Chapter 81 Accusing Ji Chan of Using Evil Arts to Harm People

Since meeting Granny Tian that day, Madam Xue returned to her residence and waited patiently.

She waited at home for four days before finally sending someone to Changpingfang to inquire about the situation.

Since the Marquis of Jinyang went to court early in the morning, Lady Xue seemed to be patiently handling all the affairs of the mansion in the main courtyard, but in reality, she did not pay attention to these trivial matters.

Before long, Xue Ying also arrived at the main courtyard. Knowing that her mother was waiting for news, she sat down and patiently kept her company.

The mother and daughter waited at the mansion until after noon before the old woman they had sent out to inquire about the situation hurriedly arrived at the main courtyard.

"lady."

"How is it?" Seeing the old woman come in, Madam Xue stood up and asked anxiously.

The old woman lowered her head deeply: "Ji Chan showed no signs of anything amiss. She left home at the beginning of the morning, and I followed her all the way to the Mingjing Division. Afterwards, the guards of the Mingjing Division took her back to Changping Ward. Then they went out again, and I was worried about being discovered, so I didn't follow them any further."

"Is she really safe and sound?" Madam Xue asked again, seemingly incredulous.

The old woman nodded: "She came back alone in the end, and everything seemed normal."

"How could this be!" Madam Xue was incredulous and threw the teacup and pastry plate on the table to the ground.

The old woman, unaware of what she had done wrong, quickly knelt down.

"Why is she still alive! How is she still alive?" Madam Xue gritted her teeth, seemingly demanding an answer from whoever was speaking to.

Seeing that Madam Xue had suffered such a blow, Xue Ying quickly stepped forward to help her up, and then dismissed the old woman and the maids serving in the room.

After everyone had left the room, Xue Ying gently comforted her, "Mother, please don't worry. Perhaps there's something wrong with Granny Tian. She might just be a swindler, trying to cheat you out of money."

“Yes, Granny Tian, ​​we should demand an explanation from her.” A ruthless glint flashed in Madam Xue’s eyes.

She had personally witnessed Granny Tian's prowess and had others verify it before taking the money to ask her to do something. But if she discovered that the old woman was a fraud, she would definitely not let her get away with it!

"Mother, I'll go with you."

The mother and daughter arrived at Kaimingfang again. Before the carriage even reached Granny Tian's house, Madam Xue noticed the seal on the gate of the small courtyard.

Startled, she dared not ask the driver to stop and continued driving forward.

Xue Ying also noticed the seal, her voice trembling slightly: "Mother, could it be that Granny Tian has been arrested for committing a crime?"

Seeing the seal on the door, and recalling what the old woman she had sent had said about Ji Chan's schedule for the day, Xue Shi understood everything.

To confirm her suspicions, Madam Xue gave money to the coachman and asked him to inquire on the street. In no time, he had found out the information.

Sure enough, today, guards from the Mingjing Division came to the door and surrounded the small courtyard. Some people even saw Granny Tian being taken away in shackles.

Ji Chan not only survived, but also caused Granny Tian to be arrested.

She actually escaped again! This is the second time!

Ms. Xue felt as if her heart was about to explode.

"That bastard, why isn't he dead yet!" She clenched her fists, her sharp nails piercing her palms, but she felt no pain at all.

As she was furiously cursing Ji Chan, Xue Ying suddenly grabbed her arm tightly, her eyes filled with panic: "Mother, if that old woman Tian is arrested, will she implicate us?"

She was beginning to regret why she had to come here with her mother that day. What would she do if she were considered an accomplice by the Mingjing Division?

When Xue heard her daughter say this, she was initially flustered, but she finally calmed down after the carriage took them back to the Marquis of Jinyang's residence.

She gently patted Xue Ying's hand, comforting her, "Don't panic. There's no evidence for this. As long as we stick to our guns and deny it, even the Mingjing Division won't dare to do anything to our Jinyang Marquis's Mansion."

Even so, for the next two days, Madam Xue was filled with unease, and would be startled whenever she heard a noise outside.

On the third day, the people from the Mingjing Division did not arrive, but instead, she was greeted by the matchmaker.

The matchmaker was Lady Ningyuan, whom she had met a few times. After hearing the purpose of Lady Ningyuan's visit, Xue's expression turned extremely unpleasant.

The trip to Heyuan revealed that the Earl of Ningyuan's son was safe and sound, but her son's body was barely cold for three months. And now, the Earl of Ningyuan's wife dared to come to her residence to propose marriage—this was clearly a stab in the heart!

Lady Ningyuan seemed oblivious to Madam Xue's expression and stubbornly refused to leave.

Madam Xue endured it all, thinking that she couldn't afford to break ties with the Ningyuan Earl's Mansion and cause trouble for the Marquis. Finally, she suppressed her anger.

She asked coldly, "I wonder which family in the capital the Lady of Ningyuan is referring to as the Shen family? Why have I never heard of them before?"

Lady Ningyuan smiled and said, "The Shen family comes from Xiling, so Lady Xue has naturally never heard of them."

"Has anyone from the Shen family entered officialdom, and to what rank?"

"This..." Lady Ningyuan looked slightly embarrassed, glancing at the maid beside her.

The maidservant bowed respectfully to Madam Xue before speaking, "Most of my Shen clan members serve under the Prince of Xiling. One of my aunts in the household is married to the Prince of Xiling as a concubine."

Such a family background would be considered excellent in Xiling, but this is Shangjing, where there are countless members of the royal family. What kind of important person is a concubine of the King of Xiling?

Madam Xue almost laughed in anger: "Is the Lady of Ningyuan joking with me?"

Lady Ningyuan said meaningfully, "Oh dear, Lady Xue, I know you dote on your daughter. With the status of your Marquis of Jinyang, you naturally look down on families from small places. But your daughter's surname is Xue, not Ji."

Everyone in the noble circles knows that less than three months after the death of the first wife of the Marquis of Jinyang, he married Xue. The two children that Xue brought with her to the Marquis's mansion must be the children of the Marquis of Jinyang. But so what? Would Xue dare to tell the truth?

Since she couldn't bring herself to say it, Xue's daughter could only bear the name of her father's ill omen.

Which respectable family in the capital would be willing to marry such a woman? Madam Xue looked down on the marriage proposal she mentioned; in her opinion, Madam Xue was overestimating herself.

Perhaps it was Lady Ningyuan's disdainful gaze that struck a nerve with Madam Xue, for she finally couldn't bear it any longer and abruptly stood up, shouting, "Guards, show the guests out!"

Lady Ningyuan was forcibly escorted out by the steward of the Marquis of Jinyang's residence. However, the maid behind her dodged the steward's shoving and turned to face Madam Xue, who was as cold as frost, and said, "Madam, you might as well reconsider. My Shen family is willing to offer a dowry of 100,000 taels. If Madam wants anything else, you can also make your request."

Madam Xue pointed to the door and shouted angrily, "Get out!"

After driving these people away, Madam Xue clutched her chest with one hand, feeling a sharp pain in her heart, but she didn't take it to heart.

As night fell, the Marquis of Jinyang lay beside her, snoring loudly, while Lady Xue could not sleep soundly no matter what she did.

She was clearly very tired, but every time she tried to close her eyes, a sudden, inexplicable pain would jolt her awake.

After tossing and turning all night, when the Marquis of Jinyang woke up, he saw Lady Xue with dark circles under her eyes and a haggard face.

"What's wrong with you?" Marquis Jinyang asked in surprise.

Madam Xue pressed one hand to her chest and said weakly, "My lord, I feel unwell and couldn't sleep well last night."

"Someone, quickly go and fetch a doctor."

The Marquis of Jinyang summoned a physician, who examined Madam Xue's pulse for a long time before saying, "My lord, Madam's pulse is strong and there are no signs of heart disease. Moreover, Madam is pregnant, so it is really not advisable for her to take too much medicine."

"But my wife has been experiencing chest pains all night and has been unable to sleep. Do you know what's wrong?"

The doctor was somewhat embarrassed, but considering the other party's status, he could only tell the truth: "Perhaps the lady encountered something during the day and became too emotional, which is why she couldn't sleep at night. I can prescribe two doses of calming medicine for the lady, but she shouldn't drink too much."

"Okay, then prescribe the medicine."

After dismissing the doctor, seeing that Madam Xue still looked listless, Marquis Jinyang said, "Have the servants prepare the medicine first. After you drink the medicine, rest for a while. If it still doesn't work, I will go and fetch the imperial physician."

Lady Xue leaned against the Marquis of Jinyang and said gratefully, "Thank you for your concern, Your Excellency."

Marquis Jinyang reached out and touched her slightly protruding belly: "As long as you and our child are safe and sound, that's all that matters."

Although he valued Xue Zhao and Xue Ying, the siblings, highly, they were destined never to bear the surname Ji.

Now that he and Lady Xue have a legitimate child, the Marquis of Jinyang can't help but value him even more.

Soon, the maid brought up the prepared calming medicine. After drinking the medicine, Madam Xue thought she could sleep for a while, but her condition during the day was even worse than at night.

The pain in her chest was getting stronger and stronger.

Seeing that the medicine had no effect on Xue, the Marquis of Jinyang dared not delay and personally went to the Imperial Hospital to invite the imperial physicians to examine her.

However, when the imperial physician arrived, his diagnosis was exactly the same as the previous doctor's: Xue's body showed no abnormalities.

Throughout the day, several doctors came and went from the Marquis of Jinyang's residence, but none of them could explain what kind of strange illness the Marquis's wife had contracted.

At this moment in Changpingfang, Achan sat lazily behind the counter, waiting for the sun to set.

On the counter lay a rough wooden figurine, entirely black with only a rough outline.

Achan held an awl in her hand and would occasionally prick the heart of the wooden figurine, from which a little red juice would flow out.

During the day, when she was bored, she would do the work herself. At night, when Hui Niang didn't sleep, Hui Niang would take over, ensuring that the work would continue all day long.

This curse cannot kill, but it is said to torment people to the point of wishing for death.

After opening the incense shop, Achan discovered that there were quite a few customers buying calming incense. It seemed that many people were troubled by sleep problems. She couldn't understand this kind of pain, but in the mouths of those customers who couldn't sleep, it was probably one of the most painful things in the world.

She couldn't help but wonder, just how painful could it be?

I suppose Ms. Xue will give her an answer.

Xue was more fragile than Achan had imagined; after only the second night, she couldn't take it anymore.

She was already more vulnerable after becoming pregnant, but now, in addition to physical torment, her mental anguish was magnified many times over. She didn't know when this suffering would end, which made her feel desperate.

In just two days, she lost control of her temper. She not only kicked the Marquis of Jinyang out of his room early in the morning, but also refused to let Xue Ying in when she came to pay her respects.

Now, seeing anyone fills Xue with resentment. Why are they all alright, while she suffers so much?

After crying and wailing in the room for a long time, Xue wiped away her tears and rallied herself. She couldn't give up like this; there must be some reason why she had become like this.

She tidied herself up a bit, opened the door and walked out of the bedroom. As soon as she reached the door, she heard two maids gossiping in the courtyard.

One of the maids said, "Madam, could it be that you've bumped into something evil?"

Another maid quickly stopped her: "Shut up, are you out of your mind?"

Hearing the conversation between the two maids, Madam Xue shuddered. Oh right, how could she have forgotten this? What if she wasn't sick?

"Someone, quickly go and fetch the Marquis!" Madam Xue stood at the door and loudly ordered.

The maids dared not delay and hurried to the study to find the Marquis of Jinyang. Upon hearing that Lady Xue was looking for him, the Marquis of Jinyang got up and followed the maids back to the main room.

Entering the room, seeing Xue's haggard appearance, he felt a pang of heartache and forgot about her outburst that morning. He quickly asked, "What is it you wanted to talk to me about?"

Madam Xue closed the door and stood in front of Marquis Jinyang for a long time before stammering, "My lord, I might know what's wrong with this illness."

Marquis Jinyang frowned: "You know? Then what exactly happened?"

Xue lowered her head and told him about her search for a folk master to curse Achan. She only said that she wanted to teach Achan a lesson, but dared not say that she wanted to have Achan cursed to death.

After hearing her words, the Marquis of Jinyang's face darkened completely, and he said angrily, "How many times have I told you not to cause any more trouble for Ji Chan? She has already been kicked out of the manor, what more do you want?"

"My lord, is our son really going to die in vain?" Seeing the Marquis of Jinyang fall silent, Madam Xue began to sob. "Does my lord still remember how happy you were when Zhao'er was born? Zhao'er was so obedient and respected you so much, but he just died like that. Does my lord believe that Ji Chan did nothing wrong?"

A flicker of emotion crossed the Marquis of Jinyang's face, and his tone softened: "I know you are still brooding over Zhao'er's death. Unless you have evidence to prove that his death is related to Ji Chan, even if Bai Xiuming protects her, I will risk my title to appeal to His Majesty. But you have no evidence now. If this matter is discovered by the Mingjing Division, do you know what the consequences will be?"

Lady Xue had long known about the Marquis of Jinyang's attitude towards Ji Chan, and she did not force him to make a choice. Her words were merely to win his pity and downplay the matter of her cursing Ji Chan.

Seeing that his attitude had softened, Madam Xue immediately admitted her mistake, saying, "I know I was wrong. Besides, I failed. After Granny Tian was arrested, I was terrified for several days."

Marquis Jinyang frowned slightly: "Since you only left your surname, even if the Mingjing Division suspects something, they have no evidence. They won't come to the Marquis's residence to arrest you. Even if they do come, they can simply deny it."

“My lord, I don’t want to cause trouble for Ji Chan either, but she won’t let me go. Granny Tian was just arrested, and now I’m in trouble. Does my lord really think this has nothing to do with her?”

After a long silence, the Marquis of Jinyang finally asked, "What do you want?"

"I'm going to the Mingjing Bureau to accuse Ji Chan of using evil magic to harm me."

Marquis Jinyang showed a hint of hesitation.

While weeping, Madam Xue said, "I know that the Marquis has some affection for Ji Chan. If she did not do it, I will apologize to her. If she did, the Marquis should see her true colors. Besides, only the Mingjing Division can help me now. If this continues, I will not be able to sleep, and I am afraid that we will not even be able to protect our child."

When his offspring were mentioned, the Marquis of Jinyang finally relented: "Alright."

That afternoon, the Marquis of Jinyang brought Lady Xue to the Mingjing Bureau to accuse Ji Chan of using evil magic to kill people.

The case was personally tried by Bai Xiuming. He sat in the courtroom, looking at the haggard-looking Xue Shi below, his face showing little emotion. No one could tell what he was thinking at that moment.

"Since Lady Hou has accused Ji Chan of harming you, do you have any evidence that she harmed you?" Bai Xiuming asked.

“I have no evidence, but I am cursed, and the only person I have a life-or-death feud with is Ji Chan.”

“If everyone were like Lady Jinyang, who comes to file a complaint without any evidence but with just a suspicion in her heart, I'm afraid our Mingjing Division would never have a moment of peace.”

Madam Xue looked intently at Bai Xiuming: "I know that Lord Bai and Ji Chan have a close relationship, and you may not believe my words, but shouldn't Lord Bai investigate before making a decision?"

As soon as she said these words, all the guards of the Mingjing Division in the hall quietly turned to look at Bai Xiuming.

Bai Xiuming remained expressionless and said, "Someone, call someone over and have them thoroughly investigate Lady Hou to see if she is indeed under a curse."

After he gave the order, someone quickly came in with a black mirror. It was the old man who had examined Achan's curse that day.

After the old man used a black mirror to examine Xue's body, he put the mirror away and respectfully said, "Sir, I did not find any traces of a curse on this lady."

Madam Xue's expression changed: "Impossible."

Bai Xiuming waved for the old man to leave: "It seems the Lady Hou was not cursed. In that case..."

"Wait a minute." Just then, a tall, burly man strode into the hall and said coldly to Bai Xiuming, who was sitting in the hall, "Bai Xiuming, is this how you handle cases so carelessly when I'm not here?"

Upon seeing the visitor, the tense expression on the Marquis of Jinyang's face finally relaxed.

Qin Heng, the commander of the Mingjing Division, has arrived.