Chapter 10: Snake Ghost

Inside the courtyard, Ming Huashang was wearing a silver-red round-necked, large-fronted jacket, an apricot-colored rabbit fur jacket, and a red and white pleated skirt. She was leaning on the couch, looking listless.

The guard who went out to get information came back and said, "My lord, this winter is cold, and there is a lot of snow on Mount Mang. Last night, the snow mountain collapsed, blocking the only way down the mountain. Princess Taiping and King Wei have sent people to clear the way, but it has just snowed, and the mountain road is very difficult to walk on. In addition, the accumulated snow is in danger of collapsing at any time. I am afraid that the mountain road will not be cleared in a short time."

The charcoal fire burned all night, leaving only a few sparks hidden in the remaining embers, and the room was very cold and quiet. Ming Huashang shrank back and tried her best to put her hands into her sleeves.

At four o'clock in the morning, there was a sudden loud noise from Mangshan, and an avalanche occurred without any warning. The sound startled many people, and even though it was dark and windy, lights were turned on in the manor one after another.

After hearing about the avalanche, Ming Huashang wanted to go back to sleep. The road was already blocked, and there was no point in doing anything else. Why not focus on the most important thing at the moment - sleeping? However, Ren Yao sat up as soon as he heard about the avalanche. Ming Huazhang and Xie Jichuan in the next room had already woken up. Ming Huashang could only resist the urge to get up.

People from every household kept running out to inquire about the news, and by noon, the situation was finally settled.

The way down the mountain was blocked. Now there were only two choices: either risk freezing to death and find another way in the ice and snow, or stay in Feihong Garden and wait. No one could leave.

When Ren Yao heard that it was still a long way to go, he said angrily, "What a bunch of rubbish! You can't even shovel snow? Where is the avalanche? I'm going to see it!"

"Sister Ren, calm down first." Ming Huashang huddled in her clothes, her face mostly covered by fur, revealing only a pair of dark eyes. "One cannot fight against nature. Right after an avalanche is the most dangerous time. If you go out rashly, you might get buried under the snow. It's better to think about something practical with this little time."

"For example, with so many young men and women, servants and guards trapped in the mountains, I don't know how much food and charcoal they will consume in a day. Does Princess Taiping have enough supplies?"

After Ming Huachang finished speaking, the room fell silent. They were all nobles and grandchildren who had been pampered and had never worried about food and clothing since they were born. Even Ren Yao only worried about his family's title and never considered his livelihood.

Ming Huazhang spoke first, "I just sent someone to ask the steward of Feihong Garden. This place is built on a mountain, so it is inconvenient to travel. They have a habit of hoarding food. In addition, Princess Taiping is going to hold a grand banquet, so the food was stored before the New Year. There should be no worries about food and drink in the short term. As for charcoal, it is a problem. After I heard about the avalanche, I immediately asked someone to ask the steward to get charcoal, and also asked someone to move the charcoal from my and Xie Jichuan's guest house. Fortunately, we went early, and I'm afraid it's hard to support it now, but if we use it sparingly, it shouldn't be a problem to support it for seven or eight days."

Ming Huashang was surprised: "Second brother, have you made all the arrangements?"

Xie Jichuan joked, "Second sister, what do you think we were doing last night when we woke up so early?"

Ming Huashang rubbed her hands and said embarrassedly, "I was short-sighted. I only thought about sleeping at that time. Zhaocai, go and get all our food and cakes out."

Zhaocai responded crisply and quickly brought out a row of food boxes. Xie Jichuan glanced at the neatly stacked food boxes and laughed: "Are these all food?"

"Yes." Ming Huashang was quite proud, and puffed out his chest and said, "I was afraid that the dishes at the banquet would not be enough, so I specially brought a lot of food. Don't worry, even if the reserves in the villa are used up, we can still hold on for a few more days than others!"

Xie Jichuan couldn't help laughing, and a rare genuine smile appeared in his eyes: "Thankfully, my second sister has prepared me for the rainy days ahead. From now on, I will rely on her."

Ming Huazhang glanced at Xie Jichuan coldly. Xie Jichuan saw it and immediately moved towards Ming Huachang: "Look, second sister, he is glaring at me again. If he doesn't give me food later, you have to take charge of it for me."

Ren Yao's cheeks wrinkled. He couldn't imagine that this was something that the Xie family, who was famous for their noble character, could say. Ming Huazhang glanced at Xie Jichuan unhappily and said, "Shu Li, go add a pot of charcoal fire."

Ming Huashang asked hurriedly, "Second brother, are you cold?"

Ming Huazhang glanced at Ming Huachang's pale face and said, "I don't use charcoal much in winter. I'm used to it. But you can't."

Ming Huashang was surprised. She didn't know Ming Huazhang had this habit. "Why?"

Ming Huazhang didn't like to publicize his own affairs. Xie Jichuan smiled and said, "Because he felt that warmth and pleasure would corrupt his will, so in order to stay sharp, he didn't use ice in the summer or charcoal in the winter, and he didn't even sleep on a soft bed."

Ming Huashang opened her mouth wide, deeply shocked. Seeing her big reaction, Xie Jichuan asked, "Do you and your brother live in the same house? He has been like this for so many years, don't you know?"

Ming Huashang silently lowered her chin. She really didn't know. She recalled her life in the winter months when she was sleepy in spring, tired in autumn, napped in summer, and couldn't wake up. She despised herself deeply.

Especially when Ming Huashang looked around, she found that Ming Huazhang was strong and self-disciplined, Ren Yao practiced martial arts all year round, and Xie Jichuan tried to praise Ming Huazhang, but he himself was sitting in the cold room in just a single layer of clothes, not shivering at all. It can be seen that the Xie family probably also requires using the cold to cultivate their children's willpower.

Of the four people present, she was the only one who was frozen like a dog.

Ming Huashang was a little depressed. Why were her peers always so outstanding? At this time, she noticed that the servant brought a pot of burning charcoal and placed a box of cakes next to it. Her nose moved and she immediately smelled that it was plum cake from the Chengnan Cake Shop.

Ming Huashang lifted the lid, and sure enough, it was the plum blossom cake she was familiar with.

Ming Huashang looked at Ming Huazhang in surprise. Ming Huazhang was a little embarrassed and coughed softly, saying, "You've been thinking about it. I asked someone to buy it for me when I passed by."

Xie Jichuan's eyebrows twitched, and he looked at Ming Huazhang meaningfully: "Although I don't eat snacks very often, I have heard that this shop is hard to get a seat in. Why can't I buy anything when I pass by?"

How could Ming Huashang not know that this was specially arranged for her by Ming Huazhang? She happily took out the plum blossom cake and distributed it to everyone with a smile: "Thank you, Second Brother! Brother Xie, Sister Ren, you woke up so early in the morning and haven't eaten anything yet. Come and try the most fashionable craftsmanship in Luoyang!"

Ming Huachang passed the cake to Xie Jichuan, her eyes curved like crescent moons, and Xie Jichuan didn't know what to say. He took the delicate plum blossom cake and thought that although Ming Huachang was cold, his sister was really good at dealing with people and had a perfect ability to read people's expressions.

After Xie Jichuan took it, Ming Huashang handed it to Ren Yao. Ren Yao was indeed a little hungry after being frightened all morning, but she smelled the faint sweetness and subconsciously wanted to refuse: "I don't eat sweet things..."

"It doesn't hurt to give it a try. Maybe it will suit your taste." Ming Huashang stuffed the cake into Ren Yao's hand. "With the avalanche and being trapped, I'm afraid the villa will be in chaos for a long time. Who knows if the kitchen will prepare breakfast. Let's prepare some food in advance so that we can have the energy to think of a solution later."

Ren Yao was stunned when the cake was forced into his hand. In recent years, she has been practicing martial arts like a tightly wound string, not daring to slack off for a moment. She wanted to prove that she was no worse than a boy, so she certainly shouldn't like girly things like rouge, powder, cakes and sweets.

But now Ming Huashang stuffed her with a very "feminine" cake, small and pretty, with beautiful petals, and a sweet fragrance that burrowed into her nose like a hook. Ren Yao firmly believed that she liked swords and spears, not this kind of flower and fruit cake, but it seemed inappropriate to throw it back. She told herself that it was just for the sake of social etiquette, and reluctantly put the plum blossom cake into her mouth.

It's really delicious, no wonder it's hard to buy.

After Xie Jichuan and Ren Yao had their bites, Ming Huashang looked at their satisfied expressions and was happier than she herself. She looked at Ming Huazhang with sparkling eyes full of expectation. Ming Huazhang could not refuse and could only take a piece to indicate.

Ming Huashang became more and more happy, and ordered Zhaocai in a loud voice: "Zhaocai, take out the pine flower tea we brought. The pine flower is refreshing and is just right for the fragrance of plum blossoms."

Ming Huazhang didn't know what to say when he heard this: "You bring your own tea when you go out?"

Ming Huashang was about to proudly proclaim the many benefits of her homemade pine flower tea when she suddenly heard chaotic footsteps outside, followed by someone banging on the door: "Oh no! The fierce ghost is here to claim our lives! Another person has died!"

Ming Huazhang, Ming Huashang and the other two hurried to the scene. Ren Yao took a deep breath and pointed ahead in shock, "Look, what is that!"

It was cold and snowy, the grass and trees were withered, and only bare trunks were left. At first glance, the colors were very monotonous. But at this moment, a bright red pierced the dark winter. A woman in red was hanging on the tallest tree. Her face was covered with white frost, and her body was tied into a weird shape by thorns, swaying with the wind. The most terrifying thing was the two bloody holes on her face.

Her eyes were also cruelly gouged out.

Ming Huashang suddenly focused his eyes, carefully identified the woman's appearance, and then looked at Ming Huazhang nervously: "Second brother, this is..."

Ming Huazhang also recognized her. She was Princess Taiping's personal maid. They had met her once yesterday when they went to pay their respects.

The crowd gathered at the edge of the woods, making a lot of noise and excitement. People had died one after another within two days, and many people couldn't stand it anymore and clamored to go down the mountain.

Ming Huazhang ignored the shouting people and walked forward through the crowd. Ming Huashang was startled and instinctively grabbed his sleeve.

Ming Huazhang shook his head slightly to her, indicating that it was all right, and then strode towards the body. The crowd that had been noisy just now suddenly became quiet, and everyone looked at Ming Huazhang as if they had seen a ghost.

Ming Huazhang was unmoved. He walked around the body and looked carefully. Then he said to Xie Jichuan, "Xie Jichuan, come and help. Let's put her down first."

Xie Jichuan stood in the crowd, looking reluctant: "You don't have to think about me for this kind of thing."

Just as Xie Jichuan was about to lift his feet, a shadowy figure rushed out from behind the crowd: "I'll do it, I'll do it!"

It was the dandy from Jiangling. Although he was uneducated, he was very bold. Xie Jichuan naturally took back his half-step. Ming Huashang was watching from behind and asked, "Brother Xie, aren't you going?"

Xie Jichuan smiled gently and said, "I will stay here to protect you and Madam Ren."

Ming Huashang glanced at Ren Yao, who was stiff but pretending to be fearless, and said, "Thank you, brother. I'll go find my second brother to see if there's anything I can do to help."

Ming Huashang finished speaking and walked towards the snow with her cloak in hand. Ren Yao took a deep breath and couldn't help but ask, "How did these brothers and sisters grow up? Aren't they really afraid of something so bloody?"

Xie Jichuan smiled softly and said inaudibly, "Yes. I thought they were nothing alike before, but now it seems that they do have some similarities."

Jiang Ling's brain was not good, but his physical strength was not bad, so he could be used. Ming Huazhang directed Jiang Ling and finally put the woman down steadily on the ground.

The body fell to the ground, and the onlookers retreated again, with fear and disgust on their faces. Only Ming Huazhang seemed to feel nothing, half squatting in the snow, slowly turning over the woman's clothes.

Jiang Ling loves excitement and adventure, but he also felt creepy when he saw the empty eye sockets of the woman. He rubbed the goose bumps on his arms and felt a little pity: "Miss Wei Zi is so beautiful, especially her eyes, which are like talking eyes, but they were dug out. Alas, what a pity."

Ming Huazhang looked up when he heard this: "Do you know her?"

"Yes." Jiang Ling said, "She is one of the most capable maids of His Highness Taiping and she often goes to the Princess's residence. Who doesn't recognize her?"

Ming Huashang came over and heard Jiang Ling's words, and asked, "Have you seen her recently?"

"I saw her once when my baby and I first entered the kindergarten." Jiang Ling blinked and suddenly realized, "You don't doubt me, do you? They said it was a snake ghost that committed the crime, how could it be me?"

Ming Huashang also blinked innocently and asked, "What do you mean by a snake ghost committing a crime?"

Seeing that Ming Huashang didn't know yet, Jiang Ling approached her mysteriously and said in a low voice, "It is said that someone brought something unclean into the villa, and the snake ghost possessed a person and is looking for a scapegoat at the banquet. Do you know the snake ghost?"

Ming Huashang shook her head. Jiang Ling looked at Ming Huashang's eyes, which were clearly black and white and had beautiful curves. He was full of desire and talked nonstop, "It is said that in Fangzhou, Jiangnan West Road, there is dense miasma and snakes everywhere. Many pedestrians are bitten to death by snakes. The people who are bitten to death by snakes have resentment in their hearts, and gradually they become snake ghosts, trapped in the miasma and unable to escape unless they find a scapegoat. So when you are rushing in the mountains of Fangzhou, you must not raise your head when you meet a beauty. If you don't look at her, you still have a chance of survival. Once you look into her eyes, you will be bitten to death by the snake and become her scapegoat."

Jiang Ling deliberately lowered his voice at the end to create a terrifying atmosphere. However, the beauty in front of him was unmoved, just said "Oh" and asked: "Will I die if I see my eyes?"

"Yes." Jiang Ling said, "Didn't you see Chi Lan yesterday and Wei Zi today? They both lost their eyes? I don't know which bastard came back from the miasma and was possessed by a snake ghost without knowing it. After the ghost entered Luoyang, it was taken to Feihong Garden by the guests. The snake ghost found Chi Lan as a scapegoat. After Chi Lan died, he was still full of resentment and found Wei Zi. Who will Wei Zi find next?"

Ming Huashang thought the rumor was too bizarre to be believed, so she asked, "How did you know about Fangzhou? Did you make it up?"

Jiang Ling was looked down upon and angrily said, "How could the young master lie to me! Didn't you hear that there was a line of bloody words under Chi Lan's body yesterday? That was the snake ghost looking for a scapegoat!"

Ming Huashang was still doubting, but Ming Huazhang, who had not spoken for a long time, stood up and said coldly, "He didn't lie. It was indeed a ghost from Jiangnan West Road."

Ming Huashang and Jiang Ling were both startled and turned to look at Ming Huazhang. Ming Huazhang pointed at the body on the ground and said, "The thorns that bound her were black thorns, which are a specialty of Jiangnan West Road and do not grow in the capital."

The crowd also heard what Ming Huazhang and the other two said. Even Ming Huazhang said it was true, and the crowd became even more panicked. Suddenly, someone pointed at the tree trunk and said in horror: "That line of words..."

The crowd dispersed with a roar. Ren Yao turned around and found blood clotted on the tree trunk behind him. It said: "Anyone who looks at me will die."