Chapter 67: Helpless Souls and Heartless Deeds

Zhou Village, a small hamlet on the outskirts of Qiantang with a population of less than a hundred, is so obscure that it cannot even be found on the map of the Chu State. The only reason Shishu would bring it up with such gravity is because it is the home of Baihua.

Unlike Shishu, Qianqin, and Wanqi, who are all orphans abandoned since childhood and brought to the Guo estate through various twists of fate, Baihua was born in Wujun and raised in Qiantang—a quintessential daughter of Jiangdong. Due to her family's poverty, she was sold to the Guo estate as a child, where she was meticulously trained by Guo Mian before being presented to Zhan Wenjun as a personal maid.

Among the four maids, she alone had living relatives. This gave her a tether to the world, and in that tether lay a vulnerability that others could exploit.

Zhan Wenjun looked at Shishu’s solemn expression and said, "Speak."

"Baihua’s father died long ago. Her mother, who was bedridden, was cared for by her brother and sister-in-law. Although they lived a modest life, the family was exceptionally close."

"I know this. During the holidays each year, Baihua would return to visit them. She spent almost all of her wages supporting them, and because my husband and I valued her filial piety, we often gave her extra rewards. By now, they should certainly not be living in poverty."

"You are right, Madam. Their farmstead was prosperous, and they had become the most well-off family in Zhou Village, long recovered from their former hardships. However, the men I sent to investigate discovered that about a month ago, Baihua’s mother, her brother, his wife, and their three children all vanished without a trace. The villagers have various theories—some say they moved into Qiantang City, others say they settled in the commandery seat of Wu County. There is no consensus."

"What? They are gone?"

Zhan Wenjun was startled. Possessing a keen intellect, she had already deduced the outcome. Her fingers tightened around the armrests of her chair as she asked, "What is your conclusion?"

"The villagers are simple-minded and assumed that because Baihua is favored in the Guo household, she had the wealth and influence to relocate her family to a better place. In reality, with her monthly stipend, she could not even afford a house in Qiantang, let alone in Wu County. Based on the clues we have gathered so far," Shishu said, her tone devoid of any personal emotion—as if the sisterly bond she had shared with Baihua for years had evaporated along with this bloody revelation—"and considering Baihua’s actions the other day, if my suspicions are correct, someone has secretly abducted her family to coerce her into doing their bidding."

"Coerce her? To do what?"

Shishu lowered her head, then raised it again, her eyes cold and sharp. "Unspeakable things."

Zhan Wenjun fell silent. She had always cherished Baihua, and at this moment, she felt a complex mixture of emotions. After waiting for a long time without a word from Zhan Wenjun, Shishu tentatively asked, "Should I bring Baihua to the Spring Well for questioning?"

Zhan Wenjun nodded. Just as Shishu was about to issue the order, she stopped her: "Do not use the Spring Well agents. Wanqi, you go... and do not frighten her."

"As you command."

Wanqi emerged from the shadows, exchanged a glance with Shishu, and slowly disappeared outside. Shishu knew that among the four maids, Wanqi and Baihua were the closest, but she did not fear that this would lead to any betrayal; in the Guo household—or perhaps in all of Jiangdong—there was only one person she truly needed to fear.

***

Baihua sat on her bed, wrapped in a quilt. Through the window, she could see that the number of guards in the courtyard had increased several times over. Since being confined, she had thought a great deal. She had shed tears and prayed to all the gods and Buddhas. The hateful thing was that she had never cared much for books, so she didn't even know how many deities there were in the Taoist or Buddhist pantheons. She regretted her lack of learning when it mattered most; even the gods were nowhere to be found when one truly needed them.

*Creak.*

The door opened, and Wanqi appeared in the room. Baihua was overjoyed and threw off the quilt, intending to jump off the bed. But halfway through, she caught sight of Wanqi’s expression. Her body stiffened as if she had sensed something, and she slowly sat back down.

"Did the Madam send you?"

She had a thousand words in her heart, but when they reached her lips, she found nothing to say. Even her voice, usually as bright as a sparrow’s, had turned hoarse, like dry leaves swept into the yellow sand, stirring a sense of desolation in the heart.

Wanqi said nothing. She walked up to her and looked down. After a long while, she reached out to stroke Baihua’s hair, her eyes filled with a sorrow she did not understand herself. "Let's go."

From the highest heavens to the deepest springs of the underworld!

The Spring Well was somber and deep, extending who knows how many feet beneath the earth. The chill of early winter seemed even sharper here. Baihua had only been here once before and had never wanted to return. Who could have imagined that one day she would walk into the Spring Well with such terror?

Step by step, she walked into hell.

The damp, dark stone floor echoed with the muffled thud of her footsteps. The corridor, which seemed to stretch on forever, twisted like an inescapable labyrinth. Along the narrow walls, traces of the rock-hewing process remained, and on both sides were heavy stone doors that blocked not only one’s sight but also the cruel world hidden behind them.

Wanqi stopped and looked back at Baihua. "Go in. The Madam is waiting for you inside."

Baihua stood before the stone door, trying to muster her courage again and again, but she could not bring herself to raise her hand. It was not death she feared, but facing Zhan Wenjun, and seeing the disappointment in her eyes.

"Go on. Don't keep the Madam waiting."

Finally, Baihua let go of her chaotic thoughts and pushed the door open. As the door opened and closed, Wanqi turned to the side, leaning against the stone wall, waiting quietly for the outcome inside.

"Madam!"

Baihua clasped her hands and knelt. She heard a soft sigh. "Get up."

She did not rise. "Madam, this servant is guilty!"

Zhan Wenjun said calmly, "What is your crime?"

"A month ago, while I was out on an errand, I met a man in the city. He used the silver bracelet my mother always wore as proof and took me to a private residence, where I saw my mother, my brother, and his family. Then, he... he cut off one of my mother’s fingers right in front of me!" Baihua raised her head, tears rolling silently down her delicate cheeks. "My mother is elderly and has been frail for years; it was already a blessing that she survived this long. To suffer the pain of a severed finger in her twilight years... she fainted on the spot..."

"...Afterward, the man demanded that I spy on the secrets of the Guo estate, threatening that if I refused, he would subject my mother and the others to tortures worse than death. In my panic, I agreed. I had hoped to stall for a few days to find a way out. But who would have thought that just two days later, I received another of my mother’s fingers? The man gave an ultimatum: I must find out what he wanted soon, or else, or else..."

Such human tragedy was unbearable for anyone to witness. Zhan Wenjun’s expression was one of pity. "What did he want you to find out?"

Baihua looked bewildered. "He was not clear. He only said to look for anything unusual in the Guo estate, or any peculiar people or events. Madam, you know that I have always lived in the inner quarters, unlike Shishu, Qianqin, or Wanqi, who each have their own duties, so I could not gather any information. Ten days passed in this state, and the man... he actually gouged out my mother’s eyes and cut off my brother’s hand..."

Zhan Wenjun sighed again. "And then?"

"I begged him bitterly, promising that I would certainly find something, and asked for more time. He granted me twenty more days. If there is no definite news by then, he will take my mother and brother’s lives..." Baihua sobbed uncontrollably. "It just so happened that when the Master met with his trouble and you asked me to take Young Master Xu to Mingyu Mountain, that was the first time I thought of the Cliff Waterfall. Five months ago, the Master declared that place a forbidden area. Isn't that the very 'unusual' thing the man was looking for? But I knew nothing of what had happened at the waterfall, so in my desperation, I took Young Master Xu there, wanting to get to the bottom of it..."

"So that is it!"

Zhan Wenjun pondered for a moment. "Have you told that man about the Cliff Waterfall?"

"No! Ever since we went to Mingyu Mountain, I haven't left, and he likely cannot find this place yet, so he has not made contact."

Zhan Wenjun’s mind raced, trying to discern the origin of the person who had coerced Baihua. The man was formidable, having accurately identified the one weak point in her circle. Shishu spent her time in the Spring Well, hidden from the light; Qianqin managed intelligence and was naturally difficult to deal with; and Wanqi was highly skilled—usually, she was the one who provoked others, not the other way around.

Only Baihua was her confidante, capable of accessing the estate's secrets, yet burdened by family ties and easy to threaten. Most importantly, while she was clever, she was naive by nature and inexperienced; a bit of intimidation was enough to make her yield. She was truly the perfect target.

Zhan Wenjun stood up and walked to Baihua. "Baihua, while your coercion is understandable, you betrayed the family. Even if I spare you, Shishu will not. Do you understand this?"