So it was Xia Zao who died! Did Shen Qingwu detect that she wanted to kill her?
Shen Qingxi felt extremely guilty and immediately turned to leave: “This is utterly ridiculous.”
Hearing Shen Qingwu’s “kind” reminder from behind—”Cousin, don’t forget you’re still under house arrest”—she stomped her feet furiously and hurried away.
“Shen Qingwu!” Shen Wencong sternly rebuked with a stern face, “Were you putting on an act in front of the Imperial Physician just now? Do you think that will make His Majesty punish me?”
Since Shen Qingwu hadn’t died, he had nothing to fear anymore—only overwhelming anger remained.
Shen Qingwu looked innocent: “Which part of what I said earlier was untrue, Nephew?”
“You…” Shen Wencong was left speechless with rage.
Shen Qingwu timely covered her chest, showing fatigue: “Second Uncle, Second Aunt, I’m not feeling well and will take my leave now.” With that, she turned and walked away, leaving Shen Wencong and Shen Wushi shaking with anger where they stood.
As soon as she returned to Shi Fang Courtyard, Xia Chun rushed over, falling to her knees with a thud and pleading tearfully: “I beg you, Miss, save this servant!”
Earlier that morning, after discovering Xia Zao had been poisoned, the young miss had ordered the courtyard sealed and sent her out to buy medicine. On the way, she was intercepted by the second young miss’s maid, and Xia Chun suddenly realized something was amiss. When she returned and witnessed Xia Zao’s tragic state, she was terrified out of her wits.
She knew Xia Zao had been sent by the second young miss to deal with the young miss. Now that Xia Zao had ended up like this, would she be next?
“Young Miss, this servant doesn’t want to die! I beg you to give me a way out!” She kowtowed repeatedly, crying. “Although I was sent by the Madam, from now on I only wish to follow your orders! I beg you…”
Last time it was an excuse, but this time it was genuine surrender—the words “fear of death” were written all over her face.
Shen Qingwu sat down leisurely before her, her expression calm and unruffled: “Your deed of sale is still in Second Madam’s hands, and you dare come to me?”
“I heard from the second young miss’s maid that she thinks I’m incompetent and wants the Madam to deal with me.” Xia Chun trembled all over. For servants like them, choosing a master was choosing their fate.
“I know I’m no match for you, Young Miss, but if I fail in my duties, the Madam will never go easy on me. After much thought, I believe following you is my only way out,” she suddenly looked up, her eyes filled with determination. “I beg you to accept me.”
Shen Qingwu lowered her gaze to stare at her: “I have no one to rely on in the capital. Why do you think I can protect you? Moreover, why should I protect you, and why should I trust you?”
Xia Chun saw clearly: all those who had opposed the young miss these days had ended up humiliated and aggrieved. Xia Zao died a miserable death. Although everyone in the mansion said the young miss was nearing her end, her intuition told her this mistress was anything but simple.
“Consider it as this servant gambling.” Xia Chun crawled forward on her knees, pressing close to Shen Qingwu’s feet, looking up and lowering her voice: “My mother is a maid in the Madam’s room. A few days ago, she accidentally discovered that the Madam borrowed three hundred taels through an interest loan in the Ghost Market.”
“Oh?” Shen Qingwu raised an eyebrow. She naturally knew of the Ghost Market—one of the Dark Three Sects among the six major powers, opening only at midnight. It was said that as long as one could afford the price, they could obtain anything they wanted in the Ghost Market.
And the Ghost Market’s interest loans had a special rule: no interest for ten days, but after ten days the interest doubled daily, and it must be borrowed and repaid in person.
Many people in urgent need of funds turn to the Ghost Market for loans, but quite a few end up losing everything because of it.
After her father and elder brother died in battle, the Emperor’s rewards were all sent to the Marquis Estate, all taken over by the second branch. The Marquis Estate would never lack three hundred taels. Why would Second Aunt risk borrowing this money? What exactly was she planning?
“How long ago was it borrowed?”
“Just the day before you returned to the estate. It has been three days now.”
Shen Qingwu lightly tapped her fingers on the armrest, then spoke after a moment: “From now on, report everything the second branch asks you to do in detail. I will ensure your safety.”
“Thank you, Eldest Miss! Thank you, Eldest Miss!” Xia Chun excitedly kowtowed repeatedly.
For several days in a row, Shen Qingwu used her recovery as an excuse to stay behind closed doors. Xia Chun occasionally brought news from outside Shi Fang Courtyard:
Upon hearing that Shen Qingxi had left the ancestral hall without permission, the Grand Princess specifically sent a palace matron to slap her twenty times in front of the entire estate, and left her to supervise until the house arrest period was over.
The day after the Imperial Physician’s visit, Second Master Shen was publicly reprimanded by the Emperor in court, saying he had “disgraced the Marquis Estate.” Furious, he refused to even look at Shen Qingxi upon returning home and ordered Shen Wushi not to visit her, saying she needed to learn her lesson.
Shen Wushi, both angry and anxious, hid in her room and cried for two days, not even eating.
That evening, Xia Chun hurriedly reported: “On days that are multiples of five each month, Second Master always stays in his concubines’ quarters. Just now, this servant saw Madam secretly packing a small bundle, as if she’s going out.”
Shen Qingwu calculated the days – the ten-day deadline was approaching.
In the dead of night, a slender figure silently slipped out from the shadows of the Marquis Estate’s western wall and headed straight for the Gate of Yan.
The Ghost Market was hidden underground, and the Gate of Yan was the entrance to the Ghost Market, jokingly called the “rat hole” by some from the Ming Three Gates.
There were ten Gates of Yan in total, distributed across various locations: two in the capital of Dasheng, two scattered within Dasheng territory, and the remaining six distributed among the six neighboring countries.
Of course, a single Ghost Market couldn’t cover such a vast area – there was only one Ghost Market beneath each gate. The only exception was the two Ghost Markets in the capital of Dasheng, which had been connected by the new Ghost King, the highest ruler of the Ghost Market.
Although the locations of the ten Gates of Yan were publicly known, not just anyone could enter.
Shen Qingwu was dressed in practical black clothes, wearing a white mask with red patterns resembling wolf fangs, her black hair tied high in a ponytail, with two short knives at her waist.
In this chivalrous appearance, even if the entire second branch stood before her, they wouldn’t recognize her.
Standing before the Gate of Yan, Shen Qingwu suppressed the excitement in her heart. Since childhood, due to her weak constitution, she couldn’t even lift heavy objects, let alone roam freely.
After entering Medicine King Valley, although her health greatly improved thanks to her master’s miraculous skills, allowing her to practice cultivation, she was always strictly supervised due to her physical condition. Except for a few times when her master had no choice but to take her out of the valley, she had never left Medicine King Valley half a step.
Even when leaving the valley, she had to stay close to her master’s side.
She had fantasized countless times about being able to roam the martial world like the heroines in stories, punishing evil and upholding justice, and hopefully making like-minded friends along the way.
Now, this Ghost Market could be considered the first stop of her “initial entry into the martial world.”
“Halt!”
Two voices sounded simultaneously as the two guards before the Gate of Yan stepped forward to block her path.
One wore an ox-head mask, the other a horse-face mask, their voices coarse and carrying unquestionable authority: “Without a guide, present your Crossing Netherworld Token!”
Shen Qingwu shook her head, drawing a mandala-patterned hairpin from her sleeve and offering it. “I don’t have a Crossing Netherworld Token. Will this do?”
“Pfft—Hahahaha!” The moment she finished speaking, a woman’s derisive laughter rang out beside them—clear yet grating.
“This is the renowned Ghost Market, one of the Dark Three Sects, not some roadside cosmetics stall! Do you think a shabby hairpin can fool anyone? Right, Fourth Brother?”
The speaker was a girl in a pink dress. Following her gaze, Shen Qingwu unexpectedly met a familiar face—the Fourth Prince.
Behind the Fourth Prince stood another man, half his face obscured in the flickering shadows of the Gate of Yan, his features indistinct. Only his fingers, idly toying with a jade bracelet, were visible.
He wore a flamboyant robe of deep purple silk, a golden crown askew, with several strands of ink-black hair falling rebelliously across his forehead—every inch of him screamed “profligate.”
At that moment, the man’s gaze was fixed intently on the hairpin in her hand.
“Hiss… That figure, that aura—she seems like a beauty.” The Fourth Prince tapped his palm with a folding fan, stepping forward and reaching out to lift Shen Qingwu’s mask.
Shen Qingwu tilted her head, deftly evading him.
“Fourth Brother!” The girl in pink stamped her foot in frustration. “How can you fancy such an ignorant country bumpkin? She must be too hideous to show her face—that’s why she’s wearing a mask!”
“Little Seven, you don’t understand,” the Fourth Prince brushed off her hand, his eyes still glued to Shen Qingwu, a hint of smugness in his tone. “Your Fourth Brother has never been wrong about judging beauties.”
Little Seven… Fourth Brother… Shen Qingwu immediately realized this girl was the Seventh Princess of Dasheng, born of the current Empress.
Then the man behind them must also be of royal blood. What unfortunate timing.
Suddenly, a hand seized her mask without warning. The Fourth Prince’s voice was teasing: “Let this prince see what kind of beauty you really are—”