“Creak…”
Lu Sheng shut the windows firmly and turned to survey the room’s interior. He removed his coat and hung it on the wooden rack behind the door before moving toward the cupboard. Inside lay a few dull-colored ladies’ garments—the ones Sister Yu used to wear.
Closing it, he shifted to the dressing table. The simple wooden piece held no ornaments, only a lone copper mirror sitting at its center. Pink powder dusted the surface before it. Lu Sheng touched a bit with his fingertip and brought it close to his nose.
“Just ordinary cosmetic powder…”
His brow knitted.
“But Sister Yu never used any.”
Hoo—
A sudden chill swept through the room, causing the candle flame to quiver. Lu Sheng instantly tightened his grip around his saber, scanning the surroundings.
“Swish.”
A flicker of white cloth slipped past the narrow gap of the half-closed door. Lu Sheng strode forward at once.
“I clearly shut that door earlier…”
His fingers brushed the latch—an unlocked padlock dangled from it. He pushed the door open and stepped into the corridor. Cold wind surged in relentlessly.
Empty. Silent. Not a shadow in sight.
After sweeping his gaze across the dim hallway and finding nothing unusual, he returned to the room.
“Ka-cha!”163Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5Fl7946HHR
The door sealed shut behind him.
He sat beside the table, placing his saber on its surface without releasing his grip. There he waited—for the wailing said to emerge in this room.
The candle’s lonely flame struggled, shrinking dimmer with every passing breath. Time crept forward. Empowered by the Jade Crane Skill, Lu Sheng felt no fatigue. He remained alert and still, poised for the cry that might break the silence.
With nothing else to occupy him, he quietly accelerated the circulation of Jade Crane Skill within his body.
This life-force cultivation was far too stable—no matter how he pushed, it refused to waver. Time slipped by quietly, unnoticed.
A sharp cockerel crow suddenly pierced the silence. The darkness outside the window had faded into a hazy white. Only then did Lu Sheng realize he had been sitting there the entire night.
“Where’s the woman’s wail? Nothing happened at all…”
Morning light began to seep into the room, soft and faint. Lu Sheng lifted his saber, rose to his feet, and stretched his stiff limbs.
He stepped out into the corridor where dawn’s rays filtered weakly through. Entering the courtyard of the Lily Flower Room, he noticed the utensils from yesterday’s meal still scattered where they had been left.
Murmurs drifted in from outside the yard. Lu Sheng approached the entrance and pushed the gates open.
His father Lu Quanan, his sisters Lu Yingying and Lu Yiyi, along with other family members, were gathered anxiously. As the doors swung open, they all flinched and instinctively stepped back. The moment they recognized him, Lu Quanan rushed forward, worry etched deep in his face.
“Little Sheng! You’re alright!?”
Lu Sheng glanced around—everyone clutched torches, and several guards gripped naked blades. A puzzled frown creased his brow.
“What’s going on? What happened?”
Lu Quanan released a long, heavy sigh.
“Another person went missing last night.”
“What??”163Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnAbLQFoyYg
Lu Sheng’s eyes widened in disbelief.
Second Mother Liu Cuiyu stepped forward to explain.
While Lu Sheng had been keeping watch, the rest of the manor had gathered nearby. They heard no ghostly wail throughout the night. At first, everything seemed normal. The patrol guards followed their usual rounds. Others remained in their rooms—resting, or pretending to. Most were sleepless, anxiously waiting for news.
Then, something went wrong.
“Bajun… he said he was just going to the latrine… but he never came back…” A plump woman choked through sobs, clutching a handkerchief tightly in her trembling fingers.
This woman was Sun Yan’s younger sister—Sun Zining—making her Lu Sheng’s little aunt. And the one who had disappeared this time… was his cousin, Zhang Bajun. Lu Sheng was never close to Zhang Bajun. The man was addicted to gambling and lived a useless, idle life. Lu Sheng had often lectured him in the past, leading Zhang Bajun to resent and avoid him whenever possible.
Never did he expect that this time, Zhang Bajun would be the one taken. Lu Sheng’s brows tightened.
“I didn’t sleep at all last night. I stayed in that room, listening… but I didn’t hear any woman’s wail.” At his words, everyone’s expressions darkened. “What in the world is happening!?”163Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXps3oOhQv4
Little Aunt Sun Zining broke down, wailing in despair.
“Zining, don’t panic. There must be a way,” Second Mother murmured as she pulled her aside to comfort her.
“Let’s head to the Main Hall first. We’ll discuss our next move together,” Lu Quanan said with another weary sigh.
With no other choice, they left the courtyard and gathered their closest kin. Lu Quanan called for Lu Sheng, along with the eldest uncle and the core members of the family.
The heavy doors of the Main Hall were tightly shut. Each took their seat—faces drawn, the atmosphere suffocatingly grim. Eldest Uncle Lu Anping sat beside Lu Quanan, a stern figure with thick brows, sharp eyes, and a square jaw. Clad in a half-body silver-scale armor reminiscent of Song Dynasty soldiers, a ceremonial saber hung at his side—every inch a man forged in responsibility.
He spoke slowly, voice deep and steady, “The question now is whether we should involve the yamen authorities. If we still can’t find the cause, we may have no choice but to seek outside help.”
“It’s easy to invite a god in… but hard to send one away. Ai…” Lu Quanan sighed once more—his exhaustion palpable. These past days had wrung every bit of strength from him, aging his features beyond his years.
Lu Sheng remained seated at the lower side of honor, silent. Lu Quanan turned toward his son, his expression heavy. “Little Sheng, do you have anything to say? You are the future head of the Lu family. One day, this estate and all our business will rest entirely in your hands. In this situation… what do you think we should do?”
Lu Sheng closed his eyes briefly, gathering his thoughts, and was just about to speak when—
“Bad news! Bad news!”
Little Qiao’s voice rang urgently from outside the hall.
“Young Master! Brother Sheng! The men in the manor are about to flee!”
Lu Sheng immediately stood and strode to wrench the doors open. Little Qiao stood breathless at the entrance, cheeks flushed from running.
“Young Master, now that another person’s missing, Guard Commander Wang Chong has secretly escaped with a group of men! I heard it from the sisters and rushed here to report!”
“Fled?!” Lu Sheng’s eyes sharpened.
He had anticipated panic—people might slip away sooner or later. But he hadn't expected it to erupt so quickly. “Where is Wang Chong now?”
“We don’t know. They were gone before anyone realized. Zhao Fanghu and the others are gathering in the courtyard. I fear… they want to run as well!” Little Qiao added anxiously. Zhao Fanghu—another guard commander in the household.
“How many are there?” Lu Quanan pressed.
“Not sure… but many!”
“I’ll go take a look.”
Lu Sheng’s face darkened as he marched toward the courtyard. Lu Quanan and Eldest Uncle Lu Anping followed closely, their expressions equally grim.
They arrived quickly. More than twenty people had gathered—housemen, guards, and a few servant girls among them. Fear twisted every face. Some already clutched packed bags, prepared to abandon Lu Manor at any moment.
The moment Lu Sheng and his family appeared, the murmur of panic quieted slightly.
“Who is planning to leave?” Lu Sheng stepped forward, voice cold and unyielding.
“We all are!”
Zhao Fanghu pushed to the front, his eyes filled with terror and desperation.
“Young Master, we’re people too! We have lives of our own! The trouble in the Lu family—this isn’t caused by humans at all! It’s a female ghost!” Zhao Fanghu’s eyes bulged with fear, his voice cracking under terror.
“Absurd!” Lu Sheng barked, his tone cold and cutting. “Who gave you the courage to spread panic and poison the minds of others?”
“But I saw it myself! That white figure! You of the Lu family will drag us into the gra—”
SPLAT!
A spray of blood splattered across the stone ground. Zhao Fanghu’s head suddenly soared through the air and dropped with a dull thud, rolling to the feet of a young maid holding her bundle.
“Anyone who spreads lies and incites chaos… dies!!!”
Lu Sheng’s roar thundered through the courtyard as he stood gripping his saber, eyes blazing with fury.
THUD. Only then did the headless body finally topple to the earth.
“Ahhhhh!!!” The maid screamed, frozen in terror.
“SHUT UP!” Savage menace radiated from Lu Sheng’s voice. The maid slapped a trembling hand over her mouth, collapsing into tearful sobs.
No one here had ever witnessed such raw brutality. The guards and servants trembled violently—their faces drained of all color. Death hung in the air like ice.
“Return to your posts. All of you! Anyone who dares step out of line again—I’ll cut them down on the spot!”
The command cracked like iron. Fear surged through the crowd, crushing any thoughts of disobedience. Suddenly, everyone remembered—this Young Master had once slain fugitives single-handedly.
In mere seconds, the courtyard emptied as the terrified men scattered back to their places. A separate group of guards rushed in to remove the corpse, reluctant but obedient. These housemen, guards, and maidservants had signed lifetime contracts when entering Lu Manor.163Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMbAjtsTx6r
For them to attempt escape so easily…
Did they truly mistake the Lu family for benevolent saints?
“Extreme measures for extreme times—only a stopgap.” Eldest Uncle Lu Anping shook his head, eyes still fixed on Lu Sheng with a mix of surprise and something like reluctant approval.
Lu Quanan inhaled, relief and worry tangled on his face. “We must contain this for now. If it drags on, even we may have to flee.”
Lu Sheng met their gazes calmly. “Then I’ll take another watch tonight. I want to see who dares disturb my family. Father, don’t worry—I didn’t find anything last night, but there is a clue.”
Lu Quanan brightened at that. “Is that so?”
“As real as it gets.”
Eldest Uncle’s brow furrowed with practical concern. “Shall I dispatch troops?” he asked seriously.
Lu Sheng shook his head. “No rash moves. More men could become a liability—no one knows what these things can do. Let them stand guard outside the manor instead.”
“True. We’re counting on you this time, Little Sheng.” Eldest Uncle patted his shoulder, the gesture equal parts encouragement and passing of responsibility.
Lu Sheng felt the weight settle onto him—and strangely, it steadied him. His decisive handling of the courtyard had shown the household he could shoulder command and think strategically, and that knowledge comforted his father.
Eldest Uncle, though Deputy Commander in title, was a product of examinations and protocol rather than battlefield blood. The Song era’s preference for civil men over soldiers had hollowed real martial readiness. In practice, Lu Sheng had become the family’s pillar.
Lu Sheng’s thumb brushed the memory of the white robe caught at the door’s gap. His intuition traced a path forward: if he could seize the figure beneath that white robe, perhaps the mystery of the vanished people would finally unravel.
ns216.73.216.33da2
and then Add to home screen.