The paternal grandfather's skin was a network of dry, wrinkled layers, his complexion a sallow, withered gray. His sparse hair clung to his scalp, making him appear shrunken and frail.
He was unable to speak, his wide, bulging eyes fixed on them, seeming as though they might pop out of their sockets—a rather frightening sight.
His pupils darted, first to Jiang Cong, then to Lin Yanxi. With a stiff, jerky motion, he shook his head.
The people at the table fell silent. Only Shen Yu, with a dismissive air, took a sip of wine and said, "Just a servant, probably ran off after their master's death. If this were in the palace, any palace maid who dared to escape would face the death penalty."
Lin Yanxi suddenly grew agitated. "That's impossible. Aunt Yu was by Mother's side for many years. Before she died, Mother entrusted me and Ruoyan to her care. She wouldn't run away."
Her fear was that Aunt Yu might have met with misfortune.
Shen Muzhou, who had been silent until now, asked in a low voice, "Did the Jiang family keep records of servants bought or employed in the manor?"
Jiang Cong pondered for a moment, then shook his head sadly. "After the family split, most of the servants were divided. I only kept a few by my side, and the records were lost long ago in the old residence. There's nowhere to find them."
"However, before the split, I had to reassign the servants according to the roster. I specifically looked at how many maids my aunt took with her, so I can assure you, my aunt did not take any dowry maids with her when she married."
Lin Yanxi recalled the surprised expression on Li Zi's face when she asked her to find Aunt Yu, as if Li Zi had never known Aunt Yu before.
Shen Muzhou said no more, his gaze fixed on Jiang Cong. Yet, Jiang Cong appeared sincere and honest, making it impossible to fault him.
Jiang Cong rose and refilled their wine cups. "Sister, don't dwell on it. It's just a servant. Have some more wine and rest well later."
Shen Yu pouted, "Such good wine but no beautiful companions. What a pity, what a pity."
Lin Yanxi remained silent, trying desperately to figure out what was truly happening.
After several rounds of drinks, Jiang Cong said, "It's getting late. I should arrange for you distinguished guests to stay the night in the manor."
"Come, please follow me."
As he spoke, he stood up and led them out of the hall, heading towards the rear of the manor.
Shen Yu, quite inebriated, threw an arm around Jiang Cong's shoulders. "Ah, Brother Jiang, your manor is so large, and rather desolate. Do you have any beautiful ladies who are skilled in music? Perhaps for a friendly exchange?"
Jiang Cong, with Shen Yu's arm around him, walked out. He looked embarrassed. "Your Fifth Highness jokes. Although the Jiang clan has declined, our family traditions remain. We dare not..."
Seeing that the two had already left the hall, Lin Yanxi and Shen Muzhou also rose and followed.
As Lin Yanxi passed her paternal grandfather, his dry, rough hand clutched her sleeve tightly, and he struggled with all his might to grind out a single word from between his teeth.
"Run!"
Lin Yanxi froze on the spot. Her paternal grandfather's face was ashen, his shriveled body exuding a smell of decay and mildew.
The arm that held her sleeve revealed burn scars on his wrist.
"Cousin."
Jiang Cong's voice suddenly rang out. He stood at the entrance of the hall, entirely shrouded in shadow, only his eyes glinting ominously at them.
The next moment, he reverted to his usual gentle smile, stepping out of the shadows into the hall. He approached his paternal grandfather and carefully adjusted his collar.
"Father, please wait here for a moment. I'll come back to help you to your room later."
He looked at them with a hint of embarrassment. "Since my father fell ill, he's been experiencing hallucinations and fits of madness. I hope he didn't frighten you."
Lin Yanxi lowered her gaze to look at her paternal grandfather again. He was slumped in his wheelchair, as if boneless, one hand curled into a fist, trembling slightly, his gaze vacant.
Was that just her imagination a moment ago?
She instinctively exchanged a glance with Shen Muzhou, then shook her head.
Jiang Cong led them to a courtyard. From the rafters of the rooms hung thin red ropes, each strung with a bell. When the wind blew, they emitted sudden, ethereal 'jingle-jingle' sounds.
Each door was adorned with two yellow talismans.
Jiang Cong noticed them looking at the talismans and the rafters. He explained, "Don't be afraid. This area is remote, and beyond it lies the Ghost City. There are always stories about strange spirits and forces. I've drawn these yellow talismans according to ancestral methods. The bells hanging from the rafters are called wind-catching bells; they ring if any unusual specters approach."
"I'm not skilled in talismans. These yellow talismans are just copies, so I don't know if they'll be effective."
Lin Yanxi glanced at the yellow talismans on the doors. Indeed, they possessed the form but lacked the magical power. They were probably only effective for scaring off the ignorant.
"Cousin, the world is full of strange occurrences. It's good to be cautious. However, stories about ghosts and spirits should not be taken too seriously."
Jiang Cong scratched his head and chuckled self-deprecatingly, appearing simple and trustworthy.
"Alright, then I won't disturb you further. Get some rest early." He turned to leave, then paused after a couple of steps. "Oh, right. The wind is cold at night, and small beasts are often out and about. Please close your doors and windows. If you hear any noises at night, don't worry too much."
He said this without turning to face them, only glancing back slightly, revealing half his face. Even so, they could see his lips curled upwards in a smile, a smile that, from their angle, stretched to an exaggerated degree, as if his lips had been forcibly torn to his ears.
After he left, the group gathered together.
Shen Yu, drunk, leaned against a doorframe, mumbling, "Xin'er, my Xin'er, Jingxin..."
Lin Yanxi, upon hearing the name on his lips, felt a flicker of surprise. So, the person Shen Yu liked was Luo Jingxin.
Shen Muzhou stood tall, clad in his ever-present dark cloak. With one hand behind his back, he said in a low voice, "According to Jiang Cong, Aunt Yu was never a servant in this manor. Is it possible that Aunt Yu only joined Madam Jiang after she married? For some reason, she claimed to be a family servant. Perhaps you could ask other elders at the Grand Tutor's manor."
"Furthermore, this residence is far more complicated than Jiang Cong lets on. Xiao Liu, you will share a room with Shen Yu tonight. You can look out for each other."
As he spoke, Lin Yanxi nodded her head occasionally in agreement, but her mind was already conjuring a dramatic love triangle involving two brothers and one woman.
No wonder Shen Muzhou always seemed to reject Luo Jingxin, yet also appeared to have an inseparable connection with her. It was likely due to Shen Yu.
Although he hadn't said it, she could tell their relationship was closer than with others, and Shen Yu wasn't afraid of his cold demeanor at all.
Shen Yu mumbled again from behind, "Xin'er."
Shen Muzhou paused, glanced at Shen Yu, then shook his head and continued, "Tomorrow morning, we will leave here and head to the Ghost City..."
Lin Yanxi's gaze would always subtly drift towards him, observing his expressions, especially catching a hint of helplessness in his eyes when he paused earlier.
Helplessness...
So, Shen Muzhou and Shen Yu both loved Luo Jingxin, but out of a desire not to harm their brotherhood, Shen Muzhou had been rejecting her, appearing indifferent on the surface, but inwardly suffering from unrequited love, watching the woman he loved most drift further away.
Shen Muzhou, of course, sensed her gaze on him. Was he particularly captivating tonight?
Indeed, this dark cloak was a new style from the palace, fitting him extremely well.
A hint of satisfaction flickered in his eyes, which he carefully concealed.
"Alas!"
Having figured out the relationship dynamics, she couldn't help but let out a heavy sigh, lamenting the twists of fate.
She looked at Shen Muzhou with a peculiar expression and then, with effort, raised her hand to pat his shoulder, offering her sympathy.
Shen Muzhou's words stopped, and he looked at her with a hint of confusion, not understanding her meaning.
Sensing all eyes upon her, Lin Yanxi realized her behavior was odd. She quickly smiled and shifted her gaze. "Alas, I wonder if we'll successfully find the whereabouts of the Zhenshan Saber in the Ghost City."
Shen Muzhou's smile widened. So, she was worried that he wouldn't find the Zhenshan Saber and would end up in prison.
After assigning tasks, Shen Muzhou, disregarding Lin Yanxi's protests, pulled her back to their guest room.
She stood on the bed, a little disgruntled, muttering, "I can sleep in my own room. I know talisman arts; I can protect myself."
Shen Muzhou was already lying on the bed. He closed his eyes and, with a gentle tug, pulled Lin Yanxi onto the bed.
"Master Talisman Master, I am frail and unable to care for myself. Please protect me."
His voice was low, resonant, and melodious, with a hint of languor that was pleasant to the ears.
She hummed in response, "Alright. The duty of a Talisman Master is to protect all beings."
After they fell asleep, Lin Yanxi, in a daze, seemed to hear many voices whispering in her ear.
"Is this a Talisman Master?"
"She doesn't have the aura of a Talisman Master."
"Hahaha, she said she's looking for Aunt Yu."
"Aunt Yu died over ten years ago. She won't find her, hahaha."
The woman's shrill, maniacal laughter grew more chilling. She tried to open her eyes to see, but her body felt unresponsive, unable to move or speak. Her eyelids felt impossibly heavy.
She let out muffled struggles, as if someone was pinning her down on the bed, unable to move.
"Yanxi, Yanxi!" Shen Muzhou gently shook her.
Her eyelids fluttered open, revealing her rolling eyeballs, and a sheen of cold sweat on her forehead.
"Aunt Yu."
Lin Yanxi broke free from the unseen restraint. When she opened her eyes, she saw Shen Muzhou's face, sharp and perfect, capable of captivating every woman in the world. He looked at her with concern, his eyelashes casting a faint shadow in the morning light.
She turned her head slightly and realized it was already dawn.
"Did you have a nightmare?" Shen Muzhou asked.
Lin Yanxi sat up and grabbed Shen Muzhou's shoulders. "It, it wasn't a dream. I really heard people whispering by my bed. They said Aunt Yu died a long time ago, over ten years ago."
"They said I wouldn't find Aunt Yu."
Her face was pale and gaunt, her eyes slightly red and moist, making them appear even brighter.
He pulled her into his embrace, stroking her hair. "You're just too tired. We will definitely find Aunt Yu. There must be something suspicious going on here. We'll ask Jiang Cong again later, and then we'll ask at the Grand Tutor's manor."
Under his comfort, Lin Yanxi gradually calmed down. Thinking of Luo Jingxin, she instinctively pushed Shen Muzhou away.
Her expression turned slightly distant. Shen Muzhou looked at her with confusion, but she simply lowered her gaze, not offering much explanation.
She hadn't known about their story before. Now that she did, she felt she might have indeed taken someone else's place. Even though their marriage was a pretense, it still felt awkward.
All she could do was find the real culprit as soon as possible and gather evidence of Shen Qingyun's misdeeds. Once Shen Muzhou ascended the throne, everything could be restored to its rightful place.
Lin Yanxi wanted to freshen up quickly, but she found the copper basin in the room covered in a thick layer of dust, as was the table.
Perhaps the room had been uninhabited for a long time, and no one had cleaned it.
"What's going on? Did we encounter a ghost? This is a haunted house!"