dognovel Chapter 2142 Mystery Under the Tree
Chapter 2142 Mystery Under the Tree
Sun Qing took a deep breath to suppress his shock. Just as he was about to ask for more details, Yan Ruyu raised her hand to stop him.
Her gaze swept over the crowd below the steps, each face etched with fear. It seemed that strange things had been circulating in the governor's mansion for years, but no one dared to expose them.
"Does anyone know where the silly maid is buried?" Yan Ruyu's voice was calm. "Where exactly is the madam's grave?"
The short, stout servant quickly replied, "We don't know anything about this, and it's none of our business to concern ourselves with such matters."
"However, the butler should know."
Yan Ruyu nodded, then turned to Sun Qing and said, "Go and fetch the steward." She then looked at Wu Liang and said, "Come with me to the back garden and take a look at that old locust tree."
The servant who was chosen to lead the way walked at the front with his shoulders hunched. Yan Ruyu walked at a leisurely pace, followed by Wu Liang, whose sword was still sheathed at his waist with his hand on the hilt.
Yan Ruyu's gaze swept over the flower beds on both sides. The garden was lush with flowers and trees, with winding paths paved with fine pebbles and various flowers and plants planted on both sides.
To the east, a cluster of peonies is in full bloom, their petals layered like piled-up rouge, their stems thick but somewhat crooked.
The leaves of the few Cymbidium goeringii plants on the west side are long and slender, with a glossy dark green color. However, the soil in the pots is compacted, and there are still some dried mud clumps stuck to the edges.
Further away, there was a peony garden, its buds full but covered with a thin layer of dust, clearly indicating that it had not been carefully tended for a long time.
Some plants had large leaves and unusual flower colors, which Yan Ruyu couldn't name at first. She felt that the flowers and leaves exuded a deliberately piled-up air of wealth and lacked natural vitality.
Seeing that she was paying attention to these things, the servant hurriedly tried to please her, his face plastered with a restrained smile: "These are all famous items that Governor Ding specially ordered people to collect from various places."
He raised his hand and pointed vaguely at the clump of peonies, "Look at this 'Yao Huang', I heard that one plant is worth a hundred taels of silver; and over there are the Cymbidium goeringii, which were transported from Lingnan, and ordinary people can't even see them."
"Prefect Ding does have a particular fondness for flowers and plants."
Yan Ruyu's gaze lingered on the clivia with its wilted leaves and yellowish-brown edges, which stood out starkly against the lush surroundings.
The servant lowered his voice: "To be honest, the governor doesn't really know anything about flower and plant care."
He scratched his head, his tone carrying a hint of secretive gossip: "The gardeners in the manor said privately that these precious flowers and plants, once they reach the governor's hands, will not live more than a month before they have to be replaced."
The azaleas were just replaced a few days ago, and now they're probably withering again.
"He doesn't understand flowers and plants?" Yan Ruyu raised an eyebrow.
The servant nodded repeatedly, glancing towards the study of the governor: "The governor's study is always filled with famous flowers. Last time, there was a Cymbidium goeringii that was blooming exceptionally well, but not long after, most of its leaves withered and its petals fell to the ground."
Upon hearing this, Yan Ruyu couldn't help but recall the day she first stepped into Governor Ding's study.
In the study, there was indeed a half-dead camellia, its leaves yellowed and curled, its flower buds shriveled like dehydrated dried tangerine peel, completely out of place with the exquisite furnishings throughout the room.
Yan Ruyu then remembered that she was also a plant killer, so she stopped asking questions.
"Lead the way to the place you mentioned."
The servants dared not delay and quickly led the way.
After passing a rockery made of lake stones and walking through a covered walkway covered with ivy, the view suddenly opens up.
An old locust tree stands deep in the garden. Its trunk is so thick that it takes two people to hug it. Its cracked bark is covered with moss. Its lush canopy is like a giant umbrella, blocking out a large amount of sunlight. The ground beneath the tree is covered with a thick layer of decaying leaves.
"It's that tree." The servant's voice trembled noticeably, his outstretched finger quivered slightly, and his eyes were filled with fear. He dared not look at the old tree for long.
Yan Ruyu did not stop walking and went straight to the old locust tree.
The dense shade of the trees blocked out the heat outside, instead providing a cool respite.
She stood still for a moment, her eyelids slightly lowered, and when she looked up again, a faint glimmer of light flashed deep in her pupils, piercing through the scene three feet below the ground.
Through layers of decaying leaves and soil, my gaze pierced through and I saw an area that was different from the surrounding soil. I could vaguely make out a long, narrow package, tightly wrapped in a thick cloth. I wondered what was inside.
"My lady, I will go and fetch the shovel right away." Wu Liang, observing her expression, immediately understood her meaning and bowed to ask for permission.
Yan Ruyu nodded slightly, her gaze still fixed on the ground.
Wu Liang turned and walked away quickly, leaving only her and the trembling servants in the garden.
The servant huddled to one side, his hands tightly gripping the hem of his clothes, his eyes darting around, not daring to even breathe loudly.
Before long, Wu Liang returned with two shovels and handed one of them to the servant.
The servant's hand trembled uncontrollably as he took the shovel; the wooden handle wobbled slightly in his hand, making a soft sound as it struck the ground.
"Shall we... dig with our hands?" His voice trembled, his eyes pleading.
Yan Ruyu ignored his cowardice, bent down and picked up a fallen dead branch from the ground, and drew a rectangle on the ground: "Dig along this outline, three feet deep."
Although Wu Liang didn't understand how she could accurately determine the location, he didn't ask any further questions. He simply replied "Yes" and began digging the hole.
The servant hesitated for a moment, but ultimately dared not disobey, and clumsily swung his shovel and began digging.
About the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, Wu Liang's shovel suddenly hit a hard object, making a dull "thud".
"Master, we've found something." Wu Liang immediately stopped what he was doing, straightened up, and reported.
Yan Ruyu stepped forward and leaned down to look at the bottom of the pit: "Dig carefully, don't damage what's inside."
"Yes," Wu Liang replied, then turned to the servant and said, "You step aside and wait."
The servants, as if granted a pardon, immediately threw down their shovels and took a few steps back, staring at the bottom of the pit with a mixture of fear and curiosity.
Wu Liang slowed down and carefully cleared the soil around the package with a shovel.
As the soil was gradually cleared away, a long, thin package wrapped in a thick tarpaulin was revealed, exactly as Yan Ruyu had seen it through the ground.
The tarpaulin was dark brown, clearly having been buried underground for a long time. It was tightly bound with thick ropes, the knots being tied very securely.
Wu Liang jumped into the pit, grabbed the edge of the package with both hands, and slowly dragged it up.
He crouched down, carefully examining the rope. His expression gradually turned serious. He looked up at Yan Ruyu and said, "Master, look at this rope..."
Yan Ruyu had already approached, her gaze fixed on the rope.
The rope was not an ordinary hemp rope, but was woven from a dark black fiber with a rough texture and a faint sheen on the surface.
There was a peculiar knot every half foot on the rope, and there seemed to be some dark red traces left at the knots, whether it was paint or something else, I don't know.
The material and weaving technique of this rope are extremely rare.
Just as she was about to bend down for a closer look, a sharp scream suddenly came from beside her.
The servant stumbled back several steps, nearly falling to the ground. His face was ashen, and his lips trembled as he cried out, "This...this is the Ghost-Binding Rope! It's the Ghost-Binding Rope!"