fang Cheng snorted, pressing him.

"Zhao Baocai, you're a cultivator too. Yuan Min died last night in the eastern market. Didn't you notice anything? Or maybe you were the one who killed him?" Zhao Baocai quickly protested.

"Oh, City God, there are at least a dozen cultivators in White Flower City. You can't pin this on me. Besides, I'm like you. I have a proper post. You can't pin things on me. If you want to blame someone, blame those powerless Land Gods. They're not on the Hall of Eternal Life's payroll. One more or one less dead, it doesn't really matter."

"What are you implying? Why would I blame anyone? You're not suggesting I killed Yuan Min, are you?" Fang Cheng's killing intent surged. His sword had been hungry for a long time.

"Wouldn't dare, City God. That's not what I meant. It's just..." Zhao Baocai lowered his voice, leaning in to whisper.

"I'd suggest you find a cultivator to be your new temple keeper. A mortal can't handle the position. I have some friends I could introduce..."

"Stop with the nonsense." Fang Cheng cut him off.

"I only want to hear about Yuan Min!"

"City God, Yuan Min wasn't even a cultivator. Why would he come here?" Zhao Baocai looked innocent. Fang Cheng said, "Zhang Ruilin left him a spirit check for five hundred mid-grade Immortal Crystals." Zhao Baocai's face lit up with surprise.

"Oh? Zhang Ruilin, that broke bastard, actually had money? I underestimated him. No wonder he came from the Great Sheng capital. He wasn't so simple after all."