Ch 42: The Malevolent Monster Just Wants To Farm

Madam Jiang wept, “Those two children were perfectly healthy when they came to our home, and in such a short time, they’re gone. It’s not just them who feel wronged; as their aunt, I am deeply ashamed. How will I ever face my brother and sister-in-law in the afterlife?”

Lord Chen responded impatiently, “I’ve already told you it was an accident. What does it have to do with us?”

Madam Jiang, however, sensed something was amiss. “If it was truly an accident, then why did A-Jin return with such resentment? I’m afraid they met an unjust end!”

The more she thought about it, the more uneasy she felt. When someone came to the manor to report the deaths of the young master and young lady, she had been so shocked that she fainted on the spot. When she awoke the next day, everything had already been settled.

Her husband had handled all the arrangements, explaining that the carriage carrying them had met with an accident outside, plummeting off a cliff, and even their bodies couldn’t be recovered.

Although she had her doubts, she was too grief-stricken to question it at the time. She forced herself to carry out the funerary rites and left the investigation to her husband, who assured her that the Ministry of Justice had concluded it was indeed an accident and that there was no doubt they were dead.

What else could she do?

It wasn’t proper for an elder to mourn for the younger generation, so she devoted herself to a life of simplicity, wearing plain clothes and confining herself to the prayer hall, reciting scriptures daily in the hope that the two children would suffer less in their next lives.

But now, hearing that a high monk had declared there were vengeful spirits in the manor seeking revenge, Madam Jiang was deeply troubled.

Lord Chen, already burdened with guilt, grew both frightened and irritated by his wife’s words.

With a stern face, he said, “A child shouldn’t speak of the supernatural! You’re just a woman; you don’t understand anything and are just babbling nonsense!”

Madam Jiang, who was usually gentle and accommodating, never quarreling with anyone in the household, not even the concubines, surprisingly stood her ground this time. “If you don’t believe in these things, why did you invite a high monk to the manor? And how do you explain the strange happenings in our home?”

Lord Chen retorted, “I’m not going to argue with you about this. The Ministry of Justice has already ruled on the case! Do you intend to question their verdict?”

Madam Jiang countered, “If the verdict is wrong, why can’t it be questioned?”

Tears welled up in her eyes as she said, “Lord, A-Lin and A-Jin grew up under my care. In my heart, they are no different from my own children. If something happened to A-ying and Sanlang (her children), would you just stand by and do nothing?”

The eldest daughter, Chen Ying, and the third son, Chen Huan, were the children of Madam Jiang. Chen Ying was already married, and Chen Huan, who disliked studying, had secretly packed up and left for the frontier two years ago, much to Lord Chen’s fury.

Lord Chen’s expression shifted several times before he finally stormed off, saying, “Women! Always so difficult!”

Madam Jiang stood there, watching her husband’s retreating figure, her expression gradually becoming more resolute.

That night.

As soon as darkness fell, the master of the house shut himself away early, and apart from those on duty, the rest of the servants also retreated to their rooms.

It was just after dinner, and the lamps had been lit, yet the entire Chen Manor was eerily quiet, as though it were an abandoned house.

Chen Dong, holding a lamp in one hand, reached into his pocket with the other, feeling the weight of the coins inside.

In recent days, all the night guards had been given extra pay, but even so, many had found excuses to take leave or switch shifts.

Tonight, it was Chen Dong and Chen Nan’s turn to stand watch.

Though Chen Dong was afraid, he needed the money for his mother’s medicine. The medicine was expensive, and this extra pay was something his mother couldn’t afford to miss.

He had already worked several nights in a row, and while the fear hadn’t completely subsided, he had grown somewhat accustomed to it.

Chen Dong knew very well that the rumors of hauntings were not just rumors.

But he also knew that the so-called “vengeful spirits” of the young master and young lady never actually entered the manor; they only lingered outside.

The rituals performed by the high monk in the manor had been quite effective.

Cautiously, Chen Dong continued on his patrol, lighting the lanterns one by one as he went.

The entire courtyard became brightly illuminated, and those still awake in the manor let out a sigh of relief—light always had a way of making people feel safer.

As Chen Nan lit another lantern nearby, he rejoined Chen Dong. The two of them completed their patrol and found a spot on the steps to sit down, lowering their voices to chat.

Chen Nan had only been with the household for two years and was much younger than Chen Dong, with a more lively and mischievous personality. He had recently visited the Chen family’s ancestral home and had just returned the previous day, making this his first night on duty since the incident.

“Dongzi-ge,” Chen Nan began in a mysterious tone, “I heard that those two…” He made a gesture and whispered, “They didn’t die by accident; they were murdered, and that’s why they’re back with a grudge.”

Chen Dong glared at him, “Shut up! Don’t spread rumors about things you have no proof of!”

Chen Nan, full of youthful defiance, retorted, “How is it a rumor? So many people die every day, why is it that only the young master and young lady came back?”

Chen Dong moved to cover his mouth, “Say one more word, and I’ll tell the master tomorrow!”

Reluctantly, Chen Nan fell silent. Everyone knew how sensitive the master was about the subject. If word got back to him that Chen Nan was gossiping, he was sure to get a good beating the next day.

The two sat on the empty steps, chatting intermittently. The night remained quiet, and as time passed, sleepiness began to creep in.

Chen Nan yawned, “See, I told you nothing would happen. Everyone’s just scaring themselves…”

Chen Dong didn’t respond. He looked up at the moon, estimating the time, and pulled something out of his pocket to sniff. The pungent smell instantly cleared his head.

It was a small cloth pouch he had made himself, filled with crushed garlic, onions, and other ingredients—an effective remedy for staying awake.

“Brrr—it’s getting cold,” Chen Nan shivered and rubbed his arms.

Chen Dong patted him, “Stay alert. It’s coming.”

“What’s coming?” Chen Nan asked, bewildered. Seeing Chen Dong’s serious expression, he joked, “Don’t tell me the young lady is coming?”

Chen Dong gave him a stern look, “Show some respect for the dead.”

Chen Nan, unfazed, was about to make another joke when suddenly, a cold wind swept through, extinguishing the row of lanterns hanging in the corridor where they sat.

The chill cut through their clothes, seeping into their bones, and Chen Nan’s teeth began to chatter uncontrollably. Further away, not even the treetops stirred.

What… what is this?

He looked at Chen Dong in horror, only to find his companion’s expression remained calm.

With a trembling voice, Chen Nan asked, “Dong… Dongzi-ge…”

Chen Dong clenched the copper coins hidden in his sleeve, his voice steady, “Don’t be afraid; it’s only just beginning.”

As if to confirm his words, the remaining lights in the courtyard began to extinguish one by one, and even the moonlight was swallowed by clouds.

The brightly lit courtyard plunged into darkness.

The only remaining sources of light were the lanterns in their hands.

Chen Nan’s face turned pale, and he instinctively moved closer to Chen Dong.

Whoosh!

A cold breath brushed across his face.

The lantern in his hand flickered out.

Chen Nan opened his mouth to scream but was quickly silenced by a hand covering his mouth.

Chen Dong whispered in his ear, “Don’t make a sound. She can’t harm us.”

Chen Nan nodded.

Chen Dong handed a cloth pouch to Chen Nan, “If you’re scared, bite on this.”

Chen Nan nodded again, gripping the pouch tightly.

The wind began to pick up, rustling the trees in the courtyard with a loud, eerie sound. A mournful cry carried by the wind echoed through every corner of the Chen residence. The cry seemed to come from different directions, as if it was circling around the estate.

Biting on the cloth pouch, Chen Nan thought to himself: This voice does sound familiar; no wonder they say it’s the young lady’s ghost returning.

The wind grew stronger, and the doors in the outer courtyard began to bang loudly, as if something was trying to force its way in. Chen Nan watched in fear as one of the doors nearby shook violently, seemingly about to be blown open—yet it never did.

Outside, the female voice seemed to realize the futility of her attempts. The mournful cries suddenly turned into a piercing scream:

“It hurts so much!”

“It hurts so much!”

“Aunt!”

“Uncle! Do you want to see A-Jin?”

“…”

The entire Chen residence was filled with howling winds, yet despite the commotion, none of the neighboring households seemed to notice anything strange. It was as if the place had been completely cut off from the rest of the world.

It was only now that Chen Dong’s expression truly changed. He had been standing guard here for some time, and though he had heard the female ghost’s cries before, this was the first time he had clearly heard her speak.

She said she was A-Jin!

The young lady’s name was indeed Jin!

Chen Dong had heard tales before: If a vengeful spirit returns seeking revenge and fails to exact it, her resentment will only grow stronger, and so will her power—until the revenge is fulfilled.

Thinking about the night’s events, Chen Dong recalled the words of the Taoist priest: “This formation and these talismans can only hold her off for a while. The root of the problem must be resolved.”

Chen Dong’s heart sank as he wondered, Could the deaths of the young master and young lady really be connected to the household?

The female ghost continued to wander outside, and several times, Chen Dong felt as if the cold breath was right behind him. His teeth chattered, and he thought, I can’t stay here any longer.

Tomorrow, no matter how much money they offer, I won’t stay here. It’s not worth risking my life.

Just then, the door connecting the inner and outer courtyards was flung open from inside.

Chen Dong looked over in surprise, only to see the lady of the house emerging with a lantern in hand.

Madam Jiang had evidently hurried out, throwing on a cloak hastily, her hair still unkempt. There were no maids following her—either they hadn’t woken up or were too scared to accompany her.

“A-Jin? A-Jin, is that you?” Madam Jiang, hearing the eerie screams outside, seemed more anguished than frightened. Her face was already wet with tears as she called out loudly, “A-Jin, it’s Auntie. Tell Auntie if you have any grievances or injustices, you can tell me everything.”

The crying outside suddenly ceased, and the howling wind began to die down.

“Auntie…” a ghostly voice called out from the void.

“It’s Auntie,” Madam Jiang sobbed, “A-Jin, where are you? Let Auntie see you.”

But something in those words seemed to provoke the ghost. The previously calm courtyard was thrown into chaos once again, with the wind whipping everything around, causing loud crashes.

“Liar!”

“You’re lying!”

“It hurts so much, Auntie!”

“Brother, I can’t find Brother.”

“A-Jin died a horrible death!”