Chapter 51

Chapter 51

Ren Fengjue’s expression tightened, but he asked, “Daoist Yan, are you saying there may be an even more powerful Evil Entity behind all this?”

“It is only a guess.”

Yan Zhengchu had been about to explain it to him in detail, but then something seemed to occur to him, and his expression abruptly changed.

“Forget it. The less you know about these matters, the safer you will be.”

Ren Fengjue had more or less figured out his temperament by now. He knew Yan Zhengchu was tight-lipped.

If he did not want to say something, no amount of questioning would make him say it.

Ren Fengjue nodded in understanding, as if he had no interest whatsoever.

“I only need to know the truth behind Ruyan’s death. As for the rest, Daoist Master, there is no need to tell me.”

Yan Zhengchu could not help but pause. “You truly do not want to know at all?”

Ren Fengjue waved a hand. “I don’t.”

As they spoke, the sound of hooves came from the official road not far away.

A man was whipping his horse into a gallop, and in the blink of an eye, he had reached the bridgehead.

It was Axia, one of the servants from Ren Fengjue’s household.

Standing at the bridgehead, he finally spotted the carriage in the woods, as well as Young Marquis Ren, and immediately urged his horse over.

“Young Master!”

Inside the woods, Ren Fengjue’s horse and carriage had already been separated, and judging by the state of the damaged carriage, it looked as though it had just gone through a fierce battle.

“What happened here? Did you run into bandits?”

Seeing Axia’s shocked face, Lord Ren remained perfectly calm. “At the feet of the Son of Heaven, how could there be any bandits?”

“Well? Has there been any news from Hongxiu Pavilion?”

Axia hesitated, then nodded. “We’ve found something. That Simeng really is suspicious.”

Ren Fengjue did not seem particularly surprised. He only instructed lightly, “Let’s go. I’ll borrow your horse. Tell me the details on the way back to the capital.”

Using Axia’s horse, they hitched the carriage back up as best they could. Ren Fengjue first invited Xia Ximo into the carriage, then asked Yan Zhengchu whether he would be coming with them.

Since Yan Zhengchu still needed to continue searching for the whereabouts of the Soul-Nurturing Pearl, he agreed to get into the carriage as well.

The carriage was already narrow, and fearing it would be too crowded, Lord Ren planned to sit directly at the front with Axia.

“Young Master, this… doesn’t seem proper, does it?”

He was, after all, the Young Marquis of Renxuan Marquis Manor. How could he lower himself like this?

Axia felt it went against propriety. Given their respective status, it should have been that Daoist who came out and gave up his seat.

“It’s fine.”

Ren Fengjue smiled and glanced into the carriage. “Look at how battered the carriage is. What is there left to fuss over?”

“Drive. And tell me everything about Hongxiu Pavilion while you’re at it.”

Hearing this, Axia did not dare say anything more. After making sure the wheels were all right, he picked up the reins and urged the horse forward.

Inside the carriage, Xia Ximo did not make any attempt to be modest. In fact, she sat in the main seat as if it were only natural, taking up most of the space.

Yan Zhengchu could only sit stiffly on a small stool to the side.

Speaking of which, although he had calculated that Xia Ximo and the Young Marquis were bound by marriage fate, he did not know her actual identity.

Now, seeing her seated in the main seat with such a lofty air, suspicion could not help but stir in his heart.

Yan Zhengchu had been in the capital for only two or three days, so there was not much information he could have gathered.

But with Young Marquis Ren’s reputation in the capital, there was naturally no shortage of rumors about him among the common folk.

He had heard that the princess most favored by His Majesty intended to take him as her Prince Consort.

Could it be?

No, that did not seem right either.

Judging by this woman’s fate, she did not seem like someone born into the imperial family.

Just as he was secretly calculating, Xia Ximo, who had been resting with her eyes closed, suddenly parted her lips and called to him. “Daoist.”

How rude.

Yan Zhengchu frowned. He had a proper name and surname, and even the Young Marquis addressed him respectfully as “Daoist Yan.” How had it become such a dry, curt “Daoist” when it came from her mouth?

He turned his head to the side and pretended not to hear.

Only then did Xia Ximo glance at him, but she went on speaking as if to herself. “There is something I would like to ask your help with.”
Please?

With that ice-cold tone, how did that sound like she was “asking” anyone?

She was clearly trying to order him around.

Yan Zhengchu finally found a chance to put on airs. “If you want to invite me, fine. But without two or three ingots of gold, no deal.”

Xia Ximo was just as blunt. “I don’t have any money.”

No money?

Yan Zhengchu deliberately narrowed his eyes and swept a glance over her.

Hmph. She was a young lady from some grand household, dressed head to toe in brocade, and she claimed she had no money?

Clearly, she just didn’t want to pay.

“My apologies, but I, this humble Daoist, need to eat while wandering the jianghu. I don’t do business at a loss.”

After he said that, all he got in return was silence.

Xia Ximo closed her eyes again, showing no intention of bargaining.

That only made Yan Zhengchu itch with curiosity. He couldn’t help wondering what she could possibly need his help with.

But even after a long while, she still did not speak again.

Yan Zhengchu finally couldn’t hold back. “Why don’t you tell me what it is first? This Daoist Master can consider lowering his fee a little.”

Xia Ximo did not even lift her eyes. “No need.”

“…”

Yan Zhengchu was so irritated his teeth itched. The words slipped out before he could stop them. “You two really are a perfect pair!”

He said it rather loudly, so Ren Fengjue, who was sitting outside the carriage, naturally heard it as well.

He lifted the half-torn carriage curtain and glanced inside. Seeing Yan Zhengchu looking thoroughly aggrieved, he found it inexplicably amusing.

“What happened to Daoist Yan?”

Yan Zhengchu harrumphed. “Nothing.”

Ren Fengjue smiled faintly, but still shielded his own. “Miss Xia probably hasn’t fully recovered from the danger just now. Her words may have been a little blunt. I hope Daoist Master will be magnanimous.”

“Was she?” Yan Zhengchu replied in a tone dripping with sarcasm. “From what I can see, Miss Xia is no ordinary woman. I suspect she could watch Mount Tai collapse before her without changing expression.”

“How does she look like someone who would be afraid of ghosts? If a ghost saw her, I’m afraid-”

He swallowed the latter half of the sentence just as it reached his lips.

Because Xia Ximo had suddenly raised her eyes and was staring at him coldly.

“Noisy.”

“…”

After entering the capital, the carriage did not head straight for Hongxiu Pavilion. Instead, it arrived before an imposing mansion.

By then, dusk was approaching.

Once the carriage stopped, Yan Zhengchu did not want to stay even a moment longer and was ready to take his leave.

Ren Fengjue stopped him. “Daoist Yan, since you’re already here, why not take a look with us? Perhaps there will be something you’re looking for.”

Yan Zhengchu paused. Turning back, he saw the words “Wang Residence” carved above the gate, while Baleful Qi permeated the grounds within.

Clearly, something was going on.

Yet he still said with great reluctance, “Then let’s take a look together.”

Ren Fengjue nodded. Seeing that Xia Ximo had not gotten out of the carriage, he stepped forward to ask, “Will Miss Xia wait here for now?”

The person inside merely gave a faint sound of assent.

He was already used to this and said, “All right. Daoist Yan and I will go take a look first. Miss Xia, please rest here.”

After Ren Fengjue and the others left, a faint yin wind stirred the carriage curtain. On the small stool where Yan Zhengchu had been sitting moments before, a Yin Soul abruptly appeared.

“Well? Have you remembered anything?”

Only after Xia Ximo spoke did the Yin Soul raise its lowered head. A long while later, it said in a hollow voice, “I remember now. The one who killed me was my closest sister in Hongxiu Pavilion…”

“Do you know why she killed you?”

Pain twisted across the Yin Soul’s face.

“She said she was jealous of me…”

“Jealous that I had Prince Yu backing me.”

“Jealous that I might have the chance to enter the prince’s manor someday and enjoy wealth and glory.”

A line of bloody tears slid down its cheeks, and the Yin Soul’s voice trembled. “She didn’t know that I had already begged Prince Yu to redeem us both and take us away together.”

“His Highness had already agreed. It was the night before she killed me…”