Chapter 18-Part 5

Teng Yuyi touched the back of her neck, which had gone cold.

“This thing is so vicious. Hasn’t anyone suffered any injuries or encountered any accidents in the three months since the opening?

Bao Zhu nodded frantically. “Yes, that’s why we are scared. In the first two months, it wasn’t too bad—just some ladies who fell asleep in their rooms but woke up in the corridors or saw a woman rushing ahead in the backyard. When they called out, the woman vanished instantly.

“But just last month, the madam bought a stunning musician named Ge Jin from another town. Ge Jin was not only beautiful but also exceptionally talented in poetry and music. Because of her popularity, she quickly became the head courtesan of Caifeng Tower. A few days ago, Ge Jin accompanied a client on an outing. First, they prayed at a temple for a string of protective Buddhist beads, and then they performed a purification ritual by the water. However, she accidentally got her clothes wet and caught a cold when she returned. On the 18th of last month, Ge Jin, feeling unwell, went to bed early. In the middle of the night, she heard footsteps outside.

“Ge Jin had not been here long but had heard about the strange occurrences in the building. She knew that the thing often only acted outside the door and that ignoring it was best. But this time was different. As the footsteps paced around, they suddenly entered the room. Ge Jin, terrified, opened her eyes and was viciously clawed in the face by a middle-aged woman in the darkness, who cursed, ‘You shameless wench, how dare you seduce my husband!'”

“The claw was brutal, and half of Ge Jin’s face was torn apart, bleeding profusely. She covered her face and cried in pain. Panicking, she grabbed the string of Buddhist beads and threw them out. Just like that, the woman vanished. Ge Jin screamed for help, and finally, the people in the building heard her. Ge Jin’s madam called for a physician, who said the injuries on Ge Jin’s face were severe and that her beauty might never be restored.”

Bao Zhu and Juan Erli sighed sorrowfully as they reached this part of the story.

Teng Yuyi thought for a moment and then exclaimed, “Huh?”

Jue Sheng also found it strange and asked Teng Yuyi, “Do you think there’s something odd?”

Teng Yuyi replied, “From the description, it seems like the ghost of the shop owner’s wife is haunting the place. But she was previously held outside the door. How did she manage to break into the room this time? Did her powers suddenly increase, or is there another reason? And why did she target Ge Jin specifically?”

Jue Sheng furrowed his brow, pondering over the words, “‘You shameless wench, how dare you seduce my husband!’… It could be that the ghost broke through the spell that suppressed her, or maybe Ge Jin looks like the concubine whom her husband took in, and the ghost mistook her. In her rage, she might have broken free. What happened next? Were there any other incidents?”

Juan Erli and Bao Zhu both shaken their heads.

“These incidents are already enough to scare anyone out of their wits. Especially Ge Jin, who was just starting to shine at Caifeng Tower. Given time, she would have undoubtedly become the most famous courtesan in the Pingkang ward. But her appearance was ruined just like that. If our shop owner still insists on covering it up, who knows how many more people will suffer? We suspect that this time, the rumor reached Qingyun Temple because… because…”

The two of them pursed their lips, and Teng Yuyi finished the sentence for them: “Because Ge Jin herself spread the word?”

Juan Erli and Bao Zhu remained silent.

Teng Yuyi said, “The shop owner and the madams might have tried to suppress this by offering her money or by threats, but Ge Jin is not willing to let her future be ruined just like that, so she wants to seek justice for herself. Daozhang, when did you hear about this incident?”

(T/N: It is a respectful title given to Taoist practitioners and it same as “taoist master”.)

Jue Sheng replied, “That day, my senior brother returned from outside and taught us our lessons. He mentioned that someone had told him that there might be something strange going on at Caifeng Tower in Pingkang ward, and he said that he would take us there after some preparations.”

Teng Yuyi was somewhat surprised.

Ge Jin, being a courtesan at Caifeng Tower, had limited freedom of movement, especially after being injured. The shop owner must have been even more cautious to prevent any news from leaking out. She suspected that it would have been difficult for Ge Jin to send a letter to Qingyun Temple. She hadn’t expected Ge Jin to directly find Lin Chengyou.

Could it be that some noble or high-ranking person who was close to Ge Jin noticed something wrong and relayed the message to Lin Chengyou?

Jue Sheng looked at Teng Yuyi, feeling like he was missing something.

Suddenly, he slapped his forehead and said, “Oh! We’ve heard about so many strange incidents, but why haven’t we heard about a man in his thirties causing trouble? Ladies, have you ever seen a strange gentleman wearing a flower hairpin in the building?”

Juan Erli and Bao Zhu were taken aback. “Since Caifeng Tower opened, we’ve only heard about a female ghost haunting the place. We’ve never heard of a male ghost.”

Jue Sheng pondered, and if that man tonight was harmless, why would the Five Beauties Heavenly Immortal talisman in Lady Teng’s hand burn itself?

“We don’t know much. Maybe we missed something,” Juan Erli and Bao Zhu said, “My lord, we’ve told you everything we know.”

Teng Yuyi observed them carefully, knowing that if they weren’t going to say something, they wouldn’t say anything at all, and if they did speak, they would be honest about it.

“Come down from the carriage with me, and I’ll take you around. When I send you back to the building later, I’ll make sure to speak to the madam, E Ji, and for the next six months, she won’t dare to trouble you.”

The two women were deeply grateful for her word.

Teng Yuyi shifted the conversation.

“Tonight, even the Taoists from Qingyun Temple were drawn in. If your shop owner still wants to hide things, he will certainly make some moves. If you hear of anything else strange, be sure to tell me.”

Juan Erli and Baozhu replied, “We don’t know when you will visit Caifeng Tower again, my lord.”

“When I wanted to inquire about something, I naturally came to find you”