Chapter 65: The Mourning Son

After thanking the uncle, Tang Banxia turned around and gazed at Shijie Village, nestled in the wild expanse. Evening had fallen; wisps of smoke curled from each household, and the dim glow of candles mingled with the setting sun, casting Shijie Village as a tiny grain in the vast wilderness.

She paused for a moment to admire the scene before saying, “Let’s go, into the village.” Wen Mubai quickly followed.

At the entrance, children from the village spotted the two and gathered around them. Surrounded, Tang Banxia found it hard to move and had to crouch down, pulling out a few pieces of candy. “Children, let me ask you a question. If anyone answers correctly, I’ll give you some candy. How does that sound?”

The children’s eyes lit up at the sight of the candy. “What do you want to ask?” one said.

Tang Banxia smiled, looking rather like the big bad wolf enticing Little Red Riding Hood. “First question: is there a ‘Stinky Old Nine’ here?”

“There is!” a little girl replied loudly. “We have Stinky Old Nine here. My grandpa said they’re bad people and told us not to play with them.”

She stared intently at the candy in Tang Banxia’s hand.

Keeping her promise, Tang Banxia handed her a fruit candy. “Very good!”

The girl’s face flushed with excitement, and she clutched the candy carefully in her palm.

The other children, a step too late, looked on with envy and disappointment.

As the considerate big sister, Tang Banxia comforted them. “Don’t be discouraged if you didn’t get candy. I have lots of questions, and everyone will get a turn.”

Seeing the children’s spirits lift, she quickly asked another question. “Who knows where those bad people live?”

“I do!” a dark-skinned little boy shouted, flashing a set of gleaming white teeth. “They live in the sheep pen.”

Tang Banxia rewarded him with a candy.

She continued with several more questions, gradually piecing together the situation in the village.

Shijie Village was entirely made up of herders, living by raising cattle. Tang Banxia’s parents and other people sent down were assigned to the sheep pen area. The villagers didn’t go so far as to humiliate them—mostly they ignored them—but the work had to be done all the same.

From the first little girl, Tang Banxia also learned that people often came looking for those in the sheep pen. Whenever that happened, adults would warn the children not to go near.

This news made Tang Banxia’s heart skip a beat, though she kept her composure, handing out the last piece of candy and standing up after dusting off her hands.

Having a rough idea now, she pulled out two White Rabbit candies. “You’ve all been wonderful. Now, I have one last task: whoever takes us to the village head gets these two White Rabbits.”

The children had never heard of White Rabbit candies, and tilted their heads in confusion.

Tang Banxia smiled, unwrapped a White Rabbit, and waved it under their noses. “This is even tastier than candy.”

“I’ll take you!” said the same little girl as before. “My uncle is the village head. I’ll show you the way.”

Tang Banxia and Wen Mubai followed her into the village, with the other children trailing behind.

The houses in Shijie Village were built from stone and earth, the lower halves made of large blocks patched with yellow clay, the upper parts of mud bricks. There were no courtyards; just rows of houses lining the road.

As the villagers saw the girl leading two strangers, they grew wary. “Maojuan, who are these people?”

With candy in her mouth, Maojuan answered sweetly, “They’re outsiders, here to see my uncle.”

Tang Banxia offered a polite smile. Her vivid beauty stunned several young men into staring.

Wen Mubai’s face darkened. He casually stepped forward, shielding Tang Banxia behind him.

The pair, striking in appearance and out of place in the dusty village, nonetheless showed no discomfort, calmly enduring the villagers’ scrutiny.

Soon, they arrived at the village head’s house.

He had already heard the news and was waiting at the door.

Maojuan rushed up. “Uncle, someone’s here to see you!”

He bent down to hug her. “Good girl, go find your mother inside.”

She obediently went inside.

Once she was gone, the village head turned to the pair, wearing a friendly smile. “What brings you to Shijie Village? May I see your letter of introduction?”

Tang Banxia and Wen Mubai exchanged a glance. Wen Mubai handed over the letter. “Village head, my wife and I are here to visit relatives.”

After checking the letter, the village head looked up. “To visit relatives?”

Wen Mubai nodded, his smile growing gentler. “We sent letters before. Do you remember?”

The village head looked even more puzzled. “Letters?”

“You didn’t receive them?” Tang Banxia asked.

He instinctively shook his head.

Tang Banxia frowned. Wen Mubai gave her a reassuring look. “Perhaps the letters were lost.”

“It’s not a big deal. Village head, have you heard of Tang Minxun?” He watched the man closely.

The village head’s expression changed abruptly, and he denied it outright. “Never heard of them. Everyone here is born and raised in the village. There’s no one by that name.”

Wen Mubai didn’t get angry. “Please think carefully, village head. Tang Minxun—we came because we received reliable information.”

The village head insisted there was no such person.

Seeing that he was impervious, Wen Mubai resorted to his last tactic. His eyes reddened. “Please, village head, just let us see Tang Minxun once. My mother is still in the hospital; she can’t rest in peace until she sees Tang Minxun.”

Tears streamed down Wen Mubai’s face, his beautiful eyes wet and imploring, his expression that of a dutiful son pleading.

The village head hesitated, but soon steeled himself, remembering something.

Tang Banxia spoke up. “Village head, I beg you. I’ll get on my knees. We’ve come all this way from the north just to fulfill my mother-in-law’s last wish.”

“I don’t know what concerns you may have, but please help us. We only need to see them, exchange a few words, and leave. You can accompany us; we won’t linger.”

As she spoke, she bent her knee.

The village head hurried to help her up.

Tang Banxia gazed at him with sorrow, while Wen Mubai wept bitterly by her side.

The commotion at the village head’s door drew people from inside and villagers from outside.

Seeing the pair’s distress, some soft-hearted villagers wiped away tears and spoke up. “Dalín, these two children are so filial. Help them if you can.”

“They’re crying pitifully.”

Maojuan chimed in, “Uncle, sister is a good person. She gave me candy.”

The village head’s face twitched. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to help, but recalling the instructions he’d been given, he couldn’t.

“I really don’t know who you’re looking for. But you seem unfortunate. Stay at my house for now, and I’ll ask around for you.” He relented a little.

Wen Mubai and Tang Banxia exchanged a glance and finally agreed.