The master of the Ke residence was going nearly mad recently.
The cause of all this was a line of wet footprints that had mysteriously appeared in his study.
That day, the master of the Ke family had taken a short rest in his study. Upon waking, he discovered a line of woman’s wet footprints had appeared in his room. He immediately flew into a rage, demanding to know which maid in the courtyard it was. After comparing everyone in a circle, they still couldn’t find who made the footprints. Even those with similar-sized feet had been working in the outer courtyard that day and hadn’t even entered the room.
Unable to find the owner of the footprints, Master Ke seemed to have developed a heart ailment. At first, he spoke with certainty that some servant in the courtyard was playing tricks. Gradually, as if possessed, he insisted that the household was troubled and that evil spirits were causing mischief. Despite Wang Shi’s attempts to stop him, he went ahead and invited Taoist priests to perform rituals.
The Taoist priests came to the Ke residence and walked around once, declaring that the Ke household was entangled with evil spirits and needed ritual exorcism. They set up an altar in the courtyard and performed exorcism rituals with great fanfare for three days, collecting five hundred taels of silver for incense, candles, and ritual expenses before leaving.
Since it was for performing rituals for the Ke household, the money naturally had to come from the public funds. This greatly displeased the housekeeper Wang Shi, who complained to her personal maid behind Ke Chengxing’s back: “The master says there are ghosts with just one sentence, and out goes five hundred taels of silver. Those Taoist priests claim to be exorcising evil and catching ghosts, but I think they’re just swindlers and charlatans. They conned their way to several meals of rich food and wine, and took away a large sum of silver. How could the master be so foolish!”
The maid beside her thought for a moment: “Madam, don’t blame this servant for being suspicious, but over just a few lines of wet footprints, why was the master frightened like this? Whether ghosts exist in this world or not aside, the master’s appearance—doesn’t it seem rather off?”
Upon hearing this, Wang Shi’s expression changed.
Wang Shi didn’t really believe in ghosts and spirits. Her father was an official, and if he placed too much importance on ghosts and gods, he would inevitably be talked about behind his back by colleagues, which wouldn’t be good for his career either. The matter of the wet footprints did make her feel uneasy, but she would never be frightened to the extent that Ke Chengxing was.
Being so anxious to invite people to perform rituals made it seem like he had a guilty conscience.
The maid reminded her again: “Speaking of which, that previous madam—they said she went mad and threw herself into the pond. Could it be…”
“Stop talking nonsense!” Wang Shi scolded. “What kind of words are you daring to speak? That Lu Shi had a short life—who can she blame? Could this also be the master’s fault?”
However, although she verbally rebuked the maid, Madam Ke couldn’t help but feel some doubt in her heart. So that evening when she saw Master Ke, Wang Shi took the initiative to bring up Lu Shi’s matter, asking Ke Chengxing: “Speaking of which, that Lu Shi threw herself into the pond, right? She was perfectly fine—how did she become so desperate?”
Ke Chengxing had just picked up his tea and hadn’t yet drunk it when he heard Wang Shi’s words. His expression stiffened, his tongue went rigid, and after a long while he finally managed to say: “Why are you suddenly thinking of Lu Shi?”
Wang Shi observed his expression: “It’s because the Taoist priest who came to perform rituals recently said that our household has evil spirits causing trouble. I was thinking it might be…”
“It’s not!” Before she could finish speaking, Ke Chengxing decisively interrupted her, saying sternly: “Lu Shi died long ago. This household has been peaceful for two years—how could it be her!” He spoke quickly and urgently, not knowing whether he was trying to convince Wang Shi or himself. After speaking, he set his teacup on the table with a thud: “It’s getting late. I’m going to check on Mother.”
Ke Chengxing hurriedly left the room, his retreating figure looking like he was fleeing in panic. Wang Shi looked at the cold tea on the table and for some reason felt uneasy in her heart.
Meanwhile, after leaving the room, Ke Chengxing first went to Old Madam Ke’s courtyard.
Old Madam Ke had caught a cold a few days ago.
Perhaps it was because the weather was unpredictable—sometimes the sun was blazing, sometimes it rained coldly. The alternating hot and cold weather inevitably caused one to catch a chill.
Old Madam Ke wasn’t feeling well and had been recuperating in her room these past days. As soon as Ke Chengxing entered the room, Nanny Li was massaging Old Madam Ke’s legs. Seeing him, she called out “Master.”
Ke Chengxing looked troubled and irritated, and simply told Nanny Li to leave first.
Nanny Li understood and, before leaving, called out all the maids and servants in the room as well, leaving only Old Madam Ke and Ke Chengxing in the room.
Old Madam Ke coughed a few times and frowned as she looked at him: “Xing’er, what have you been doing these past few days? I heard from Wang Shi that you invited Taoist priests to the residence to perform rituals, making the courtyard smoky and foul—what kind of behavior is this!”
Ke Chengxing hadn’t told Old Madam Ke about the wet footprints incident from a few days ago. First, because Old Madam Ke was ill with a cold, and speaking of it would only worry her and delay her recovery. Second, Ke Chengxing also suspected he might be overthinking things, that someone was playing tricks behind the scenes, so he didn’t dare draw conclusions easily.
However, now he was truly afraid.
Ke Chengxing looked terrified and said in a low voice: “Mother, save me! Lu Shi… Lu Shi has returned!”
“Lu Shi?” Old Madam Ke’s expression turned cold: “What nonsense are you spouting?”
“Your son is not speaking nonsense,” Ke Chengxing looked completely panicked. “These past days, wet footprints keep appearing in the residence. I originally thought it was brought in by maids, but none of those maids’ feet match the footprints! And that’s not all—sometimes when your son wakes up, he finds his clothes have already been folded. Those clothes are folded with the corners tucked in—that’s Lu Shi’s way of folding…”
He spoke in panic, and Old Madam Ke felt anger rising in her heart as she listened: “Ridiculous! Lu Shi isn’t the only person in the world who folds clothes this way. Either Wang Shi or some maid in your courtyard folded them.”
Ke Chengxing shook his head: “Your son already asked, and they all said they never folded them. Also, the placement of your son’s books is wrong—they’re arranged according to Lu Shi’s former habits. Sometimes at night I can even hear someone crying.” Ke Chengxing’s face was deathly pale, like a startled bird: “To be honest with Mother, these past days, your son often dreams of Lu Shi at night… dreams of her dripping wet, coming to demand his life!”
Old Madam Ke angrily shouted: “Silence!”
Ke Chengxing immediately fell quiet.
The room was completely silent. The flames in the candlestick flickered, casting a thin layer of firelight on Ke Chengxing’s face, making his eyes appear even more terrified and lifeless—he didn’t even look like a living person.
Old Madam Ke felt a surge of frustration in her heart.
This son had been pampered and spoiled since childhood. Usually everything else was fine, but he was somewhat cowardly. When the old master was alive, he had scolded him many times for this, always feeling that his eldest son had a woman’s temperament and would find it difficult to accomplish great things.
It wasn’t until the matter with Lu Shi that Ke Chengxing displayed decisiveness and ruthlessness completely different from his past behavior.
This actually put Old Madam Ke’s mind at ease. After all, to shoulder the rise and fall of a family, it was better for the master to have a hard heart than a soft one.
However, Lu Shi’s matter had been over for almost two years, and it was precisely at this time that Ke Chengxing was becoming obsessed.
It wouldn’t matter if he went mad by himself, but now that Wang Shi had entered the household, if Wang Shi discovered something suspicious and became suspicious, it would spell trouble.
Old Madam Ke was advanced in years and didn’t believe in ghosts and spirits herself. The Ke family business had reached its current state—to say they had never been involved in bloodshed would be impossible. People were already dead; even if they became ghosts, what could they really do?
Moreover, Lu Shi had ended up in such a state, which couldn’t be blamed on the Ke family. Every grievance has its source and every debt its creditor—she should go find the original instigator.
Seeing that Ke Chengxing still looked shaken, Old Madam Ke softened her tone and said: “Xing’er, this matter is most likely someone secretly playing tricks. You must not panic and lose your composure. Think carefully—if it really were Lu Shi’s ghost, she would have come for your life long ago. What would be the point of all this mystifying behavior?”
Her cold hadn’t fully recovered yet, so she had to pause and rest after speaking a few sentences: “I think someone in this courtyard probably has ulterior motives. I’m still not well, so I’ll first send Nanny Li to help you investigate the people in your courtyard. When I recover, we’ll find that person and see exactly which little demon is stirring up trouble.”
“Don’t panic now, and don’t let Wang Shi notice anything wrong. Also, don’t go looking for those Taoist priests to perform more rituals. If you accidentally let something slip and word gets out, it will only cause more trouble.”
She called to Ke Chengxing, who was still lost in thought: “Xing’er?”
Ke Chengxing suddenly snapped back to reality. He was about to speak, but seeing Old Madam Ke’s haggard and sickly appearance, he swallowed the words that had reached his lips and only responded quietly.
After speaking a few more words with Old Madam Ke, Nanny Li came in to serve Old Madam Ke her medicine, and only then did Ke Chengxing withdraw.
As soon as he left the room, Wan Fu, who had been waiting outside, came forward and asked: “Master, what did Old Madam say?”
Ke Chengxing slowly shook his head, his tone dejected: “Mother doesn’t believe what I’m saying.”
Wan Fu was stunned: “Old Madam doesn’t even believe Master?”
Ke Chengxing smiled bitterly: “Mother has always prioritized the Ke family’s reputation. She’s probably afraid that if my fear of ghosts and spirits gets out, the Ke family will become a laughingstock… How could she understand my difficulties!”
Wan Fu quickly said: “This servant understands Master’s difficulties. Master, don’t worry. Even if this servant is torn to pieces, I will definitely protect Master’s safety.”
Having finished his words of loyalty, Ke Chengxing looked at Wan Fu with a hint of emotion and sighed: “Wan Fu, in this entire household, only you believe me now.”
Everyone thought he had become obsessed, but only Wan Fu believed his words without doubt. The idea of inviting Taoist priests to perform rituals had been Wan Fu’s suggestion. Unfortunately, it had only quieted things down for a few days. After those Taoist priests left, the previous abnormalities appeared again.
Presumably Lu Shi’s ghost was too fierce. But now Wang Shi and Old Madam Ke probably wouldn’t agree to let him invite Taoist priests again. He would have to endure being tormented by Lu Shi’s ghost again, not knowing when it would end.
Wan Fu thought for a while and suddenly said: “Master, this servant has an idea.”
“What idea?”
“Isn’t the Blue Lotus Festival coming up in a few days?” Wan Fu moved closer to Ke Chengxing and said in a low voice: “They say the Bodhisattva at Wan’en Temple is very efficacious. Master, why don’t you take advantage of the Blue Lotus Festival on the first day of the fourth month to visit Wan’en Temple and pray to the Bodhisattva? It’s a sacred Buddhist site—no matter how fierce Lu Shi’s ghost is, surely she wouldn’t dare to disrespect even the Bodhisattva?”
Ke Chengxing’s eyes lit up, and he said to himself: “That’s a good idea.”
After a moment, he clapped his hands together, his tone somewhat excited, and instructed Wan Fu: “Quickly, quickly, have someone prepare some sesame oil and rice candles. We’ll go to Wan’en Temple in a couple of days!”