Chapter 52: 052. Su Liang Disappears
Translator: 549690339
[Su Liang is Missing]
In the afternoon, Lady Bai came to visit.
“Just finished these new shoes, why don’t you try them?” When Lady Bai saw Su Liang wearing the shoes she had made, she beamed with joy.
The shoes were specifically made by Lady Bai for Su Liang. Su Liang did not know how, and did not have the time to make them. The ornamental shoes she’d bought were just not suitable for martial arts training.
Su Liang tried on the new shoes and they were the perfect fit.
Ning Jing took the pair made for him and tried them on in his room and agreed that they were a perfect fit.
“It’s getting colder, do you want to have a few more pairs of cotton shoes? You’ll be travelling to the provincial city soon, right? It’s even colder there!” Lady Bai asked.
Smiling, Su Liang nodded, “If you could find the time to make them, that would be wonderful. I have some materials that friends have given to me, perhaps they could be used.”
Saying this, Su Liang took out the fabric that Xing Yusheng had gifted to her. Seeing the material, Lady Bai said it must’ve been expensive.
They settled on ordering two pairs of cotton shoes each for Su Liang and Ning Jing. Lady Bai said she would go to the market the next day and check out the most fashionable styles in town to imitate for their shoes.
Regarding the price, Su Liang was always generous but within limits, she and Lady Bai had an understanding about this.
After settling the shoe order, Lady Bai brought up the family of Niupo.
After the incident, Su Xingzhe’s second brother took his “body” from the government office and buried him hastily.
The villagers thought that Niupo must’ve gone insane due to the shock of the event, there were signs before. But surprisingly, these past few days she acted normal, even more kindly than before. It was strange.
“Don’t mention her,” Lady Bai sighed, “My second son is still fixated on Liu Huilan, my eldest son also persuaded me. We’ve discussed a few marriage possibilities for the second son, but they’ve all been unfavorable. Though, the idea of him marrying a widow, and that too, the daughter-in-law driven out by Niupo, just doesn’t sit right with me.”
Su Liang simply laughed and said, “I don’t understand such matters, it must be about fate, I think.’
“Right, you’re still young, you will only come of age at the end of the year, right? By then, you probably won’t be in the village anymore. Young Master Ning is a great person, you two…” Lady Bai checked herself, lightly hitting her mouth, “Look at me, I talk too much.
“I’m glad you think so, Lady Bai.” Su Liang smiled sweetly.
Lady Bai looked at her pale, delicate face with its exquisite eyes, nose, and lips. She couldn’t help but compliment, “It hasn’t been more than a month and you’ve grown so much, becoming even more beautiful.”
Su Liang pinched her own face, “Maybe it’s because I used to be so skinny, I’ve recently gained some weight?”
“Gained weight? You’re still very slim.” Lady Bai laughed.
After Lady Bai had left with some materials, Ning Jing mentioned he needed to visit Erniu’s house. He had a question for Erniu’s grandfather, Su Dakuan, his woodworking master.
Also, Ning Jing had earlier purchased an extra set of woodworking tools from the town to gift to Su Dakuan as a token of his appreciation.
“I’ll come as well, to check on Grandpa Dakuan’s health,” Su Liang said as she changed into a coat before exiting.
Just as they crossed the bridge, they ran into Niupo and her daughter-in-law, both carrying bundles of firewood back home.
Spotting Su Liang, Niuopo stopped, contorted her mouth into a smile that was uglier than a cry, and croaked, “Miss Liang.”
Su Liang nodded, and Niupo’s daughter-in-law pulled her away.
Watching their retreating figures, Su Liang looked uneasy. “Something feels wrong,” she muttered.
Then, she heard Ning Jing recite a familiar saying. “She has a darkening forehead,” he announced.
Su Liang frowned. “Is she plotting a murder?”
Though many held a grudge against Niupo, none would go as far as to plan her death. She wouldn’t kill herself either. Otherwise, she would have done it long ago.
On the way to Erniu’s house, Su Liang kept pondering. If Niupo were planning to kill someone, who would it be? It could very well be her and Ning Jing. Niupo blamed Ning Jing for Su Xingzhe’s accident.
“Here we go again.” Su Liang sighed.
“Sister Su Liang! Big Brother Ning!” Seeing them, Erniu dropped his axe and rushed to get small stools for them.
Su Dakuan emerged from his hut. A laugh spread across his aged face. “Miss
Liang is here.”
“Grandpa Dakuan, you look much better. Are you still unwell anywhere?” Su Liang asked.
Leaning against the hut wall, Su Dakuan sat and shook his head, “I’m all good now, there’s no discomfort. I’ll be able to get back to work in a few more days.”
Su Liang checked Su Dakuan’s pulse and advised him to rest for another half month and to avoid overworking himself.
“What’s this?” Erniu seemed interested in the items Ning Jing had.
“That’s a gift for Grandpa Dakuan from Ning Jing. He can use it when working with wood,” Su Liang explained with a smile, “Please don’t refuse. Ning Jing learnt his skills from Dakuan; these are his token of gratitude. Moreover, the debts owed to you will be written off with this.”
Su Dakuan immediately dismissed the offer. “How can that be? A debt must be repaid! I didn’t teach Young Master Ning much, it’s all thanks to his own intelligence.”
“Even though he was smart, he was still a beginner. Grandpa Dakuan taught him the fundamentals.” Su Liang insisted. “Does anyone learn a skill without paying for it?”
“I know, you are doing this because…” Su Dakuan’s eyes were moist.
During the days he was sick, Su Liang had treated his illness and bought his medicine, and Ning Jing had delivered the food and vegetables for his home. There were quite a few left now, enough for him and his grandchild to last through the winter.
“Don’t think too much, once you are well, life will get better.” Su Liang said.
After Ning Jing learnt a method of mortise and tenon jointing from Su Dakuan, they bid farewell.
After dinner, Su Liang asked Ning Jing what should be done about Old Woman Niu, who was suspected of attempted murder. If it wasn’t investigated thoroughly, there would be deaths.
“I’ll take a look.” Ning Jing said.
“That’s good. I guess she may not be able to sleep at night, she might even talk to herself.” Su Liang said.
Su Liang planned to go back to her room to read the medical book that Madam Xing had given her. Time was precious, and she had a lot of things to learn, otherwise, she would have gone out with Ning Jing.
Ning Jing cleared the bowls and dishes, heated up some water, changed into dark-colored clothes, and quietly left the house.
Su Liang had arranged the medical books in order, picked out the first one, and began to read attentively at the table.
Immersed in the book, she didn’t notice how long it had been when she heard a slight movement in the backyard, assuming it was Ning Jing returning, she didn’t pay attention.
After a while, the movement stopped, and Su Liang sensed something was wrong. As she was about to stand up, she felt dizzy and realized something was not right!
Just as she pulled out the dagger hidden in her sleeve, Su Liang’s legs gave way, and she fell to the ground. Before she passed out, she saw a figure walking towards her…
When Ning Jing returned home, he saw that Su Liang’s room was exactly as when he had left it, with the light on and the door closed.
“Old Woman Niu bought some rat poison, planned to kill Liu Huilan and her family. She blames Liu Huilan for both of her sons’ death, she must get rid of this bringer of bad luck.”
Ning Jing finished explaining outside the door, but Su Liang did not respond, he furrowed his brow slightly, “Su Liang?
Still, no one answered. Ning Jing’s eyes narrowed, he forcefully pushed open Su Liang’s room’s door!
On the table, there was an opened medical book, there was no sign of struggle in the room.
The martial arts schedule that Ning Jing made for Su Liang was posted on the wall. The vase on the windowsill was a gift from Xing Yusheng, containing golden yellow wild chrysanthemums that Zhuzi brought to Su Liang yesterday.
The medicine chest was also in Su Liang’s room.
The fragrance of wild chrysanthemums and various medicinal herbs intertwined.
Ning Jing did not smell any aphrodisiac incense, but he opened all the doors and windows. Su Liang could not have left without a reason, it would not be easy to take her away unless poison was used. The original smell in the room and Su Liang’s focus on reading would have made her unprepared for a calculated drugging.
Ning Jing checked the backyard and found a footprint, clearly a man’s.
Under the cold moonlight, Ning Jing held the medical book Su Liang had just read, closed his eyes and stood under the eaves, pondering who would harm Su Liang.
He did not see the black fog appearing on Su Liang’s forehead, indicating that she was not in danger of life for at least three days.
Mai Fei? He is a clever man, he wants to cooperate with Su Liang, he wouldn’t adopt this method.
Could it be a prank from Yan Shiba? Ning Jing believed that solving the trouble of Yanyun Building was not that easy for her.
Ning Jing recalled that during the day, Gai Yun had sent someone to invite Su Liang to treat Gai Huai’an, but Su Liang refused on the grounds that she was not making home visits…
Ning Jing returned to his room, came out quickly, and was about to leave from the backyard when he heard a knock on the door.
“Miss Su? Master Ning? This is Chang’an.”
It was the middle of the night and Chang’an was sent by Mai Fei, he felt that he might be beaten.
Ning Jing opened the door faster than Chang’an expected, his face was backlit, and Chang’an couldn’t see clearly, but felt an unexplainable chill running down his spine.
“Master Ning, the thing is, my master has something important and asked me to find Miss Su. Is she asleep?” Chang’an hurriedly explained.
“She’s asleep, tell me.” Ning Jing’s voice was cold.
Although Mai Fei had instructed him to speak to Su Liang in person, Chang’an felt that if he didn’t tell Ning Jing, he wouldn’t be allowed in at all, so he stated his purpose, “It’s about the matter master brought up yesterday. Today, while investigating, the master discovered a series of unsolved cases relating to the disappearance of several young women in Bei’an County over the past three years. The incidences were quite regular, one every half a year, but no clues were ever found. This strange phenomenon started after Gai Yun and his son
Gai Huai’an arrived in Bei’an County.”
Ning Jing remained silent, so Chang’an continued, “There was a precedent. After Gai Huai’an was injured on the battlefield, there was widespread speculation in the capital that it was not just his two legs that were injured. Shortly after his fiancee called off their marriage, she suddenly disappeared, and then he followed Gai Yun to Bei’an County to oversee the mine. The master suspects that the disappearances of the young girls are related to the father and son.”
“However, without any evidence, we can’t act rashly. The master hopes that Miss Su will reconsider the proposal made before. This not only concerns the iron mine smuggling case, it may also be related to the disappearance of young women in Bei’an County in recent years.” Chang’an’s expression was serious.
“Hmm.” Ning Jing replied, then closed the door.
Chang’an looked at the closed door with confusion, “Master Ning, please be sure to tell Miss Su! This is a significant matter, you can’t make the decision for her!”
There was no response from inside, Chang’an sighed repeatedly, and could only leave.
Ning Jing went to Su Liang’s room, found the iron hammer and awl that Yan Shiba had given her, and held them in his hand, muttering under his breath,
“Gai Huai’an….”
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