Although Qin Wan had always heeded her father’s teachings that death was like a lamp being extinguished and there were no such things as ghosts in this world, even someone as strong-minded as her felt her scalp tingle and her hair stand on end in that instant—
“Young Miss, that was… wuu wuu wuu…”
Fuling fell backward in fright, crawling frantically toward Qin Wan. Before she could crawl more than a few steps, she broke down crying. Qin Wan instinctively leaned forward to pull her up, but when she raised her head again, the red figure outside the window had vanished!
Qin Wan’s brows furrowed deeply. She instinctively moved to step forward, but Fuling grabbed her tightly, “Young Miss! Don’t go! Don’t go—”
Tears streamed down Fuling’s face as she trembled uncontrollably. At this moment, all she wanted was to take Qin Wan away from An Yang Marquis Manor. Song Rou had died tragically at the manor’s gate, and now her ghost had returned—she wanted to take her Young Miss away!
With her skirt held firmly by Fuling, Qin Wan stared fixedly at the back window. The outside was pitch black, and that eerily terrifying figure never appeared again. She almost wondered if that glimpse had been an illusion, but the cold sweat on her palms and her wildly beating heart confirmed that what she had seen outside the window was indeed Song Rou in her flaming red wedding dress…
No, to be precise, it was a headless female corpse that looked exactly like Song Rou.
“Young Miss, let’s quickly leave. Miss Song… Miss Song has returned…”
Although Fuling had followed Qin Wan through hardships, she had rarely seen dead people. That day, she had only glimpsed Song Rou’s silhouette from afar, but this time, she saw everything clearly—she seemed to have even seen Song Rou’s bloody, mangled neck…
She clutched her head, as if afraid it would be severed the next moment.
“Young Miss, Young Miss, let’s return to the Qin Manor, let’s leave—”
Even knowing that tales of ghosts and spirits were mostly misconceptions, the most direct visual stimulus still instinctively caused anxiety. Combined with Fuling’s hysterical crying after being frightened, it made Qin Wan’s heart even more unsettled. However, she maintained a composed exterior. Gritting her teeth, Qin Wan first crouched down to comfort Fuling, “Don’t be afraid, Fuling. I’m here. First, calm down…”
Fuling shook her head violently, shrinking closer to Qin Wan while her frightened, possessed gaze darted around the room as if Song Rou might appear behind her at any moment. “Young Miss, let’s leave this place. For the medical treatment… we can come back during daylight…”
“Young Miss, this servant is scared… wuu wuu…”
Seeing that Fuling was truly terrified, Qin Wan glanced at the needle case in her hand, drew out a long needle, and lifted Fuling’s arm. In her confused and panicked state, Fuling didn’t realize what Qin Wan was doing until she felt a sharp pain at her Ji Quan acupoint!
She trembled slightly at first, but then the pain and numbness from the Ji Quan point spread throughout her body. Remarkably, the fear that had filled her entire being was soothed. Soon, her eyes cleared, though she continued to sob intermittently.
“Ninth Young Miss, what happened?!”
Just as Fuling began to calm down, the maids waiting outside came to the door upon hearing the commotion.
Qin Wan’s expression darkened. “Go fetch the Marquis and Madam. There’s a troublesome matter.”
As Qin Wan was an honored guest of the manor, the little maid dared not be negligent and hurriedly left in compliance.
Qin Wan removed the long needle and helped Fuling stand up. “Don’t be afraid, first sit down…”
Fuling was covered in a cold sweat, her face ashen, her body trembling, and her legs somewhat weak. She clutched Qin Wan’s hand tightly as tears silently fell. “Young Miss, when Madam arrives, let’s return to the Qin Manor…”
Qin Wan gripped her hand firmly without answering, her gaze still fixed on the back window. After another moment passed, all was peaceful beyond the back window, with only the early autumn breeze making faint, mournful sounds. Qin Wan’s eyes narrowed as she placed a nearby teacup in Fuling’s hands. Fuling tremblingly held the cup and took a shaky sip.
“Fuling, what exactly did you see just now?”
Fuling’s eyes trembled. “It was Miss Song… Miss Song’s ghost…”
“No.”
Qin Wan decisively denied Fuling’s words. Fuling looked up at Qin Wan in slight surprise. “Then what was it?”
Qin Wan’s lips tensed. “Someone with ill intentions.”
As Fuling’s lips moved to argue, Qin Wan lowered her head, her gaze deep and stern, as if trying to forcefully imprint her words into Fuling’s mind. “Remember, there are no ghosts in this world, only people with ghostly hearts.”
Fuling was subdued by Qin Wan’s piercing gaze, and her heart steadied. As she was silently repeating these words, a series of hurried footsteps sounded outside the room. Qin Wan straightened up—Madam Jiang and Yue Qiong had arrived!
“Wan’er?!” Madam Jiang called out before even reaching the door. She quickly pushed the door open, and only breathed a great sigh of relief upon seeing Qin Wan and her servant standing safely. However, seeing Fuling’s tear-stained eyes and terrified state, she frowned and walked over. “What happened? What occurred? What’s wrong with this maid…”
Madam Jiang entered first, followed closely by Yue Qiong and the Yue siblings. Qin Wan thought that would be all, but a final dark figure flashed in—even Yan Chi had come!
Qin Wan felt the needle case grow heavy in her hand. Looking past the Yue family members, she gave Yan Chi a quick, subtle glance while inconspicuously putting away the needle case. Then she said solemnly, “Madam, a quarter of an hour ago, Fuling and I saw someone standing outside our window.”
Qin Wan looked toward the back window, and Madam Jiang followed her gaze, immediately frowning. She managed the manor with utmost strictness, yet someone had dared to spy outside Qin Wan’s room late at night?!
Madam Jiang grew anxious and quickly grabbed Qin Wan’s hand. “Who would be so bold? Did you see their face, Wan’er?!”
Knowing Madam Jiang had misunderstood, Qin Wan hurriedly said, “It wasn’t someone from the manor.”
Everyone frowned, and Fuling cried out “Wuwa!” before sobbing, “Madam, it was Miss Song…”
The door was wide open, and the autumn night’s cool wind crept into the room, crawling up the Yue family members’ spines like a snake. Madam Jiang’s face paled. “What? Song… Miss Song…”
Qin Wan’s eyes focused intently. “To be precise, someone was impersonating Miss Song outside the back window.”
Madam Jiang’s lips trembled, and when she looked back at the window, she too became nervous and frightened. Realizing this wasn’t a simple internal manor matter, Yue Qiong stepped forward. “Did Ninth Young Miss see clearly?”
Qin Wan nodded. “There are no ghosts or spirits in this world, so I am certain someone did this deliberately.”
She glanced at everyone present. “We should have checked behind the house immediately, but given the circumstances, Fuling and I didn’t dare act rashly. Now that the Marquis and Madam are here, would you accompany me to take a look?”
First, both she and her servant had been frightened, especially Fuling. Second, not knowing the intruder’s intentions, it wouldn’t have been appropriate for Qin Wan, a weak woman, to go out alone. Yue Qiong’s expression tensed. “Of course!”
After speaking, Yue Qiong looked at Yue Jia, who immediately turned and left.
Madam Jiang’s face was slightly pale as she asked, “Wan’er, how… how could this…”
Though Madam Jiang and the others hadn’t seen it themselves, and while they weren’t as frightened as Fuling after hearing Qin Wan’s account, they still found it chilling to think about. Moreover, it was puzzling. “Miss Song… if it’s truly someone impersonating her as you say, what could be their purpose? This case has nothing to do with you. If they had any intentions, they should have targeted the Marquis and me…”
Qin Wan frowned slightly. “I don’t know either.”
As they spoke, Yue Jia appeared at the door holding a bright lamp. “Ninth Young Miss, we can go to the back now.”
Qin Wan nodded and was about to walk out when Fuling grabbed her. Qin Wan gripped Fuling’s hand in return. “You think it’s a ghost, so come with me to see. If it was someone’s deliberate act, then you need not be afraid.”
Influenced by Qin Wan’s determined gaze, Fuling hesitated for a moment before wiping away her tears and standing up, showing some courage as if marching to her doom. “Alright, I’ll listen to Young Miss!”
Qin Wan led Fuling out, and by the time they exited, three servants were already waiting outside with lamps. The group, led by Yue Jia and Yue Qing, proceeded along the corridor toward the back of the house.
The Plum Garden was a single-courtyard residence. The three main rooms were spacious and grand, with a flower bed about ten feet wide behind them. Several plum trees and a garden full of roses were planted in the flower bed. It was the end of the flowering season, and the garden full of roses was as red as fire, emanating a blood-like, strange, and ghostly color in the lamplight…
Having heard Qin Wan’s account, Yue Qing was both angry about her being frightened and curious to investigate. As a military man who had practiced martial arts since childhood, he naturally didn’t fear tales of ghosts and vengeful spirits. When they reached the small corridor at the back, he strode to the front. After a few steps, his gaze suddenly fixed on something. “Look, what’s that—”
Everyone looked where he pointed. At the base of the back window of Qin Wan’s main room, something bright red and eye-catching had fallen to the ground. Yue Qing quickened his pace, walked up, and picked up the object.
At this moment, everyone couldn’t help but draw in a sharp breath.
What Yue Qing held in his hand was a bright red wedding dress embroidered with blooming pomegranates and prosperity-bringing flowers!
The Yue family members who had stood closest to the bridal sedan chair that day remembered clearly—Song Rou had worn an identical wedding dress. An eerie chill enveloped the hearts of the Yue family members. Had Song Rou returned?