As dawn began to break, the sky was a pale grey with a few faint stars still visible. A dozen craftsmen, rubbing the sleep from their eyes and carrying various tools, followed the steward of the Marquis’ Mansion into the backyard. After passing through several corridors, they were split into two groups: one headed to the ancestral hall and the other to the Buddha hall.
The scent of sandalwood incense filled the air. The Bodhisattva statue sat serenely on the altar, holding a flower. The glazed tiles on the Buddha hall’s roof reflected the dazzling light of the morning sun. Upon entering the hall, the craftsmen first bowed respectfully in all directions before taking out their tools to start their work.
For a while, the only sounds in the hall were the “ping ping pang pang” of their tools. However, after a time, strange noises began to emerge amidst these sounds. It was as if someone was chanting Buddhist scriptures, yet the normally calming verses were recited in a sharp and angry tone, echoing eerily in the empty hall and sending chills down the listeners’ spines.
The leader of the group frowned, looking around both inside and outside the hall, but the deserted Buddha hall at dawn showed no signs of anyone. Scratching his head in puzzlement, he muttered, “Who’s playing pranks this early?” Seeing the others looking at him, he shrugged and said nonchalantly, “Probably just someone messing around. Let’s get back to work.”
The group resumed their tasks, but the piercing chant continued, relentless and unsettling. Though they tried to ignore it, their hands trembled as they worked, for they had all developed a certain reverence for the divine through their years of labor.
Suddenly, someone let out a horrified scream and fell, rolling down from the higher platform. His face was contorted with fear, and he pointed upwards with a trembling hand, only able to emit terrified “ah ah ah” sounds.
The others quickly looked in the direction he indicated and saw a yellow smoke rising. The faces of the golden Arhats on the altar appeared menacing in the smoke. On closer inspection, they noticed that from the deep-set eye sockets of the Arhats, fresh red blood was flowing!
Everyone was frozen in terror at this sight. When they finally snapped out of it, they dropped their tools and ran desperately towards the exit. Turning around, they discovered that the previously clean and reflective floor now had several large footprints. They stopped, dumbfounded, not knowing where the footprints had come from or what stepping on them might entail.
Just then, a strange smell filled the air, and suddenly, numerous snakes slithered out from all sides of the Buddha hall. Their greyish-blue, slippery bodies intertwined and moved towards the craftsmen, their blood-red tongues flicking menacingly. The craftsmen, terrified, tried to flee, but it was too late for some. Their legs were already entangled by the snakes, sharp fangs sinking into their calves. The bitten men screamed in horror and stomped on the snakes, filling the hall with cries and the stench of blood and crushed flesh.
The leader of the group managed to run outside. Looking back at the scene in the hall, his legs gave way, and he fell to his knees, shouting, “It’s Avici Hell! The Buddha is punishing us!”
The cries of terror startled a flock of birds from a nearby tree and prematurely woke the peaceful Marquis’ Mansion. Yuan Xi had just finished washing up when she heard about the incident at the Buddha hall. She hurried over with Anhe and a few others.
By now, a crowd had gathered outside the Buddha hall. Some craftsmen were being carried out, writhing in pain, while the servants, unsure of the snakes’ origins, hesitated to kill them and instead struggled to catch and bag them to release them into the wild. Many onlookers knelt and prayed for forgiveness, chanting Buddhist mantras.
In the background, Aunt Wang was talking anxiously to the terrified leader of the craftsmen. He was shaking uncontrollably, his face pale. Aunt Wang pressed a bag of silver into his hands and whispered, “Today’s incident must not be spoken of! Do you understand?”
But the leader refused, shaking his head repeatedly and muttering, “No, we’ve offended the divine. We’re doomed. The Buddha hall cannot be touched.”
Aunt Wang’s face darkened. Just then, she saw Yuan Xi approaching and hurried over. “I don’t know what happened, but it’s a major disaster. If the Master finds out, I don’t know how he’ll punish us.”
Yuan Xi forced a response, then noticed a servant about to dispose of a bag of snakes. She quickly intercepted him, asking, “May I see it?”
The servant surprised, reluctantly held out a snake. Yuan Xi, suppressing her fear, gently touched its cold, slimy body and noticed it was damp. She hesitated, then brought her face closer to sniff it. The servant was shocked, fearing the snake would strike, but Yuan Xi stopped just inches away from its flicking tongue, detecting a strange odor. She sensed something was amiss.
She remembered what the Princess had told her the previous day—if the Buddha hall was disturbed, the responsibility would fall on them. The timing of the incident seemed too coincidental. She decided to inspect the hall further, but just then, a commanding voice stopped her: “Halt!”
The Princess, supported by Nanny Yu, approached slowly. Her body trembled as she surveyed the chaos in the hall. “Are you going to continue? This time, only a few workers were harmed. Do you want to endanger the entire mansion?”
Yuan Xi looked up sharply at her. The Princess, frail and dressed in a plain silk robe, seemed like she might collapse with a gust of wind. But her eyes blazed with fierce determination, fixed on Yuan Xi. Yuan Xi sighed, suppressed her doubts, and bowed, retreating obediently. From the shade of a nearby tree, Aunt Wang watched with a slight smile.
Just then, a figure in dark blue hurried over, breaking the tense standoff. Xiao Yunjing, followed by Zhou Jingyuan and several servants, entered the scene with a stern expression. Aunt Wang rushed over, tears streaming. “Master, it’s my fault. I failed to carry out your instructions properly!” She lowered her head, weeping with apparent guilt. Yuan Xi also approached and bowed, but she couldn’t express her confusion about what had gone wrong.
Xiao Yunjing, feeling a tightness in his chest, surveyed the scene. The words “disturbing the divine” and “inviting disaster” echoed in his mind, knowing the rumors this would spread about the mansion. He sighed and demanded, “What is going on?”
Aunt Wang wiped her tears with a handkerchief and replied, “It’s my fault for not listening to the Princess. She warned that the Buddha hall shouldn’t be touched. I thought she was just having a hard time accepting it. Who knew such a disaster would happen today?” She glanced at Yuan Xi. “Young Madam, didn’t the Princess tell you the hall shouldn’t be touched, or there would be consequences?”
Yuan Xi, lost in her thoughts, was startled when addressed. She could only stammer an affirmative, nodding as Xiao Yunjing’s questioning gaze fixed on her.
At this moment, the princess, supported by Nanny Yu, walked over slowly. Upon seeing the scene, she couldn’t help but let out a cold laugh, “Yes, I said those words. Seeing this now, does the Master think I was wrong?”
Xiao Yunjing glanced at her coldly, then turned away, addressing Zhou Jingyuan, “Find out exactly what happened! And where is the young master? Bring him back immediately!” With a face full of anger, he swept his sleeves and left, with Aunt Wang hurriedly following, trying to console him.
Yuan Xi looked at the princess, noticing her gazing sorrowfully in the direction Xiao Yunjing had left, her lips trembling. At that moment, the aloofness and pride she had maintained collapsed, revealing a vulnerable woman longing for her husband’s attention. Feeling a pang of sympathy, Yuan Xi approached softly, “Mother-in-law, it’s windy here. Let’s go back and rest.” But the princess only shot her a glare, regaining her cold demeanor, and turned to leave with Nanny Yu.
Yuan Xi stood there, sighing helplessly, her head aching from thinking about the recent events. She decided to set aside the confusing matters and return to her account books, preferring the tedious task over getting involved in the ongoing disputes.
By the time Xiao Du returned to the mansion, it was already past noon. Zhou Jingyuan was waiting for him and quickly detailed the day’s events. Xiao Du stopped in his tracks, frowning, “Have you found out what happened?” Zhou Jingyuan shook his head, “We’ve sealed off the Buddha hall, but we haven’t identified who did it. Word has already spread that the mansion has angered the gods and the carpenters are too scared to return. The Master is at a loss, and Aunt Wang is attending to him now.”
Xiao Du snorted, “Ever since the new arrivals, trouble has been nonstop.” Zhou Jingyuan kept silent, leading Xiao Du to the old Marquis’ quarters.
When Xiao Du emerged from the old Marquis’ room, it was nearly dawn. He glanced at the sky, feeling an impulse. He dismissed the servants and walked quickly to the study in Qingzhi Courtyard.
He pushed open the paper window and saw Yuan Xi sitting under the gardenia tree, diligently copying account books. Her face no longer bore the look of helplessness and fatigue but showed intense concentration. Xiao Du remembered that she would have returned to her room by this hour, so he casually picked up a book and leaned back, watching to see how long she would persist.
As the night deepened, Yuan Xi continued her work despite Anhe and Rong Qiao’s attempts to persuade her to rest. Sweat beaded on her forehead, but she kept copying, the scent of ink mingling with the fragrance of flowers drifting into the room. Xiao Du couldn’t help but shake his head and smile: Did she think hiding here meant she could ignore everything?
As twilight approached, he set down his book, walked out of the room, crossed the corridor, and quietly instructed the maids to remain silent before sneaking into the courtyard.
Yuan Xi was so engrossed in her work that she didn’t notice his approach until his shadow fell over her, blocking the light. Startled, she nearly spilled ink on herself.
Xiao Du’s face was obscured by the backlight, and he smiled leisurely, “What are you copying, my dear wife?”
Blushing with embarrassment, Yuan Xi hugged the pile of papers tightly. Xiao Du casually picked up a ledger, “So you’re copying account books.”
Realizing her foolishness, Yuan Xi felt a flush of shame and wished she could hide under the table. Xiao Du tossed the ledger aside, “I didn’t expect a daughter from the Xiangguo Mansion to be so useless.”
Yuan Xi forgot her fear for a moment, looking up at him. He continued, “Can’t you see that Aunt Wang has been giving you these pointless tasks to keep you from handling the important accounts? She’s only using you as a figurehead while she controls the finances. You’re so naïve to take it seriously.” He sighed disdainfully, “You’re being played like a fool.”
Yuan Xi’s eyes narrowed slightly. She put down the stack of papers, picked up the ledger, and dusted it off. “I may not understand scheming, but I’m not stupid.” Xiao Du raised an eyebrow in surprise as she continued, “After yesterday, I realized Aunt Wang was using my name to oppose the princess. I may not know how to navigate the intrigues, but I do know to do my duty.” She handed the ledger to Xiao Du, “Ask me any page.”
Xiao Du, skeptical, opened the book and picked a random date. Yuan Xi quickly recited the entries for that day. He asked several more questions, and she answered each correctly. Amazed, Xiao Du asked, “You memorized all this?”
Yuan Xi smiled, her eyes sparkling with pride. “I can now tell Aunt Wang that I’ve done what she asked, and it’s time she teaches me how to truly manage this household.”
Xiao Du, seeing her so animated and determined, was taken aback by her transformation. She looked particularly enchanting in the glow of the setting sun. He leaned in close, almost touching her nose, and smiled, “Since you’ve worked so hard, how should I reward you?”