Blood Gu Sect
Liu Ruyan and Ruan Qinghe waited anxiously in the mansion. They changed the teacups as they got cold, but there was still no news after several rounds. It was not until dusk that they saw Ruan Yunsheng humming a little tune, holding a bunch of green plums given by Li Shuying, and walking into the courtyard leisurely.
"W-why are you…"
Liu Ruyan stood up suddenly, pointing at her with trembling fingertips, and the blood drained from her face.
Could it be that something went wrong with the plan?
Ruan Yunsheng blinked, looking innocent: "What's wrong with Madam Liu? Are you feeling unwell?"
She deliberately leaned closer, and the fragrance of green plums brushed against Liu Ruyan's nose. "Today's flower viewing banquet is so interesting. Look, Sister Li gave it to me."
Liu Ruyan's throat rolled over, and she swallowed back the doubts in her heart. She forced out a twisted smile and said, "I'm glad you're back."
But his eyes were as sharp as a knife as he glared at Ruan Qinghe. This idiot had messed up again!
Ruan Qinghe was so frightened that she shrank her neck and broke out in a cold sweat. She had clearly arranged everything, and the maid who fell into the water was also one of their own, so how could...
Ruan Yunsheng admired the two men's pale complexions and bowed cheerfully, "Since that's the case, I'm tired. I'll take my leave first."
When she turned around, the hem of her skirt rose in a light arc.
As soon as the person left, Liu Ruyan impatiently called her trusted nanny, "Go and find out what happened at the flower viewing banquet today!"
Half an incense stick later, the nanny came crawling back, her voice trembling, "Madam! Something terrible has happened! Young Master Sun, he, he was caught doing something shameful while holding a piglet in the Nuanxiang Pavilion of the Li Mansion!"
"What!"
Liu Ruyan's eyes went dark, and a sweet and fishy taste rose in her throat. "Ruan Qinghe, this is the arrangement you said." Before she finished speaking, she began to breathless, her body softened, and she passed out.
"Mother!"
"lady!"
For a time, the Ruan Mansion was in chaos and could not be handled.
When Liu Ruyan slowly woke up, Ruan Qinghe was kneeling beside the bed, trembling, feeding her medicine. When he saw his mother open her eyes, he was so scared that he dropped the porcelain spoon with a clang and broke it on the ground.
"Mother! You finally woke up!" Ruan Qinghe's tears fell down, "It's all my daughter's fault..."
Ruan Linxi hurried back upon hearing the news, rushing into the house without even taking off his coat: "What happened to mother? She was fine during the day!"
Liu Ruyan sneered, her pale fingers clenching the quilt tightly. "Ask your good sister! What good things she did!"
Ruan Qinghe tearfully recounted how his scheme against Ruan Yunsheng backfired. Ruan Linxi's face grew paler as he listened, and he finally slammed his fist on the table, "Idiot! You could make a mistake with such a small thing!"
"That's all..."
Liu Ruyan rubbed her forehead tiredly. "That Sun Laizi has been pestering your sister for years. This time, by some strange coincidence, I've managed to eliminate the trouble. It's just a pity that I couldn't take the opportunity to destroy that little bitch!"
There was a venomous light in her eyes, "Next time I must..."
"Mother, I'm afraid ordinary methods are useless."
Ruan Linxi suddenly interrupted in a deep voice, "Ruan Yunsheng has the support of the eldest princess, and she is as cunning as a fox. We need to find a knife that she can't dodge."
He took out a black iron token from his bosom, on which was engraved a ferocious ghost face: "Someone secretly handed this to me some time ago, and I have already contacted her."
Liu Ruyan's pupils suddenly shrank: "This is..."
"Does mother still remember?" Ruan Linxi's lips curled up coldly, "Southern Country's witchcraft is best at seizing souls and spirits."
A few days later, Qi Yanzhou of Zuixianlou also found clues about the strange pattern and invited Ruan Yunsheng to come to the building for a gathering.
Qi Yanzhou held the kettle and poured tea for Ruan Yunsheng, his brows slightly furrowed. "That totem comes from the Tibetan 'Blood Gu Sect'. This sect has been secluded for a hundred years and has never interacted with outsiders. To be able to ask them to take action, the person behind the scenes must be very powerful."
Ruan Yunsheng tapped the teacup with his fingertips and suddenly raised his eyebrows: "Maybe we'll know soon."
Qi Yanzhou was stunned: "Miss Ruan already has a clue?"
"Your Highness, are you aware of the farce that took place at the Li Residence a few days ago?" Ruan Yunsheng smiled. "That 'human-pig romance' was a great gift prepared for me by my dear sister."
She lowered her voice and said, "That night I sneaked back to Liu Ruyan's window and happened to see her having a secret conversation with Ruan Linxi."
She dipped her fingertips into the tea and drew a ferocious ghost face on the table. "Ten days from now, the prince of the Southern Kingdom will enter the capital as an envoy of the Netherworld Prison to attend the imperial palace banquet commemorating the great victory at the border. The Blood Gu Sect will be among them."
"If the enemy doesn't move, I won't move." Ruan Yunsheng tapped the teacup with his fingertips. "If the enemy comes—"
She raised her eyes to look at Qi Yanzhou, her eyes gleaming coldly: "Let them have a taste of what it means to dig their own graves!"
Ruan Yunsheng picked up the teapot and refilled Qi Yanzhou's cup, a cunning glint in his eyes: "Let's not talk about this for now. Boss Qi, are you interested in doing business together?"
Qi Yanzhou raised his eyebrows slightly: "Are you planning to bring the haunted house to the capital?"
"The one who understands me best is Boss Qi!" Ruan Yunsheng clapped his hands and chuckled. "The Ruan family and I are at loggerheads. The money I brought from Chuzhou has already run out. I can't really live on their charity."
Qi Yanzhou pondered for a moment. "I have an abandoned house in the suburbs of Beijing. It was the residence of a former prince. It has three entrances and nine winding paths with an underground secret passage. It does meet the requirements of a haunted house, but..."
He dipped his fingertips in tea and calculated on the table, "Land in Beijing is expensive. Renovation requires digging secret doors, setting up traps, and hiring actors. The initial investment will be at least 30,000 taels. We also need to have a constantly novel script to attract repeat customers. Miss Ruan, can you guarantee that?"
Ruan Yunsheng calmly pulled a thick volume from his sleeve. "Here is the script for 'Strange Stories in the Capital,' which consists of twelve acts. The first act, 'Princess Blood Moon,' is based on the unofficial history of the abandoned house."
She flipped a page and pushed it past. "Don't worry about customer traffic. How about collaborating with Zuixianlou? Anyone spending over 1,000 taels of silver will receive a coupon for priority access to the Haunted Mansion. Those who clear the Haunted Mansion can redeem the token at Zuixianlou for a table at the 'Underworld Banquet.'"
"I'll take six and you take four." Ruan Yunsheng tapped the table with his fingertips, grinning like a cat stealing fish. "Boss Qi is using the name of Zuixianlou to attract customers for me, and he's also showing up to renovate the haunted house. Isn't that a fair share?"
"But I have to personally select the employee, and Boss Qi can't interfere."
After all, the house is full of ghosts, and it would be bad if they scared ordinary people.
Qi Yanzhou pondered for a moment, then suddenly kicked Qi Xiuming, who was dozing off beside him. "In that case, let me, your useless brother, go to the haunted house and lend a hand."
Qi Xiuming, who was dreaming about chicken legs, suddenly woke up: "Ah? What does it have to do with me? I won't go!"
He slumped down in the chair and kicked his legs exaggeratedly, "I'm the second young master of the Qi family! How can I serve others?!"
"oh?"
Qi Yanzhou poured tea slowly, "The antique bottle you broke last week, the wine you owed, the Ferghana horse you stole..."
He suddenly lowered his voice, "If you don't want me to tell Gu about my whereabouts..."
“I’ll go! I’ll go!”
Qi Xiuming instantly jumped up and covered his mouth, then bowed to Ruan Yunsheng with a mournful face, "Boss Ruan, please give me some guidance..."
Ruan Yunsheng's shoulders trembled from trying so hard to hold back his laughter, and he finally said seriously, "It's a pleasure to work with you."
After finalizing the details, she stood up to say goodbye, picking up the food box with familiarity: "As usual, Jade Eight Treasure Duck, Crystal Shrimp, Rose Pastry... Waiter, pack it up!"
As the sun set, Ruan Yunsheng walked around to a quiet spot in the back alley of Zuixianlou, took out the bronze bell given by the Black and White Impermanence from his sleeve, and shook it gently.
A cold wind suddenly arose, and the fog rolled. Two figures stepped out from the void. They were still wearing black robes and white robes, and their soul-catching ropes and mourning sticks were exactly the same. However, Ruan Yunsheng always felt that something was wrong.
When the two approached, they bowed together and said, "Miss Ruan, how are you?" Their voices were deep, clear, and cold, and they were a hundred times more serious than the lively couple before.
Ruan Yunsheng blinked. "Are you two... new here? Where are the original pair of Black and White Impermanence?"
Bai Wuchang nodded. "No. 250 and No. 251 are responsible for the Chuzhou area. No. 16 and No. 17 will take over the Beijing area."
"There's even a number!" Ruan Yunsheng was shocked. "How come I don't know that?"
Hei Wuchang's voice was as cold as ice: "The underworld ranks people by strength, and we two judges are invincible."
"How many ghosts does that red have?"
"251."
Ruan Yunsheng's mouth twitched. "The last and the second to last, I'm really impressed. They are indeed people with connections."
"Miss Ruan, why are you ringing the bell?" Bai Wuchang interrupted with a smile.
Ruan Yunsheng said hurriedly, "I want to borrow a few lively ghosts from the underworld to help me run the haunted house."
"Yes." Number 17 answered straightforwardly.
Ruan Yunsheng was stunned. So easy? I've already prepared a plan to beat you guys.
Number Eighteen explained coldly, "After the implementation of your proposed 'KPI Assessment System for the Underworld,' there's an overabundance of ghost hands and order has been restored. Lord Yama has granted this special approval: Miss Ruan may summon ghosts below the third rank at will."
Ruan Yunsheng was overjoyed and immediately handed over a list: "Please pick some who can sing, change their faces, and preferably one who can breathe fire!"
When the fog cleared, she found a cold scroll of "Ghost Employee Employment Contract" in her sleeve.
Not to mention that this underworld is quite rigorous after the renovation.
After Ruan Yunsheng returned home, he immediately summoned his confidants including Hua Rong. He shook the "Ghost Employment Contract" in his sleeve, and a cold wind blew, and seven or eight strange-looking little ghosts rolled to the ground.
There are hanged ghosts with long tongues, headless ghosts whose heads can turn 360 degrees, and even a ghost actor who holds his own broken leg and plays the pipa.
"As expected of the people picked by numbers 17 and 18!" Ruan Yunsheng clapped his hands in satisfaction. "Every one of them is talented!"
Hua Rong poked Tongue-Stuck Ghost's neck curiously: "This length can be used as a scarf, right?"
The kid retracted his tongue and said aggrievedly, "Don't laugh, girl. This is a work-related injury!"
After Ruan Yunsheng finished explaining the haunted house plan and the "special training goals," Huarong clapped her hands and cheered, "Brilliant! Using Liu Ruyan as a training ground is both a way to gain experience and seek revenge. Brilliant young lady!"
So that night, the lights in Liu Ruyan's bedroom were on all night.
On the first night, she kept feeling the sound of water dripping from the tent ceiling, and when she touched the pillowcase, she found it was covered with smelly mucus;
On the second night, the mirror always reflected a woman in a red wedding dress combing her hair;
On the third night, every time she turned over, she could hear the synchronized sound of turning over from under the bed!
Ruan Qinghe and Ruan Linxi were not much better off. The ink in the study suddenly turned into blood, human faces grew on their weapons while they were practicing martial arts, and the rice grains in their bowls spelled out the word "pay your life" while they were eating.
Liu Ruyan was devastated and paid a large sum of money to invite the "Longhu Mountain Taoist Priest". As a result, the Taoist danced with swords and burned talismans for half the night, and finally ran away with the silver bills faster than a ghost.
Three days later, Liu Ruyan collapsed on the couch with dark circles under her eyes, and croaked, "Quick, quick, please call in the high monk from Huguo Temple."
The maid replied in a trembling voice, "Madam, the abbot of Huguo Temple said that you are hallucinating because of your excessive bad deeds. He recommends that you donate more money for incense."
Liu Ruyan spat a mouthful of blood on the priceless Suzhou embroidery pillow.
Soon it was the day when the Southern Prince was about to come to Beijing. Liu Ruyan and her two children, who had been tortured by the little ghosts in "special training" for days, had dark bruises under their eyes as if they had been punched several times. No amount of powder could cover up their haggardness. Ruan Jichuan returned home from court and his face turned black when he saw this scene.
"Look at what you look like now!"
He pointed at Liu Ruyan's trembling hand. "The Southern Kingdom's Crown Prince is entering the palace tonight, and the entire court is present! Are you trying to make the Ruan family the laughing stock of the entire capital with your awful behavior?"
Ruan Qinghe cried until her makeup was all over her face. "Dad! This house is really haunted! Every night there's something combing my daughter's hair at the bedside."
"Nonsense!" Ruan Jichuan slammed his hand on the table. "It's not enough that you embarrassed yourself outside, and now you dare to make up such crazy things!"
Ruan Linxi said anxiously, "Father! It's true. I saw it with my own eyes. It's definitely not an illusion."
“That’s enough!”
Ruan Jichuan didn't believe it at all. "If there really is a ghost, why don't you come find me? It's obvious that you have evil intentions and are hysterical!"
He shouted sternly, "Go and dress immediately! If anything goes wrong at tonight's palace banquet..."
He sneered, "Then go to the ancestral hall and kneel until dawn!"
Liu Ruyan's face was pale as she was helped by a maid to comb her hair. The bronze mirror reflected her sunken eye sockets. The maid said tremblingly, "Madam, this powder really can't cover it up. How about... putting on some fashionable 'crying makeup' to cover it up?"
The so-called crying makeup involves using rouge to create red marks under the eyes, resembling tears, making the woman look pitiful. Liu Ruyan closed her eyes in despair, "Paint it! It's better than having to endure this awful look."
So at the palace banquet, all the female members of the Ruan family had two crimson tear marks under their eyes and pale faces, looking like a group of sexy ghosts who had just crawled out of the grave.
The Crown Prince of the Southern Kingdom glanced at it as he passed by and actually praised it in stiff Chinese: "Your country's makeup art... has a unique charm."
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