Chapter 348 Ghostly Encounter

hildren”Xu Huaiyi remained silent.This silent demeanor, in the eyes of the couple living in the small two-room house, was taken as acquiescence.“That silver wasn't wasted for nothing, was it If I had...Yao Changming's appearance at this moment was truly horrifying. He was completely naked, making his actions even more visible. His fatty flesh trembled uncontrollably, and his face was ashen with no blood whatsoever. His eyes were wide open, staring intently as if something terrifying was in front of him. His teeth clacked together incessantly, the sound echoing eerily in the otherwise silent room, sending chills down one's spine.

"Second brother" Yao Changjun prided himself on his courage, yet he stood frozen in place, unable to take a step forward to investigate.

He called out carefully, but Yao Changming didn't react at all. He looked like his soul had left his body. His heart skipped a beat. What kind of horrifying thing must he have seen

"Second brother!"

His voice rose in pitch, and he shouted again. However, this shout failed to bring Yao Changming's lost soul back either.

"Master Old, Master Second… you two look like…" The steward of the Yao residence struggled to get up from the ground, trembling as he reminded, "Like you've lost your souls..."

Yao Changjun's pupils shrank upon hearing this. At this moment, the servants outside had already been splashed with cold water and woken up, but their reactions were almost synchronized – they all scrambled to their feet shouting, "Ghost! There's a ghost! Help!" The courtyard echoed with their terrified cries, one after another. Even when reprimanded by the head guard, they couldn't contain themselves.

"Master, you see this matter..."

"Have them all brought to one room and restrained. Control those in the other rooms as well. Anyone who dares to spread rumors, gossip, and sow discord will be put to death by me!"

"Yes, Master..." The steward frowned, thinking to himself, "With so many mouths in the whole house, how can anyone possibly control them"

"Hurry and call Dr. Li!"

Yes, Master...

Dr. Li was the imperial physician for the Yao family. While his medical skills weren't exceptional, it was more convenient to have him around. Many aristocratic families in the capital would employ their own doctors. Firstly, they could be summoned at any time, saving precious time. Secondly, they were discreet and trustworthy. Which family didn't have some embarrassing secrets Using an outside doctor easily risked spreading gossip, so having a personal physician was much more reassuring.

While the steward was away delivering the orders, Yao Changjun tried calling out twice more. However, Yao Changming remained unresponsive. His heart sank a little with each passing moment. His brows furrowed in worry, and he paced anxiously around the room.

At this moment, his attendant walked in with a pale face and reported, "Master, I asked each of them, and they all said that they saw... saw a ghost, and fainted from fright..."

Yao Changjun's eyes widened, and he shouted angrily, "Ghost Nonsense! Don't talk nonsense about ghosts and demons. What ghost Do you believe it"

Chang followed behind, head bowed and trembling, "Master, I wouldn't believe it either, but they all swear on their lives that they saw a ghost. I could tell they weren't lying. They said the ghost was eight feet tall with copper-colored eyes that were bleeding. It had a pale face and a blood-red mouth, black from head to toe, like…like the Underworld's Black Impermanence."

"Nonsense! I think someone is trying to play tricks!" Even though Yao Changjun's heart was pounding, he couldn't agree. If he showed even a hint of hesitation, the Yao family would become the subject of gossip. It might be fine if people just talked about it for fun, but what if someone took this opportunity to slander them and damage their reputation

In the past, seeing Yao Changjun speak so harshly, Chang Sui would have shut his mouth long ago. But at this moment, he couldn't help himself; his heart was too panicked. He subconsciously wanted to vent, "My lord, it's possible... possible that they're not faking it. They said, that ghost, appears and disappears without a trace, sometimes here, sometimes gone, flickering in and out of sight, its feet never touching the ground, like it's flying. If it were a human pretending, how would they do it Even the most skilled martial arts masters wouldn't be able to pull it off..."

>Yao Changjun felt a chill run down his spine. He involuntarily took two steps back, collapsing onto the stool and muttering, "How is this possible No, it's impossible. That kind of thing, why would it come to the Yao family Could it be..."

He stiffly turned his neck, slowly looking at Yao Changming. Yang Changming eerily maintained his previous posture, his body still trembling, the sound of his upper and lower teeth grinding together was simply chilling.

He suddenly couldn't sit still, just as he was about to get up and leave, Li, the doctor from the mansion, carrying his medicine box, hurried in. In this cold weather, he had sweated profusely. Seeing Yao Changjun, he bowed first, "My lord..."

Yao Changjun waved his hand, "Go and see the two old masters quickly."

"Yes..."

Li Dafu heard rumors of a haunting in the mansion on his way there. They said that the second master had been so frightened by the ghost that his soul had left his body. He didn't believe it at first, thinking it was absurd. But after just one glance, he believed it three parts. This appearance clearly showed someone who had been terrified beyond measure, their soul seemingly gone. His gaze swept downwards and his heart skipped a beat. He had a bad feeling about this. At this moment, however, he couldn't afford to think about anything else. The most important thing was to wake up the second master first.

Taking out the silver needles, he busied himself on Yao Changming's plump body for less than a cup of tea before Yao Changming showed signs of reaction.

He instinctively wanted to duck back, as if fearing the monster before him would pounce and eat him. He rasped, "Ghost, ghost, there's a ghost! Come on, there's a ghost!"

The more he shouted, the louder he became, struggling with all his might. Dr. Li and the steward pressed down on him simultaneously before barely subduing him. With a swift motion, one removed the needle, while the other soothed him earnestly, "Second Master, don't be afraid. There are no ghosts. Look closely, it's me, and Dr. Li is treating you. Don't move, or else the needle might go astray and hurt you..."

Whether it was the words that worked, or the acupuncture, after all the tossing and turning, Yao Changming's body was drenched in sweat. His eyes finally regained some clarity, but his face remained pale and sickly. He looked weak, as if drained of blood by a ghost, lying on the bed, gasping for breath heavily, as if he might faint again at any moment.

The butler helped him tuck the blanket in and cover up his shame.

Dr. Li closed his eyes and felt his pulse, his expression looking very serious.

Yao Changjun took two steps forward and sized up his younger brother, tentatively asking, "Second brother, how are you doing now"

Yao Changming slowly raised his head, the fear in his eyes hadn't subsided, mixed with a few points of panic and uneasiness, he stammered, "Big brother, I, I'm not feeling well, I might be dying..."

"Don't talk nonsense!" Yao Changjun saw his terrified expression, feeling both heartache and anger. "What exactly happened before Tell me everything clearly, without any omissions!"

Yao Changming, upon hearing this, instinctively shivered again, shaking his head and saying, "I, I don't know, I don't know anything. Big brother, please let me go, I'll be dead for sure. Big brother, save me..."

He was rambling incoherently, and towards the end, he suddenly broke down into a fit of sobbing. His tears and snot flowed freely, he looked utterly pathetic.

Seeing this, Yao Changjun was also helpless. He composed himself and walked to the door, leaving the steward behind to comfort Yao Changming. After Dr. Li had finished feeling his pulse, he called out and asked, "How is the second master's condition"

"Dr. Li went on to speak a bunch of technical jargon, and finally said with difficulty, 'The two elders have been startled, the rest are easy to treat, just take a few doses of calming soup, and then supplemented with acupuncture, only, only that place…'"

What he said was subtle, but Yao Changjun understood it clearly. Thinking back to the scene he had seen when he first entered the room, his face changed, "How could this be"

"Fear harms the kidneys, and fright startles the qi."

"...And then it will affect the children's relationships in the future..."

Dr. Li lowered his head and said with difficulty, "I'm afraid your children will have shallow relationships, and even marriage..."

That's very unrealistic.

Yao Changjun's body swayed. It was as if a bolt from the blue had struck him. Although his younger brother already had a son, only one child was too vulnerable. The boy was only six years old this year, and there were too many uncertainties. What if he couldn't be raised Wouldn't his younger brother's lineage be cut off then

Besides being unable to afford a house, which is cruel for men, it would be a great shame if it were spoken aloud.

After a moment, he calmed down and asked, "Can it still be cured"

Dr. Li didn't dare to say it outright and vaguely said, "You can invite a few more doctors to try."

Yao Changjun closed his eyes. If that were the case, his Yao family would truly be the laughingstock. "Go get some medicine. Remember, you're not to tell anyone about what happened tonight."

"Yes, Master..." Dr. Li left with a heavy heart. He could keep his mouth shut, but how long could this be kept secret It was only a matter of time before it came out. Then he would be implicated as well.

After standing outside for a while, Yao Changjun finally composed himself and entered the room. At this point, Yao Changming's spirit seemed to have returned. He was wearing a middle garment and leaning against the headboard, his face still pale but looking much calmer.

"Big brother!"

"Second brother, are you feeling better"

"Much better, didn't mean to trouble you..."

"We're brothers, there's no need to speak those outlandish words."

The two brothers chatted for a few words. Just as Yao Changming was about to get to the point, his elder brother raised his hand to interrupt him. He looked puzzled, "What's wrong, Big Brother"

Yao Changjun glared at the back, instructing his steward, "Take that eyesore out and kill it!"

The steward was not surprised in the least. He readily replied and called over two young servants to wrap the man in a blanket haphazardly and carry him out.

From beginning to end, the woman never woke up.

Yao Changming didn't stop him, but he was a little embarrassed and subconsciously explained, "Brother, I was impulsive for a moment..."

Yao Changjun waved his hand. "Alright, let's just drop this and not talk about it again. In the future, we should be more careful."

"Don't worry, big brother, I definitely won't make this kind of mistake again..." He shouldn't have had those extra cups of alcohol. He lost control after getting drunk, but this sort of thing isn't uncommon. It could just be said that he was unlucky and happened to get into trouble at that particular time.

Thinking of the scene I saw before, I couldn't help but shiver again.

Yao Changjun frowned and asked, "What's going on"

Yao Changming's lips trembled as he spoke, his voice laced with fear and anxiety. "Big brother, I was... I was... in the act with that wretch, when suddenly a ghostly figure emerged from the room. Its face was ghastly pale, with blood dripping from its eyes..."

"Wait, you said it just popped out of nowhere"

"Yes, it just appeared suddenly, out of nowhere. It materialized before my eyes, and... there was light..."

"What light"

"No, I don't know. It wasn't a candle or oil lamp, nor a glowstone. I've never seen that kind of light before..."

What else

"The apparition suddenly appeared and then inexplicably vanished. I mean, it just disappeared from thin air! It didn't run away; it truly vanished. Then, out of nowhere, it reappeared in its original spot. It would appear and disappear at will—it was terrifying..."

He started trembling, overcome by fear. He was like a nervous wreck, pulling the blankets up to cover his head as if that would block out the disturbing images in his mind. He muttered to himself, "Ghost...it's a ghost..."

Yao Changjun's skin crawled. He knew his younger brother well; he wasn't a cowardly person and was usually shrewd and perceptive, definitely not the type to speak rashly or be swayed by hearsay. So when his brother spoke like this, Yao Changjun believed most of it, but still couldn't help but ask unwillingly, "Could you be seeing things"

Yao Changming shook his head. "No, no, I saw it clearly. And that wretch, she fainted from seeing the ghost too, right Oh, and the maidservant outside, didn't she also say she saw it If one person could be mistaken, is it possible that everyone else has gone blind It was a ghost, big brother, truly a ghost…"

Yao Changjun gritted his teeth and said, "But our Yao family, how could we possibly have that kind of thing come in"

What does that mean

To put it mildly, if someone with ill intentions finds out, they will surely make a big fuss.

"Big brother, no matter how it came or why it came, the most important thing is to ask someone to get rid of that ghost first. Taoists are skilled in exorcism and catching ghosts, yes, big brother, you should quickly have someone inquire about which Taoist temple has powerful Taoists, come and catch the ghost as soon as possible, otherwise, who knows who the ghost might harm next time..."

Yao Changjun's heart skipped a beat, and he slammed his fist on the table. "You're right, we must invite a Taoist priest to catch the ghost. We need a powerful one! Butler, go arrange it immediately, no matter how much silver it costs."

"Yes, Master!" The steward replied, then began racking his brains about which Taoist in the capital had the biggest reputation. To invite someone, he naturally wanted to invite the best.

At this moment, Chang Sui suddenly stumbled in, his face even paler than when he was talking about ghosts earlier. "Master," he cried out, "it's terrible! The study... the study has been robbed..."

"What" Yao Changjun sprang to his feet. "The study was robbed How could the study be robbed What about the guards outside"

Chang followed suit, stammering, "I don't know why, I fainted..."

What does it mean to faint for no reason

"That's right, after waking them up, they themselves couldn't explain why they fainted. They said they felt a pain in their legs, and then they passed out. After waking up, they checked their bodies and found no signs of a fight, only a red spot on their legs, as if they had been bitten by something..."

Yao Changjun roared angrily, "A bunch of trash!"

Chang Sui knelt on the ground, trembling as he pleaded for forgiveness. "Master, please calm your anger! Tonight's events were truly sinister…"

"Shut up, you idiot!"

"Yes, Master..."

Yao Changjun panted a few times, then steadied his mind. "Second brother, you rest first. I'll go take a look in the study. We'll talk later."

Yao Changming hurriedly said, "Big brother, you should go quickly, that's the real important thing."

The study is a forbidden place. If thieves were to enter, stealing just gold and silver wouldn't be so bad, but if they saw something they shouldn't have, the Yao family would be in grave danger.

At this moment, the news that the study was robbed overshadowed all other worries.

Yao Changjun's face was ashen, and he hurried away. He dashed all the way, entered his study, and without even glancing at the empty shelves, went straight to his desk. His eyes scanned every inch like a scanner, finding no sign of disturbance. He breathed a sigh of relief, then opened the secret compartment and checked again. All the letters were there, and none of the pages in the ledger were missing. Muttering "Thank heavens," he slumped into his chair, exhausted, and began to assess what was missing from the room.

Almost all the jade ornaments and paintings were gone. Even the small box of gold he had hidden was nowhere to be found. He felt heartbroken, but there was no fear in his heart. Thankfully, they only stole money; otherwise, the Yao family would have been ruined.idn't have much to say, just a simple greeting, but it seemed to put their minds at ease."Wai Yi, are you back""Oh, you're back. Have you eaten""I'm having some soup, the family made some bone broth....