Zhu Yuanmo hesitated for quite a while before lightly nodding his head.

Xie Zhifei’s heart eased. “Then it’s settled. Mingting stays, and I’ll make this trip for the Zhu family.”

Young Master Pei nodded in agreement. His leg speed wasn’t as fast as Fifty’s.

Xie Zhifei: “Who from the Zhu family comes with me?”

“Me!”

Third Master Zhu slapped his own chest. “I’ll go with you.”

“Bring plenty of silver, plenty of provisions, prepare the residence’s best horses, bring the residence’s most hardship-enduring guards. We leave immediately.”

After speaking, Xie Zhifei walked before Eldest Master Zhu with an extremely serious expression.

“Brother Zhu, even if I rush day and night, it’ll take at least two months to return, not counting the time needed to find Yan Sanhe.”

Eldest Master Zhu: “I know.”

You haven’t truly experienced this yet—you don’t know how urgent matters are.

“Today it’s Second Mistress. Tomorrow it might be First Mistress. In two months’ time, anything could happen.”

Xie Zhifei advised, “Elder Brother Zhu, please take care.”

Eldest Master Zhu felt his heart first tighten, then warm at these words.

This person appeared dissolute and carefree, like a wastrel second-generation heir, but inside he was steady. No wonder his sister often mentioned “Third Brother.”

“Third Brother.”

Eldest Master Zhu suddenly changed how he addressed him. “I’ll do my human best and accept heaven’s will. You be careful on the journey.”

Xie Zhifei clasped his fists to him, then turned to Xie Erli. “Elder Brother, tell Father and Grandmother for me. At the office, you also help me…”

“Don’t worry, leave everything to me.”

Xie Erli looked at his brother, his eyes full of heartache.

Xie Zhifei turned and hooked his arm over Pei Xiao’s shoulder, walking out while speaking in a low voice. “Come out with me. I have things to instruct.”

What instructions?

Naturally about matters in the capital.

Xie Zhifei kept his words brief, arranging several matters properly before advising, “For any life-threatening matters, go directly to Eldest Master Zhu. His divinations are very accurate.”

“Obviously—who else would I go to?”

Pei Xiao smiled mischievously. “I also want to ask him to divine my marriage prospects.”

Still in the mood for such things at a time like this?

Xie Zhifei felt exhausted. “Huairen will return to the capital in at most a month. When he returns, Li Buyan will come back too. You must watch her—don’t let her come looking again, lest she goes astray.”

“Leave this matter to me. Don’t worry!”

Pei Xiao suddenly thought of something else and covered his mouth. “Should I still continue with the Zheng family matter or not…”

Xie Zhifei was stumped by the question.

Twice they’d prepared to investigate the Zheng family case, and twice something had suddenly intervened.

In his heart, he wanted Mingting to continue inquiring.

But realistically, with Mingting alone staying in the capital, just the cabinet shop business alone would stretch him too thin.

“We’ll have to postpone it temporarily.”

“Alright, I’ll listen to you.”

“Also, help me convey something to Huairen.”

“What?”

“This trip—I’m making it both for Elder Brother and Sister-in-law, and for him.”

Xie Zhifei blinked. “The Zhu family will be useful to him later.”

Pei Xiao also blinked. “I knew that was your plan all along.”

Half a pot of tea later, Xie Zhifei’s group departed from the Zhu residence’s back gate, braving the torrential rain, heading straight for the south city gate.

Just as they exited the gate, the rain suddenly stopped.

Xie Zhifei looked back at the capital, thinking this rain was somewhat strange.

Inside the city—pouring rain.

Outside the city—not a single drop had fallen.

…

Zhu Residence.

Inner quarters.

Basin after basin of blood-soaked water was carried from the side room, a horrifying sight for all who saw it.

Madam Mao sat upright in her grand chair, holding prayer beads, murmuring incessantly.

After countless recitations of “Amitabha Buddha,” Imperial Physician Pei emerged from the side room.

Madam Mao couldn’t help standing, her face tense. “How is she?”

Pei Yu sighed, his gaze falling on Second Master Zhu beside her. “You must prepare for the worst.”

Beyond saving?

Second Master Zhu’s legs went soft and he collapsed to the ground, ashen-faced.

Lady Zhu was closest to Second Brother and Second Sister-in-law. Unwilling to accept such an outcome, she asked, “Uncle Pei, is there truly no method left?”

Pei Yu couldn’t very well say this was due to your family’s Old Master having a heart demon. He only gently shook his head.

Lady Zhu’s tears began to fall in anxiety.

At this moment, two other physicians emerged from the side room in succession, also shaking their heads at the Zhu family. The elder of the two was precisely the era’s gynecology expert.

His head shake meant Second Mistress Ren’s life was beyond saving.

Seeing him shake his head too, Second Master Zhu could hold back no longer and let out a heart-wrenching cry.

“Father, you can’t become a ghost yourself and then take the living with you! Leave your descendants a way to live!”

Ghost?

Pei Yu felt as if he’d been enlightened, slapping his thigh. “Ah! Could we use the Thirteen Ghost Gate Needles?”

The two physicians beside him heard this and their expressions changed dramatically.

But Lady Zhu seemed to catch onto something and quickly asked, “Uncle Pei, what are the Thirteen Ghost Gate Needles?”

“The Thirteen Ghost Gate Needles are actually thirteen ghost acupoints.”

Pei Yu explained, “These thirteen ghost acupoints are respectively: Ghost Seal, Ghost Palace, Ghost Lair, Ghost Rampart, Ghost Path, Ghost Market, Ghost Hall, Ghost Pillow, Ghost Heart, Ghost Leg, Ghost Message, Ghost Camp, Ghost Repository, Ghost Minister.”

Lady Zhu looked blank, understanding nothing at all.

Pei Yu stroked the beard on his chin. “Put it this way—the Thirteen Ghost Gate Needles means snatching a life back from ghosts.”

“Then…”

Lady Zhu asked carefully, “Can the Thirteen Ghost Gate Needles save my second sister-in-law?”

Pei Yu glanced at Lady Zhu.

In truth, there were some things he hadn’t stated explicitly.

The world’s best physicians weren’t imperial physicians, nor were they in the capital. They were itinerant doctors wandering through mountains, rivers, streets, and alleys.

Among itinerant doctors, the most exceptional were called miracle doctors.

Miracle doctors didn’t need to check pulses or examine tongues or complexions—one look told them what illness afflicted you.

Legend had it that many years ago, there was a miracle doctor surnamed Qi who lived on Changbai Mountain and was extremely skilled with the Thirteen Ghost Gate Needles.

His most impressive feat was saving a man who’d been pierced through the heart by an arrow—certain to die—and bringing him back to life.

This Miracle Doctor Qi had a transmitted work. The final pages of the book recorded the Thirteen Ghost Gate Needles in detail.

He stated that people fell ill because evil energy was trapped in their fate.

The Thirteen Ghost Gate Needles meant conversing with the evil energy, negotiating with it. If it didn’t respond, you had to threaten it. If it still didn’t respond, you had to take action.

In taking action, you had to drive it away, not eliminate it.

Second Mistress Ren’s miscarriage with massive bleeding was due to Old Master Zhu having a heart demon—this precisely fit the description of evil energy possessing the body.

“At this point, there’s no other good solution.”

Pei Yu sighed. “Why not try it and see.”

Lady Zhu couldn’t decide and looked to Second Brother.

But Second Master Zhu’s soul had left him—he wore a wooden, dazed expression.

It was Madam Mao who made the final decision. “Use the Thirteen Ghost Gate Needles. Imperial Physician Pei, please proceed.”

Pei Yu smiled bitterly. “Madam, this old servant doesn’t have that ability.”

Lady Zhu quickly asked, “Then who does? We’ll go invite them.”

“In the capital, only Old Physician Shen of the Shen family understands a thing or two. You must go beg him and see if he’s willing to help.”

Lady Zhu heard the implications in these words. “Uncle Pei, isn’t Old Physician Shen’s character the most…”

“First Mistress.”

Pei Yu interrupted her. “The thirteenth needle is the ultimate one. You can only needle up to the twelfth. The person who applies the thirteenth needle will suffer backlash.”

Lady Zhu instantly understood why when Uncle Pei mentioned the Thirteen Ghost Gate Needles, the other two physicians’ expressions had changed dramatically.

Twelve needles couldn’t save someone that the thirteenth needle could save.

Applying the thirteenth needle meant the acupuncturist would suffer backlash.

So then—

To save or not to save?