Chapter 18 Where did she get the Ghost Valley Token?

Mrs. Lai swallowed hard before whispering, "It is said..."

"The second daughter's eyes were glazed over, completely black with no white showing at all. She spent the whole night making a scene, threatening to jump into the river or hang herself! She was acting like she was going to die!"

"Despite making such a commotion, the second young lady couldn't utter a single human word, only letting out 'ah ah ah' cries, and the sound of those cries was truly..."

Mrs. Lai shuddered and said, "That sounds really creepy, girl, you'd better not ask."

The servants were all saying that Song Qinghan had attracted some unclean or dirty things.

To put it even more bluntly, they're saying Qinghan Courtyard is haunted!

Despite Madam Song's repeated orders to keep quiet, the rumors had already spread like wildfire among so many members of the Song family.

Si Niannian clicked her tongue a few times upon hearing this, then casually took out a pastry and placed it in Lai's mother's hand: "Don't mind her."

"I grant you leave tonight. Go out of the mansion and take your daughter to see a doctor."

At first, Lai's mother nodded excitedly, but after thinking for a moment, she couldn't help but say, "Miss, you mustn't go out when I'm not here."

Qiu Yue and Qiu Shuang have ulterior motives and certainly won't help Si Niannian hide the truth.

If it is discovered that Si Niannian left the manor without permission, then there will be big trouble!

Si Niannian patted the box of pastries she had brought back with an air of nonchalance, her eyes crinkling with laughter: "Okay, I won't run around."

There's enough to eat tonight, so she'll just sleep in the room and watch Song Qinghan's antics!

Before leaving, Lai's mother checked everything one last time.

He carried the burning charcoal brazier into the house, warmed a pot of hot water on the small tea stove, reminded Qiuyue and the others to remember to get dinner from the main kitchen, and then left the Song family's back door before sunset.

...

Inside Huaiyin Hall, Xu Wuyang looked at the uninvited guest with some annoyance: "Didn't I tell you I had something to do tonight?"

"I really don't have time, you..."

“I just want to ask you a question,” Jie Ge’an said calmly, uttering the most unbelievable words in the most composed tone, “You said…”

"Is there a spice, or a rare poison, in this world that works only on me?"

Xu Wuyang's expression was as if he had seen a ghost, his face saying, "What nonsense are you talking about?"

Jie Ge'an himself found it ridiculous, and when he spoke again, he became inexplicably more cautious: "I smelled a peculiar fragrance on someone."

"But everyone present said they couldn't smell it."

Although he couldn't confirm whether the woman he encountered at Huajianfu today was Si Niannian, Jie Ge'an was certain that he smelled the same fragrance both times.

He had only ever smelled this fragrance on Si Niannian.

It was a coincidence.

But the fact that this kind of coincidence, which only he could perceive, occurred twice in a row, meant it couldn't be a coincidence anymore.

Xu Wuyang felt a chill run down his spine and asked in surprise, "Are you sure you smelled it? It was a fragrance and not your imagination?"

Jie Ge watched him quietly.

Xu Wuyang suddenly became serious: "Give me your hand."

Switching from left to right, Xu Wuyang even cut Ge An's finger to let some blood flow.

After all that effort, Xu Wuyang blinked in confusion: "What I can confirm is that you haven't been poisoned with anything that causes hallucinations. As for the special fragrance you mentioned..."

Xu Wuyang sighed and said, "I don't know what it is."

Whether it's poison or spice, it's impossible for only one person to smell it.

If Jie Ge'an hadn't made a special trip to play a trick on him...

Xu Wuyang concluded expressionlessly: "Then I suggest you arrest the person with this smell and interrogate them severely."

A dangerous glint flashed in Jie Ge'an's eyes: "Something's fishy?"

“It’s suspicious,” Xu Wuyang said. “It’s so suspicious that you’re the only customer who might buy this mysterious spice that only you can smell. The owner has no choice but to sell it to you.”

After all, other people can't smell it at all after buying it, so there's absolutely no need to buy it!

Jie Ge'an: "..."

"I'm not joking with you."

"What you're saying is ridiculous, okay?" Xu Wuyang waved impatiently to shoo him away. "Hurry up and leave, don't delay my business!"

Doctor Xu possesses astonishing medical skills, but his stubbornness is equally remarkable.

Even the mighty Master Xie, who was renowned throughout the capital, was only able to be kicked out when he came before Doctor Xu.

Gu Yu stood guard outside the door, and when she saw Jie Ge'an come out, she looked very nervous: "Ninth Master, did you get any information..."

"Did the eldest daughter of the Song family go out today?"

“No,” Gu Yu said solemnly. “According to the news from the Song family, the eldest young lady has been resting in Jiuyou Hall since she fell into the water yesterday.”

Jie Ge'an's breathing was slightly lighter, and his voice was slightly deep: "You didn't go out?"

But why does he still feel that something is not right?

His paranoia never leads to mistakes.

Jie Ge'an rubbed his fingertips and said slowly, "Isn't Changying's coming-of-age ceremony coming up soon?"

"Have her deliver an invitation to this young lady."

Whether it's an illusion or something real, we'll know for sure after seeing it again!

Jie Ge'an came to Huaiyin Hall in a very secluded manner, without riding in a carriage that symbolized his status, and only carried Gu Yu with him.

As the master and servant walked out along the secluded alley, they encountered an old woman carrying a person on her back.

The old woman must have walked a long way on her back; her heavy breathing was pounding on the ground.

She walked slowly with each step, repeatedly lifting the person who had slipped off her back onto her back with both hands, panting as she said, "Don't be afraid, little one, Mother will take you to see the miracle doctor right away!"

"You will definitely be cured!"

Even though she didn't know what the wooden plaque the young woman gave her meant, she would never give up, no matter how small the hope!

Jie Ge'an stepped aside in the narrow alley to make way, and as he watched the old woman carry the person away, his pupils silently contracted.

He had seen this person before...

Jie Ge'an gestured for Gu Yu to be quiet, then leaped onto the high wall with a light touch on his toes.

At the entrance of Huaiyin Hall, Xu Wuyang, who had been glaring at Jie Ge'an not long ago, seemed to have become a different person. He smiled broadly, said a few words, and personally led the person inside.

Seeing this, Gu Yu couldn't help but gasp, and said in surprise, "It's quite rare to see Doctor Xu smiling like this..."

He originally thought that Xu Wuyang was born with a stern face and could never smile!

Jie Ge'an scoffed at the sound, then lightly landed on the ground. After a long while, he said meaningfully, "It is said that there is a divine beast called the Qinggeng Bird, which has the effect of warding off all diseases and resisting plagues."

"As far as I know, there is only one place where the blue-plowing bird is used as a totem."

Guigu, a secluded place renowned for its medical skills.

Xu Wuyang came from Guigu.

Only seven tokens were engraved with the image of the Qinggeng bird.

Only highly respected elders in Guiguzi, or the next generation to take power, have this privilege.

How did an insignificant cleaning woman from the Song family obtain the Ghost Valley Token?

Who gave her the token?

Jie Ge'an lowered his eyelids to conceal the turbulent darkness in his eyes, and as he turned to walk into the night, he said, word by word, "Investigate Si Niannian's background again in more detail, focusing on the ten years she was away from the Song family."

"I want to know everything that happened to her during those ten years, down to the smallest detail!"