Chapter 450: Chapter 414: The Embroideress
Advancing within the Ghost Level is actually not difficult. Besides the conditions proactively set by the Evil Ghosts one controls, devouring a powerful Evil Ghost with abilities that align with one’s own can also quickly enhance the level.
However, for those in the Deceit Dynasty, the Incense Heart Lamp is the main factor restricting them.
"Actually, if not for the Heart Lamp issue, if I could capture that Zhuangyuan Ghost and have it devoured by my Painted Skin Ghost, I could definitely enter the fifth layer immediately. Unfortunately, the Zhuangyuan Ghost is controlled by that scholar. Truly, appearances can be deceiving."
The Zhuangyuan Ghost excels in painting, as does the Painted Skin Ghost; painting skills are required.
Hua Qianmian had already learned about Liu Tianyou’s strange encounter from Sang Que. She was happy for Liu Tianyou but also felt regret, as she had been thinking about that Zhuangyuan Ghost quite often lately.
There wasn’t a way to advance for the time being, so she had to put it aside.
The matter of going to Shengjing together was agreed upon by Hua Qianmian. There was plenty of time, so Hua Qianmian could slowly deal with this Yizhuang and pack her belongings.
The three talked until dawn was approaching. Sang Que and Yao Zhen excused themselves first, as Sang Que still needed to help Zhang Junyao capture Evil Spirits.
Leaving the Yizhuang, they boarded a paper-made carriage. Yao Zhen gritted her teeth and threatened Sang Que.
"This guy is obviously black-hearted. If you dare give her ten thousand gold, our partnership is over!"
Sang Que chuckled dryly, "Actually, I can give you ten thousand gold as well."
Yao Zhen rolled her eyes and sneered, disdainful of such ’ill-gotten gains.’ She feared that taking this money would give her restless nights.
This place was very close to the village where the White-Clothed Female Ghost appeared. While the sky was still dark, the two snuck into the village. Using the Yin Child’s Ghost Eye, Sang Que quickly spotted the White-Clothed Female Ghost.
However, what Sang Que didn’t expect was to meet familiar people and ghosts here.
After Qinzhou became a Death Domain, Sang Que had been worried about He Baosheng’s family and Skinny and the others. Unexpectedly, they had settled here, and it turned out that the so-called White-Clothed Female Ghost was Ming Wanxi, with Huilan beside her, only never seen by anyone.
It must be because He Baosheng’s family always offered incense to the two sisters, who took them out of Qinzhou before the incident happened.
Sang Que stood at the village entrance, using the Ghost Eye to look at the two sisters. The sisters revealed their forms and smiled and greeted him from afar, then vanished into thin air.
Sang Que rubbed his eyes and said to Yao Zhen, "Let’s go, to another place."
Arriving at Luling Village, where the embroideress was located, just as a rooster crowed, the paper-made carriage suddenly caught fire and turned to ashes in an instant, scattered by the wind.
Fortunately, Sang Que and Yao Zhen were prepared in advance and jumped off the carriage. The Red Umbrella Ghost and the other four ghosts all returned to the Copper Coin hanging on Sang Que’s waist.
With the sky turning bright, Yao Zhen stretched her limbs and yawned, "It’s daylight, the Evil Spirits and ghosts will hide away, making them hard to find."
Sang Que looked at the small village at the edge of the fields, "Let’s go into the village first and inquire about this embroideress. I rely on you for this."
In the past, whenever Yao Zhen heard this, she would casually say, ’No problem at all.’ Now, however, hearing the same words, she couldn’t help but think of Hua Qianmian.
Sang Que sought Hua Qianmian’s help with ten thousand gold but relied on her with just an ’I rely on you.’ Why the disparity?
Oblivious to the fact that his friendship with Yao Zhen was on the brink of collapse, Sang Que held the Hundred Blade and strode towards the village.
Yao Zhen laughed in exasperation and walked quickly to get ahead of Sang Que, pretending as if she didn’t know him well.
Confused, Sang Que hurried to catch up.
At the village entrance, an old man and an old woman were about to fetch water to wash up in the morning, and Yao Zhen, covered in dust, was dressed in a blue Daoist robe.
"Excuse me, elders, may I ask if this is Luling Village?"
Seeing Yao Zhen in her Daoist robe, the old man quickly replied, "Yes, this is Luling Village."
Yao Zhen continued to inquire, "May I ask if there is a Ning family in the village, with a lady named Ning Fang working in the Zhang Family Embroidery Workshop in Sanchuan City?"
Upon hearing this, the old man’s face froze. What Yao Zhen was inquiring about was the embroideress who had become an Evil Spirit and died half a year ago, information that Zhang Junyao had provided in detail to Sang Que.
Since the embroideress hadn’t harmed anyone, and no deaths had occurred in the village, when the report reached the Evil Suppression Bureau, they merely sent a Day Traveling Envoy to investigate the situation without further action.
"Why does Kun Dao want to know about Miss Ning?"
Yao Zhen remained calm, as Sang Que caught up and stood a few steps behind her, seemingly as a bodyguard.
"Don’t be afraid, elder. Ning Fang once prayed at my temple for Peaceful Incense. Recently, I’ve been uneasy and divined that this lady is in trouble, so I came to check on her."
The old man sighed, "That Miss Ning passed away half a year ago."
"Ah?" Yao Zhen feigned surprise, "How did she die?"
The old man glanced at the old woman curiously watching from behind him and invited Yao Zhen and Sang Que inside to talk, allowing the old woman to speak with them.
The old woman poured them two bowls of water, inviting them to sit in the courtyard. Reminiscing, she sighed deeply.
"Speaking of the Ning family’s lady, she was truly pitiable. She learned to weave and embroider at twelve, displayed her talent, and by thirteen, she became an apprentice at Zhang’s Embroidery Workshop in Sanchuan City. All the money she earned was used to support her family. She was only sixteen this year, with plenty of time to marry in a couple of years. Unfortunately, her parents, swayed by a matchmaker, accepted a bridal gift of fifty taels of silver, wanting to marry her off as a concubine to a wealthy family in the city."
"Miss Ning cried and protested, but in the end, she had to compromise. Because there was unfinished embroidery work at Zhang’s Embroidery Workshop, she locked herself in her room to rush the work, rarely going out. The villagers initially thought the matter had ended, but then, on the eve of her wedding, it was rumored that the wealthy family wanted Miss Ning for their deceased son..."
The old woman paused, not uttering the two implied words. Yao Zhen and Sang Que understood the implication.
"Miss Ning died on the night before her wedding, in her room, by plunging a pair of scissors into her chest in an act of suicide."
The old woman paused again, glanced at the old man not far away, and whispered to Yao Zhen.
"The death of Miss Ning is suspicious. If Kun Dao is so inclined, please seek justice for the girl."
Yao Zhen nodded slightly, "I came precisely for this reason."
Only then did the old woman softly say, "I heard that when Miss Ning died, her clothes were disheveled, and her body was covered with blue and purple handprints, as if violated. However, the female coroner at the government office later conducted an autopsy and declared that Miss Ning was indeed a virgin and had committed suicide."
"The villagers all speculated that she encountered a wicked ghost. They reported it to the Evil Suppression Bureau, but unfortunately, the Day Traveling Lord merely inquired briefly upon arrival without a thorough investigation. Now, no one knows what truly happened."
Yao Zhen furrowed her brow, contemplated for a moment, and then stood up, "Thank you, grandmother, for sharing this information. Could you kindly direct me to the Ning family? I will go there at once."
The old woman led Yao Zhen to the courtyard gate and pointed the way.
After expressing her gratitude again, Yao Zhen set off with Sang Que towards the Ning household.
Sang Que asked, "Do you know what might have happened?"
"I have some idea, but we need to go to the Ning house to confirm."
