Chapter 249
Chapter 249
At Zhao Wan’s words, the others had their own thoughts, but none dared interrupt.
Steward Sun hurried forward to smooth things over.
“Princess, it is already dark. The Young Marquis and his companions have traveled far and must be tired. Perhaps we should let them retire to the guest courtyard for the night.”
Zhao Wan gave a brilliant smile. “Quite right. Take the Young Marquis, Vice Minister Yu, and this Daoist Master to the guest courtyard first.”
“As for Miss Xia…”
Her tone changed. “Miss Xia is a female guest and should have a separate courtyard. Let her stay in… Zhenxia Courtyard.”
Ren Fengjue instinctively glanced at Xia Ximo and was about to speak when Zhao Wan hurried on. “You need not worry about Miss Xia, Young Marquis. Zhenxia Courtyard is near my own Zhaoyang Courtyard. It is no remote corner.”
Her meaning was plain. She was not slighting Xia Ximo. On the contrary, she was giving her special consideration.
Xia Ximo said nothing. She picked up her bundle and followed the maid.
After everyone had left the hall, Zhao Wan suddenly called, “Xiaoxizi, come here.”
At the entrance to Zhenxia Courtyard, Xia Ximo suddenly paused. As her cool eyes swept across the grounds, she had plainly noticed something.
The snow had stopped, but a thick layer lay inside the courtyard. One glance showed that no one had lived there for a long time.
Yet it was very spacious and exceptionally well laid out.
The maid guiding her opened the gate, then also hesitated in the entrance. A cold wind met them, rocking the lantern in her hand from side to side.
Xia Ximo knew something was wrong with the courtyard. She could also see that the maid was frightened.
“You need not come inside. Bring hot water first. I want to bathe.”
Sure enough, the maid looked as though she had been granted a reprieve and gladly withdrew.
Xia Ximo walked straight toward the main room.
All the furnishings were present. The tables and chairs showed signs of having just been cleaned, though the work looked hurried and perfunctory.
The servants who cleaned it probably knew something was wrong here too and had not dared stay long.
After setting down her luggage, Xia Ximo lit a candle.
Just then, a faint sound came from a corner, followed by a dark shadow flashing across the wall.
Xia Ximo behaved as though she had noticed nothing.
Before long, the maid who had guided her returned with two older servants who did rough work. Carrying two buckets of hot water, they knocked at the door.
Once Xia Ximo opened it, the older women poured the water into the bathing tub and hurried out.
The maid bowed in the doorway. “Miss, do you require anything else?”
“No.”
“Then please rest early.”
The maid hastily closed the door and fled Zhenxia Courtyard with the two older women.
Inside the Soul-Ferrying Lantern, Wuyou was about to come out for some air when Xia Ximo ordered, “Stay where you are.”
“…”
Having spoken, she went behind the folding screen and undressed to bathe.
Amid the rising steam, the shadow on the wall slowly reappeared.
Xia Ximo reclined in the tub with her eyes closed, enjoying the warm water soothing her skin. The pain in her body eased somewhat as well.
But the shadow slid down the wall like a snake, then crept along the floor and slowly climbed the tub.
In the mist, it took human form. Just as it was about to lunge at the person in the bath, she reached out and caught it in an unerring grip.
Startled, the shadow tried to struggle free, only to discover that escape was impossible…
Just then, a noise came from outside the door.
Xia Ximo slowly opened her eyes and casually flung the shadow aside.
Realizing it had met someone it could not handle, the shadow cowered in a corner, trembling and not daring to move again.
But a moment later, the south-facing window suddenly creaked open. A strange gust swept in, instantly extinguishing the candle on the table.
Then a mournful voice rose from the courtyard. “I died such a horrible death…”
Even the shadow in the corner froze at the sound.
Xia Ximo glanced toward the window and saw a figure silhouetted against its lattice: a “female ghost” with her hair hanging loose.
But she saw through the trick at once. This was clearly a person pretending to be a ghost.
It was not hard to guess what had happened. Princess Fenghua had probably feared that the real ghost in this courtyard would fail to appear, so she had specially arranged for a fake one to frighten her.
Xia Ximo gave a derisive chuckle, closed her eyes again, and remained in the tub.
Hearing no response, the “female ghost” outside hopped in through the window.
Her movements were quite light. She evidently knew some lightness skills, for she made no sound at all.
Once inside, she immediately approached the folding screen and repeated, “I died such a horrible death…”
An ordinary person hearing that voice in a dark room would probably have been terrified out of their wits by now.
Yet behind the screen, Xia Ximo remained reclining in the tub, perfectly composed, as though she had heard nothing.
Left with no other choice, the “female ghost” rose onto her toes to peer over the screen.
The next instant, however, a pitch-black ghostly face thrust itself before hers. She screamed instead and fled on the spot.
The “female ghost,” Xiaoxizi, ran all the way out of Zhenxia Courtyard without stopping. Princess Fenghua was waiting outside to enjoy the spectacle. Seeing her emerge, she quickly asked, “Well? Did you scare her?”
To frighten her victim, Xiaoxizi had deliberately painted her face whiter than flour. Now she looked close to tears. “Your Highness, there really is a ghost in that courtyard! I just saw it!”
Zhao Wan frowned. “I don’t care whether the ghost is real or fake. I’m asking whether you frightened that Xia girl!”
Afraid of angering the princess, Xiaoxizi stammered, “I… think so? She was lying in the tub without moving. I don’t know whether she fainted from fright.”
At that, Zhao Wan began to worry that she had gone too far. “Did you get a good look? Did she really faint?”
“I’m not sure, but she really didn’t make a sound…”
Guiltily, Zhao Wan said, “It’s so cold. It would be awful if she froze to death in the bath. Hurry back in and check on her!”
Xiaoxizi hastily waved her hands. “Your Highness, there really is a ghost in there! I don’t dare go in. Why don’t I call a few guards to take a look?”
“No. If we make too much noise and bring Ren Fengjue over, we’ll be in trouble.”
Zhao Wan took Xiaoxizi by the hand. “I’ll go in with you.”
At that point, however unwilling Xiaoxizi might be, she had no choice but to steel herself and go.
Chilling gusts greeted them inside the courtyard.
Zhao Wan looked around. The main room was pitch-dark, and even she felt uneasy.
Xiaoxizi was terribly nervous. In a low voice, she said, “Your Highness, if I really have frightened Miss Xia badly enough to harm her, will Young Marquis Ren…”
Before she could finish, Zhao Wan turned and glared at her. “You have my protection. What are you afraid of? Even if something really has happened, I can keep you safe!”