Chapter 18-Part 7

Just as she was about to look away, Teng Yuyi froze. If she wasn’t mistaken, the Taoist priest had a faint red mark on his neck.

That was one thing, but the white gauze robe that the old Taoist was wearing underneath was made from the finest quality spun kudzu yarn fabric. On the surface, it looked like ordinary fabric, but it was difficult for regular people to recognize its value. Only those who had worn it would know that it was as light as a cloud, warm in winter and cool in summer, and a single bolt was worth a thousand gold.

(T/N: Kudzu yarn refers to yarn spun from the fibers of the kudzu plant (Pueraria lobata), which is known for being lightweight, breathable, and having temperature-regulating properties.)

She was currently wearing a robe made of this kudza yarn fabric. Her family only had four bolts, and they were a reward from the Emperor when her father returned triumphantly to the capital. She had grown quickly over the past few years, so cutting a robe would use more fabric each time.

Teng Yuyi was shocked.

Who exactly was this person?

Even if he managed to amass windfall wealth through trickery, how could he have gotten his hands on something from the palace?

Juan Erli and Bao Zhu asked in surprise, “My lord, what’s wrong?”

Teng Yuyi absentmindedly replied, “Nothing.”

She thought about leaving, but just then, the old Taoist turned his head to look at her.

His gaze held a hint of mockery and a bit of arrogant ridicule.

Only then did Teng Yuyi see the Taoist’s eyes clearly. Even though they were hidden under his long white eyebrows, his pupils were extremely dark and bright.

The gaze was so familiar; where had she seen it before?

The old Taoist glanced at Teng Yuyi and then turned his head, smiling as he led the woman towards the pavilion with open windows, saying to the crowd as he walked, “Don’t be anxious; don’t be anxious; I will attend to each of you one by one.”

Teng Yuyi couldn’t make sense of the situation and decided to enter the Caifeng Tower first. As soon as she reached the second floor, she ran into E Ji. Teng Yuyi pointed at Juan Erli and Bao Zhu behind her and said, “Well? They’ve returned intact, haven’t they?”

E Ji replied with a mix of annoyance and delight, “Young Master, what are you saying? As children grow, they naturally become independent. I’ve raised these two daughters like precious buds, wishing for someone like you to take them away. You must be tired after walking around; please go back to the second floor and rest, and I’ll personally prepare some fine wine for you.”

Teng Yuyi looked upstairs, wondering if Qi Zhi had found anything after being inside for so long. She put her hands behind her back and walked up. She hadn’t been sitting long when suddenly the corridor resounded with a strange bang, resembling a firecracker on New Year’s Eve, shrill and abrupt.

She remembered the signal arrow that Jue Sheng had given to Qi Zhi, and her heart trembled.

She quickly shouted, “Huo Qiu!”

Huo Qiu received the order and ran out first.

Teng Yuyi lifted her robe and left the room as well.

E Ji, Juan Erli, and Bao Zhu stood there bewildered for a moment before nervously following.

The sound came from the end of the left corridor. They ran along the way, but the corridor was empty.

They pushed open the side rooms, but the guests inside were busy drinking and toasting.

Huo Qiu apologized and retreated.

This was the first time he had encountered such a strange situation, and he was alarmed.

He hurried back and reported, “Young Master, there’s no one.”

Seeing Huo Qiu’s uneasy expression, Teng Yuyi vaguely guessed what had happened.

The sound of firecrackers was right in the corridor, so why couldn’t they see Qi Zhi?

“This place is strange; let’s not worry about it for now. That Taoist priest named Jue Sheng is still downstairs. We should leave this place immediately.”

She was eager to go downstairs, but suddenly her sleeves heated up.

The talisman papers started to burn, catching her off guard and scaring her into quickly pulling them out.

Luckily, the fire seemed different from ordinary flames and soon turned into ashes.

Even so, it was still very troublesome. One after another, the talisman papers continued to self-ignite in her sleeves.

Teng Yuyi kept flicking her sleeves in a fluster. For a moment, she didn’t know whether to blame the Taoist priests from Dongming Temple for giving her too many or herself for not disposing of them in time.

She hurriedly said, “Huo Qiu, come and help!”

Oddly, while she was fumbling around, Huo Qiu didn’t respond at all.

Teng Yuyi’s mind went blank, and when she looked up, she realized that no one was beside her anymore.

The corridor was still the same corridor, but the lights were dim, and not only Huo Qiu but also E Ji and the others were gone.

She steadied herself with difficulty and looked around, calling out, “Huo Qiu, where are you?”

Just then, a child’s voice came from the corridor, calling for help, “Lady Teng, it’s me, Qi Zhi. Please save me!”