Feng Yu and the others didn't understand, but they didn't say anything and just waited quietly for Ji Wushang to speak.
Ji Wushang took a deep breath, glanced around, and beckoned Feng Yu to come forward. Feng Yu immediately leaned over to listen, and Ji Wushang whispered a few words.
Feng Yu nodded vigorously, "A brilliant plan!"
"Go!" Ji Wushang said, "We only have one night. Whether it succeeds or not depends on you!"
"Yes, ma'am!" Feng Yu replied, and immediately went to carry out the order.
Ji Wushang hadn't finished his dinner when he heard Zhu'er bring Doctor Cui in from outside. Ji Wushang immediately put down his food and went over to greet Doctor Cui.
"Miss, there's no need for such formalities. You're making this old man feel too ashamed," said Doctor Cui.
Ji Wushang dismissed the other maids, even leaving Fengyu and Zhuer to stand guard outside, before speaking to Doctor Cui, "Please help me check on my aunt's injuries. I just gave her acupuncture; I wonder how she is now."
Doctor Cui nodded and went to check on Aunt Qin. He found that Ji Wushang's technique had greatly improved, and the pressure of each needle was just right. He said, "Miss is truly a wise and talented person! I heard that my junior brother, the Ghost Doctor, has already given you his medical books. I'm sure you have already read them. The younger generation is truly formidable!"
"It's all thanks to the Ghost Doctor's excellent writing. It's just a pity that I can't thank him in person now," Ji Wushang sighed.
"Never mind, that's just his temper, don't worry about him!" Doctor Cui said as he inserted some more silver needles into Aunt Qin's head. "Miss, you must be careful."
"Yes." Ji Wushang nodded. Although he had not formally become an apprentice of Doctor Cui, he had already learned a great deal of medical skills from him, and he would take good care of him in the future.
After a while, Doctor Cui stopped, and Ji Wushang immediately presented him with a silk handkerchief, saying, "Sir."
"Alright." Doctor Cui nodded, took the silk handkerchief, and wiped the sweat from his brow. "Aunt Qin should be alright now. What a scoundrel! How could such a thing happen? To actually lay a hand on such a weak aunt?"
"What happened?" Ji Wushang asked.
"This is a sorcery from the Japanese pirates. It's a medicine made from the blood of a baby just over 100 days old, then mixed with the five poisons to create a deadly poison. They made Aunt Qin take that pill, driving her mad and subjecting her to endless torment, leaving her with no relief from her suffering. It's truly pitiful," Doctor Cui said, shaking his head. "Such a medicine will go undetected by anyone because once it enters the body, it will become one with the blood. Even if you were a god, you couldn't call it poisoning!"
"How did you discover it, sir?"
"Because I first observed her complexion, and also, it was just a guess." Doctor Cui hesitated for a moment, then said no more.
Ji Wushang didn't ask, probably to maintain some mystery!
"Will she wake up tomorrow?" Ji Wushang asked, as if something had occurred to him.
"Yes, we need to take good care of her, but we also need to see if she wants to wake up. These medications only target consciousness; if she's not conscious, she'll remain immersed in that pain. If she can be strong, then she'll struggle to wake up from the pain."
“I think Aunt Qin will definitely wake up.” Ji Wushang squeezed Aunt Qin’s hand. “Aunt Qin, you should be able to hear what I’m saying, right? If you want revenge, you can’t die!” Ji Wushang said coldly.
Doctor Cui paused for a moment, then shook his head. "When will this cycle of revenge end? Miss, why not let go? It's another kind of life!"
"Sir, if someone hurts your dearest person, would you let her keep hurting them?" Ji Wushang looked up. "If she frames you again and again, trying to kill you time and time again, would you just ignore it? If she finishes framing you and then goes on to harm other people, would you still want to let her do evil indefinitely? I wouldn't. I would take the place of Heaven and punish her!" Ji Wushang's expression was firm and extremely serious.
Upon hearing this, Doctor Cui nodded solemnly, "It was I who was ignorant."
“It is because you, sir, have taken a detached view of this mortal world, while I, having been immersed in it, am inevitably tainted by its dust,” Ji Wushang sighed.
“Come, let me teach you more. I like you very much, my child,” Doctor Cui said.
Ji Wushang's thoughts shifted, he smiled, knelt down, and said, "Master, please accept my bow!"
Doctor Cui was stunned for a moment by her actions, but then he came to his senses and said, "Alright, alright, I'll take you in! Get up!" With that, he stepped forward to help Ji Wushang up.
"Thank you, Master!" Ji Wushang stood up.
"Why did things change so quickly?" Doctor Cui seemed very pleased and much more amiable towards his disciple, Ji Wushang.
"Master has taught me so much. If I don't become your disciple soon, I will lose you. Master's medical skills are superb, and I must learn from you!" Ji Wushang said earnestly.
"Hmm." Doctor Cui nodded. "I agree with this reasoning."
"Then Master, can you tell me if what you just said about your guess is false? I think you must have been to Fusang before, and you might even know about this kind of medicine, right?" Ji Wushang said.
Doctor Cui was taken aback, but then smiled and said, "Wu Shang, you're right. Ten years ago, I did visit Fusang and witnessed a similar ritual... It was so tragic, it's best not to dwell on it!"
Ji Wushang nodded, only then realizing that a lot of time had passed. Thinking that the good show was about to begin, he said, "Master, some things, good or bad, will soon happen at the manor. Do you want to go back or stay and watch together?"
Doctor Cui shook his head, "I'll go back." He naturally didn't want to get involved in the affairs of the household. He got up and started packing his things, with Ji Wushang helping him. Before leaving, Doctor Cui thought for a moment and said, "You should not call me 'Master' in public or in private, so as not to cause you unnecessary trouble."
Ji Wushang paused for a few seconds, then nodded, "Yes." Indeed, this wasn't some江湖行人 (jianghu xing, a term referring to people who travel the martial arts world). A young lady from an official family should maintain a certain level of reserve, and besides, she hadn't let anyone know that she knew medicine.
Dr. Cui stepped out.
Ji Wushang waited by Aunt Qin's side for a while, and then heard a sound outside the door. Ji Wushang immediately opened the door and saw several burly men standing in the courtyard. The leader was Tie Feng. They were all dressed in black, and in front of them were several large sacks!
The Tie brothers, Tie Yi and Tie Feng, had already won over Ji Wushang's heart, and naturally led the entire Iron Guard to obey Ji Wushang's orders!
Ji Wushang strode forward. "Well done! Quickly get them outside the capital! Force-feed them these drugs." Ji Wushang took out some medicine from his pocket, then thought for a moment and said, "Then, find some places on their bodies where people can see them, and quickly write these words on them." Ji Wushang then took out a folded piece of paper. He had been very subtle in his words and hadn't given them any particularly dangerous drugs, which was quite ethical of him.
Tie Feng accepted the order, took the paper, opened it, and nodded immediately upon seeing the words written inside. "Yes!" He suppressed a smile, however, thinking to himself that he hadn't expected the young lady to be so good at disciplining people!
"If we can't find them tomorrow, I'll have you do this and that..." Ji Wushang stepped forward and carefully explained to Tie Feng, "It's all up to you!"
"I will definitely carry out the young lady's orders!" Tie Feng said firmly.
"Hmm." Ji Wushang approached the sacks. "Is everything here?"
"Yes, Miss."
"Very good, go do it!" Ji Wushang heard someone coming in from outside the courtyard and quickly gestured for them to leave. Immediately, Tie Feng and his subordinates left.
At this moment, Ji Wushang saw that the person who came was the head maid Feng Yu, followed by several fast-moving maids, some of whom were rough-working old women.
“Miss, we’ve brought the people. They’re all our own people, so they certainly won’t tell anyone!” Feng Yujing glanced back at the people behind her.
The servants immediately knelt before Ji Wushang, "We swear to follow Miss to the death!"
"Okay." Ji Wushang nodded. Tonight, let's play a trick on him!
After giving a long explanation, he immediately sent someone to do it.
The night was deep and still, the moon was dark and the wind was high.
The surroundings were very quiet. Ji Wushang was slightly excited. Tonight's operation could not afford any failure!
The group quietly made their way to the side room in the backyard, where Aunt Bai was staying. Ji Wuxia, however, had returned to her own bamboo garden and was not there to wait.
Ji Wushang beckoned, and immediately a quick-witted maid went to scout ahead.
A short while later, someone returned to report that there were no maids left to keep watch in the side room, and that Aunt Bai had already gone to sleep.
Ji Wushang held up two fingers, signaling the start of the second step of the plan. Tie Yi, dressed in black beside him, immediately nodded, grabbed what he was carrying, and disappeared into the night. After a short while, Tie Yi returned, holding up one finger. Ji Wushang nodded, meaning the matter was settled. All the servants in the room had been knocked unconscious by his specially prepared medicine, and they could now present Bai Yiniang with a grand gift!
Aunt Bai was fast asleep when suddenly she felt a cool breeze. She wrapped her brocade quilt tighter around herself, but unexpectedly, someone patted the quilt!
Immediately afterwards, a mournful cry was heard, "Aomei...Aomei...Bai Aomei..."
Aunt Bai was instantly terrified, breaking out in a cold sweat. She opened her eyes, about to call for help, but instead saw a ghost with its tongue sticking out in front of her bed! The ghost was dressed in white, a long skirt—it was Aunt Qin's clothes! This ghost had no legs and floated in the air. Its appearance was that of the pale-faced Aunt Qin, but upon closer inspection, it didn't quite resemble her!
At this moment, Aunt Bai was terrified. "You, who are you!"
"You didn't... want to kill me, did you? You didn't... want to put me to death, did you?" the female ghost said mournfully, repeating incessantly.
Aunt Bai gasped in fright, clutching her brocade quilt tightly before retreating to the foot of the bed. "You, you mustn't come any closer!"
"How could you be so cruel and vicious? Are you happy that I'm dead? Are you... happy?" The voice, mixed with sobs, was extremely pitiful. Aunt Bai's heart was racing, and she wanted to crawl into her brocade quilt, but Ji Wushang was not about to let her have her way.
With a flick of his wrist, Tie Yi, who was hiding in the shadows, threw a small pebble, which hit Aunt Bai's hand as she was thinking of covering herself with the quilt. Aunt Bai winced in pain and pulled back.
Ji Wushang sneered.
"Aunt Bai, spare me! Spare me!" Suddenly, a shrill scream came from not far away. Aunt Bai looked and saw the scene unfolding before her: the very same scene where she had executed the maid who had reported the incident. A person who looked exactly like herself was sitting there, sternly questioning the maid before ordering her execution. The maid was crying and wailing, but she was still beaten to death with clubs! Blood splattered everywhere. Aunt Bai felt her stomach churn and her abdomen ache at the sight!
Aunt Bai immediately clutched her stomach, about to cry out, when she looked down and saw a pair of embroidered shoes in front of her.
"Ah!" Aunt Bai was instantly terrified! Those shoes belonged to that maid!
Looking up, he saw the maid's miserable state and was speechless with shock, his face filled with terror!
Unexpectedly, she was really scared! Ji Wushang glanced coldly at Aunt Bai, then nodded to the maids.
Immediately, the maids all left, and "Aunt Qin" reappeared in front of Aunt Bai. "You killed my child, and you want to kill me too! I want revenge! I want revenge!" she said, as if she was about to step forward.
Aunt Bai was terrified. "You, you, if you don't die, if your child doesn't die, how can I possibly stay in this mansion!"
"You vicious woman, you will die a horrible death, you will die a horrible death..." After saying this, he was about to strangle Aunt Bai. Aunt Bai's vision went black, and she finally fainted in terror.
Ji Wushang gestured to Tie Yi, who immediately stepped forward to check on Aunt Bai. Seeing that she had indeed fainted, Tie Yi gave the signal to let Ji Wushang in.
The maids immediately put away all the props, ropes, and so on.
Ji Wushang looked at Aunt Bai, felt her pulse; it was erratic, her heartbeat irregular. He released her wrist and looked at her. At this moment, he could easily use medicine to abort her child, but Ji Wushang didn't do that.
It's not worth it to let her off so easily.
Ji Wushang took out a silver needle and inserted it into Aunt Bai's hair before turning to them and saying, "You all know that she was the one who did everything, harming Aunt Qin and her child. But I can't tell you because you don't know what kind of power she has behind her, and I don't know either. If it weren't for such a powerful backing, Aunt Qin would never have fallen for her tricks!"
Everyone fell silent.
"Let's go. She'll get her just desserts. She's been frightened tonight; she'll have plenty of time to be afraid in the future." Ji Wushang glanced at Aunt Bai one last time. "She'll suffer slowly, and who knows if the child she gives birth to will be healthy!"
These last words sent a chill down everyone's spines; this young lady was someone they absolutely mustn't offend.
Ji Wushang and the others quickly evacuated.
Before dawn the next day, everyone was already up and making preparations.
While Ji Wushang was having breakfast, Aunt Qin finally woke up. The first thing she saw when she opened her eyes was Ji Wushang standing by her side. Looking at her and all the servants kneeling in the room, Aunt Qin was filled with gratitude.
"Young Miss."
“Auntie is weak, there’s no need for her to talk.” Ji Wushang looked at her and then said, “You all get up. Auntie won’t make you kneel any longer, will she? You’ve been kneeling all night.” Ji Wushang exaggerated a bit, but Auntie Qin didn’t ask any more questions. Instead, she nodded, her eyes filled with tears.
“Aunt, I just wanted to know what was going on. Do you know that some cursed dolls were found in your room?” Ji Wushang chuckled dryly. “Those are cursing the people in our household! Even me, I wrote ‘worse than death’ on them!” Ji Wushang’s tone turned cold.
Aunt Qin was startled, then shook her head violently, "No, no, someone must have framed me!"
"I know someone framed you, so you have to tell me what happened, otherwise I can't help you." Ji Wushang looked at her and sighed helplessly.
"Yes." Aunt Qin listened and then told the whole story.
It turned out that when those "high monks" entered, they were stopped by the head maid, Zhu Cui. However, before they could ask many questions, they were pushed aside. Zhu Cui was knocked down and hit her head on the wall, immediately losing consciousness.
Those people immediately rushed into the house and, without saying a word, began to perform rituals on Aunt Qin. Aunt Qin was terrified and tried to struggle, but one of them stuffed an unknown small pill into her mouth. Instantly, she was tormented, suffering unbearable pain, but she could not make a sound. Meanwhile, those people caused chaos and beat Aunt Qin!
After hearing this, Ji Wushang didn't know what to say. What kind of world was this? How could someone be infiltrated and beaten up like this?
"Was it Aunt Bai who made it?" Ji Wushang asked.
“It was Steward Xue. They thought I had fainted and didn’t know what was going on, so they started hurling insults and saying that once this was done, they would ask Steward Xue for extra money,” Aunt Qin said.
"Steward Xue?" Ji Wushang recalled his face. Wasn't Steward Xue always colluding with Concubine Bai and working for her? "This matter was probably instigated by Concubine Bai. Last night, we..." Ji Wushang recounted the whole story.