Lu Changju’s maid was terrified. She pointed at Qin Feifei, trembling as she said: “First Madam, First Madam… First Madam has gone mad! First Madam has been haunted by the fierce ghost! Haunted!”

The maid screamed and collapsed to the ground, pointing at Qin Feifei: “First Madam has been haunted by the fierce ghost! Haunted! Ghost, there’s a ghost!”

Aunt Lu also looked at Qin Feifei in terror, her trembling hand pointing at her: “There’s a ghost, there’s a ghost…”

Although Lu Changju’s maid was sitting on the ground, her hands tightly gripped Lu Changju, hurting her arm. She trembled as she said: “There’s a ghost, Miss, there’s a ghost, the ghost has come, the ghost has come…”

After saying this several times, she screamed, let go of Lu Changju, looked left and right, scrambled to her feet, ran around frantically for a while, then turned and jumped into the small pond in the residence. Although this pond wasn’t large, the water wasn’t shallow either, reaching past her chest.

The maid cried out in panic and fear: “Fire, there’s a great fire! The ghost is in the fire, the ghost is in the fire! Everyone jump into the water, she fears water! Ghosts fear water!”

Some people, taking the hint, rushed to jump into the pond.

“Splash!”

“Splash!”

…

When Lu Changxuan returned, this was the scene he saw: Old Madam Lu being supported by someone, trembling as she tried to jump into the water. But she didn’t dare, instead circling the pond and stamping her feet continuously.

“Ai… ai…”

Old Madam Lu was also sighing heavily, one hand habitually patting her right thigh.

This was her old habit. After moving to the Lu residence, she hadn’t done this for a long time, as it was undignified.

In the pond, there was already a pool full of maids and servants, everyone with expressions of terror, some wailing, some screaming, almost piercing his eardrums.

Qin Feifei stood on the shore, hair disheveled, speaking harshly and fiercely, appearing mad as she cried wildly: “Qin Yaoyao, get away from me! I’m not afraid of you, not afraid of you!”

Lu Changxuan could hardly believe what he was seeing and roared: “What is going on here?”

There was no peace outside, and no peace at home either. Could there be no peaceful place anywhere?! How was Qin Feifei managing the household? He had only been away for a while, and this kind of thing happened?

When he roared like that, no one paid attention or even noticed him. Everyone was immersed in terror.

Lu Changxuan walked to the edge of the pond where Aunt Lu was. He shouted loudly: “Aunt, what on earth is happening?”

Aunt Lu’s panicked expression froze for a moment before she said, her wet hair dripping: “Chang… Changxuan, the ghost has come, there’s a ghost! There’s a ghost!”

“What? What ghost?”

Aunt Lu wiped the water from her face: “Changxuan, that, that Feng’er’s mother has returned!”

Mei Niang hugged Aunt Lu, shivering: “Cousin, cousin… eldest cousin’s wife has returned! She, she…”

Mei Niang pointed at Qin Feifei: “She’s haunting eldest cousin’s wife… so frightening!”

Eldest cousin’s wife haunting eldest cousin’s wife…

Lu Changxuan finally understood, his face becoming very ugly: “Nonsense! How can there be ghosts in this world? All of you get out!”

“No, no…”

Aunt Lu retreated several steps, and the others also huddled together, as if that chest-deep water was their lifeline.

Lu Changju’s maid said: “I don’t want to go up, I don’t want to be possessed by a ghost… Former Madam, if you’re looking for someone, go find your sister, yes, go find First Madam. She was the one who killed you, First Madam killed you! Don’t look for me, I didn’t harm you. I wasn’t even working here then, don’t look for me…”

Seeing this, some maids, in their panic, followed suit and said: “Go find First Madam, she was the one who killed you, First Madam killed you! It wasn’t me, it wasn’t me, I was bought in later…”

“First Madam killed you, go find First Madam…”

“First Madam killed you, go find First Madam, it has nothing to do with me…”

Everyone spoke in unison, all saying “First Madam killed you, don’t look for me.”

Lu Changxuan’s face was livid. He roared, but no one seemed to hear him.

A maid continued: “Yes, yes, go find First Madam, don’t look for me. Yes, yes, yes, don’t be afraid, don’t be afraid. I haven’t done anything wrong, I don’t even know her, she won’t come looking for me. Yes, yes, the former madam just said she’s only looking for First Madam, Young Master, and Master… Yes, yes, no need to fear, no need to fear…”

The others seemed to find hope and said one after another: “Yes, yes, go find First Madam, Master, Young Master…”

Aunt Lu, hearing this, was stunned for a moment, then also said: “Right, right! I didn’t harm her, I don’t need to fear! She won’t look for me, she won’t…”

She said to her daughter Mei Niang: “You’ve always been on good terms with your eldest cousin’s wife. We didn’t harm her, she won’t look for us. Come, come, let’s go up, go up…”

Wading through the water to Old Madam Lu’s feet, Aunt Lu looked up and said to her: “Sister-in-law, don’t be afraid either. You didn’t harm her, she won’t look for you. Don’t be frightened… I’m coming up now.”

Old Madam Lu was confused and hadn’t come to her senses yet. Despite all the things she had seen in her life, she had never seen everyone collectively jumping into a pond regardless of their lives.

Ghosts, there really were ghosts!

Aunt Lu pulled the dripping wet Mei Niang and climbed ashore.

Mei Niang was an unmarried young lady, soaked through, her curves prominent. It was improper for Lu Changxuan to be present.

The others also came ashore in twos and threes, muttering “I didn’t harm her, she won’t haunt me,” their clothes all soaked through, including the older servants.

The scene was both chaotic and ridiculous.

Lu Changxuan had no choice but to turn and leave.

It was April weather, clearly sunny with blooming flowers, yet Lu Changxuan felt as if his entire being was immersed in ice.

His brows were touched with frost, his face livid.

This house was no longer livable!

He paced back and forth in the corridor, irritably glancing at the garden full of spring scenery, a fire burning in his heart. Unconsciously, he touched a pill in his sleeve.

Ever since the full moon banquet incident, in order to teach Qin Shuying a lesson, he had been secretly looking for opportunities. He knew some people specialized in dirty work, so he went to Gaode Alley to find someone.

Years ago, when he had the entire Zhou family eliminated, he had found people from Gaode Alley.

In Gaode Alley, he found a criminal organization.

After both sides negotiated the price, the other party actually demanded an outrageous sum – five thousand taels of silver right off the bat!

Where could Lu Changxuan get so much money? But thinking that as long as Qin Shuying couldn’t turn things around, or even died, Xu Shi would surely give Qin Feifei some of Qin Shuying’s two hundred thousand taels of silver, which would almost be like giving it to himself.

Gritting his teeth, Lu Changxuan agreed to the deal.

But the other party demanded he pay a deposit of three thousand taels within one day. Lu Changxuan was troubled – where could he get so much silver?

He had some private savings, but not nearly enough – only over a thousand taels.

That night, he didn’t return home but went to Feihua Tower, a place he frequented, and called for a woman to accompany him.

Feeling troubled, he had no mind for anything else and just had the woman play music to ease his mood.