Lang Jiuchuan had slipped away the moment the matter of the imperial decree was concluded. Compared to the jubilant excitement of everyone else in the household, she appeared composed and entirely out of place — as though the whole affair had nothing to do with her.

Cui Shi watched this from where she stood, and the taste in her mouth turned bitter.

Lang Zhengping saw that his eldest niece had returned to her courtyard, stamped his foot in frustration, and then hurried off to the palace to offer his thanks, first placing the imperial decree in the ancestral hall for safekeeping before making his way to the palace in great haste.

Jiang Che followed at Lang Jiuchuan’s side, muttering on and on: “They avoided a reduction in rank because of you — it’s essentially crediting the achievements from eliminating the demonic threat to the inheritance of the earldom. This emperor truly is too petty, isn’t he?”

How was this any different from canceling out merits and faults against each other?

Since it was Lang Jiuchuan’s accomplishment, the reward should have gone to her directly — so how did it end up applied to the household’s title instead?

“Everyone feels resentment sometimes. Those in power care nothing for what is right or wrong. In Noble Consort Qi’s eyes, I most likely still bear responsibility for what happened to Qisi — after all, I first had a falling out with that girl from the Qi family, and then she died; and then I crossed paths with Qisi, and she died too…”

“Hm, so you really do seem like a jinx!” Jiang Che nodded with great conviction.

“She whispers a few words into the emperor’s ear, and reducing the title of a declining marquis’s household is nothing more than opening his mouth to say so — all to keep his concubine happy. And then suddenly word arrives from the Tantai family’s protective clan members about the Cong family affair, followed by the young head of the Gong family’s commendation. The emperor could hardly turn a blind ear to that. The matter of the title succession had already dragged on too long to delay any further, so he simply settled it like this — it appeases the concubine and reassures the ministers at the same time. Perfectly convenient.”

Jiang Che was indignant. “Convenient for whom — it’s utterly infuriating.”

“Let it be. To me, none of this matters — it is all just surface things of no consequence. What was meant to come to me has already found its way into my pocket, so that is the end of it.” To her, accumulating merit was what truly mattered.

Jiang Che snorted. “Of course I know you don’t care. It’s just — the Lang Family is benefiting from this for free. Do they actually deserve it?”

They had sent this child to be raised on a manor for over ten years — though she did have the old matriarch protecting and accompanying her for ten of those years, well-fed and well-clothed, still, it was exile from the household and from family. She had not been given any of the treatment befitting a daughter of the Marquis’s household, and now they were relying on this girl who had grown up in the countryside just to hold on to their title, benefiting from her reflected glory. If the masters of this household had any sense of shame, they ought to die of embarrassment.

Well — although admittedly, this glory had nothing to do with the original occupant of this body. It was entirely Lang Jiuchuan’s own ability that had earned it, which made it even more unworthy.

Lang Jiuchuan was silent for a moment, then said, “Consider it repaying the debt of care that the old matriarch showed the original soul.”

Jiang Che fell silent. The old matriarch — she was the one person who had genuinely cared for the original occupant of this body. Even now, in her confused state, she would still murmur the girl’s name. What a pity that the gentle child she remembered in her heart was already gone.

Lang Zhengping returned from the palace quite quickly, heading straight for Lang Jiuchuan’s courtyard — and with him came Gong Qi.

“Why are you back again?” Lang Jiuchuan looked at Gong Qi, noting that he had grown considerably thinner, his complexion a sallow yellow. Her brow furrowed.

Gong Qi smiled. “There is nothing pressing going on within the clan at the moment. And besides, the matter of the demonic threat needs to be reported to the imperial household in detail — the process, the outcome, and the follow-up — so I was the one sent to handle it.”

“No wonder my name reached the emperor’s ears. It was your people who mentioned it. Now I understand why the title wasn’t reduced.”

Lang Zhengping, standing off to the side, pricked up his ears.

“Since you contributed so greatly, it would not be appropriate to speak freely of your involvement in other circumstances, but before the imperial household, it could not go unacknowledged. After all, you are now living in the Marquis’s household — a daughter of a marquis’s household carries more weight than a daughter of an earl’s household. It is also proper for the imperial household to know that someone of your caliber exists.”

Lang Jiuchuan was indifferent. What title she bore was of no importance to her whatsoever. Was she going to join the noble daughters of Wu Jing in chasing butterflies and doing embroidery?

Chasing butterflies was out of the question — but she could chase ghosts and let them have a good look.

Lang Zhengping was deeply moved. “Ninth Young Miss, I had no idea that you had quietly accomplished something so remarkable. This family truly owes you a great debt of gratitude…”

“My Lord can go and do whatever he pleases — there is no need to say any of this to me. I don’t care to hear it. It only weighs on the heart.” Lang Jiuchuan frowned and cut him off. She had no interest in this kind of cloying sentimentality. It was exhausting.

Lang Zhengping: “!”

His face flushed red. He walked away, pausing to look back every few steps.

Once out of the courtyard, he let out a long sigh. The title had come through — so why did his heart feel so hollow and indebted?

“I heard you were poisoned by demonic toxin. Have you recovered?” Lang Jiuchuan walked over and sat in the chair beside Gong Qi. “Give me your hand.”

Gong Qi was mildly startled, but extended his hand. As her two slender fingers — pale as the tips of spring onions — pressed against his pulse, the cold touch made him give a faint shudder.

“Your heart meridian has been injured these past few days?” Lang Jiuchuan’s brow furrowed deeply. His pulse was not much better than her own borrowed body’s. In particular, the heart meridian had clearly suffered severe damage.

Gong Qi said, “A few days ago I lost control for a moment and nearly fell into inner demonic obsession.”

He spoke of it lightly, but Lang Jiuchuan, looking at his bloodless lips, knew well how grave the danger had been. Demonic toxin penetrating deep into the bones, heart, and lungs without being purged — it would erode one’s fundamental energy and damage the soul.

“What kind of demonic toxin is it? When were you poisoned?”

“When I was ten. Not knowing the height of heaven and earth, and feeling confident in my spiritual abilities, I secretly followed a senior clan brother to capture a demon. The creature was cunning and found an opening — the toxin entered my bones. It was a thousand-legged centipede demon that had been born in an ancient tomb, feeding on the heart and brain matter of the tomb’s occupant. After a hundred years of cultivation it had developed intelligence, and it preyed on children’s brains and hearts as nourishment.”

“With the Gong family’s deep foundations, they still could not help you purge the demonic toxin?”

“The clan head and my fourth elder brother have both administered acupuncture for me, but it cannot be removed. It can only be suppressed with medicine when it flares up.”

Lang Jiuchuan thought of the medicine he always carried on his person and said, “This hasn’t taught you any humility at all, has it? You’re just as reckless as ever.”

Gong Qi let out a short laugh. “It’s anyone’s guess which day this toxin might overwhelm the suppression and drive me mad — at which point I’d certainly die. Given that, what’s the point in living a restricted, miserable existence? Better to make the most of every day I have.”

Lang Jiuchuan gave a light, dismissive sound.

“Setting that aside — regarding the corpse demon incident, the major clans have deliberated and will quietly investigate whether any demonic arts manuals are circulating in this region. You should keep it in mind if you come across anything.” Gong Qi continued: “Additionally, Lord Shen has raised the matter in court of establishing a Xuan Sect Oversight Bureau, which has stirred considerable discontent among some parties. You have some acquaintance with him — try to advise him to be cautious.”

Lang Jiuchuan’s expression immediately turned cold. “What — is the Xuan Sect planning to move against him?”

Her killing intent surged outward in an instant, fierce and sweeping. That collision caused Gong Qi’s already poor complexion to go two shades paler.

“He has openly declared that any wrongdoing is the fault of the Xuan Sect. Openly, of course, no one would dare act against him. But as you know, the arts of the Xuan path have a thousand variations — to quietly cause him misfortune or illness in secret is not out of the question. Our clan would never do such a thing, of course. But others — that I cannot say for certain. Within the Xuan Sect, there are always those even more unruly and insubordinate than I am.”

Lang Jiuchuan’s expression grew colder still. “Then I will say it plainly, and you are welcome to spread the word: whoever makes a move against him had best consider whether they can bear the price. Shen Qinghe — I have his back.”

Gong Qi: “…”

That manner of speaking — simultaneously thuggish and domineering — just who on earth did she learn that from?