Late at night, Song Qing, having successfully sent the death row prisoner for reincarnation, walked downstairs with dark circles under his eyes, looking to satisfy his hunger.
As he walked, he pondered: “The grafting technique could work on human bodies, like replacing damaged organs.
“Could it be refined further? Like limb regeneration… hmm, that’s a unique ability of Third-Grade Warriors. If I could unlock its secrets through alchemy, it would shock the world.
“Li Ning Yan said bio-alchemy should focus on the microscopic… but the human eye can’t see such tiny particles… I’ve got it, I could create something like a telescope.”
Telescopes already existed; after the discovery of glass, concave and convex lenses were quickly developed. They were widely used in the military, typically issued to common soldiers.
Elite scouts rarely used them since after reaching the Qi Condensation Realm, warriors’ eyesight improved dramatically. The stronger one’s cultivation, the sharper their senses became, making telescopes somewhat redundant.
“What’s that fragrance?” Song Qing sniffed the air.
Following the aroma downstairs to the kitchen, he found Chu Caiwei directing several white-robed attendants, with something simmering in the pot.
“Oh, chicken soup? How thoughtful of you, Junior Sister Caiwei,” Song Qing’s mood lifted at the sight of chicken stewing on the small stove.
“Shoo, shoo!” Chu Caiwei chided him. “This is the alchemy technique Li Ning Yan taught me. If successful, it could spread delicious flavors across the world.”
After listening to Chu Caiwei explain the principles of chicken essence and flavor enhancers, Song Qing mused thoughtfully, “Li Ning Yan is truly remarkable.”
Indeed, this too was alchemy.
Extracting essence from herbs to create pills, refining steel from ore to forge weapons, and now, extracting umami from mushrooms to make flavor enhancers.
It aligned with the knowledge he had shared during his lectures.
Alchemy encompassed many fields, with its core principle being the extraction of the invisible.
“I haven’t figured out his flavor enhancer yet, since he only explained the basic principle of extracting it from grains without detailing the process,” Chu Caiwei said.
“Senior Brother will help you,” Song Qing patted Chu Caiwei’s head.
The renovation of the new residence was completed two days ahead of schedule. Li Ning Yan took leave from the yamen to help Second Uncle and his wife move.
Second Aunt, wearing a deep cyan silk robe with a matching outer jacket, stood with one hand on her hip and the other waving a handkerchief, commanding the servants to move things like a general leading troops.
Such a pose would appear uncouth and disagreeable if struck by an ordinary-looking woman. However, on a thirty-six-year-old madam who maintained the appearance of someone barely in her thirties, with delicate features and a graceful figure, it became a stunning sight.
Li Ning Yan wondered if the beautiful young lady beside him, with her clear features and perfectly structured face, would possess the same charm as her mother in twenty years.
Perhaps even surpass it.
Ah, Ling Yue is of marriageable age now. Wonder which lucky fellow will get to marry such a beautiful girl… Li Ning Yan sighed at how quickly his sister had grown up, then continued helping Second Uncle with the moving.
Having hired enough carriages, they finished moving everything in just two trips. Second Aunt planned to buy some miscellaneous items in the inner city, taking the opportunity to replace old things.
Though Li Ning Yan bought the residence, the main eastern building was given to the Second Uncle and Second Aunt as they were the elders.
During room allocation, the usually gentle Ling Yue had a rare argument with Second Aunt.
The three-sectioned mansion was spacious, but the core inner courtyard had limited rooms, as the guest rooms and servants’ quarters weren’t suitable for the family.
According to the Second Aunt’s arrangement, the connected rooms in the western wing would be Li Ning Yan’s, considering he would marry in the future.
But Ling Yue insisted on staying there too, wanting to live next to her elder brother.
Second Aunt scolded her, saying it was shameful for a grown lady to live so close to her brother.
Ling Yue suddenly became agitated, arguing loudly with her mother.
In the end, she got to stay in the western wing, but Second Aunt arranged Second Young Master’s room there as well. She discussed with Li Ning Yan that after he married, Ling Yue and the Second Young Master would move to the northern building.
Li Ning Yan was somewhat reluctant, as living so close meant his sister would notice when he spent nights at the courtesans’ quarter. She would surely complain then.
Little Ling Yin was arranged to stay in her uncle and aunt’s rooms. Children tend to be particular about their beds and environment, and the Second Aunt worried the young girl might have nightmares.
The eastern wing was particularly spacious anyway, with three connected rooms.
Li Ning Yan quickly set up his room, as his original courtyard had few decorations and didn’t need much embellishment.
He walked out to enjoy the sunshine and saw Ling Yin crouching alone by the well, her small face pale with fear, yet forcing herself not to run away.
“What are you doing?” Li Ning Yan asked.
“Elder Brother…” Seeing her powerful elder brother approach, Ling Yin felt relieved and pointed fearfully at the well, “This place is haunted.”
“So why are you crouching by the well?” Li Ning Yan couldn’t understand.
If she knew it was haunted, shouldn’t she stay far away? Why crouch beside the well, scared yet persisting?
“Sister said ghosts especially love eating children,” Ling Yin furrowed her little brows.
“And?”
She suddenly became secretive, running over and whispering, “I’m trying to lure it out, shh… don’t let it hear.”
“???”
Li Ning Yan stared at her in bewilderment for a while before giving her a thumbs up: “A true connoisseur is a hero.”
Everyone has dreams, and young Ling Yin had found hers: nothing in this world is inedible, it’s just a matter of whether she wants to eat it or not.
Willing to use herself as bait for good food… this determination and perseverance made her a genius in a way.
“Keep at it then. When you lure the ghost out, Elder Brother will make it into something delicious for you,” Li Ning Yan patted her head.
“Mm!” Ling Yin nodded excitedly despite her fear.
Before dusk, they reserved a private room at a nearby restaurant. The family enjoyed a satisfying meal, and though the taste couldn’t compare to Gui Yue Lou, it was cheaper and closer, making it suitable for frequent visits.
Lying in his spacious and comfortable new room, Li Ning Yan looked at the ceiling beams and suddenly remembered something.
Had he written to Second Young Master about the move?
“Never mind, that’s not something I need to worry about. Time to sleep.”
[…]
In the eastern room.
After putting Ling Yin to sleep, Second Aunt returned to the bedside and looked at her husband meditating on the small couch, suddenly worried:
“My lord, when Ning Yan marries, will his wife fight me for control of the household? Will they make us move to the western wing?
“I’ve heard daughters-in-law can be very vicious, always plotting against their mothers-in-law.”
Second Aunt was fortunate; when she married her Second Uncle, both elders of the Li family had passed away, so she never suffered under a cruel mother-in-law.
But even if you haven’t eaten pork, you’ve seen pigs run. Especially since this residence was bought by Li Ning Yan, making her position as “mother-in-law” somewhat illegitimate.
Li Ping Zhi opened his eyes and thought for a moment, “With your temperament and personality, you definitely won’t win against her.”
“Hmph!” Second Aunt couldn’t argue and just snorted coquettishly.
Li Ping Zhi consoled her: “Maybe Ning Yan will marry a foolish bride.”
Second Aunt thought this made sense and secretly prayed her nephew would marry a foolish bride. Then she could bully her.
“Oh right, we haven’t written to Second Young Master yet. We’ve moved to the new residence, and he doesn’t know. When he returns to the outer city, he won’t be able to find us,” Second Aunt worried about her son.
“Don’t worry about that, you barely know any characters,” said Li Ping Zhi, who himself wasn’t much more literate:
“Ning Yan will write it.”
[…]
Two days passed peacefully, with Li Ning Yan patrolling the streets, cultivating, and occasionally visiting the Hao Qi Tower to bond with Wei Yuan.
Due to the incident with the Ministry of Works Minister’s downfall, the fighting between various factions had cooled down, and no faction was currently targeting the night watchmen.
That evening, when Li Ning Yan returned home, he found his Second Uncle absent.
“He’s on night patrol today,” the Second Aunt answered.
He might also be at the courtesans’ quarter… Li Ning Yan thought privately.
As a Commander of the Imperial Guard, Second Uncle sometimes patrolled during the day and sometimes at night, similar to the night watchmen’s work schedule. If Li Ning Yan got involved in so many cases continuously, he would also face such day-and-night work.
Previously, Li Ning Yan trusted Second Uncle as much as Second Aunt did, but after that “chance encounter” at the courtesans’ quarter and the orange peel trick to remove perfume, he understood.
Men’s words were as trustworthy as ghosts.
Though I’m hardly one to judge Second Uncle… Li Ning Yan lowered his head and continued eating.
Late that night, Li Ning Yan was suddenly awakened by a scream. He opened his eyes and sat up, grabbing the black-gold long blade leaning by his bed.
Arriving in the courtyard, he saw Ling Yue’s maid sitting stunned on the ground, the candlestick fallen beside her. Her face was pale as she pointed toward the well, trembling too much to speak.
“What did you see?” Li Ning Yan asked solemnly.
Behind him, doors opened as Ling Yue came out wearing an outer robe to check the situation.
In the eastern building, the candles in Second Aunt’s room also lit up as she came out with Lu’e to investigate.
“What happened?” Second Aunt frowned.
With more people around, the maid’s fear diminished somewhat. She pointed at the well and stammered, “There… there’s a head in the well.”
Several screams rang out at once.
Ling Yue’s face drained of color as she shrank behind Li Ning Yan, tightly gripping his sleeve. The second Aunt also fearfully moved closer.
“Didn’t you say…” Second Aunt’s beautiful eyes widened in terror.
She didn’t finish saying “You had already banished the ghost,” as the servants couldn’t know about this matter.
A head in the well? Li Ning Yan gripped his black-gold long blade tightly, gesturing to his sister and Second Aunt to stay calm as he slowly approached the well.
The vengeful spirit in the well had indeed been eliminated, and the well used for raising ghosts in the thieves’ den had been purified. There shouldn’t be any more vengeful spirits appearing.
Could it be… Li Ning Yan strode forward and circled to the back of the well, where he found the little bean sitting by the well, looking drowsy.
“Big Brother…”
Awakened by a tap from Li Ning Yan’s scabbard, the little bean rubbed her eyes and mumbled.
“Why are you here?” Li Ning Yan thought he had guessed correctly.
“I was hungry, so I came out to find food,” the little bean looked at the well, appearing convinced. “It’s good at hiding, not even coming out when a child comes to its doorstep.”
Li Ning Yan figured the head the maid saw was Ling Yin peering into the well. He rarely felt such frustration, with too many complaints to voice.
“Big Brother will have the kitchen bring you some pastries,” Li Ning Yan picked her up and walked back.
“Ling Yin?” Second Aunt was shocked, then her willow brows furrowed, “You naughty child, sneaking out in the middle of the night to scare people…”
She had just realized Ling Yin wasn’t in her room.
Li Ning Yan irritably interrupted Second Aunt’s roar: “She was just hungry.”
Though she had eaten three bowls at dinner, she was still hungry.
Second Aunt now lacked the momentum to continue, just snorting and putting her hands on her hips, glaring at her young daughter with her Carslan big eyes.
Li Ning Yan comforted his sister and Second Aunt, as well as the maids, coaxing them back to sleep, then went to the kitchen to get some pastries to feed Ling Yin.
The little bean didn’t need coaxing; she fell asleep while eating.
Li Ning Yan returned her to Lu’e and went back to his room to sleep. In his drowsy state, he heard someone knocking.
“Elder Brother…” Ling Yue’s clear, pleasant young voice came from outside.
“What is it?” Li Ning Yan didn’t open the door; it wouldn’t be proper for a brother to open his door to his sister in the dead of night.
“I… I can’t sleep, I’m scared…” Ling Yue paused, then added, “Mother can’t sleep either. When Lu’e asked earlier, Mother told them about the haunted house. As they talked about it, they both got scared too.
“Father isn’t home, and they’re all too afraid to sleep.”
What does their inability to sleep have to do with me? Should we all sit down and play mahjong until dawn? Li Ning Yan recalled his own past experiences of being scared and felt sympathetic, so he patiently said:
“Don’t be afraid, there are no ghosts in the house.”
Ling Yue didn’t respond, hesitating for a few seconds before asking, “Can Elder Brother keep us company?”