Chapter 107: Chapter 106: Sacrifice!
"Ah, Prince, your injuries aren’t too severe, but you still need to be cautious. An old man like me has to stay up with you until dawn; it’s truly challenging for an old man."
After bandaging Xie Jiuxiao, Mr Chen picked up his packed medical kit, ready to leave. "Old bones need to go back and rest. I’m not going to the Imperial Physician’s office today. Prince, you should go home early and recuperate."
"Understood, Mr Chen."
Xie Jiuxiao dressed and asked Mu Hongxuan to personally escort Mr Chen back.
"Such a small Hua Niang, yet her skills are so vast she can even open the path to the underworld. Quite impressive indeed."
At this moment, Dongfang Chenyuan took on a careless demeanor, looking at Mr Zhao with a half-smile, "Mr Zhao, your concubine is quite extraordinary."
Mr Zhao said awkwardly, "I truly had no idea Hua Niang possessed such skills; otherwise, I wouldn’t have been so easily deceived by her."
"It shows you didn’t investigate deeply enough," Xie Jiuxiao frowned slightly. "Mr Zhao, secretly investigate the Silver Flower Building in Shangjing thoroughly, and apprehend those who’ve had contact with Hua Niang for questioning. If her sinister arts spread in Shangjing, the consequences would be unimaginable."
Mr Zhao responded solemnly, "Yes, Prince, I will assemble a team to investigate immediately."
"She had been to the Black Market before. Dongfang, you should go there tonight to inquire."
"Alright, Prince!"
"Is Hua Niang... dead?" After all, she was a concubine, so Mr Zhao asked.
"Yes, she found her son’s soul and went to the underworld with him."
"Alas, her yearning for her son is understandable, but performing such insane acts is truly irrational."
Mrs Zhao wiped away her tears and walked in from outside, "As a mother myself, I can understand the feeling of longing for one’s child. But as a mother, I can’t bring myself to harm another’s child. I can only say her heart has been dragged into rot."
"She was bewitched by someone," Yu Nianzhao ate a plate of pastries, "Hua Niang isn’t inherently vicious, nor did she start with dark arts; there must be someone behind her."
Mr Zhao’s face shifted, "Could it be someone deliberately targeting our Zhao Family?"
"That I don’t know, but she surely targeted your family’s two kids before entering the estate," Yu Nianzhao set down the plate, said resolutely, "Her actions remind me that extracting souls and using organs as fertilizer is what’s haunting me, Hua Niang wanted her son to come back to life, so the recent cases where organs were dug out are likely sacrifices!"
"Sacrifices?"
"Indeed, the perpetrator is cunning, hiding unbeknownst till now, showing some skill."
"Sacrifices for what? It sounds quite eerie."
"Who knows! Maybe for future prospects, maybe for family fortune, or perhaps... to bring someone back to life!"
"Hiss... truly a malicious intent; we must capture them otherwise who knows what their wicked ambitions are." Mr Zhao gasped, feeling the lurking dangers in the dark were numerous.
"Yes! Keep working hard."
The sky had completely brightened, Yu Nianzhao yawned, accepted the 5,000 silver taels reward from Mr Zhao with gratitude, and rode the carriage back to the royal manor with Xie Jiuxiao.
On the way back, Xie Jiuxiao’s expression was gloomy.
"What are you thinking? Your health hasn’t fully recovered yet; you need to rest."
Yu Nianzhao leaned on Xie Jiuxiao’s shoulder, feigning sleep, avoiding his bandaged area.
"I’m thinking about the person digging out hearts, what their actual purpose is. I feel this is just the beginning; there will definitely be another victim."
"Follow the clues, you’ll find something. But for now, you need rest. Xie Jiuxiao, temporarily put down the responsibilities on your shoulders; you were almost sent to your death’s door today."
"Can’t rest, Zhaozhao. When I was gravely injured today, I saw the Taiyin Evil trapped inside me, the Jiu Daosha gathered together; they were cold, sinister, like a pair of blood-red eyes constantly watching, not only coveting my life but trying to control the entire dynasty, it’s disturbing... I need to resolve this case quickly."
Xie Jiuxiao slowly opened his eyes, remembering everything that happened in the dream vividly. The pain and nightmares from his youth were brought back, making him tense.
"They want to entice and fully take over your body," Yu Nianzhao grasped his cold hand, "You just need to stay constantly conscious, the Taiyin Evil will eventually leave you."
"If the Taiyin Evil leaves my body, will chaos ensue?" Xie Jiuxiao sharply posed the question.
"It will!" Yu Nianzhao answered frankly, "The Taiyin Evil conglomerates not only evil spirits but also possesses powerful ghostly figures; if the Jiu Daosha merges and escapes their prison, they would surely return for revenge; the dynasty’s dragon aura is their delightful feast, they won’t overlook it."
"If I were to die then..."
"Watch the time!" Yu Nianzhao gripped his arm, staring intently at him, "Do you think the Dongfang Family is just idling? Or that Dongfang Chenyuan sticks close to you purely out of respect for Prince Su’s status? They are also monitoring the Taiyin Evil on you. If it reappears, the Dongfang Family, as the ones who originally set the array and refined the evil, would face backlash and obliteration. So... either protect you so the Taiyin Evil remains in you for life, or use enough time to fully integrate the Taiyin Evil with you, once it merges into your blood and bone, you’ll die, and the Taiyin Evil will perish with you!"
She has always been accurate in her fortune-telling, but not entirely omniscient.
Upon entering Xie Jiuxiao’s dream and witnessing everything unfolding, Yu Nianzhao understood the Dongfang Family’s intent.
Dongfang Chenyuan’s care for Xie Jiuxiao was said to be out of duty; it was clearly surveillance.
However, Dongfang Chenyuan’s simple mind, having been with Xie Jiuxiao for long, did grow emotions, heartily protecting Xie Jiuxiao’s life.
"I understand!" Xie Jiuxiao took a deep breath, reaching out to rub Yu Nianzhao’s hair, "I’m just like a talisman of protection to the dynasty, safeguarding the fortune of the empire, naturally the Dongfang Family has their eyes on me."
"As long as you’re clear about it, Xie Jiuxiao, you’re a wise person, many things have pivots after transformation. The Dongfang Family’s fate-telling isn’t as strong as mine; I say you can survive past twenty-six, so you surely can!" Yu Nianzhao pushed his hand away, tidied her messy hair, speaking with unwavering certainty.
She had a feeling that Xie Jiuxiao didn’t believe he could survive past twenty-six!
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