Une aura glaçante

Chapitre 38

“Thanks to this wooden figure.” Madam Chong smiled shyly. “I locked myself away to work on it, not seeing anyone. I hadn’t finished it after half a month and was feeling frustrated when he climbed over the wall and came in. It turned out that he hadn’t seen me for half a month and thought I was impatient and didn’t want to wait for him anymore, so he quickly married me.”

Xiaoyue and Xiaodao exchanged a smile.

"It's a pity," the old lady sighed, "not all wooden figures get to meet their owners before they're finished. Some of them go mad after they're done."

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【木仆尾】

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"That old nun is also making wooden figures. Could it be that she has someone she wants to protect?" Xiao Dao asked the old lady curiously. "But the wooden figures she makes are so big, just like real people. Also, they are made of women."

The old lady nodded and said in a low voice, "Did you notice the many wooden stakes near that temple?"

"Yes!" Xiao Dao nodded quickly. "Many of them were probably chopped up to make traps, right?"

"Some are for sale." The old lady carefully put the wooden figure away and placed it next to the memorial tablet. She sat back down and continued, "There are wood sellers at Xianyun Temple. You can buy whatever size you want. Large wooden stakes are more expensive, and you can buy them to make adult figures. Small wooden stakes are cheaper, and most girls buy small wooden figures. Usually, if you buy a large one, you don't take it back. You just pay some money, and the old nun will make it into a wooden figure for you. She is very skilled."

"Oh..." Xiao Dao finally understood. He said, "This old nun is quite good at making money. Such a big mountain, how much silver would she get if she sold it all?"

"Did that old nun use some kind of witchcraft?" Xiaoyue asked. "Can making a wooden dummy really control a loved one?"

The old lady didn't answer, but instead asked, "Girl, do you have someone you like?"

Xiaoyue was stunned for a moment, unsure whether Shen Xinghai could be considered her sweetheart. Then, thinking that the young master would be getting married in a few days, she became depressed.

Madam Chong had also heard Chonghua talk about her background and knew that she was stubborn. "If it were you, would you be able to carve a wooden figure?" she asked, glancing at Xiaodao as she did so.

Xiaoyue and Xiaodao shook their heads together, "No way."

"You know, back then, a lot of girls made wooden dolls. Some, like me, got married before they were done well, while others did well but went crazy."

"Gone mad?" Xiao Dao thought of the woman in white. "How could that be?"

"Back then, besides Wen Si, who was the mainstay of the Wen family troupe, there was also Miss Liao San, Liao Xiaoqing. Everyone in Jinling City knew that the two of them were a perfect match. Although Wen Si was a womanizer, Liao San was the one he was going to marry, which was something he often said." The old lady said, sighing softly, "Unfortunately, fate is unpredictable. Wen Si met the daughter of the Zhai family by chance and fell head over heels for her. The two were a perfect match, and they got married after knowing each other for only a few months."

"Huh?" Xiao Dao exclaimed in surprise, "So Liao Xiaoqing has gone mad?"

The old lady shook her head. "I don't know. Miss Liao disappeared after the two of them got married. Many people said she left in a huff, and everyone felt sorry for her. Even Wen Si didn't know where she went. People aren't plants or trees. Wen Si searched for her everywhere."

Xiao Dao frowned. "Sigh, could it be that Miss Liao got married and became a nun? And she even ran into a temple run by a sorceress."

“I heard from a maid the other day that someone saw Liao San near Xianyun Temple, acting crazy and singing ‘The Phoenix Hairpin’,” the old lady said helplessly. “I didn’t believe it at the time, and soon after, the mountain was closed off. Coincidentally, you were investigating Xianyun Mountain, which reminded me of the old nun and the mountain woman. Maybe it’s because I’m getting old, but I always feel that this temple and these wooden figures are a bit strange, and besides…”

"The old lady feels sorry for Liao Xiaoqing, doesn't she?" Xiao Dao smiled knowingly. "She's reminded of herself back then."

The old lady nodded, "If she gets stuck in a rut on her own, that's fine, but if someone harms her, then this girl is truly unfortunate."

Xiao Dao sat cross-legged on the prayer mat, chin in hand, lost in thought. After a long while, he finally asked, "Is Young Master Wen still performing?"

"He hasn't sung in a long time. Miss Zhai is very wealthy. Originally, everyone thought Wen Si was after her family's wealth, but later we didn't see him do anything. He still managed his theater peacefully. I heard that his health is not good. He moved into the theater a while ago and hasn't been home." The old lady waved her hand. "I heard it from the maids. Those young girls all like to talk about him."

Xiao Dao's meddlesome nature kicked in again, and he leaned over to Xiao Yue and asked, "Shall we go to see a play tomorrow? I want to meet Wen Si."

Xiaoyue squinted at her, "The whole city is after you, and you're still trying to run away?"

Xiao Dao felt annoyed whenever he thought of Cai Bian; he figured he could just wear a mask and go out in the street!

Before leaving, the old lady sent a maid to her room to bring back a brocade box for Xiao Dao and the others. Inside the box was a simple and elegant hairpin.

"That year, when we were rehearsing a play in my courtyard, Liao Xiaoqing dropped it and broke it," the old lady said. "That Miss Liao has a very proud temper. She said she would never wear anything that has touched the ground on her head. This hairpin was given to her by Wen Si. The two of them even had a fight about it that day. If you two want to get information out of her, try using this."

Xiao Dao, carrying the brocade box, bid farewell to Old Madam Chong and returned to their room with Xiao Yue. Back at the villa, they found Xue Beifan and Chonghua already there. Xue Beifan, who had seemed quite anxious, breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing Xiao Dao and the others return. He then asked Xiao Dao with a stern face, "Where have you been running off to again? Can't you just stay still for a while!"

Xiao Dao found the words offensive and glared at Xue Beifan, "Mind your own business!"

Xue Beifan opened his mouth, but then stopped talking, thinking to himself, "You fierce girl!"

Xiao Dao realized he'd been a bit rash after saying those words; wasn't he just being kind by being worried about Xiao Dao getting hurt or encountering danger if he went out?

With a pout, Xiao Dao added, "You yourself left without even saying a word."

Xue Beifan was taken aback and stared at her. Xiao Dao turned her head away awkwardly and went back into the house.

Xue Beifan chuckled at the door; anyone who didn't know better would think Yan Xiaodao was being affectionate with him.

Chonghua glanced at Xiaoyue, and when their eyes met, Xiaoyue looked somewhat embarrassed and hurriedly went inside.

Chonghua stood there stunned, his head buzzing. He wondered what was wrong with Xiaoyue. Could it be that Xiaodao had said something nonsense and that she knew his feelings for her?

"Sigh." Chonghua stopped Xue Beifan, who was about to go back inside. "Could you ask him for me if Xiaodao said anything?"

Xue Beifan looked at him speechlessly, "Hey, can't you show some manly spirit? Just say it directly!"

“It’s not the right time yet…” Chonghua frowned.

Xue Beifan crossed his arms and chuckled dryly, "You think of women as far too complicated. Most women are stupid and superficial. Just coax them with words. Saying a few nice things is better than being nice to them!"

As he spoke, he felt a chill run down his spine. He turned around abruptly and saw Xiaodao standing at the window. She was gripping the window with both hands, as if she had come out to close it. She had clearly overheard everything they had just said, and her eyes showed utter contempt. She glared at Xue Beifan and slammed the window shut with a "bang."

Xue Beifan was disheartened; the good impression he had just made had vanished.

Chonghua patted him on the shoulder and said, "It's easy to offend women. You can just say it. They're stupid and shallow anyway."

Xue Beifan, having been unexpectedly struck down, saw Chonghua return to his room satisfied. He stood in the courtyard with his hands on his hips, looking up at the moon—what the hell did I do to deserve this?!