Shengjing, Anping Marquis Estate.
Shen Xiyan stood at the doorway, looking out, and finally caught sight of the person she was waiting for.
An elderly man with white hair and a white beard, dressed in a white long robe, walked into the courtyard with a fly whisk cradled in the crook of his arm.
As he walked, his sleeves fluttered, giving him an air of ethereal detachment.
"Master!"
Shen Xiyan hurried over, gently supporting the old man's elbow with a smile. "Yan'er brewed your favorite Snow Peak tea for you, Master."
Yin Zhuo nodded expressionlessly. "You are thoughtful, my disciple."
The two sat down in the room. Shen Xiyan served the tea and asked impatiently, "Master, you said the auspicious day you mentioned has arrived. Can you help Yan'er improve her aptitude now?"
Yin Zhuo picked up his teacup, took a sip, and a troubled look crossed his face. "According to the timing, she should have died last night, but the array I left in that courtyard has not dissipated, which means she is still alive."
"How can that be?" Shen Xiyan furrowed her delicate brows and asked coldly, "Then how can Master help me improve my aptitude? How am I supposed to marry into the royal family?"
Though outwardly the legitimate daughter of the Anping Marquis Estate, her mother had given birth to her before marrying her father. Behind her back, people called her the daughter of a kept mistress, and her status was even lower than that of a concubine's daughter. Wanting to marry into the royal family was nothing short of a pipe dream.
However, the current emperor held the Xuan Sect in high regard. If she could make a name for herself in Shengjing using Xuan Sect techniques, she would undoubtedly win the favor of the imperial princes.
It was a pity her aptitude was poor. Having studied under her master since childhood, she now knew only some entry-level spells, and even those sometimes went wrong.
Yin Zhuo stroked his beard, signaling her to remain calm. "Don't panic, Master naturally has a way. Choose two trusted servants and send them to Huaiyang Town to find a Mystic Master named Chen Yang, and give this letter to him."
Shen Xiyan took the envelope and couldn't help asking, "Can Yan'er take a look?"
"Go ahead. Master has nothing to hide from you." Yin Zhuo chuckled softly, picking up his teacup to drink.
Yet beneath his lowered eyelids, his shrewd eyes flashed with a sinister gleam.
He found this useless disciple annoying just to look at; if it weren't for...
"Master is brilliant!" Shen Xiyan's joyful voice interrupted his thoughts. "Yan'er will find two trusted servants right away to deliver the letter!"
Shen Xiyan resealed the letter and summoned two pageboys from the courtyard. "You two, take this letter to Huaiyang Town at once by fast courier and deliver it to a Mystic Master named Chen Yang. There will be a heavy reward when you return to the estate."
"Understood, we'll leave immediately!"
Watching the two of them leave, a cold, malicious smile rippled across the depths of Shen Xiyan's eyes.
That dead good-for-nothing was certainly stubborn. Why couldn't she just die early like her short-lived mother?
It was only a pity that before long, that dead good-for-nothing would become the stepping stone for her to improve her aptitude, trampled under her feet forever!
As evening approached, the sky turned dusky, and crimson afterglow spread across the horizon, intertwining with the peach tree still burning fiercely in the courtyard.
Pei Jingheng sat by the bed, looking out through the carved diamond-shaped lattice window, his dark, heavy brows slightly lowered.
Why hasn't she woken up yet?
Night was falling. It seemed they would have to stay in this village tonight and head to Huaiyang Town tomorrow.
The small hand clutching his finger suddenly stirred, the tight grip slowly loosening.
Shen Mingshu felt as though this sleep had left her feeling refreshed and full of strength.
In her dream, a gentle yet powerful purple aura seemed to wrap around her, making both her body and mind immensely comfortable.
She slowly lifted her eyelashes, coming face-to-face with the man's lowered, slightly narrowed dark eyes.
His demeanor was like ice and snow, his gaze like biting frost.
Pei Jingheng raised the outer corners of his brows slightly, his voice cool and indifferent. "Can you let go now?"
Shen Mingshu lowered her gaze, only then realizing she was still clutching his finger, and hurriedly let go. "I'm sorry, I don't know why I did that..."
"You fainted just now and kept holding my hand without letting go. It's no matter." Pei Jingheng didn't mind, withdrew his hand, stood up, and straightened his robes.
Shen Mingshu sat up and looked around the room. "Where is this?"
"Fan Niang's room."
"Where is my mother?" Shen Mingshu bent down to put on her shoes, her heart weighed down with concern for Yun Niang.
"Your mother is boiling medicinal soup for you."
Pei Jingheng walked over to the table and sat down, casting a cold, steady gaze at her as he spoke slowly, "The young lady seems to be in no serious condition. Might we untie this red cord now?"
Shen Mingshu raised her right hand; the red cord on her wrist seemed a shade redder than before.
"This red cord is actually—"
Before she could finish, she saw Yun Niang enter the doorway, holding a bowl of steaming medicinal soup.
Seeing that she had woken up, Yun Niang hurried to place the medicine bowl on the table, pulling her over to look her up and down. "You're finally awake! Mother was worried to death!"
"Mom, I'm fine. It just took a bit of effort to catch the ghost earlier, and after a sleep I'm much better." Shen Mingshu gently patted her hand; seeing Yun Niang brought her immense peace of mind.
Yun Niang helped her sit by the table. "Drink your medicine quickly. This is what Fan Fangfang prescribed for you, saying your frame is too frail, so she got you some nourishing herbs."
Shen Mingshu lowered her head, sniffed it, and smiled. "Indeed it's good medicine. I'll drink it right now."
Taking advantage of the moment she was drinking the medicine, Yun Niang thanked Pei Jingheng. "Thank you so much for accompanying her for so long, Young Master. With the sky growing dark now, it's probably too late for you to head home. Why not come to my place for a meal?"
Before Pei Jingheng could agree, Shen Mingshu nodded. "Yes, and just in time for me to explain about this red thread."
After a brief moment of thought, Pei Jingheng agreed. "Very well."
She put down the medicine bowl and stood straight up. "Where is Auntie Fan?"
Yun Niang said in a low voice, "She's dealing with family matters. After all, someone died."
Shen Mingshu walked out of the doorway and looked toward the peach tree in the western corner of the courtyard. The flames were much smaller than they had been at noon.
She walked over, reached out, and pressed her hand against the burning trunk. Applying a tiny bit of force with her palm, the trunk instantly shattered into fine powder, and the fire went out.
A deep pit appeared on the ground, piled with the black ash of the peach tree; even the roots had been burned completely clean.
Fan Fangfang emerged from Liu Cheng's room and walked quickly to her side. "Mingshu, you're awake. Did you drink the medicine?"
Shen Mingshu nodded. "I drank it. Auntie Fan, I won't beat around the bush with you. I've helped you this much, so you must pay me. I want this much."
She held up five fingers and stared fixedly at Fan Fangfang.
Fan Fangfang was somewhat surprised. "Fifty taels of silver?"
Shen Mingshu smiled faintly. "Isn't your son's life worth this much?"
"It is! I'll go get it for you right now!"
Fan Fangfang hurried into the house and before long came out with a small wooden box. Opening the lid, she revealed a dazzling array of silver pieces. "Count it."
"No need to count. Auntie Fan is a person of her word, I trust you." Shen Mingshu clutched the wooden box tightly, the smile on her face blossoming brightly.
She looked over at Yun Niang, who had followed them over, and handed the wooden box to her. "Mom, put this away safely!"
Curious, Fan Fangfang asked, "Mingshu, I want to know how that peach tree caught fire all by itself?"
Shen Mingshu ignited a wisp of flame on her fingertips. "I knew long ago that the peach tree spirit was harming people, so earlier when I stroked the trunk, I left a spark inside. Once the peach tree spirit tried to hide back inside the trunk, the flames would ignite, and touching fire, she was bound to die."
As night fell, Shen Mingshu and Yun Niang left the medical clinic, while Pei Jingheng and Leng Feng followed far behind them.
Leng Feng said in a low voice, "Master, this girl is no simple character. If we follow her like this, what should we do if we fall into her traps?"
Pei Jingheng lightly twirled his thumb against his fingertips within his sleeves, a faint, ambiguous smile curving his lips. "We must go. She has something I want."