The Old Taoist picked up his teacup, took a sip, and asked unhurriedly, "You suspect that scholar is up to something?"
Shen Hui didn't answer directly. Instead, he took a sheet of yellow paper from his robe, carefully wrapped up the hair, and tucked it into his sleeve.
"We shared a meal with him last night. Though he was somewhat arrogant in his words and manner, he was still reasonably polite."
As he spoke, he sat back in his seat, picked up his now-cold porridge, and took a mouthful. "But when he got up this morning, it was as if he'd become a different person. He put on airs at every turn and had the postmaster running around in circles."
The Old Taoist said unconcernedly, "Maybe yesterday wore him out, and today he didn't feel like pretending anymore?"
Shen Hui shook his head. "It's different. His arrogance is in his bones. It may be off-putting, but it isn't loathsome. But today..."
He paused, his tone tinged with amusement. "He seemed far too much like he was putting on an act."
The Old Taoist didn't respond. He merely stroked his beard and gestured for Shen Hui to continue.
Shen Hui paused, then went on. "Though this man isn't especially capable and lacks courage, he's quite adept at reading people. Earlier, he saw that I was displeased, yet he still acted as if he hadn't noticed. That sort of behavior makes it seem as though he's deliberately trying to cause trouble..."
"Oh?" The Old Daoist grew interested. "What's he after?"
Shen Hui finished the cold porridge and pushed the bowl aside.
"Perhaps he wants us to think he's overbearing and rude, so we'll get into a quarrel. Then, when it's time to deal with that widow, he'll have an excuse to refuse to go."
The Old Taoist set down his teacup and narrowed his eyes slightly. "You mean he's trying to avoid it?"
Shen Hui neither nodded nor shook his head. He only said, "If my guess is right, within the time it takes an incense stick to burn, he'll send someone to say he can't come with us."
As soon as he finished speaking, there came a soft knock at the door.
The postmaster's cautious voice came through the door, tinged with trepidation.
"Reverends... Scholar Li just said he's suddenly come down with a chill and has a terrible headache. He's afraid he won't be able to go with you to Zhang Family Village..."
The Old Taoist looked at Shen Hui. Shen Hui picked up his now-cold tea and took a sip, his expression unchanged.
"See? What did I tell you?"
The Old Taoist frowned and said nothing.
"Understood!"
Shen Hui didn't even get up. He called out to the person outside the door in a clear voice.
"Go prepare the carriage. My master and I will set off at once and see what's so strange about the widow in Zhang Family Village."
Hearing this, the postmaster was greatly relieved. He hurriedly bowed in acknowledgment and hurried off to make the arrangements.
The Old Taoist stroked the grizzled beard beneath his chin, his eyes filled with confusion.
"If you saw that the scholar was feigning illness to make excuses and avoid trouble, why indulge him and let him go?"
A faint smile played on Shen Hui's lips as he poured tea for the Old Taoist.
"Master, if he wants to put on an act, I'll play along. We'll use his own scheme against him and draw the snake out of its hole."
As they spoke, the sound of hooves striking the ground came from outside.
The postmaster's voice came through the door. "Reverends, the carriage is ready."
Master and disciple pushed open the door and stepped outside. A carriage with a blue-cloth canopy stood in the courtyard, its chestnut-red mule pawing impatiently at the ground.
A young man in his early twenties sat on the carriage shaft, gripping a bamboo whip. When he saw the two of them, he jumped down nimbly, clasped his hands, and said:
"Reverends, I'm Zhang Qi. I'll be driving your carriage."
Shen Hui nodded and first helped the Old Taoist into the carriage. He himself didn't hurry to climb aboard. Instead, he stood beside it and called back into the courtyard:
"Master, when we go to Zhang Family Village, we must find out what manner of demon or ghost is causing trouble and disturbing the peace of the people. As for those two timid idlers, let them rest at the Post House. That way, when we subdue demons and exorcise evil, we won't have to split our attention to keep them alive and tie our own hands."
With that, he lifted the curtain and climbed into the carriage, then patted the carriage floor. "Let's go."
Zhang Qi answered, flicked his whip, and drove the carriage clattering out of the courtyard.
Leaning against the carriage wall, Shen Hui chatted idly with the driver. He learned that Zhang Qi was the postmaster's nephew, who usually ran errands and delivered messages in the area. Today, his uncle had dragged him in to drive the carriage.
Zhang Qi was extremely talkative, and his mouth never stopped the whole way.
When they passed a cloth shop, he said its fabrics were shoddy goods sold at a premium. When they passed a restaurant, he said its cook skimped on oil and salt. He even mocked the street vendor selling candied hawthorns, laughing that the berries were tiny.
It wasn't just his mouth that was unruly. The bamboo whip in his hand was, too.
As they made their way through the crowded market, he would occasionally poke with his whip at pedestrians who came too close to the carriage. Then he'd let out a cheeky laugh and urge the mule onward.
Inside the carriage, the Old Taoist tapped on the wall and asked with interest, "What do you intend to do next?"
Shen Hui smiled as he replied, "Since he's pretending to be ill to hide away, he must be planning something secret. We should turn back to the post house now and find out what he's really up to."
With that, he lifted the carriage curtain and said to Zhang Qi, "Turn off at West Market and go to Confucian Temple Street. My master and I need to buy some yellow paper and cinnabar, just in case."
Zhang Qi answered and gave the reins a flick. The carriage turned into a narrow alley.
Confucian Temple Street was the narrowest street in Qu County's county seat. Shops selling brushes, ink, paper, inkstones, incense, candles, and sundries crowded both sides.
The carriage couldn't get through, so Shen Hui told Zhang Qi to wait at the street entrance, saying they'd come find him as soon as they'd finished shopping.
Zhang Qi had barely squatted by the roadside and pulled out his tobacco pouch when Shen Hui and the Old Taoist used the bustling crowd as cover to wind through several alleys and reappear by the back wall of the post house.
The two of them circled around to the front courtyard and pushed the door open.
The post house was quiet. Someone had cleared away the leftover food in the front hall and wiped the tables until they gleamed. The folding fan Scholar Li had left behind was nowhere to be seen.
Shen Hui and the Old Taoist exchanged a glance, then quietly made their way toward the rear courtyard.
Scholar Li was staying in the West Wing.
Shen Hui reached the room, pressed himself against the wall, and listened. There wasn't a sound inside.
An idea struck him. He went to the window, wet his index finger with saliva, and prepared to poke through the paper to see what was inside.
But the moment his fingertip touched the paper, Shen Hui froze.
The window wasn't covered with ordinary straw paper, but thick Mulberry Bark Paper. Its texture was tough; even splashed rainwater might not damage it. A little saliva would never soak through.
Tsk, TV dramas really are full of lies, Shen Hui grumbled to himself.
Just as he was about to try another way, the Old Taoist beside him suddenly tugged at his sleeve and said with a smile, "Don't bother. There's no one inside."
Shen Hui was taken aback. He straightened up and looked at the Old Taoist. "No one?"
The Old Taoist stroked his beard with a smile, his eyes teasing. "What? What will you do now?"
But Shen Hui had already recovered. He grinned. "No one's good. If there's no one, we can get things done."
With that, he stopped sneaking around and strode right in through the door.
The room was simply furnished. A teacup sat upside down on the table, and only some dried ink remained in the inkstone.
Shen Hui searched everywhere: he opened the cabinet, looked beneath the bed, and even took off the pillowcase and shook it out. In the end, he found nothing.