Ming Huashang had not expected that the rumor spreading through the Feng household would be something so saturated with the supernatural, and she was genuinely taken aback. Even Li Huazhang couldn’t help asking, “Who started this?”
“Everyone is saying it. By now it has spread to all the servants in the household.” Jin Bao was rather unnerved and couldn’t help lowering her voice to ask, “My lady, do you think this curse is real?”
Ming Huashang imperceptibly narrowed her eyes, then in an instant let a smile warm her face, and said to Jin Bao, “How could it be? Human effort determines all outcomes. Even the gilded form of a bodhisattva requires human hands to shape it. As long as you accumulate virtue and live uprightly, what ghost or malevolence could come near you? Don’t worry — nothing will happen.”
Hearing this, Jin Bao visibly relaxed. She set down the last bowl, made her obeisance, and said, “My lady is right — this servant understands now. My lady, Young Master, please eat at your leisure. This servant will withdraw.”
After Jin Bao stepped out, Ming Huashang slowly let the smile drain from her face and said to Li Huazhang, “As I recall, the very first day we came to the Feng estate, someone mentioned the curse attached to the Marquis Sui Pearl — but I hadn’t expected the story to have grown so much more detailed since then. Whoever possesses the Pearl will see their family members die one by one, until the whole household is exterminated… quite an avaricious curse that is. I didn’t accept it when Old Master Feng first tried to give us the Marquis Sui Pearl, and it turns out I was right.”
Li Huazhang picked up a bowl and served himself rice, making a mild sound in reply. Ming Huashang, seeing his lukewarm reaction, said with displeasure, “Isn’t it a terrifying curse? Why aren’t you more affected by it?”
Li Huazhang sighed. “The Master did not speak of strange phenomena, brute force, disorder, or spiritual beings. The dishes are going cold. Let’s eat first.”
Ming Huashang was in the middle of her thoughts and clicked her tongue with curiosity. “I’ve never come across any ancient text recording that the Marquis Sui Pearl brings a curse — though I suppose I haven’t read many books. Old Master Feng held the Marquis Sui Pearl for such a long time without incident. Then after the theft of the Sacred Thief stirred things up, strange events started occurring, and now even a curse attached to the Pearl has appeared. Could it be that the Feng estate is on inauspicious ground?”
Li Huazhang placed the bowl in her hands — he had even helped her serve some dishes — stopping only just short of spooning the food into Ming Huashang’s mouth. Like a parent coaxing a child who won’t leave their play to come home for dinner, he said patiently, “You can think about the case later. Eat first.”
“Doesn’t this mysterious business make you at all curious?”
“It was you who said to separate official matters from personal ones, and not to discuss work at the dining table.” Li Huazhang glanced at her lightly. “And now — who is mixing official and personal matters, and holding up the meal?”
Ming Huashang couldn’t think of a rebuttal and could only eat her rice in mild exasperation. He worried when she didn’t eat, and when she did eat, he worried she would choke: “Slowly. Mind how it’s hot.”
After the meal was finished, Ming Huashang was already itching to go in search of the night-luminous pearl said to bring a curse. Li Huazhang collected all the bowls, cups, and plates neatly into the food box. Jin Bao came in to tidy up, and upon seeing Li Huazhang doing it himself, immediately said, “How can we allow Second Young Master to do such things? Please let this servant take care of it.”
“It’s no matter — I was already right here.” Li Huazhang placed the bowls in the food box in tidy rows, even fitting the lid precisely into place. His movements flowed as naturally as water, as though this were simply how things were done, and not only Jin Bao felt ashamed — even Ming Huashang felt a pang of guilt. She sidled up to Li Huazhang and said ingratiatingly, “You’ve worked hard, Second Brother. Let me help you wash your hands.”
“There’s no need—”
Ming Huashang seized that pair of elegantly protesting hands and, brooking no argument, plunged them into the water. “You make me look like a good-for-nothing by comparison. Don’t struggle — I am absolutely washing your hands for you.”
Jin Bao glanced at Second Young Master’s hands — which verbally said no, yet made no great effort to resist — understood the situation, and quietly took the food box and departed. After Ming Huashang “helped” Li Huazhang wash his hands, a patch of her own sleeve had gotten wet. Li Huazhang sighed and used his handkerchief to dab the water dry, saying, “If you don’t know how to serve someone, don’t try. Things like this, I can handle myself.”
Ming Huashang raised an eyebrow and looked at him with a half-smile. “Are you pointing out my faults? My fault then — I’ve been too neglectful of Second Brother in the past. From now on, I’ll wash your hands for you every day.”
The two of them chatted and laughed their way out of the room. The yamen runner standing guard at the door stepped forward and said in a low voice, “Your Highness, Princess Consort — the Second Mistress Feng has woken.”
After seeing Feng Yu’s body, the Second Mistress Feng had fainted. Now, gradually coming back to herself and seeing the Eldest Mistress Feng, Precious Pearl, and the others who had come to check on her, she was suddenly struck by the full weight of what had happened and, overwhelmed with grief, burst into tears.
When Ming Huashang and Li Huazhang entered, they heard the unremarkable platitudes of the Eldest Mistress Feng’s consolations, and the Second Mistress Feng’s sharp, wailing cry: “Save your false concern for someone who needs it! You must be overjoyed right now — Second Young Master is dead, and all of the Feng family’s assets will go entirely to the eldest branch. Let me tell you — you killed the Old Master, and then you killed your own younger brother. One day you will be repaid in kind for all of this!”
Ming Huashang and Li Huazhang exchanged a glance. From inside came the indignant voice of the Eldest Mistress Feng: “How can you speak to me like this? I came out of pity, as a kindness to comfort you in your widowhood, and you make these vile accusations!”
“Stop your pretending — do you think I don’t know? Second Young Master absolutely did not take his own life, and it was no accident either. It was you people who killed him!”
At this point the people inside noticed that Ming Huashang and Li Huazhang had arrived, and Precious Pearl immediately spoke up loudly in greeting, cutting off the two women’s shameless quarrel: “This servant pays her respects to the Prince of Yong and the Princess Consort of Yong.”
Hearing that the Prince and Princess Consort of Yong had come, both the Eldest and Second Mistresses Feng restrained themselves. The Eldest Mistress Feng quickly moved to the doorway to pay her respects, while the Second Mistress Feng clutched her face and wept. The Eldest Mistress Feng gritted her teeth and scolded, seeing the Second Mistress Feng doing nothing but crying, “Sister-in-law, what are you doing? Are you not coming to pay your respects to the Prince and Princess Consort?”
“There’s no need to stand on ceremony. Feng Second Young Master has met with an accident, and the Second Mistress has been overwhelmed with grief — that is only human. We came precisely to offer comfort.” Ming Huashang walked into the inner room and said, “Second Mistress, please don’t grieve too deeply. When I saw you faint earlier it gave me quite a fright — how is your health? Are you all right?”
The Feng family members all praised Ming Huashang’s thoughtful understanding, but the Second Mistress Feng responded with little warmth. Her situation was not merely that her husband had died — her entire future had been destroyed. Previously, even after Old Master Feng’s death, as long as Feng Yu was still alive there was still something to contest where the authority over the household was concerned. But now that Feng Yu was dead too, it was naturally right and proper for the estate to pass to Feng Kun, and what reason did the Second Mistress Feng have to manage the inner household any longer? That, of course, should be handed over to the Eldest Mistress Feng.
For the Second Mistress Feng this was no less than the collapse of her world — not only had she lost her power, her very livelihood had become uncertain. With food, clothing, and shelter all in question, the Second Mistress Feng was in no state of mind to flatter the Princess Consort.
Ming Huashang didn’t seem to mind in the slightest. She took the initiative and sat down on the edge of the Second Mistress Feng’s bed, expressing concern for her health. “Second Mistress, you must take care of yourself. You are still young — there are many years yet ahead of you, and you must not ruin your health with grief. If Feng Second Young Master were here, I’m sure he would not wish to see you like this.”
Mentioning Feng Second Young Master only inflamed the Second Mistress Feng’s feelings. Given the nature of the eldest branch’s husband and wife, who knew what hardships they would put her through in the days ahead? She had nothing left to live for in the second half of her life — the Second Mistress Feng cared nothing for the principle that family shame should not be made public, and wept openly before the Prince and Princess Consort of Yong. “Your Highness, Princess Consort — this concubine is foolish and can never get propriety right no matter how hard I study. When I’m being mistreated, I have no way to make it known. I have long heard of your wisdom and discernment. Please, you must stand up for this concubine.”
Ming Huashang asked with concern, “What is the matter?”
The Second Mistress Feng gripped Ming Huashang’s hands tightly and cried out, “Your Highness, Princess Consort — you must see things clearly. Second Young Master did not die by accident. He was murdered!”
The Eldest Mistress Feng’s brow twitched sharply and she quickly said, “The Princess Consort must forgive her — my sister-in-law refuses to accept reality. She has worked herself into a frenzy. Please don’t take her words to heart. The door of the pavilion was bolted from inside and no one could enter — it can only be that he’d had too much to drink and lost his footing.”
The Second Mistress Feng said in fury, “Second Young Master was never one to overindulge in drink. He was always extremely careful — how could he have gotten so drunk that he fell into the water? Someone must have killed him last night, and used some method to lock the door, fabricating it to look like an accident. Your Highness, Princess Consort — you must stand up for this concubine!”
The Eldest Mistress Feng, seeing the Second Mistress Feng becoming utterly unreasonable, gave a cold laugh. “Very well. Setting aside the question of how anyone could bolt the door from the inside, you were the last person to see Second Uncle last night, were you not?”
Though consumed by grief, the Second Mistress Feng’s mind was not confused, and she immediately distanced herself from suspicion. “At the hour of Xu he went out, and at the second quarter of Xu my maid still exchanged words with him — during all of this time I was in the room managing household affairs, and every maid can testify to that.”
The Eldest Mistress Feng said, “Never mind why your maid went to find him. What you’re saying is that Second Uncle fell into the water and died after the second quarter of Xu?”
The Second Mistress Feng, proceeding cautiously, said nothing — which was as good as confirmation. The Eldest Mistress Feng smiled with satisfaction and said, “When the Old Master died, I feared encountering inauspicious things, so at the exact hour of You I had the gates locked and instructed the servants not to go in or out. My husband and I were in our room the entire time, and the servants in the courtyard can all testify. Second Uncle’s death has nothing to do with us.”
The Eldest Mistress Feng’s maids all affirmed this, and moreover they could testify for one another — no one had gone out after the hour of Xu last night. The Second Mistress Feng was dumbstruck. She stared hard at the Eldest Mistress Feng, trying to see through whatever scheme she was running, and then suddenly she thought of something and looked sharply at Precious Pearl. “Then it was you! The eldest branch must have wanted to seize the family’s assets — first you killed the Old Master, then you killed Second Young Master. The eldest branch has long spoken of taking you as a concubine. You are of one mind with them — you conspired with them to kill the Old Master and Second Young Master!”
Throughout the exchange between the two mistresses, Precious Pearl had been standing to one side with her head bowed, doing her best to keep a low profile. She had not expected to be dragged into things anyway. She bowed to everyone present and said, “Second Mistress, it is true that this servant is of low standing, but she is still a woman of clean reputation — there has been no talk of her being taken as a concubine. This servant’s survival to this day has depended entirely on the Old Master’s benevolence. What benefit could this servant possibly gain from the Old Master’s death? Moreover, last night our courtyard gate was also locked early. At the third quarter of Xu, I was conducting a room check in our courtyard, and every maid in the courtyard can testify. How could I have any connection to Second Young Master’s accident?”
Feng Kun and the Eldest Mistress Feng had locked their gates before Feng Yu went out, and the Second Mistress Feng had nothing more to say about that. But Precious Pearl’s timing was later than Feng Yu’s departure, and the Second Mistress Feng clung to this without letting go. “You conducted your room check at the third quarter of Xu — but who knows what you were doing before that? It’s entirely possible that you pushed Second Young Master into the water, and then deliberately showed up in front of witnesses at the third quarter of Xu to put on a performance.”
Precious Pearl replied helplessly, “Second Mistress, the second quarter of Xu was when Second Young Master was still speaking with someone. If he was to die, it would have been after the second quarter of Xu. Even if I had wings, I couldn’t run from the Old Master’s courtyard to the water pavilion within one cup of tea’s time, drown Second Young Master, bolt the door from the inside, swim to shore, dry my clothes, and come back to conduct the room check.”
Even the Second Mistress Feng, determined as she was to make trouble, had to concede that Precious Pearl’s timeline was genuinely too tight to allow for murder. The Second Mistress Feng looked around the room. She knew perfectly well that her husband’s death was connected to someone present, yet she could not single that person out. Grief rose and swallowed her — she covered her face and wept bitterly.
This time her desolation was genuine. Ming Huashang let out a quiet sigh and said to the others in the room, “I would like to offer a few words of private consolation to the Second Mistress. Please step out for a moment.”
Since Ming Huashang had spoken, the Eldest Mistress Feng had nothing she could say. She cast a sidelong glance at the Second Mistress Feng and left first. After the Second Mistress Feng withdrew, Precious Pearl bowed in turn to Li Huazhang, Ming Huashang, and the Second Mistress Feng, then quietly retreated. After her came the maids, matrons, and the household managers’ wives who had come — whether out of genuine sympathy or mere curiosity.
At last, only Li Huazhang remained in the room. Ming Huashang shook her head at him subtly, indicating that questioning would go better without him present. Li Huazhang had no choice but to say, “I’ll be just outside. Call me if you need anything.”
Once everyone had left, Ming Huashang said, “Second Mistress, now it is just the two of us. You can speak truthfully with me. Do you genuinely believe that Feng Second Young Master’s death was no accident?”
Overwhelmed with grief and agitation, the Second Mistress Feng cried out, “Absolutely not! What kind of coincidence is that great — the Old Master only just died, and the very next night Second Young Master lost his footing and fell into the water. Accidents don’t only choose them. Someone must be working behind the scenes!”
Ming Huashang asked, “Then who do you believe killed Old Master Feng and Second Young Master?”
The Second Mistress Feng furrowed her brow deeply, her lips moving, and then deflated. “I don’t know. This person is extremely cunning and crafty — I don’t know by what means, but they haven’t left a single trace. But the eldest branch gains the most, and they must have some connection to all of this!”
Beyond doubt, Feng Kun was the person who stood to gain most from Old Master Feng and Feng Yu’s deaths. If he had killed his father and younger brother to seize the family property, the motive made sense. Ming Huashang asked, “Was Feng Second Young Master’s departure last night genuinely on a sudden impulse?”
The Second Mistress Feng said, “I can’t say for certain. During dinner everything was still fine, and afterward when we were talking, I could already tell his mind was elsewhere. I mentioned something about being careful of poison, and somehow he exploded — he lashed out at me and walked out. Then when I sent someone to ask him back, he refused to come. I don’t know what that was all about.”
The Second Mistress Feng thought of the events of these recent days — a hopeless tangle, absolutely terrible in every way. She sighed deeply, her heart cold with despair. “What does it matter now, talking about this? Even if I knew that the ghost was somewhere in the eldest branch, what could I do about it — Second Young Master is already dead. My life holds no hope anymore. It is fate, perhaps — maybe that rumor is right. This is the spirit snake’s curse. Whoever possesses the Marquis Sui Pearl will come to misfortune.”
Ming Huashang had now heard the Marquis Sui Pearl mentioned again. She asked, “Second Mistress, where did this saying come from — why is it said that the Marquis Sui Pearl carries a curse?”
“I’m not certain either. Since the Old Master’s death, the servants throughout the household have all been spreading it. If it weren’t for the spirit snake’s work, why would the Feng family keep losing lives one after another?”
Ming Huashang thought for a moment, then asked, “Second Mistress — did you and Second Young Master know about the Marquis Sui Pearl long before all this? Did the eldest branch know of it before?”
The Second Mistress Feng said, “Since it has come to this, I have no need to conceal anything further. We did know long ago that the Old Master had hidden away a gem of immense value. As for the eldest branch — they should not have known. Given the character of that husband and wife, if they had known earlier, they certainly would have made enough of a fuss to let everyone know. The Old Master feared bringing trouble down on the family, so he told only Second Young Master, and had us keep it hidden from the eldest branch.”
“If Old Master Feng was also afraid of inviting trouble, why did he confirm publicly a few days ago that the Feng family possessed the Marquis Sui Pearl?”
“Because he had received the threatening letter from the Sacred Thief.” The Second Mistress Feng sighed. “All the trouble started with that letter. If only the Sacred Thief had never come.”
From the Second Mistress Feng’s manner, she genuinely believed that the letter found at Old Master Feng’s bedside had been left by the Sacred Thief. Ming Huashang said nothing about that and asked, “Do you know where Old Master Feng acquired the Marquis Sui Pearl?”
The Second Mistress Feng frowned. “I don’t know the details of the Old Master’s affairs. I only heard Second Young Master mention it once — that the Marquis Sui Pearl was purchased by the Old Master with every last coin of his savings, and even then, the family had struck a bargain. If you were to buy the Marquis Sui Pearl at its proper market price, you couldn’t afford it even if you threw ten Feng families into the deal.”
Ming Huashang pressed on, “Why? The Marquis Sui Pearl is so valuable that its previous owner must surely have treasured it beyond all things — how could they possibly have sold it for less than a tenth of its worth?”
“I don’t know the details — all of this happened nearly ten years ago. Perhaps only the household manager would know the full story. I only heard something about how the family’s merchant convoy encountered mountain bandits during a trading expedition, and every single person in the convoy was killed, and all the goods were seized by the bandits. The owner of the goods naturally refused to let it go and came to demand restitution. Both the husband and wife of that household were with the convoy and perished without a trace, leaving behind only a young child at home. As the young heir was too small to manage anything, an old servant made the decision to sell off the family’s assets to pay off the debts in full on the young master’s behalf. The Old Master happened to be in that area at the time and acquired the Marquis Sui Pearl.”
Ming Huashang listened and sighed. “What a terrible tragedy. Do you happen to remember the family’s name?”
“I don’t. At the time I wasn’t yet married into this family — I only heard someone mention it in passing before my wedding, warning people not to travel the mountain roads for a period. I have a vague recollection that the family’s surname was Wei. It was only after marrying into the Feng family that I learned my father-in-law had also been caught up in that affair — and had come away with such a remarkable windfall.”
Ming Huashang nodded and sighed. “Indeed. Second Mistress, there is one more matter I’d like to ask your help with. Following the deaths of Old Master Feng and now Feng Second Young Master in such quick succession, a thorough investigation is needed if we are to satisfy anyone. His Highness would like to have the coroner perform an incision to examine Feng Second Young Master properly — the incision will be stitched closed afterward, and you won’t be able to tell at burial. You are Feng Yu’s wife, and this decision is yours to make. What do you say?”
Preserving a complete body for burial was a deep-seated custom, and family members generally resisted any opening of the body. But without it, the coroner had no way to carry out a proper examination. The Second Mistress Feng hesitated for a moment, then sighed. “So be it. The person is gone — what does it matter now whether the body is opened or not? If His Highness wishes to investigate, let him investigate. If it leads to finding the killer, this concubine will be deeply grateful.”
Ming Huashang let out a long breath of relief and said sincerely, “Thank you for your understanding, Second Mistress. Please rest well — I won’t trouble you further. If you think of any clues, send a maid to the Star-Plucking Tower, where His Highness has left yamen runners. We’ll come to you immediately upon hearing.”
The Second Mistress Feng agreed and thanked Ming Huashang. As Ming Huashang came out, Li Huazhang walked over and asked, “How did it go?”
“She has agreed to the incision and examination of Feng Yu’s body. There are also a few other leads, though I’m not sure how useful they’ll be.” Ming Huashang said. “Let’s go find the household manager first.”