Chapter 34: Calming the Storm
The incident was like a thunderclap, sudden and catching everyone off guard.
Daoist Master Ling Xu’s expression changed instantly, his panic evident.
Xue Qingzhi, after a brief moment of shock, reacted, “Where is he?”
“Elder Brother!” Xue Qingxiu’s voice arrived before he did.
Everyone watched expectantly as he limped forward, supported by two servants.
“Mother!”
“Elder Brother!”
His last glance fell upon the tearful Madam Qian and their two children, then he grinned.
“I thought I would never see you all again…”
His eyes were red, his voice trembling slightly. His clothes were torn, and his hair was disheveled, but his eyes shone brightly with the relief of survival, making him appear even more spirited than before he disappeared.
“My son!”
The Old Madam was the first to cry out.
“Father!”
Tenth Young Lady and Little Xue Yi rushed forward, hugging their father tightly. Only Madam Qian buried her face in the Nanny’s shoulder, sobbing silently.
Xue Qingzhi’s eyes also welled up as he looked Xue Qingxiu over from head to toe:
“Third Brother, what exactly happened?”
“It’s a long story…” Xue Qingxiu said, his gaze slowly sweeping over the surroundings. He frowned slightly, “Elder Brother, what’s going on at home? Why is there a Daoist priest here?”
Everyone turned to look at Ling Xu.
The air seemed to freeze.
Xue Qingxiu’s return from the dead was a slap in the face to Daoist Master Ling Xu, completely exposing his lies.
Not to mention the current farce, even his past predictions of Xue Yuechen being an “Eight Auspicious Star” and Xue Sui being a “Seven Malignant Star” were now cast into doubt.
Xue Qingzhi narrowed his eyes, glancing at everyone, unsure how to explain the tangled mess.
“Third Master,” Ru Yi quickly curtsied, seizing the initiative and speaking with righteous indignation.
“This damned Daoist priest was clearly instigated by some Demons and Monsters. He came to our mansion spouting nonsense, claiming Third Master’s soul was devoured by some strange entity, and that our Sixth Young Lady is a Seven Malignant Star destined to bring misfortune to her family. He insisted that First Master should banish Sixth Young Lady from the mansion…”
Xue Qingxiu sneered and looked at Ling Xu.
“You damned Daoist, you couldn’t even tell if I was alive or dead, yet you claim to know the killer? Speak, who ordered you!”
Ling Xu had never anticipated such a turn of events. His eyes darted about in panic, and he clasped his hands repeatedly, completely flustered.
“Perhaps the heavenly secrets were mistaken. I bid you farewell, this humble Daoist bids you farewell.”
He tried to slip away, but Xue Qingxiu wouldn’t let him.
“Want to leave? No way. Someone, seize this nonsensical, damned Daoist priest and tie him up. I’ll pluck out his tongue if I have to.”
Xue Qingzhi, intimidated by Daoist Ling Xu’s reputation and past events, didn’t want to stir up more trouble. However, Xue Qingxiu was a troublemaker who cared nothing for consequences.
He signaled the guards, and Daoist Ling Xu and his two disciples were all tied up.
“Sixth Girl, tell me, how should we deal with him?” Xue Qingxiu looked at Xue Sui. “Should we break his hands and feet, or pluck out his tongue and hand him over to the authorities? Whatever you say, Third Uncle will do!”
He acted as if he were avenging Xue Sui, leaving the Xue family members exchanging bewildered glances.
Xue Liu hadn’t been back to the mansion for long and clearly wasn’t familiar with her Third Uncle. How could he be so biased towards her?
Moreover, everyone had personally witnessed Ling Xu performing his ritual, with the talisman paper burning and the peach wood sword pointing at Xue Sui.
Xue Lan snapped back to reality from his shock and immediately retorted.
“Third Uncle, you didn’t see it just now. It was truly guided by an immortal, and the talisman paper revealed the truth. How could that be faked?”
Xue Sui glanced at his face as if he were an idiot, then calmly gestured to Xiao Zhao.
“Go, and learn the Daoist priest’s magic.”
Xiao Zhao had been itching to try for a while.
The Old Mausoleum Swamp was full of Heretical Paths and trickery.
It wasn’t unusual for talisman paper to catch fire, let alone a house.
She strode forward, unceremoniously snatched the ritual implement from Ling Xu’s disciple, Qing Xuan, grasped the peach wood sword, and mimicked Ling Xu’s movements. She dipped the sword in water to write a charm, then flung it into the air. With a “poof,” the talisman paper ignited with an eerie flame…
Xiao Zhao turned back with a smile, her wooden sword drawing a rainbow-like arc, pointing directly at Ling Xu.
“Break!”
“Seal!”
“It was him. The killer was him!”
The courtyard erupted into chaos.
How could such a young maid possess such skill?
The Old Madam exclaimed, “Sixth Girl, what is going on?”
Xue Sui smiled, “A mere trick. When talisman paper is coated with phosphorus, it ignites on its own. It’s a common trick used by street charlatans, nothing profound.”
Everyone’s gaze was fixed on her. At this moment, Xue Liu didn’t seem like the wild girl who had returned from the dirty, chaotic shabby alley. Even a young lady raised in a prestigious family wouldn’t possess her composure, dignity, and grace.
“This Daoist priest was prepared. Perhaps it’s related to the case handled by the Jingzhao Prefecture. Why not search him and his disciples? We might find some evidence…”
Xue Qingxiu’s eyes lit up. “That makes sense!”
He then signaled his attendant, “Search!”
When this Third Master Xue acted up, no one in the mansion could stop him. Although Xue Qingzhi felt searching was inappropriate, Daoist Ling Xu had erred first, and Xue Qingxiu had no intention of discussing it, proceeding immediately. Thus, he could only turn a blind eye and let him have his way.
The attendant was quick and efficient. After a moment of searching Ling Xu, he pulled out a silk scarf from his robes.
“Master, look quickly. What is this?”
Everyone peered closer and was stunned.
He was a man of the Dao, yet he carried a woman’s personal item?
Xue Qingxiu quickly snatched it and unfurled the silk scarf for everyone to see.
Embroidered on it were elegant characters:
“Xue Hong.”
He raised an eyebrow, a hint of amusement in his eyes, and handed the silk scarf to Xue Qingzhi.
“Elder Brother, please examine it.”
Xue Hong was the maiden name of First Madam Fu Shi.
Xue Qingzhi felt a “buzz” in his head, as if struck by a heavy hammer. After a moment, he regained his senses and abruptly turned to stare at Xue Sui, his gaze like that of a venomous snake ready to strike, filled with shock and suspicion.
“What is going on?!”
That attendant was, of course, someone from the Old Mausoleum Swamp.
From accompanying Xue Qingxiu to Qiong Tower, to definitively identifying the body at Jingzhao Prefecture, to returning with the news and searching, it was all a planned sequence.
Unfortunately, Xue Qingzhi, being cunning and experienced, was not as foolish as the others in the Xue Mansion. Moreover, Ling Xu was a renowned master of the current era. He not only didn’t believe it easily but instead became suspicious of his own daughter, whom he had found from the Old Mausoleum Swamp…
Xue Sui smiled at him, “First Madam is truly thoughtful.”
The few words were like thunder, leaving Xue Qingzhi and even the Old Madam with no time to attend to anything else.
They both knew that Xue Yuechen’s becoming Princess Consort Duan was largely due to Daoist Master Ling Xu’s pronouncement of her being an “Eight Auspicious Star,” which had molded her into a woman destined for greatness.
They had more pressing matters to worry about.
Xue Sui was not afraid at all.
The stage was set, and this was certainly not the only act.
Xue Sui approached the Old Madam, supporting her trembling body, and smiled sweetly.
“Grandmother, it seems the Shaman’s words were trustworthy after all. The flowers bloomed, and Third Uncle is indeed alive.”
The hidden worries in Old Madam Cui’s heart flickered away. Seeing her youngest son alive, the wrinkles on her face smoothed out, and she wept and laughed.
“You’re right, Sixth Girl. Later, help me donate more merit money to properly thank this benefactor.”
She then pulled Xue Qingxiu, examining him from head to toe, and tearfully asked the question on everyone’s mind.
“My son, where have you been these past two days? Your mother missed you so much, her eyes are almost blind from crying.”
Xue Qingxiu couldn’t bear to see her distress. He cast a glance at Xue Sui and, following their pre-arranged story, began to tell everyone.
“That day, I was at Qiong Tower, dining with some friends. When I went out to use the latrine, I was suddenly gagged and lost consciousness, knowing nothing more…”
“When I woke up, I found myself in a squalid bandit den. From their conversation, I gathered they had kidnapped me to extort ransom from Elder Brother… As soon as I heard that, I knew I couldn’t let this stand! My elder brother is the Minister of Justice, how could he be threatened by such petty criminals?”
He straightened his back, his eyes filled with determination and pride.
“While they were drunk and sleeping it off, I killed their leader, burned down their mountain stronghold, and fled.”
“That mountain was called Lao Jun Mountain. The bandit leader there had previously attempted to assassinate the Crown Prince. However, the mountain path was treacherous and winding, the terrain unknown, and there were hidden mechanisms and secret passages, making it impossible for the authorities to locate their hideout. Fortunately, your son was clever. I captured a messenger, forced him to guide me, memorized the key passes, and upon exiting the mountain, found a nearby military camp. I led soldiers up the mountain and annihilated the remaining bandits in one fell swoop.”
He spoke with great animation, then hugged his mother tightly and laughed heartily.
“Mother, your unremarkable youngest son is about to achieve great merit!”
Old Madam Cui wept and laughed, immensely proud of her son.
The other members of the Xue family listened as if hearing a story, their faces filled with disbelief.
Madam Qian, however, instantly held her head high. Wiping her tears with her handkerchief, she began to praise her husband.
“From now on, let’s see who dares to gossip behind our backs and call our Third Branch useless… Killing the bandit leader, burning the bandit mountain, eradicating the bandits, our Third Master has achieved so much, such great merit! Who among you dares? Who dares?”
Regardless of the truth, everyone had to offer congratulations.
Xue Lan, having seen many files at the Supreme Court, had never encountered anything so bizarre.
Amidst the joyous celebration, it was he who raised a question.
“But if Third Uncle is back, then who was the person who fell from Qiong Tower, and why were they wearing Third Uncle’s clothes?”
Xue Qingxiu glared at him. “Are you saying you were hoping it was me who died?”
Seeing Xue Lan’s face turn pale, he let out a heavy snort and pointed at the Daoist Ling Xu, who was kneeling on the ground.
“Perhaps this Demonic Daoist was behind it! He knows how to perform rituals, so conjuring a living person should be simple! Elder Brother, we can’t let this Demonic Daoist off easily!”
Xue Qingzhi glanced at his mother, his gaze carrying a subtle, meaningful depth.
“Ultimately, Ling Xu’s matter only concerns the Xue family. Since it’s a family affair, let’s first confine Ling Xu and his disciples to the woodshed, and I will interrogate them thoroughly later…”
Having believed Ling Xu’s words back then and mistreated Sixth Girl, he could overlook that. Coupled with the First Young Lady’s “Eight Auspicious Star” prophecy and that silk scarf, he dared not imagine Consort Xiao’s reaction if she found out, nor how he would be ridiculed by his colleagues and pointed at on the street.
He didn’t want to cause further complications or have the matter spread.
But fate had other plans. Just as the servant received the order, the gatekeeper announced.
“First Master, Prince Duan and Princess Consort Duan have arrived at the mansion…”
Xue Sui: Dear readers, is it exciting? If it is, please let me see your voices…
