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墨書 Inktalez
Bang!
The person slammed the door shut so quickly that it nearly caught my nose.
I took a step back and continued to knock on the door.
After a while, the door finally opened, and the person spoke with a somewhat unfriendly tone, "Are you done? What do you want?"
"I just want to know if this is the Zhao Family. I’m sent by the Xuan Sect."
Upon hearing my words, the person paused, the door still half-open, and scrutinized me. "You’re sent by the Xuan Sect?"
"Believe it or not, if you don’t believe me, I’ll leave."
You can’t coddle someone like this; the more you act high and mighty, the more they’ll try to flatter you.
I turned to leave, but the person immediately stepped out and stood in front of me. With hands clasped in a bow and a forced smile on his face, he said, "Daoist—no, I mean Immortal Mistress. Please don’t go; we’ve been waiting for you. You absolutely must stay."
I looked at him with disdain and sneered, "Weren't you just about to close the door? Why do you suddenly want to keep me here?"
His face flushed at my words, and he slapped his own cheek. "I was blind to your greatness; it’s my fault. Please don’t hold it against me, Immortal Mistress."
Seeing him like this, I felt it was inappropriate to keep up the pretense. I said to him, "Take me inside."
"Immortal Mistress, please."
Once inside the Zhao Family residence, I found that there were only four people in total gathered in the living room. They were all frail elderly individuals who looked to be in their fifties or sixties.
The person who welcomed me at the door was Zhao Hu, a servant of Master Zhao, who had spent his entire life following the old man.
I pointed at Zhao Hu and asked, "Are these all the people in your household?"
At my question, Zhao Hu immediately burst into tears, his eyes reddening as he replied, "Yes, those who have died are gone, and those who have left are no longer here. Oh, and there's the old master, lying in bed and hasn't come out."
"Then who invited us here from Xuanzong?" I inquired.
"It was the old master who requested it. When he was younger, he had some connections with Jade Sun True Person, so he asked me to invite someone from Xuanzong."
I was surprised to learn that he had ties with my master. "Take me to meet your old master," I said.
Master Zhao's room was somewhat dim, and a particularly unpleasant odor hit me as I stepped inside.
Noticing my frown, Zhao Hu glanced at me apologetically before entering to help Master Zhao sit up properly.
Master Zhao appeared gravely ill; his face was gaunt and yellowish with a hint of black.
"Greetings, old master. I am Gu Si, a disciple of Jade Sun True Person."
The elderly man, who had been slumped to one side, suddenly opened his eyes upon hearing my words. The corners of his wrinkled eyes sparkled with a glimmer of light as he exclaimed excitedly, "Is it you that Lingyunzi sent?"
"Indeed."
It seemed this old man had a deep connection with my master; he even knew my master's name.
After I nodded, Master Zhao's spirit seemed to lift, and he turned to Zhao Hu, saying, "It seems that the Zhao Family will not perish."
"Old man, what on earth is going on? You look pale and yellow, with dark shadows under your eyes, as if something dirty is clinging to you."
Zhao Hu gave me a thumbs up and said, "The Immortal Mistress is truly impressive. Let me explain the situation here."
The Zhao Family was once prosperous, with Master Zhao having traveled far and wide, accumulating considerable wealth throughout his life. After becoming wealthy, he returned to his hometown with three daughters and two sons. They were quite a respected family in the village. However, the youngest son of the Zhao Family, Master Zhao's late-in-life child, Zhao Baolai, turned out to be a fool.
Being the only son, the Zhao Family doted on him.
A year ago, when Zhao Baolai turned thirty, Master Zhao arranged for him to marry a wife.
Less than six months later, this purchased wife, Cui Er, died. In the following six months, the Zhao Family fell into turmoil as three people died in succession: first Master Zhao's eldest son, then his wife, and recently his son Zhao Baolai also passed away.
The funeral procession I saw yesterday was for Zhao Baolai. His death was so strange that no one from the Zhao Family dared to stay behind.
All three daughters had married off and did not dare return. Both sons were dead; the eldest son's wife took their child and left, which Master Zhao agreed to since the Zhao Family was no longer safe.
Having grasped the situation, I asked, "How did all three of them die?"
"They all hanged themselves by the well in the backyard," Zhao Hu replied.
I followed Zhao Hu to the well to investigate and found that the atmosphere in this backyard was heavy with resentment, especially around that well which emitted a strong foul odor.
"Is this well a dead well?" I asked Zhao Hu, pointing at it.
Zhao Hu looked at the well with a sorrowful expression and said, "Ever since Cui Er jumped into this well, the water has been dead."
I was surprised to learn that Cui Er had committed suicide; I hadn't expected that. Earlier, when I tried to ask about the details of her death, no one would speak up.
It seemed I would have to investigate on my own.
I hid in the backyard, waiting for nightfall. When the clock struck midnight, the eerie wails of the female ghost from last night echoed outside. I crouched down, preparing to go out and take a look.
Suddenly, I caught sight of a slender figure flitting behind a withered tree in the backyard.
I paused my movements, ready to see who it was.
The black leggings accentuated her long legs, and she wore a black long shirt with stylish short hair. The silhouette looked so familiar.
When she turned around, I was taken aback; it was Shangguan Mingyue!
Wasn't she supposed to be in White Village? What was she doing here? Did she come to check on me out of concern?
I felt a sense of comfort. Shangguan Mingyue treated me like a sister and even introduced me to her master for apprenticeship.
She had saved me countless times along the way, and now that she was here, I believed that the troubles with the Zhao Family would soon be resolved.
I was just about to step outside when a chill ran through my wrist.
Suddenly, I was pulled into a strong embrace.
Just as I was about to scream, a large hand covered my mouth, and the familiar scent calmed my racing heart.
The person behind me noticed I had stopped struggling and slowly released me.
Gaining my freedom, I turned to look back and found myself face to face with Mu Xuanche's incredibly handsome face.
"What are you doing here?" Mu Xuanche's presence stirred a complex mix of emotions within me, especially since I still hadn't figured out the situation with the child.
Mu Xuanche placed his index finger on his lips, signaling me to be quiet, then pointed outside.
I turned to go out, and there was Shangguan Mingyue peering anxiously over the well. Her expression was unusually serious, almost as if she had transformed into a different person. I wanted to call out to her, but Mu Xuanche silenced me.
I could hear the coldness in his voice as he brushed his lips against my earlobe, his magnetic tone resonating in my ear: "Be good, don't go. Close your eyes; I'll take you away from here."
Swallowing hard, I silently refrained from calling out to Shangguan Mingyue and followed Mu Xuanche's instructions to close my eyes.
When I opened them again, I found myself in a desolate land. Mu Xuanche stood across from me in a black robe, his aura ethereal.
"Mu Xuanche, how did you end up here?"
He glanced at me and said, "You need to leave here quickly; it's not safe."
He never wanted me to know anything he was doing, always making arrangements as if he knew best.
"Why are you asking me to leave? I'm here on a mission; there must be a reason for me to go."
"There’s no reason. Just do as you’re told and leave."
Mu Xuanche spoke to me with an indifferent expression, not even bothering to look my way. How did he change so suddenly?
A surge of unnamed anger welled up inside me, and I found the courage to shout at him, "I'm asking you again, what are you doing here?"
He stepped closer, reaching out to touch my head, sighing as he said, "Yan Xi, stop making a fuss."
Oh, so I’m making a fuss? Is this really what it is?
I held back the tears that threatened to spill from my eyes and retorted, "You think I'm making a fuss? You’re my husband; can’t I ask what you intend to do?"
Mu Xuanche seemed a bit annoyed, his words coming out faster. "It's not that I don't want you to know; it's just that you'll find out when the time is right."
There it was again—this same phrase repeated over and over as if it were a mere formality.
I began to doubt what I truly meant to Mu Xuanche. Am I just a tool for carrying his child?
"Fine, if that's how it is."
My head throbbed slightly, and unwilling to look at him any longer, I turned and walked away.
When I woke up, I found myself back in the bed of the room arranged for me by the Zhao Family.
"Someone! He's dead again..."
A loud shout came from outside, prompting me to step out and investigate.
The voice was coming from the backyard, so I rushed over there.
From a distance, I saw a figure hanging from the beam of a house. My heart raced as I hurried forward.
It was Zhao Hu.
Zhao Hu's face was a dark shade of blue, his tongue hanging out as he dangled from the beam. Below him lay a puddle of yellow urine that emitted a strong stench.
Just yesterday, he had been smiling and friendly with me, and now he was hanging lifelessly before my eyes. I found it hard to accept.
I grabbed an old man nearby and asked, "What on earth happened?"
A woman rushed towards me, pushing me to the ground and glaring fiercely. "Aren't you the Immortal Mistress? Why is my man like this? Why did he have to die?"
Ignoring the Aunt, I signaled for the Zhao Family to restrain her while I carefully examined Zhao Hu's body.
The marks on his neck were numerous and varied; it seemed he had been strangled before being hung up.
After checking for the cause of death, as I prepared to stand up, I noticed that Zhao Hu's hand seemed to be clutching something faintly.
I hurriedly crouched down to take a look, prying open Zhao Hu's palm, and discovered a piece of black hemp cloth nestled in the center.
The cloth emitted a peculiar fragrance that I was quite familiar with.
It was the same sandalwood scent that Shangguan Mingyue used. Upon closer inspection, I realized that this fabric was identical to the black garment she often wore.
Shangguan Mingyue had always preferred wearing black clothes; they were less likely to get dirty, and she favored this type of hemp material.
Could it be...
What on earth was going on?
Why had Shangguan Mingyue suddenly come here? And why did Mu Xuanche prevent me from seeing her?
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