Chapter 59 Another Murder
Butler Wang stepped forward and suggested, "Master, if such strange things are really happening, why not simply invite a Taoist priest to come and investigate, to see if there are really ghosts or if someone is just playing tricks?"
"In this way, we can at least give the Sun family an explanation."
After careful consideration, Yang Zhengxian felt that what he said made sense, so he asked Steward Wang to get started on the matter immediately.
"This matter must not be made public until it has been thoroughly investigated; anyone who violates this rule will be executed on the spot!"
He turned his head and looked at Xiaoyu, who was on the ground with a bloody head, with a fierce glint in his eyes. He ordered, "This lowly servant is on duty but has neglected his duties. He shall be given fifty strokes of the cane and made to kneel in the madam's courtyard for six days and six nights to repent and comfort the madam's spirit in heaven."
How could a woman with such a delicate body possibly endure such a severe punishment for six days? It was like being slowly tortured until death.
Upon hearing this, everyone present showed surprise, fear, and some worry, but no one felt sorry for him.
Servants are just servants, as lowly as dust and worthless. They are only worried about themselves, but they are even more terrified of the master's cruel methods.
Xiaoyu realized this too, and was dragged out with a deathly pale face.
Soon, the sound of a blunt object striking flesh, accompanied by a shrill scream, came from outside into the room.
Everyone fell silent, too afraid to make a sound.
Yang Zhengxian strode out and went first to the courtyard of his second son, Yang Cheng, who was listening to the teacher read aloud in the courtyard after finishing his breakfast.
He was unaware that his mother had died.
The schoolteacher turned around and saw Master Yang standing at the gate of the courtyard, and quickly bowed.
Yang Cheng noticed it too, his face beaming with a smile. He ran over with open arms and hugged his waist.
"Father, you've come."
He reached out and patted his son's head, smiling lovingly, "Cheng'er, have you been studying hard?"
"Of course, the master just praised Cheng'er for being intelligent."
"That's good. Don't leave the yard during this time unless you have to. Focus on your studies. If you need anything, I'll have someone bring it to you."
Yang Cheng was a little confused and looked at him with a puzzled expression, asking innocently.
"Can't I even go to my mother's courtyard?"
“Your mother has gone up the mountain to pray to Buddha and the gods. She will stay in the temple for half a month to pray for the family’s well-being, so you need to study even harder.”
He nodded obediently and replied, "Yes, Cheng'er understands."
Yang Zhengxian smiled with satisfaction: "Go ahead."
Although his son was spoiled by his mother, he still listened to him very much.
Watching his small figure disappear into the distance, Yang Zhengxian lowered his head and looked up at his son's wet nurse, Granny Luo, who was waiting beside him.
Granny Luo noticed and quickly came over, curtsied, and said, "Master."
He whispered, "You must stay by the young master's side at all times recently. Even when you are resting, you must sleep in the room to prevent evil spirits from entering."
Granny Luo was an old woman whom the First Madam had brought from the Sun family. Upon hearing the tragic news from the First Madam's courtyard, she could not believe it at all.
She had originally planned to go and see him, but the young master couldn't bear to be apart from her, so she could only wait for the servants to bring news.
Her eyes were slightly red, and her lips trembled as she asked, "Master, the First Madam...she..."
Yang Zhengxian sighed sadly, "The maid on night watch said she saw with her own eyes that there was an evil spirit causing trouble, and I have already ordered that a Taoist priest be invited to exorcise it."
"Don't worry, I believe the truth will come out soon. At that time, I will personally go to the Sun family to apologize. In the meantime, you should take good care of the young master."
The implication was that she shouldn't go to the Sun family to complain, and that he would go after finding out the truth.
Is it the work of an evil spirit?
Granny Luo stared wide-eyed in disbelief and said angrily, "This maid must be talking nonsense. I think it must be related to Consort Ye."
“Young Master was still young at the time, and it was only by accident that Miss Baozhen fell into the water. It was not intentional. Yet now she is still relentlessly pestering him.”
"She's just a daughter born to a lowly servant girl. How can she compare to the legitimate grandson of the Sun family!"
"Alright! Shut up!"
He waved his hand impatiently to interrupt her. The Sun family, it's the Sun family again! Even an old servant dares to use the Sun family to intimidate him!
"This is the Yang family! I will make my own decisions. You just stay here with the young master. If Cheng'er finds out, I will not forgive you."
After saying that, he turned and stormed off.
Granny Luo stared in astonishment at his departing figure. The lady had just died, and he was already protecting that lowly concubine.
It was late at night, a time for everyone to fall asleep.
In the servants' room, Xiao Cui tossed and turned restlessly in her sleep, her face as pale as paper, and she was drenched in sweat, even her undergarments were soaked.
"It wasn't me...it wasn't me who caused this...please, Miss Baozhen..."
"No...no! Hoo...hoo..."
Xiao Cui, who was lying in bed, suddenly woke up with a start, her expression filled with fear, her heart pounding uncontrollably as if it were about to jump out of her throat.
Thinking of the First Madam's miserable state during the day, she couldn't help but cover her mouth and weep bitterly.
Xiao Cui was the head maidservant of the First Madam, so she had her own room. At this moment, she was alone in the dimly lit and quiet room.
With a loud crash!
A strong, evil wind suddenly blew open the tightly closed wooden door. She looked up with tears in her eyes, then scrambled to her knees and kowtowed.
"I don't know anything, it really wasn't me who hurt you... Miss Baozhen..."
"It was all the Madam's orders; it has nothing to do with me..."
She kowtowed and confessed in a trembling voice.
Suddenly, a pair of pink hydrangea shoes appeared in my eyes. The feet were tiny, clearly belonging to a two-year-old child.
Xiao Cui immediately held her breath, closed her eyes in fear, and trembled as she lay prostrate on the ground, too afraid to get up.
My heart was pounding like a drum, but the sound only caused tinnitus in my ears.
As dawn broke, the maids in the other rooms got up to wash and dress. Suddenly, one of them screamed in terror, attracting the attention of many people.
"Someone's dead! Someone's dead!"
The little maidservant cried out in fear, "Change it!"
Everyone rushed over to look, and exclaimed in shock, "It's Xiao Cui! Xiao Cui is dead!"
Granny Wang, who was in charge of disciplining the maids, pushed through the crowd and scolded, "What are you doing! Don't you all need to serve your master anymore? You're all hiding here slacking off!"
When she turned around, her pupils dilated, and she suddenly let out the same scream as before.
It sounded as awful as a hen with its throat choked.
Just then, someone recognized that Xiao Cui's death was exactly the same as that of the First Madam, and they were immediately panicked.
"This, this must be Miss Baozhen coming for revenge! Xiao Cui was the First Madam's head maid, and their deaths were all the same."
"Now that you mention it, I suddenly remember that when I got up to go to the outhouse in the middle of the night, I think I saw a paper doll that looked exactly like Miss Baozhen!"
"Miss Baozhen used the body of a paper doll to come back to life and kill people!"
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