Appreciating New Tea with an Inkstone - Chapter 22

As the night deepened, a few men dressed in coarse cloth pushed four clay jars, sneaking through the darkness toward the outskirts of the city. Their hearts pounded with fear as they moved.

A short man whispered, “Bro, I’m scared.”

“Scared of what? There’s nothing to be afraid of. We didn’t kill them, and revenge isn’t our concern,” the leading man muttered in a low voice, swallowing hard.

“Why do you think the lord insisted on getting involved in this mess? Making us handle this in the dead of night… What if we run into ghosts? No, even if there are no ghosts, what if there are demons?” The more he spoke, the more frightened he became, his small eyes darting nervously around.

“Shut up! Say another word, and I’ll make you leave. The demons have already been taken care of by Daoist Master Nangong. Who would dare to continue wreaking havoc?” the leader snapped. But his rushed speech and heavy breathing betrayed his unease.

“This should be far enough. Let’s stop here, boss,” the second man, who had remained silent, finally spoke. Wiping the cold sweat from his forehead, he glanced nervously at the surrounding shadows, which seemed to creep closer in the darkness. The eerie presence of the four clay jars made his skin crawl.

“Hurry up and dig a hole. Make it deep. Then pour in the oil and quicklime before burying them,” the leader ordered, handing out iron spades. The four men swung their tools with all their might, their labored breathing loud in the still night.

Sweat dripped as they dug. The short man wiped his forehead and was about to lower his head again when he suddenly saw a shadow streak swiftly past in front of him. His heart clenched tight, and he gulped before stammering, “D-did any of you… just see something fly by?”

At his words, the other three men broke into a cold sweat.

“Old Fourth, stop imagining things and scaring the hell out of us! Keep this up, and I’ll bury you along with them!” The bearded second man snapped, grabbing the short man by the collar.

But then he noticed something terrifying—Old Fourth’s expression had turned into one of pure horror. His mouth hung open, his eyes widened to their limits, and he seemed unable to utter a single word.

A sudden silence fell over the area. A chilling dread spread through the group. The leader, standing beside him, was also frozen, gripping his arm so tightly that his fingers trembled uncontrollably.

Then, out of nowhere, the sound of a baby’s giggling echoed in the night. The innocent, playful laughter should have been comforting, but in the desolate wilderness at such a late hour, it sent an icy chill straight to their bones.

Rigid with fear, the second man turned his head—only to be met with a ghastly sight.

A bloodied, mangled infant floated in midair.

One of its eyes was intact, but the other was nothing but a gaping, bloody hole. Its decayed, bluish-gray gaze locked onto him. Its tiny, mutilated hand was stuffed into its mouth, making soft, wet sucking noises as it giggled sweetly.

“Aaaahhh! Aaaahhh!” the second man screamed from the depths of his soul, shoving Old Fourth away before scrambling backward in sheer terror. The other three men, equally horrified, stumbled and fled, barely able to stay on their feet.

No matter how fast they ran, the child was always ahead of them, smiling.

They were desperate enough to wish they could pass out from fear. Any shred of courage they had was utterly shattered.

“It wasn’t me! I didn’t kill you! This has nothing to do with me! If you want revenge, go after the one responsible! We were just ordered to bury you!”

All four men fell to their knees, trembling violently, tears and snot streaming down their faces as they sobbed.

“Then why did you come here in the middle of the night to bury them?”

A cold, eerie female voice, laced with cruel amusement, sent their fear to its peak.

“County Magistrate! It was the County Magistrate! He told us to bury them! He said keeping them around was bad luck and that they needed to be laid to rest as soon as possible!”

“Heh… ‘Laid to rest’? At this hour?”

The infant’s voice shifted from the female’s mocking tone to a high-pitched, piercing screech—sharp, grating, and utterly terrifying.

“We don’t know! The lord ordered us to do it in secret, making sure no one found out! Please, spare us! Spare us!”

“Go back and tell them it’s done. If you don’t, I’ll suck the marrow from your bones and soak your flesh in four more jars—just like them. Hahaha!”

The chilling, ghostly laughter sent the men scrambling away, abandoning everything as they fled in terror.

In the darkness, the horrifying infant dissolved into a green leaf, which drifted down into a pale, slender hand.

Ye Qinming let out a disdainful chuckle. “Humans are truly pathetic. They collapsed this easily.” She twirled a small bead in her fingers, the corner of her lips curling upward.

Hmm… That little girl was indeed clever. But Ye Qinming was the Demon Emperor. If she wanted to uncover the truth, she had ways beyond mortal comprehension.

With a wave of her hand, the four clay jars vanished. Only then did she leisurely make her way back to the Gu family estate.

***

The Gu family was the wealthiest household in Danyang City. While merchants couldn’t directly challenge government officials, the magistrate still had to show them respect.

Although the jars had been discovered in the Gu estate, and Nangong Pei had deliberately tried to frame them, the evidence alone wasn’t enough to prove their involvement.

Gu Xiyan pondered deeply. This framing attempt was crude—too crude.

A vague unease settled in her heart.

Did the magistrate and the Yang family simply need an excuse?

The more she thought about it, the more uneasy she became. Early the next morning, she instructed Ah Da and Chen Tianci to prepare for a visit to the government office, intending to see Gu Ye in person and probe the magistrate’s attitude.

However, just as she voiced her plan, the steward stopped her. With no other choice, he spoke up, “My lady, the entrance of the residence has already been surrounded by a group of people. They’re causing a disturbance, demanding an explanation from the Gu family. Moreover… moreover…” His expression was troubled, unsure how to continue.

Gu Xiyan slightly furrowed her brows before calmly saying, “Uncle Chen, just say whatever it is.”

“They say that Daoist Nangong and the magistrate claim the reason so many demons have gathered in Danyang City is because of you. Based on calculations from your birthdate and eight characters, they determined that you were born with an ominous fate, the reincarnation of a malevolent star and an evil deity. Once you turned eighteen, demons began converging on Danyang, with some even settling in the Gu residence, which is why there is such a heavy demonic aura here.”

Gu Xiyan remained silent for a long time after hearing this, her expression somewhat dazed. Ah Qi, however, immediately exploded in anger. “What nonsense! That so-called Daoist is the real reincarnation of an evil deity! How dare they claim that the demons in Danyang are related to our lady? Utter drivel! When our lady was born, auspicious omens descended from the heavens, and birds gathered in reverence. If anything, she’s the reincarnation of an immortal! And those people actually believe this nonsense?”

The steward’s face darkened. “Since early morning, the commoners who lost family members have been cursing and shouting at the residence’s entrance. Later, someone spread the rumor that all of Danyang’s calamities were caused by our lady, and the crowd grew even larger. The people we sent out before were beaten back, and now the main gate is completely blocked.”

Gu Xiyan’s face turned slightly pale. “Does Mother know?”

“Madam is resting in the rear courtyard. I was afraid of disturbing her, so I instructed the servants not to say a word.”

“Good.” Gu Xiyan nodded and, after a brief moment of contemplation, softly said, “Let’s go to the front gate.”

“My lady!” The steward and Ah Da were both shocked.

Gu Xiyan was silent for a moment before speaking in a calm tone. “I want to see it for myself. Otherwise, the longer this drags on, the harder it will be to handle.”

Although Gu Xiyan appeared gentle and delicate, once she made a decision, even the Gu couple couldn’t stop her. The steward exchanged a look with Ah Da, who immediately summoned the guards to escort Gu Xiyan to the front gate.

By now, the situation had already spiraled into chaos. As soon as they reached the front hall, Gu Xiyan could hear the pounding of fists on the door, mixed with the clamor of curses and shouts, creating a cacophony of noise.

The bolt on the Gu residence’s main gate had been fastened, and several servants were desperately holding the door shut, but the heavy wooden panels still trembled under the relentless assault, making it clear how dire the situation was.

“Ah Da,” Gu Xiyan called out, her expression as calm as still water.

“Yes.”

“Are you ready?”

“We’re ready! Everyone, prepare!” Ah Da roared, and the two rows of guards shouted in unison, gripping their wooden staves tightly, their eyes locked on the commotion ahead.

“Open the gate,” Gu Xiyan said plainly. She had already gauged the situation outside from the noise alone. But she refused to hide behind a door—eventually, she would have to step outside, whether by her own will or by being dragged out.

Hearing their young lady’s command and sensing the imposing presence behind them, four servants quickly braced against the door and, gritting their teeth, pulled the bolt free. With a resounding bang, the door was pushed open, sending a few people tumbling over the threshold.

Those who had fallen scrambled backward in fear upon seeing the scene before them. The entire mob recoiled several steps, momentarily stunned.

Ah Da led his men forward, step by step. The rioters, momentarily subdued, fell into an eerie silence.

The few individuals who had been shouting the loudest moments ago tensed, their Adam’s apples bobbing as they warily fixed their eyes on the entrance.

Then, they saw a young woman dressed in a white robe embroidered with crane patterns step forward from between the two lines of guards. Her embroidered white shoes crossed the threshold, and she stood quietly at the entrance of the residence. Her complexion was slightly pale, her long black hair cascading down her back. A white ribbon weaved through the inky strands, draping over her shoulder and lifting a few wisps of hair.

She was breathtakingly beautiful. Her delicate brows and soft features carried an innate warmth, but at this moment, her lightly pursed lips and serene, emotionless face starkly contrasted with the charged tension in the air. She was truly a vision of ethereal grace, untouched by worldly embellishments. For a moment, everyone’s gaze was drawn to her.

Then, as they noticed the faint, detached emptiness in her deep black eyes, they suddenly remembered—this was the so-called disaster star, the reincarnation of an evil deity, the culprit who had lured demons to wreak havoc in Danyang!

The first to regain his senses pointed at Gu Xiyan and shouted, “So the Gu family thinks they can intimidate us with their wealth and power, is that it?”

His words reignited the crowd. “Do you think waving those clubs around will scare us? Danyang City doesn’t belong to the Gu family alone—you can’t cover the sky with one hand!”

Gu Xiyan raised her hand slightly, and in the next instant, all the guards slammed their wooden staves onto the ground in unison. The deep, synchronized thud reverberated through the crowd like a hammer striking their hearts, instantly quelling the rising commotion.

With the furious shouts now silenced, the dull ache in Gu Xiyan’s head eased slightly. She couldn’t see how many people were before her, nor could she discern their expressions. But perhaps that was a blessing—just imagining their contorted, hateful faces was already exhausting.

“You came to the Gu residence seeking justice,” she said softly, exhaling a slow breath. “Then tell me—what justice do you seek?”

“Justice? The lives of over ten people in Danyang! How will your Gu family compensate for that?” a man immediately retorted, his face twisted with anger and grief.

“Over ten lives? Who in the Gu family took those lives, and how?” Unlike the man’s agitation, Gu Xiyan remained remarkably calm.

“Still trying to deny it? The evidence found in your estate is irrefutable!”

Gu Xiyan couldn’t see the speaker’s face, but from the voices, she discerned that most of the talking came from a single person.

“Evidence? Over ten people on the outskirts of Danyang were killed by demons—clawed open, their hearts gouged out. Four infants were taken by those creatures. Yesterday, Daoist Nangong searched the Gu residence, and he confirmed that none of the Gu family members were demons. Is that correct?”

“But your estate harbored a demon! The Daoist said it returned here after killing those children!” the man immediately argued.

Ah Qi’s face turned red with fury. “That’s absurd! Just because a demon entered the Gu residence, the Gu family is guilty? Demons are not human—we have no control over their actions! If it entered the estate, do you think we could have stopped it? If this were a human murderer, you could accuse us of harboring a fugitive, but against a demon? What power do we have against its abilities?”

“Hah! Then why did it choose the Gu family? Why set up its formation here? And why is it that no one in your family has died? The Daoist was right—this blind woman is a disaster star! The demon was drawn here because of her—that’s why it targeted your estate!”

“If that’s your reasoning, then by your logic, all of you who are alive must have colluded with demons too? Or are you saying that those who were killed by demons simply deserved to die?” Gu Xiyan already knew how this argument would end. Yet, foolishly, she still sought fairness from these people.

“You—don’t twist words! That’s nonsense!”

“Then why must my family bear this burden? If demons invade Danyang, isn’t that the responsibility of the entire city?”

Gu Xiyan’s unrelenting questions left the man speechless. All he could do was point at her and say, “You’re just using clever words to deceive us!”

“The Daoist Master personally confirmed it! How could it be false? He has already slain three demons, and he even seriously wounded the one in the Gu household! As long as this scourge, Gu Xiyan, is gone, we will no longer have to live in fear!”

“We all heard it with our own ears! Even the magistrate was present, and he didn’t deny it. And besides, the head of the Gu family has already been arrested—there must be something wrong with them!”

The crowd erupted again, and this time, all the accusations converged on a single point—Gu Xiyan was the true culprit behind the demonic disturbances in Danyang.

A few people took the lead, invoking Nangong Pei’s name, and soon, the agitation spread like wildfire. Emotions ran high as the crowd shoved forward, demanding that the Gu family hand over Gu Xiyan—or that she leave Danyang City altogether.

Ah Da quickly moved closer to Gu Xiyan, shielding her from the surging mob. But suddenly, someone started hurling objects at the entrance. Caught off guard, Ah Da failed to react in time—a stone struck Gu Xiyan directly on the forehead, breaking the skin and drawing blood.

“My lady!” Ah Qi cried out in alarm, rushing to catch Gu Xiyan and shield her from the barrage of stones, bricks, and even rotting fruits and vegetables—clearly, the attackers had come prepared.

Gu Xiyan felt something warm trickle down from her forehead. It hurt, but the sensation was also strangely itchy. Held tightly in Ah Qi’s protective embrace, her body still trembled slightly, as if she had been plunged into icy water—cold, damp, and all-consuming, with no escape.

The Gu family was innocent. Even if she could not gain justice or trust from these people, she had already accepted that as reality. At the very least, she was certain of the Gu family’s innocence.

But was she innocent? That, she did not know.

Perhaps she was guilty.

And because of that, she could not stand tall and denounce these people as ignorant fools.