Chapter 329 An Ominous Person
Zhou Congxian's heart sank.
The butler was panting heavily and could barely utter a complete sentence.
"It's...it's the old lady..."
"The old lady... she suddenly... fainted while she was chanting sutras in the Buddhist hall!"
Zhou Congxian felt a loud bang in his head, and his vision went black instantly.
Grandmother... has fainted?
How could this be...?
The butler's cries continued, each word like a heavy hammer blow to his heart.
"The imperial physician has been summoned to the manor, but now... now he is unconscious!"
Unconscious...
Zhou Congxian's heart trembled violently.
"Young Master, you should go back and take a look!"
The butler pleaded tearfully, "The old lady...she kept calling your name!"
Zhou Congxian stood frozen in place, as if the blood in his body had frozen.
Meng Shilan's heart sank to the bottom.
Looking at Zhou Congxian's deathly pale face and his eyes that had instantly lost all their luster, she felt an overwhelming pang of heartache.
She stepped forward and grasped Zhou Congxian's cold hand.
Her hands were warm, like a warm current trying to melt the ice around him.
“From the obvious.”
"Let's go back."
As Zhou Congxian looked at her, the ice in his eyes finally began to crack.
He turned his hand around and gripped her hand tightly, his knuckles turning white from the force.
Two swift horses, like arrows released from a bow.
They sped off toward the Duke of England's residence.
Before even reaching the door, Zhou Congxian dismounted with swift and decisive movements.
Three horse-drawn carriages were parked at the entrance.
The three Zhou family daughters who had gotten married all returned.
Zhou Congxian's face was as cold as ice, and he took a step to rush inside.
"Young Master!"
An old but powerful voice suddenly rang out, blocking his way.
Madam Gao, accompanied by two maids, stood like a wall, completely blocking the entrance.
Zhou Congxian paused, his brows furrowing even more deeply.
"Mrs. Gao, what do you mean by this?"
Gao's mother curtsied to Zhou Congxian, but her tone was devoid of any warmth.
“Young Master, you are certainly allowed to go in.”
"But young mistress, please forgive this old servant for being so bold, but we cannot go in for the time being."
The moment these words were spoken, the surroundings fell silent.
Zhou Congxian's face instantly turned so gloomy it seemed like it could drip water.
"What did you say?"
His voice was already filled with barely suppressed anger.
"Mrs. Gao, do you know who you're talking to?"
However, Gao's mother remained composed and stood tall.
"Of course this old servant knows."
"This old servant has served the old lady his whole life. Now that the old lady is on the verge of death, this old servant will risk his old life to ensure that no ominous person gets even half a step closer to the old lady!"
"An ominous person?"
Zhou Congxian laughed angrily, "I'd like to hear who the ominous person is!"
Gao's mother met his gaze without fear.
"Your Highness, this old servant is not speaking nonsense."
She turned to the side, revealing a wandering monk behind her, dressed in a gray robe and holding prayer beads.
The monk was about forty or fifty years old, with a thin face and slightly closed eyes, looking like a wise and enlightened person.
"We have consulted all the famous doctors in the capital, but they are all helpless. This old servant is extremely anxious, so I invited a master to come and chant scriptures to exorcise evil spirits for the old lady."
"The master said..."
"Nonsense!" Zhou Congxian shouted sternly.
"Amitabha."
The monk Liaochen finally opened his eyes and uttered a Buddhist chant.
“Every word I have said is true.”
He looked at Meng Shilan and said, "This female benefactor has a noble destiny and is a person with abundant blessings."
"It's just a pity..."
He then changed the subject.
"It's a pity that after wandering outside for many years, I've been tainted by too much of the world's hostility and resentment. These energies linger and have become malevolent."
"The last time the young mistress came to the manor, the old lady's health began to deteriorate, and now she is seriously ill and unable to get out of bed."
"This is no coincidence."
"It is the evil aura emanating from the young mistress that clashes with the old lady's good fortune and longevity!"
A collective gasp of astonishment immediately filled the air.
"So that's how it is..."
"I said the old lady had always been in good health, how could she suddenly..."
Meng Shilan stood at the door, and whispers came from all around her.
She gently tugged at Zhou Congxian's sleeve.
“From the obvious.”
She called his name softly, her voice devoid of any emotion.
Zhou Congxian turned to look at her and saw that she was calm. In her clear eyes, there was no grievance or anger, only a bottomless calmness.
"Filial piety comes first, and grandmother is of utmost importance."
She looked at him and said, word by word.
"Grandmother is seriously ill, you go in first."
"It doesn't matter whether I can get in or not."
Her words were reasonable and watertight.
This both fulfilled Zhou Congxian's filial piety and demonstrated his own stance.
Zhou Congxian looked at her, his eyes churning with emotions—heartache, anger, self-blame… almost overwhelming him.
He knew that she had chosen to face the entire mansion of swords and spears alone for his sake.
His Adam's apple bobbed. "This is not something you should suffer. Let Xiaoman take you back."
Meng Shilan shook her head. "I'll wait for you."
The whole of Beijing is watching.
She ruled the country with filial piety, but now that she's gone, impeachments against Zhou Congxian will be flying everywhere tomorrow.
It was just waiting at the door; how could she not feel uncomfortable?
Thinking of this, she gave him another push.
"Go inside quickly."
After Zhou Congxian left, Gao's mother looked at Meng Shilan and a barely perceptible sneer appeared on her lips.
Without the young master's protection, let's see how arrogant you can still be!
Meng Shilan met her gaze with a calm expression.
Her gaze swept across Madam Gao's face, and finally landed on Madam Zhao, who was quietly watching everything from inside the second gate not far away.
Zhao stood under the eaves, her figure half in the light and half in the shadows.
She remained silent, like a detached spectator, enjoying a pre-arranged drama.
Meng Shilan lowered her eyes slightly; in this situation, she had no way to retreat.
If she turned and left, it would be because she felt guilty, confirming her reputation as a "nemesis," and she would also be branded as disrespectful to her elders and indifferent to the life or death of Zhou Congxian's grandmother.
If she were to force her way in, it would be a grave act of filial impiety, a disrespect to her elders, and would push Zhou Congxian into a desperate situation where he could neither be loyal to his parents nor fulfill his filial duties.
Therefore, she cannot leave, nor can she venture out.
She stood there quietly, her plain dress fluttering slightly in the cold wind, her figure slender yet resilient like a bamboo shoot.
The monk took another step forward.
"Amitabha."
"This humble monk does have a method that may be able to pray for the old lady and dispel the evil aura surrounding the young lady."
Meng Shilan looked up at him, her gaze cold and aloof.
"Please speak, Master."
The monk pointed to the open space outside the mansion gate.
"Please set up an incense table here, young mistress."
"Kneel before the table and sincerely copy the Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva Sutra eighty-one times for the old lady."
"With the young mistress's sincerity, she may be able to move heaven and earth and perhaps find a way to save the old lady's life."
Kneeling at the door, copying scriptures?
Or is it ninety-nine eighty-one times?
This is not a blessing; it is a blatant insult!
She wanted the whole capital to see how Meng Shilan knelt before the Duke of Ying's mansion like a criminal!
Mrs. Gao immediately understood and a satisfied smile appeared on her face.
"Someone come here!"
She shouted.
"Hurry up and prepare writing brush, ink, paper, inkstone, incense burner, and cushions for the young mistress!"
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