The group, having just arrived in the capital, rested for a few days to regain their spirits.
Wen Zhi Mo took his two servants out to find suitable jewelry shops. Once a shop was found, they would renovate it and stock it for opening.
The sooner they opened, the sooner they would make money.
Thinking that he was now one of Prince Yu's moneybags… or at least a significant contributor, Wen Zhi Mo felt a surge of excitement.
He remembered how he and his mother had been driven out by the Wen family and constantly suppressed, making survival incredibly difficult. After his mother passed away, he was alone, enduring countless storms, until finally, he saw a glimmer of hope.
It seemed that ever since he met Sister Sheng, his luck had turned. If, back then, Sister Sheng had approached him to cooperate in selling grain, and he hadn't shown trust or seized the opportunity, perhaps they would still be strangers today.
He wouldn't have met Prince Yu, nor would he be doing business in the capital.
The opportunities in life were truly wondrous.
Bai Sheng and Lu Ye, on the other hand, inspected their new mansion from top to bottom, inside and out. A single complete tour would take about a day.
The three courtyards and the east and west side courtyards were all spacious, with numerous rooms, enough to house several hundred people.
The lotus pond, pavilions, flower beds, and bamboo groves were elegantly laid out, creating a serene atmosphere. This was truly a residential scale befitting high-ranking nobility.
What Bai Sheng hadn't expected was that the back courtyard contained a large training ground, complete with archery ranges, sandbags, stone locks, and a wrestling platform. The presence of all these training equipment and facilities indicated that the original owner of the residence was also a person who practiced martial arts and managed troops, which perfectly suited her man's tastes.
"From now on, everyone in the household will come here every morning to train and practice martial arts. I will personally replace and renovate these old facilities when I have time," Lu Ye declared, pointing at the training ground, his expression full of vigor.
Bai Sheng, linking her arm with Lu Ye's, lifted her face and said earnestly, "Husband, my body has basically fully recovered. From now on, when I practice martial arts, you must be strict with me and show no mercy. I want to improve my martial arts quickly. The waters in the capital are deep, full of hidden talents. I don't want to be a weakling, otherwise, I won't even be able to protect our children."
Lu Ye smiled and said, "Alright, my dear. I'll listen to you. Starting tomorrow, whenever I have free time, I will train you rigorously." Lu Ye felt that he truly needed to be firm. Although he could protect his wife and child, there would be times when he was not present. Regarding safety, he did not want any "what ifs."
He was determined to teach his precious wife his life's profound skills in the most ingenious and efficient way possible.
Bai Sheng continued, "Furthermore, I want to convert the auxiliary rooms in the back courtyard into an alchemy room. Although my proficiency in making medicine has greatly improved, there is always someone better and higher heavens beyond. I cannot stop here. If I encounter an extraordinary master in the future, I will have a better chance of winning."
"Good, tomorrow I will order people to tidy up the back auxiliary rooms and procure all the necessary alchemy equipment and materials," Lu Ye agreed, taking Bai Sheng's hand as they slowly walked out of the training ground.
The street outside the mansion was wide, and the residents on both sides of the street lived quite far from the mansion, giving it a secluded feel, removed from the hustle and bustle of the city.
Moreover, Yuhua Lane was originally a residential area for high-ranking nobility. Because of this legendary haunted house, several neighboring residences were also vacant, making the street particularly quiet.
Overall, Bai Sheng really liked this mansion.
She wondered what the original owner of the mansion had gone through to have such a perfect residence become a haunted house, causing people in the capital, even ordinary citizens, to speak of it with fear and avoid it.
Yesterday, Lu Ye had taken Bai Sheng to the grain shop and the fruit shop to meet with the respective shopkeepers.
At the grain shop, the conversation had been relaxed and harmonious at first. However, somehow, it turned to the topic of housing. When Bai Sheng mentioned to Shopkeeper Wu Bo, Ah Chang, and Ah Duan that she had bought her house very affordably, their expressions became particularly complex.
Bai Sheng understood their expressions perfectly: they didn't want to pour cold water on her, yet they felt she had suffered a great loss, and they couldn't say it directly, leading to an awkward situation.
They probably felt some pity for her and Lu Ye, never expecting them to buy the house in Yuhua Lane.
These past few days, whenever Bai Sheng and Lu Ye returned from outside and turned into Yuhua Lane, the residents on the street intersecting with the alley entrance would watch them with shocked and peculiar expressions. Then, they would gather in twos and threes, whispering to each other.
When they went to the shops to buy dozens of quilts and asked for home delivery, the shopkeepers became terrified upon seeing the address Lu Ye had written: Number 3 Yuhua Lane, the large mansion.
For delivery, they specifically chose midday in broad daylight. They didn't enter the mansion but placed the bedding at the main entrance, then quickly pulled their carts away, as if a ghost were chasing them.
All these signs indicated that her mansion had a rather significant history, otherwise, it wouldn't be known throughout the city and avoided by everyone.
As the new owner of the mansion, Bai Sheng was very keen to understand the full story behind it.
It wasn't that she wanted to change houses; it was mainly that having more information could only be beneficial.
So, Lu Ye summoned Uncle Ding.
Uncle Ding appeared somewhat hesitant. He advised her kindly, "Madam, I still suggest it's better for you not to know. Otherwise, you might not dare to live here."
"Oh? Did someone die here? Is it haunted?" The more Uncle Ding said this, the more curious Bai Sheng became.
"This..." Uncle Ding's expression seemed to crack. He turned to look at Lu Ye. "Master, are you sure you want me to explain everything? Madam is, after all, a delicate young lady. I fear she might be frightened."
Hearing Uncle Ding call her a "delicate young lady," Bai Sheng shivered. She was indeed a "Niangzi" (woman/wife), but in what way was she "delicate"? She was very fierce!
Uncle Ding must be judging her by her appearance. If he were to witness her ferocity later, he would probably be stunned.
Lu Ye looked at Bai Sheng. "Darling, if it turns out someone did die here, and not just one person, would you be afraid?"
Bai Sheng blinked her watery eyes and leaned closer to Lu Ye, whispering, "Husband, ever since we entered the mansion, our Fourth Child has been very happy and hasn't cried much. So, I'm not afraid."
Lu Ye understood. He smiled at Uncle Ding and said, "Uncle Ding, feel free to speak. We want to understand more about the house. My wife is not afraid."
Uncle Ding didn't understand the connection between the house, the Fourth Young Master's happiness, and not crying much. Since Master and Madam wanted him to speak, he would tell them everything.
Uncle Ding glanced around and lowered his voice, "Master, Madam, let's go inside to talk."
Upon entering the main hall of the front courtyard, Uncle Ding deliberately closed all the doors and windows.
Seeing Uncle Ding's cautious and solemn demeanor, Bai Sheng and Lu Ye guessed that the initial owner of the mansion must have been extraordinary, and the events that transpired within the residence were likely unspeakable for ordinary people.
Uncle Ding leaned closer to them and whispered, "This mansion was originally... built by General Baili for his beloved wife, Madam Xiao. It was the most renowned General's Mansion in the capital at that time."
"General Baili?" Lu Ye raised an eyebrow slightly. He had heard older martial arts instructors at the academy mention him. When those instructors spoke of General Baili, their eyes not only showed utmost respect but also deep regret.