Shengjing, Anping Marquis Estate.
Shen Xiyan stood at the doorway, peering out, and finally spotted the person she had been waiting for.
An elderly man with white hair and beard, dressed in a flowing white robe, entered the courtyard with a horsetail whisk tucked in the crook of his arm. His sleeves fluttered as he walked, exuding an air of transcendent grace.
“Master!”
Shen Xiyan hurried forward, gently supporting the old man’s elbow with a smile. “Yan’er has brewed your favorite Snow Tip tea.”
Yin Zhuo nodded expressionlessly. “You’re thoughtful, my disciple.”
The two settled in the room, and as soon as Shen Xiyan served the tea, she couldn’t resist asking eagerly, “Master, you mentioned before that the auspicious day has arrived. Does that mean you can now help Yan’er enhance her spiritual aptitude?”
Yin Zhuo took a sip of tea, his face revealing a troubled expression. “By my calculations, she should have died last night. But the array I left in that courtyard hasn’t dissipated, which means she’s still alive.”
“How could that be?” Shen Xiyan’s delicate brows furrowed as she asked coldly, “Then how will Master help me improve my aptitude? How can I marry into the imperial family?”
Though she was ostensibly the legitimate daughter of the Anping Marquis, her mother had given birth to her before marrying her father. Secretly, everyone whispered that she was an illegitimate child, her status even lower than that of a concubine-born daughter. Marrying into the imperial family seemed like a fool’s dream.
However, the current emperor revered the mystical arts. If she could distinguish herself in Shengjing through arcane techniques, she would undoubtedly catch the attention of the imperial princes.
Unfortunately, her aptitude was lacking. Despite studying under her master since childhood, she had only mastered basic spells, and even those sometimes went awry.
Yin Zhuo stroked his beard, signaling her to remain calm. “Don’t panic. Your master naturally has a solution. Choose two trustworthy servants and send them to Huaiyang Town to find an arcane master named Chen Yang. Give him this letter.”
Shen Xiyan took the envelope but couldn’t resist asking, “May Yan’er read it?”
“Go ahead. Your master has nothing to hide from you.” Yin Zhuo chuckled lightly, lifting his teacup to take a sip.
Yet beneath his lowered eyelids, a shrewd glint of malice flickered in his eyes.
This useless disciple irritated him just by looking at her. If it weren’t for…
“Master, what a brilliant plan!” Shen Xiyan’s delighted voice interrupted his thoughts. “Yan’er will send two reliable servants to deliver the letter right away!”
Shen Xiyan resealed the letter and summoned two attendants from the courtyard. “You two, take this letter to Huaiyang Town as fast as possible and deliver it to an arcane master named Chen Yang. There will be a generous reward when you return.”
“Yes, we’ll leave at once!”
Watching them depart, a cold smile curled at the corners of Shen Xiyan’s eyes.
That wretched waste of a life was truly tenacious, why couldn’t she just die early like her good-for-nothing mother?
But soon enough, that useless wretch would become the stepping stone for her enhanced aptitude, forever crushed beneath her feet!
…
As dusk approached, the sky turned a murky yellow, with crimson sunset clouds stretching across the horizon, intertwining with the still-burning peach tree in the courtyard.
Pei Jingheng sat by the bed, gazing out through the latticed window, his dark brows slightly furrowed.
Why hadn’t she woken up yet?
Night was falling. It seemed they would have to stay in the village tonight and head to Huaiyang Town tomorrow.
The small hand clutching his fingers suddenly twitched, its tight grip loosening gradually.
Shen Mingshu felt refreshed after this nap, her entire body brimming with energy.
In her dream, she felt enveloped by a gentle yet powerful purple aura, which brought considerable comfort to both her body and mind.
Slowly, she lifted her eyelids and found herself staring into the dark, slightly narrowed eyes of a man gazing down at her.
His expression was as cold as ice, his gaze like frost.
Pei Jingheng raised an eyebrow slightly, his voice indifferent: “Can you let go now?”
Shen Mingshu lowered her gaze and only then realized she was gripping his fingers. She quickly released her hold: “Apologies, I don’t know why I, ”
“You fainted earlier and wouldn’t let go of my hand. It’s fine.” Pei Jingheng seemed unbothered as he withdrew his hand and stood up, straightening his robes.
Shen Mingshu sat up and looked around the room: “Where is this?”
“Yun Niang’s room.”
“Where’s my mother?” Shen Mingshu bent to put on her shoes, her thoughts lingering on Yun Niang.
“Your mother is preparing medicinal broth for you.”
Pei Jingheng walked to the table and sat down, his cool gaze sweeping over her as he said slowly, “You don’t seem to be in any serious condition, miss. Perhaps now you can untie this red string?”
Shen Mingshu raised her right hand, the red string around her wrist seemed to have grown even redder.
“This red string is actually…”
Before she could finish, Yun Niang entered through the door, carrying a steaming bowl of medicinal broth.
Seeing her awake, Yun Niang quickly set the bowl on the table and pulled her close, examining her anxiously: “You’re finally awake! I was so worried earlier!”
“Mother, I’m fine. I just exhausted some energy capturing the ghost earlier. A nap has helped me recover.” Shen Mingshu patted her hand gently, feeling reassured at the sight of Yun Niang.
Yun Niang helped her sit at the table: “Drink the medicine quickly. Fan Fangfang prescribed this for you, saying you’re too frail and need some nourishing herbs.”
Shen Mingshu leaned down to sniff the broth and smiled: “It really is good medicine. I’ll drink it right away.”
While she drank, Yun Niang thanked Pei Jingheng: “Thank you for staying with her for so long, young master. It’s getting dark now, if you return home, it might be late. Why not join us for dinner?”
Before Pei Jingheng could respond, Shen Mingshu nodded: “That’s fine. I can explain the matter of the red string to you then.”
Pei Jingheng considered briefly before agreeing: “Very well.”
Setting the bowl down, Shen Mingshu stood up directly and asked, “Where’s Aunt Fan?”
Yun Niang lowered her voice: “She’s handling family matters. After all, someone died.”
Shen Mingshu stepped out of the room and looked toward the peach tree in the western corner of the courtyard. The flames had weakened considerably since noon.
She walked over and pressed her palm against the burning trunk. With a slight exertion of force, the trunk instantly crumbled into dust, and the fire extinguished.
A deep pit appeared on the ground, filled with the blackened ashes of the peach tree, even the roots had been completely burned away.
Fan Fangfang emerged from Liu Cheng’s room and hurried over to her: “Mingshu, you’re awake! Did you drink the medicine?”
Shen Mingshu nodded: “I did. Aunt Fan, I won’t beat around the bush, I’ve helped you a great deal, and now I need payment. This much.”
She held up five fingers, her eyes fixed firmly on Fan Fangfang.
Fan Fangfang looked surprised: “Fifty taels of silver?”
Shen Mingshu chuckled lightly: “Isn’t your son’s life worth that much?”
“Of course! I’ll fetch it for you right away!”
Fan Fangfang rushed into the house and soon returned with a small wooden box. Opening the lid revealed gleaming chunks of silver: “Count it if you like.”
“No need. Aunt Fan is a woman of her word, I trust you.” Shen Mingshu hugged the box tightly, her smile radiant.
She turned to Yun Niang, who had followed her, and handed over the wooden box: “Mother, keep it safe!”
Fan Fangfang asked curiously, “Mingshu girl, I’d like to know how that peach tree caught fire on its own?”
Shen Mingshu raised a finger, a small flame flickering at its tip: “I already knew the peach tree spirit was harming people, so when I touched the trunk earlier, I left a flame inside. The moment the spirit tried to retreat back into the tree, the fire would ignite. Once touched by the flames, she was doomed to perish.”
As night fell, Shen Mingshu and Yun Niang left the medical clinic, with Pei Jingheng and Leng Feng following at a distance behind them.
Leng Feng whispered, “Master, that girl is no ordinary one. What if we fall into her trap by following them like this?”
Pei Jingheng lightly rubbed his fingers inside his sleeve, a faint smile playing at the corners of his lips: “We must go. She has something I want on her.”