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Shark People
墨書 Inktalez
The moonlight, pure and bright as jade, spilled onto the ground, resembling a thin layer of frost.
The waves gently lapped at the shore, and a light breeze carried the faint scent of seawater into the coastal town, seemingly bringing with it the sound of song—a woman's soft, melancholic hum that was both sweet and sorrowful.
Yet not everyone could hear this song, for at this hour, most people had long since fallen asleep.
A faint blue glow flashed through the air, quickly disappearing back into the sea, merging with the depths of the ocean.
"This is the second murder case this month. The victim is Cui'er, a maid from the Bai Residence's Third Madam. Just like the Fourth Lady who died at the beginning of the month, Cui'er was found drowned in her room this morning, her body completely soaked."
Wan Shaobai stood quietly in Cui'er's room, clearly hearing the coroner's words. The situation was no different from that of the Fourth Lady's death.
This room could not be tidied up yet as it awaited permission from the Yamen. As time passed, the puddle on the floor gradually evaporated.
Wan Shaobai walked steadily around the sparsely furnished room, carefully inspecting every corner but still found nothing. There were no signs of forced entry at the doors or windows, and there were no drag marks on the floor. How could a living person possibly run out to drown in the lake and then return by themselves?
Looking at the faint remnants of water on the floor, Wan Shaobai couldn't help but furrow his brow tightly. It seemed there were no clues to be found here.
Having made up his mind, Wan Shaobai instructed the steward waiting outside to take him to see Bai Haoran, the head of the the Bai Family.
As he passed through the garden, he suddenly heard faint cries of anguish from a woman.
Wan Shaobai turned his gaze toward the sound; it was coming from the courtyard where the madam resided.
The steward sighed softly and explained helplessly, "That is Third Madam of the the Bai Family. Ever since Master married Fourth Lady six months ago, Third Madam's temperament has changed a bit. Now that Fourth Lady is dead and Cui'er has also died, everyone in the household is on edge. It seems Third Madam can't bear it any longer and has gone mad."
Wan Shaobai nodded slightly, the woman's faint cries echoing in the air above Bai Residence, adding a touch of desolation and eeriness to the atmosphere.
Upon entering the hall, Bai Haoran, Madam, and Second Lady were already present.
Although Bai Haoran was in his forties, he still exuded an extraordinary presence. Clearly, the two recent murders had taken a toll on him; while his demeanor remained dignified, there was a hint of fatigue in his expression.
Madam looked sorrowful, propping her head up with her hand as she leaned weakly against the chair. Second Lady maintained her usual aloofness, quietly holding a teacup and savoring the fragrant tea.
Wan Shaobai explained his purpose for visiting, prompting Bai Haoran to have someone show him to a seat. After a long sigh, Bai Haoran said, " Chief Wan, I don't have much to say this time. The situation is the same as before—suddenly discovering someone dead in their room."
"Was there anything unusual that happened in between?" Wan Shaobai pressed.
Bai Haoran slowly shook his head. The two ladies also remained silent, not offering any comments.
After a moment of contemplation, Wan Shaobai asked, "I heard that Third Madam has gone mad?"
This was clearly a topic that Bai Haoran and the others had not intended to bring up. Now that Wan Shaobai had mentioned it, they were taken aback but could only nod in acknowledgment.
Madam spoke with deep sorrow, "She suddenly went mad. This is a family disgrace that we did not intend to disclose to outsiders. I hope you do not find it amusing, Chief Wan."
Wan Shaobai nodded in understanding. Madam continued, "In my opinion, it must be the water ghost coming to claim lives. Dying inexplicably in one's room is not something ordinary people can achieve. My lord, we should invite someone to perform a ritual."
Bai Haoran nodded in agreement.
However, the Second Lady snorted coldly and said, "Is Third Madam's madness also caused by the water ghost? Why not drag her along too?"
Madam was momentarily speechless, unable to respond.
Wan Shaobai knew that the Second Lady had always been at odds with Madam, so her remarks were somewhat understandable. To ease the awkward atmosphere, Wan Shaobai turned to the Second Lady and politely asked, "Second Lady seems to know something. Could you share a bit with us?"
"Some things are better asked of the master. I, a mere idle person, dare not speak too much," the Second Lady said with a mocking glance at Bai Haoran before rising gracefully and leaving the room.
Bai Haoran watched the Second Lady's retreating figure, feeling angry but unable to express it. Finally, he turned to Madam and said, "I'll leave this to you," before sweeping out of the room.
Wan Shaobai and Madam exchanged glances. Madam sighed and said, " second sister is just like that. She wasn't originally meant to marry the master; in the end, she did marry him but has always harbored resentment. Please don't take it to heart, Chief Wan."
"I see," Wan Shaobai continued to inquire, "But surely there must be more to what the Second Lady mentioned? I hope Madam can enlighten us; it would be beneficial for both Yamen and Bai Residence if this case could be resolved quickly."
"There's not much to it. second sister was referring to how after forth sister died, the master wanted to take Cui'er as a concubine. This is a family matter; both the master and I felt it had nothing to do with Cui'er's death, so we didn't mention it."
The master wanted to remarry within half a month after Fourth Lady's death?
"The master married forth sister because of an affair he had outside; forth sister came into the house pregnant. The master wouldn't have married her otherwise. As for Cui'er, since the master didn't say much about it, I naturally wouldn't ask—she's just a servant."
"Fourth Lady came into the house pregnant? What happened to that child? Why was this never mentioned last time?"
"The child was taken care of by third Sister, but now third Sister has gone mad, so the child has been entrusted to a wet nurse. forth sister was originally a woman of the world; I believe she herself would prefer not to bring up such past events," Madam said with a hint of regret.
Wan Shaobai pondered for a moment, noticing Madam's weary expression, and suppressed the urge to ask further questions. He stood up to take his leave.
The steward accompanied Wan Shaobai to the door. Suddenly, Wan Shaobai seemed to remember something and asked the steward, "Do you know anything about Cui'er?"
" Cui'er was originally Third Madam's maid. The master mentioned wanting to take her as a concubine during an argument with Third Madam one night. I didn't know if it was true until I heard Madam mention it today," the steward replied.
"An argument?" A sharp glint flashed in Wan Shaobai's eyes as he pressed on, "What was the argument about?"
"How would someone like me know? Only Third Madam would know the details, but now that she has gone mad, you won't be able to find out anything from her," the steward said.
Wan Shaobai felt the light in his eyes dim gradually at the steward's words. It was indeed true; servants had no right to know about their masters' quarrels. Asking Bai Haoran about such private disputes would yield no answers, especially since Third Madam was now insane.
"However, I did hear something vaguely mentioned about a child. I'm not sure if it's accurate, but Third Madam has always struggled with infertility, and they have argued about that before," the steward speculated.
"I really don't know anything else. Thank you for your trouble today, lord Wan," he added.
The steward clearly did not wish to elaborate further, but what he had just mentioned about infertility gave Wan Shaobai some insight.
After thanking the steward and saying, "I hope you won't mind if I come to bother you again next time," Wan Shaobai turned and walked in another direction.
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