Summon his soul
In fact, Mrs. Pei had come here a few days earlier.
Pei Songsheng had taken several days off, so how could Taifu Pei not know about it? He wanted to come over and ask about the situation, but the father and son had a really unhappy quarrel on Mrs. Pei's birthday, and he couldn't bring himself to ask about it, so he told his wife about it.
When Mrs. Pei heard that her son was ill, she was naturally anxious and went to visit him the next day.
Cheng Yayin was worried that her mother-in-law would be unaware of the truth and would irritate Pei Songsheng. She also didn't want to let her know that her son had read some not-so-respectable books, which led to his mental disorder. She also couldn't let her know that the book was written by her daughter-in-law. Therefore, she made an excuse that Pei Songsheng was working late at night and missed a step when he came out of the study, and fell on his head. In addition, he caught a cold at night, so he was not very clear-headed. The doctor said that the situation was not serious, he just needed to be exposed to the wind, and he would be fine after resting for a while.
Even so, as a mother, how could she feel at ease if she didn't check on her son when she heard he was ill? She glanced at Pei Songsheng through the curtain. At that time, Pei Songsheng had received Cheng Yayin's instructions and was lying on the bed with his eyes closed, pretending to be unconscious. Mrs. Pei couldn't ask her son about it, so she could only earnestly ask her daughter-in-law to take good care of him.
From then on, Madam Pei frequently visited the mansion. Even without Cheng Yayin's warning, whenever she arrived, Pei Songsheng would automatically feign illness and be unable to see anyone. This was because he mistook himself for Yang Zhilan, and his mother for Yang Zhilan's harsh and strict mother. If he were awake, she would undoubtedly question him and make a fuss, and his sister-in-law would inevitably be blamed.
In terms of defending Cheng Yayin, Pei Songsheng and Yang Zhilan are exactly the same. Cheng Yayin thought with mixed feelings that she really didn't know whether to thank Pei Songsheng, who was unconscious at the moment, or to thank herself for writing about Yang Zhilan.
After accompanying Mrs. Pei to see the unconscious Pei Songsheng, the two walked into the yard. Mrs. Pei had a worried look on her face, which made Cheng Yayin feel guilty.
If she hadn't taken Pei Songsheng to Fanle Tower, he wouldn't be in this state now, and she wouldn't have to conspire with him to deceive his mother. Her mother-in-law had always been kind to her, but she was making her sleepless and uneasy. Cheng Yayin felt so sorry for it that she even wanted to confess.
Unexpectedly, Mrs. Pei, seeing her worried look, patted her arm and said comfortingly, "You don't have to worry too much. I came here today because I found a way to save Mo Xing."
"Ah?" Cheng Yayin was puzzled.
Madam Pei pulled out a handful of talismans from her bosom. "Moxing has been unconscious ever since. It must be because he lost his soul that day he fell. As long as his soul doesn't return, he won't recover. Shenglong Temple in Shengjing has always been very successful in summoning souls. I went to the temple early this morning and asked for these talismans for Moxing. The talismans at Shenglong Temple are always effective. If you follow the instructions, Moxing's soul will be summoned back."
Cheng Yayin asked in confusion, "What method?"
Madam Pei stuffed all the talismans into Cheng Yayin's hands. "There are seven talismans. The Taoist priest at Shenglong Temple said that the person's first wife must hold the talismans and circle the house seven times. Then burn the talismans in the southeast corner of the house. Do this for seven consecutive days, and the soul will be summoned back. You and Moxing are of the same mind, so you are the most suitable person to perform the ritual."
Cheng Yayin looked at the talisman in her hand with doubt, and wanted to tell Mrs. Pei very much that her son was not soul-lost, but had damaged his brain while trying to protect her, and had become mentally confused because of reading her books. This was a man-made disaster, and even if the gods came, it would be useless to be afraid.
But looking at Mrs. Pei's eager look, she really couldn't say it.
Perhaps once people get older, they tend to become closer to gods and Buddhas. Her mother was the same. Although she had never been a devout Buddhist before, after she fell seriously ill, she left home and went to a Buddhist temple to practice asceticism for three years, praying for the family. She has not returned since then.
So, although Cheng Yayin didn't believe in gods or Buddhas, she deeply understood the elders' wishes for their well-being. If it could reassure Madam Pei, she would do it. After all, it was she who caused the disaster, and it would be a blessing to bring some good fortune to Pei Songsheng.
Cheng Yayin held up a talisman and said, "I understand. My wife will do as you say."
According to Madam Pei, this method of summoning the soul must be performed after midnight, when the moon is at its zenith, to avoid disturbing the soul. No one should be around when it is circling the house.
It would take nearly half an hour to walk seven laps of the huge Pei Mansion. Cheng Yayin felt a little nervous before she even finished the first lap.
The moonlight was dim that night, the stars were dim. Thin clouds drifted across the pitch-black sky, shrouding the moon's shadow like a veil. Although lamps were lit throughout the mansion, the servants had been ordered not to leave. The silence was deserted, and the chirping of insects and night owls seemed even more abrupt. Cheng Yayin, walking alone with a lantern in hand, was often startled and given goosebumps.
Cheng Yayin held a talisman in her hand, not daring to look around. She just focused on the ground below. Although she was in her own home, every tree and blade of grass that she had been used to seeing for three years seemed extremely unfamiliar. The shadows of the trees swayed when the night wind blew, and the shadows cast under Cheng Yayin's lamp were like ghosts waving their claws.
Cheng Yayin shook her head, throwing those strange imaginations out of her mind, and just wanted to finish the seven laps as quickly as possible.
In the quiet courtyard, only her footsteps could be heard. As the night deepened, the cold and gloomy air around her seemed to grow heavier. When she reached the third circle, she didn't know if it was her illusion, but there seemed to be an extra pair of footsteps behind her, following her closely.
Cheng Yayin felt uneasy and listened carefully for a while to make sure it was not an illusion. There was indeed footsteps behind her. She looked at the shadows on the ground. Originally there was only her and the shadows of the surrounding grass and trees, but now there was another figure. Its appearance was difficult to make out in the dim light, but it was following closely behind her.
Cheng Yayin's scalp tingled for a moment, but she remembered that she was holding a Taoist talisman, which at least had some effect in exorcising evil spirits. She immediately clenched her fist and threw a punch backwards, but was dodged. Pei Songsheng's voice echoed in the darkness: "Don't be afraid, sister-in-law, it's me."
Hearing the familiar voice, Cheng Yayin was startled. She picked up the lantern and looked over. It was indeed Pei Songsheng.
"You scared me to death." Cheng Yayin breathed a sigh of relief and said while stroking her chest in shock.
"Sorry." Pei Songsheng took a step forward and walked side by side with Cheng Yayin. He reached out and took the lantern from her hand to light the way forward for her.
After calming down, Cheng Yayin asked, "Why are you here so late?"
Pei Songsheng was silent for a while before he said, "I heard that my sister-in-law was going to summon her husband's soul. I felt a little uneasy and wanted to come and accompany her."
His tone was low, and Cheng Yayin tilted her head to look at his face. Although it was half hidden in the darkness and she couldn't see clearly, she could sense his gloom. It seemed that when he heard "calling back the soul of my husband", he assumed that this "husband" was his non-existent brother and was feeling jealous.
Cheng Yayin smiled inwardly and didn't send him back. Having another person by her side did make her feel much more at ease. Besides, she was here to summon his spirit, so having him by her side didn't count as breaking the rules.
The two walked side by side, separated by an arm's length. Pei Songsheng held a lantern to light the way for Cheng Yayin, saying as they walked, "I have never believed in supernatural powers. Things like bringing good luck and summoning spirits are all nonsense. Big brother's body is just like this in this life. No matter what magic or remedies he uses, it will be useless. My parents blindly believed these nonsense and trapped my sister-in-law in the courtyard, torturing her in every way. I am really sorry for you."
Cheng Yayin agreed deeply and acted like Yao Wanniang, saying a few sad words like "It's my bad luck" and "I owed you, the Yang family, in my previous life, and I'm here to repay you in this life." Pei Songsheng fell even more silent after hearing this. He escorted her all the way around the seven circles, accompanied her to burn the talismans, and walked her to the door of her room. Before leaving, he suddenly said solemnly, "I'll find a way."
What solution do you have?
Cheng Yayin was confused, but had no time to think about it. She was coughing and just wanted to go back to her room and rest as soon as possible.
The next morning, Lan Yue came to report that Boss Xia had sent someone to ask her to come over again.
Cheng Yayin then remembered that Xia Changhuan had heard the news the morning after the incident at Fanle Building. He was so frightened that he immediately sent someone to ask about her situation. She was worried about Pei Songsheng's injury at the time and had no time to care about other things, so she didn't explain in detail. She believed that Xia Changhuan must have been extremely worried during these days, but their acquaintance was not open, so she couldn't visit him in person, so she could only secretly send people to invite her several times.
Cheng Yayin was busy with many things in the past few days and had no time to pay attention. In the past two days, except that Pei Songsheng was still unconscious, his injuries had almost healed, so she took the time to go to Zhijin Bookstore.
Zhijin Bookstore was the ancestral Xia family business, but the old man's mismanagement left Xia Changhuan and his younger brother with only a dilapidated and shabby shop. Fortunately, Xia Changhuan had shown a remarkable talent for business since childhood. After her father's death, she ventured into other businesses, earned enough to start a family business, and then returned to the bookstore, making drastic changes to the old system and rebuilding it. Today, Zhijin Bookstore has expanded far beyond its original location. Besides making ink and selling books, it also boasts pavilions and quiet rooms for guests to host poetry gatherings and enjoy quiet reading. Of course, the price is quite high.
In today's peaceful and prosperous times, the whole world respects literature. There are many wealthy and idle people who like to pretend to be cultured in the homes of the nobles in Shengjing City. With these people around, Zhijin Bookstore will never have to worry about having no way to make money.
On the second floor of Zhijin Bookstore, there was a quiet room reserved for Cheng Yayin. When she entered, Xia Changhuan had received the news in advance and had already prepared her favorite tea and snacks. When he saw her, he hurried over to look around her, and only breathed a sigh of relief after confirming that she was fine.
"My dear aunt, you don't know how scared I was when I heard something happened to you in Fanle Tower. I sent people to inquire about you, but the people around you were vague about what to say. I was so anxious that I almost wanted to come to your house myself."
Xia Changhuan said this in an exaggerated tone, helping Cheng Yayin sit down on the couch, pouring her a cup of tea, and half-jokingly said, "My Wenquxing, Goddess of Wealth, if anything happens to you, my bookshop will lose a lot of income. Please take care of yourself for the sake of running a small shop."
Cheng Yayin glanced at her with a smile: "You money-grubber, it's hard for you to miss me so much."
After saying this, she held up the tea and looked worried again: "I'm fine, but I feel sorry for my husband. He is still confused because of protecting me."
Xia Changhuan knew all about her affairs. There was nothing to hide from her, so she simply told her everything. It relieved her worries and made her feel much better.
Xia Changhuan was surprised: "There are actually such things in this world."
She thought for a moment and said, "This reminds me of a night watchman near my home when I was little. He'd accidentally run into something while beating the night watch, and when he woke up he'd gone mad. He kept claiming he was the reincarnation of Zhong Kui, and he thought everyone around him was an evil spirit. He'd catch ghosts and exorcise demons whenever he saw one. It was terrifying. The doctor also said we shouldn't point it out directly, but should guide him step by step. It's a bit similar to your family's situation."
"What happened next?" Cheng Yayin asked hurriedly, anxious to know whether the man had recovered.
Xia Changhuan recalled, "Later, thanks to the man's clever wife, she would tell him strange stories every day, incorporating into them the memories of their past together. She would also prepare his favorite foods and dishes every day, and gradually, he recovered."
After saying that, she looked at Cheng Yayin and said, "That's a good idea. You might as well give it a try."
Cheng Yayin's eyes dimmed after hearing this. This method was good and not difficult to do, but for her and Pei Songsheng, it was as difficult as climbing to the sky.
First, she and Pei Songsheng had no history to share, and secondly, she didn't know what Pei Songsheng liked. Ever since she met Pei Songsheng, she felt that this person was gentle and indifferent to everything.
Speaking of her favorite dishes, she remembered that soon after she got married, she discovered that the meals served every day in the Pei Mansion were all her favorites. She was surprised that the chef in the mansion knew her taste so well. Later, she heard from Lan Yue that Pei Songsheng asked the two maids about her preferences and specially asked the kitchen to prepare them.
This marriage was originally arranged by Pei Songsheng. Cheng Yayin took the position of his wife and was taken care of by him. She felt bad about it, but it was not easy to ask him directly. So she asked Lan Yue to tell Jian Zhu that in the future, the kitchen in the mansion would not have to always cater to her taste, but should also cook more dishes that the adults liked.
Unexpectedly, Jian Zhu sighed after hearing this and said that his master had no interest in food and only ate to fill his stomach.
After further questioning, I learned that Pei Songsheng had been taught by Tutor Pei since he was a child that "a gentleman should be broad-minded." Not only was he required to have a wide range of knowledge in his studies without bias, but he was also not allowed to have any preference in his daily life. If he took two more bites of a dish, that dish would never appear on the table again.
When Cheng Yayin first learned about this, she was stunned for a long time. She thought the Cheng family's education was strict enough, but she didn't expect that Tutor Pei's education of his children was even more inhumane.
Pei Songsheng was not born with such a calm temperament. All his vibrant branches had been pruned away. Master Pei had indeed cultivated a capable minister with no distractions, but he also made it impossible for people to find a way to open the door to his heart when he was lost in his thoughts.
Cheng Yayin returned home with a worried look on her face. As soon as she entered the house, she saw Jian Zhu coming over nervously. He said that he didn't know what happened to Pei Songsheng today. He asked him to prepare a lot of silver and money and buy a lot of things. It looked like he was packing to go on a long journey. When she asked him, he didn't say what he was going to do. She didn't allow him to follow her and he had been out for a long time and didn't come back.
Cheng Yayin had no clue either, and was so anxious that she asked someone to go out and look for him. Later, the man came back by himself, and locked himself in the room, and no one answered no matter how much she knocked on the door.
Cheng Yayin thought that his current brain was beyond the reach of ordinary people. He might have just remembered something and his mind was in a mess, so she stopped disturbing him. As a result, when they were walking around the house at night, he followed her again.
Cheng Yayin looked at his expression and confirmed that he was still Yang Zhilan, and she couldn't help feeling a little disappointed.
She asked, "What happened to you today? You left without a word, and when you came back you were nowhere to be seen."
Pei Songsheng didn't answer her, but when he approached the gate of the mansion, he looked around vigilantly, and then said to Cheng Yayin, "The gate is unguarded now. Sister-in-law, take this opportunity to go out. First go to Tongren Inn near the city gate. When the curfew is lifted at dawn, you can set off for home."
Cheng Yayin asked in surprise: "Go home?"
Seeing her slow reaction, Pei Songsheng anxiously grabbed her wrist and led her to the door, saying, "Don't worry, sister-in-law. I've already prepared all the necessary travel expenses and luggage. I've left them with the innkeeper at Tongren Inn. All you have to do is mention my name. I've also arranged for the carriage and the porters. I'll definitely escort you back to Lihe safely."
Lihe?
Cheng Yayin remembered that Yao Wanniang's hometown was in Lihe, but that was just a casual writing by her. In fact, it was a border area, thousands of miles away from Shengjing.
She grabbed the door and said in fear, "You want to... exile me?"
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