Shen Qingyuan hurriedly regained her composure and stepped forward to help her mother move the bookshelf slightly.
She secretly thought that since it was hidden so well, it was no wonder her father had never discovered it all these years.
Thinking about it more carefully, the design of this mechanism was truly ingenious.
It seemed to be exactly what Master had described, something from the Mo Clan.
The Mo Clan had always specialized in mechanical arts.
However, when the previous dynasty fell, it was said that no one had ever seen anyone from the Mo Clan again.
Since this house was designed by her Maternal Grandfather, it was possible that he had met descendants of the Mo Clan.
Shen Qingyuan’s curiosity about her Maternal Grandfather was instantly piqued.
Over there, Lady Gu had already walked inside, familiar with the way.
Shen Qingyuan pulled the bookshelf shut and placed a small, pre-cut Paper Figurine at the bottom of it.
Firstly, it would make it easier for them to push the bookshelf open when they came back out.
Secondly, if someone came looking, the Paper Figurine, which contained a sliver of her Spiritual Sense, could notify her.
After finishing this, Shen Qingyuan also walked inside.
The door to the Secret Passage slowly closed, looking no different from before from the outside.
The Secret Passage had been sealed for years and had no lighting.
But none of this affected Shen Qingyuan.
After all, the further in she went, the clearer that rich, golden aura of wealth in the air became.
Before long, it suddenly became bright ahead.
Lady Gu had already arrived and reached out to take off the lampshade.
The night-luminescent pearl inside emitted a glow.
It was a small Secret Chamber with walls made of solid wooden planks.
In the corner, several locked wooden chests were neatly stacked.
Rows of bookcases stood against the wall, with even the cabinet doors shut tight.
Although it hadn't been ventilated for many years, there was no musty smell.
There was only a faint scent of ink and insect-repellent herbs.
Lady Gu walked to the bookcase and pulled open one of the cabinet doors.
Her fingertips brushed over the spines of the books, and her voice softened a little.
"This is your Maternal Grandfather’s true Library Pavilion; the one outside was merely to deceive others."
Shen Qingyuan’s gaze swept over the books and then landed on the heavy wooden chests, her heart slightly startled.
She had lived for so many years, yet this was the first time she had seen such a massive amount of golden wealth aura.
Lady Gu took down a thick, dry-looking classic.
Opening it, she took out a small copper key from inside.
She then took a small wooden box from a hidden cabinet at the very bottom.
Opening it, inside was a stack of neatly arranged Land Deeds, house deeds, and shop contracts.
At the very bottom, a yellowed Notebook was pressed down.
"These are all the family assets your Maternal Grandfather left for me. They are also the things that you and I must protect with our lives."
Shen Qingyuan’s gaze swept over them, her pupils trembling.
Those properties were actually spread across the Capital City and several prefectures in Jiangnan.
I was on my deathbed, but now I’ve suddenly sat up—the rich person was actually me all along?!
Lady Gu picked up the Notebook and handed it to Shen Qingyuan.
"I know you must be very curious; take a look."
Shen Qingyuan took the Notebook.
The moment her fingertips touched it, she sensed a faint layer of Spiritual Energy lingering on it.
Her heart stirred; could it be that her Maternal Grandfather also had some connection to the Xuan Sect?
Lady Gu seemed to see her confusion and said softly:
"When your Maternal Grandfather was young, he once met a wandering Taoist. He received some guidance, which is why he laid out this Secret Chamber and also taught me some methods for self-protection."
She paused, a hint of coldness flashing in her eyes.
"Now that we have returned to the Shen Mansion, we ask for nothing else.
First, to take back what belongs to us, and second, to make your father and Lady Liu pay for everything they did back then."
Shen Qingyuan gripped the Notebook in her hand, not yet opening it.
She felt a disturbance coming from the Paper Figurine.
Oh no, someone had come in.
Shen Qingyuan tucked the Notebook into her bosom.
She then held a finger to her lips and pointed upward.
Lady Gu understood instantly.
She did not take out the land deeds of the mansion, but only took out the contract for a pawnshop.
She then put all the other deeds back exactly as they were.
Upstairs in the storage room, there were sounds of people walking and rummaging around.
"Strange, I saw them walk this way just now; why is there no one here?"
"Oh, what’s the point of searching this storage room? We’ve been here so many times; it’s just those old books the Master used to read, small and dirty."
"But it looked like no one was behind there either. Let’s search more carefully; Nanny said we must keep a close eye on them."
Shen Qingyuan pinched a simple Incantation Technique with her fingertips, and her Spiritual Sense moved the Paper Figurine.
"It’s the people sent by Nanny Liu. There’s more than one, and they are feeling around the bookshelf."
As Shen Qingyuan’s fingers moved slightly.
The Paper Figurine slipped out through a crack in the window.
It quickly knocked over a wooden bucket placed on the water well behind.
"What was that sound?"
"They must have run to the back."
The sound of their footsteps gradually faded into the distance.
After Shen Qingyuan used the Paper Figurine to lead them away.
She whispered to Lady Gu.
"Mother, let’s go. If they can’t find us in a while, they will come back."
Lady Gu nodded and tucked the contracts securely into her sleeve.
She stepped forward and pressed the mechanism, and the door to the Secret Passage slowly cracked open.
The two of them moved the bookshelf aside with light steps and then returned it to its original position.
Shen Qingyuan cast a Restoration Talisman.
The dust scattered beside the bookshelf also drifted back to its original place.
Only the footprints left by the servants who had walked near the door remained.
Shen Qingyuan scanned with her Spiritual Sense to confirm no traces were left.
Only then did she and Lady Gu follow the path and return the way they came.
They hadn't walked far when they heard Nanny Liu’s voice from afar.
"Useless things! You can’t even keep an eye on two people? Search carefully; don’t let a single corner of the backyard go!"
Shen Qingyuan said in a loud voice.
"Oh, what is Nanny looking for?"
When Nanny Liu saw Shen Qingyuan, she remembered the bracelet that had been stripped from her.
Her heart was filled with Resentful Qi.
Thinking that they were now inside the mansion, Nanny Liu felt a bit more emboldened.
"You two, where were you hiding just now?"
Shen Qingyuan’s eyes narrowed slightly.
To dare to speak to her like that—it seemed she hadn't been beaten into submission yet.
"This is my home; I go wherever I want. Do you have an opinion?"
"You!"
Nanny Liu’s heart flared with anger, but her body was still aching faintly.
She could only grit her teeth and say.
"The Master has spoken; he wants you to take this Maid to be disciplined by Madam."
Thinking of Madam treating Lady Gu like a Maid, and that she might fall into her own hands in the future.
Nanny Liu felt much better.
Shen Qingyuan, however, was filled with murderous intent; how dare she call her mother a 'Maid'.
The beating she gave her this morning was truly too light.
Shen Qingyuan stepped forward, her aura turning cold.
She also quietly gathered Spiritual Energy at her fingertips.
Sorry, Ancestor Master.
Qingyuan feels that this person must be properly dealt with.
"Say that again, who is a Maid?"
Nanny Liu had just been beaten by Shen Qingyuan.
Seeing her approach, she subconsciously stepped back.
Soon, she realized there was a group of maids and servants behind her.
Naturally, she gained a bit of confidence.
"Naturally, it is that Lady Gu! She is only a Concubine, just a mistress in the mansion; isn't she just a Maid?"
With a crisp "slap," Shen Qingyuan backhanded her across the face.
It was heavier than the one this morning, directly knocking Nanny Liu’s head to the side, blood seeping from the corner of her mouth.
Where Nanny Liu couldn't see, Shen Qingyuan also struck a trace of Yin Energy into her body.
Originally, Shen Qingyuan only intended to let her see ghosts at night.
After all, those were the people she herself had harmed to death.
Scaring her, if she sincerely repented.
Turning toward goodness in the future would also be a good thing.
But now it seemed that if this wicked person didn't experience it thoroughly.
It might not be enough.
Better to let those Grievous Ghosts have their revenge.
With this trace of Yin Energy entering her body, Nanny Liu’s Luck would drop to the lowest point.
The ghosts who had Karma with her would be able to directly touch Nanny Liu’s Spirit Body.
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