I really don't want to take shortcuts anymore

Before Luo Qianhuai could say anything, Xing Xuan spoke first.

"Speak directly, and don't hesitate in front of the lady!"

Hou Zhong looked up at Luo Qianhuai, and was secretly amazed to see that she looked calm and composed, without any sign of worry or fear.

If it were an ordinary young lady, if she suddenly encountered such a strange and terrifying thing, she would definitely cry and beg for death. How could she just sit there as if nothing had happened, with a faint smile on her lips?

"Since Madam wants to listen, I will just tell you directly." Hou Zhong sighed and spoke a long speech.

What Li'er said just now was correct. Hou Zhong and the more than 20 households in Qinglu Garden were all the lowest-ranking servants in the past. Not only were they not qualified to enter the inner garden, they were not even qualified to take care of rare flowers and plants or precious birds and animals.

However, this imperial garden covers a large area, and is surrounded by most of the forest on the eastern foot of Shiyu Mountain. Someone has to be responsible for doing the rough work such as cleaning, so they have a place to use their skills.

However, once Han Min'er failed, all her properties were confiscated, and her cronies were screened one by one. The male favorites and female servants who had been arrogant and looked down on them, as well as the servants who had a little bit of face, were all ruthlessly killed. Only people like them, who could not even see Han Min'er on weekdays, survived the massacre at that time, and Hou Zhong himself inexplicably became the new manager here.

On that day, all those who were executed were beheaded in rows in front of the lotus pond. The blood dyed the entire pond red, just like today.

Those who survived just knelt tremblingly and watched by the side. Later they were responsible for cleaning up the mess and burying the bodies.

The rebels were not worthy of having graves built for them, so they were all buried on a hill in the southeast of the garden. A huge earth pit was dug, and the people were pushed in one by one, and then the earth was shoveled and leveled.

The same went for the lotus pond. The blood-stained soil was shoveled up and buried deep, the pond water was drained and refilled, and everything seemed to have returned to normal, except for the fear in people's hearts.

This is the imperial farm, with water and land. It should not be a problem to feed dozens of people.

But the fact is, ever since the Han Miner case was settled, this place has become a deserted place.

The exotic flowers and plants that had grown there before gradually withered because no one took care of them. Hou Zhong bravely went to the Shaofu several times to ask the officials in charge of the imperial farm, but he didn't get any response. No one was willing to take the initiative to clear the exotic plants and plant crops again, so so many people guarding the large tracts of land could only rely on hunting for a living.

Luo Qianhuai heard the untruth in his words, raised his eyebrows and asked:

"All the precious flowers and plants, not a single one survived? And there were more than a hundred deer, and now there are none left?"

She hit the nail on the head, and Hou Zhong could only smile bitterly and confess honestly:

"I dare not lie to you, Madam. At that time, Han Shuren's wealth, along with many rare flowers and trees that had grown, were all confiscated by the soldiers. Although the flowers and plants left were ordinary, they could be exchanged for some silver and rice to live on. As for the deer and golden pheasants raised in the garden, we dared not move them without permission and took good care of them. However, people from the Shaofu came every few days and said that the palace needed game tribute. But in just half a year, they were all captured."

Luo Qianhuai didn't really mean to argue with them, so he just nodded and let him continue.

"I'm not a coward," Hou Zhong said with a sigh. "The reason why I lost control was because a lot of things happened since last fall."

Autumn is a harvest time for other farms, but Qingluyuan has never grown crops, so this season is no different from usual. The young and strong men go hunting in the surrounding mountains, and the children pick some mushrooms and wild fruits. Unexpectedly, something unexpected happens.

First, three middle-aged men went to the mountains to hunt and did not come back all night.

The village sent people to search for the man all night, and the next morning they found the man dead in a mass grave where more than a hundred people were buried.

All three men died with their eyes open, with deep purple strangulation marks on their necks and bruised faces showing fear, and it was obvious that they were strangled to death out of fear.

And this was not the most terrifying thing. On the right foot of each of them, a piece of snow-white dry bone was tightly grasped. The dry bone was directly drilled out of the soil. Anyone who saw it would think that it must be the work of the dead.

Such a big thing had to be reported to the police. Unfortunately, after the police arrived, they investigated everywhere and regarded the farmers in the garden as the key suspects. Not only did they interrogate them, but they also took away several pheasants and rabbits that had just been shot.

The case was eventually concluded as a fight to death, and the story was over. After that, rumors of ghosts started circulating in the village, saying that the people were unwilling to die and wanted to drag more people down with them.

If the matter had ended there, it would have been fine. But after that, people would disappear every few days in the garden.

First, there were two boys who went to the foot of the mountain to collect firewood. They were seven or eight years old and were very naughty and loved to run around. They could not be found no matter how hard they tried.

It was not until two days later that the shoes of one of the boys were found beside the lotus pond.

But after searching the pond carefully for several days, their bodies were not found.

Less than two months later, two more men disappeared inexplicably. But this time, no trace of them could be found.

The imperial farm is not an ordinary place. The farmers here are all former official slaves and are not free in status. With so many deaths and disappearances, it is natural to report to the higher authorities.

At that time, the Shaofu also sent people down, and brought two Taoist priests from the Qiyun Temple. After a long investigation, they said that it was the wronged spirit that was haunting the place, so they performed a ritual beside the lotus pond.

Unexpectedly, the pond water gradually changed color when the ritual was only halfway done. It was light red at first, and then slowly turned into a rich dark red, just like the pond water today.

The two old Taoists were so frightened that they turned pale and said that the evil was too powerful and would not let it go. They had to ask the temple master to come out and perform a salvation mission in person.

The abbot of Qiyun Temple had to charge at least dozens of gold coins to perform a ritual, but the Shaofu was unwilling to pay the money, so the matter was shelved.

From then on, the officials of the Shaofu never came down to ask for money again, and they had never paid any attention to this place. As for them, the registered official slaves, they could not go anywhere else except here. They were worried every day and did not even dare to set foot in the surrounding mountains and forests. They barely held on until Luo Qianhuai arrived, and no accidents happened.

They thought that the imperial farm had a new owner, and that their indentures had also been changed, from official slaves to Luo Qianhuai's private slaves, and that they would have a good life from then on. However, who would have thought that the blood pond would appear again today.