Chapter 167: Hello Chang’an
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**Chapter 167: Obtained**
2023-04-16
Leaving the residence of Princess Chongyue, Duan Shi didn’t forget to show a modest smile: “...Burying that box, it was many years ago. Now, there are no old servants in the Princess’s manor, so explaining this would be troublesome. Who knows, it might even alert Holy Emperor.”
“Holy Emperor is busy with ancestral rites, and with the recent troubles in Yangzhou, it’s a time of great distress... At such a critical juncture, if I were to trouble Holy Emperor over a trivial matter, what would that look like?”
Chang Suining nodded in admiration: “Madam, you think of everything.”
Duan Shi continued: “And we’ve only dreamt of a few clues; whether we’ll find it or not is still unknown. It’s just an attempt. Just imagine, if we were to act rashly on a half-believed dream during the Double Ninth Festival, it would make us seem too suspicious, as if we are mad and unclear in our minds... Ning Ning, isn’t that so?”
Chang Suining nodded again: “Exactly.”
Duan Shi concluded: “In the end, I’m just getting back what belongs to me... There’s no reason to call it ‘stealing.’”
In any case, the image in front of the juniors must still be preserved. If the children were led astray, it would be a grave mistake.
As soon as Duan Shi finished speaking, she saw a female servant pass by and quickly tugged Chang Suining down to squat, holding their breath to hide in the bushes.
The servant who followed suit was close to tears.
The madam had just claimed it wasn’t stealing, but her actions and demeanor clearly said otherwise...
In the end, the only thing pure about Madam was her mouth!
Who would have thought that someone working as a servant for the wife of Marquis Zheng would end up in such a predicament?
He had been so proud when Madam chose him from the crowd this morning, picking him because of his broad chest that towered over the others. He’d been boasting to himself.
It wasn’t until Madam had given him five taels of silver that he realized today would be no small task... Now, it seemed that not only was it a big task, but if he wasn’t careful, it could turn into a big disaster.
The servant holding the box cursed himself for his earlier arrogance. He wished he could give himself a good beating.
After the female servant left, the group of them stealthily emerged from the bushes.
Luckily, the Princess’s manor was unoccupied, and there weren’t many servants. With Chang Suining’s deliberate detour, they rarely encountered anyone else after that.
“It seems to be the garden ahead.”
After leading Duan Shi around two other gardens, ensuring no one followed or noticed, Chang Suining pointed ahead.
Duan Shi was a bit uncertain: “...Are you sure?”
Chang Suining nodded: “It looks just like it did in the dream.”
Duan Shi’s expression became complicated, with a hint of hesitation.
“Madam, what’s wrong?” Chang Suining asked knowingly.
“Did you see? This is the only garden in the whole Princess’s manor that is poorly maintained. There’s a reason for it; I’ve heard Her Highness mention it before...” Duan Shi’s tone grew tense: “This garden has ghosts, and no one dares to go near it.”
Chang Suining gave a knowing look.
No wonder she buried it here.
Had it been anywhere else, Duan Zhenyi might have dug it up already.
She seemed to hesitate for a moment: “If Madam is truly scared, we don’t have to go.”
The servant, feeling the danger of today’s tasks, nodded eagerly, agreeing: it’s better to turn back!
Duan Shi looked up at the sky: “It’s broad daylight; it should be fine…”
Then, she suddenly tensed. Today was the Festival!
If the ghosts could make trouble on ordinary days, wouldn’t they cause a ruckus today, changing tactics and making more noise than ever?
Realizing this, Duan Shi took two steps back.
She had always believed in ghosts and spirits, otherwise, she wouldn’t be standing here now for the sake of a dream.
Now, feeling uneasy, she said, “Then... maybe we should go back.”
Just as the servant was about to breathe a sigh of relief, he heard the four magical words that could overcome any obstacle—
“We’ve already come this far.”
Chang Suining looked at the garden ahead and suggested, “How about Madam waits here while I go take a look?”
Duan Shi was tempted. If it weren’t for the responsibility of being an elder, she would almost have nodded.
She grabbed the young girl’s arm. “Silly child... aren’t you afraid?”
“Don’t worry, Madam. I’m not afraid of such things.”
If she were, she would have died of fright looking in the mirror every day.
Even if there were ghosts, they couldn’t possibly be more terrifying than her. With all the bloodshed she’s caused, even the ghosts in the underworld would avoid her.
“Madam, just wait here,” Chang Suining said, turning to the servant. “Let’s go.”
The servant blinked. “?”
Couldn’t he accompany Madam? But hearing Madam’s seemingly hesitant words, it was clear that a decision had already been made. “Then... should I stay and keep watch?”
Chang Suining nodded.
It was fine to not take Duan Shi’s things, but when it came to her own belongings, she couldn’t let them go.
However, just as she and the servant had taken a few steps, Duan Shi gritted her teeth and followed them.
“No, I can’t just leave... I’m still worried. We’ll go together,” Duan Shi said, grabbing Chang Suining’s arm and speaking with the tone of an elder, “How can I let you, a child, take such a risk alone?”
In the box were a few books with somewhat improper contents. If this child became curious and looked through them, not only would her hopes of becoming a mother-in-law be dashed, but she might struggle to live a normal life.
This was one of the reasons she had chosen to sneak here.
Moreover... if there were indeed ghosts, she would be even more frightened alone—at least she could have company if they went together!
So, they all ended up sneaking into the small garden.
The garden had long been abandoned, with overgrown, dried-up weeds reaching higher than a person. The atmosphere was desolate, with signs of decay everywhere. Only a few chrysanthemums were quietly blooming, and the wind passing through the cobweb-covered corridors made a moaning sound, which made Duan Shi want to moan herself.
She fought to suppress her fear, scanning the surroundings, trying not to think of the terrifying things.
“Peach tree...” Duan Shi pointed ahead. “There’s one over there!”
Chang Suining looked at the old peach tree. “It looks a bit like it.”
Saying this, she walked over to confirm.
Duan Shi, holding her arm, followed closely behind.
As they walked, Duan Shi suddenly seemed lost in thought, subconsciously glancing at the young girl beside her.
Strangely enough, this child was just a junior to her, but for some reason, she felt much more at ease just following her.
The girl walked calmly toward the peach tree, her gaze steady, as if she wasn’t afraid at all, or even concerned about any ghosts or evil spirits.
Duan Shi gripped the seemingly slender arm, and without thinking, she tightened her hold. To her surprise, the young girl’s arm was much more solid than it appeared!
It seemed that courage was directly linked to strength.
This phrase had been said by Her Highness, and at that moment, Duan Shi suddenly thought of him.
She used to like wrapping her arm around Her Highness’s, following him as he told her thrilling tales of the battlefield.
Now, as she looked at the young girl’s profile, Duan Shi had a fleeting illusion... It felt like she was young again, Her Highness was still with her, and she was still Her Highness’s shadow, with Her Highness’s arm meant only for her to hold.
In the past, whenever Her Highness returned to the capital as a princess, besides her clothes and jewelry, there was always the presence of Duan Zhenyi hanging by Her Highness’s side.
As Duan Shi turned her head, lost in thought, Chang Suining had already stopped.
Duan Shi was about to move forward, nearly bumping into the peach tree, but fortunately, Chang Suining pulled her back just in time.
Chang Suining looked at her and asked, “Madam, are you really scared?”
At this rate, would this fright wipe out what little brainpower Duan Zhenyi had left?
“... It’s eerie,” Duan Shi replied, snapping back to reality. She cautiously glanced around, then looked at the peach tree. “Is it really here?”
“It’s just like in the dream,” Chang Suining said. “Shall we dig and see?”
Duan Shi gestured for the servant to approach.
The servant opened the box, which appeared empty at first glance, but there was a compartment at the bottom, hiding a small shovel.
Chang Suining measured the distance with her steps and pointed to a spot five steps away from the peach tree. “Try digging here.”
The servant began to dig. Today, the five liang of silver he had earned felt worth the risk of this sharp and bloody job.
Fortunately, it had rained a few days ago, and since this area was rarely visited, the soil was soft enough to dig through.
At this moment, the clouds had obscured the sunlight, casting a bit of darkness over the surroundings. Duan Shi, who was already frightened, now felt a chill run down her spine as she watched the dirt pile up beside her.
At this moment, her feelings weren’t so much about digging for treasure but more like tomb raiding.
If they were tomb raiding, then so be it. At this point, she just hoped they would find something, because they had come this far and couldn’t turn back now.
Suddenly, the servant froze. “Madam... it seems there really is something!”
Duan Shi’s eyes lit up. She let go of Chang Suining’s arm and stepped forward to take a look. “Quick, dig some more!”
The servant continued digging around the hard object. Gradually, a square shape began to emerge from the dirt.
Duan Shi was overjoyed. “It’s the box!”
She urged, “Hurry and pull it out!”
The servant responded and discarded his shovel, attempting to lift the box, which was buried quite deep.
The box was expertly crafted, and with its weight, plus the fact that it was filled with something inside, it was no easy feat to lift, even when placed on level ground. Let alone one buried so deep, its bottom seemingly rooted in the earth.
The servant struggled for quite a while but couldn’t budge it. Just as he was about to grab the shovel and loosen the soil under the box, Chang Suining’s voice rang out: “Let me do it.”
The servant was stunned. If he couldn’t lift it, how could a young girl...?
Before he could express his doubts, he saw the girl step forward. She grasped the box’s rings on either side, rocked it a few times, and then squatted slightly and, with a burst of strength, actually lifted the box!
The servant: “...”
Suddenly, he felt undeserving of the five liang of silver he had earned.
Duan Shi’s mouth fell open in surprise—those muscles on her arms were no joke!
A young girl like her would be able to easily subdue her son, who was lacking in discipline, if she were married into their family. But sadly, her son was not up to the task.
Chang Suining placed the box aside, and Duan Shi hurried over. She saw that the box was locked, and before she could worry about it, Chang Suining grabbed the servant's shovel, raised it, and with a swift “clang,” broke open the rusty lock with ease.
Chang Suining casually tossed the shovel aside. “Madam, go ahead and open it.”
Duan Shi was completely absorbed in the satisfaction of reaping the rewards without effort, her face full of comfort and a smile. She couldn’t wait to squat down and open the box.
However, as soon as her gaze fell on the contents inside, the smile on her face faded.
“Madam, is something wrong?” Chang Suining, noticing her change in expression, also crouched down to look.
“No, it’s nothing...” Duan Shi’s voice softened as she picked up a carved crane jade pendant. A wave of sadness filled her eyes. This was an item often worn by Her Highness when he was alive.
Just as Chang Suining thought she was about to break down in tears, Duan Shi choked and said, “Wei De, bring over the box we brought.”
The servant responded, placing their box beside her.
Duan Shi began putting the items from the box into her own, one by one.
Each time she picked up something, her eyes would briefly fill with sorrowful memories of the deceased, but that didn’t stop her from moving on to the next item.
The servant was sent aside to keep watch, but the curious girl by her side couldn’t be distracted. As Duan Shi reached for a few of the storybooks, her movements grew more hurried, and she no longer had the leisure to reminisce over them.
The girl, noticing, asked, “Madam, do you like reading storybooks too?”
Duan Shi suddenly tensed, her hands continuing to move quickly as she tried to sound natural. “...I don’t really care for them. It’s the late princess who liked them, so I’d occasionally read with her.”
Chang Suining replied, “...I see.”
If one day they recognized each other, it would probably be a form of torment for Duan Zhenyi.
At that moment, Duan Shi’s attention shifted to the corner of the box. As she took out most of the items, a small, unremarkable object finally came into Chang Suining’s view.
This was the very reason she had come on this trip.
Taking advantage of Duan Shi’s distraction, Chang Suining stealthily reached down to her skirt’s hem and pulled out two small stones.
A soft rustling sound came from the bushes behind them, followed by a chill breeze brushing the back of Duan Shi’s neck. This caused her to suddenly freeze in shock, her hair standing on end. She instinctively turned to look.
Chang Suining, with lightning speed, pulled the stones from her hands and let them fall to her side, asking casually, “What is Madam looking at?”
Duan Shi stiffly turned her head back, her voice trembling. “Suining, did you... hear anything strange just now?”
Chang Suining shook her head.
In her mind, she pictured Duan Shi being dragged away by a blood-covered ghost hiding in the bushes behind her, but she dared not look back. The image of bloodshot eyes staring at her from behind made her shudder. All those storybooks she had read as a youth had really ruined her!
She quickly packed up the remaining items into her box and urged the servant to return the old box and refill the hole with dirt.
But as the servant approached, Duan Shi stared at the box she had brought, which was now full of old items, and suddenly said, “Wait, something’s missing.”
Chang Suining paused.
She was this afraid, and yet still counting the items? Her meticulous recollection of everything inside suggested she might even be counting them in her dreams.
Duan Shi refused to give up and searched around the box, making sure nothing had been left behind.
If it wasn’t something she had forgotten, then there was only one possibility—it had been taken.
But who could have taken it?
Duan Shi had already formed an answer in her heart.
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