Appreciating New Tea with an Inkstone - Chapter 19

The scene was chaotic, filled with the angry curses and accusations from the surrounding crowd.

Ah Da and Xiao Wu quickly stepped forward to shield Gu Ye and Gu Xiyan, helping them retreat. Since Gu Xiyan couldn’t see, Xiao Wu leaned in and whispered a brief description of what was happening. Upon understanding the situation, a mix of anger and sorrow flashed across Gu Xiyan’s brows.

“The Gu family must give an explanation today! Why were the children found here? Where is that monster?”

“Send them to the authorities! Don’t let them escape!”

“Heartless and insane!”

Nangong Pei stood to the side, quietly rubbing the jade pendant at his waist. As the searchers clashed with the Gu family guards, he finally spoke in a leisurely tone, “Everyone, calm down. Sir Gu, Young Lady Gu, it is a fact that the demon vanished within the Gu residence, and it is also a fact that the bodies of four innocent children were discovered. I’m afraid we must take action.”

“Wait,” Gu Xiyan interjected. “There are still some things I don’t understand. I hope Daoist Nangong can enlighten me.”

Nangong Pei paused. “What is it?”

“What purpose would the demon have in going through so much trouble to bring the children here and place them in the Gu family’s side rooms?”

Nangong Pei let out a mocking laugh. He walked over to the earthen jars that had been brought out and bent down to examine them closely. He then poked a branch into one of the jars. His expression remained calm, but others who caught a glimpse of the blood-stained branch turned away in disgust, unable to bear the sight.

“These four children were all born at midnight, their birth charts indicating extreme yang energy. However, the blood in the jars isn’t theirs—it’s a mixture of their hearts, ground into paste and soaked in blood. The formation beneath is designed to siphon life force, drawing spiritual energy from the heavens and earth to converge at four points. The interplay of yin and yang here is enough to grant a cultivator immense dark and malevolent power—a truly ominous and deadly setup.”

“Hearts?” Gu Xiyan murmured instinctively.

“So, the culprit behind the dozen or so deaths in the outskirts is also this vile creature. Moreover, this formation has another purpose—similar to the practice of raising ghost servants in sorcery, it can bring immense wealth to its master,” Nangong Pei said coldly, his gaze heavy as he looked at Gu Xiyan and her father.

Gu Ye’s face turned pale, his beard trembling with anger. “Daoist Nangong, what are you implying?”

“So, it was the Gu family all along! You’re heartless and insane, willing to do anything for money!”

“Just because the demon was in the Gu residence means the Gu family is responsible? Daoist Nangong, is there any trace of demonic aura on the Gu family members present? If this formation is meant to enhance cultivation, is there any demonic energy attached to it? As for bringing immense wealth, does the Gu family, with its current resources, really need to resort to such measures?” Gu Xiyan knew one thing for certain: Ye Qinming was in the Gu residence. If a demon had truly entered and placed these things here, she would have noticed—unless it was done by a human.

And the purpose of such human intervention was clear: to frame the Gu family. But the thought of such cruel and malicious methods made Gu Xiyan’s blood run cold. How could someone’s heart be so vicious and cruel?

Nangong Pei’s eyes flickered slightly. “There is indeed demonic energy. Do you think I would make baseless accusations? As for the demon, while there may not be one here in the Gu residence, there’s another place where that might not be the case.”

He chuckled softly, but the coldness in his eyes made Gu Xiyan’s breath hitch. Suddenly, Nangong Pei stepped back, his hands swiftly forming a seal. A golden light emanated from his palms, transforming into a massive spiritual net that shot toward the Gu family’s tea garden.

At the same time, the Seven-Star Sword on his back trembled violently, unsheathing itself and streaking toward the tea garden like a beam of light. Nangong Pei rose with the wind, following the sword to the tea garden.

“Once I capture that demon, I’ll show Young Lady Gu the truth.”

Many in the crowd were witnessing such advanced cultivation techniques for the first time. After the initial shock, they couldn’t help but marvel at the display.

Gu Xiyan’s heart couldn’t help but tighten. Nangong Pei’s arrogance wasn’t unfounded. His origins were mysterious, and he wasn’t a disciple of any major cultivation sect. He had always been a wanderer. But according to the information she had gathered, he had slain countless demons along his journey—his reputation was well-earned.

As Nangong Pei left, the crowd was both curious and terrified. A loud explosion soon echoed from the tea garden, followed by two beams of spiritual light colliding. The resulting shockwave sent a gust of wind sweeping through the area, even reaching the Gu residence.

The trees in the garden swayed violently, and the force of the blast made it hard for many to stand. Xiao Wu immediately moved to support Gu Xiyan and Gu Ye, but Gu Xiyan stumbled and fell near an open earthen jar. She held onto the mouth of the jar mouth in a panic and was supported by Ah Da immediately.

Gu Xiyan suppressed her nausea and tucked the handkerchief from her sleeve away, her face slightly pale.

“Yan’er, are you alright? Were you frightened?” Gu Ye asked with deep concern, stepping forward to check on her.

“I’m fine, Dad. Don’t worry.” She couldn’t see, so she focused on listening to the commotion. Some of the bolder searchers began moving toward the tea garden.

Gu Xiyan wanted to follow but was held back by Gu Ye. The people who had entered the Gu residence also refused to let them leave, forcing Gu Xiyan to wait.

“The Gu family’s collusion with demons is undeniable. You will pay for my nephew’s life, and you won’t take a single step away,” one of the remaining men said, pressing closer as Nangong Pei engaged in battle with the demon.

Meanwhile, the soldiers sent by the prefectural government seemed to have received orders and took Gu Ye away.

Gu Xiyan couldn’t stop them and could only endure, listening as the crowd continued to speculate maliciously about the Gu family’s intentions.

“My lady, what should we do?” Ah Qi was frantic. She had never imagined such a thing could happen. 

Gu Xiyan’s mind was in turmoil, but she took a deep breath. 

“Uncle Chen.”

The steward hurried over at her call. “Yes, my lady.”

“Take some valuable gifts to Uncle Jiang’s house and ask him to help find out the intentions of the authorities. Also, send someone to the government office to ensure my father isn’t mistreated.” 

Jiang Qianshui was a close friend of Gu Ye and well-acquainted with the magistrate. His involvement would help.

“Yes, I’ll go right away.”

“Also, have the entire residence thoroughly searched for anything unusual. Calm the servants and make sure no further trouble arises.”

“Don’t worry, my lady. I’ll have Tianci handle it. Ah Da is clever and won’t let anyone take advantage of the chaos.”

Gu Xiyan nodded and quietly called Xiao Wu over. “Send your most capable person to secretly observe the tea garden and report everything to me in detail. I need to check on my mother—she must be frantic.”

With Gu Ye arrested, the Gu residence was in disarray. Xie Wan, upon hearing the news, was so distraught she nearly fainted. Fortunately, Gu Xiyan remained calm, instructing everyone to carry out their duties. The guards were put on high alert, and the chaos was quickly brought under control.

With a steady hand at the helm, the servants’ hearts gradually settled, and the Gu residence began to operate in an orderly manner despite the turmoil. Meanwhile, investigations into the four earthen jars in the side rooms continued.

After calming Xie Wan, Gu Xiyan was approached by Xiao Wu and her men.

“Mom, don’t panic. I’ll handle everything. I’ve already sent people to make arrangements, and we should have news soon. Please rest for now. I still have matters to attend to.”

Xie Wan wasn’t a helpless woman, but the sudden disaster had shaken her. Now, reassured by Gu Xiyan, her rationality returned.

“Yan’er, don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine. Go and take care of things. Ah Da, make sure to protect your lady. That Daoist isn’t to be trifled with.” She wasn’t foolish—she realized someone had set up the Gu family. As for the demon in the tea garden? Watching Gu Xiyan’s hurried steps, Xie Wan couldn’t help but worry. Had Yan’er been bewitched by the demon?

***

“What’s the situation?”

“My lady, I sneaked over to take a look. The Daoist was no match for the demon—he was severely injured and spat up a lot of blood. He was quickly carried away, but the demon has disappeared. Even the Daoist couldn’t defeat it, so no one dares to approach the tea garden now.”

“Was… was the demon injured?” Gu Xiyan couldn’t help but ask. 

The question surprised the guard and Xiao Wu, but after exchanging a glance, they replied truthfully, “We didn’t see any injuries on it.”

Gu Xiyan’s heart eased slightly. She was exhausted, but there was still much to do. She couldn’t rest yet and had to push through.

Back in her courtyard, she instructed Chen Tianci, the steward’s nephew, to gather all the managers of the Gu family’s businesses. This incident would undoubtedly deal a heavy blow to the Gu family, and she needed to prepare in advance.

The group discussed in the main hall for a long time. Gu Xiyan didn’t hide anything, and the managers were left speechless upon hearing the full extent of the situation.

Gu Xiyan remained calm. “You’ve all worked tirelessly for the Gu family, helping my father build this foundation. Today, the Gu family faces a crisis that will undoubtedly impact our businesses, and some may even try to take advantage of our misfortune. But the Gu family has weathered many storms and won’t fall easily. The Gu family is the tree you’ve nurtured, and it’s also your shelter. I don’t ask you to risk your lives, but in this critical moment, I hope you’ll stand by the Gu family and give us your support. I’m deeply grateful.”

The managers weren’t familiar with Gu Xiyan, but they had heard countless praises of her from her father. Now, meeting the blind young mistress, they could see why her father was so proud—her appearance and her sharp mind were indeed remarkable.

By the time Gu Xiyan and the managers finished discussing their strategy, it was already past noon. She arranged a banquet at the Yingbin Pavilion for the managers and finally collapsed onto a rattan chair after they left.

“My lady, the steward is back.”

Gu Xiyan, who had just closed her eyes, immediately sat up. “Uncle Chen, how is it?”

“My lady, the situation isn’t good. I spoke with Sir Jiang, and he went to the government office to gather information. It seems someone has been influencing the magistrate to target the Gu family.”

“Do we know who?” Gu Xiyan asked, her expression grave and weary.

“Not yet. I visited Master in prison. The conditions aren’t good, but I’ve made arrangements to ensure he isn’t mistreated.” The steward was also deeply worried. The demon’s mischief had already caused panic, and now this human conspiracy was even more distressing.

“There are also issues within the household. Some servants have colluded with outsiders to frame us. Tianci investigated and found two people missing. Uncle Chen, please continue looking into it. Their contracts are still with us, so we might be able to track them down.”

“Yes. My lady, you look exhausted. You should rest. The Gu family still needs you.” The steward couldn’t help but feel heartbroken seeing her pale and drained appearance.

Gu Xiyan nodded and returned to her room with Ah Qi. But lying on the bed, she couldn’t sleep. She didn’t know what was happening in the tea garden. With such a major event just occurring, she couldn’t risk appearing there herself, as it would only fuel suspicions.

Unable to calm her mind, she called Xiao Wu over. “What’s the situation in the tea garden?”

“My lady, no one dares to approach the tea garden now. From a distance, it looks completely destroyed, and the pavilions have collapsed.”

Xiao Wu noticed Gu Xiyan’s face pale further. Thinking of what had happened earlier, she couldn’t help but whisper, “My lady, is there some connection between you and the one in the tea garden?”

Gu Xiyan was momentarily stunned, but her expression quickly returned to normal. “Why do you say that?”

Xiao Wu muttered, “I feel like you’re very worried about her.”

Gu Xiyan waved her hand. “Don’t overthink it. I’m just a mortal—why would I worry about a demon? You may leave now.”

“Ah Qi, you may leave too. Close the door. I’m tired and need to rest.”

Ah Qi shot Xiao Wu a reproachful look and softly agreed, closing the door behind her.

“Xiao Wu, what are you saying at a time like this?”

Xiao Wu’s face was conflicted, but she still muttered, “Ah Qi, I trust our lady. I don’t care if she has a connection with that one. I’m just worried she might get hurt. Do you understand?”

Their conversation reached Gu Xiyan’s ears, and a warmth spread through her chest, but it was tinged with bitterness. She couldn’t shake the feeling that the Gu family’s calamity, and even Ye Qinming’s discovery, were somehow connected to her.

She let out a deep breath and closed her eyes. Just as her body began to relax, a soft sigh reached her ears. “So, you’re not worried about me after all. All that effort I put into sneaking back in was wasted.”

Gu Xiyan immediately sat up, her face lighting up with joy as she turned toward the source of the voice, even though she couldn’t see.

Seeing her like this, Ye Qinming’s heart softened, and the frustration he had been feeling melted away entirely.