Chapter 40: A sudden turn of events
——
Three hours ago, at noon.
Xueqing cautiously walked out of Guixiang and headed towards a narrow alley opposite where few people passed by. There was a street between Guixiang and the alley opposite. Although pedestrians were in a hurry, no one paid attention to Xueqing.
Before entering the alley, she paused for a moment before walking towards it.
The man hiding behind the stall watched Xueqing walk into the alley, and followed her after about half a minute.
The alley was filled with groceries stacked against the wall, making it even more cramped once you walked in. The man walked briskly past the groceries and headed inside.
When he reached the end of the alley, the man glanced at the walls on both sides, then easily stepped on the debris and jumped over.
At the end of the alley is a courtyard.
The courtyard was still cluttered with debris, but at this moment there were sounds of children's laughter.
Xueqing glanced at the child holding a bamboo dragonfly in the courtyard, then looked at the old man sitting opposite.
"Master Zhihui, this is the case. Madam has already laid all the necessary groundwork and is just waiting for you to come forward and close the net today." Xueqing said.
Taoist Zhihui was somewhat hesitant: "I wonder what result Madam wants?"
"If it can make people neither live nor die, that would be the best."
Hearing this, Taoist Zhihui frowned: "That means you can neither live nor die."
"Yes." Xue Qing raised an eyebrow. "The reputation of the person Madam wants to deal with has plummeted in Bianjing. It would be best if he lives like a madman from now on."
"Crazy?" Taoist Zhihui's expression changed slightly. He had done this kind of thing many times over the years, but this was his first time entering the mansion of a high-ranking noble in Bianjing. He felt a little apprehensive. "Madam, have you made all the arrangements? Don't you have any worries?"
"Don't worry, Taoist priest. What you are worried about will not happen." Xue Qing promised solemnly.
Taoist Zhihui raised his eyebrows and said, "Since Miss Xueqing has said so, I will come forward to save this evildoer."
When Xue Qing heard the word "evil obstacle", her eyebrows curved slightly: "Then I'll trouble you, Taoist Zhi Hui."
Taoist Zhihui fixed his eyes on his grandson playing in the courtyard and said, "Miss Xueqing, after I have taken care of this matter for Madam, I will travel around with Aye."
"Not going back to Longxi?" Xue Qing raised her eyebrows.
Taoist Zhihui shook his head: "Everything has its cause and effect. It's time for me to stop."
Taoist Zhihui had made a lot of money over the years by using some unconventional tricks. He had wanted to stop a long time ago, but this time he had to take action because of Shangguan Yao.
He also knew that it was not easy for the noble families in Bian Jing to harm others. As long as he could do this well, he would retire and travel around the world with his grandson.
"Since Madam is so confident, then I am relieved." Taoist Zhiwei also believed that since Shangguan Yao could come up with such a method, it must be foolproof. He said, "If you want to make someone crazy as if they are possessed by an evil spirit, just take the powder I prepared."
Xueqing watched as Taoist Zhihui took out a packet of medicine powder from his sleeve and took it.
"After taking it, it will take effect in half a cup of tea." said Taoist Zhihui.
Xue Qing frowned: "After half a cup of tea, he will go crazy?"
Zhi Hui shook his head: "No, I need to smell the unique scent of this poor Taoist's peach wood sword before it will attack."
Hearing this, Xueqing understood that if he suddenly went crazy after taking the medicine, it would definitely arouse suspicion, but if he went crazy after the Taoist priest showed up, it would confirm that he was indeed possessed by an evil spirit.
"Miss Xueqing, please be careful when you open it. It would not be good if the powder gets into your body," Taoist Zhihui reminded.
Xue Qing smiled faintly: "I understand, Taoist."
Taoist Zhiwei advised: "Just let him drink or smell half a cup of tea, and I will take care of the rest."
"Okay." Xue Qing stood up. "Master, just arrive at the Marquis of Yongyi's residence after 3 p.m., and Madam will find the right time for you to come forward. Madam will make all the arrangements before you show up. The rest is up to you, Master."
Taoist Zhihui stood up to see her off: "Miss Xueqing, take care."
After seeing them off at the gate, Xue Qing continued, "As long as the Taoist priest does what Madam wishes this time, he will definitely receive some benefits."
Taoist Zhihui smiled faintly: "Miss Xueqing, you are too polite. It is my honor to serve you, Madam."
"Goodbye." Xue Qing nodded and left.
After Taoist Zhihui closed the gate, he looked towards the children in the courtyard and said, "Aye, come here."
Upon hearing this, Zhiye picked up the bamboo dragonfly that had just fallen to the ground and walked towards Taoist Zhihui: "Grandpa, what's the matter?"
"Aye." Taoist Zhihui squatted down and said, "Grandpa is going out for a while and will be back in an hour at most. Can you wait here obediently for Grandpa to come back?"
Zhiye nodded: "Don't worry, Grandpa. I will wait for you to come back obediently just like before."
"Grandpa will take you out for some delicious food when he comes back like he always does, okay?"
The child nodded.
Taoist Zhihui touched Zhiye's head, stood up and said, "Go play." Then he walked towards the main house.
The man on the roof watched Xue Qing leave and his eyes fell on the courtyard again.
When the children in the courtyard were engrossed in playing, the man jumped down, glanced at the main house, rolled to the pile of debris, and then quietly entered the wing room on the left.
It was not until three quarters past noon that Taoist Zhihui came out from the main house, having changed his clothes.
"Aye." Zhihui shouted.
Seeing that there was no one in the courtyard, he was about to shout when he heard the voice of a child in the right wing: "Grandpa, I'm here."
Taoist Zhi Zhihui, who was about to go to the left wing, turned sideways and walked towards the right wing.
He opened the door and saw his grandson playing with nine rings. He said, "Grandpa is out. There's food in the main house. Don't leave the yard. Got it?"
"I understand, Grandpa. Go ahead."
Taoist Zhihui watched his grandson concentrating on playing with the Nine Rings in his hand, and then closed the door.
He locked the door before leaving.
There was no other sound in the right wing except the sound of the nine-ring chain colliding. The child was so engrossed in playing that when the door was opened again, he thought it was his grandfather who had just left and came back.
"Grandpa, Ye'er is fine, go and do your thing."
But there was no response from the door, instead the footsteps were getting closer and closer.
Just as the child turned his head, he saw a strange face with scars. The child fell directly to the ground, and the nine-link chain in his hand fell to the ground with a crisp collision sound.
Just as Zhiye was about to call for help, his mouth was covered, and the fear in his eyes almost overflowed.
Gu Xun sneered: "As long as you are obedient, I won't hurt you."
Zhiye nodded.
Gu Xun loosened his grip. He noticed Zhiye was starting to tremble. Without a trace of pity in his eyes, he took out a dagger from his waist, pointed it at Zhiye's nose, and asked, "What was the powder your grandfather just gave to that woman?"
Zhiye shook his head in fear.
Gu Xun snorted coldly: "You're lying at such a young age?"
Tears welled up in Zhiye's eyes: "I really don't know. Grandpa never lets me touch his things."
"Then do you know where your grandfather's medicine powder is kept?" Gu Xun asked again.
The child was stunned but didn't say anything.
This means knowing but not wanting to tell.
Gu Xun pointed the dagger in his hand directly at the child's nose and said coldly: "I don't have time to play with you here. I will really take your life."
The pain of the knife tip piercing his skin made the child tremble violently. He said, "I, I, I know."
——
The main hall of the Yongyi Marquis's Mansion became surprisingly strange. Those who had originally said goodbye and wanted to leave were forced to stay because of Xie Rongying's words.
If someone uses the stories of ghosts and gods to harm someone, or even causes Shangguan Yao's death, it would not be an exaggeration to send this charlatan to the government.
No one knew what was happening to Shangguan Yao at the moment, but everyone stared at the pool of blood on the ground and knew that the baby in Shangguan Yao's belly could not be saved.
Seeing that Jiang was still in a daze, Xie Rongying continued, "He started telling everyone that I was possessed by an evil spirit, saying that happiness could suppress evil spirits and that he wanted to perform a ritual on me to expel the evil spirit from my body."
"Later, Shangguan Yao suddenly went insane, and you said it was Shangguan Yao who was possessed by an evil spirit. So, all the daughters-in-law of the Marquis of Yongyi's mansion are being targeted by evil spirits, and they'll take over the bodies of whoever they want. Who sent you to ruin Shangguan Yao and my reputation?"
Xie Rongying's eyes were too calm, and her words were clear: "Being possessed by an evil spirit is really not a good name. If the rumor gets spread more and more, and everyone in Bianjing knows that the two newly arrived daughters-in-law of the Marquis of Yongyi have been possessed by evil spirits and have even killed someone, then in the end, will Shangguan Yao and I be burned to death?"
Everyone listened to Xie Rongying's words and began to analyze them carefully.
It was rumored that Xie Rongying had murdered Mr. Jiang Liu of the Earl of Yongqin's Mansion who died in the Kaifeng prison.
But if you think about it more carefully, you will know that anyone can enter the Kaifeng prison?
What's more, Mr. Jiang Liu was escorted to Kaifeng Prefecture by the guards of Princess Zhaozhen, who was practicing Buddhism with her hair uncut at Kaibao Temple. Could Xie Rongying possibly order the guards of the princess around?
The recent remarks in Bian Jing are too absurd, and many people just listen to them and forget about it.
As for the rumors that Xie Rongying's personality had changed drastically, the people present had never come into contact with Xie Rongying.
Most of the onlookers believe everything they hear. If they really want to find out the truth, they are afraid of getting into trouble, but at the same time they want to know how dirty the situation behind the Yongyi Marquis Mansion is.
So, when Xie Rongying talked about the recent rumors, the onlookers also stopped and took a look.
"Not talking?" Xie Rongying raised her eyebrows and stared at Taoist Zhihui without blinking.
Taoist Zhihui didn't know how to start at all, as if no matter what he said, he would be doomed.
At this moment, Mrs. Li, who was guarding the front yard of the East Garden, came up dragging a maid.
"Let me go, let me go!"
When Mother Yuan saw that the maidservant being dragged by Li Pozi was her daughter, her expression changed. She strode forward and pushed Li Pozi: "What are you doing!?"
"Mom, mom, save me." When Yuan Liu saw Yuan's mother, he immediately grabbed Yuan's mother's clothes.
Jiang's face darkened again. Today's jokes in the Yongyi Marquis' Mansion are endless!
Mrs. Li was more sturdy than Mrs. Yuan, so Mrs. Yuan's push was of no use at all. Instead, Mrs. Li dragged Yuan Liu and threw her in front of Xie Rongying.
Mother Yuan also stumbled and fell to the ground.
"Young Madam, this bitch sneaked into your room and took away the key to the warehouse." said Mrs. Li.
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