"Is there no heavy object dragging under the water?" Shen Luo asked after a moment of hesitation.
“There’s no heavy objects to drag, no aquatic plants to get in the way, nothing at all. It’s precisely because it’s a bit unusual, and the city has been in unrest recently, that all kinds of rumors have spread. Now the Water Heating Pavilion is almost regarded as a haunted house, and business has plummeted.” Bai Xiaotian shook his head.
From the beginning, the Bai family actually didn't pay much attention to this. After all, the Qinhuai River was a place of trouble. Every year, there were at least a dozen people who fell into the river by accident, fell into the river because of drunkenness, jumped into the water because of frustration, and committed suicide by couples.
Even if the incident happened in one's own family, they would often spend some money to bribe the government and then send a guest Taoist priest to perform a ritual. No matter whether there was evil spirit or not, as long as the ritual was performed and the guests and the people could see it, the matter would not be difficult to suppress.
But with people drowning one after another like dumplings dropping from a river, it is really hard to suppress the situation. People are now saying that there is a ghost hiding in the Plumbing Pavilion, and that those three people died unjustly, and their bodies are filled with resentment, so they are floating and not moving.
"I'm planning to go out too, so let's go with you." Shen Luo said.
"That's perfect." Bai Xiaotian's eyes lit up slightly, and a smile finally appeared on his face.
As the two walked out of the room, they heard hurried footsteps outside, and then saw the girl Green Sleeves running in in a hurry, shouting:
"No... It's not good, young master, it's not good..."
Upon hearing this, Shen Luo and Bai Xiaotian looked at each other, and a trace of gloom flashed across their faces.
"What's going on? Speak slowly." Bai Xiaotian asked in a deep voice.
"Manager Gao from the Faxiang Silk Shop in the west of the city went to Shuinuange to look for his lover, Miss Shuiyuan, last night. He was found floating in the river in the morning, in the same place as the three preceding ones." Luxiu said, panting, with a pale face.
Bai Xiaotian sighed secretly and walked towards the front gate without saying a word. Shen Luo touched his nose and followed him.
"Young Master, the car is ready and waiting outside the door..." Luxiu hurriedly took a few steps out and shouted on tiptoe.
…
The carriage's speed was limited in the city, and it took less than half a quarter of an hour to arrive in front of the Water Heating Pavilion.
Shen Luo got off the carriage and looked up. In front of him stood a vermilion gate tower about thirty or forty meters high. It had carved beams and painted rafters, depicting scenes of wealth and splendor such as birds paying homage to the phoenix and flowers competing for spring.
Just a few steps from the doorway is a magnificent three-story pavilion. Each floor of the pavilion has glazed tiles making raised ridges and flying eaves, and below them hang bright red lanterns.
Inside the attic is a golden hall with a huge twelve-fold screen in the center and a stage built with a white jade fence. There is a wooden ladder on each side leading to the second floor.
The Shuinuan Pavilion, which is usually bustling with customers, is deserted today. There are not even a few people to be seen. There is only a middle-aged woman dressed in purple brocade who is scolding a few servants in a low voice, telling them not to talk too much and tell outsiders about the affairs of the Shuinuan Pavilion.
Seeing Bai Xiaotian and the other person coming in, the woman immediately put away her sad expression, walked up to them, and bowed to them.