Chapter 64: Zhu Qingyan, Do You Remember an Old Friend?

Gu Zhao brought over a small stool, pulled out a handful of sunflower seeds from his pocket, and shared them with the old woman and the other two, "These are roasted snacks we bought on the road—just a little snack."

The old woman's son cracked one open, his eyes lighting up, "So fragrant!"

The woman cracked two seeds, then tucked the rest away, saying, "This alley was bustling thirty years ago; everyone living here was rich or noble. The Zhu family was a scholarly lineage—her father was the county clerk and also a teacher at the county school, a man of elevated status."

Master Zhu had only one daughter, who since childhood was intelligent and graceful, well-read and virtuous, cherished as a precious jewel; countless families came to propose, but all were politely refused, for they wished to find her a husband of both virtue and talent."

Later, it was said a distant relative of the county magistrate came seeking refuge and study, becoming Master Zhu's disciple. This man was handsome, elegant, and deeply learned, his speech polished and refined—Master Zhu was greatly pleased and wished to unite them."

"But unexpectedly, Master Zhu's daughter refused!" the woman feigned surprise, then asked Xiumang, "Do you know why?"

Xiumang immediately gave the standard answer, "Because she had already secretly pledged her heart to someone else!"

"Where?" the woman shook her head vigorously. "Miss Zhu was a proper lady, never venturing where men gathered—how could she have secretly pledged her heart to anyone?"

"Then why?" Xiumang asked.

"Because Miss Zhu said this man had a corrupt heart!" the woman delivered the answer.

"How could she tell?" Xiumang asked, puzzled.

"No one knows—but we can only say Miss Zhu was born with keen insight. Alas, though her keen eyes could see through men's true nature, she never foresaw the depths of human malice!" the old woman sighed.

The woman sighed too. "Miss Zhu firmly refused, and Master Zhu naturally wouldn't force his daughter—but unexpectedly, that man grew bitter and conspired with the magistrate to frame Master Zhu, accusing him of embezzling thirty thousand taels of silver meant for famine relief."

Xiumang gasped, "Ah!?"

"With the magistrate investigating above and students testifying below, all the neighbors swore it was true. Master Zhu, unable to bear the shame, took his own life to prove his innocence—and Lady Zhu followed him in death."

The woman spoke softly, "After burying her parents, Miss Zhu hated that man for his heartless cruelty—and hated herself for dragging them to ruin. In despair, she threw herself down a well."

"Then she became a ghost?" Gu Zhao asked.

"Mm." The old woman nodded. "Since then, at night, the Zhu family mansion has sometimes echoed with a faint song. Everyone says it's Miss Zhu missing her parents, unwilling to leave."

"Everyone who moved into the mansion was woken by the song at night—who dared stay?" the woman said. "Eventually, even the neighbors around it all moved away."

"What about that evil man?" Xiumang asked angrily.

"Because he solved the case, the magistrate was promoted to the Changping Prefecture—and that man left with him, never returning." The old woman added, fearing they wouldn't believe her, "I was the Zhu family's kitchen helper back then—I know these things well. But I couldn't help them."

Daoist Yan Song shook his head. "Truly, good people get no good fortune."

Xiumang murmured sympathetically, "Poor sister…"

No wonder Miss Zhu was so cold—her family had been framed, the culprit not only escaped justice but gained from it.

Of course the group believed the old woman. Miss Zhu carried no malevolent aura; she had been driven to death, yet after becoming a ghost, she had never killed innocents—only lingered in her own courtyard, mourning her parents. She was kind.

The story ended here.

The small courtyard fell silent; everyone ate quietly. When they finished, night had fallen. Gu Zhao and the others were about to make excuses to leave when they all tensed.

Several qi signatures suddenly surged from afar, speeding toward the haunted mansion next door, unrestrained and brazen.

The next moment, a pure, chilling aura rose from within the haunted mansion—angry, yet defiant.

"What's going on?" Bai Ke's tail bristled, for she sensed the leading qi signature was immensely powerful—even rivaling Daoist Yan Song's.

"Let the old woman and the others rest first." Gu Zhao gave Daoist Yan Song a glance.

Though they didn't know the ghost's situation or who had come, they might get involved—and they couldn't endanger the old woman's family. So neither used magic power; instead, they lightly pressed their fingers behind the three necks, and the trio instantly fell asleep.

They moved the family inside, and Gu Zhao pulled a silver ingot from his robe, placing it in the old woman's arms. Then the three and the fox left the courtyard—and found the earlier qi signatures had already entered the haunted mansion.

"Is the ghost having visitors?" Bai Ke said.

"But according to the old woman, Miss Zhu has been here for decades—surely she has no friends?" Xiumang said.

Daoist Yan Song stroked his beard, speaking gravely, "I suspect these visitors mean harm."

Rarely had they met a good ghost. Gu Zhao rubbed his hands. "Let's go see."

So the three suppressed their qi, leapt over the wall, and slipped silently into the mansion, using trees for cover as they crept toward the main hall.

…

"You must be Miss Zhu Qingyan, right? Truly a vision of beauty—no wonder the King fell for you at first sight and wants to take you into his harem as his third Divine Consort."

"When Old Man Jin Feng left, he gave me one month!" came the cold voice, barely holding back fury.

Gu Zhao and the others had circled to the side-rear of the hall. Now they held their breath, suppressing their qi, and looked ahead.

In the courtyard of the main hall stood a red sedan chair, with four bearers stationed at each corner, and two maids standing before it—one holding a fan, the other holding incense.

Before the maids stood another woman.

Slanted phoenix eyes, crimson lips, a crimson cloud-silk dress with subtle floral patterns clinging to her voluptuous figure, a golden willow-leaf hairpin's tassels glinting against her snow-white skin.

Opposite the red-clad woman stood the white-robed woman Gu Zhao and the others had just met.

The earlier exchange had come from these two.

"Indeed, my King did give you a month," the red-clad woman lightly covered her lips with her sleeve, her gaze toward the white-robed woman heavy with meaning. "But what can you do when things go awry?"

"What went wrong?" the white-robed woman asked.

"My King had never before come to Xiuyue County. Last time he came on official business, he never expected to discover such a beauty languishing in the countryside—what a pity."

The red-clad woman sighed softly. "My King had already planned to marry you a month from now. But after mentioning it in the palace, another person was both startled and delighted—and begged the King to grant you to him."

"My King didn't wish to agree—but this man is also the King's friend, and crucial to the Divine Sect. So the King had no choice but to sacrifice you."

Seeing the white-robed woman's ashen face, the red-clad woman chuckled. "Do you know who this man is?"

The white-robed woman said nothing—but the red-clad woman drew from her sleeve a jade flute. "Zhu Qingyan, do you remember an old friend?"