Chapter 296 A single immortal of the land
He Danggui was alarmist, “If we don’t get rid of this person, Luo’s Family won’t have descendants!”
“Seriously?” Madam Luo asked in a panic, “Didn’t you just say that we will have some good news soon?”
He Danggui nodded solemnly and said, “Yes, I did under one condition. Grandfather told me that once the person is dealt with, a happy event will happen soon. However, if we cannot handle it, the family won’t have descendants and my grandfather won’t rest in peace in the other world.”
Madam Luo was shocked and asked immediately, “Who is that person?”
He Danggui poked the face of the Sunny Doll and said, “I made this doll following the order from my grandfather. People said that in the northwestern region of ancient times, the wife would hang one doll under the eaves of the house, and let her husband bring another doll with him to wars. The dolls represented the blessings and cares from the wife to the husband. Grandfather missed you very much. He said that he blamed himself for letting you live in Sanqing Temple for a year after giving birth, which caused you a chronic disease. Now, since your disease has been cured, he is very pleased.”
Madam Luo whimpered and took out a handkerchief to wipe her teardrops. By now, she had no doubts at all about He Danggui’s words. Except for the old generations, nobody else knew these histories, including her sons.
In the old days, she and her sister were fighting for one mate, and they did many nasty things. Luo Duzhong was only hers at first. However, her mother was partial and shoved her grumpy and notorious elder sister between the sweet couple. Later, after she gave birth to her sons, her sister hated her and bullied her. In addition, her husband was deceived and couldn’t figure out the truth. As a result, she went to Sanqing Temple alone in a fit of pique. The living conditions there were so difficult that she developed a lifetime disease. Her disease was not relieved until she ate the magic jujubes. In the next three years, without taking any other medicines, her disease gradually recovered.
Madam Luo asked with tears, “How is he doing there? Why hasn’t he been reincarnated yet?”
“My grandfather said that he didn’t need to experience the suffering of reincarnation anymore,” He Danggui said softly, “He is an immortal of the land now. He just gave me a dream because he can’t let go of a concern, and the Sunny Doll is a gift from the immortals that can bless our family.”
“An immortal of land?” Madam Luo suddenly interrupted and asked, “Is he with someone now?”
“Huh?” He Danggui didn’t get the point.
Madam Luo hesitated and asked, “Is he single?”
“Uh...” He Danggui was speechless. It turned out that no matter how old a woman was, she couldn’t help being jealous and asking her man to be loyal. So, He Danggui quickly comforted her, “He is! He is waiting for you.” Seeing that Madam Luo still bit back what she wanted to say, He Danggui guessed her thoughts and added, “My grandmother has already reincarnated. Grandfather also told me that in my dreams.”
Madam Luo was relieved, but she was a little bit embarrassed and nodded, “Go ahead.”
“Grandfather told me to give you this doll because he wants to bless our family.” He Danggui put the Sunny Doll in the hands of Madam Luo. “He said that the villain in our house would get us all killed. If you are still soft-hearted and indulge the villain, the luck of our family that has been accumulated for hundreds of years would be consumed soon!”
Grabbing the bald-headed doll, Madam Luo asked, “Who is that person? Why would the villain harm us?”
He Danggui was silent for a moment before “struggling” to get up from the bed to pick up a witchcraft doll dug out by Sun Meiniang at Bao Qin Ge. After looking at it carefully for a long time, she sighed, “When I saw this witchcraft doll last night, although I knew my mother did not make this thing, I couldn’t find any shreds of evidences. But I was pretty sure that my mother would never use the date of birth and eight characters of a horoscope to do evil things against Buddhism and Taoism. After taking a closer look now, I am sure it is not made by my mother.” As saying, He Danggui handed over the note on the doll to Madam Luo.
“Oh?” Madam Luo took over the note and checked it carefully. Then, she asked out of confusion, “It is indeed your mother’s handwriting. Why?”
“Madam, you may not have noticed the difference because you always read my mother’s written scriptures. My mother’s handwriting has actually changed a lot in the past ten years.” He Danggui pointed at one of the characters and explained, “Her handwriting was not this round ten years ago. If you have any questions, you could compare it with the scripture written by my mother ten years ago.” After a pause, she added with a smile, “A yellow, scorched, and crisp note from ten years ago has my mother’s recent handwriting. Isn’t it weird enough?”
Madam Luo held the note in silence, recalling Luo Chuanxiong’s previous fonts. However, she was still suspicious of He Danggui’s statements.
He Danggui said confidently, “Mr. Bao from the academy once taught us that people were like the characters from their hands, and the fonts revealed a person’s temperament, attitude, and mood. My mother had bad days at that time, and her handwriting was also dry. In recent years, it was not until she has enjoyed leisure times in the mountain that her characters became free and round. I have read my mother’s handwriting, so I am absolutely sure that the note was written by her last year.”
Madam Luo nodded. That was true. The handwriting on the note was free and round.
“If this is not enough,” He Danggui said with a smile under the veil, “please use this magnifying glass.” She put a small convex lens above the note and explained, “It is sent by Qing’er, which can see the tings enlarged. Look, these two characters here are exactly the same! They seem to be stamped. No, they are really stamped.”
“Stamped?” Madam Luo and Miss Ji repeated at the same time. However, after they checked the two characters through the lens, they found what He Danggui said was true.
Miss Ji pointed at the characters and said in surprise, “Madam, the two words bulge a little on the same crook. Incredible!” Madam Luo nodded to show her approval.
“Please look at these two notes.” He Danggui passed the notes with Sun Meiniang and Luo Baiqiong’s date of birth and eight characters of a horoscope. “There are three characters which are exactly the same.”
“Sure enough!” Madam Luo shouted, “How could it be?”
“It’s a clever, patient, but vicious plot.” He Danggui sighed, “I don’t know who my mother has offended. She has already lived in the Taoist temple to escape the world. Why somebody still wants to frame her of making that witchcraft doll? In my opinion, someone invited a master craftsman who is proficient in seal engraving, and then stamped the words on an old paper.”
Miss Ji couldn’t believe the fact and exclaimed, “It is troublesome to engrave according to someone’s fonts. These small characters and the original fonts are exactly alike. What a lot of effort and patience.”
“Yeah, it is close to the micro-carving. I don’t know who is rich enough to get such a master.” Of course, He Danggui would not tell them that she was this “master craftsman”. She had locked herself up in the room for several days before carving out those words. Her eyes were even dazed.
She pinched the paper on the edge with her nails. The paper was so fragile that it immediately shattered. He Danggui smiled, “The paper is strange as well. A ten-year-old paper won’t be this fragile. It must have been baked on a hot iron plate.”
Madam Luo and Miss Ji nodded convincingly. The note was really ridiculous.
He Danggui pointed to the charms and human bones on the ground, and then exclaimed, “I don’t have the knowledge about those two things. But, given the current situation, I bet they are both faked as well.”
Madam Luo thought for a moment before instructing Miss Ji, “Go to the outer courtyard and let Fortune-teller Li come here. What’s more, invite several more Taoist priests to come and check those charms.”
As soon as Miss Ji left, He Danggui rubbed the corner of her clothes and stammered, “Madam, I’ve got something to tell you. I know that I shouldn’t gossip about an elder. But it is high time to tell you. Besides, I have listened to grandfather’s warnings these days and was urged by him to tell you everything. Please, forgive my offense!”
Madam Luo nodded and said solemnly, “Go ahead. I am listening.”
He Danggui said with a cold voice, “In my opinion, both the letter from the ancestor and the description from my grandfather refer to one person, Second Aunt! Nobody else could be that vicious!”
Madam Luo had long been suspicious that the “vicious woman” was Sun Meiniang, but she couldn’t make the conclusion. However, after He Danggui said it out, Madam Luo became confused again. Sun Meiniang had always been bad-mouthing He Danggui, but the latter had never said something bad against Sun Meiniang. This time, could it be Danggui’s retaliation for Sun Meiniang’s persecution?
However, Madam Luo immediately denied that possibility. From yesterday to today, how could such a series of strange things be conducted by He Danggui, a child? In fact, many of them were miracles that could not be achieved by manpower. No, it must be the blessing from ancestors! Madam Luo slowly grasped the doll in her hand, and said in a deep voice, “Well, I will listen to you. What has she done that will get us all killed?”
“I don’t understand the details. Grandfather told me that a big family like ours was hard to break from the outside. It would only break and gradually collapse from the inside.” He Danggui explained, “Grandfather mentioned that there is a corrupting source in our family, who is constantly harming the people around. But grandfather didn’t give me a name. I wondered that Second Aunt matched the description greatly. Maybe she is the person?”
Madam Luo said nothing.
“Of course, no one can frame others out of thin air.” He Danggui blinked. “Blaming everything to the hated one is the Second Aunt’s favorite, and I won’t follow her. Look at these fake witchcraft dolls! Since they weren’t made by my mother, who made them with such a lot of work? The witchcraft stuff was always scary. However, Second Aunt was excited after she dug out these things. Shouldn’t she be afraid?”
Madam Luo nodded slightly, “She was indeed over-excited last night.”
He Danggui continued, “Apart from that, I heard rumors that Second Uncle didn’t have a son because Second Aunt did something. It was not my uncle’s problem, nor his concubine’s problem.”
“What?” Madam Luo stared at He Danggui straightly, “What’s wrong with her?”
“I heard that Bao Qin Ge has a secret warehouse which is full of harmful poisons, and there are medicines that can prevent women from being pregnant among them. Even the poison, Mute Drug, and the itching powder used by Fourth Sister a few years ago were taken from there.”
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