STOTTD | Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Untie the fastener, take out the talisman paper inside and open it to look. She thought to herself, as expected.

This talisman paper was brand new, and the talisman pattern was still missing a few strokes. It had no warding effect at all, and instead would summon evil things.

She stuffed the talisman paper back into the talisman pouch, closed the room door, and when Zhou Xin (Zhou Xin) turned around, she saw Zhang Qingqing standing in front of Shen Jibai’s door, so she walked over and asked, “Zhang Qingqing, does Chang Sheng always carry this blessing pouch with him?”

Zhang Qingqing replied, “Yes, he only takes it off when bathing.”

“Then before Chang Sheng fell ill, had he taken a bath?”

The other party furrowed her brows and recalled for a moment, then nodded repeatedly. “He did! That day Fourth Lang was off duty, and it was Fourth Lang who bathed Chang Sheng.”

“Did anyone come to the house that day?”

She shook her head slightly. “It seemed no one came… Right, no one came!”

Zhou Xin (Zhou Xin) rested one elbow in her hand and propped her chin with the other, making a thoughtful expression, while she kept thinking in her mind.

That day Shen Jibai was off duty at home. With his skills, if anyone had sneaked into the courtyard, he would have noticed immediately.

So the one who tampered with the talisman pouch definitely was not a person.

That talisman paper originally had the effect of warding off evil, and evil spirits and monsters could not get near it, much less swap out the talisman paper inside.

So it was not a evil thing either.

Then only one possibility remained.

It was a paper figure.

A paper figure was not a living thing, had no evil or demonic aura, and was not within the scope of talisman effects. It could silently and unnoticed swap talismans, and even come and go freely into any place.

In other words, the person who deliberately harmed Chang Sheng was the same evil cultivator who took the fox king’s inner core, caused the hamster demon to go mad, and stole the pouch imprisoning the food-qi spirit pouch.

But why did he want to harm Chang Sheng?

That child was only eight years old this year. What kind of grudge could make him choose to strike at a young child?

“Fourth Lang?”

The knocking on the door kept going, yet no one answered.

Zhang Qingqing could not help getting even more anxious, and she patted the door harder. “A Ke (A Ke)?”

A light cough came from inside the room. “Aunt, your nephew is fine.”

Hearing this, Zhang Qingqing’s face eased slightly, and she let out a heavy breath.

“Zhang Qingqing, this talisman was tampered with by someone and has no warding effect. Please do not wear it again in the future.” Zhou Xin (Zhou Xin) casually put the talisman pouch into her bosom.

Zhang Qingqing was startled again. “Do you mean… an evil thing has its eye on Chang Sheng, and it was not an accident?”

Zhou Xin (Zhou Xin) nodded. “Exactly so. Forgive this poor daozhang for asking, but do you or Chang Sheng have any enemies?”

Zhang Qingqing shook her head. “I believe I have done good deeds and accumulated virtue all my life, and I have not formed grudges with anyone. How could someone deliberately try to harm Chang Sheng? He is only eight years old this year, still just a child.”

The door creaked open, and Shen Jibai came out wrapped in a fox fur cloak that only gets worn in winter.

“Could it be aimed at me? I often deal with desperate and reckless people, and I have locked up many evil spirits and monsters that caused trouble. I have quite a few enemies.”

Zhou Xin (Zhou Xin) glanced at him, thinking to herself, unexpectedly this person really does have some self-awareness.

“Not sure yet.”

“It is hot right now, so what is Fourth Lang doing pulling out a fox fur cloak?” Zhang Qingqing looked at him suspiciously.

Shen Jibai turned and closed the door. “Nothing, Aunt, do not overthink it.”

Before the words had even faded, Zhang Qingqing lifted the cloak and immediately saw, hidden underneath it, a belly that had already bulged round and high, looking just like someone seven months pregnant!

She cried out, “Th-this… what is going on?”

Shen Jibai pressed a hand to his forehead, looking helpless. “This matter… your nephew is also not too clear about it.”

Zhang Qingqing: “?”

“I woke up, and it was already like this.” Shen Jibai looked completely blank, his appearance very innocent.

Hearing this, Zhang Qingqing was full of worry and let out a deep sigh. “What kind of misfortune is this? Chang Sheng had just gotten better, and now something happened to you too. How am I supposed to explain this to my deceased brother…”

She bit her lower lip, watery ripples gathering in her eyes, as if tears could fall at any moment.

“Zhang Qingqing, do not get worked up. Shen Shaoqing has no serious problem.” Zhou Xin (Zhou Xin) feared the sight of people crying the most, and tried to steady her emotions before she burst into tears.

Shen Jibai echoed, “Aunt, do not worry. daoist master will surely find a way. Your nephew will be back very soon.”

Zhang Qingqing lowered her head slightly, seeming to be trying hard to restrain her emotions, and did not speak.

At that moment, the coachman walked into the courtyard and said, “vice minister, the carriage is ready. We can set off at any time.”

Shen Jibai gave a slight nod.

Zhou Xin (Zhou Xin) said, “This poor daozhang takes her leave.”

Only then did Zhang Qingqing lift her head. Her eyes were clouded with mist as she swallowed and said, “Daoist, go slowly.”

The two of them walked out of the corridor one after the other and turned into the path leading to the outer courtyard. Shen Jibai’s pace was much slower than usual, so Zhou Xin (Zhou Xin) could only also slow down and follow behind him step by step.

Zhang Qingqing followed beside her, her gaze stuck to the back of the person walking in front. The more she looked, the more tightly her brows knitted.

The carriage was parked at the courtyard gate. Shen Jibai got on first, and Zhou Xin (Zhou Xin) followed right behind him, stepping up into the carriage. She lifted the curtain and was about to climb in when she heard a rather childish, extremely cute voice from behind, “Pretty older sister!”

Zhou Xin (Zhou Xin) froze, turned her head to look, and saw that Chang Sheng had somehow sneaked out, hiding behind the courtyard gate. He tilted his head and poked it out, smiling brightly at her, his round eyes clear beyond compare, untouched by even a bit of worldly dust.

She was a little surprised. “When did Chang Sheng wake up?”

Zhang Qingqing said, “He woke up last night. It was already very late then, so I did not have time to tell the daozhang. This morning, too…”

Zhou Xin (Zhou Xin) smiled and nodded. “It is good that he has woken up.”

While the two of them were talking, Chang Sheng quietly slipped to behind Zhang Qingqing, grabbed her skirt with both hands, and poked his head out to look at Zhou Xin (Zhou Xin) with a smile.

“Thank you, older sister, for bringing Chang Sheng home. Older sister must come see Chang Sheng often!”

“Chang Sheng is so sensible.”

Zhang Qingqing praised him as she stroked his head, and explained to Zhou Xin (Zhou Xin), “When Chang Sheng woke up, he said he had always been in a dark place, unable to walk out no matter how he went, and it was a pretty older sister who dispersed the darkness and brought him home. He is very grateful to the daozhang!”

“The daozhang must come often,” she said, “this humble one will also make wontons with other fillings.”

“Okay.” Zhou Xin (Zhou Xin) said, “The wontons Zhang Qingqing makes are very delicious.”

“Pretty older sister, goodbye!” Chang Sheng waved at her.

“Goodbye.” Zhou Xin (Zhou Xin) felt warm inside and smiled back.

The carriage window was pushed open. Chang Sheng turned toward the sound, and when he met those black-and-white phoenix eyes, he hugged Zhang Qingqing’s leg tightly. “…Brother A Ke (A Ke) looks so fierce. Did Chang Sheng do something to upset you?”

Shen Jibai said coolly, “Remember to make up the lessons you fell behind on during this time.”

Chang Sheng: “?”

He rubbed against Zhang Qingqing’s leg. “…Mother.”

Zhang Qingqing gently stroked his head. “Listen to your cousin.”

At the sound, the smile that had been rippling across his face instantly vanished.

After closing the carriage door, Zhou Xin (Zhou Xin) sat in the side seat by the window.

Shen Jibai lowered the window, his voice cold. “Lingyun Jun (Lingyun Jun) is quite good at winning the favor of other people’s relatives.”

Sensing Zhang Qingqing and Chang Sheng’s kindness, Zhou Xin (Zhou Xin) was in a very relaxed state. She was used to talking nonsense as soon as she opened her mouth, and the first thing she said was, “No choice, my personal charm is just too strong. People love me, flowers bloom when they see me, even carriage wheels would spin in place three times when they see me.”

“Lingyun Jun (Lingyun Jun) really is self-aware.”

“Thank you for the praise, this poor daozhang is well deserved.”

“A Zhou (A Zhou).” He could no longer hold it in and pointed it out directly. “Do you know you are really verydetestable.”

Zhou Xin (Zhou Xin) froze for a moment, then slowly straightened her back, and the expression on her face also became serious.

As if that relaxed, brow-softened look from just now had only been an illusion.

She said seriously, “I know, especially to your liking as someone to dislike.”

After saying that, she turned her head and muttered softly to herself, “But I did not take the initiative to crowd in front of you, no, I never crowded in front of you at all. Why so fierce?”

Her voice was especially small, sounding like she had accidentally voiced the complaints in her heart.

But the speaker had no such intent, while the listener took it to heart. These words entered Shen Jibai’s ears and changed flavor.

He was silent for a moment, his expression returning to its usual calm, and said, “It was Shen’s fault in speech, I apologize.”

Only then did Zhou Xin (Zhou Xin) realize something, and quickly covered her mouth. After a pause, she said, “…It is fine.”

She looked calm on the surface, but inside she was extremely shocked, thinking to herself, is this for real, did he take the wrong medicine? He actually opened his mouth to apologize?

Shen Jibai sat in the main seat, his eyebrows and eyes lowered, with no intention of speaking again.

By chance he noticed the overlapping blue and black hems of clothing in the corner, and silently gathered the edges of his robe, moving a little to the left, separating himself from Zhou Xin (Zhou Xin) together with his clothes.

A faint, rustling sound of fabric rubbing broke the silence in the carriage.

Zhou Xin (Zhou Xin) turned her gaze over and saw him reach out to push open the left carriage window, staring unblinkingly at the busy street outside.

But if one looked carefully, one would find that his gaze was only vaguely resting on the window corner, clearly distracted.

The Shen family had one thing after another going wrong, so his mood should be terrible.

Zhou Xin (Zhou Xin) turned around and pushed open the carriage window. In the distance at the Shen residence gate, she saw one tall and one small person still standing there. When they saw her poke her head out of the window, Chang Sheng even waved hard.

Her heart tightened, and she sighed, murmuring in a low voice, “Such a cute child, who could bear to cruelly take his life?”

Hearing this, Shen Jibai seemed to think of something, and suddenly drooped his eyelids, closing the carriage window again.

“Does Lingyun Jun (Lingyun Jun) have a suspect in mind?”

“None,” Zhou Xin (Zhou Xin) shook her head. “But this poor Zhou can be certain of one thing.”

Shen Jibai: “What thing?”

“This person knew that it was the peace talisman from Taiqing Daoist Temple protecting Chang Sheng, otherwise he would not have gone to such lengths to swap it out.”

Her tone was extremely certain. “Then, this person should have had contact with Chang Sheng, and may even be someone Shen Shaoqing or Zhang Qingqing knows.”

Shen Jibai raised his eyes to look over, his gaze deepening a little, revealing a few threads of doubt, faint and not quite clear.

He gave a slight nod and said with hidden meaning, “Lingyun Jun (Lingyun Jun) makes sense.”

＊

Taiqing Daoist Temple.

The two of them passed through Chaoyuan Gate and went together toward the quiet room, where they ran into Changsheng, who had just come out from the dining hall.

Seeing Shen Jibai, he let out a curious “Eh?” and said, “Why is Shen Shaoqing dressed so heavily?”

Shen Jibai tossed out a single word, flat and light.

“Cold.”

Changsheng scratched his head in puzzlement, then looked at Zhou Xin (Zhou Xin). “Where did A Zhou (A Zhou) go last night?”

Zhou Xin (Zhou Xin) reached out and pinched his cheek. “Are you the A Zhou (A Zhou)?”

She grabbed his shoulders and turned his body backward, facing the direction of the quiet room. “Go and tell daoist master that Shen Shaoqing is visiting.”

Changsheng turned back around and looked at her with watery big eyes. “But daoist master is not here!”

Shen Jibai: “Where did she go?”

Changsheng said, “She went into the palace last night already. Before leaving, she even took a box and packed a lot of things inside.”

This was strange indeed.

When they left yesterday, it was already getting late, and the palace gates had all been locked. Linghe Zhenren left after her, so that could only mean something happened in the palace, and they had no choice but to reopen the gates and invite her in.

Zhou Xin (Zhou Xin)’s delicate brows furrowed slightly as she asked, “Junior brother, do you know what exactly happened?”