Author note: let's get the mystery started now that Su and Pei (Yan) are married. Now that they are investigating a case in the country, Yan will be called Pei again, to protect his other identity.

A ghost?

A few days later Fei Yuan was already packing for a trip out into the country. Brother Xie and Rushuang had found a mystery to solve and the adventure was to tempting to let it pass. The village was small and near the border with Beirong. Its inhabitants lived of what the land gave them. There was nothing remarkable, except that apparently a ghost inhabited an empty house. Rushuang had helped the old lady who lived next to the empty house and when they were there Brother Xie and Rushuang, they heard the strange sounds that the old lady told them was a ghost living next door. When Pei and Su joined them in the village, Brother Xie and Rushuang waisted no time and quickly introduced Pei and Su to the old lady. "Our friends told us you were hearing sounds coming from your neighbor's house." Su started, when they had all sat down in the house of the old lady. The old lady nodded: "It's the ghost from old master Li."

"Who is old master Li?" Su asked, taking control of the conversation as she always did when there was a mystery to be solved. "He lived there all alone. Five years ago he died. But his family didn't do the funeral properly, his son had died at Honggu, the family didn't bury them together and now old master Li can't find rest, because they can't find each other. If the family had taken good care it wouldn't have happened. But lately he seems much more agitated. There is much more sounds coming from the house. I think it is best if we leave him in peace, he'll calm down eventually. I told your friends the same." The old lady explained. Pei interrupted her: "His son died at Honggu?" The lady nodded: "He had been drafted shortly before the battle. Master Li was so proud of his son, for going to war for the country. Shortly after the son left, his wife died from a disease. And then shortly after the battle had started we found old master Li dead in his house. He had fallen down the stairs to the cellar. It was horrible, there was so much blood." The old lady shivered. The friends waited patiently for the old lady to regain her posture and continue. "There was no family here to do the funeral, so the ghost lingered. After a while the family did come and buried him, but they didn't know where young master Li was buried, so the father and son can't find each other."

"When does the ghost visit?" Su asked.

"At night, sometimes it's louder. After the funeral the ghost was quiet. I think he was happy to be with his wife. But a year ago he came back. Always at night, trying to find his son."

"And does he come every night?"

"Oh no, sometimes a week goes by and nothing happens." The old lady elaborated. Su nodded to indicate she understood. The old lady continued: "I'm used to it now, but I do feel so sorry for old master Li."

"Thank you, madam." Su said as a way of closing the conversation. The old lady nodded and the friends took their leave. Out on the street Su turned to the empty house. "Let's see what's inside." She said. Xie responded: "Rushuang and I have already been inside, there was nothing strange, only a lot of dust and empty wardrobes. The cellar was also empty."

"I'd like to see it anyway." Su stepped up to the door, which was open. "Why is the door not locked?"

"According to the villagers no one dare to enter the house so there is no need for a lock. The family also don't really care, they left after the funeral and haven't returned since." Rushuang said stepping in to the house after Su and Pei. The house was empty except for some cabinets, chairs, a table and a bed. It had two rooms, one for cooking and eating and a bedroom. The dust particles floated in the light beams coming through the windows. In the corner of the living space, closest to the house of the old lady and placed against the wall of the bedroom was a hatch leading to the cellar. Xie lifted it and the friends descended the stairs. In the cellar they all lit a torch to see in the darkness of the cellar. There was a table placed against the wall with some large storage jars next to it. Against the opposite wall there was a large closet. There was nothing else in the cellar. Rushuang opened the closet, it was empty. The storage jars were also empty as Fei Yuan discovered. Su looked around, noting how this cellar was different from the cellars she knew in small villages like this. She heard Pei take in a large breath, expectantly she turned to her husband. "It smells different, clean, maybe Sulphur? But it is very faint. Usually cellars are damp and smell of earth." Pei said, looking down to the floor. "The floor has lime, not just stamped earth." Pei stamped on the floor. Su lifted her torch to the walls, they were also lined with lime. The cellar was dusty but relatively clean except for some dark brown stains from the closet to the stairs. Su touched the stains, but they were completely dry, she frowned. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary except the entire cellar was not as one would expect. The brown stains could be blood, old master Li had after all died here. Lost in thoughts Su walked to the table and let her fingers slide over the surface. Then she walked to the closet, opened it again, taking in the empty shelves. Pei followed her with his eyes, by now familiar with her methods, he still wondered how she saw the world and all those small things that others, him included missed. To know this remarkable woman was his wife filled him with pride. "Let's go back upstairs." Su walked up the stairs and then entered the bedroom. The bed still had the pillow and blanket, all covered in a thick layer of dust. The cabinet which was stood in a corner was also empty: "It seems the family took everything with them, leaving only the furniture." Su said to no one in particular. She opened the window and looked out over the backyard which ran down to the river. Across the river hills slowly rose to the heavens. This house was located at the edge of the village. The river on which banks the village was build, disappeared in to the distance slightly bending. She saw the sun lowering in the sky. "Maybe it would be good to return at night."

"Let's go together." Pei said, standing next to her. "Do you suspect something is not right?" he asked, Su turned a little to meet his gaze. "Ghosts are innocent, it's the living people who attribute suspicious actions to them." Pei nodded understanding her completely. "Let's go and eat something, we can return later." The friends left and went to the small inn they were staying in. After a while they were seated for the evening meal. Fei Yuan had just served out the rice. While they ate Rushuang and Xie told Su and Pei about their travels, all of them leaving the case for now. But as the meal drew to a close Rushuang did comment on the case: "It seems an odd case. We already talked to some of the villagers and they all say the house is haunted. No one will dares to live there. Some say they heard the ghost in the house. Others have told us they have seen the ghost wander in the village. It seems as if everyone agrees that there is a ghost, but they can't agree on where he is or what he is wearing. Some say he wears white and others have claimed he wears black. Some say they have seen him wander in the village and others only heard sounds from the house, thinking it was the ghost. There was even one man who says he saw three ghosts wander the village, he thought there was something wrong with his eyes, but the physician hadn't found anything."

"You have already discovered a lot." Pei complimented. Rushuang shrugged: "We had to wait for you, so we thought to ask around a bit more.

"It is indeed weird that they all saw other things. When did they see the ghost?" Su asked. "After the death of old master Li, then things settled down and the ghost wasn't seen for a few years but a few months ago they started hearing ghostly sounds again. "Hmm." Su sighed a little and then said: It's getting dark, let's return to the house." When they arrived at the house the old lady was just closing her door. The friends acknowledged her and she nodded in return. In the house the five friends split up, each occupying one of the rooms. Xie and Rushuang in the living room, Fei Yuan in the bedroom and Su and Pei in the cellar. For a long time nothing happened, but then Fei Yuan called out: "Young master, there is a light in the forest." Pei and Su raced up the stairs and they leapt into the bedroom. They were just in time to see a light turn on and off in the distance, but after that the light didn't return. Pei and Su looked at each other, Pei shook his head: "It's no use going there now. Those persons lighting the light will be long gone before we find the exact place where they stood." Su nodded. "Let's stay here and see if the ghost shows up." They stayed the entire night, but when the sun slowly started to color the heavens no ghost had appeared.

Pei shook Su awake, she and Rushuang had fallen asleep during the night and Pei and Xie had placed them on the bed to sleep a bit longer. Fei Yuan had also fallen asleep seated at the table. After he had awaken they left for the inn. Before they separated for their rooms Pei said: "Let's get some sleep, then we'll get some horses to investigate the forest." Everybody nodded and retreated to their rooms.

Author note: Please read and review, tell me what you think of the story. Also please let me know if I have made unforgivable mistakes in the portrayal of the ancient Chinese culture.