Chapter 35: The Death of the Cuckoo

The next day, when Chen Yage awoke, the sun was already high in the sky. Most importantly, Li Bai was no longer by her side. She sat up abruptly, slipped on her shoes in a flurry, and rushed out. Just as she opened the door, she collided with Li Bai, who was carrying a basin of fresh water. The basin overturned, water splashed everywhere, soaking both their clothes.

Chen Yage apologized again and again for her reckless behavior, but Li Bai only smiled gently and said, “It’s nothing. I’ll fetch you another basin.”

For a moment, Chen Yage felt as if she were dreaming. In disbelief, she grabbed Li Bai, who was about to turn away, and pointed at herself in astonishment. “Brother Bai, you mean this water was for me?”

“In this house, besides me, only you are here. If not for you, who else would I fetch water for? Wait here a moment, I’ll get you some.”

“That’s not necessary, Brother Bai!” Chen Yage hurried to stop him, snatching the wooden basin from his hands. With a sweet smile, she said, “I’ll do it myself, no need to trouble you.” Seeing Li Bai’s eyes dim in an instant, Chen Yage didn’t wish to hurt his feelings and added, “Why don’t you come with me?”

Li Bai nodded solemnly.

The path to the well passed by the kitchen. Chen Yage and Li Bai walked silently to the well, where Li Bai drew a bucket of water for her. Just as Chen Yage was about to wash her face, Shuiniu approached with a length of cloth in his hands.

“Good morning!” Shuiniu greeted them politely.

Both Chen Yage and Li Bai nodded in return. “Good morning!” Chen Yage noticed the bolt of smoky blue fabric in Shuiniu’s arms and couldn’t help but ask, “Brother Shuiniu, what’s that for?”

Shuiniu replied, “Oh, this? Aunt Lin brought this cloth, saying it’s for Dujuan to make two new outfits. I went to take it to her, but she wasn’t in her room. I figured she must be in the kitchen preparing breakfast, so I brought the fabric here.”

Chen Yage smiled and nodded, though inwardly she sighed: Shuiniu truly lived up to his nickname as a blockhead. If Dujuan wasn’t there, why not just leave the cloth in her room? Why carry it around everywhere?

As if he could read her thoughts, Shuiniu scratched his head sheepishly. “You must think I’m silly, right? Aunt Lin said girls really like this fabric, and I just wanted to surprise Dujuan!”

Hearing this, Chen Yage almost wished she could burrow away like a mouse. Thankfully, Li Bai stepped in to ease the moment. “Then you’d better check in the kitchen quickly.”

Shuiniu, delighted, hurried into the kitchen with the cloth. But in no time, he reappeared, still holding the fabric, looking noticeably downcast. Li Bai guessed Dujuan wasn’t in the kitchen and suggested, “Why don’t you try looking elsewhere? Maybe she stepped out.”

“Every morning at this time, Dujuan always prepares breakfast. She says she wants my mother and me to taste her cooking every day, that a family gathered together is all she could wish for. As long as we’re happy, nothing else matters,” Shuiniu muttered to himself.

Seeing his disappointment, Chen Yage took the cloth from his hands. “Let me help you find her. If you just stay here, how will you find anyone? Or perhaps let her come looking for you!” With that, she strode off toward Dujuan’s room, carrying the cloth.

“Dujuan, are you there?” Chen Yage stood outside, politely knocking on the door. She disliked rigid etiquette, but respected others’ privacy. When there was no response, she knocked harder. Still, nothing but silence.

“Dujuan, if you don’t open up, I’m coming in!” she called, and when there was still no answer, Chen Yage pushed the door open and entered.

She carefully placed the fabric on Dujuan’s bed. By chance, she caught sight of a piece of yellow cloth sticking out from beneath the bed. Curious, she bent down to pull it out. It wouldn’t budge; something seemed to be pressing on it. Using more force, she managed to drag it free—only to scream in terror, a scream far more piercing and despairing than when she’d seen the corpse in the water. It shook the entire house.

Li Bai and Shuiniu rushed in at the sound. When they saw the body before them, their faces paled with shock and horror.

Shuiniu staggered toward the corpse, tears streaming down his cheeks. Each step seemed to carry the weight of the world, his body bowed under invisible burdens.

“Dujuan, what happened to you? Wake up, your brother’s waiting for breakfast. Get up, don’t sleep in or Mother will scold you again. Come on, please wake up!” Shuiniu’s voice grew hoarse, finally drowned by sobs.

Chen Yage recalled every moment she’d spent with Dujuan—the way she’d affectionately called her “Big Sister Yage,” her warmth and innocence on their first meeting. The memories were so vivid, grief overwhelmed her, and she, too, was lost to tears.

Only Li Bai remained composed. He bent over to examine the marks on Dujuan’s fair neck. The imprint of five fingers was clear—she’d been strangled. But who would commit such a crime? And why hide her under the bed?

With these questions in mind, Li Bai carefully inspected Dujuan’s body. She was already cold and stiff; death had occurred more than five hours ago. By his estimation, she had died around the fourth watch of the night—while he and Chen Yage had returned at the third watch.

Remembering last night, Li Bai recalled how Chen Yage had shown Dujuan the jade pendant they’d found by the lake, alongside the one in Chaoyun’s hand. Upon seeing the jade, Dujuan’s expression had changed dramatically. She must have known the owner of the pendant. Now, her mysterious death was surely connected with that jade. Li Bai did not want to believe the murderer could be Lady Yue—after all, a tiger does not eat its cubs, and Dujuan was her own daughter.

Li Bai examined Dujuan’s hands; there were no wounds, no signs of struggle. It seemed she hadn’t resisted at all. But just as he was about to lay her hand down, he noticed dirt beneath her fingernails.

“How odd,” he murmured. “Why is there dirt under Dujuan’s nails?”

Shuiniu steadied himself and replied, “Yesterday, Dujuan helped the villagers bury Chaoyun and Uncle Wang. Perhaps that’s when she got it.”

Li Bai found this plausible, but something still felt off—though he couldn’t say exactly what. He patted Chen Yage and Shuiniu on the shoulder. “Don’t be too sad. The departed are gone. We must find the real killer to bring peace to Dujuan’s spirit.”

Fated in the Tang Dynasty: Poet Immortal, Stay a While! 035—Dujuan’s Death, complete.