Chapter 104: The Little Tavern

On a desolate path in the wilderness, three martial artists were galloping on tall horses when they spotted a small tavern by the roadside.

"There’s a small tavern ahead. It’s freezing out here; let’s stop for a pot of wine to warm ourselves."

"It’s a bit strange to have a place like this in such a remote area."

"What’s so strange about it? Even though this is the wilderness, it sits on the border between two prefectures, so travelers pass through often. We are three martial artists; what have we to fear?"

"The second brother has a point."

After a brief exchange, the three men reached the tavern. A plump woman with a beauty mark at the corner of her mouth stood in the middle of the road, beckoning to them.

"Gentlemen, it is bitterly cold. Do not rush your journey. Come in, have a pot of warm wine to heat your bodies before you continue."

The woman wore a sheer silk gown covered by a fur-trimmed cloak, with a neckline cut low enough to reveal a glimpse of breathtaking, pale skin—a sight that brought a touch of warm, spring-like allure to the dry, icy early winter air. Seeing this plump woman, who was visibly shivering from the cold yet forced to solicit customers in such a manner, stirred the instinctive sympathy men often feel for a beautiful woman in distress.

Since the three martial artists had intended to drink anyway, they quickly dismounted and led their horses toward the tavern.

"Are you the proprietress of this place? Why open a shop in such a remote spot?"

"I am indeed the proprietress, sir. My husband and I opened this little tavern here. You ask why we chose such an out-of-the-way place? Alas, if one could make a living in the city, why would we suffer the cold in a godforsaken place like this? It is my own troublesome beauty that brought misfortune upon my husband, leaving us unable to stay in the city. But one must survive, so we had no choice but to flee here."

Upon hearing this, the three martial artists exchanged knowing looks; the seductive appearance of the proprietress did indeed look like the sort of thing that could invite trouble.

"Why are you just standing there like a fool? Hurry and warm some good wine for these three gentlemen!"

The plump woman shouted to her husband inside the tavern, then turned back to the men. "I should inform you three gentlemen that the wine in my shop is sixty coins a pot."

A normal pot of wine cost no more than a dozen coins. A small tavern like this could hardly be serving fine spirits, so sixty coins was several times the usual price.

"Fine. Go warm us three pots. And bring whatever snacks you have to go with the wine."

The three martial artists had no objections to the price; this was not the city, and if they didn't charge more, how could these people survive? If anything, the high price lowered their guard; from every angle, this little tavern seemed perfectly ordinary.

Soon, the pots of hot wine were brought out, along with plates of peanuts, dried radishes, and dried fish. The woman's husband, the proprietor, was a rather handsome young man, though he appeared timid and did not dare to utter a word. The martial artists looked at him with contempt; a man who could not even protect his own wife and was forced into exile was truly spineless.

His current behavior only deepened their subconscious disdain.

The wine was served, but the three men did not drink immediately. One of them poured a small portion into a bowl and said, "Proprietress, please, have a taste first."

The woman seemed accustomed to this, smiling as she said, "You gentlemen are certainly cautious."

She reached out, took the bowl, and drained it in one gulp. "Are you satisfied now, gentlemen?"

After drinking, her face flushed a deep, rosy red, making her look even more enchanting and stirring their desires. As the martial artist took the bowl back, he deliberately brushed his hand against her soft skin.

The woman was startled, pulling her hand back in a rush. She glanced quickly at her husband, who was busy in the back, and only relaxed when she saw he hadn't noticed.

"I am a married woman," she whispered. "Please, sir, do not do that."

With that, she picked up a pair of chopsticks, tasted a bit from each plate of snacks, set the chopsticks down, and hurried away toward the back.

The martial artists chuckled, their guard completely down. They drank the steaming wine, traded lewd jokes, and occasionally cast glances at the proprietress in the back, particularly at the patch of delicate, snowy skin visible at her neckline.

When they had finished their wine, the woman returned.

"Proprietress, how much for the wine?"

"No charge."

"No charge?"

"To let you drink a pot of warm wine before you die is enough. To charge you for it would be excessive."

"The wine is poisoned!" The men realized the danger instantly. Their eyes widened in rage as they roared, but as they reached for their weapons, their bodies went limp, sapped of all strength.

"Neither the wine nor the food was poisoned," the woman said with a look of pity. "But once you let me taste them, they both became lethal."

As she took a step forward, one of the poisoned men suddenly lunged at her. The woman’s expression did not change; she watched him coolly. Before he could reach her, a pair of rotting, blackened hands emerged from behind her, grabbed him by the throat, and hoisted him into the air.

The woman sighed. "I intended for you to die without pain. Why insist on this?"

The martial artist had been using his last reserves of strength; now, with his throat constricted and the stench of decay hitting his nostrils, he was paralyzed with terror and unable to utter a sound.

Suddenly, the woman’s expression shifted, and she snapped, "You wretched beast, stop that! These martial artists' essence and blood are needed for alchemy. You can have them once they are drained, but not now."

...

At dusk, Fang Yue rode his grey horse into Pingcheng County, under the jurisdiction of Tianbao Prefecture. He entered the county seat and checked into an inn, handing his horse to the stable hand to be taken to the back.

"By the way, lad, how far is it from here to the capital of Longchong Prefecture?"

"Once you pass through our area, you'll be in the territory of Longchong Prefecture. But if you're heading for the capital, you'll still have to pass through two or three more counties."

Fang Yue nodded. After settling his luggage in his room, he went down to the inn's common area to eat.

"Have you heard? The villagers in Xiayin Village dug up a blood coffin, and many people have died."

"Is that for real? What kind of blood coffin is so terrifying?"

"That’s what I heard. They say the coffin looks as if it were soaked in blood—the wood is completely saturated, and the entire thing is blood-red."

...

Fang Yue listened quietly from a nearby table. Along his journey, he had heard of several similar, eerie events. Some were true, some were false, and it was hard to tell the difference.

"I had thought Ping’an County was an exception, but after traveling, I realize that other places are just as unstable. Actually, in the old days, Ping’an County rarely saw such strange occurrences; it lived up to its name. It’s just a pity..."

Fang Yue shook his head and sighed. The imperial court would naturally handle these strange events. Through various channels, he already knew that the Great Qi Dynasty possessed special agencies and personnel dedicated to suppressing ghosts and spirits.

"The world is in turmoil, and ghosts are running rampant."

Fang Yue sighed again, finished his meal, and returned to his room.