Chapter 8: The Devouring Mansion (Part Four)

Everyone said they hadn’t noticed anything unusual.

Liang Ye asked, “How did it move?”

Haichao stretched out her hand, mimicking the motion of a measuring worm, extending and contracting: “Like this.”

Cheng Hanlin hesitated, “Uh… Haichao, did you just wake up? Are you still a bit groggy?”

Haichao glared at him. “You’re the one who’s groggy! I’m serious. When you step on it, it feels soft and slippery, like a snake.”

Cheng Hanlin swallowed nervously and forced a laugh. “Hearing you say that, Haichao, it really gives people the creeps…”

Haichao ignored him and asked Lu Wanying, “Sister Lu, didn’t you feel anything either?”

Lu Wanying looked guilty, as if she had committed some terrible mistake. Biting her lip, she shook her head softly, “I… I didn’t notice anything either… but I’ve always been a bit slow to sense things…”

Haichao puffed her cheeks. “Even Sister Lu didn’t notice. Maybe I was mistaken.”

Liang Ye said, “Not necessarily a hallucination. This place is strange; better to be cautious.”

Haichao was both afraid that the little path was really playing tricks and hoping it would move again to prove she wasn’t lying.

But the path remained still. They passed through the bamboo grove, and the lights of the main courtyard appeared before them.

The gate connecting to the bamboo path was tightly closed. Haichao was about to knock when she heard a “click.” The lock opened, and a young servant in blue holding a lantern pushed the door open. It was Li Ji, the godson of Steward Li, who had guided them earlier.

Li Ji recognized them: “Did the immortal masters hear something?”

As he spoke, he glanced over the group and asked in surprise, “Where’s the Taoist priest from Dongxuan Temple in the west wing? Why didn’t he come with you all?”

Haichao replied, “We knocked, but no one answered. Not sure if he was sound asleep or not in the room.”

Hearing this, Li Ji grew anxious. “How could he not be here? I’ll go check.”

Haichao stopped him. “It’s no use. We knocked for a good while. Another trip won’t help. We’re Taoists too. Are four of us still not as good as one?”

Li Ji hesitated, looked around, and finally fixed his gaze on Liang Ye. He nodded. “Then please, immortal master, lead the way.”

Even Haichao, reluctant as she was, had to admit that among the four of them, Liang Ye looked the most steady, reliable, and truly like a master.

“What happened?” Liang Ye asked.

Li Ji let them into the courtyard, mumbling, “Something strange happened in the lady’s room… It’s hard to explain in a moment, but the immortal masters will understand once you see it…”

The Su family’s main courtyard was grander than expected, far larger than ordinary merchants’. With old bricks and tiles, it was simple yet elegant, even resembling the atmosphere of a wealthy noble family. But as soon as Haichao stepped inside, a chill ran down her back. The courtyard seemed colder than outside, and even the lantern light lacked warmth, glowing with a pale blue-white hue.

There were few servants around—only a handful scattered about. Some lit lamps, others stood by doors, all cautious and silent, barely glancing at the newcomers from afar.

Cheng Hanlin stroked his chin, muttering to himself, “Nine rooms and seven bays—this house is beyond what’s usual, isn’t it?”

Li Ji hurried to explain, “Master is wary of attracting attention. After buying the place, he wanted to tear down two rooms but couldn’t…”

Haichao was puzzled. “Why couldn’t they be torn down?”

Li Ji said, “Well… I’ve only been here a few months myself. I just heard people say that, don’t take it too seriously.”

Haichao knew he didn’t want to say more and snorted softly, deciding not to press.

As they spoke, they reached the front yard. A breeze carried a strange, elegant fragrance to their noses.

The scent was light and distant, seemingly pleasant, but Haichao felt inexplicably uneasy. Her heart tingled. The smell was damp, like fine wood mixed with moist earth covered in moss, with slippery snakes slithering through cracks and something quietly rotting inside…

Haichao recalled a time when she had gathered firewood in the mountains and accidentally wandered into an unnamed ancient stone tomb from centuries ago. The scent was exactly the same.

Cheng Hanlin touched a pillar. “The corridor pillars are cypress. This residence isn’t ordinary!”

Li Ji beamed with pride. “Yes indeed. The inner pillars are even thicker—rumored to be centuries-old agarwood. Even the plaster on the walls smells fragrant. They say it was a villa built by some prince or high-ranking official from the previous dynasty, empty for over a hundred years but neither decaying nor collapsing.”

Approaching the main house, the strange fragrance grew stronger, with a metallic, rusty blood scent added.

Li Ji’s hand trembled as he held the lantern, its weak light flickering and casting mottled, chaotic shadows.

His hand shook as he prepared to lift the curtain. Suddenly, it was pulled aside, and a man stepped out—it was Steward Li himself.

He glanced at them, frowning, then looked at his godson and demanded, “Where is the Taoist priest from Dongxuan Temple?”

Li Ji glanced at Liang Ye. “That priest is hiding inside, silent and unresponsive. We knocked but got no answer. I don’t have the key… Luckily, these immortal masters came without hesitation when they heard about the trouble in the main house…”

Steward Li impatiently interrupted, “Enough. Go to the front courtyard and see if Master has arrived.”

Turning to Liang Ye, he said, “Fortunately, the immortal masters had foresight and came to oversee the situation; otherwise, I wouldn’t know what to do in this crisis.”

Liang Ye asked, “What happened?”

Steward Li said, “You heard Madam’s scream, right?”

That wasn’t just a scream. Haichao still shuddered at the memory of that knife-sharp cry in the dead of night.

Steward Li continued, “I also heard the noise in my sleep. At first, I thought Madam was having a nightmare, but this time it felt different. Uneasy, I came to see… The room was a mess, Madam was unconscious on the couch—I nearly fainted from fright! I quickly had the maids carry her to the west wing and sent someone to fetch Master…”

“It’s the middle of the night. Why isn’t your Master in his room?” Haichao wondered.

Steward Li explained, “The bills from the shop and the estate arrived recently. Master has been in the study in the front courtyard handling accounts these past few days…”

Just then, Li Ji’s voice came from nearby: “Master has arrived!”

Haichao looked toward the sound. A young man in a formal robe was hurrying across the courtyard toward them, a servant in blue holding a lantern ahead of him.

Even without seeing his face clearly, his tall, upright figure and flowing sleeves revealed a graceful and distinguished demeanor.

The Su family had only one Master—the owner of this large estate.

As he quickly approached, Haichao caught his face under the eaves’ light. Surprisingly young, clean-shaven, without a single wrinkle, his beautiful peach blossom eyes showed no worldly cunning but a boyish innocence and simplicity. He bore none of the crudeness of a merchant but rather the air of a young scholar newly entering the bustling world.

Steward Li hurried forward. “Master…”

The man interrupted, urgency clear yet voice warm and agreeable, “How is Aqing?”

“Don’t worry, Master. Madam is in the west wing, not seriously hurt, just fainted from fright. Two maids are looking after her,” Steward Li replied.

“Is Qin Niangzi here?”

“No, she’s not in the courtyard. I’ve sent people to find her.”

The man frowned. “In the middle of the night, where could she be? Send more people to search.”

“Should I get a doctor from the clinic?”

“Aqing’s health is always managed by Qin Niangzi. Those quack doctors outside don’t know what’s best. Besides, the city is under curfew; shops won’t open until dawn.”

Haichao kindly offered, “My senior sister knows medicine. Let her examine your lady first.”

The man finally noticed them, puzzled as if recognizing their presence for the first time.

Steward Li quickly added, “Master, these are the experts I mentioned from Qingyun Temple in the capital…”

The man’s face brightened with understanding, and he bowed respectfully. “Blessings of the Boundless Heavenly Lord. I am Su Tingyuan. I apologize for the lack of proper welcome to such honored guests.”

He looked at Haichao kindly. “Thank you for your kindness. However, my wife is ill and overly anxious, fearful of strangers. She only allows the family’s medical woman near her. Please forgive us.”

Liang Ye replied, “No matter.”

Lu Wanying timidly spoke, “We have some Qingxin Pills here. They might help… If Qin Niangzi doesn’t arrive in time…”

Gathering courage, she held out a small celadon bottle cupped in her palm.

The man looked at Lu Wanying, a gentle, sincere smile flowing from his peach blossom eyes. “Please allow me to thank the immortal sister on behalf of my wife.”

He took the bottle graciously, pulled out a plain cloth from his sleeve, unsealed the wax, and poured out a pill the size of a fingernail onto the cloth. Returning the bottle to Lu Wanying, he thanked her again, then turned to Steward Zhao. “I’ll go check on Aqing in the side room. Please treat our honored guests well and report tonight’s events truthfully. Do not neglect them.”

With that, he bowed to them and excused himself toward the side room.

After Su Tingyuan left, Steward Li said, “I’ll take the immortal masters inside to see for themselves.”

As he spoke, he lifted the bamboo curtain under the eaves and pushed aside the door veil. The moment the veil was lifted, a heavy stench of blood hit them.

The room was lit with candles, yet unusually dark. The curtains hanging from the beams fluttered in the night breeze, the candle flames flickered, casting deep, layered shadows. From the doorway, the room looked like a deep cave lurking with a ferocious beast.

Even Steward Li seemed somewhat fearful, hesitating before stepping inside.

The floor was covered with mats, but Steward Li showed no intention of removing his shoes, so the group entered with their shoes on as well.

Haichao felt her shoes stick slightly to the mats—an unpleasant sensation.

Inside, the blood scent was thick and clinging.

Haichao scanned the room with the flickering candlelight and saw chaos as if a violent storm had swept through.

Tables, bronze lamps, incense burners, and belongings were overturned and scattered. A folding screen near the bed lay toppled, its silk covering torn into tatters, shredded fragments strewn across the floor, revealing the bamboo frame inside.

The room was particularly dark because the walls weren’t covered with ordinary white plaster or lime but decorated with dark patterns on a white background.

The patterns were irregular and unevenly spaced, looking randomly stamped, giving off an ominous aura.

Haichao found it strange and examined them carefully. Suddenly, she gasped, a chill running down her spine.

Those weren’t patterns at all; they were countless overlapping bloody handprints!

Not only on the walls but also across the floor, as if a bloodied figure had crawled all over the room with both hands.

Among the adult-sized handprints were smaller footprints, only two or three inches long, like those of a four- or five-year-old child.

Haichao’s scalp tingled. She quickly pulled Lu Wanying behind her. Almost simultaneously, a tall, slender figure stepped in front of them.

It was Liang Ye.

He always did this—though not skilled with sword or blade and physically weak, whenever trouble arose, he stood before her as a shield.

“Scared?” he asked softly, turning to her.

Once, such concern would have filled Haichao’s heart with warmth and joy. But times had changed, and now this gesture felt unnecessary and even laughable.

Haichao refused to admit her fear. “There’s nothing to be scared of.”

Liang Ye glanced at her, said “Be careful,” then fell silent. He turned to Zhao Steward and instructed him to light all the candles.

Haichao held Lu Wanying’s hand, worried. “Sister Lu, do you feel unwell? Maybe you should wait outside.”

Lu Wanying’s palm was cold and trembling, but she gritted her teeth. “I’m fine. Don’t worry, Haichao.”

Just then, a sharp scream came from behind—Cheng Hanlin’s voice, high-pitched and strangled, as if someone were choking him.

Haichao quickly turned around. Cheng Hanlin stood staring at the ceiling with wide eyes, trembling violently, his teeth chattering as if he had seen something terrifying beyond measure.

Following his gaze upward, Haichao saw only pitch blackness; the ceiling was unlit, and nothing was visible.

“What did you see?” she asked, puzzled.

Before he could answer, Cheng Hanlin’s eyes rolled back, and with a thud, he collapsed onto the floor.