Chapter 33: Storm Brewing
The news of Daoist Master Lingxu’s visit to the mansion spread through the Xue Mansion in the blink of an eye.
This was because he had cast fortunes for the young ladies of the Xue Mansion years ago, a fact known to all.
Young Ladies Xue Yue’e and Xue Yueman, being still young, couldn’t hide their excitement and spoke animatedly.
“Eldest Sister is the reincarnation of the Eight Auspicious Star, that’s what this Daoist Master Lingxu calculated.”
Otherwise, Consort Xiao might not have chosen Xue Yuechen from the many beauties in the capital to be the Princess Consort of Prince Duan.
With Eldest Sister having climbed to a high position, they also felt honored, and their contempt for Xue Sui grew even stronger.
“What a pity, our mansion also has a Seven Killings Disaster Star…”
Xue Yue’e deliberately drew out her words, speaking sarcastically, and cast a sidelong glance at Xue Sui.
“A jinx, a bringer of misfortune, she caused trouble as soon as she returned home, and Third Uncle died for no reason. She deserves to be disliked.”
Xue Yueman chimed in, “Now that Daoist Master Lingxu is here, the murderer will be exposed!”
The two chattered incessantly, as if the “disaster star” they spoke of was like the rotten mud in a pond, a foul substance that would stink up anyone who touched it, and that being their sister would tarnish themselves…
“Sixth Sister’s flowers were bought in vain. This is not the blessing brought by Third Uncle, I think it’s a plague god!”
All eyes in the room fell on Xue Sui’s face.
Yet, she smiled faintly, as if she hadn’t heard a word, her lips curved slightly, and in her deep black eyes, there seemed to be a burning flame, shining brightly.
Xue Yuelou frowned, seeing her restraint and forbearance.
“You two should say less! Neither of you is Daoist Master Lingxu’s stomach worm, so wise, why don’t you go become nuns?”
She, who usually couldn’t even make a sound with a stick, was speaking up for Sixth Sister today?
Xue Yue’e and Xue Yueman exchanged glances and laughed mockingly.
“If I were Second Sister, I wouldn’t meddle in other people’s business. I’d focus on being a good wife and have Brother-in-law come pick me up soon, so I wouldn’t have to stay at my maternal home for too long and be laughed at for no one inviting me.”
“All of you, shut up!” Old Madam Cui’s expression grew uglier with each word. She suddenly leaned on her cane and stood up, shouting angrily.
“Anyone who dares to gossip further will face the family law!”
Only then did Xue Sui speak, “Grandmother, please don’t be angry. Eighth Sister and Ninth Sister are young and a bit mischievous. I won’t hold it against them.”
Old Madam Cui looked at her, sighed heavily, and swept the flowers to the ground.
–
Daoist Master Lingxu did not come alone; he brought two young disciples who carried an ancient copper cauldron artifact and placed it outside the Yi Gate.
“Immeasurable Heavenly Venerable! Minister Xue, it has been a long time.”
This Daoist Master was rumored to be one hundred and twenty years old. No one knew what miraculous elixir he consumed, but twenty years ago, his white hair turned black, and he returned to youth. Now, he looked no older than forty or fifty, wearing a Hunyuan cap, a black Daoist Robe, his hair bun meticulously tied, his long beard gently brushing the wind – truly a picture of Daoist grace.
Most of the cultivators of his generation had already passed away. Therefore, Daoist Master Lingxu’s divine miracles were widely spread among the people, and when people spoke of his Daoist name, they were filled with admiration.
Xue Qingzhi was also such a person.
He bowed respectfully, afraid of accidentally offending the old Daoist.
“An immortal visiting my humble abode, is there some destined fortune?”
Ling Xu’s expression turned solemn, and he stroked his beard. “This humble one was lecturing at Chong Xuan Hall and passed by this place. Seeing the Yin energy enveloping your mansion, I calculated and discovered that a deceased friend’s family has met with great misfortune…”
Upon hearing this, Xue Qingzhi became even more fearful and respectful.
“Daoist Master’s divine calculations are accurate. My third brother unfortunately met with villains and perished.”
Daoist Master Lingxu closed his eyes slightly, cradled his fly whisk in his arm, formed a mudra with one hand, and gazed at the eaves of the Xue Mansion, his brow slowly furrowing.
“Years ago, this humble one had a chance encounter with your brother. Judging by his appearance, he was not someone who died unjustly. This is the work of evil spirits, causing chaos in your mansion.”
Xue Qingzhi’s face changed. “Please, old immortal, guide me.”
Daoist Master Lingxu: “Allow me to set up an altar and make the evil spirits manifest!”
Xue Qingzhi naturally agreed to everything.
He ordered a servant to help Ling Xu’s disciples set up an altar in the middle of the courtyard.
At the same time, he sent people to inform all the courtyards to invite everyone in the mansion.
Once the altar was set up, all the members of the Xue Mansion had arrived.
“Begin the ritual!”
Xue Sui stood beside her sisters, observing the situation calmly.
A bright yellow brocade was spread on the square table, with a copper basin of clear water, several ceramic bowls filled with grains, and various ritual implements. Wisps of smoke curled from the copper cauldron, candlelight flickered, and yellow talisman papers covered in runes flew about.
Ling Xu, holding his fly whisk, sat cross-legged on a cushion, chanting incantations.
“Heaven is spiritual, Earth is spiritual. All demons and evil spirits, reveal your true forms.”
After reciting a string of incantations, Ling Xu suddenly stood up and walked steadily towards the altar. He drew a peach wood sword, dipped it in clear water, and quickly wrote incomprehensible characters on a talisman paper. Then, he began to dance slowly with eight-trigram steps…
“All evils retreat, ghosts and spirits depart! Fierce gods and malevolent spirits, do not dare to approach!”
Strangely, when the talisman was flicked into the air with the peach wood sword, it seemed to be guided by an invisible force and slowly began to burn…
“Break!”
“Still!”
Everyone in the Xue Mansion, from the masters to the sweeping maids and old women, stood solemnly, holding their breath, as if under a spell of immobility, not daring to make a sound.
At this moment, Daoist Master Lingxu’s eyes suddenly widened, and his body tilted with the wooden sword, pointing directly at Xue Sui’s face.
“It’s her!”
The crowd erupted in an uproar.
Xue Sui did not move, a faint smile on her face.
Xue Qingzhi looked at her and bowed to Daoist Master Lingxu.
“Daoist Master, this is my daughter…”
Ling Xu said: “Minister Xue, Third Master was not beaten to death, but was harmed by evil sorcery. The bruises on his body are from evil spirits gnawing at him, sucking away his essence and soul, leaving his soul without a resting place. This girl is the perpetrator!”
Xue Qingzhi’s pupils darkened.
The Old Madam, upon hearing this, could barely stand and was overcome with grief.
“My third child! My poor third child…”
A wave of crying filled the courtyard.
Everyone stared intently at Xue Sui, as if trying to see the shadow of an evil spirit on her face.
Ling Xu slowly turned his head: “Minister Xue is foolish! The Seven Killings Disaster Star is the most prone to attracting evil. If she doesn’t kill her family, her family will die because of her.”
Xue Qingzhi glanced at his daughter, pointed at by the peach wood sword, his expression complex.
Others did not know the truth of Xue Qingxiu’s death, but Xue Qingzhi did.
How could the scheme orchestrated by Fourth Miss be blamed on Sixth Miss?
“Daoist Master, is there a solution?”
Ling Xu retracted his sword: “There is no solution.”
Xue Sui let out a cold laugh and walked directly towards Ling Xu.
“Daoist Master, have you seen clearly? This is a matter of life and death. Do you want to find another celestial lord to confirm it again?”
Her eyes were clear and sharp.
But Ling Xu did not take a young girl seriously.
“This humble one has received the true teachings of the Three Pure Ones, I can read the stars, understand destiny, know Yin and Yang, observe fortune and misfortune, glimpse the secrets of the Nine Netherworld, and know the mysteries of the Book of Life and Death. The heavenly secrets are in my grasp, how could I be mistaken?”
Xue Sui’s lips curved slightly, a half-smile on her face.
“Has Daoist Master never made a mistake before?”
“Hmph!” Ling Xu stroked his long beard, exuding an air of enlightenment. “Immeasurable Heavenly Venerable! Everything follows the Heavenly Dao, how can there be any error?”
Xue Sui slowly curled her lips. “Since Daoist Master is so good at catching demons and ghosts, why not go with Father to the Jingzhao Prefecture, or the Ministry of Justice, or the Supreme Court to search through the files, and set up an altar for those major cases, wrongful convictions, and old cases to find the culprits and relieve His Majesty’s worries and the people’s troubles?”
Ling Xu roared: “Audacious! How can heavenly secrets be revealed so casually?”
Xue Sui said, “Oh,” “Only the Xue family’s secrets? Does the Xue family have a grudge against you?”
Ling Xu saw the mockery in the woman’s eyes but was unfazed.
“Minister Xue, your mansion harbors a Seven Killings Disaster Star, and in the future, there will be endless calamities. This humble one has said all that needs to be said. We shall meet again – Qingchen, Qingxuan, let us go.”
The two young disciples responded and began to pack up the ritual implements to leave.
“Daoist Master, please wait.”
Xue Sui ignored Xue Qingzhi’s warning and slowly blocked Ling Xu’s path, meeting his gaze.
“I will ask Daoist Master one more time, did my Third Uncle truly die because of me?”
Ling Xu coldly snorted. “Is there any falsehood in this? Your Third Uncle’s fate had no calamity. If not for you, a Seven Killings Disaster Star, how could he have encountered misfortune and met his end?”
Xue Sui said softly, “Then, Daoist Master, why don’t you make a solemn vow. In front of everyone, say that if you took money from someone to resolve their troubles, disrupted heavenly secrets, and spoke nonsense, then you will die without a burial place, be reborn into the animal realm in your next life, your soul will not find peace, and you will suffer the torments of reincarnation…”
Ling Xu had not expected such a strong-willed young girl and was stunned.
Xue Qingzhi, fearing she would offend a master, was furious.
“Xue Liu, do not be unreasonable!”
Ling Xu slowly raised his fly whisk and uttered a Daoist name: “Minister Xue, the evil has entered the marrow, and the karma is difficult to remove. This girl cannot be kept.”
Everyone’s eyes were fixed on Xue Sui’s face, whispering amongst themselves.
Xue Lan walked out, glaring fiercely at Xue Sui, and cupped his hands towards Xue Qingzhi, saying, “Father, for the peace and fortune of the Xue Mansion, for Grandmother’s health, and for Third Uncle’s soul to rest in peace, please expel this scourge from the mansion.”
Xue Qingzhi frowned. “I have my own judgment on this matter, you do not need to inquire.”
“Father!” Xue Lan raised his voice.
“Daoist Master has made it very clear. Third Uncle is already gone. Do you want to wait until a few more people die in the mansion before you are willing to abandon this scourge?”
“Presumptuous!” Xue Qingzhi’s face darkened.
He wasn’t defending Xue Liu, but Xue Liu knew everything about what happened last night. If he truly blamed her, she would surely fight back and reveal the truth.
It would cause a scandal and damage the Xue Mansion’s reputation.
It would be better to find an excuse later to send her away.
“Father!” Seeing his father hesitate, Xue Lan tugged at his son of a concubine.
Xue Rui was only sixteen this year, with a tender face and an air of immaturity, appearing timid and indecisive.
“Father. Please expel Xue Liu!”
“Father. Please expel Xue Liu!”
With the sons having made their stance, the Xue daughters also stepped forward.
Especially Eighth Miss and Ninth Miss, who were of marriageable age and feared being implicated by Xue Liu, spoke up one after another.
“Father, ever since Sixth Sister returned home, the three praying mantises I kept in our mansion have died for no reason.”
“Yes, Father, and my painted-bunting bird, it was in its cage, and yesterday it inexplicably flew away…”
“My new hairpin, which I placed in my cosmetic box, developed cracks overnight for no reason…”
“And me, I pricked my finger while embroidering that day…”
“I tripped while walking on flat ground.”
Xue Lan, seeing the public outrage, turned red with anger.
“Father, you’ve heard it all. Strange things have been happening since the disaster star returned. Now that Grandmother is old, we absolutely cannot keep her any longer!”
Accusation after accusation, fabricated out of thin air, as cold as the salted sticks and whips from ten years ago, striking him again.
Xue Sui listened quietly, a slight smile on her face.
It didn’t hurt anymore.
It wouldn’t hurt anymore.
“Enough! You’re talking nonsense.” Xue Qingzhi suddenly spoke.
He wanted to drive her away and be done with it.
But there were the Emperor’s admonitions and the Crown Prince’s watchful eyes above, and Prince Duan’s warning below.
And Xue Liu, who held leverage over him, how could he touch her?
Xue Qingzhi pondered for a moment and waved his hand.
“Take her away! Confine her to Li Xiang Courtyard. We will decide after the case is resolved…”
“Father!” Xue Lan tried to argue again.
Just then, Xue Qingxiu’s attendant ran over, shouting with surprise and joy.
“First Master, Old Madam, they’re back… Third Master, he, he, he’s alive! He’s back…”
Xue Ping’an: The excitement has arrived.
Li Zei Da: You didn’t inform me?
