The Deposed Crown Prince had Three Lifelong Regrets - Chapter 28

Chapter 28

Seeing that Li Qinghuai had no intention of intervening, Lu Fengmian continued her questioning, “How did your sister Song Zhe die? Why did you begin practicing the evil Dao? And how did you plan to save your sister?”

Upon hearing this series of questions, the soul visibly became sorrowful and distressed, but ultimately could not resist the power of the Four Directions Silver Bell. Her lips parted and closed, speaking with difficulty.

“She dreamt of me and told me she was murdered, asking me to come home and save her. She said her stomach hurt so badly, endlessly.”

“I didn’t know what was happening to her, whether it was real or not. But I was so anxious those few days, so I went back… I couldn’t find her…”

“Later, she told me many things in my dreams, things like, ‘It’s so difficult, so humiliating.’”

The soul had no tears. She was fearful and confused, unaware of what had happened, stating her life’s past with little fluctuation in her tone. Yet, these few simple, plain sentences seemed both ridiculous and tragic beside the fiercely burning bonfire.

Through her weak, pale words, through her shattered spiritual body that no longer knew familial love, Lu Fengmian sensed an inexplicable and indescribable emotion growing.

“I wanted to save her. I asked my fellow villagers to help me. But they even sacrificed her body to the Cave God.”

Lu Fengmian’s heart tensed again. She belatedly realized the soul had stopped moving.

She seemed to be frozen, or perhaps she had finally understood something. Her gaze was unusually clear, but it immediately dissolved into madness.

“Why? I ask you, why!”

Su Wushuang suddenly laughed hysterically. Black energy continuously gathered around her in the midst of her frenzy, faintly showing a tendency to degenerate into a malevolent ghost.

Unfortunately, cultivating evil had damaged her seven po souls, destined to shatter before she could materialize a solid form.

She would be scattered to heaven and earth within half an incense stick’s time.

“Why must the people who were kind to me all die one by one, their corpses unable to rest in peace? My little nephew is about to be born, yet he must be made into a human effigy to be placed on an incense table, unable to enter reincarnation, only to help others seek wealth!” In her countdown to death, Su Wushuang, due to her overwhelming resentment, managed to condense a physical form with her broken spiritual body.

The moment the physical form materialized, an invisible pressure swept over them.

Tears of blood flowed from Su Wushuang’s eyes. “If only I had a good foundation from practicing the Dao, she could have come back.”

It was not the first time she had encountered such a vicious ghost. Lu Fengmian held a yellow talisman hidden behind her back, her posture straight as ironwood, difficult to shake. No matter how complicated her thoughts were, she showed no fear or panic on the surface.

Lu Fengmian accurately caught the subtle clue. “You want to help her possess a body?”

She asked as if casually, but she was seven-tenths certain in her heart.

“Why not? It would be better if all of you died!”

Her words were vicious.

But she could only resort to vicious words.

Before Lu Fengmian could make a move, the soul already showed signs of decline in the scorching steam. Clinging to the ruthless determination to “take someone down with me,” she thrashed in her death throes.

The bonfire could not be ignored. The thick smoke billowed and rose with great momentum, much like the unrest in Lu Fengmian’s supposedly calm heart.

Lu Fengmian recalled Su Wushuang’s words with sorrow.

It was unrealistic for an ordinary girl to seek revenge for her sister, especially using evil arts for body snatching, relying solely on herself.

Not everyone could access that kind of evil art. What price did she have to pay after succeeding? Did those accomplices have other motives? Would they keep their promise and deliver the “reward”?

All these were unknown. But Su Wushuang was not stupid. She should have understood these principles, knowing she needed to be cautious when collaborating with others.

Since she still chose to take a desperate gamble, it meant she had no other path to choose.

Everyone was still recovering from the sudden turn of events, but Lu Fengmian had already gone through four rounds of grief. She couldn’t understand why such a desolate hill had so many stories.

She couldn’t understand why, knowing she had an injured leg and was inconveniently moving, someone would steal her shoes to restrict her behavior by leveraging her sense of propriety. Yet, when she tentatively tried to understand the cause and effect of events, she was not met with hostile resistance.

She was forbidden from touching certain things, yet when she truly violated a taboo, there was no punishment.

A multitude of doubts, all without an answer.

She couldn’t understand Li Qinghuai. She didn’t know if this was part of the plan or if the other woman was inherently contradictory. Fortunately, Li Qinghuai was not heartless. The belongings of Wenchang’s subordinates contained spare clothes and shoes, which Lu Fengmian naturally changed into.

Shao Cheng suddenly realized, “So that’s it! I thought there was something wrong with her a long time ago, but since I didn’t know the inside story, I didn’t dare to act rashly.”

“How did you figure it out?” Li Qinghuai raised an eyebrow.

She seemed unaware that she was the center of attention, still relaxed and carefree.

“Ying Hongguang, you’ve been watching the show for a long time. Why don’t you say something? I heard that the person who read her sister’s face was the abbot of Bailin Temple.”

“Nonsense!”

Looking in the direction of the voice, Lu Fengmian recognized the man. He was the lay Buddhist who had previously warned her that the Zhang residence had many old acquaintances.

He had always been aloof. Monks were compassionate, recognizing the vastness of the universe and pitying even the deepest blades of grass. But from the time Lu Fengmian had met him until now, he had always maintained an icy expression, indifferent to suffering.

Now, however, he was fuming and glaring, exhibiting a surprising amount of human emotion.

“Your Highness, if you don’t believe me, go back and report it for investigation! Our Bailin Sect harbors no corrupt individuals! If there truly are those who deceive their superiors and oppress the common people, we will eliminate the dissidents before Your Highness even makes a move.”

Li Qinghuai did not seem to be listening, her expression bland.

“Then we’ll wait until I return to discuss it.”

Her identity was suddenly revealed to everyone, yet she showed no sign of annoyance. This made Lu Fengmian even more confused. After listening for a few more moments, she realized the likely intent: the strategy was probably to muddy the waters before dragging others into it.

The main target was likely someone else.

Dragging Bailin into the mess was merely to escalate the situation.

Lu Fengmian adopted a stance of non-involvement, shaking her head and claiming ignorance when asked. Seeing this scene, she naturally retreated as far as possible, pretending to feel dizzy and lightheaded to find some peace in the empty space behind.

If the person opposite him weren’t so high-ranking, Ying Hongguang would probably be jumping and slamming his fist on the table.

But then again, if the person opposite him weren’t so high-ranking, he probably wouldn’t bother to pay attention at all.

She didn’t know how long they would argue, when they could return to the capital, or how high the Dengwen Drum she was supposed to strike was.

She knew nothing, yet she was forced to waste time here.

Impatiently, she began drawing circles on the ground with her foot. The area was not only cold and damp but also quite dusty, enough to keep her occupied for a while.

Suddenly, her ears keenly picked up a few “squeaks.” Lu Fengmian looked down. A small but round mouse, its four limbs scrambling, stopped in front of her.

The mouse, with its green eyes, scuttled like an old lady with bound feet, its entire body covered in gray dust, furtively stretching and looking around.

She made a motion to kick it. She had expected it to be nimble, but it didn’t react in time. It only managed to stand up, arch its back, and puff up its fur, then its four thin legs rapidly moved, scurrying away frantically.

It stumbled right at the start, then fled in terror.

In a split second, Li Qinghuai was startled, lifting one foot and starting to hop on the other.

“What is that creature? Take it away immediately!” she said with extreme impatience.

Although she didn’t maintain a dignified, composed, and confident demeanor, the awe-inspiring presence she carried, without even needing to express anger, was something she could not hide.

Truthfully, Lu Fengmian didn’t realize at all that she was partially responsible for this.

She didn’t remember that the other woman was afraid of mice. Or rather, she had completely forgotten the woman’s likes and dislikes. Unsure of Princess Wenchang’s true temperament, she didn’t dare speak rashly, only relying on instinct to act.

“Alright, coming, coming,” Lu Fengmian responded.

Perhaps because she had seen so many undignified scenes involving Li Qinghuai, her own mind, which required her to constantly maintain propriety, was slowly becoming numb.

She didn’t mind acting as a servant now, humbly rushing over to chase away the mouse.

Unexpectedly, this interruption broke the argument, and the brewing storm was covered by superficial peace.

Li Qinghuai couldn’t be bothered to pursue the matter further. “Then let the Dali Temple come and investigate. Anyway, it will all be revealed in a few days.”

Ying Hongguang clenched his fists under his sleeves but could only nod in agreement.

“Hee-hee-hey, the Descent of the Nine Heavens Mysterious Lady, peace under Heaven! Flower street parade, the Heavenly Official bestows blessings—”

Muttering words came from an easily overlooked corner. She turned her eyes to see a man who had been perfectly fine just moments ago, now with a vacant expression, dancing and gesticulating.

“Frightened into idiocy?” Li Qinghuai raised an eyebrow, taking a couple of casual steps toward him.

The first couple of steps were fine, but as she got closer, it wasn’t.

The man saw her fierce expression, started hopping in place, spinning, and clapping his hands, chanting, “The Ghost Gate opens on the seventh day of the seventh month. Every household has red lanterns. Don’t be afraid, don’t be afraid.”

“The Mysterious Lady descends to protect the people.”

Li Qinghuai’s steps quickened. She reached him, grabbed the collar of his jacket, and dragged him toward the temple entrance.

Then she let go, kicking the half-mad man out with one foot. As if possessing endless strength, the kick sent the man tumbling three times on the ground.

Fortunately, it wasn’t a night of heavy rain like daytime, without silver snakes streaking across the sky, or it would have added a few more layers of terror.

Frightened into idiocy and nobody cared. He even got an undeserved kick. Even a normal person would know this was not a good place and should flee immediately.

The madman was no exception. He scrambled to his feet, screaming incoherently, and ran off into the distance.

Inside the half-collapsed temple, heartbeats became a continuous drumming sound. No one dared to intervene.

The mask of gentleness from moments before was torn to shreds, leaving behind a beautiful, yet terrifying, Asura. Xu Bufan, whose attire was the most frivolous and obviously that of a charlatan Daoist, swallowed his saliva and was the first to consider offering comfort.

His mouth opened, uttering half a syllable, when Li Qinghuai shot him a cold glance.

It instantly chilled him to the bone. His legs started trembling, unable to retreat or advance.

Everyone thought the situation was irreconcilable, but the principal, Li, suddenly feared losing popular support and waved her hand, trying to make amends.

“Then go look for him. It’s too dangerous after dark. Take a few more people.”

Xu Bufan thought he had caught the underlying meaning and hurriedly waved his hands, backing away. “No need, no need! I’m not afraid of danger… Ah, I mean, it is truly too dangerous! Everyone, don’t go!”

He turned to the person on his left and said it again, then repeated the process to the person on his right.

Li Qinghuai turned her head, her temper unusually gentle, speaking softly, “Seriously, go.”

“While you’re at it, you can scout the path. It will be easier to descend the mountain in a few days.”

A few subtle jabs completely caught the man off guard. He grew increasingly flustered, looking around in bewilderment.

Lu Fengmian contemplated for a moment, then proactively stepped forward, pulled his arm, and whispered a few words to him. Initially, the man seemed to disregard her, but a few seconds later, he looked up at her as if waking from a dream.

His lips moved, asking back incredulously, “Really?”

She smiled and nodded, “Really.”