Not long after.
Su Yingqian came out holding a bowl of medicine and crouched in front of Qu Manqing.
“Here, have some medicine, A Yin.”
Qu Manqing had already lost control.
She desperately tried to avoid it.
Su Yingqian’s gaze deepened, and he forcefully fed the medicine spoonful by spoonful into Qu Manqing’s mouth.
The bowl fell to the ground, shattering into several pieces.
The woman in the chair had completely stopped breathing.
In Yu Yang’s eyes, the Transcendent’s light and shadow were pulled out by the ghostly figure behind her, and finally, both shadows were sucked into a bizarre black hole.
Just as the black hole disappeared.
A yellow paper appeared in Yu Yang’s field of vision.
[Qu Manqing: Evil. Vengeful ghost demanding life, Submerged in the Ghostly Path.]
The yellow paper burned up.
There was no lifespan reward.
Though Yu Yang felt somewhat regretful, she also found it understandable.
It seemed there was no need for her to concern herself with Transcendents judged to be Submerged in the Ghostly Path.
A Revolving Lantern floated before her again, with large characters marked on it: [Auspicious Encounter Today].
Followed by densely packed small characters—
[All matters are favorable: sacrificial rites, stove-building, consecration, woodcutting, marriage, Praying for blessings, transactions…]
A whole list, exactly all the “favorable” things she had seen today.
The Revolving Lantern spun countless times, the small characters flashing by one after another, until finally one floated out—
[Auspicious Encounter Today: Praying for blessings]
A vermilion Talisman image formed.
Small characters appeared beside it: Blessing Talisman, wear it when entering a temple to worship gods or Buddhas, and what you seek will receive divine guidance.
Usable count: 3.
Incantation: The Supreme Bestows Blessings, Auspicious Signs Descend. Receiving Heavenly Guidance, Fortune and Prosperity Endure.
Everything vanished.
This talisman was clearly not as good as the “All Matters Are Favorable” talisman and even had location restrictions.
Yu Yang no longer paid attention to these matters.
She softly said to Xie Chi, “By the way, Shizi, I just captured the one outside…”
“The one outside… Qiu Hua?” Xie Chi was somewhat shocked.
From the time Yu Yang separated from him until she entered the courtyard, it hadn’t been long—just the time it took for him and Sikong Shi to exchange a few words. And Qiu Hua outside had already been captured?
But Qiu Hua’s martial arts were not low; even several shadow guards working together couldn’t capture him without any commotion…
“How did you capture him? Already captured? So quickly?”
Yu Yang said innocently and guilelessly, “I can’t really say I captured him. He fell on his own, hit the steps, knocked himself out, and I saved him.”
“Who fell?” Sikong Shi suddenly asked.
Xie Chi ignored Sikong Shi. After a moment of silence, he said to Yu Yang, “Have someone bring him here.”
Yu Yang walked toward the courtyard entrance, gave an order, and then returned.
At this moment, Su Yingqian was kneeling before the real Jiao Jiayin’s corpse, his shoulders trembling, emitting sobbing sounds.
Sikong Shi glanced at Xie Chi, then said gently to Su Yingqian, “Brother, cry if you need to. At least you protected your wife, didn’t you?”
He took out a booklet and a ‘pencil,’ reciting as he wrote: “Ninth month, twenty-eighth day. Ghost possessed the body of Jiao Jiayin, fiancée of Su Yingqian, son of the Fuyang County Magistrate. Eliminated.”
After speaking, he crouched down and said with a laugh, “Brother, how about putting your mark here for me?”
Su Yingqian did not respond.
Sikong Shi sighed, walked over to Gao Tuo, and said, “You bear witness for me.”
Gao Tuo rolled his eyes.
Sikong Shi then looked at Xie Chi.
Xie Chi smiled slightly.
Sikong Shi pursed his lips and looked at Yu Yang, smiling as he said, “This young brother here looks kind and good… good… How dare you! What have you done to my brother!!!”
Behind Yu Yang, shadow guards appeared carrying an unconscious man.
Sikong Shi charged directly toward Yu Yang.
But Xie Chi was faster.
Yu Yang stepped in front and immediately engaged in a fight with Sikong Shi.
After a brief moment of thought, Yu Yang quietly moved to Su Yingqian’s side.
She walked openly across the courtyard.
Every time Sikong Shi tried to strike at her, Xie Chi blocked him again.
Enraged, Sikong Shi roared, “Xie Chi! How dare your subordinate harm an official of the court…”
“Well done,” Xie Chi took a moment to smile at Yu Yang, then raised an eyebrow at Sikong Shi. “The land Huangshang assigned you is in the northwest. What are you doing here? Did you follow me?”
The latter part of his sentence was a statement of certainty.
Sikong Shi retorted, “You’re attacking my people over such a trivial matter? How petty can you be!”
Xie Chi replied, “Very.”
“Go to hell—” The two exchanged blows, each punch landing squarely.
Yu Yang glanced at Su Yingqian and saw him untie the red rope, lift the corpse, and carry it into the house.
She followed, entering the room first to light the candles inside.
Su Yingqian looked at her, his voice hoarse as he said, “Thank you.”
Yu Yang remained silent.
Su Yingqian placed the body on the bed, then went to fetch a basin of water. Upon returning, he said to her, “A Yan, I need to cleanse my wife’s body. Please step outside for now.”
Hearing this, Yu Yang said softly, “I only learned of Jiao Guniang’s misfortune on the day I arrived in the county. Brother Yingqian…”
“I know. It’s not your fault,” Su Yingqian replied. “It is I who have failed A Yin.”
Yu Yang took out a letter and handed it to Su Yingqian.
“Brother Yingqian, I fear you may blame me for this. I took it upon myself to have someone search Jiao Guniang’s residence and retrieve this letter. Fortunately, the ghost did not destroy it. It seems to be a letter Jiao Guniang wrote to you before her death… a suicide note.”
Su Yingqian’s eyes snapped up, his hands trembling as he accepted the letter.
The envelope was thick, containing several sheets of paper.
Su Yingqian lowered his head, but after just one glance, he set the letter aside, covered his face, and broke down in uncontrollable sobs.
[My dear Yingqian, if you are reading this, I must already be gone. By the Bridge of Helplessness, I pray only for your peace. At this moment of farewell, I write these words, hoping to ease your heart.
Though I hold the brush, a thousand thoughts and feelings overwhelm me, and I know not where to begin. So, I shall write as my thoughts flow. When you open this letter, remember my laughter, remember my beauty, and do not let sorrow deepen.
Do you recall? On the Qixi Festival, I once asked you, ‘If I were to die first, would you grieve excessively and live in despair?’ You grew angry and told me not to entertain such thoughts. Still, I said to you, ‘If that day comes, grieve if you must, but do not harm yourself or lose your purpose, lest I find no rest.’ You agreed—do you remember? Do not forget! Do not forget!
You and I were betrothed since childhood. Though we could not grow old together, from birth to death, seventeen years of my life were spent by your side as your confidante. Even as husband and wife, a lifetime of love spans but a few decades. Seventeen years—how rare and precious that is…]
Yu Yang sighed inwardly, then glanced at the woman whose eyes were now closed and bowed slightly.
“Though we meet for the first time, may you rest in peace, Jiao Guniang.”
She quietly closed the door and left the room.