People naturally dislike being cursed out of the blue — Shen Qinghe was no exception.

In recent days, he had been investigating a troublesome case. His subordinates were either dying or gravely injured, and the luckier ones had merely fallen ill. The whole affair reeked of something sinister, so much so that now, whenever his men heard they were being assigned to this case, they would try to wriggle out of it.

Yet for Shen Qinghe, the harder the obstacle, the more he charged headlong into it — even if it meant bloodying himself in the process.

He had barely uncovered a few threads of the case when his son, Shen Peng, somehow became possessed. The young man’s vital essence was draining away at an alarming rate. Shen Qinghe had initially assumed his son had been leading a dissolute life outside, so he confined him to the household — but the loss of vitality continued nonetheless. Imperial physicians were summoned, and in desperation, spirit mediums were quietly consulted. Finally, unable to withstand his wife’s tearful pleading, he sent the boy to Ci’en Temple to recuperate.

But recuperation brought no improvement. Shen Peng continued to wither — only the sacred grounds of the temple, sheltered by the protection of deities and Buddhas, slowed the drain somewhat compared to before.

Still, this could not go on. Shen Qinghe pulled in favors and sought out members of the Xuan Clan, hoping they might resolve the matter.

Before one crisis could be resolved, another arose: his beloved mentor had suddenly passed away, delivering a devastating blow.

Shen Qinghe had spent over a decade in arduous study, found himself an exceptional teacher, passed the imperial examinations with distinction, married a virtuous wife, and enjoyed a smooth and prosperous official career — rising to a third-rank post at barely forty years of age. His life had seemed a broad, unobstructed road.

But these past weeks, nothing had gone right. It was as if that broad road had become riddled with thorns and hidden traps — one misstep and he would be shattered beyond repair.

So Shen Qinghe’s mood was profoundly dark. And it was precisely while this storm cloud hung over his heart — precisely as he was about to escort his mentor on his final journey — that some audacious young woman he had never even met chose to direct vile words at him.

On an ordinary day, Shen Qinghe would not have stooped to quarrel with a frail young girl. But on this day, in this moment, she had said those terrible things.

Shen Qinghe’s face darkened like the bottom of a scorched pot. Before he could react, Lang Zhengping came rushing over with a face full of urgency, cupping his hands in apology: “Magistrate Shen, I am deeply sorry. This niece of mine has been raised on our rural estate since childhood. She lacks proper manners and has no understanding of her place — her words were most inappropriate. I offer my sincerest apologies on her behalf and beg you to forgive her this once.”

Without waiting for Shen Qinghe to respond, Lang Zhengping had already bent at the waist.

Lang Jiuchuan was somewhat surprised. This convenient uncle of hers could actually humble himself like this?

While she was still marveling at this, Lang Zhengping pressed down on her head and scolded her sharply: “Ninth Miss, are you not going to apologize to Magistrate Shen? When you get home, you will learn proper conduct from Nanny — stop letting every word that slips out of your mouth be reckless nonsense.”

Lang Jiuchuan’s neck was forced downward by the pressure, and a sharp crack rang out, startling her into a cold sweat. She immediately worked her techniques to stabilize the damage.

That crisp sound of what seemed like a breaking bone gave Lang Zhengping a fright as well. He yanked his hand back and asked urgently: “Are you — are you all right?”

Had he just snapped the child’s neck?

Lang Zhengping stared at his own large hand, suddenly guilty. He had let his temper get the better of him — for a moment he had forgotten just how fragile this child was.

Lang Jiuchuan straightened up and gave a slight shake of her head. Something was wrong, but she could not show it.

Shen Qinghe’s brow furrowed. He looked at Lang Zhengping and asked: “This girl is Young Lord’s niece?”

Lang Zhengping nodded quickly. “She is my second brother’s daughter. Her constitution has been weak since birth, so she has been raised away from the residence to recuperate. She was only recently brought back to the household, and has not received a proper noble young lady’s upbringing. Please, Magistrate Shen, be magnanimous.”

The second brother — that was the much-lamented General of the Northern Pacification, Lang Zhenghan. He had been a rare natural-born military talent: brave and brilliant in equal measure. It was a tragedy that his fate was not stronger — he had fallen in battle far too soon. Had he lived, would the Marquis Kaiping’s household have fallen into such decline?

While Lang Zhengping was lost in this sorrow, Zhao Yuancheng, standing beside him, assumed the older man was still displeased and quickly stepped in to smooth things over: “Uncle, they are about to begin carrying the coffin out. Would you not go inside the funeral hall and say a few final words to Grandfather? As for Ninth Miss — shall I have my wife take her aside to be reprimanded?”

Zhao Yuancheng shot Lang Jiuchuan a cool sidelong glance, his eyes carrying a measure of reproach. She stirred up trouble everywhere she went, and people kept having to clean up after her. This girl was practically a troublemaking spirit reincarnate.

Shen Qinghe studied Lang Jiuchuan for a moment, then drew a deep breath. Considering that she was the daughter of a hero, he was inclined to let the matter go.

But then Lang Jiuchuan spoke: “Does Magistrate Shen take me for a child babbling carelessly, shooting her mouth off at random? You know full well what has befallen you these past days.”

Shen Qinghe’s heart gave a sudden lurch. He thought involuntarily of the case he had been investigating.

He and Lang Jiuchuan held each other’s gaze, his brow creasing deeper and deeper. What exactly was her basis for coming before him and saying such things?

“They are starting to carry out the coffin.”

Shen Qinghe heard the announcement and turned toward the funeral hall — sure enough, movement had begun over there.

Lang Jiuchuan took two steps back and said: “If you wish to resolve the trouble surrounding your son, come find me at the Lang Family residence. So long as you can meet my price, I can settle this matter.”

She turned away, and her footsteps paused for a moment: “But you had best be quick about it, Magistrate. Once the fortifying aura of righteous energy on your person can no longer protect you, your misfortunes will begin in earnest — first misfortune, then death.”

Zhao Yuancheng nearly went blind with exasperation. Was there no one who could make her be quiet?

Lang Zhengping looked no better than him. He did not fully understand what had passed between Lang Jiuchuan and Shen Qinghe — this “son” she had mentioned, was that Shen Qinghe’s son? But wait — had she not been living on the rural estate all this time? How could she possibly know anything about the Shen family’s young master?

None of that mattered right now, though. The immediate priority was helping her clean up the mess she had made.

Lang Zhengping plastered on an apologetic smile and said to Shen Qinghe: “Magistrate Shen, she is still just a child — she does not know better. Please, if you would…”

Zhao Yuancheng thought to himself: Still just a child. Right. The kind of child that tends to get beaten to death for causing trouble.

He cupped his hands at Shen Qinghe. “Senior Uncle Shen, please allow me to escort you.”

Priorities being what they were, Shen Qinghe wasted no more time and strode in great strides toward the funeral hall. At the doorway, he glanced back — but the slender, fragile figure had already been swallowed by the crowd.

He frowned and forcibly suppressed the unease stirring in his chest.

Lang Zhengping had no attention to spare for anything else. He hurried after his troublesome young charge, already mentally cataloguing whatever valuables he had at home that might be acceptable as an apology gift to Shen Qinghe. He would need to get something over there quickly.

He also thought: at the rate Lang Jiuchuan was going around offending people, even his entire private treasury might not cover all the damages.

Perhaps he should mention this to his second sister-in-law — whoever’s troublesome child it was, they ought to be the one managing her. He could not be expected, as the elder uncle in the main branch, to keep subsidizing endlessly. The main branch had plenty of children of its own to worry about.

“What did I say to you just yesterday? You promised me you would not cause any trouble — and the very next moment you pull something like this.” Lang Zhengping caught up to Lang Jiuchuan, his face thunderous. “You go around cursing everyone you meet. Do you not understand that Wu Jing is full of nobles and powerful figures at every turn — people neither you nor I can afford to offend? We can protect you once, but we may not be able to protect you a second time. The next time you feel the urge to put a curse on someone, think first — do not offend people and drag the family name into it along with you.”

Lang Jiuchuan looked up at him and said: “How do you know whether what I said was a curse or the truth?”

Lang Zhengping was struck speechless. He pressed his lips together.

Lang Jiuchuan looked away and gave a small nod in a certain direction. “Who is that — the one in the black silk robe with the tiger-pelt hat?”

Lang Zhengping followed her gaze and let out a cold snort. “That is the heir of the Xinning Marquis Peng family.”

“Bad blood between you?”

“Some history between our households.”

Lang Jiuchuan nodded slowly. “Then you may as well start setting off firecrackers. He is about to die.”

The ghostly underworld runners were already coiling their soul-hooking chains around him. He was done for.

Lang Zhengping: “?”

Crack.

The heir of the Peng family, who had been standing perfectly fine at the doorway just a moment ago, suddenly collapsed to the ground. He began foaming at the mouth, his body convulsing violently — and within moments, he lay completely still. A wave of horrified cries erupted from those around him.

Lang Zhengping went deathly pale. “!”

It was over. The Lang Family had apparently produced a crow with a divinely blessed beak — one that specialized exclusively in delivering the most inauspicious pronouncements imaginable.

Elder Uncle Lang, internally: It’s over. Have I ever offended her? Is she going to curse me to death too?

Urgently seeking answers. This cannot wait.