Soon, another coffin was delivered to the house.
This time, the three Zhu brothers personally carried their father’s body into the coffin.
After a moment of silence, the coffin once again shattered into pieces.
Moreover, it split even more thoroughly—even the bottom wooden plank under Old Master Zhu broke, and the corpse dropped to the ground.
The three Zhu brothers were scared pale, throwing themselves beside their father’s body, wailing.
“Father…”
“Father…”
Seeing this, Liu the Half-Immortal gradually calmed down instead.
He was fifty-eight this year. Having started in this profession at age eight following his father, in fifty years he’d seen quite a few strange occurrences.
Like last year when the Ji family held a funeral for their old matriarch, her coffin had split open too.
But that wasn’t quite right.
The old matriarch’s coffin was fine after hammering in a few nails.
This Old Master Zhu was different—his coffin exploded outright!
What was going on?
…
“Bang, bang, bang!”
The Pei family’s gate was pounded so hard it shook.
The gatekeeper climbed up, opened a crack, and seeing the person under the umbrella was First Master of the Xie Manor, quickly opened the gate wide. “First Master, what brings you…”
“Looking for Mingting.”
Xie Erli stepped across the threshold, heading straight for the inner residence.
In the inner residence, Young Master Pei was sleeping soundly wrapped in his quilt when someone suddenly grabbed him and sat him up. He groggily opened his eyes.
“Eldest Brother, why are you here?”
Pei Xiao’s mind buzzed: “Did First Sister-in-law kick you out and you’ve come to take refuge with me?”
What are you thinking, boy?
Xie Erli quickly explained the situation briefly, then steeled himself and threw back the covers. “Get up, quickly.”
But Pei Xiao sat there like a wooden chicken.
Listening to this, why did it sound so familiar?
A splitting coffin—wasn’t this a dead person with a heart demon?
“Eldest Brother.”
He swallowed. “This matter—looking for me is useless. You need to find Yan Sanhe!”
The three words “Yan Sanhe” struck Xie Erli’s mind like the lightning outside.
My father-in-law has a heart demon?
“How is that possible? The person hasn’t even been put in the coffin yet!”
Pei Xiao was stumped by the question.
Right—his maternal grandmother’s coffin split after she was placed inside.
Jingchen’s coffin split after she was buried.
He hadn’t had time to ask Yan Sanhe whether it was the same for Yan Xing, but most likely the person was in the coffin when it split.
Seeing he couldn’t answer, Xie Erli quickly said, “Like this—we’ll split up. You go find monks and Daoist priests. I’ll make a trip to the other courtyard and ask Miss Yan what the exact situation is.”
“Eldest Brother, Yan Sanhe isn’t in the capital right now.”
“Where is she?”
“She…”
Pei Xiao didn’t know how to explain. “Ah, this matter can’t be explained in a sentence or two. Go ask Fifty.”
He rolled out of bed and grabbed his clothes, throwing them on.
“There are a few monks and Daoist priests ready at the Clergy Registry Bureau—originally planned for Doctor Shen’s family tomorrow, but your matter is urgent. I’ll let you use them first.”
“Wait.”
Xie Erli grabbed him. “If Yan Sanhe isn’t here, what about Miss Li?”
He couldn’t tell him about Miss Li’s whereabouts.
“The two of them are inseparable—scales and weight, weight and scales. Miss Li isn’t in the capital either.”
Pei Xiao bent down to put on his shoes, his expression very serious.
“Eldest Brother, I think it should be a heart demon matter—no mistake. I need to pee urgently. Let me relieve myself first.”
Xie Erli stood for a moment, then walked outside the courtyard and said to Wei Lin waiting under the eaves, “I’ll return to the Zhu residence first. You go fetch Third Master to the Zhu residence.”
“Yes.”
As soon as Wei Lin left, Pei Xiao emerged from the inner room, yawning. “Eldest Brother, let’s go.”
Without more words, each took an umbrella and walked outside.
The rain showed no signs of letting up. Just walking from there to the side gate, half of Pei Xiao’s robe was soaked, and his shoes were wet too.
“This damn rain is too heavy.”
Xie Erli had been going in and out—his lower half had long been soaked through. Thinking about this wind and rain, and dragging someone out of bed, he felt apologetic.
“Mingting, this matter…”
“Son-in-law, First Son-in-law…”
Through the rain, a man galloped on horseback.
Coming closer, Xie Erli recognized him as Chen Yan, Second Master Zhu’s most capable servant.
“What are you doing here?”
Chen Yan was completely drenched by the rain. He dismounted, wiped the rainwater from his face, and said urgently:
“Second Madam suddenly cried out with stomach pain and is bleeding below. Second Master sent me to fetch Imperial Physician Pei.”
What?
Pei Xiao was stunned. “Eldest Brother, is Second Madam of Zhu Manor with child?”
Before Xie Erli could answer, Chen Yan said loudly, “Young Master Pei, our Second Madam is four months pregnant.”
Bleeding at four months?
That’s rare!
Pei Xiao: “Someone, quickly go fetch the master!”
Xie Erli quickly said, “Mingting, you attend to your business. I’ll bring Uncle Pei over. You’ve worked hard.”
It was hard work indeed!
But…
Pei Xiao patted Xie Erli’s shoulder with an unconcerned expression. “Who told me and Fifty we’re good brothers!”
A quarter hour later, the Xie Manor’s carriage left the Pei residence, heading straight for Zhu Manor.
Arriving at the Zhu Manor gate, Xie Erli personally held an umbrella to help Pei Yu down from the carriage.
Pei Yu still didn’t know about Old Master Zhu’s coffin splitting.
Looking at the white lanterns at the gate battered by rain into tatters, his tone was very optimistic.
“Second Madam is most likely just anxious. It shouldn’t be anything serious. Ten days ago I examined her pulse—the pulse reading was good.”
“Then we’ll rely on your auspicious words, Uncle Pei.”
At the gate, a maid from Second Madam’s courtyard was already waiting anxiously. Seeing Imperial Physician Pei arrive, she hurried to invite him inside.
Xie Erli went alone toward the mourning hall.
Arriving at the mourning hall, he discovered—good heavens, the third coffin had also split open.
Xie Erli couldn’t help but feel his heart sink.
Could it be that his father-in-law really did have a heart demon?
He frowned, looking at his three anxious brothers-in-law, but said nothing extra.
His surname was Xie, not Zhu. Although a son-in-law was half a son, he was still an outsider. Some words couldn’t be spoken lightly.
Moreover, his father-in-law had been courteous and affable to everyone all his life. Who would believe if told he had a heart demon?
Third Brother spent every day with Miss Yan—he certainly knew more. They’d discuss once Third Brother arrived.
Just then, nearby Zhu clan members who’d gotten word came rushing over to mourn.
Eldest Brother Zhu gritted his teeth and stamped his foot, going all in. “Quickly stop them. Turn them away.”
The old steward was sweating. “Eldest Master, how do we stop them?”
“Say I divined and got an inauspicious reading—unfavorable for guests. Tell them to come tomorrow.”
Eldest Brother Zhu looked at Third Brother Zhu. “You personally go stop them. Don’t let a single person in.”
“Yes!”
After Old Master Zhu fell ill, his eldest son Zhu Yuanzhao inherited his father’s position, presiding over the Imperial Astronomy Bureau.
The divination of the Imperial Astronomy Bureau’s head—who dared refute it?
Hearing Eldest Brother Zhu say “unfavorable for guests,” the clan members immediately turned and left without wasting a word.
Seeing his eldest brother-in-law temporarily control the situation, Xie Erli quietly withdrew.
At Zhu Manor, Madam Zhu had her own resting place—the courtyard where she’d lived as a girl. Eldest Master Zhu had specially kept it for his sister.
Xie Erli’s shoes were soaked through and very uncomfortable to wear. He needed to go back and change before returning.
But just as he walked out of the courtyard, suddenly a maid came stumbling over, running while shouting:
“Second Master, Second Master, something terrible has happened! Something terrible!”
Xie Erli’s heart jumped hard.