Capture the Jade (Attacking the Jade) - Chapter 31-Part 1
Chapter 31-Part 1
Teng Yuyi thought for a moment and wrote on the tray: Recently, has your senior brother been concocting any medicinal powders at the Taoist temple?
“This—no.”
Qizhi pondered carefully.
“Since Senior Brother joined the Court of Judicial Review last year, he’s been much busier than before. The only time he spent an extended period at the temple was when he performed the soul-summoning ritual for the Madam of Anguo’s household. Other than that, he hasn’t touched those herbs in a long time.”
Juesheng added, “Miss Teng, are you trying to find a way to detoxify the poison? But Senior Brother respects our master deeply. Even if he were making a mute-inducing drug, he wouldn’t use the temple’s herbs. I suspect he probably sourced it outside. Senior Brother has a whole crowd of wealthy, idle friends, and he knows plenty of eccentric figures from the pleasure quarters and back alleys. If he wanted to get his hands on something novel to play with, it’d be all too easy.”
A sliver of hope ignited in Teng Yuyi’s heart.
If it wasn’t a Taoist concoction, that made things simpler.
Steward Cheng also knew many people—should she ask him to find someone to help? It didn’t matter if they were from the lowest or highest social strata, as long as they could help her detoxify the poison.
She wrote again: Speaking of eccentric figures, since you often accompany your master and senior brother on their travels, you must have met many unusual individuals, right?
Juesheng perked up, extending three chubby fingers.
“Not to boast, but I’ve been roaming Chang’an since I was six and a half. It’s been almost three years now.”
Teng Yuyi feigned astonishment: No wonder you’re so knowledgeable at such a young age.
Qizhi added shyly, “The Qingyun Temple is renowned throughout the land. Besides locals in Chang’an, many visitors from other regions come to our temple. We’ve been following our master since childhood and have indeed met many extraordinary individuals. What kind of person are you looking for, Miss Teng?”
Teng Yuyi: Good. Then, could you two take a look at this hidden weapon for me?
She slowly unrolled a scroll on the tray.
The lamplight revealed a strange object as thin as a strand of rain.
Juesheng and Qizhi blinked in surprise. “Huh? What is this?”
Teng Yuyi: Have you ever seen any sect or eccentric figure use a hidden weapon like this?
The two racked their brains. “No, we haven’t. Chang’an is full of all sorts of people, but we’ve never seen anyone use such a thin hidden weapon. Could this even injure someone?”
Teng Yuyi tapped the drawing: It may look thin, but when deployed, it can slice through flesh and bone.
Juesheng gasped in shock.
“What could this be made of?”
Qizhi thought very seriously for a long time.
“The thinnest hidden weapon we’ve seen is Senior Brother’s Soul-Locking Beast. But that thing is originally a transformed worm—it thickens or thins at Senior Brother’s command. However, it’s always had a sweet tooth for sugarcane syrup. Since coming to our temple, it’s been eating well and sleeping soundly, and its body has grown much stouter compared to a century ago. Now, even at its thinnest, it’s about the width of a little finger.”
Teng Yuyi felt a faint pang of disappointment.
Steward Cheng hadn’t encountered such a person, and neither had Juesheng or Qizhi heard of such an unusual technique.
It seemed this individual either rarely used this skill or wasn’t from Chang’an. Otherwise, given Steward Cheng’s connections, he should have uncovered some clues by now.
Just writing these few sentences on the tray had already taken Teng Yuyi considerable effort.
If she wanted to inquire further, they might be talking until dawn. Hesitating, she rolled up the scroll with an apologetic expression: I’ve disturbed you for so long. You two must be exhausted by now, right? I won’t keep you from resting any longer—I should take my leave.
Juesheng and Qizhi hurriedly said, “Tonight, we have to stay vigilant against the corpse demon’s arrival. We shouldn’t be sleeping anyway. We’re delighted you came to see us, Miss Teng.”
Chattering away, they escorted her to the corridor.
A maid with a lantern approached the steps. Teng Yuyi descended on her own, urging the two to return to their room.
Once they were gone, she walked and pondered.
Though Juesheng and Qizhi were young, their manners were impeccable, likely due to Master Qingxu’s teachings.
She wondered if they had parents—they always spoke of their master and senior brother but never mentioned family.
Given their warm and honest personalities, it didn’t seem right.
Were they orphans?
Her heart softened with sympathy.
As she walked, she encountered Steward Cheng leading servants with a late-night snack.
Lifting the lid, she saw two plates of jade-white Jade Dew cakes and a large bowl of fragrant almond porridge.
Steward Cheng said, “As you instructed, the pastries are the Jade Dew cakes the young masters love. The porridge was made in a separate vegetarian kitchen—not a trace of meat.”
Teng Yuyi: Qizhi’s hand bone is fractured—he can’t eat anything that might cause inflammation. Remove the almond porridge and replace it with two bowls of jujiang and malva soup. The young masters won’t be sleeping tonight, so they’ll likely wake late tomorrow. Serve them carefully in the morning and don’t disturb them.
The servants stiffened.
They knew the guests were important, but they hadn’t realized the young lady held them in such high regard.
They quickly gathered their wits and went to prepare.
Steward Cheng added, “Young lady, His Majesty hosted a banquet for the master and several high-ranking officials. The feast was so lively it hasn’t ended yet. The master sent word that he might not return at any fixed time and asked you to rest early.”
Teng Yuyi nodded.
Steward Cheng gave her a worried look.
“I’ve been meaning to ask—you were fine when you left in the afternoon. How did you lose your voice by the time you returned?”
Teng Yuyi wrote: I was just about to ask you for help with this.
***
Teng Yuyi slept poorly that night.
By the time she woke, it was already past chenshi (7-9 AM). Pushing aside the bed curtains, she saw Du Tinglan sitting by the window reading.
Teng Yuyi struggled to sit up but collapsed back weakly.
Hearing the movement, Du Tinglan walked over with a smile.
“Awake? Your father has asked after you several times. Hearing you were still asleep, he told us not to disturb you. Do you want to sleep more? If you do, it’ll be noon soon.”
Teng Yuyi rubbed her eyes, stuffed the cloth doll back under the pillow, lifted the curtain, and slowly slipped on her shoes to get out of bed.
Du Tinglan summoned Chunrong and the others to attend to her, then said gently, “Don’t be upset. Now that your father is back, things will be easier. Let’s tell him what happened yesterday and have him negotiate with Lin Chengyou. No matter how arrogant Lin Chengyou is, he wouldn’t dare disregard the face of a court official.”
It’s no use.
Teng Yuyi washed her hands and face, then wrote in Du Tinglan’s palm: Elder Sister, when Lin Chengyou was fourteen, he dared to pull Grand Councilor Wu’s beard. If he’s determined to make things difficult for me, he might not care about Father’s status.
Du Tinglan was stunned.
Grand Councilor Wu was a three-dynasty elder statesman with countless disciples.
Back when her father passed the imperial examination, Grand Councilor Wu had presided over it—her father was technically one of his students.
No wonder he flew into a rage whenever Lin Chengyou was mentioned.
“Still, your father should know Lin Chengyou poisoned you. You can’t let him bully you for nothing.”
Teng Yuyi: This started because I tricked the Qingyun Temple’s itching insect. If Father finds out Lin Chengyou poisoned me for no reason, he’ll confront him. What if it escalates to the Emperor and Lin Chengyou reveals that I schemed against Duan Ningyuan?
Du Tinglan hesitated.
“He promised yesterday to keep it secret. Surely he wouldn’t go back on his word, right?”
Teng Yuyi didn’t respond.
Du Tinglan’s expression shifted.
Nodding, she said, “I understand your concern. Even if Lin Chengyou keeps his promise, the Emperor is still his uncle. If His Majesty learns his nephew bullied a minister’s daughter, he’d punish Lin Chengyou severely to uphold justice. You’re worried Lin Chengyou might submit outwardly but nurse a grudge inwardly. In the end, you suffering is one thing, but your father making an enemy of Lin Chengyou is another?”
Teng Yuyi nodded: Exactly.
Du Tinglan fell silent.
The Emperor and Empress doted on Lin Chengyou, and he often appeared at court.
If he deliberately made trouble for her uncle, it would indeed be a headache.
“Last night, you only said you lost your voice but refused to tell Steward Cheng the truth about the poisoning. Were you afraid your father would confront Lin Chengyou if he found out?”
Teng Yuyi nodded: If he were willing to detoxify me, he would’ve done it last night. At this point, I have to find the antidote myself. Later, when we see Father, help me explain the whole story—just keep the poisoning a secret so he doesn’t suspect anything.
Du Tinglan patted Teng Yuyi’s head, her gaze gentler than the spring outside.
“Don’t worry, I know what to say. It’s been so long since we sisters talked like this. Today, my heart feels lighter. If we can successfully eliminate the corpse demon, let’s visit the Yuzhennu Temple for an outing sometime.”
Teng Yuyi froze.
She suddenly remembered that in her past life, her elder sister had died tragically and never saw the spring scenery of the following year.
Hearing these words from her now felt inexplicably sorrowful.
Just as she was about to reply, Biluo lifted the curtain and entered.
“Young Miss, the master sent someone to ask if you’re awake.”
“Where is Uncle?”
“In the main hall, entertaining the young Taoist masters.”
The two headed to the main hall.
Upon entering, they saw Teng Shao seated at the head of the room.
He had changed out of his military uniform and wore a dark brown round-collared robe, his demeanor as dignified as ever—but he had aged.
Though not yet forty, his temples were streaked with white, and deep lines had formed between his brows from constant frowning.
Juesheng and Qizhi were discussing the corpse demon.
Teng Shao still seemed somewhat skeptical.
“The corpse demon you speak of is someone who died a century ago?”
The two, likely exhausted from staying up all night, struggled to suppress their yawns.
“For now, we’ve only guessed its origins. As for its true nature, Senior Brother is still investigating.”
Before they could finish, they noticed Teng Yuyi and Du Tinglan entering.
Juesheng and Qizhi secretly compared them.
No wonder they were father and daughter—Miss Teng and General Teng not only looked alike but also shared the same quiet, composed demeanor when observing others.
The only difference was that Miss Teng was more cunning and lively, while General Teng was as steady as a mountain.
Du Tinglan tugged Teng Yuyi forward to greet him but suddenly found her immobile.
Turning in surprise, she saw Teng Yuyi’s face had gone deathly pale.
“Ah Yu?”
Cold sweat broke out on Teng Yuyi’s palms.
In her past life, she hadn’t been able to see her father one last time.
By the time she arrived, he had already passed.
He had lost so much blood that his sapphire-blue robe had turned dark brown.
Seeing him now, she had momentarily mistaken his current robe for that bloodstained one.
Teng Shao studied Teng Yuyi quietly, then said solemnly, “Yu’er.”
Teng Yuyi steadied herself and stepped forward to bow.
Du Tinglan smiled.
“Uncle, blessings upon you.”
Teng Shao replied warmly, “This morning, I paid a visit to the Du residence. Your parents said you and your sister returned to the Teng household last night. It’s been a while since you’ve seen each other—since you’re here, stay a few more days. Ah Yu has a willful temperament. It’d do her good to learn some manners from her elder sister.”
Du Tinglan demurred modestly.
Teng Yuyi calmly led her to sit on the other side.
Teng Shao looked at Teng Yuyi.
“Cheng’an said you attended a poetry gathering yesterday and lost your voice when you returned?”
Juesheng and Qizhi’s hearts pounded.
Miss Teng hated their senior brother—she would surely tell General Teng about how he had tricked her.
Unexpectedly, Du Tinglan said, “My sister said she drank too much cold sugarcane syrup yesterday and caught a chill in the pavilion during the gathering. Combined with the fright afterward, she suddenly lost her voice. I thought that since she’d just traveled to Chang’an not long ago, it might be due to external s. Thankfully, she doesn’t have a fever or loss of appetite. Some dispersing remedies should help.”
Teng Shao’s expression remained unreadable as he silently observed his daughter.
Du Tinglan, unused to lying, felt uneasy.
Teng Yuyi had already made up her mind.
Her father would surely investigate thoroughly, but since only she and Lin Chengyou had been present when he tricked her, she could simply deny everything.
After a long pause, Teng Shao finally spoke.
“I remember when you were young, a cold would always leave you with a sore throat. Going days without speaking wasn’t unusual. This time, you nearly drowned on your way to Chang’an. Though you recovered, it’s possible some ailment lingered. Last night’s fright might have triggered it. I’ve invited Imperial Physician Yu to examine you. He’s highly skilled—let him help you recuperate and rid you of any lingering illness.”
Teng Yuyi bowed slightly to show she understood.
Teng Shao watched her impassively.
Perhaps it was his imagination, but though his daughter hadn’t spoken a word since entering, her gaze no longer seemed as cold as before.
When he learned of Yu’er’s near-drowning, fear had gripped his heart.
He immediately set aside everything and rushed back to Chang’an, traveling day and night to arrive in just ten days.
Thankfully, she was unharmed—but Duan Ningyuan had developed ulterior motives.
After returning yesterday, Cheng’an had informed him of his daughter’s actions.
When he heard how she had used the Qingyun Temple’s poison insect to trick Duan Ningyuan, he was torn between laughter and tears.
This child was cunning—if wronged, she would repay it tenfold.
Her stance wasn’t wrong, but her methods were devious.
Logically, such matters should be handled by him as her father, but she had chosen to act alone.
Guilt and sorrow filled him.
He wanted to admonish her but couldn’t bring himself to.
It was his fault for being consumed by military affairs all these years, unable to stay home and care for her personally.
That was why, even in such a significant matter, she didn’t instinctively turn to her parents like other children would.
Unable to hide the remorse in his expression, he cupped his hands toward Juesheng and Qizhi.
“Might I ask, after learning of the demonic disturbances last night, I temporarily summoned over a hundred of my personal guards. They’re now stationed outside the residence. Can they keep the corpse demon at bay?”
Qizhi answered gravely, “This creature is unlike ordinary evil spirits. It can easily manipulate the minds of a hundred people. If it wants to come, no number of guards can stop it. Last night, Senior Brother set up a formation inside and outside the residence, but it only suppressed its malevolence. By then, your guards wouldn’t just fail to defend—they might even turn on each other.”
Juesheng added, “General Teng, Senior Brother said that rather than futile efforts, it’s better to wait calmly for it to fall into the trap. Back then, the blind patriarch of Dongming Temple subdued the two monsters with just two disciples. Though he sacrificed his life, it proves that defeating the corpse demon isn’t about numbers.”
Teng Shao’s eyelids twitched.
Though initially skeptical, rumors of the supernatural disturbances at Prince Cheng’s residence last night had already spread like wildfire.
Yu’er was strong-willed—unless she had been utterly terrified, she wouldn’t have invited Qingyun Temple’s Taoists for no reason.
Though he hadn’t been in Chang’an, he kept abreast of events in the capital.
He knew Master Qingxu had been away recently but hadn’t expected this matter to involve Lin Chengyou.
His chest tightened, but his expression remained calm as water.
“Last night, thanks to the Shizi and you Taoist masters’ protection, Yu’er was unharmed. I’m deeply grateful. If the corpse demon truly has its sights on Yu’er, will it return tonight?”
Teng Yuyi glanced outside.
Spring was in full bloom beyond the window—it was almost noon.
Lin Chengyou had boasted of ensuring her safety, but there was still no sign of him.
If no solution emerged, they might face another fright tonight.
Juesheng and Qizhi shifted uneasily.
“Corpse demons usually emerge at night. Senior Brother returned to his residence this morning and is likely discussing countermeasures with the five Taoist masters of Dongming Temple. If they can find remnants of Dongyangzi’s formation from back then, Senior Brother wouldn’t need to make many adjustments. But if they can’t, they’ll have to devise another plan.”
Teng Shao, likely aware of Lin Chengyou’s capricious nature, didn’t even raise an eyebrow.
“The young master has studied under Master Qingxu for many years. He has his own methods. Since he asked us to wait calmly, we’ll do as he says.”
As noon approached, Teng Shao instructed Steward Cheng to arrange lunch.
The kitchen, knowing the two Taoist masters were the young lady’s honored guests, went all out.
When the meal was served, the table was laden with rich delicacies.
Blushing, Juesheng and Qizhi were ushered to the seats of honor, with Teng Shao personally playing host.
After the meal, Teng Yuyi and her cousin went to the courtyard where Juesheng and Qizhi were staying to chat.
But Steward Cheng came to find her.
“Young Miss, the master asks you to come to his study.”
Teng Yuyi knew her father must have many questions.
Having prepared her responses, she retrieved the scroll from her room and followed Steward Cheng to the study.
Upon entering, she saw Teng Shao standing before a sandalwood curio cabinet, his back motionless as if lost in thought.
Her heart skipped a beat.
Last time, after a vivid dream revealed fragments of her past life, the first thing she did was return to her father’s study to search for those letters from Nanzhao.
Had her father noticed the tampered landscape screen on the curio cabinet after returning?
Fortunately, Teng Shao’s gaze didn’t linger on the screen.
He soon turned.
“Sit. I have questions for you.”
Teng Yuyi exhaled in relief and knelt properly on the mat.
Teng Shao sat across from her.
“You needn’t concern yourself with the Duan family anymore. Now that I’m back in Chang’an, leave the rest to me.”
Teng Yuyi nodded.
Having broken off the engagement and vented her anger, she was thoroughly satisfied and no longer had any interest in the Duan family.
Teng Shao hesitated, then added, “Child, if you encounter any troubles in the future, tell me. I’ll handle them for you.”
Teng Yuyi remained silent, her dark eyes still as a deep pool.
Teng Shao gazed at those eyes, so like her late mother’s, and felt a pang.
Sipping his tea, he asked casually, “Recently, officials from outlying regions have been returning to the capital for debriefing. An old subordinate of mine, Li Changmao, will also be reassigned to Chang’an. His daughter, Li Huaigu, often played with you as a child. Do you remember her?”
Teng Yuyi’s eyelids twitched.
She hadn’t recalled this person until that vivid dream brought back many memories.
In her past life, at the Dayin Temple, Li Huaigu and her servant had tricked Lin Chengyou into believing she was his savior.
After being exposed, Lin Chengyou forced her to change her name to Li Huaisan.
Teng Shao, assuming his daughter had forgotten her childhood playmate, continued, “Now that the Li family is also in Chang’an, you can invite her over often. I heard you attended a poetry gathering yesterday—I was very pleased. You’re new to Chang’an and should socialize more with other young ladies. When your mother was your age, she also loved poetry and gatherings.”
Teng Yuyi’s expression had been calm, but at these words, a ripple passed through her eyes.
She turned her face away, her gaze stubborn and cold.
Teng Shao studied his daughter’s still-childish profile, a bitter taste in his mouth.
“I know I’ve failed in many duties over the years. I left Cheng’an and Duanfu by your side precisely because I feared you’d suffer. Breaking off the engagement wasn’t wrong, but you’re still a child. If unsavory methods must be used, it should be me doing the scheming. Your mother loved you dearly—she taught you to read herself, hoping you’d grow up virtuous and capable, not to use your wits for—”
Teng Yuyi’s eyes blazed.
She swiftly wrote on the tray: I’m unwell. If you’re done lecturing, I’d like to return to my room to rest.
Teng Shao’s expression darkened.
It was always like this—whenever her mother was mentioned, his daughter would bristle like a hedgehog.
He said sternly, “I’m not reprimanding you. If it were me, I wouldn’t let Duan Ningyuan off easily either. I’m just afraid you’ll stray down the wrong path and warp your good nature.”
Teng Yuyi scoffed: My nature is just fine. I don’t provoke others unprovoked. Since Duan Ningyuan humiliated me first, did he expect me to swallow my anger?
Teng Shao narrowed his eyes.
At some point, father and daughter could no longer have a proper conversation.
Even when he tried to mend the rift between them and share heartfelt words, her resistance would inevitably lead to discord.
He knew Rome wasn’t built in a day and said hoarsely, “Yes, none of this is your fault. It’s all my doing. You’ve just come of age—your heart should still be carefree. But somehow, you’ve started handling everything yourself. If I’d taken better care of you, you wouldn’t be like this. The storms and trials outside should have been borne by me.”
