In the Qing Dynasty, only high-ranking officials above the second rank could live in this kind of courtyard.
This house is not in the imperial city, but in this humble county. It is estimated that the ancestors of the Zhang family should be well-known figures in Monan.
Although this courtyard has become old, the original glory can still be seen from the cracks in the corners.
Standing in the luxurious courtyard, Zhang Ben pointed to several tile-roofed houses around him: "My brothers and sisters-in-law all live here."
I nodded to myself: "Is it convenient for me to meet?"
"What's the inconvenience?"
Zhang Ben smiled heartily, then showed hesitation: "But it will probably be later, they are all working outside."
"No rush, I can wait."
"Then you go inside and have a rest."
In this way, the two of us chatted from time to time, passing the slightly boring time, quietly waiting for his brothers to come back.
However, until night, there was no movement outside.
Zhang Ben was so anxious that he spun around: "I should have come back a long time ago, why is there no movement?"
At this time, there was a rush of footsteps outside the yard.
Zhang Bendeng immediately beamed with joy: "I'm back!"
But the moment he opened the door, he was stunned again: "Aunt Liu?"
"Xiao Ben, come out quickly!"
Aunt Liu shouted and stamped her feet, and Zhang Ben's tone changed.
"Hey, hey, here we come!"
I gave Chen Jiayan a look and followed behind me in small steps.
Aunt Liu stood in the yard, stamping her feet and pointing outside: "Is your eldest brother not back yet?"
"No ah!"
"Boss Zhang, are you wearing a gray plaid coat today?"
Zhang Ben's face had lost all color: "Yes, yes."
"That's right!"
Aunt Liu hunched over and took a few steps forward: "San'er, listen to Auntie."
"Your brother, something might have happened."
Zhang Ben's face already had a look of death, and now he suddenly said that something happened to his brother, it was hard not to think about it.
"Oh my god!"
Zhang Ben let out a wail, and Aunt Liu grabbed his wrist and walked outside.
The end of the bungalow was already surrounded by people, and from far away, Aunt Liu stretched her neck and started shouting.
"Quick, quick, quick, San'er is here, all dodge!"
Zhang Ben rushed into the crowd, bent down and stuck out his butt, and immediately knelt down.
I just took one look and started to regret it.
There was a tall man lying on the ground, his entire face had been torn off, and the red and white flesh was like a lump of dried porridge.
The strange thing is that other parts of the deceased are not missing, and there are not even signs of struggle.
Chen Jiayan leaned close to my ear and whispered: "It's a bite mark."
Bite?
There are all kinds of ghosts and monsters in the world, but there really is one kind of ghost who specializes in picking off people's faces.
This ghost is named Wuyan Nu. She was disfigured during her lifetime and turned into a ghost after her death.
Her only nemesis is large grains of coarse salt, which instantly turn into blood with just a splash.
"Hey."
At this time, Zhang Ben tore off the deceased's clothes, and a cyan birthmark suddenly appeared on his chest.
Time fell into silence for a moment, and then Zhang Ben burst into tears.
When he couldn't breathe anymore from crying, I helped him up.
"There's no point in crying to death here. Get your brother home first."
After a lot of fuss, Zhang Ben's eldest brother was carried to the yard.
No one is willing to step in to help such a person who died violently. The only one left to take care of the funeral is Zhang Ben himself.
"Where's your other brother?"
Zhang Ben stared at the deceased on the straw mat in a daze: "He went to Monan and will have to come back later."
I nodded to myself: "The moon is about to rise, let's build a mourning hall first."
"Leave me alone."
"no."
I almost blurted out and immediately rejected this reasonable and reasonable request.
No one can bear this sudden change in the family.
However, what I should do is not mourn with him.
I took out my compass and looked at it, then pointed to a tile-roofed house behind me: "Sit Ding Xianggui, the mourning hall is here."
"no!"
This time, it was Zhang Ben who rejected me.
Zhang Ben stood up staggeringly and said softly: "You can go anywhere, but not this room!"
His reaction was strange.
Under such an unexpected situation, it is obviously against common sense to still think that this room cannot be entered.
And what is hidden in this room that makes him so alert?
