Chapter 580: Chapter 572 Master is not… such a bad person
Whether Master Tai Cheng will settle accounts with Qin Liuxi remains to be seen, but Qin Liuxi is playing it by ear, nonchalant about whether the other party finds out it was her doing. If things really come down to it, she can cunningly argue that it was Taiyang who first intended to harm her. As the saying goes, ‘an elder brother is like a father,’ and since Taiyang did not learn well, it is up to his fellow brother to shoulder the responsibility.
Moreover, she has, in any case, pulled some strings to send several small merits his way. By killing Xu Gong, hasn’t she indirectly prevented many innocents or vindictive souls from falling into his hands? It’s like killing one to save many, and the merit should be credited to him.
So, it really isn’t her fault. She’s done a good deed, and strictly speaking, he owes her a favor.
Hearing this sophistry, Teng Zhao was like, right, right, everything you say is correct, the dead can be spoken back to life.
With a chuckle, Qin Liuxi pulled the residual soul of Dai Rong that was attached to a little paper doll out. The soul was reduced to a mere wisp, devoid of any energy, and looked as if it would disperse at any moment.
She took some vermillion and tore another paper figure, which she dotted with the vermillion for the facial features, then drew a Soul Calming Talisman on the paper figure’s body. Only then did she reattach Dai Rong’s residual soul to the figure, and sealed the paper figure inside the Ghost Drum. She instructed Teng Zhao: “Recite the Soul Calming Spell to her daily, and then recite the Suiyuan Wangsheng Scripture for her salvation.”
Teng Zhao looked at the Ghost Drum and said, “Master, she has harmed the living as well. Why would you still keep her soul? Wouldn’t it be her own choice to be scattered in soul and spirit?”
“It is her choice, so I won’t interfere. Whatever she wants to do, she may, because that was the killing karma the person had to pay back. It’s cause and effect, retribution, and the outcome has nothing to do with others. Whether I choose to keep this act of kindness is also my choice,” Qin Liuxi explained, “In your master’s eyes, there is no such principle that ‘those who are different from us must have ulterior motives,’ nor is there any twisted logic that the living should inherently be nobler, because before the dead became ghosts, they were also living humans. Take Dai Rong for instance, a woman wronged and killed by a villain; an eye for an eye is fair justice, and that’s cause and effect. You say she’s wrong in harming the living, but when she was alive, she too was a defenseless mortal, and that person spared her not, this unfortunate woman, did he?”
Teng Zhao seemed to have an epiphany.
Qin Liuxi patted his shoulder and said, “What is just depends on the heart of the beholder. If you are unsure of right and wrong, then follow your heart, but remember one thing – no matter what you do, do not harm the innocent.”
Teng Zhao nodded.
Qin Liuxi touched the Ghost Drum and whispered, “Cruelties in the world are not limited to one case; there are many people or ghosts we cannot save completely. To encounter them is merely a good causality.”
…
After the palace examination results were announced, several noteworthy events spread through Shengjing.
First, naturally, was the story of the top scorer, who after becoming the overall top scorer and passed the smaller exams, married a young girl, accomplishing a double celebration of getting on the gold list and enjoying the wedding chamber, one of the four great joys. They say that more than half of the scholars who went to celebrate have returned.
Second, the girl of the Tong Family, of the Imperial Academy National Scholar, who had been foolish for seven years, was startled by a wild horse on her way back to the city and took fright. They called a Daoist doctor to examine and prescribe, and now she’s fully recovered and no longer foolish.
It’s said that the Daoist doctor who treated Miss Tong and the Old Lady of the Lin Xiang’s family is the same person. Suddenly, those suffering from strange illnesses and chronic diseases were sending invitation cards like snowflakes to Lin Xiang, Mr. Xiong, and Heir Jing of Marquis Chang’an Mansion.
Indeed, after Marquis Chang’an sent his stepwife and stepson to the manor for recuperation (under strict watch), he spent a night in deep discussion with the Old Lady of Marquis Chang’an Mansion. The next day, he presented a memorial to request the appointment of an heir.
It’s not clear how Marquis Chang’an, before the Saint as if he were his grandson, beseeched so effectively. The imperial edict came down the very next day, and now Jing Si is the Young Master Heir of Marquis Chang’an Mansion.
With the imperial decree announced, it has been said that Mr. Xiong, who everyone thought was a miserly uncle of Heir Jing, hosted two rounds of wine banquets to celebrate with his colleagues.
Noble and powerful families have quick access to news; it actually was Mr. Xiong’s second son and Heir Jing who introduced the Daoist doctor to Madam Lin. In other words, they were the ones who truly knew the Daoist doctor. Hence, the invitation cards seeking introductions were sent to them, with some also reaching the Lin and Tong families.
Xiong Er might be a bear (in name), but he did not dare to decide on behalf of Qin Liuxi; he simply directed them to send their cards to Jiuxuan Auction Hall. Of course, for those who were especially close and of good character, they would seek Qin Liuxi privately on their behalf.
Lin Xiang’s family had no intention to take on the role of mediator or to accept the propriety involved; similarly, they directed people to send their cards to Jiuxuan, reasoning far more than youngsters like Xiong Er.
Being a mediator, if they successfully made the introduction and Qin Liuxi did indeed resolve the other party’s difficulty, he could exchange that for many favors. But for someone like him, situated in a high position, too many favors aren’t necessarily a good thing, because they could attract the Saint’s jealousies.
So the Lin family directed those who sought introductions to send their cards to Jiuxuan Auction Hall, leaving the decision to Qin Liuxi.
As a result, Jiuxuan Auction Hall, which had already announced they would host an auction following the palace examination, was buzzing with excitement even before it commenced, all because people wanted to meet with Qin Liuxi.
Those with discerning minds couldn’t help but wonder, why would a Daoist doctor reside in the Jiuxuan Auction Hall? What connection could there be between her and the mysterious Jiuxuan?
Besides pleasant affairs, another topic that people eagerly discussed was the sudden severe illness of Mr. Wen Yuan, the fifth-place winner of the palace exams from the Changchuan Marquis Mansion, who was now bedridden. It was said that the Changchuan Marquis Mansion had even sent people out to purchase funeral garments.
As soon as these rumors emerged, they were relished by the public. Those unaware of the details couldn’t help but express their sympathy. After all, enduring hardships to study and achieving such a good result, only to be unable to make use of it before having no future to speak of – wasn’t that pitiable?
Qin Liuxi, sitting inside the carriage, sneered at these rumors. Sympathy? If these people knew what sins he had committed, they would probably be horrified.
Teng Zhao glanced at her and said, “Actually, what they’re talking about most fervently is how such a large Changchuan Marquis Mansion could be burglarized.”
Qin Liuxi’s motion of drinking tea paused, and she asked, “Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Did you go and play the thief after I fell asleep?”
Qin Liuxi slapped the kang table, pretending to be serious, “Nonsense, would your master be such a villain? It wasn’t me!”
It was a dead ghost who stole it.
Nameless dead ghost: It’s clearly you who forced me!
Teng Zhao laughed, “You didn’t do it yourself, but it was indeed you who gave the order.”
“That Cheng Wenyan really is bad seed, who knows what he was thinking, to mix human flesh and blood into the porcelain. Even though their souls are no longer present, that beauty bottle still radiates with hateful resentful energy,” Qin Liuxi said.
Teng Zhao looked down and suggested, “Actually, you should have waited for him to die completely from the invasion of that resentful energy before taking those items back.”
Qin Liuxi’s eyes widened, “Zhaozhao, you’re still a baby, how can you be so cruel?”
Teng Zhao: “…”
Qin Liuxi added another thought, “Letting him die easily, how could those girls find peace? Lingering on in feeble health is the real torment.”
Teng Zhao exchanged a glance with her, laughing, “Who’s the cruel one?”
“Junior Temple Master, we’ve arrived at the Sun Family.” After the carriage stopped, Lin Qingying quickly approached their vehicle to seek guidance.
Qin Liuxi handed the medicine chest to Teng Zhao, “Let’s go, let’s earn some incense money for the Grandmaster.”