Having experienced the power of the exorcism talisman firsthand, Cuihua dared not act rashly. She pulled her son down to kneel, pitifully pleading, "Master, I should not have reached the end of my lifespan. I didn't really want to die; I just wanted to scare the young master. But he didn't stop me, and in my excitement, I actually jumped. Master, is there any way to bring us back to life? I dare not ask for anything else; I just want to be a concubine. I promise to live a peaceful life. Please, Master, my son is only a little over a year old... sob sob..."
Which ghost wants to die? Especially a ghost who died in an accident, who doesn't think their lifespan isn't over? Who doesn't want to stay in this world?
Yuan Qi remained unmoved and asked her calmly, "Where is your physical body?"
Cuihua wept uncontrollably: "My body has long since rotted away..."
Yuan Qi felt no sympathy for her whatsoever. Regardless of whether her lifespan had ended or not, she had brought this upon herself, so she had no one to blame but herself for dying.
"Your body is rotting, how can you return to life? Go to the underworld in peace. If you don't want to go, I can make you vanish into nothingness."
Yuan Qi looked at Wang Douhua, who was furious, and said, "Prepare an incense table. I need to ask the ghost messengers to take her away."
Cuihua was unwilling to give up. She stared at Wang Qiushu with resentment, but unfortunately the Celestial Master was there, so she couldn't do anything to Wang Qiushu.
Wang Douhua quickly prepared an altar, and Yuan Qi lit a specially made incense stick, chanting incantations. Before long, he summoned the ghost messengers.
The ghost messenger was a long-time employee of the underworld. He recognized Yuan Qi and spoke to him very politely, just like a subordinate would to a superior.
Wang Douhua and Wang Qiushu were so surprised they couldn't speak. They had finally seen something amazing; there really were ghost messengers in the world!
It turns out that the saying "Heaven is watching from above" is not without merit.
"It's probably not appropriate for this person to remain in the world. I'd like to trouble you, Brother Ghost Messenger, to take them back." Yuan Qi stated his request directly, without any politeness.
The ghost messenger saw Cuihua and bluntly pointed out, "You've probably swallowed quite a few ghosts, haven't you? Come with me to the underworld for judgment!"
Cuihua felt that Yuan Qi had lied to her. Her son was bound by the Soul-Hooking Chains and couldn't even move freely. She questioned Yuan Qi indignantly, "You just said you would give me a back door and let me be reborn into a better family. You didn't keep your word!"
"I did say that, but there were conditions, didn't you? Did you promise me back then? You made a deal with me, asking me to revive you, instead of just agreeing to my conditions directly."
Yuan Qi took out the two pieces of gold foil paper that were left over from last time from his cloth bag, folded them into two perfectly shaped gold ingots, and offered them to the two ghost messengers, saying politely, "Thank you for your trouble."
The ghost messenger saw the gleaming gold ingot and happily accepted it.
Yuan Qi glanced at Cuihua indifferently, waved his hand, and let the ghost messenger take her away.
Wang Qiushu watched Cuihua and her son leave with his own eyes, and only then did he feel relieved. Once Cuihua was gone, the rest would be much easier.
Wang Douhua is easy to coax.
Wang Douhua refused to look at her husband, remaining sullen and resentful.
Seeing that Wang Qiushu looked like he was about to be drained of his energy, Yuan Qi felt that he deserved it and had no desire to get involved in this matter.
"Two taels of silver," Yuan Qi said, holding out his hand to Wang Douhua.
Wang Douhua was stunned for a moment, then realized that people didn't catch ghosts for nothing. She turned around and went into the bedroom. A short while later, she came out with a piece of silver and handed it to Yuan Qi with both hands.
Yuan Qi instructed the two: "Although Cuihua has been taken away by the ghost messengers, you still have to do what you are supposed to do. Dig out her body and find a good place to bury her. Burn more paper money for her, otherwise you will not be able to pay off this karmic debt."
Wang Qiushu's legs went weak upon hearing this: "Little Taoist priest, Cuihua committed suicide by jumping into the well because she was angry with me. I burned paper money for her. If I die and go to the underworld, will King Yama hold me accountable for this?"
Yuan Qi mocked him, "You may be a scumbag, but you're not stupid at all. What you've done, you've done. Understand?"
Wang Qiushu was a smart man. Didn't that mean that once he had done something wrong, no amount of making amends could change the sins he had committed? Besides, Cuihua had served him selflessly for so many years and even bore him a son.
"Then how can I lessen my karmic debt?"
"Do more good deeds; perhaps that will offset some of the damage." Yuan Qi turned and left.
Wang Qiushu saw Yuan Qi off with a complicated expression.
After returning, Wang Douhua began to pry: "Cuihua has been secretly following you for so many years, why didn't you tell me?"
Wang Qiushu sighed, "Madam, it wasn't me who made her follow me. When our Wang family fell from grace, we dismissed all the servants, and even those who had signed life contracts were given their freedom. I also told Cuihua not to follow me; I was so poor I couldn't even afford food, let alone servants. It was really her who kept pestering me..."
Wang Douhua didn't believe it at all. She glared at him venomously and scolded, "If you were determined to get rid of her, would she have followed you so shamelessly? In the end, it's because you're greedy. You have to pay for the sins you've committed!"
Wang Qiushu kept praising his wife and making repeated promises. Several days later, Wang Douhua finally forgave her husband.
The couple dug up the remains of Cuihua and her son, buried them, burned a lot of paper money, and even hired someone to perform a ritual to help them pass on to the afterlife. But that's another story.
It was getting late, and by the time Yuan Qi returned to Shaoyao Residence, it was already dark.
At the entrance, she encountered Jiang Jiulu, who was getting off the carriage.
Jiang Jiulu was listless, with her head down, and didn't pay any attention to Yuan Qi.
Yuan Qi noticed that something was wrong with her. Normally, even if Jiang Jiulu was unhappy, she would still greet her and make a few jokes when she saw her. But she had been acting strangely these past few days.
"Fifth Sister, where have you been?"
Jiang Jiulu then looked at her, tears streaming down her face, unable to hold back her sobs.
"Who bullied you?" Yuan Qi asked again.
Jiang Jiulu choked up and said, "I went to the Fifth Prince's residence, but he wouldn't see me. He doesn't like me anymore. Seventh Sister, what should I do?"
This looks like someone has been bewitched by a love potion.
Yuan Qi was quite surprised. He grabbed her arm and secretly took her pulse. Sure enough, as she expected, she was so infatuated with the Fifth Prince Xiao Zhen. Could it be that Xiao Zhen had planted a love potion on her?
Yuan Qi could tell how powerful the Love Gu was just by looking at how deeply she was absorbed in it.
"Fifth Sister, next time you go to see His Highness the Fifth Prince, can I go with you?"
Jiang Jiulu nodded obediently: "Seventh Sister has a lot of influence. Maybe if you come with me, the Fifth Prince will be able to see me."
She was deeply moved and held Yuan Qi's hand, saying, "Seventh Sister is still the best to me. Second Brother and Third Brother only know how to scold me and don't let me go to the Fifth Prince, so as not to embarrass them."
Yuan Qi felt that Jiang Jiulu was still conscious, but her mind was being controlled by the Gu worms.
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