Chapter 228: Chapter 228
When An Ning arrived, Lady Zheng was already waiting in the hall for quite some time.
The Zhenbei Marquis’s family had been military for generations; most of its male members were stationed on the frontier. Even the women carried an unspoken toughness about them. Now clad in an exceptional ceremonial outfit and sitting erect at the lower seat, Lady Zheng’s very silhouette radiated austere resolve.
It was said that in her younger years she had even taken up a spear and gone to the battlefield.
Yet when An Ning drew closer, she realized that Lady Zheng already had a large swath of gray in her hair, and deep lines carved across her brow and eyes…
Seeing An Ning approach, Lady Zheng’s face softened into a faint smile:
“So this is Third Miss Yang. Truly a pretty young lady—one glance and a person’s heart feels inexplicably lighter.”
Once upon a time, her eldest grandson had also been so open and gracious. If only…
Taking a deep breath, the old madam forced down the waves of bitterness in her chest, then affectionately took the young woman’s hand.
Suddenly treated , An Ning was momentarily startled, but the next second her eyes brightened when she noticed a familiar figure in the hall.
“So Master, you’re here too. I still haven’t thanked you for last time!”
“Thanks to the jade talisman you gave me, everything these past few days has gone incredibly smoothly! Master truly lives up to his reputation—your Buddhist wisdom is profound…”
At the end, An Ning couldn’t help but bob her head in enthusiasm, looking at the man before her with admiration.
The enlightened teacher Master Wuxiang: “…”
No need to exaggerate!
Sensing that virtually everyone in the hall, including the Empress Dowager at the upper seat, had once again focused their gazes on him, Master Wuxiang bit back the urge to wipe his palms and joined his hands in prayer once more:
“Amitabha. It is the workings of fate; moreover, the little patroness herself has deep blessings—this humble monk’s meager cultivation alone could not overturn heaven and earth…”
Before An Ning could reply, Lady Zheng cut in with a grave tone:
“Third Miss Yang’s deep blessings are true; the master is overly modest. To be frank with you, the protective jade talisman you personally crafted and offered, I have often worn it these days. Since Yue’er passed away, my body has rarely felt this light…”
“Master, your ability is beyond doubt!”
If she remembered correctly, this “Yue’er” the old madam mentioned was the Zhenbei Marquis family’s heir who had died in a string of “accidents” four years ago—the unluckiest fellow any of her friends ever mentioned.
An Ning lifted her eyes curiously and paused briefly at the jade pendant tied at the other woman’s waist, which was also engraved with various talismanic scripts.
If she wasn’t mistaken, on the day of the flower-viewing banquet, after An Ning herself demonstrated the special nature of her talisman, every highborn miss in the capital—anyone with even a little news channel—had come flocking after Master Wuxiang’s “jade talismans.”
So far, the waiting list alone probably stretched to no end. For instance, her own eldest sister hadn’t even received a reply to the letter she had recently sent.
Yet this person in front of her seemed to have possessed that pendant for quite some time.
It looked like… An Ning thought: Lady Zheng must have had suspicion about that heir’s mysterious death long before. Otherwise she wouldn’t have immediately begun investigating upon receiving news.
That decisiveness—must admit—befit a daughter of a military family.
Probably in recent times, not only Master Wuxiang but even her own household had investigated the matter thoroughly. Perhaps even more…
Her gaze swept the other woman’s face, which was contorted with barely contained grief, and even An Ning couldn’t help but sigh.
Bloodshed within the family—how cruel.
The Empress Dowager at the upper seat also wore an expression of pity.
Sure enough, in the next moment the other woman inhaled deeply and forced herself to speak calmly:
“To be frank with Master, like Third Miss Yang, my eldest grandson showed changes in his fortune before he died. Most were small matters, and with war imminent, how could a Zhenbei Marquis’s son show cowardice in battle? That was why…”
As if recalling something, Lady Zheng’s eyes trembled and the dragon-embossed staff in her hand seemed to fail her; it slammed heavily to the floor with a clear ringing sound.
The sound echoed through the hall.
Master Wuxiang pressed his palms together and silently chanted Amitabha…
Realizing what Lady Zheng was about to say, the Empress Dowager personally spoke and had the clearly bewildered An Ning, who didn’t know what was going on, taken out.
After An Ning left and a long time passed, the ragged voice of the old madam finally carried through the hall.
“Yue’er had a younger brother, who is now the Zhenbei Marquis’s heir. His earlier situation resembled Second Miss Yang in many ways.
“Zichu had always been literate; his martial talent wasn’t remarkable. Yet eight years ago he suddenly seemed to open up overnight—he could extrapolate from one thing to another in his studies, and in just three short years he passed the county, prefectural, and provincial exams. By seventeen he had even taken the third-place scholar’s title in the metropolitan examinations.”
Not only that, he also began to outshine Yue’er several times in the training ground.
Back then, the family, including Yue’er’s father, had suspected something amiss and repeatedly tested to ensure the boy was truly themselves and not swapped.
So despite some misgivings, they assumed Zichu had simply had his mind opened or had encountered a special opportunity. Coupled with the daughter-in-law’s various commotions, they did not further investigate…
But now, thinking back, what sort of opportunity in this world would hand out benefits for free?
What opportunity would not demand a price? Why would there be no cost?
Thinking of the younger grandson who had inexplicably fallen into a listless decline two years ago—seemingly losing all spiritual energy and drive overnight—and of Yue’er lying motionless in that cold coffin for such a ridiculous reason, Lady Zheng could no longer hold back her tears despite so many past separations between life and death.
After a long while, someone in the hall sighed.
“Wait—a moment. The old madam means the heir suddenly lost all spiritual nature and aptitude two years ago…that…that timing…”
Thinking of Second Miss Yang, whose fame also suddenly appeared two years ago, the coincidence was startling!
Even Master Wuxiang now felt something was off.
Could this wickedness possibly be—could it be…
Hiss—before Master Wuxiang could be frightened by his own suspicion, Lady Zheng, having composed herself, also spoke heavily:
“The reason I came today is because of this matter. To the Empress Dowager, such occurrences cannot be mere coincidence. I suspect the demon that killed my grandson back then is now in Second Miss Yang’s body…”