Chapter 4

Rong Li slowly shifted her gaze toward the direction Meng Yuan had left. Tilting her body slightly, she touched her cheek and murmured to herself, “It seems Third Mother’s slap wasn’t loud enough. Father didn’t even notice anything strange about my face.”

“Young Miss!” Xiao Fu stamped her foot.

“It seems next time I’ll have to point at my face and ask Father whether he can see what’s wrong.” Rong Li shook her head slightly. The corners of her lips lifted into a chilly smile.

Xiao Fu was startled, thinking that her young lady truly had become a different person. “But since the Master has returned, why didn’t Young Miss tell him what happened?”

“He’ll leave again. In a little while, he’ll return to Pengzhou. Once he’s gone back there, how do you think Third Mother will treat me?” Rong Li asked.

“Isn’t Fourth Young Master managing the branch in Pengzhou now? Why would the Master still need to return?” Xiao Fu asked in confusion.

Rong Li shook her head without answering. She had already lived through these events once. How could she not know what would happen?

The small, narrow room in Orchid Courtyard had been cleaned ​bailiantales.com​out. It was pleasantly warm inside, presumably because the underground heating had been lit.

Ordinary households could hardly afford to install underground heating. In the Qian region, the Rong residence was considered one of the wealthiest estates. The Rong family operated an escort agency, with branches spread across four regions, giving them control over the escort business in several areas.

Rong Li entered the room without paying much attention to her surroundings. Only when she glanced out the window did she notice a figure hanging from a tree in Orchid Courtyard. She could vaguely make out that it was a woman. She knew no one would hang from a tree for no reason, so what she was seeing now had to be a ghost.

Xiao Fu followed beside her, about to set down the bamboo trunk filled with clothes. She asked, “Young Miss, why have you stopped?”

“I saw something.” Rong Li raised a hand and tightened her grip on her collar, burying her pale face in the fox fur.

Xiao Fu followed her gaze but saw nothing. Puzzled, she asked, “What did Young Miss see?”

Rong Li pressed her lips together slightly. She watched as the hanged ghost suddenly turned her head, her neck constricted by a thin rope.

The rope seemed ready to sever the ghost’s neck, having already dug deep into her flesh.

Bright red blood gushed down the ghost’s neck, staining [read the original at bailiantales.com]her tattered clothes crimson. Drop after drop fell from the tips of her shoes, dyeing the muddy ground beneath her red.

Rong Li’s neck shifted slightly within her fox-fur cloak. She caught a strange odor, damp and foul with the stench of blood. Could this be… ghostly energy?

“Young Miss? Young Miss?” Xiao Fu was bewildered. She continued, “Young Miss, let’s close the window. The wind outside is terribly strong. We mustn’t let you fall ill from the cold.”

But Rong Li didn’t look away. She vaguely felt that the ghost’s face was familiar. Her lips brushed against the soft fur covering her chin as she slowly asked, “Do you remember the twelfth lunar month four years ago?”

“Eh?” Xiao Fu’s eyes shifted. She reached out and pulled up the fox-fur-trimmed hood of Rong Li’s cloak, covering her hair, which the wind had blown into disarray.

“Did something happen in Orchid Courtyard that day?” Seeing the ghost staring directly at her, Rong Li slowly took a step back and averted her gaze.

“Ah…” Xiao Fu froze for a moment. Looking at her young lady’s deathly pale complexion, she wasn’t sure whether she should say anything. After a long while, she whispered, “During the twelfth lunar month that year, I think a maid hanged herself.”

“Why did she hang herself?” Rong Li asked.

“Apparently, she was accused of having an illicit affair with someone outside the residence. Third Madam wanted to have her body examined and said she was indecent or unauthorized copysomething like that. The maid hanged herself that very day,” Xiao Fu replied.

Rong Li smiled faintly. “Third Mother is truly remarkable.”

Xiao Fu continued, “That maid was quite favored by the Master at the time. She was also very attentive and meticulous in her work. Her appearance bore some resemblance to…”

“To whom?” Rong Li already had an answer in mind.

Xiao Fu whispered, “First Madam.”

Rong Li gave a thoughtful hum of acknowledgment.

“Why did Young Miss suddenly bring this up?” Xiao Fu tugged at her, her eyes filled with worry. “Young Miss, let’s close the window.”

The female ghost hanging from the tree seemed to sense someone’s gaze upon her. She slowly turned her head, making dry, hoarse “ah, ah” sounds. Unable to utter even a single word, she stared straight at Rong Li with her pitch-black eyes.

Rong Li’s breathing faltered slightly. She shut the window, pulled down her hood, and sat on a drum-shaped stool [unauthorized copy]to catch her breath. Merely walking from Bamboo Courtyard to this place had already left her dizzy.

Xiao Fu began unpacking their belongings, grumbling as she worked. “We still haven’t received this month’s allowance. Who knows when Third Madam managed to bribe the accounts manager? Every day, he says the money will be sent over a little later, but who knows how much longer we’ll have to wait?”

“Now that Father has returned, do you still think she’ll dare withhold it?” Rong Li said softly. Her eyes shifted, and she crooked a finger at the maid who was unpacking.

Xiao Fu hurried over. “Young Miss?”

“There are still some copper coins in my sandalwood box inlaid with white jade. Go outside the residence and buy a few prescriptions’ worth of medicine for me,” Rong Li whispered.

“What medicine?” Xiao Fu grew nervous, her eyes widening. “Is Young Miss feeling unwell somewhere? Should I summon the residence physician?”

“No. Go outside the residence and purchase it for me.” Rong Li raised the corners of her eyes. “Do you remember how Second Madam died? I’ve been ill for so long. How many times has the residence physician actually come to examine me?”

“Could the residence physician have been bribed by Third Madam too? B-but now that the Master has returned, how could she still dare?” Xiao Fu’s lips trembled with anger.

“Just go when I tell you to. Hurry, and make sure you return before sunset.” Rong Li wanted to glance outside, unauthorized copy but the window lattice was covered with paper, making it impossible to see the sky.

Xiao Fu quickly nodded. She took all the copper coins from the sandalwood box inlaid with white jade and asked, “What medicine does Young Miss want?”

Rong Li stood up and took some paper, a brush, and an inkstone from the trunk. She poured in a little cooled tea and began grinding the ink. Then she spread out a sheet of yellow hemp paper and started writing. Once she had finished, she handed it to Xiao Fu.

Xiao Fu couldn’t understand what was written. She lowered her head and blew on the ink a few times. Unable to wait for it to dry completely, she rolled up the paper and tucked it into her pocket.

“If anyone asks, tell them I wanted to eat the fermented-rice cakes from Xiudan Tower,” Rong Li instructed.

Xiao Fu hesitated. “But don’t we already have fermented-rice cakes in the residence? The ones from Xiudan Tower aren’t even as delicious as ours.”

“Don’t ask so many questions. If anyone asks, just answer that way,” Rong Li said slowly.

“I’ll remember.” Xiao Fu nodded firmly. “I’ll definitely return before sunset.”

Once the door closed, Rong Li rubbed her fingertips together. Her Read on BaiLianTalesheart began pounding wildly again. After a long while, she stood, walked to the window, and propped it open once more.

The cold wind rushed straight into the room, sending her hair flying and the vermilion ribbon fluttering.

Her eyelashes trembled slightly as she endured the cold and looked toward the ghost hanging from the tree. The ghost was staring back at her. This hanged ghost was probably trapped here as well, unable to reincarnate because of the sorrow and resentment she harbored.

Since Rong Li could see Second Madam and this hanged ghost, she would surely encounter other ghosts once night fell. She could only hope Xiao Fu would return quickly. Having another person beside her would at least make her feel a little safer.

Meeting a ghost’s gaze was inevitably frightening. After just one glance, Rong Li closed the window again.

Xiao Fu had yet to return, but someone else came knocking at the door. A series of knocks sounded, followed by a voice outside. “Third Madam sent us to serve you, Young Miss.”

There wasn’t the slightest hint of respect for a mistress in that voice. Instead, it carried an air of arrogance, as though they were the ones in charge here.

Rong Li wasn’t angry. Excessive anger was harmful to one’s health, and her body was already in poor condition. She couldn’t afford to lose her temper so easily. She said slowly, “Then come in.”

The door swung open, and three maids crowded inside. None of them bothered to close it, allowing the wind to send bailiantales.com the gauze curtains and books in the room rustling.

The gust of cold air made Rong Li’s face even paler. She raised her eyes toward the three maids and asked, “What are your names?”

The three maids answered one after another with smiles on their faces. One was called Yuzhuo, another Bailiu, and the third Kongqing.

Yuzhuo smiled as she held out a bowl of medicinal decoction. “Madam instructed this servant to prepare this medicine. Young Miss should drink it while it’s hot.”

Rong Li reached out to accept it but didn’t immediately bring it to her lips. Instead, she said softly, “It’s a little too hot. I’ll naturally drink it once it cools. There’s nothing important that needs attending to right now, so you needn’t remain here with me.”

“But Madam instructed this servant to watch Young Miss drink the medicine. Madam means well and is concerned about Young Miss,” Yuzhuo replied with a mocking smile.

Rong Li placed the scalding porcelain bowl on the table. She slowly turned it by the rim, tilting her head slightly as she studied it, as though she intended to stare a flower into bloom within the medicinal broth. She smiled, and her pale face suddenly resembled a summer blossom.

Radiant and exquisitely beautiful.

“Of course I know Third Mother treats me well. It’s just that my body is weak, and I can’t consume anything too hot or too cold. Speaking is already difficult enough for me. If I drink stolen content this medicine and scald my throat so badly that I can no longer speak, wouldn’t that defeat the purpose? It would also make it difficult for you to report back. Don’t you agree?” Rong Li raised her index finger and ran it around the rim of the bowl. Then she lowered her eyes and rubbed her fingertips together.

Yuzhuo froze for a moment, never having expected the Eldest Young Miss to become so eloquent. “Naturally. Then Young Miss can drink it after it cools.”

“I’m tired. I was exposed to the cold wind today, and my head feels rather heavy. Perhaps I’m coming down with a cold. You may leave. Close the door for me on your way out.” Rong Li even raised a hand to support her head, looking as though she were suffering from an unbearable headache.

Yuzhuo wanted to say something more, but Bailiu tugged at her sleeve. Left with no choice, Yuzhuo reluctantly bowed. “Then we’ll take our leave. If Young Miss needs anything, just call for us.”

Only after the three had left did Rong Li raise the index finger she had rubbed along the bowl’s rim to her nose. The smell was rather strange. It seemed that something had been mixed into the medicine.

She unfolded her handkerchief and leisurely wiped her fingertip. Then she picked up the medicine, walked over to the flower stand, and poured the entire bowl into a potted plant in the room.

The sky had grown dim. It was nearly dusk.

Rong Li couldn’t sit still. She propped open the window again and, sure enough, saw the female ghost hanging from the tree once more.

Outside, the bitter wind howled, gusts sweeping in every direction [read the original at bailiantales.com]like boneless hands searching for something.

This was no ordinary winter wind. It was clearly a sinister wind from the spirit world.

Rong Li’s breathing suddenly quickened. Just as she was about to close the window, she caught sight of a green figure flashing past.

The ghost dressed in green had hair that reached the ground, billowing in the wind like a waterfall of spilled ink. She stopped in the courtyard, spread both arms wide, and took an extraordinarily deep breath.

Rong Li’s hand resting against the window frame abruptly stiffened as the green-clad ghost turned her head, her gaze sweeping across Rong Li’s face.

The ghost wore thick, garish makeup, her face painted in vivid colors. Her gaze was fierce and venomous, utterly different from that of the hanged ghost and Second Madam. She resembled the vicious ghosts described in storybooks.

She sniffed the air but failed to find what she was looking for. Instead, she flicked her sleeve, and a painting immediately slid out. The green-clad ghost gritted her teeth and demanded, “Have you seen this ghost?”

The female ghost hanging from the tree trembled with fear, her entire body shaking. Although the rope had nearly severed her neck, she still struggled to shake her head.

The green-clad ghost suddenly flew into the air. With unauthorized copy a single opening of her mouth, she sucked the hanged ghost into her stomach.

Rong Li slowly averted her gaze. She had originally intended to use the hanged ghost to teach Meng Yuan a small lesson. She hadn’t expected the ghost to be… swallowed just like that.

Her gaze lowered, and she unexpectedly caught sight of the painting held in the green-clad ghost’s hand.

The thin sheet of paper fluttered wildly in the wind. She couldn’t make out the appearance of the ghost depicted in the painting, only a glimpse of black robes in one corner.

Solemn and austere, steeped in an aura of death, commanding absolute obedience and brooking no offense.