The shape of this stone resembles a large lock.
Due to the passage of time, it is covered with moss, and half of it is embedded in the grave.
Weeds grow around the tomb, but the grave itself has no grass. The color of the soil suggests that it was recently disturbed.
"A Soul-Locking Tomb?"
Lu Fei frowned.
Pressing a lock on the grave, isn't that meant to keep the dead inside?
"I apologize for this."
Lu Fei reached out and scraped off some of the moss from the stone, examining it closely, which further confirmed his suspicion.
Although the stone's shape is crude, it is clearly carved into the form of a lock by human hands, rather than being formed naturally.
"A desolate grave, excluded from the cemetery and without even a tombstone, is actually locked down... It seems that the death of this person was quite suspicious."
Lu Fei turned his head to look at Huang Laosi, who was sweating profusely from the pain.
"Who is buried in this grave?"
"Boss, how would I know? There's not even a gravestone." Huang Laosi evaded his eyes and shook his head, anxiously asking, "You've seen the grave, can you give me the money now?"
"I haven't even figured out the situation of the grave, what money are you talking about?" Lu Fei looked at him indifferently, "What proof do you have that the red cloth shoes were worn by the person in this grave?"
"How much more proof do you need? I personally..." Huang Laosi suddenly became agitated, nearly letting something slip, and quickly changed his words, "I saw it with my own eyes. The rain was so heavy that it washed the red cloth shoes out of the grave."
"Not enough." Lu Fei shook his head.
Huang Laosi was a local villager; how could he not know whose grave it was?
"Still not enough! Are you here to collect the items or not?" Huang Laosi was sweating all over his forehead and getting angry, his face twitching, showing a menacing look.
"Forget it if you don't want to sell!"
Lu Fei wasn't intimidated by his tactics and turned to leave.
"Woof!" The little black dog barked fiercely at him a few times, then followed its owner and left.
"Hey, boss, wait up!"
Huang Laosi got anxious, limping after them with his cane, each step feeling like a knife in his foot, making him wince in pain.
He had woken up in pain this morning, and upon getting up, he found that he was wearing those red cloth shoes. At the time, his mind buzzed with fright.
"These shoes are haunted!"
Panic-stricken, it took him a great deal of effort to take off the red cloth shoes. He originally wanted to throw them away but couldn't bring himself to do it.
In the end, he came to Lu Fei, hoping to get rid of the shoes as soon as possible.
Now that Lu Fei didn't say he would buy them, how could he not be worried?
Stopping Lu Fei, he gave the grave a rather wary glance and said in a low voice, "I heard, I just heard, that it's Old Gen Tou's daughter-in-law."
"How did she die?"
"I heard, well, it's just a rumor, that the wife was not being faithful. She was enticing men outside and wanted to run away with one of them. When Old Gen's family found out, they locked her up at home..."
Huang Laosan lowered his voice even more.
"She went on a hunger strike, refusing to eat or drink, and starved herself to death."
"Such an unfaithful woman should have been drowned in a pig cage in the river, but Old Gen's family, considering her life, still gave her a burial and a tombstone."
Lu Fei pondered, "Locked up at home, until her death... she never got out..."
Then, he asked, "Was she wearing those red cloth shoes when she died?"
"Yes! I heard, well, it's just a rumor. The entire set of clothes, including the red cloth shoes, were given to her by Old Gen's son for their wedding. Who would have thought, she kept thinking about running away with someone else..."
Huang Laosan shook his head.
"At the burial, Old Gen's son dressed her in that outfit, saying even in death she was his woman."
"To be honest, who wouldn't be angry if they faced such a situation?"
"It would be good enough if she could have a complete body!"
Upon hearing this, Lu Fei's eyebrows twitched.
"Put wedding shoes on the dead!"
Giving shoes to each other between a man and a woman is an expression of affection, symbolizing the willingness to walk together with you.
However, putting wedding shoes on the dead is called 'Mandarin Duck Shoes,' meaning that whether alive or dead, they will always be mine and can never leave me!
Lu Fei narrowed his eyes.
The family had buried the woman not out of kindness but to trap her and prevent her from leaving.
Such a vicious act shows how deeply they resented the woman's betrayal.
The woman cannot find peace, so anyone who wears these red shoes will also be unable to leave the house and can only circle within it.
To neutralize the Mandarin Duck Shoes is not difficult; find an old pair of scissors and cut through the heels of the shoes.
However—
"That doesn't make sense! If the mandarin duck shoes trap people inside and prevent them from leaving, how could Huang Youlai and his wife wear the shoes and run to the old school yesterday during the day?"
Lu Fei pondered.
If what Huang Laosi said is true, then the red cloth shoes are definitely the mandarin duck shoes. What is the issue?
Could it be that the mandarin duck shoes have different states during the day and at night?
I need to find someone to verify this and understand all the characteristics of the mandarin duck shoes before I collect them, to avoid any mishaps.
Then, Lu Fei's gaze fell on Huang Laosi.
Here is a perfect candidate, isn't it?
Huang Laosi suddenly had an ominous feeling and anxiously said, "Boss, I've told you everything. Can I have my money now?"
"Not yet. I need to negotiate the price with the rich folks in the city first to know how much I can give you," Lu Fei said calmly.
"Then ask quickly," Huang Laosi urged hastily.
"How can we talk here? Your leg is in such a state, go home and wait for my news. I'll negotiate the price and get the money ready, and then bring it to you right away!" Lu Fei showed a considerate smile.
"Great, great, great! No wonder you are a big boss, you really do things properly!" Huang Laosi was overjoyed, "But you must come as soon as possible, make sure it's before dark... I, I have something to do in the evening."
"Rest assured, I will," Lu Fei nodded.
Huang Laosi then hobbled home, enduring the pain, with the mandarin ducks shoes.
Lu Fei glanced back at the stone lock on the tomb. To break the Soul-binding Tomb was also quite simple; he just needed to move the stone lock from the tomb and destroy it.
However, Lu Fei decided not to act yet, waiting until the situation with the mandarin ducks shoes was thoroughly understood.
The woman's soul had been trapped for many years, filled with intense resentment. Releasing her easily might lead to unforeseen consequences.
Shortly after Huang Laosi left, Lu Fei followed quietly with the small black dog.
As soon as Huang Laosi arrived home, he took out the mandarin ducks shoes and carefully placed them on the table, seating himself as far away as possible in the room.
This was in stark contrast to how he had treasured the mandarin ducks shoes yesterday.
"Damn, who would have thought a pair of shoes could be haunted!"
Leaning his cane against the side, he rubbed his foot and cursed under his breath.
"A woman who did not adhere to moral principles, causing so much trouble, and even after death, she can't rest in peace! Pah!"
He dared to vent only because it was broad daylight now.
After rubbing his foot for a while, feeling a bit better, he yawned and slapped his mouth.
He couldn't remember what he had done last night with those shoes on, but he felt like all his bones were falling apart, utterly exhausted.
"Anyway, it's still early, might as well take a nap."
Seeing that the sunlight outside was just right, Huang Laosi, holding onto the wall, went to lie down on the bed, and within half a minute, he was already snoring.