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Prologue

Quoting Ouyang Xiu's "Quatrain," the passage evokes a desolate and melancholic atmosphere through depictions of natural scenes such as cold rain, scorched slopes, and frost-touched flowers, setting the stage for the story's background and emotional tone in "The Strange Tale of the Puppet: Case Files of Handong High School."

1524 · Autumn

On an autumn night, a dilapidated inn by the river appeared especially bleak. As night fell, a horseman arrived and met with a weary middle-aged man. The man inquired about the arrangements for a young woman and two young masters, learning they had been properly settled. He expressed guilt toward the woman and instructed the visitor to take good care of her. The man mentioned that misfortune had befallen him due to his father’s past actions, yet he still upheld conscience and justice. He also hinted that if anything were to happen to him, the visitor should deliver certain important items to the woman. After the meeting, the man sat alone by candlelight until dawn.

1923 · Winter

A man, burdened with New Year’s goods purchased under the master’s orders, made his way alone from the provincial capital back to the old estate as the new year approached. Once an orphan, he had been adopted and raised by the master to become the household steward, and he was deeply grateful. On his return, he noticed smoke rising above the estate. Rushing home, he found the old mansion in ruins—the master and servants lay dead at the gate, the entire compound set ablaze. The once-prosperous scene had vanished, leaving only silence in its wake.

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