The Cat Demon Case (Part 1)
It was not until Li Nu from Mudan Tower appeared that she recognized that face from afar: her elder sister, Lu Ning.
But Lu Ning didn't recognize her. She had confirmed that Li Nu also had the same birthmark as Lu Ning, which spread from behind his ear to the back of his neck, but the body was not Lu Ning's.
Lu Ning eats poorly, has a poor body, and is thin, but Li Nu has big breasts, a fat butt, and a thin waist.
Yuanli knew everything that happened afterwards.
Yuanli didn't know how to tell her that Lu Ning's head was not taken away by the cat demon, but he voluntarily sacrificed himself to the cat demon, and his soul turned to ashes.
When Nianhua talked about this past event, it was obvious that she was not having a good time either, but her emotions only fluctuated when she talked about Lu Ning. When she talked about her own part, it was as if she was retelling the story of a stranger.
"A prescription, ten herbal remedies, and two old hens, and I sold myself to Mother Yu when I was twelve years old. I started taking clients to make money when I was fourteen."
The helplessness and sadness hidden in Nianha's smile when she said this lingered in Yuanli's mind for a long time.
But the doubt lies in that after the sacrifice, the body the monster obtains is the same as the original owner's, and its size cannot change, nor can it change back to its original form at will before fulfilling the original owner's last wish.
Tianshu said that it only takes a hundred years for a cat demon to become a spirit, and for such an ordinary demon, it is lucky enough to ensure that its demon core is not stolen. It is impossible for it to change into its original form at will after taking over another body.
Then, there is only one possibility.
After asking for about an incense stick of time, Yuanli finally figured out all the doubts in her heart.
She placed Nianha in a side room in the backyard, where there were many people coming. After the cat demon incident was resolved, she could send her out of the imperial capital.
After leaving the backyard, Yuanli looked at the walls everywhere, trying to see where Chu Xiao was, but the clouds covered the moon and the night was dark, so Yuanli could not see clearly.
In spring, all things come back to life. The chirping of insects and birds in the grass and woods are infinitely amplified by the surrounding silence, and the night wind makes the leaves rustle.
Yuanli always felt that something was staring at her in the darkness.
The images of the ghost friends who used to coexist with her in the underworld appeared in her mind, and Yuanli became more and more frightened and hurried her steps.
Suddenly, there was a dull sound of something heavy falling to the ground behind her, mixed with heavy breathing. Yuanli stopped and stood there in a daze, not daring to look back.
"Are you looking for me?"
A faint voice mixed with breath came into her ears from behind, giving Yuanli goosebumps all over her back. She was so scared that she rushed out in a flash.
The thing did not let her go, but followed her closely, running whenever she did.
It was not until she ran into her own yard that Yuanli mustered up the courage to look back and confirm that there was no one behind her. But when she turned around, she was caught off guard and ran into a warm embrace.
She subconsciously stepped back, but was embraced by his arms. The moment her eyes met his, she felt instantly safe.
"Why are you running? Is there a dog chasing you?"
As soon as Qi Heng finished speaking, Chu Xiao ran out from the darkness at an inopportune moment. He had deliberately suppressed his voice to be light and ethereal, intending only to scare him for fun, but who knew his wife would be so frightened.
Chu Xiao bowed and apologized, "I was just having fun and scared my wife. I'm sorry."
"Chu Xiao, deduct three months' salary."
Chu Xiao accepted the punishment and disappeared over the wall. Qi Heng clasped his hands together and rubbed and stroked the back of her hands to warm them, then went to the bedroom without saying a word.
Under the moonlight, Yuanli stopped and pulled his hand closer, "Ah Heng, can you please not fine Mr. Chu's salary?"
"If you do something wrong, you should be punished. If A Li is willing to pay the fine for Chu Xiao, I will not deny it."
Owing to Chu Xiao's favor, A'li was willing to pay his fine. But after finally saving enough money to start a small temple, and considering Master Chu's monthly stipend must be quite a bit, A'li still wanted to try her luck.
"My monthly salary isn't much, and Ah Heng doesn't have to rely on my little change to survive. Can I exchange it with you for something else?"
"That depends on whether what A-Li gives me is to my liking."
Yuanli nodded and moved closer, waving at him, "Heng, bend down so you can see more clearly."
When he bent down obediently, Yuanli quickly kissed him on the cheek. Her heart was pounding and a blush immediately appeared on her face. Qi Heng was stunned and then couldn't help smiling.
"Is March's salary enough?"
"If I say it's not enough, Ari, do you plan to kiss me tonight until I say it's enough?"
Yuanli suppressed her shyness and whispered softly, "That's an extra price."
The spring breeze blew across her flushed cheeks, feeling cool. Qi Heng stood against Yuanli like a husband-waiting stone, looking at her and smiling foolishly.
The next morning, Qi Heng got up earlier than her and sat at the desk, reading the book as usual. The two medicine bowls in front of him were empty, and the remaining medicine was still warm.
Seeing her coming, Qi Heng immediately put down his book and strode towards her with a refreshed and energetic spirit. "Breakfast has just been served. Eat it while it's hot."
As soon as he took him to the table and sat down to eat a few mouthfuls, Qi Heng said, "In the future, if you need anything, can you tell me first?"
Upon hearing this, Yuanli stopped the hand that had just raised the spoon in front of her mouth. She looked at him almost at the same time he said it, with an inexplicable feeling in her heart.
After exchanging a few glances, Yuanli forced a smile and agreed, "Okay, I won't delay Master Chu's work in the future."
"That's not what I meant. I just want...to be needed by you."
Qi Heng's voice was clearly lacking in confidence when speaking the last half sentence. For a moment, Yuanli almost thought she had misheard, and there was a mixture of disbelief and joy.
"Okay, if I encounter any problems in the future, I will come to you first."
After saying that, Qi Heng put on a light smile and nodded at her. He kept her in the house all day long, until she fell asleep.
The resourceful Dali Temple Minister's excuses were full of loopholes.
The Night God seemed to be in a cheerful mood tonight. The entire night sky was clear and cloudless, dotted with stars. The bright moon illuminated the entire courtyard even brighter than usual, comparable to when candles were lit.
When she returned to her room, Yuanli slowed down her pace and sat alone under the towering peach tree in the yard. She looked at the clear moon in the sky and prayed, "Gods and Buddhas, please have mercy on me and bless Ah Heng to be safe and healthy, and live a hundred years without worries."
This wish had been in her mind since she was born, praying to the "God's will" who intervened in their fate.
Only when her coat was stained by the coolness of the night did she get up and walk towards her bedroom.
When she stepped over the threshold, Yuanli felt an inexplicable warmth on her body. When her cold fingers touched her coat, the chillness disappeared.
The teacup on the table was still warm, with a sachet next to it and a letter under it. There was no words on the cover, but the inside was slightly bulging with stuff.
When the letter arrived, a large piece of yellow paper was spread out. On it was a strange and complicated formation, and below it were written in red ink the names of the materials, quantities, and notes.
The yellow paper is ordinary, but once it is spread out a little, the whole room begins to be filled with a familiar fragrance, coming from the red ink and the unique scent of the red spider lily in the sea of flowers in the underworld.
Cha Suxun, I've been here.
She picked up the teacup beside her and took a sip, confirming the source of the formation. The tea was a pleasant temperature, which only meant that he was still there when the door opened.
After calling A-Cha a few times tentatively and getting no response, Yuanli had no choice but to give up, wash up, and go to bed to try to sleep.
When did she start to lose the memory of Cha Suxun? It seemed that the longer she stayed in this world, the more blurred his image became in her memory. Now, all that remained was his silhouette, his back to her, against the light.
He seemed to be avoiding her again, even hiding the glimmer of his true self that she had illuminated for him. This time, she couldn't guess why.
With the formation sent by Cha Suxun, Yuanli summoned Xiang Yao and Chu Xiao to discuss how to deal with the situation without waiting for Qi Heng's condition to improve. Only then did she know that Chu Xiao was the eldest son of the General of Cavalry.
Fortunately, before nightfall, the General of Cavalry and the city guards imposed a curfew on the entire imperial capital except the imperial palace.
The common people were locked up in their homes, so they had no worries about dealing with the cat demon.
After coaxing Qi Heng into drinking the medicine, Yuanli found a way to feel sleepy and tired, went back to her room, slipped out of the house, and headed straight for the Peony Tower.
Apart from the small boats parked on the shore, the only thing floating in the middle of the river was the lonely Peony Tower, without a single candle lit in the entire building.
Yuanli had just picked out a black-sailed boat she liked and was about to row closer when Chu Xiao pointed to a peony-shaped boat and said, "That's the only passenger boat that belongs to the Peony Tower. It's said that ordinary boats can't get close to the Peony Tower. If you get within a hundred meters of the building, you'll accidentally fall into the water and can't ride. If you want to get close to the Peony Tower, you can only take a peony boat."
"Master Chu has become superstitious now?"
"This isn't hearsay. Within ten days of the Mudan Building appearing, the authorities received reports of five drownings. Mudan Building has evidence proving its innocence. It's best to be cautious."
After thinking it over again and again, Yuanli felt that it made sense. Xiangyao stepped on it first to test its firmness. Only when he saw that there was nothing wrong did he get off the boat and invite her on board.
However, just as Yuanli sat down and Xiangyao and Chu Xiao had not yet boarded the boat, the Peony Boat docked at the Peony Tower on its own. Chu Xiao's feet suddenly slipped and he almost fell into the water. Fortunately, Xiangyao grabbed the corner of his clothes.
Yuanli sternly ordered towards the shore, "Xiang Yao Chu Xiao, guard the shore. I will go alone."
The dark river was bottomless. The peony boat was steadily moored next to the rope ladder on the side of the peony building. She had just climbed onto the deck and looked back when the peony boat had already drifted away.
Now that things have come to this, there is no turning back.
She took out a lighter from her waist and lit the half-burnt white candle in the candlestick beside the table. Yuanli touched the white dragon bracelet in her sleeve tightly, and the dragon's tail hooked her hand slightly to comfort her.
According to the notes on the yellow paper, Yuanli opened the brocade bag and took out the small jar inside. She silently lifted the lid and hid it in her palm.
After walking around the deck of the Mudan Building to make sure it was safe, Yuanli pushed open the door and entered. As soon as the door was opened, thick white smoke poured out, covering her ankles.
The building was pitch black, and Yuanli held the lamp cautiously and walked carefully.
When she reached the center of the house, a cold wind blew past with a howling sound, and all the open doors and windows in the Peony Building were closed with a "bang". Yuanli turned around abruptly but it was too late.
In panic, the sound of stringed instruments rang out, the strong smell of cosmetics filled the room, and more than a dozen figures flashed past her quickly.
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