Chapter 301

When Chen Fuying was saying these things, she was always smiling, as if she were telling a story that had nothing to do with her.

"From the opening piece she was good at to the later decadent tunes, my great-grandmother bore too much pressure, which caused her to collapse on the stage, and the child in her womb could not be saved."

This is the first time I've heard anyone mention Chen Ping.

I've known Chen Ping for a long time, but I only know that he is skilled at leading troops in battle, and I also know how much wrongdoing he committed to win victories.

But these everyday details about Chen Ping are truly the first time I've come into contact with them.

Yet it is a tragedy.

I cautiously probed: "Then what happened? As far as I know, Chen Ping's ambitions are great; he has constantly led troops to expand territory outward. Your great-grandfather and great-grandmother should have had a chance to catch their breath, right?"

"Yes, that's exactly that little breathing room, and later I got my grandmother." Chen Fuying continued, "My grandmother inherited my great-grandmother's mantle; she could take the stage at three and shoulder the whole troupe at six. During those six years, Chen Ping went out and won a series of battles, then returned, only to take the lives of the entire troupe."

I didn't understand: "Six years, why didn't your great-grandfather and the others escape?"

"Where could they escape to?" Chen Fuying said, "Chen Ping was obsessed with my great-grandmother; although he himself was not present, his control over the teahouse and the troupe never slackened. My great-grandfather knew he would not live much longer, so he made preparations elsewhere early on. When disaster struck, they managed to send my grandmother away."

So that's how it was.

I asked again: "Wufu Town is unsettled now; since you've already taken root elsewhere, why would you take over the teahouse and get involved again in Wufu Town's karma?"

Chen Fuying is usually cheerful, but this time she gave a wry smile: "Xiao Jiu, you also said this is karma; since we have taken on this karma, how could I possibly escape it?"

Her words awakened me.

Yeah, if going elsewhere could sever the karma with Wufu Town, then probably no one would be living there by now.

This topic is too heavy; continuing to ask about it wouldn't mean much.

So I changed the subject: "I heard you set up a stage in the open space outside the teahouse the day before yesterday, specifically for nighttime performances, and it's been very lively, right?"

Chen Fuying nodded: "Yes."

I asked: "But I've heard people say this stage isn't for performing for an audience, but rather..."

"Xiao Jiu, if you want to know the truth, why not come see it yourself tonight?" Chen Fuying interrupted me, saying, "I welcome your visit anytime here."

It's obvious that Chen Fuying doesn't intend to discuss the ghost stage in detail with me.

But she extended an invitation to me, so I replied: "All right, I'll come over tonight."

Chen Fuying reminded: "The night stage opens at 11 p. m. and ends at 3 a. m., Xiao Jiu, please be punctual."

I finished my tea, ate a few pastries, then left the teahouse.

On the way back, I carefully reviewed the conversation I had with Chen Fuying.

As I expected, Gu Yan's transferring this teahouse to Chen Fuying has a reason.

And the secrets of the teahouse that Chen Fuying knows are more than anyone in Wufu Town today.

Her return may have a huge impact on Wufu Town in the future.

I am definitely going to see tonight's ghost performance!

All the way back to the pawnshop, Li Qingying still hadn't returned.

I then went to the west room to offer incense.

While offering incense, I noticed that the Copper Coin Person's color had faded even more.

The golden copper coin head had turned pale yellow, and the gold lacquer symbols on its soles had disappeared in places.

Has the seal really broken this quickly?

Likewise, the changes happening on Liu Junyan's side are probably the same, aren't they?

Just as I was lost in thought, someone came up ahead, so I quickly composed myself and went out.

In the side room, Li Qingying was pouring tea for Uncle Huo, who was carrying a medicine box; hearing footsteps, he looked up and saw me.

He stared at my face for a while, and when I sat down, he nodded and said, "Your complexion is much better than I imagined."

I asked: "Uncle Huo, why did you suddenly come over?"

"Jingmo asked me to come over to help research a prescription; I heard you'd returned, so I came to check on you." Uncle Huo said, "You experienced a major battle in Changshi; I thought your body wouldn't hold up, but now it seems your mother's inner elixir has merged well with your body."

I also felt that myself.

If it were before, I would have already passed out countless times from such intense fighting in Changshi.

Moreover, my several successful uses of witchcraft have all been supported by my mother's inner elixir mana.

"This is good, but also bad," Uncle Huo said with some concern, "The better you and your mother's inner elixir fuse, the harder it will be later to separate her spirit from your body, so we need to prioritize the spirit separation soon."

I pinched my brow, troubled: "Of course I also want to separate it as soon as possible, so that my mother's lingering spirit can quickly merge with my aunt's, but..."

Whether it's the spirit‑stabbing agent or a healer willing to perform the procedure, both are hard to obtain.

This matter isn't something I can rush into just by being anxious.

I fell silent, then asked: "Uncle Huo, what prescription is Bai Jingming preparing? Is it a new medicine for the Bai Family Medical Hall?"

Uncle Huo said: "It's a prescription to treat the face of his family's Immortal Clan; there is one medicinal guide that Jingming isn't sure about, so he asked me to come over to check it."

Li Qingying curiously asked: "Has his family's Immortal Clan gone mad?"

Uncle Huo sighed and said: "I don't know that, but since they're willing to use medicine, the situation must have improved somewhat."

Li Qingying unconsciously raised her eyebrows at me.

It seems the things I shouted at her earlier, Bai Shulan still took to heart.

If Bai Shulan's condition can be stabilized, it will save me a lot of trouble.

After sitting a while, Uncle Huo was about to leave; before departing, he again urged me to hurry with separating the lingering spirit and essence.

Who would have thought that, just when I was at a loss, I received a call from Jin Wuya.

On the phone, Jin Wuya excitedly told me that, thanks to connections with friends in Lingnan, he had found a small vial of spirit‑stabbing agent; he had already set out from Lingnan back to Jiangcheng and would soon be able to hand it over to me.

This is nothing short of an unexpected delight.

With the spirit‑stabbing agent, the task of separating the lingering spirit and essence is already half‑won.

My gloomy heart finally let in a glimmer of light.

In the evening, as usual, I guarded Dang Pu with Li Qingying until 11 p. m.

Just after the clock struck ten, I put on a coat and went out.

The street was quiet, with not a single person.

But near the tea house, I faintly heard the sound of opera singing, as well as sporadic applause.

Chen Fuying leaned against the tea house doorway, staring fixedly toward the stage.

I walked over, stood beside her, followed her gaze, and indeed saw someone singing on the stage.

Three people were on the stage, and a few more were beating drums and gongs around it.

Without exception, under the stage lights, everyone was translucent.

That translucency was not a complete ghostly transparency; it was more like the light from a lantern shining through its cover.

In other words, those ghostly performers on stage were all made of human skin……