Due to feng shui considerations, the rear courtyard of the Wei family extended from a rockery all the way to the side garden of the Second House. Between the two rear courtyards was a small moon gate that connected them, which the women of both houses used for daily passage and remained unlocked at night.
Ming Shu followed the sound, hearing intermittent crying that rose and fell, coming from the direction of the Main House’s rockery. She carried her lantern through the moon gate and slowly explored in that direction.
The night was deep, with not even the sound of barking dogs or night watchmen’s drums from the streets outside. Though it was getting warmer as spring drew to a close and clothing was lighter, when the wind blew here, it chilled one’s skin and caused inexplicable anxiety. The Wei household’s masters and servants had all retired, and even the night-duty old mama didn’t patrol this area. There were no lights nearby, with only the faint glow from Ming Shu’s lantern lighting the path. The rockery wasn’t tall, but its bizarre stones jutted out menacingly in the darkness, like countless demons ready to descend from the sky and devour souls, making one’s heart tremble.
Though Ming Shu was somewhat afraid, she still bravely pressed forward. However, the crying suddenly ceased and didn’t resume. After lingering around the rockery for a long while without finding the source of the sound, she was about to head back when a shadow darted past behind her. Ming Shu quickly turned around, only to see the shadow slip into a low cave between the rockery’s stones. She steadied herself and crouched to follow it into the stone cave.
The cave wasn’t large, barely fitting two people standing hunched over. Ming Shu raised her lantern to illuminate it and saw a black cat with an arched back and bristling fur in the deepest part. She had accidentally stumbled into the cat’s lair, and now it was staring at her warily, this uninvited guest.
“So you’re the one who scared everyone?” Ming Shu sighed in relief.
She recalled Lady Liu and Wei Chao complaining about being frightened by a cat earlier that day, not expecting that the Wei family did have a cat.
The cat appeared completely wild and wouldn’t let Ming Shu approach. It probably wasn’t domesticated and must have wandered in from somewhere, likely being the source of those strange sounds. Ming Shu didn’t dare catch it but carefully tried to get closer. However, the cat was exceptionally wary, and when Ming Shu moved just a bit closer, it darted out of the cave-like lightning.
Unable to catch it, Ming Shu thought to let the Wei family members search for the cat after daybreak, which would at least explain Lady Liu. She turned to leave the cave.
However, this time, before she had taken more than a few steps, she heard several hurried, chaotic footsteps from outside, as if something was rapidly approaching. She instinctively stopped and listened carefully.
There were two rustling sounds as if something had fallen to the ground right at the cave entrance. Clothes rustled against grass and wood, and before Ming Shu could react, someone tumbled into the cave entrance.
Ming Shu was startled and stepped back two paces, raising her lantern to see a woman with disheveled hair. Both were frightened, but Ming Shu remained calm. Seeing the woman about to scream, she quickly reached out and covered her mouth: “Don’t scream!”
The woman breathed heavily against her hand, gradually recognizing Ming Shu. Ming Shu saw her emotions settle somewhat and slowly withdrew her hand, but the woman suddenly grabbed Ming Shu’s wrist and whispered: “There’s a ghost! A ghost is chasing me! Immortal… please save me!”
Ming Shu heard this form of address and guessed it must be someone who had seen her earlier that day. Just as she was about to speak, the woman said: “It’s coming, it’s coming!”
Ming Shu frowned. She heard light footsteps outside slowly approaching. She decisively blew out her lantern and quietly switched positions with the woman, crouching near the cave entrance.
The footsteps slowly drew closer, and a long hem of clothing dragged past the cave entrance.
“It” hadn’t discovered the low cave and passed directly by, “floating” forward. After “it” passed the entrance, Ming Shu wanted to crawl out to investigate, but the woman behind her tightly grabbed her clothes.
She turned back to question the woman with her eyes, and the woman made a faint sound: “Don’t… don’t go out… be careful, it might come back.”
Just as the words fell, sure enough, “it” returned.
The woman shrank back in fear, hardly daring to breathe. Ming Shu also didn’t dare make a sound, only seeing “it” “float” past the cave entrance again, returning the way it had come.
This time, Ming Shu didn’t rashly go out, instead hiding well in the cave with the woman. After hiding for who knows how long, “it” never returned. Ming Shu gathered her courage to peek out and look around before returning to tell her: “Don’t be afraid, it’s gone.”
Only then did she finally breathe deeply, slumping back against the wall and sitting on the ground.
Ming Shu felt for her flint and carefully lit the lantern, saying: “Wait here, I’ll look around and come back.”
With that, Ming Shu crawled out of the low cave, crouched with her lantern, and carefully examined the ground.
Where “it” had passed, there were two shallow tracks, like marks left by a sweeping hem, with faint, incomplete footprints mixed in.
Ming Shu followed the tracks for a few steps, but when they reached the corridor leading from the rockery to the rear courtyard, the traces vanished. She carried her lantern back to the low cave.
The woman inside had already stood up supporting herself against the wall, looking behind herself while gathering her skirts forward in her hands. Hearing Ming Shu enter, she quickly backed against the wall like a startled rabbit, releasing her gathered skirts.
Ming Shu touched her nose, sensing that the danger had passed. Only now did she detect certain smells, and the woman’s skirts had shown water stains in the candlelight earlier. Ming Shu understood the situation.
Madam Xu felt like dying of embarrassment. In all her years as the first daughter-in-law of the Duke’s mansion, she had never been so disheveled as tonight, first losing half her soul to a ghost scare, then having an outsider witness her fear… She had lost all face and wished she could dig a hole to crawl into.
“It’s gone now, let me escort you back,” Ming Shu said calmly, without exposing her embarrassment.
Madam Xu looked at the young woman before her. The girl’s eyes were clear, showing no trace of contempt or mockery, and even her tone was unwavering, which somewhat calmed her feelings of shame.
“Madam…”
Before Madam Xu could respond, sudden calls were heard from afar.
Finally, people come searching.
————
Madam Xu’s maid had discovered her missing and had gathered Wei household servants to search, now gathering with lanterns outside the low cave, waiting for Madam Xu to emerge.
“Madam?” The maid bent down at the cave entrance, wanting to go in and help.
“Get back!” An angry voice came from inside.
The maid retreated in alarm, and first, a woman dressed as a Daoist nun emerged from the cave.
“Your household indeed has some disturbances. This madam has been frightened tonight. Please step back and light the way ahead, I will help her return.” Ming Shu knew why the madam didn’t want to emerge in front of everyone, so she spoke first.
With such strange events happening in the middle of the night, and seeing the Daoist nun from earlier that day, everyone felt some reverence toward her and didn’t dare underestimate her youth. They all did as she said and stepped back. Only then did Madam Xu emerge from the cave holding Ming Shu’s hand, and Ming Shu said: “Lead the way.”
Everyone, including Madam Xu’s maid, went ahead to light the path.
“Thank you,” Madam Xu looked gratefully at Ming Shu, thanking her for the help.
Ming Shu smiled and accompanied her back.
————
Many people had gathered in front of the side room, even Du Wenhui had been disturbed and stood waiting anxiously in the courtyard, occasionally coughing several times. Madam Xu followed behind everyone returning, but didn’t even acknowledge Du Wenhui, quickly entering the side room under Ming Shu’s cover, only saying to Ming Shu: “Don’t let them in.”
Ming Shu could only stand at the door and say to everyone: “Please don’t worry, this madam has been badly frightened. I will perform rituals to settle her soul, so please don’t gather outside the door.” After a pause, she turned to the maid and said, “Sister, please prepare fragrant bath water for your madam, she needs to bathe to calm herself.”
The maid agreed and withdrew, and everyone else dispersed with her, leaving only two people outside to await instructions.
Ming Shu closed the door and turned to see Madam Xu standing motionless in the small hall, her eyes constantly darting toward the bedroom.
“Madam, are you looking for clothes?” Ming Shu asked her.
Madam Xu’s face burned red, and she nodded before saying: “They’re… they’re on the clothes rack, but just now, that ghost… nearly broke through the window to come in, I…” She was still too frightened to enter.
Ming Shu understood: “I’ll get them.”
As she spoke, she entered the bedroom and took down Madam Xu’s change of clothes from the rack. Looking back, she saw the window—the paper covering indeed had a large hole torn in it.
“Since madam is afraid, let them change rooms,” Ming Shu said as she handed over the clothes.
Madam Xu went behind the screen, rustling as she changed clothes, throwing the dirty clothes one by one on the ground. Ming Shu outside had already given instructions to the people standing guard with a few words.
Soon the Wei household people went to prepare a new side room for Madam Xu, with the fragrant bath water also being sent to the new room. Madam Xu also emerged in her changed clothes.
“These clothes…” Ming Shu asked, looking at the clothes strewn on the ground.
“Throw them away,” Madam Xu said without hesitation. “Don’t let anyone find them.”
Ming Shu thought this was truly a face-conscious madam.
————
The new side room and fragrant bath were quickly prepared. Still shaken by earlier events and feeling reassured by Ming Shu’s presence, Madam Xu wouldn’t let her leave. As Ming Shu also had questions about Madam Xu’s ghost encounter, she gladly agreed and accompanied her to the new side room.
Steam filled the room as the maid helped Madam Xu remove her clothes and assisted her into the wooden tub. Ming Shu sat outside a screen, drinking tea prepared by the servants while talking with Madam Xu.
“I heard you came specifically for the Wei family’s ghost?” Though surrounded by fragrant bath water, Madam Xu still couldn’t relax. Thinking of tonight’s strange encounters, she couldn’t help but ask.
“Yes,” Ming Shu said. “Would madam be willing to tell me the details of tonight’s events?”
“What is your name?” Madam Xu asked instead.
“This humble one is Tian Xuanqing,” Ming Shu gave an improvised name.
Madam Xu mulled over this name in her mind. Earlier that day she had called the other a fraudulent wandering mystic, but tonight she had slapped her face, wishing the other would stay by her side to ward off ghosts.
“Immortal Xuanqing, thank you for your help tonight,” she expressed gratitude but didn’t introduce herself.
Tonight’s events were truly too embarrassing. If word got out, it would not only damage her status but also bring shame to the Duke’s mansion. She didn’t want the person before her to know who she was.
Ming Shu guessed her thoughts and didn’t ask about her identity, only focusing on tonight’s ghost incident.
Madam Xu then recounted everything that had happened earlier, still trembling when recalling the frightening parts.
“I fled in panic without knowing which direction, it chased behind me, and I just kept running forward, somehow ending up at the rockery, discovering the low cave when I fell…”
The rest aligned with what Ming Shu already knew.
After hearing the full account, Ming Shu didn’t immediately speak. As the maid entered the room, she asked her: “Where were you when your madam encountered danger?”
The maid immediately knelt: “This servant deserves death, please forgive me, madam. Earlier when I went out to dispose of water, I happened to meet Lingxue from Madam Wei’s side and chatted with her briefly, not knowing such things would happen inside.”
Madam Xu had brought only this one maid. The maid had been caring for Madam Xu all day with no one to share the duty. When Madam Xu finally retired, she wanted to catch her breath, and upon meeting Lingxue, walked and chatted with her in the courtyard, losing track of time until she heard Madam Xu’s voice from the room. She hurried back, but by then Madam Xu had vanished. After searching the entire area in front of the side room without finding her, she panicked and rushed to inform Du Wenhui, who had already retired. By the time the news reached her ears, considerable time had passed.
Ming Shu nodded, understanding the situation, and asked Madam Xu: “Is Madam close with Madam Wei?”
“How could we not be close? I’ve known her for over twenty years since we were young ladies in the inner chambers. We were bosom friends. She wasn’t always like she is now, ah.” Madam Xu sighed at the question.
Ming Shu’s heart suddenly skipped a beat.
Childhood friends? Bosom friends?
She remembered someone.
Song Qingzhao’s mother.
She had never properly met this first daughter-in-law of the Duke’s mansion, only seeing her from afar twice, barely making out her silhouette. Today’s encounter had been in such dangerous circumstances, with Madam Xu’s hair disheveled and herself disguised as a Daoist nun, making it impossible to recognize each other.
But if she remembered correctly, Song Qingzhao had mentioned that his mother had angrily gone to the Wei family, which must be the person before her.
Ming Shu gently covered her mouth, realizing she had inadvertently helped Song Qingzhao’s mother.
She couldn’t let Madam Xu know who she was. If Madam Xu discovered that someone she had previously looked down upon and criticized had witnessed her being scared senseless and wetting herself, her face would probably…
Be completely lost.