Chapter 1 The Last Hurdle

According to a servant, he didn't recognize any corpse-offering altar, but he… he recognized the large red chest that contained it. One rainy night, he woke up needing to relieve himself. In a daze, he saw the side gate of the mansion open, and a group of people were carrying things inside, including the large red chest.

At the time, he found it strange. He hadn't heard of any new medicinal materials arriving, and such materials required very strict storage conditions, making the weather unsuitable.

Even stranger, these people had no lanterns lit, and they were all dressed in raincoats, with their hats pulled low, so he couldn't see their faces at all. The more he thought about it, the stranger it seemed, so he couldn't resist sneaking closer, hiding behind a tree to observe.

Taking advantage of the darkness and the cover of the rain, they didn't notice him. But as a bolt of lightning flashed across the night sky, he briefly saw the faces of several people.

The two leading figures were actually Master Wu and Steward Zheng!

Besides them, there were unfamiliar faces. Even now, he remembered one person's face. He heard a few snippets of conversation, but they were indistinct because of the wind and rain. This person told Master Wu that the goods had all been unloaded, and his accent sounded like… like he was from Shanghai.

Hearing this, Jiang Cheng asked Lai Fu to bring paper and a brush, and quickly drew a portrait based on the servant's description. He kept modifying it until the servant nodded and said it looked very much like him.

Jiang Cheng then had the Third Master's men identify the drawing, but unfortunately, everyone said they didn't recognize him. The scope was widened to the entire Wu mansion, but no one had ever seen this person.

Jiang Cheng had no choice but to put the drawing away. He already had a plan in mind. Since this person was likely from Shanghai, he would return to Shanghai and ask the Baomo Studio's shopkeeper for help. With the shopkeeper's connections, the chances of finding the person would be much higher.

After all this commotion, it was almost dawn. The Second Master suggested arranging for the masters to return to their rooms to rest, but Yuan Shanyuan refused. He said that they still had important matters to attend to and that it was inconvenient to stay in the Wu mansion any longer. Now that the curse had been largely lifted, it was best to leave as soon as possible.

"What do you mean, the curse hasn't been completely lifted?"

Hearing this, Lai Fu panicked even more than the Second Master. This ordeal had almost brought ruin upon the entire Wu mansion. If it happened again, he didn't dare imagine the consequences.

Luo Tianhe adopted a serious demeanor, his voice low, "The wraith infant curse is more complex than any of us imagined, so we can't be entirely sure whether it will recur. But please rest assured, Second Master, we have made all the necessary preparations. If there are any signs of the curse awakening, please send someone to Shanghai to notify us immediately. The arrangements we've left behind are sufficient to protect your safety for a short time."

The Second Master couldn't help but sigh, and with Lai Fu's support, he revealed a helpless bitter smile. "Cough, well then… then I'll have to trouble you masters. We will never forget your great kindness to the Wu mansion."

Seeing that Jiang Cheng and the others were determined to leave, the Second Master no longer tried to persuade them. He had Lai Fu select the best carriages in the mansion to send the masters back to Shanghai. Upon parting, he also presented them with extremely generous rewards, as well as food and drink for the journey, making every arrangement with great respect.

The first thing Fatty did after leaving the Wu mansion was to find the little boy. When the boy saw Fatty emerge safely, he almost burst into tears. After comforting him, Fatty brought the boy onto the carriage as well.

Because there were enough carriages, they split up. Jiang Cheng, Fatty, and the little boy sat in one carriage. Fatty broke open the sugar cakes that the Second Master had prepared for them, giving half to the doctor and half to the boy. "We owe you a lot this time. You don't have to be afraid anymore. We're taking you back to Shanghai. We have a very upright friend there. I'll see if I can ask him to find you a job."

The person Fatty was referring to was naturally the shopkeeper of Baomo Studio. The fact that he could go to such lengths for the matter of Mr. Ke Gong showed that he was a friend worth entrusting.

The little boy had been squatting all night, both sleepy and hungry. After eating, he fell asleep in a daze. Fatty turned his head to Jiang Cheng and asked in a low voice, "The Wu family's curse, has it really not been lifted?"

"I don't know. I don't think Luo Tianhe and Yuan Shanyuan know either." Jiang Cheng's gaze was fixed outside the window, as if something in the night was attracting him.

"Then… why would they say that?"

Hearing this, Jiang Cheng slowly turned his gaze back, looking at Fatty with a complicated expression. "Because we have to protect ourselves. It's always wise to be cautious. The Second Master… is our last hurdle."

"Things are different now than before. The First Master and the Third Master are both dead. The Second Master has become the true head of the Wu mansion, with all the power in his hands. If he wants to make a move against us, the Wu mansion has many people and a lot of influence. It would be difficult for us to resist. That's why we have to leave overnight."

"Because if we leave too late, by the time the Second Master finishes his preparations, we won't be able to escape."

"We saved his life. Does he still want to harm us?"

It is said that a drop of kindness should be repaid with a spring. Fatty couldn't understand. They had saved the Second Master's life. Even if he didn't repay them, he shouldn't want to kill them.

Jiang Cheng shook his head. "Brother, not everyone has your heart. Not to mention the Second Master, even the First Master, the Third Master, or Master Wu would make the same choice in the same situation. When things happen, righteousness is secondary, and profit comes first."

"We know too much about the Wu family's affairs. Master Wu's dark history, and the Third Master's secret collusion with bandits. These are all capital crimes. If they were leaked, the Wu family would be finished."

"Moreover, to accumulate such a fortune in this world, the Wu family's Second Master can't be completely clean either. He looks gentle and refined, but when it comes to methods, he's no worse than his two brothers. At least, his skills in winning people's hearts are even better. To tell you the truth, I've already sensed murderous intent from the Second Master. I don't think he can sleep soundly tonight knowing that we've left alive."

"But Luo Tianhe and Yuan Shanyuan's move is equivalent to stating the obvious. Your family's curse is still there, and it will break out sooner or later. And only we can solve it. If you kill us, you can wash your necks and wait for death."

"The Second Master is afraid to act rashly, so he has no choice but to let us leave. But he's not stupid. Once he realizes that the curse is over, I'm afraid he'll come looking for trouble."

"If he dares to come, I'll kill him!"

Fatty's expression turned fierce. After a moment, as if he suddenly remembered something, he changed his tone and asked, "What about the bandits in the mansion, and those Third Master's men…"

Jiang Cheng raised his hand and made a throat-slitting gesture. "Of course, they're all dead. The Third Master has already come up with an excuse for him. The bandits attacked in the middle of the night, and the Second Master led the people in a desperate resistance, eventually wiping out the bandits. Unfortunately, the Third Master and his attendants all died in the battle."

"The Second Master was heartbroken by the loss of his loved ones, but he remembered Master Wu's hard work in establishing the family business. He deeply felt that the Wu family's large fortune couldn't be without a master for a day. The Second Master endured his grief and tearfully took the position of family head."

Jiang Cheng sighed, somewhat wistfully, "If the First Master hadn't died early, I'm afraid he would have been forced to die in the battle as well."