Chapter 005: The Three Members of the Shi Family in Shijia

In the empty mill, the sound of the waterwheel swaying, the sound of river water flowing on the floor, and the sound of the millstone beginning to turn converge into a strange cacophony

Half a month ago, I found a strange bird, and since then, I have not stepped outside... Could it be that there is something wrong with that bird

Ning... Ning Ye... I haven't done anything recently... I stay at home every day and have never gone out. If Huzi and the others did something, it definitely has nothing to do with me

Kong Ning's abrupt action left both Shi Yong and his wife taken aback, clearly astonished by Kong Ning's reaction

Shi Yong was about to speak, but Kong Ning had already started laughing and said, "Which Lord Ning are you referring to?"

Would the constable of the Kongning county office miss Shi Gui? Such nonsense, even Kongning himself wouldn't believe it.

Speaking of this useless younger brother, Shi Yong sighed and shook his head, saying: "As long as he can be a normal person, not going out to gamble recklessly, not hanging out with those dubious friends, even if he stays at home every day like a lord, I would accept it."

How is this possible

The muscular man, bare-chested, glared and said: "Open the door quickly! Damn it, you have been spoiled. Lord Ning said he wants to come and see you. If you keep making a fuss, I will kick the door down and beat you up!"

The shouting of Shi Yong quickly brought out his wife, a middle-aged woman with a sturdy build and a dark complexion.

Shi Gui has recently been locking himself in his room every day and not going out

Kong Ning then fell into a slight silence

He sat down in the mill under the warm reception of Shi Yong

He obediently stood up and walked ahead to lead Kong Ning.

And Kong Ning followed closely behind him, quietly observing Shi Yong's reactions

Shi Yong directly started to curse

After some thought, Kong Ning said: "Where is your brother Shi Gui? Why haven't I seen him? Has he gone to gamble again?"

If Shi Gui is not present at this moment, then the demon should be choosing between Shi Yong and his spouse...

Alas... at least not going out to gamble can be considered a good thing

Zhao Sanniang, who was grinding flour for Kong Ning nearby, interjected: "What nonsense are you talking about, head of the household! Lord Ning is here, what are you complaining about? Is Lord Ning here to listen to your grievances? You have no sense of awareness at all!"

Kong Ning pondered in her heart, yet her expression remained calm and composed, and she asked: "What is he doing locked up in his room every day? It can't be that he has no reason to stay cooped up at home day after day, can it?"

I asked Old Song, who raises birds, and he said that the bird is just an ordinary sparrow, nothing special at all... Sigh... That brat Shi Gui is really beyond saving. It's either gambling or playing with birds.

Zhao Sanniang stared with wide eyes

Shi Yong's younger brother, Shi Gui, is a compulsive gambler who has spent years frequenting several small casinos in Shanlan County. He associates with a group of disreputable friends and is one of the main young rascals in the county.

Shi Yong sat down and first filled Kong Ning's cup, then smiled and engaged in conversation.

For a compulsive gambler, staying indoors for a single day without gambling is more unbearable than death; it is inconceivable for them to hide away at home every day.

It is absolutely impossible to pay for trivial matters such as passing by to eat two melons or asking you to grind two kilograms of flour. Even if Kong Ning insists on paying, Shi Yong would not dare to accept it

Shi Yong sighed and lamented, clearly tormented by his younger brother to a great extent

Finally, Shi Yong swallowed hard and said: "Master Ning, follow me, that kid lives over here..."

These days are quite good; he no longer goes out to gamble, but instead locks himself in the room every day, refusing to come out no matter how much we call. Even meals have to be delivered to their doorstep, just like an old lord with his mother

Inside the room, the uncertain voice of Shi Gui could be heard.

I have known Kong Ning for quite some time, one being the victim and the other the perpetrator

Kong Ning observed everything before him with a calm demeanor, speculating whether the demons in the mill might be the woman in front of him

Leading the yellow horse, Shi Yong arrived at the entrance of the mill with Kong Ning. As Kong Ning tied the horse at the door, Shi Yong pushed open the door and shouted into the mill: "San Niang! San Niang! Ning Ye has arrived! Come out to work!"

Although it currently seems that the possibility of Shi Yong being a monster has approached zero, Kong Ning still does not dare to let down his guard. The two of them walked out of the empty mill, one after the other, heading towards the back.

Outside the stone mill, the air was slightly silent, as it quietly scrutinized the stone warrior before it.

Which Lord Ning?

The footsteps are unsteady and the stance is unstable, which does not indicate a seasoned practitioner. Moreover, Shi Yong comes from outside the mill and is not from within the mill.

Shi Yong stood at the door and knocked. Immediately, an impatient voice from inside shouted back.

With a pale complexion and a look of anxiety, Shi Gui stared at the constable outside the door, his legs seemingly trembling

The only difference is that Kong Ning and the others generally do not go too far. After all, once they provoke public anger, it becomes very difficult to step down

Kong Ning cast a cold glance at him, remaining silent. Shi Yong's voice grew increasingly faint, and sweat began to bead on his forehead

The stout woman awkwardly offered a bow, while Kong Ning nodded and said: "I apologize for the disturbance"

The door was immediately opened the next second

Although Shi Yong is a monster and has the ability to foresee that Kong Ning is coming to kill it, it specifically took a detour from outside to approach. However, Kong Ning feels that if such a prophetic ability were to appear in a minor monster of this level, then he would not need to continue his existence

Shi Gui sighed and couldn't help but start complaining again. Zhao Sanniang, who was beside him, kept giving him warning glances, but she still couldn't stop her husband from grumbling in front of Kong Ning.

The architectural structure of the stone mill is very simple; the exterior is the grinding room, while the back is the place where the Shiyong family eats and sleeps

Is it possible that Shi Guicai is the monster? Has he been possessed by the monster? Or has the monster devoured him and disguised itself as him, hiding in the stone mill?

Upon seeing Kong Ning dressed in a tolerance outfit, Zhao Sanniang, who lifted the door curtain to come out, immediately broke into a smile: "It is Master Ning, Sanniang has met Master Ning."

In the past, I used to roam around aimlessly every day, engage in reckless gambling, and even steal money from home. The petty person would scold and hit me, but it was of no use

Shi Yong's expression stiffened for a moment, and then he forced a warm smile as he said: "What words does Lord Ning speak? It is a blessing for me that you can come to the mill. Whatever amount of flour Lord Ning needs, just give a command, and I will immediately go and grind it for you"

This young scoundrel, who has been in the detention room several times and has been well treated by Kong Ning and the others, reacts to Kong Ning like a mouse encountering a cat, instinctively trying to distance himself as much as possible.

After lifting the door curtain and stepping out of the mill, what appeared before Kong Ning was the water of the Wangjiang River. The wooden planks they stood on were suspended over the Wangjiang River, with one side against the wall of the mill and the other side facing the rushing river.

Kong Ning's eyes narrowed slightly, sensing something unusual

Kong Ning's greater inclination towards the appearance of Shi Yong is a coincidence

After Kong Ning finished speaking, Shi Yong sighed and shook his head, saying: "I hope Master Ning will not find it amusing; you are well aware of the character of my incompetent younger brother."

Faced with the suddenly cold expression of Kong Ning, Shi Yong clearly lacked the courage to continue explaining

Kong Ning was dealing with Shi Yong while observing the situation inside the mill

The so-called "the King of Hell is easy to meet, but the little ghosts are hard to deal with." Kong Ning and his group of yamen runners are the most feared figures among the common people in the county town

Inside the mill, Shi Yong and his wife exchanged subtle glances, and finally Shi Yong spoke: "Master Ning, that young man has indeed been staying at home every day recently, not going out to cause trouble..."

In the small mill, it seems that there are only the Shi Yong couple. Could the monster be one of this couple?

Half a month ago, that boy picked up a bird from outside and became enchanted by it, spending every day in the house talking to the bird, ignoring everyone who called him.

Walking along this narrow path that only allows one person to pass, Kong Ning and Shi Yong arrived at a small side room on the outermost side

Shi Yong also came to his senses and quickly covered his mouth, saying: "Look at my broken mouth... Lord Ning, please don't take offense, I'm just used to rambling. Let's not talk about Shi Gui, let's not talk about Shi Gui."

My parents passed away early, and this little brat has been raised by me and San Niang since he was eight years old. As long as he doesn't indulge in gambling, everything will be fine... really... everything will be fine...

The target of the mysterious jar search is, however, weaker than the emptiness. Can such a small demon possess the ability of precognition?

Shi Yong also sighed and said, "Indeed... that kid definitely wouldn't stay indoors for no reason. However, I really don't understand what is so interesting about a bird."

Zhao Sanniang took the bag of wheat from Shi Yong and went to operate the millstone, helping Kong Ning to grind the flour. This bag of wheat, which Shi Yong had just purchased, thus became Kong Ning's.

Playing with birds... Is that something we poor people can afford? If it weren't for the fact that he doesn't go out to gamble recklessly, I would have rushed in and thrown his broken birdcage into the river long ago

Although it cannot be ruled out that the other party is a monster

It is evident that Shi Yong has mentioned this younger brother many times before, to the extent that the latter reacts instinctively upon hearing a knock at the door

However, this time, Shi Yong was followed by Kong Ning, and the situation was different

Thus, the image of the officials and constables in the eyes of the villagers is probably no different from that of evil spirits, even those young ruffians are afraid of them

I am not going out! I said I am not going out! Just leave the food at the door, I will take it myself

This small room is also suspended above the river, and its area is not large. Despite it being a scorching hot day with a blazing sun and humid air, this room has its doors and windows tightly shut, completely lacking ventilation

After a few seconds of silence, Kong Ning said: "You arrived just in time. I was passing by here, intending to grind some flour to take home, but I found that I didn't bring any wheat. Do you have any extra wheat at home? Please help me grind some flour, and I will pay you for it."

As soon as Kong Ning opened his mouth, he was like an old constable

Kong Ning stood up and said: "I will go see him, it has been a while since we last met, and I miss him quite a bit."

The hand remains firmly on the handle of the knife

However, "not to go too far" refers to heinous acts such as bullying the weak and oppressing the vulnerable.

Shi Yong then walked out from the inner room with a beaming smile, holding a jug of wine and two bowls, and said: "The home is humble, and this is the only jug of rice wine we have, I hope Master Ning will be understanding."

Kong Ning inquired about the whereabouts of this person, wanting to confirm whether the other party was also in the mill

Even in a relatively friendly environment like Kong Ning, which does not oppress the good, there are still numerous fixed incomes from side ventures every month. Not to mention the seasoned colleagues in the office. With the salary of a constable in the precinct, if one does not find ways to engage in side ventures, the annual salary of ten taels is barely enough to support one person, let alone have spare money to frequently indulge in drinking and listening to music.