Appreciating New Tea with an Inkstone - Chapter 23

Just as the guards were about to strike at the troublemakers, a sudden gust of wind swept through, surging toward the crowd that was rushing forward. In the blink of an eye, the leading few were flung several yards away.

Gu Xiyan had yet to recover from her daze when a force suddenly bound her, rendering her unable to move no matter how hard she struggled.

Terrified screams rang in her ears:

“Demon! It’s killing people! There’s a demon, a demon!”

“Gu Xiyan! The demon is protecting Gu Xiyan! She’s a monster, she’s a monster too!”

Yet, Gu Xiyan felt a slight sense of relief in her heart. She stopped struggling and instead muttered softly, “I don’t understand. I’m just a mere mortal—why go through so much trouble just to deal with me?”

The black mist that had bound her seemed alive. She could feel an icy tendril slither across her neck, accompanied by a deep, eerie chuckle, as if it was delighted that she had fallen into its grasp.

“Mortal? You really think you’re just a mortal? Hahaha… Can you still afford to be kind to them? Do you even know—”

But the sinister voice was abruptly cut off. A surge of spiritual energy shot down from the sky, violently splitting into two as it pierced into the black mist. The mist scattered instantly.

Before Gu Xiyan could react, the force holding her disappeared, and she collapsed to the side. Ah Qi, looking pale as a sheet, rushed forward to catch her.

“Lady! My lady? Ah Da, close the doors immediately!”

Gu Xiyan struggled to her feet, waved a hand dismissively, and turned to face the group of people trembling like leaves. Several of them instantly dropped to their knees, kowtowing desperately.

“Young Lady Gu, spare us! Please, spare us!”

Gu Xiyan steadied herself and fell into momentary silence before speaking slowly, “I know that after today, you will believe me even less. But the Gu family has been in Danyang City for three generations. Every head of the family has been generous, giving to the people. For a hundred years, through disasters and hardships, we have never sought to profit from misfortune—we have always stood by the people of Danyang. The heavens can bear witness to our sincerity. The Gu family has never wronged you.”

She seemed exhausted. Turning away, she leaned on Ah Qi for support and walked inside.

The events that had just transpired were still vivid in everyone’s minds. They couldn’t help but look at Gu Xiyan with lingering fear.

Ah Qi, however, had red-rimmed eyes. “My lady… that demon… has it set its sights on you?”

Gu Xiyan patted her hand reassuringly before speaking in a firm tone, “What happened today must not be spoken of within the manor. You must not tell the madam either. Do you understand?”

“Yes!”

“My lady, don’t say anything more. Let me tend to your wounds first—your forehead is bleeding.” Seeing the blood at Gu Xiyan’s temple, Ah Qi’s heart ached.

Gu Xiyan, having regained her composure, nodded.

The rock had hit her hard, and a swollen lump had already formed. The initial sharp pain had faded, leaving behind a persistent ache. She reached out and touched Ah Qi. “You shielded me just now. Did you get hit many times? Have Xiao Wu take a look at you and apply some medicine where needed.”

“My skin is thick—I’m fine. It didn’t hit my head, so it’s nothing serious.”

Gu Xiyan turned to Xiao Wu. “Take Ah Qi with you. I need to rest for a bit—I’m feeling tired. Also, as soon as the people from the government office return, notify me immediately.”

“Yes, my lady. Ah Qi, let’s go. Don’t make her worry.”

After the two left, Ye Qinming suddenly appeared before Gu Xiyan. Seeing the swelling on her forehead, her brows furrowed in anger. She stepped closer and whispered, “Don’t move. Let me see.”

Gu Xiyan was pulled forward for a closer inspection, feeling somewhat uneasy. “It’s fine, just a small cut.”

Ye Qinming stared at the red, swollen mark on her otherwise fair forehead—it was an eyesore. She wanted to touch it but hesitated, afraid of causing pain. “Does it hurt?”

“It’s much better now. Thank you… for saving me again.”

Ye Qinming’s expression was cold, but she furrowed her brows slightly. “That black mist isn’t right—it’s not that fox spirit.”

“It’s not him?” Gu Xiyan had originally thought that its sudden appearance was meant to solidify the accusation that she was colluding with demons while also spouting some nonsensical threats. She had assumed it was connected to the same group as before.

“To be precise, it looked like that fox spirit, but the aura and spiritual power it carried were far beyond anything that fox spirit could possess.” The strike she had unleashed just now had been quite powerful—no ordinary wisp of consciousness could have withstood it. Yet, not only did this fragment of consciousness survive, but it also escaped right under her nose. That was definitely beyond the fox spirit’s capabilities. But why did it carry that dead fox’s aura?

“He said I’m not a mortal—what did he mean by that?” Gu Xiyan couldn’t stop thinking about those words. Despite how erratic the voice had been, she had a nagging feeling that it had come specifically for her.

Ye Qinming’s brows knitted tightly. She remained silent for a moment before speaking. “Do you think it’s a coincidence that you attract so many demons? If you were just a regular mortal, the most they’d be interested in is your strong yang energy or abundant yin energy. Someone with talent for cultivation might carry a hint of spiritual energy—but you… You are a natural spiritual vessel. In other words, people like you are usually reincarnations of immortals from the Immortal Realm.”

Gu Xiyan was taken aback. “The Immortal Realm?”

Ye Qinming looked slightly irritated. How could someone like her possibly be one of those insufferable gods?

“The world is divided into three realms—the Immortal Realm, the Demon Realm, and the Mortal Realm. While there are strict boundaries between them, there are also points of connection—especially between immortals and mortals. Where there are demons, there are also gods. You’re likely one of those immortals from the Immortal Realm who, having nothing better to do, came down to the mortal world to undergo tribulation.” She hadn’t planned on telling Gu Xiyan any of this, but since that strange entity had already hinted at it, she might as well explain.

Gu Xiyan lowered her gaze slightly, then hesitated before asking, “Do you… not like gods?”

Ye Qinming was stunned for a moment, then raised her brows coldly. “Not like? I utterly despise them.” Gu Xiyan’s expression dimmed, a faint sense of loss and sadness creeping into her heart. But before she could dwell on it, Ye Qinming, in an awkward tone, added, “But… you don’t seem as annoying. And you’re already a mortal now, so I won’t hold it against you.”

Hearing that, Gu Xiyan couldn’t help but laugh. Her laughter was never loud or unrestrained—usually just a soft curve of her lips. But when she was genuinely happy, her delicate brows arched slightly, her mouth lifted into a smile, and her eyes softened with a radiant warmth—gentle and luminous, like the moonlight.

And that was exactly how she was smiling now. Ye Qinming stared at her, and despite herself, the corners of her own lips lifted. She liked seeing Gu Xiyan smile like this—so much so that she couldn’t bring herself to be harsh.

After a moment, Gu Xiyan’s smile faded as her thoughts turned back to Gu Ye and everything that had happened today, worry settling in once again.

“But I still don’t understand,” she said quietly. “Even if I’m not an ordinary person, to them, I’m just a mortal now. Dealing with me should be easy—why go through all this trouble?” This was what puzzled her the most. Even with Ye Qinming protecting her, harming her should be simple enough if they were determined. If nothing else, they could confront Ye Qinming directly.

Yet everything they had done so far didn’t seem aimed at taking her life. Instead, it felt like they were trying to push her into a hopeless situation—turning everyone against her. But why?

Ye Qinming also frowned. “And I suspect they don’t actually know who I am. If they did—or if they anticipated that I’d help you—these moves would be pointless.”

Gu Xiyan looked at her in confusion, and Ye Qinming, seeing her puzzled expression, couldn’t help but laugh softly. “To you mortals, these tricks may seem effective, but for a demon, getting the truth out of someone is child’s play. If I didn’t care about whether you and the Gu family could survive in Danyang, I could go straight to the county office and force the officials to release your father immediately.” Gu Xiyan was momentarily speechless. Ye Qinming continued, “And if I wanted solid evidence, it wouldn’t be difficult either. Last night, I went out and found the four earthen jars. The magistrate tried to have them destroyed, but in their panic, his men admitted that they were acting under his orders. I recorded the whole scene. While it may not be absolute proof, it’s more than enough to reveal the truth.”

“So… my father could be released?”

“Mm.”

Gu Xiyan’s shoulders relaxed as the tension eased slightly. “As long as they’re safe, that’s all that matters.” She turned to Ye Qinming and gave a respectful bow. “Thank you, Qinming, for helping me with all of this.”

Ye Qinming waved it off indifferently. “Consider it repayment for the spiritual energy you gave me. But what’s your next move? If you expose everything now, it might just reinforce that annoying daoist’s accusations.”

Gu Xiyan fell silent, lost in thought. Just then, there was a knock on the door.

“My lady, the people who went to the government office have returned.”

Gu Xiyan paused briefly before hurrying forward to open the door. “How did it go?”

The one who had gone to the government office was a young steward of the household. His face was heavy with concern as he spoke urgently, “My lady, we received word that… they interrogated Sir Gu by force last night. Today, they claim he has already confessed.”

“What did you say?” Gu Xiyan’s face turned pale, and her whole body tensed. Her fingers clenched tightly around her sleeve as she ordered in a steady voice, “Prepare a carriage immediately. Have Ah Da bring ten skilled guards and head straight to the government office.” She pushed the door open and pointed to the four jars in the room. “Take these with you.”

The people outside, upon seeing the earthen jars clearly, went pale, their faces filled with fear and unease.

Gu Xiyan knew exactly how they must be feeling. She didn’t offer any further explanation, only speaking softly, “Ah Qi, you all have followed me for many years. Do you still trust me?”

“Of course!” came the answer without a moment’s hesitation.

“Then don’t be surprised, and don’t be afraid. Just do as I say.”

“Yes, my lady!”

“Wait. One jar is enough. Pack the other box with the most valuable jewelry and jade pieces you can find.”

The servants swiftly obeyed her instructions. As Gu Xiyan lifted her foot to leave, she suddenly felt a weight at her waist, causing her to pause.

Noticing her hesitation, Ah Qi turned back and asked, “What’s wrong?”

Gu Xiyan touched her waist lightly, then resumed walking, her voice calm and gentle. “It’s nothing.”

***

As the Gu family carriage rolled through the city, many townsfolk cast disgusted looks their way, whispering in low voices. However, no one dared to step forward, afraid to provoke the rumored demon. Fear hung thick in the air—most people were now desperately hoping that Daoist Nangong would capture the demon and bring an end to this misfortune, along with Gu Xiyan’s ominous presence.

As a result, their journey to the government office was unimpeded. Upon arrival, Gu Xiyan specifically instructed the driver to circle around to the back entrance and sent someone to negotiate with the gatekeeper.

At first, the gatekeeper was impatient and dismissive. But when Ah Da discreetly handed him a silver ingot, his demeanor softened. “Wait here. I’ll inform the magistrate, but whether he’ll see you is up to him.”

Hearing this, Gu Xiyan spoke up. “Thank you, officer. Please tell the magistrate that the four items have been taken care of and that Gu Xiyan requests an audience.”

The gatekeeper scratched his head, puzzled by her words, but went inside anyway. After the time it took to brew a cup of tea, a scholarly-looking man dressed in a long robe emerged. He scrutinized the group with cold, assessing eyes. “Young Lady Gu of the Gu family—Gu Xiyan?”

“Yes, that is me.”

“What business do you have here?”

“I have prepared some valuable gifts for the magistrate. I believe he would want to see them. I would be grateful if you could deliver my message.” Gu Xiyan’s tone was respectful and mild, yet firm and composed.

“Come in.” The man turned and led them inside. As he walked, he cast occasional glances at Gu Xiyan. What surprised him was how confidently she navigated the unfamiliar hallways—without needing any servant to guide her.

Upon reaching the side hall, the man called out, “My lord, the visitors have arrived.”

The magistrate, Yao Tianshun, was nearly fifty years old. He wore plain clothes and had a sullen expression. He barely acknowledged them with a grunt as his cold eyes swept over the five people who entered. Four of them carried two wooden boxes covered in coarse cloth, while the fifth, a maidservant, stood quietly beside Gu Xiyan.

As he remained speechless, Gu Xiyan stepped forward and bowed respectfully. “Greetings, Magistrate Yao. Ah Da, put down the boxes.”

“In broad daylight, you bring heavy gifts into a government office. Young Lady Gu, do you hold no regard for the law?” His voice was low and stern, his gaze fixed on Gu Xiyan with a trace of unease.

Gu Xiyan, however, remained composed. “I beg your pardon, my lord. I act out of necessity. Please examine the items first, and then judge for yourself.”

With that, she gave a small gesture. Ah Da stepped forward and pulled back the cloth covering one of the wooden boxes. Inside, clearly visible, was an earthen jar.

The moment Magistrate Yao Tianshun laid eyes on the jar, his forehead broke out in cold sweat, and he instinctively took a step back.

“What… what do you want?”

“Magistrate Yao,” Gu Xiyan said calmly. “I only wish for my family to be reunited.”