Chapter 4: The Red Maple Ghost
"It's a female ghost named 'Togakushi Momiji'." Keiko explains, "Legend has it that there was a couple who lived in Aizu Wakamatsu, Oshu, and had no children for many years. Anxious, they prayed to the Sixth Day Demon King, and soon after, they really gave birth to a beautiful girl named Wu Ye. After a few years, Wu Ye grew into a rare beauty who was both talented and beautiful, proficient in piano, chess, calligraphy and painting, Wu Ye went to the capital with his parents in order to avoid the pursuit of many nobles, and changed his name to Red Leaves. Momiji captured the heart of the royal family Genjingji with her beauty and piano skills, and became the side room of Genjingji, who was quite favored and conceived with his child, and at the same time, Jingji's main room was seriously ill. β
"Could that be ......" Li Hong reacted quickly.
"Yes." Keiko nodded slightly, "That's because of the demonic magic used by Momiji." Momiji is a daughter born of prayer to the Demon King, and she is a banshee. Momiji's plot was eventually discovered by a monk, and the enraged Imperial Family ordered Momiji to be driven to Togakushi Mountain for exile. The exiled Momiji was disgruntled, and gathered men to rebel against the imperial court, and was finally beheaded by a general sent by the imperial court, and her soul was sealed in Mount Togakushi. It is also said that where there are red maple leaves, there is the soul of red leaves, because the red color of maple leaves is dyed by the blood of red leaves. β
Yang Wenbin and Yan Junli, you look at me, I look at you, I didn't understand the story much, but they both frowned.
"When such a terrible case happened here, I couldn't help but think of the story my mother once told me." Keiko showed a sad expression, "When I was a child, I always chased after my mother and asked, 'Why did Momiji do such a thing?' "After all, Momiji is obviously an excellent woman......"
Momiji, is it really dyed with the blood of the maple ghost?
No, of course not. Yang Wenbin laughed at himself in his heart.
If it is said that it is dyed red by something, it must be the blood of the murdered woman and the sin of the murderer.
"It's a maple ghost, of course it's a maple ghost!" A lazy shout suddenly came from not far away. A few people looked over only to find a man lying under the maple tree not far away, and they didn't know how long they had been lying there. He was wearing a voluminous T-shirt and casual shorts, and his clothes were dirty from top to bottom. A short light blonde hair was also ravaged and messed up.
"What kind of person is he?" Li Hong asked in a low voice.
Keiko shook her head and frowned, "I don't know, I've been wandering here for the past few days, is it a beggar?" β
"Hey! I can hear the woman over there! From under the maple tree, there was a shout, "What's that...... I'm not a beggar, I'm looking for a cat! β
Several people looked at each other in surprise. The distance that man had reached here was not far, but it was definitely not close, how did he hear Miss Keiko's voice from so far away?
"But I can't find it, it's really troublesome, if you find me, you can go home!" The strange man stood up from the ground, patted the dust and leaves on his body, and walked over to this side with a lazy yawn, "But the dead man is really interesting, it's a maple ghost, right?" Right? It's called Kaede Ghost, right? β
Absolutely unaware of who he was talking to. Everyone looked at each other.
"I guess so...... Well, well, that's all there is to it. The man put on a thoughtful look, and suddenly pointed to the pile of maple leaves and said, "Maple ghost!" It's the murderer! That's right! β
Yan Junli really couldn't stand it anymore, so he walked up and said sharply: "This is the scene of the crime, please don't make trouble if you have nothing to do!" β
As a result, the man's eyes widened, "I'm not an unrelated person!" That one...... How do you say that word, I think about it...... Oh, by the way, I'm an eyewitness! No, no, I didn't see it, it should be an 'ear witness'! I'm an ear witness! β
Yang Wenbin frowned, what is the mess with this person.
"Were you there on the night of the crime?" Li Hong couldn't help but ask.
"I'm not there." The man replied very firmly.
Li Hong was choked up, "Then why are you-"
"I heard that." The man solemnly put his arms together and said, "There was a woman's cry that night." It was from this position that I heard the woman's cry. Very soft sobs, and whimpering, floating in the night air, crying for a long, long time. Didn't you just talk about that...... That, the story of the Momiji female ghost? That must be her! The female ghost of Momiji is a murderer, and the case is closed! β
Although no one paid attention to this person, he seemed to be very happy alone, clapped his hands, and left on his own.
"Hey, you waitβ" Yang Wenbin couldn't stop the strange man.
"What a strange man." Li Hong muttered to himself, "Can this be used as testimony?" β
Yan Junli shook his head, not knowing whether he meant "I don't know" or "I can't".
"Then, if there's nothing to do, I'll go back first." Huizi spoke at this time and bowed to the three of them.
Yan Junli was about to nod, but was interrupted by Yang Wenbin, "Please wait a minute, Miss Huizi." May I ask you a question? Does Miss Keiko know about a homicide that also happened here twenty years ago? β
Huizi was stunned for a moment, her whole body tensed, and after a few seconds, she said hastily, "No, I don't know. So, I'm gone. β
Keiko took quick steps, her calves under her kimono white and slender, and the clogs made a crisp sound on the pebbles.
"Miss Huizi is really a great beauty, isn't that Team Yan?" Li Hong sighed.
"It's a pity it's a liar." Yang Wenbin said coldly, "She said she didn't know just now, she must be lying." β
"You can't be prejudiced against beautiful women, Doctor Yang?" Yan Junli smiled improperly.
Yang Wenbin turned his head and just wanted to refute him, but swallowed the words into his stomach again, because he found that the shoulder on Yan Junli's clothes was oozing blood.
"What's going on with your shoulder, didn't I tell you not to mess around?"
"Huh?" Yan Junli was stunned, "I don't know, I'm not messed up-"
"Alright, let's go, let's go back to the hospital. The rest of that comes next. Yang Wenbin looked at Li Hong again, "Are you going back with us, orβ"
Li Hong thought for a while, waved his hand and said, "No, you guys go back first, I finally came here, I still want to take a look around, and drink two cups of tea with Miss Huizi or something." β
Yang Wenbin didn't say anything more, nodded, and dragged Yan Junli into the taxi.