Chapter 19-Part 2

“Senior Brother has entered the demon’s barrier. It’s unclear when he will be able to come out. Just now, a musician went missing in the building, likely abducted by that demon. I fought with it, and its demon power is exceptionally strong.”

Teng Yuyi frowned upon hearing this. It seemed Lin Chengyou wouldn’t be coming out anytime soon. If she left now in a fit of anger, she’d surely have those long, disturbing nightmares again, and within a few days, she’d likely fall seriously ill.

That would be bad enough, but now Juan Erli had fallen into the demon’s hands. Teng Yuyi wasn’t the type to be overly compassionate, but she had just promised to protect Juan Erli for half a year, and now something had happened. It would seem irresponsible to abandon her now.

As she was contemplating this, Jue Sheng formally introduced himself to E Ji as a Taoist priest and then said seriously, “If you want to save Juan Erli, you must tell us everything strange that has happened in the building.”

E Ji hesitated, her eyes darting around before she whispered to Jue Sheng, “Daozhang, what did Wo Ji tell you?”

Jue Sheng maintained a stern expression, “You tell your part, and she’ll tell hers. At this point, don’t think keeping silent will distance you from this issue.”

Teng Yuyi finally spoke up, “Judging by what’s happened, tonight’s events are just the beginning. Who knows how many more people might be harmed in the future? Don’t forget, there was Ge Jin who was disfigured by a ghost, and now Juan Erli has vanished without a trace. As long as you stay in the Caifeng Tower, you might be next.”

At first, E Ji remained composed, but Teng Yuyi’s words made her uneasy. She shifted uncomfortably and forced a smile, “Our boss is timid and avoids trouble. If he knew I talked too much, I’d be finished in Pingkang Ward. Please, don’t tell anyone I spoke.”

She cleared her throat, “When Caifeng Tower first opened, our boss hired a sorcerer from Luoyang, reputedly very powerful. After inspecting the place, the sorcerer instructed them to dig a cellar in the northwest corner of the backyard and to enshrine a statue of the Lotus Pure Child to ward off evil spirits. He was very specific, even about how deep the cellar should be dug. The boss followed his instructions exactly, but later…”

Teng Yuyi stroked his beard thoughtfully. This was new information; Bao Zhu and Juan Erli had only known that an expert had been brought in to bless the building, but they didn’t know the details.

E Ji continued nervously, “The craftsmen followed the blueprint at first. However, one day, two master craftsmen drank too much and, feeling dizzy the next day, accidentally struck a stone buried deep underground, far below the depth specified by the sorcerer.”

Jue Sheng and Qi Zhi exchanged glances and quickly asked, “Did the craftsmen tell your boss about this?”

E Ji shook her head, “The craftsmen thought it was just a small crack, nothing that would affect the foundation, so they didn’t mention it. Plus, they were afraid that if they told the boss, he might refuse to pay them. So they kept quiet.”

Teng Yuyi snorted, “Even if it didn’t affect anything, how did you find out about it?”

E Ji coyly covered her mouth with a fan and flirtatiously batted her eyes, “The lead craftsman was my lover. One night, in the heat of passion, he let it slip.”

Jue Sheng and Qi Zhi shuddered, and Teng Yuyi coughed, “Since you knew, did you inform your boss?”

“No,” E Ji whispered, “I wanted to, but I was afraid the boss would cause trouble for my man, and he would be angry with me. I didn’t want to upset either of them. But I did warn the boss that there were ghostly disturbances in the building again and suggested he bring that sorcerer back to take another look. Unfortunately, the boss went to Luoyang several times but couldn’t find the sorcerer. He began to suspect that the sorcerer was a fraud and was even considering reporting it to the authorities.”

Jue Sheng and Qi Zhi looked dissatisfied, and Teng Yuyi turned to them, “What do you think, Daozhang?”

“We can’t be sure just from E Ji’s account, but if the sorcerer specified a digging depth, there must have been a reason. We’ll have to see it with our own eyes to understand.”

Qi Zhi asked E Ji, “Where is the cellar in the backyard?”

E Ji replied, “In the northwest corner, near the servants’ quarters. The gate to the courtyard is guarded by tower servants, so it’s not easy to get in. But I can take you in, as long as you pretend to be guests like Young master… and bring some wine money.”

Jue Sheng and Qi Zhi privately disdained her. This woman was only honest for a short time before reverting to her old ways, clearly trying to extort some wine money. But if they didn’t agree, would she refuse to take them in?

Qi Zhi glanced at Teng Yuyi. He knew she could handle this, but since she had just been through a fright, he hesitated to trouble her again.

To his surprise, Teng Yuyi smiled, “That’s easy. The shizi of Prince Cheng is here tonight, and it was his idea to exorcise the demon. These two Taoists are his junior brothers. If we’re to pretend to be guests, just charge the wine to The Shizi of Prince Cheng’s account.”

Jue Sheng and Qi Zhi were dumbfounded.

“Let’s get started. Bring out your best wine and food. What’s your most expensive wine?”

E Ji beamed, “The most expensive is Dragon Balm Wine. We get a lot of guests here at Caifeng Tower, but only true nobility can afford it. The price? One hundred coins for a small cup.”

Teng Yuyi didn’t blink, “Bring a big pot of it. We’ve been busy all night; the two young Taoists must be starving.”

Jue Sheng and Qi Zhi hesitated, then realized they didn’t have any money, but their senior brother was wealthy. A meal’s worth of wine wouldn’t mean much to him. E Ji was clearly calculating, and if they didn’t offer her something, they might not get to the backyard in time.

“Alright… do as Young Master says.”

E Ji bustled off happily, “Understood, the food and wine will be here shortly. Fortunately, the boss isn’t around, so it’s easier to access the backyard than usual. Please wait while I make the arrangements.”

Soon, a parade of beautifully dressed courtesans arrived, bearing food and wine. In no time, the table was filled with a feast of exquisite dishes.

Jue Sheng and Qi Zhi were still in a daze, but their mouths began to water. “Young Master, after your scare earlier, you should eat something to calm your nerves. Don’t be shy.”

Teng Yuyi modestly replied, “This is your senior brother’s treat; I wouldn’t dare be impolite. I’ll just keep you company.”

“If you don’t eat, we won’t be able to eat either.”

Jue Sheng said, forcing a bowl and chopsticks into Teng Yuyi’s hands.

Teng Yuyi reluctantly took the utensils, “Alright, though I’m not very hungry.”

She uncovered the wine pot and was immediately greeted by an intoxicating aroma. Without a word, she sipped the Dragon Balm Wine. The flavor was indeed rich and intense, proving the wine’s high price was justified. She drank nearly half a pot before feeling satisfied.

E Ji, seeing Teng Yuyi enjoying herself, brought out another pot, which Teng Yuyi gladly accepted. She drank three pots in total before stopping.