When Wen Ling woke again, the sun was already high in the sky.
She had been roused by intermittent sobbing at her bedside, her head throbbing with a dull ache.
Her mind was still somewhat muddled.
Originally, she had been the last remaining Word Spirit in another world, receiving worship and offerings from countless devotees.
Because she had foretold an impending catastrophic disaster to humanity, leaking heavenly secrets, she suffered backlash and heavenly punishment, reduced to ashes, death and dissolution of the Dao.
Unexpectedly, when she awoke last night, she had become the naturally feeble-minded eldest legitimate daughter of the Minister of Revenue’s household—and also the newlywed Princess Consort Chen from yesterday.
At first, she thought she had crossed worlds, but then she discovered that within this body lay a remnant soul belonging to her.
This had been her body all along—or rather, this Wen Ling was her.
Because her true soul had not fully arrived, she had been born with an incomplete soul-spirit, remaining feeble-minded for eighteen years.
Wen Ling propped herself up on the bed, and the intermittent weeping at her bedside abruptly ceased.
“Miss—oh no, my lady, you’re awake?!”
A round-faced young maid at the bedside exclaimed with delight.
The round-faced maid was called Ting Yin, the biological daughter of Wen Ling’s deceased wet nurse, and the only person in the Wen family who had ever treated her kindly.
“My lady, you have no idea—after His Highness brought you back, you slept for a full day and night!”
“When His Highness returned with you, you were covered in blood—it was terrifying! This servant thought something terrible had happened to you!”
As soon as Ting Yin saw Wen Ling awake, she began chattering away.
Perhaps accustomed to the naturally feeble-minded Wen Ling never responding, her speech seemed more like talking to herself.
“My lady, you must be hungry. I have two pieces of red date cake hidden from the wedding the day before yesterday. Please eat these to tide you over while I go to the kitchen outside to make you something warm.”
Ting Yin carefully brought over the red date cake wrapped in a handkerchief from the table and handed it to Wen Ling.
Wen Ling unwrapped the handkerchief, picked up a piece of red date cake, and took a bite. Mmm… so rich and delicious!
As the only Word Spirit in another world, she had received incense offerings and worship from humans.
But she could never taste the flavor of human food.
Only now did she realize how delicious human food could be!
For a moment, Wen Ling felt that her thousand years as a Word Spirit in the mortal realm had been wasted.
“My lady, eat slowly, don’t choke. I’ll go make you something warm to eat.”
Seeing Wen Ling devour the cake so ravenously, Ting Yin’s heart ached for her.
Just as Ting Yin was about to push the door open to leave, Wen Ling, still sitting on the bed, grabbed her hand and whispered urgently, “Wait, don’t go out.”
Thinking Wen Ling was afraid of being alone in an unfamiliar place, Ting Yin patiently reassured her, “Don’t be afraid, my lady. This is the prince’s residence, your home from now on. It’s very safe here…”
“Knock, knock, knock…”
Before she could finish, the door was suddenly knocked upon rhythmically from outside.
“Who is it?” Ting Yin could only turn and call out.
A woman’s voice came from outside: “It’s me, Gao Zhi. Is my lady awake? I’ve come to bring hot water.”
Gao Zhi was another maidservant who had accompanied Wen Ling as part of her dowry.
However, she was someone sent by the stepmother and second young miss. Since the wedding day before yesterday, from the moment they left the house, her attitude toward Wen Ling had been indifferent and haughty.
Just like all the other servants in the Wen family who looked down on Wen Ling.
As soon as Ting Yin heard it was Gao Zhi outside, she grew angry. Grumbling under her breath, she prepared to open the door: “So you still remember to bring hot water for the mistress. Ever since the mistress returned the day before yesterday, I haven’t seen you at all. Where have you been running off to…”
“Don’t open the door.”
Wen Ling’s voice sounded again.
Ting Yin’s hand paused on the door. She turned to look at Wen Ling and realized that her mistress seemed different today.
Her gaze was no longer unfocused as it had always been before; her eyes, once beautiful but empty, now shone with vitality. The girl who had once resembled a lifeless doll suddenly seemed to come alive.
“Mis… Mistress, are you no longer… simple-minded?” Ting Yin asked in disbelief.
Wen Ling nodded. “Yes, it seems I’m not anymore. I’ll explain the details to you later.”
Knock—knock—knock—
The knocking outside sounded again, and Gao Zhi urged impatiently, “Ting Yin, I think I heard the mistress speaking. Hurry up and open the door—the hot water is going cold!”
“Don’t open the door.”
Before Ting Yin could respond, Wen Ling repeated herself.
She got down from the bed, snapped her fingers lightly with her right hand, and a small orange flame leaped to her fingertip.
Wen Ling blew gently on the flame. “Find Gao Zhi.”
The flame paused for a moment, then drifted in a certain direction.
Ignoring Ting Yin’s jaw, which nearly dropped to the floor, Wen Ling simply said, “Follow me,” and led the way after the flame. Ting Yin had no choice but to follow.
The flame drifted unsteadily forward and finally stopped in front of the side door of the antechamber.
Wen Ling’s room was the main bedroom. For the convenience of the servants, there was an adjoining antechamber beyond the screen. A small door connected the antechamber to the main bedroom, allowing the servant on duty to sleep inside at night.
Wen Ling kicked open the door to the antechamber.
As soon as the door opened, a pair of feet suspended in midair came into view.
Looking up, they saw Gao Zhi, who had been missing for a day and a night, hanging from a white silk noose tied to the rafters, her face twisted in agony. Her eyes were wide with terror, her mouth agape—she had long since stopped breathing.
At the sight, Ting Yin was so frightened that she collapsed to the floor, even forgetting to scream.
“Gao Zhi… is dead?!” Ting Yin finally found her voice after a long moment. “Then… who is the one calling me at the door?”
Knock, knock, knock…
The rhythmic knocking sounded again.
Outside, Gao Zhi’s voice grew impatient, urging more urgently, “Ting Yin, open the door! Why won’t you open it when the mistress is awake? Open the door!”
Ting Yin now felt a chill run down her spine, every hair on her body standing on end.
If the mistress hadn’t told her not to open the door earlier… what kind of thing would she have let in?!
Ting Yin scrambled up from the floor, trying her best to shield Wen Ling. “Don’t be afraid, Mistress. I’m here—I’ll protect you!”
“Even though I’m not much use, if anyone wants to harm you, they’ll have to step over my corpse first!”
“And if the worst happens and we both become ghosts… at least I can keep you company on the road to the underworld…”
Seeing Ting Yin’s words grow increasingly absurd, Wen Ling couldn’t help but interrupt, “Wait—who said she could harm us?”
“Huh?” Ting Yin was stunned. “But… but what’s outside is a ghost.”
“Just a minor hanged ghost—nothing to fear.”
As soon as Wen Ling finished speaking, loud thump-thump sounds came from outside—the door was being violently rammed.
At the door, Gao Zhi’s voice grew sharp and piercing: “Ting Yin, open the door, you wretch, I’m telling you to open it!!”
Ting Yin was terrified: “Madam, this servant finds her truly frightening!”