Lang Jiuchuan had spent only one night at home when the Ou residence came to summon her again the very next day. The reason was that Ou Miaolan had developed a high fever and would not wake from her nightmares, and they had no choice but to invite her to come.

Upon learning that Lang Jiuchuan was venturing out again, Lang Cailing, with nowhere to vent her surge of sour resentment, ran once more to Lang Caiyao’s room to complain. Heedless of her third aunt’s presence, she launched into a barrage of words: “I mean really — everyone else is dutifully staying in the residence to observe the mourning period. What gives her the right to wander out whenever she pleases? Just because she grew up on the estate and got used to running wild?”

“Third Aunt, don’t you think?”

Feng Shi smiled and said, “As long as the elders permit it, there is nothing improper about it.”

Lang Cailing pursed her lips, clearly dissatisfied with this reply. Seeing that Lang Caiyao had nothing to say either, and that Feng Shi was present, she found it all rather dull and left after a few words.

Once she had gone, Feng Shi turned to Lang Caiyao and said, “Even if the elders permit it, for a young woman to keep going out during the mourning period will still damage her reputation. You are nearly of marriageable age — you cannot conduct yourself that way.”

Lang Caiyao said lightly, “Even if I wished to go out, someone would have to come and invite me first.”

Feng Shi choked on her words. Thinking of the people who had come to the residence specifically to invite Lang Jiuchuan, and those who had sent gifts addressed to her personally, she felt some confusion. This unremarkable niece of the second branch — it seemed she was not so simple after all.

She considered for a moment and said, “Your ninth younger sister has only just come home and is not yet familiar with the residence or Wu Jing. It is bitterly cold now and there is nowhere to go anyway. You sisters should visit each other more — tell her something of the people and affairs here, and let the two of you grow closer.”

A flush crept onto Lang Caiyao’s face. Just moments ago, her mother had been saying something entirely different — and now…

Had she taken an interest in the connections the other girl was cultivating?

She lost the will to continue, setting down the embroidery pattern she could no longer concentrate on. “Daughter will go and gather some winter plum blossoms to steep tea with the snow.”

Feng Shi noticed her mood but said nothing. She could only sigh inwardly. They of the third branch were born of a concubine. Her husband held no high office. For their daughter’s marriage prospects, if not for the support of the Hou residence — that great tree to lean on — what else was there to rely on? Especially now, still in the mourning period.

But the people Lang Jiuchuan was associating with were visibly wealthy and powerful — some even beyond the reach of the Hou residence. Naturally, this stirred Feng Shi’s envy.

She was calculating in nature, but all of it was for the sake of her children.

Lang Caiyao gazed at the snow blanketing the winter plum tree and felt, inexplicably, a trace of envy toward Lang Jiuchuan. The girl cared nothing for her reputation. Even when people outside reviled her and spread rumors, not a flicker of anxiety crossed her face — she simply did as she pleased, unconstrained and free.

That younger cousin of hers truly had an unbothered heart.

Unlike herself — her mother had drilled the importance of reputation into her ears so constantly that she was absolutely forbidden from having even the slightest ill repute spread about her. It was exhausting.

The one being envied — Lang Jiuchuan — had by now entered Ou Miaolan’s room. At the sight of the child, even more drawn and wan than the day before, she frowned. The girl’s cheeks were flushed with fever, dark circles shadowed her eyes, and in her sleep she seemed tormented by something, her brow tightly furrowed, releasing small sounds of weeping and intermittent terrified murmurs.

“Earlier she was convulsing and having seizures. The physician has already applied needles.” Ou Luozhong had not slept the entire night. The Madam of the Ou Family beside the girl looked equally haggard — her complexion was dreadful, and her cheeks showed an unhealthy flush of color.

She had been frightened by the previous day’s events, and her heart and spirit were in great disorder. She had fallen ill herself.

Yet even in her illness, she had refused all attempts to dissuade her and had come anyway.

“If Madam is ill, she should not have come — it will only cause further stagnation and aggravate the illness. Please go back and rest,” Lang Jiuchuan said evenly.

“How can I possibly rest…”

“Your presence here serves no purpose — it only means more people must keep watch over you.” Lang Jiuchuan cut her off, glancing at the eldest young mistress Zheng Shi, whose face was exhausted and worn.

The other woman managed a weak tug of the corners of her mouth in response.

Ou Luozhong said, “Eldest daughter-in-law, take your mother-in-law back to rest. There is myself here. Madam, please listen — Miss Jiu is right. You can do nothing here, and if Miaolan sees you like this, it will only weigh on her conscience.”

Madam Ou could only depart with one lingering glance after another.

Once she had left, Lang Jiuchuan said without further preamble, “We cannot afford to delay. This child cannot withstand it — if it drags on much longer, she will not last.”

Ou Luozhong’s heart gave a lurch.

Lang Jiuchuan took out her silver needles and first inserted them at the Ghost’s Letter acupoint. She then shook the Dizhong rattle-bell — its ancient, soul-soothing tones rippled into the girl’s spirit-soul, carrying a gentle comfort.

Before long, the furrow between Ou Miaolan’s brows eased. Her eyelids fluttered, and she opened her eyes. As her gaze came into focus and found Lang Jiuchuan, tears began streaming down her face. “Elder Sister…”

Lang Jiuchuan swept her gaze over the girl’s swollen and reddened forehead. She had heard that the child had bound her own eyes and tried to walk in blindness to test what it would be like — and had fallen.

She placed her hand on the girl’s forehead and leaned slightly closer. “You have suffered a terrible fright, and though I drew a soul-anchoring talisman for you, you are still falling into nightmares — which is not at all conducive to your recovery. Would it be agreeable if I were to temporarily seal your Yin-Yang eyes? Only for seven days. During those seven days, although you will not be able to see, you can sleep soundly through the night. You can go outside and feel nothing harassing or disturbing you. Seven days from now, I will return to unseal them, and at that time you may choose whether to seal them permanently or not.”

Tears rolled down Ou Miaolan’s cheeks, and she nodded. “All right.”

Lang Jiuchuan touched her face gently. “Do not be afraid.”

She opened the bundle she had brought along, lit the calming incense, drew a talisman for sealing the eye-sight and invoking the divine, and formed a hand seal with both hands to summon the divine. Then, one hand shook the rattle-bell while the other held the needles.

The Dizhong bell’s chime could drive off ghosts and malevolent entities, calming the spirit and anchoring the soul. The needling technique employed the Ghost Gate’s Thirteen Needles in combination with the talisman spells to seal the Heavenly Eye. Once sealed, her ability to commune with the yin world would be temporarily suppressed, and for this brief period she could find peace.

To seal it permanently, however, was to directly go against the will of Heaven — to forcibly alter the destiny she had been born with. And for that, both the girl herself and Lang Jiuchuan would incur the karmic retribution of the Five Afflictions and Three Deficiencies. It was not something she could claim with impunity simply by declaring she wanted the girl’s eyes.

Within the sound of the rattle-bell, Ou Miaolan’s body relaxed. She felt as though she had been transported to a quiet and serene space — only the murmur of flowing water, the fragrance of flowers, the warmth of sunlight entering her body.

Lang Jiuchuan’s needles descended steadily at the Spirit Platform and the eye-surrounding acupoints. Her incantation rose from her lips. Ou Luozhong could not see anything, but Jiangche could clearly see golden light flash from the needles as each one was inserted into the acupoints around the child’s eyes, then vanish.

One needle after another descended. A fine film of perspiration appeared on Lang Jiuchuan’s forehead.

She stopped shaking the rattle-bell and instead pinched up the eye-sealing invocation talisman she had drawn earlier. With two fingers, she flung it forward: “Heaven’s law be clear and pure, Earth’s law be luminous and potent. Through the Three Realms and Six Paths, let Yin and Yang not connect. Let all laws be enacted. By my command and in accordance with the True Lord’s decree — Edict!”

The talisman ignited without flame. A ray of golden light burst forth from it and plunged into Ou Miaolan’s Spirit Platform.

Ou Miaolan felt a burning sensation between her eyes, and her eyelids trembled. The clamoring sounds around her suddenly went quiet.

“Miaolan?” Her father’s voice rang out.

Ou Miaolan opened both eyes — and found herself in utter darkness, without even a sliver of light or shadow. She was startled into stillness.

“Miaolan.” Ou Luozhong saw that her eyes remained as clear and bright as always, yet they no longer reflected his own image. He could not hold back the tears streaming down his aging face.

But Ou Miaolan felt a peculiar peace settle over her heart. She simply turned toward her father’s voice and called out softly, “Father, I am here!”