1314: A Thousand Peonies Bloom
Mystery of the Lost People

The journey of Shuwan, Jiao, and Zhang these few days went without any meaningful hindrance, until finally they met a little girl who was drawing in an old well in the forest.

“Why should a little girl draw water in the middle of a forest like this?” jiao said while stopping his horse.

Zhang stopped his horse and approached the girl, asking, “Little sister, why did you draw here alone?”

The boy was a little scared when he met a stranger. He answered Zhang's question stammeredly, “A-I just... I just want to help grandma at home, she's old to do this job. Besides the distance traveled is also quite far from home.”

The girl was bowed with my face after giving her grandmother.

Zhang again asked, “What is your home, Dik?”

“In Tianyu Village, quite far from here if on foot,” said the boy.

Shuwan and Jiao get off the horse. They approached the boy and Zhang was talking. Jiao then asked the boy in a soft tone, “Then, what are you here to ride?”

The boy answered Jiao's question with a plain face while smiling, “Streeting.. I'm used to doing this. Every day I always take water here.”

“You walk while carrying this water jug?” zhang asked in surprise.

The boy just nodded in agreement to Zhang's question. He then went back to saying, “It seems like the brothers are not from here? Where are you going?”

Zhang then answered the boy's question. He said, “You're right. We are not from here. We were just travelers who happened to pass by. Oh, yeah, can we take you home? Coincidentally we also want to meet your grandmother, can ‘kan?”

“Of course.” The boy immediately poured water into the jug and finished his work.

The boy rode a horse with Jiao, while Shuwan rode a horse with Zhang carrying a jug filled with water even though they had not fully made up.

After reaching the village gate, Shuwan, Jiao, and Zhang were surprised to see the village as experiencing drought, so Shuwan said, “Now it is spring, how is it here so dry as experiencing drought?”

“This has been happening since 3 years ago. The water that had been flowing in the village did not flow anymore, so the village experienced drought as you see today. For the daily needs of residents who can afford to buy water from merchants who sell water in this village. While we who are poor and cannot afford water can only depend on the wells in the forest,” said the child.

Shuwan was just daydreaming, as they passed the dried up river he asked again, “Did the citizens here not try to check the river upstream? Perhaps something is clogging the water flow here.”

“People who tried to check the river upstream until now no one has ever returned. Grandma and the residents said that there were ghosts who kidnapped the residents, including my father. So, now there are no more people who dare to go there.”

Shuwan is shocked to hear that the boy's father is also a victim.

“Ghost?" shuwan said in disbelief.

“The village chief said it. He said he witnessed with his own eyes that the ghost cast a magic that could make residents faint and drag him into the fog and disappear without a trace.”

“Do you not think this is strange? The river is drying up and suddenly there is a rich merchant selling water,” Shuwan told his two friends.

Zhang responded, “You are right! Something is wrong with this village.”

Shuwan is still trying to guess the problem in this village, until they reach the boy's residence.

“Grandma... I came home..” shouted the boy from the doorstep of the house.

“Iya, Niu,” said an old woman who came out of the house. The grandmother was surprised to find her grandson bringing 3 strangers into her house, she then asked her grandson, “Niu, who are these people with you?”

“Their grandmother was a traveler who happened to pass by this village, and said they wanted to meet grandma.”

“So apparently, then let's go in first,” invite grandma Niu.

Shuwan, Jiao and Zhang were also welcome to sit in the front room. Then the grandmother started the conversation by introducing herself, “Include, I'm Fang Wei, just call Grandma Wei. Then this kid is my grandson, Fang Niu.”

“My name is Zhang, this one is Shuwan, and Jiao. We are travelers who happen to cross this village,” Zhang replied as he introduced himself.

He resumed his words, “By the way are you two only staying here?”

The grandmother nodded with a slightly sad face. She then said, “We only live together in this house, her mother died while giving birth to Niu. While his father, do not know how he is now after disappearing when checking the river upstream 3 years ago.”

Shuwan then spoke up, “We have heard the problems of this village from Niu. If allowed, we will try to investigate this issue and find a solution.”

“But, anyone who tries to deal with this problem could be doomed. As at the moment nothing has changed the situation,” said grandmother Wei worriedly.

Zhang tried to convince Grandma Niu by saying, “Don't worry, Grandma. We will definitely solve this problem.”

“Em.. All right, but you guys have to be careful.”

They started the investigation by asking about a rich merchant who sold water to the citizens, Shuwan asked, “Nek, can you tell me about the rich merchant who sold the water?”

“I also do not know for sure the merchant's background, but what is clear is that the drought that hit this village occurred right after his arrival. From the beginning I actually had suspected him that the merchant had something to do with drought and the disappearance of citizens.”

“I also feel so, is it possible that he did it?” continue Zhang.

Jiao also entered the conversation, “I think so too, just that we have no proof that he is the real culprit.”

Not feeling that time was going so fast, the exhausted Shuwan, Zhang and Jiao decided to check the river upstream the next morning. They rested at Grandma Wei's house for a while until the problem was solved.

The next morning, Shuwan, Jiao, and Zhang headed up the river.

Upon arrival, Zhang walked in first to deliver the bait. Shuwan and Jiao hide behind a bush to scout.

They found that the river had been dammed, and the flow of water was changed so that the river leading to the village did not flow.

“It turns out this river has been dammed. Those people are seeking profit over the suffering of the villagers. Supercharged!” shuwan said from behind the bush.

After Zhang reached the edge of the upper reaches, a figure wearing a black robe wearing a kabuki mask appeared, leaving his identity invisible. He blocked Zhang's move, “You should not interfere with the problems in this village.”

Quietly Zhang said, “If I don't interfere, these villagers will only continue to suffer because of your greed.”

“Because it is your choice, then accept the consequences!”

The masked figure attacked Zhang abruptly, but according to plan he pretended to be paralyzed by his attack.

Zhang was taken to a place, Shuwan and Jiao followed the masked figure of kabuki to find out the location of his hideout.

After following the masked man, they arrived at a place of seclusion that looked like an abandoned house.

“It turns out there is a place like this here,” Jiao said.

“Many people are on guard, we will try to break in after the dope I gave Zhang is working,” Shuwan told Jiao.

Jiao nodded.

After Zhang was brought inside the place, he opened the vial of dope Shuwan gave him and sprinkled it. Shuwan and Jiao, who were behind the bush, prepared to wear face coverings.

The guards also felt dizzy from the effects of drugs. Shuwan and Jiao attacked the staggering guard until he collapsed. They then tied him up so that when they realized the guards did not run away.

Zhang who first entered also saw a cell containing the residents who had been missing all this time. As he was about to be put into the cell, he rebelled against the masked man. As a result, the masked man was uprooted by Zhang's attack.

Zhang then took the keys to the cell carried by the masked man and released the prisoners, thanking Zhang.

“Young people, thank you for setting us free,” said one resident.

Zhang smiled and said, “Sama-sama. Now let's get out of here before the other guys come.”

“Then let's take these criminals. But we should first look at the person wearing this mask.”

When they opened the mask, they were shocked. The person who had kidnapped them turned out to be their own village chief.

One of the residents said, “I don't think it turns out the village head did such a despicable act.”

“Then let's take these criminals to the village to stand trial,” shouted the other residents.

Shuwan and Jiao enter the building. The two of them discovered that Zhang and the citizens were fine. Shuwan then approached Zhang and the citizens. He took out a letter with a stamp bearing the rose and asked, “Do you know this Rose stamp?”

A resident answered him and it turned out to be Niu's father, Fang Jun. “It was the epitome of the residence of Mr. Yong, the merchant who sells water in the village. All this time I suspected them. When I was going to dismantle it, I was actually caught.”

“So all this time they work together to cheat citizens?” shouted the other citizens.

“Then let's take them!”

“Come.!”

Finally, Shuwan, Jiao, Zhang and the villagers took the village chief and his minions to the residence of the water merchant.

When he reached the gate of the residence, a feud between the citizens and the guards ensued.

The guard said, “You disinterested ones are better off leaving here or we will forcibly expel you!”

Shuwan then went ahead and confronted the guards. He smiled sinisterly as he pulled out the black sword from its sheath and said, “If you do not want to open the gate, my shiny black sword will happily slash at your body.”

The guards were terrified and finally opened the gate. The citizens barged in and dragged the criminals they caught.

When they all entered, they witnessed that the rich merchant named Hu Yong was counting his treasures. He was surprised to see the residents who were arrested and locked up barged into his residence.

“Ka-kalian.. How can it be here?” said Hu Yong.

The villagers pushed the village chief along with his minions in front of Hu Yong.

Niu's father confronted Hu Yong, saying, “Of course it was a miracle that brought us back to our village. And, criminals like you deserve to be punished.”

Hu Yong, the village chief, and his minions were forcibly taken by the rest of the citizens to be handed over to the court. They cheered because they could go home.

Suddenly Shuwan shouted, “This matter is not completely finished. We have not destroyed the dam that blocked the water from entering the village. So, let's finish the unfinished.”

Shuwan, Jiao, and Zhang and the citizens returned to the river. They destroyed the dam using explosives. The water has returned to the river.

Not feeling dusk has arrived, Shuwan and his entourage return to the village. The rest of the residents were waiting for the arrival of the group that destroyed the dam at the village gate.

Niu who saw her father return safely cried while hugging her father. There also the residents who met his family again hugged each other and let go of the longing.

Later that night, the residents held an open meeting and agreed that Niu's father, Fang Jun, was appointed the new village chief. In addition, they also thanked Shuwan, Jiao, and Zhang for helping solve the problems in their village.

The problems in the village have been resolved. As it was late at night, Shuwan, Jiao, and Zhang decided to spend the night in the village again, and continue the journey tomorrow.

The next morning, Shuwan, Jiao, and Zhang had already rushed to continue their journey. They also say goodbye to the people. Niu gave mementos to the three of them in the form of wristbands made of sandalwood.

“Thank you for the brothers for saving this village, and for returning my father. May you all be protected and given health to the destination.”

Zhang smiled, he stroked Niu's head while saying, “Thank you for the gift. Someday, you will definitely grow into a great woman.”

Eventually Shuwan, Jiao, and Zhang left the village. The citizens of Tianyu Village started their new life and lived in peace.