Chapter 157
The Tanhua Lang became the one Qiu Chi exploited.
With the emperor replaced by one of her own, Qiu Chi’s life became much more relaxed. Although she had to wake up early for court every day, it was only for a short time. The Tanhua Lang was still the one who had to handle political affairs.
The Grand Tutor no longer needed to come for lessons. If he was truly set on teaching, he could go teach the Tanhua Lang instead.
The Tanhua Lang was worked like a dog every day.
Qiu Chi, on the other hand, was incredibly carefree.
Calculating the time, Qiu Chi figured it was about time to go torment someone again, so she headed back to the General's Manor.
Jian Ninghua's injuries hadn't really healed much, but that didn't stop Qiu Chi from continuing to torment him.
The Recording Stone she had left behind had long since fallen silent. It contained only a small amount of spiritual energy, which had dissipated after playing for one night.
Nevertheless, Jian Ninghua had moved to a different courtyard, clearly still traumatized by the experience in the old one.
Qiu Chi arrived during the day. Jian Ninghua was sitting in the courtyard, staring blankly at a bird in a cage.
In the shadows, quite a few people were still stationed, but Qiu Chi paid them no mind.
She casually sat down on the wall, and to Jian Ninghua, that demonic voice rang out once more. “Well now, is the good-for-nothing out sunbathing?”
Jian Ninghua’s fists clenched instantly.
Qiu Chi's voice continued, “We haven't seen each other in a few days. Did you miss me?”
Jian Ninghua pressed his lips together tightly, remaining silent.
But in his heart, he was screaming: I have! Every single moment! I've thought of nothing but tearing out your flesh, drinking your blood, ripping out your tendons, and grinding your bones to dust!
Naturally, Jian Ninghua's hatred for Qiu Chi was bone-deep.
But he only dared to voice those words in his heart, never to Qiu Chi herself.
He didn't believe Qiu Chi was some ghost or monster, but he knew her methods were unnervingly unpredictable. He was unwilling to endure the humiliation and bide his time, yet he also knew a direct confrontation was not the answer.
The only thing he could do was ignore her.
Yes, Jian Ninghua wanted to ignore Qiu Chi's words.
This was the coping strategy he had devised over the past few days, during Qiu Chi's absence.
But he could only think calmly because she wasn't there.
Now that Qiu Chi had returned, her every word threw him into turmoil. With each breath, she called him a “good-for-nothing.” At first, Jian Ninghua could merely clench his fists and endure it, cursing her silently in his heart.
But the longer it went on, the heavier his breathing grew, a clear sign he was reaching his limit.
Then came Qiu Chi's next words: “Look at the bird in that cage. Don't you think it's just like you, you good-for-nothing? Both of you trapped.”
“But take a good look at how useless you are. The bird is in the cage because it can't resist. As for you, you good-for-nothing… you're here by choice.”
“So you can't even compare yourself to the bird in this cage. You're not worthy!”
Jian Ninghua finally couldn't take it anymore. He roared, “Enough, shut up! Shut up!”
Qiu Chi paid him no heed. “What? Did I strike a nerve? You know you're a good-for-nothing, so my telling the truth just stabs you right in the heart, doesn't it?”
“You know, a person has to dare to face reality… oh, wait. Why am I telling you this? You're not a person. You're a good-for-nothing. Why would I waste my time explaining human principles to a good-for-nothing? You wouldn't understand anyway.”
Just like the last time she'd provoked him, Jian Ninghua was once again angered by Qiu Chi to the point of coughing up blood.
Qiu Chi said with great disdain, “I already knew you were a good-for-nothing. You don't have to go out of your way to prove it to me.”
Jian Ninghua tried to find where Qiu Chi was.
But the voice seemed to come from all directions. He couldn't tell where she was speaking from, so naturally, he had no idea where she was.
Even though Qiu Chi was sitting brazenly atop the wall, he couldn't see her. No one else could see her, nor could they hear her voice.
All they saw was their ‘Miss,’ who had been sitting in the courtyard in women's clothes and staring into space, suddenly spit out a mouthful of blood. ‘She’ clutched at ‘her’ chest, eyes blazing with fury, but ‘her’ gaze was unfocused. The words that came out were baffling: “Shut up! Shut up!”
In the end, Jian Ninghua was so enraged by Qiu Chi that he fainted.
The guard protecting him from the shadows emerged after Jian Ninghua fainted. He walked over, glanced around the courtyard, then looked back at Jian Ninghua. Finally, he helped him into the house and went to summon Madam Jian.
Madam Jian looked at Jian Ninghua's tightly furrowed brow, even in his unconscious state, and couldn't help but frown and ask, “What happened? What did you see from the shadows? Did anyone else come here?”
The man who had brought Jian Ninghua inside shook his head. “To answer Madam, no, there was no one. We saw nothing from our positions. We only saw our Miss suddenly grow extremely tense, as if suppressing a great anger. Then ‘she’ started telling someone to shut up.”
“We inspected the surroundings but found no trace of anyone else. Shortly after our Miss yelled for someone to shut up, ‘she’ suddenly coughed up blood and then passed out.”
The man recounted what he had seen truthfully, but he kept one thought to himself: Could it be that ‘she's’ been possessed?
Madam Jian, with her brow tightly furrowed, waved the man away and added a reminder: “Keep a closer watch.”
Once everyone had left the room, Madam Jian sat by the bed. She reached out to smooth Jian Ninghua's tightly knit brow and sighed. “What in the world is happening? Could it be that the pressure I've put on you all these years has become too much? But even so, you shouldn't be in this state…”
Madam Jian didn't believe Jian Ninghua was possessed. The General's Manor was filled with such potent martial and yang energy; what ghost or monster would dare to approach?
“Hua'er, rest assured,” she murmured. “Mother will find whoever is playing these tricks and make them pay the price.”
Watching the scene unfold, Qiu Chi shook her head and muttered to herself, “I'm afraid that's not going to happen.”
The doctor arrived, and Madam Jian made way.
When she heard the doctor say Jian Ninghua's condition was caused by pent-up frustration and rage attacking the heart, she said nothing, merely asking, “Doctor, do you see any signs of a strange poison? The kind that would make someone imagine a voice speaking in their ear.”
“Well… this humble physician is not learned enough to have ever heard of such a poison.”
In the end, the doctor simply prescribed some medicine to calm the nerves and left.
Madam Jian, however, didn't give up. She sent her people to find more doctors—as many as they could.
After a moment's pause, she submitted a memorial to the palace, claiming that Jian Ninghua had contracted a strange poison and required the attention of an imperial physician.
She knew the emperor would be delighted to hear this, but for Jian Ninghua's sake, she couldn't be bothered with that. Let the emperor be pleased. It would only be a fleeting joy.
This Pei Dynasty would sooner or later be destroyed at her son's hands.
Watching Madam Jian's maneuvering, Qiu Chi felt that Jian Ninghua wasn't even a match for his mother. He lacked her ability to be flexible.
She clearly hated the emperor to death, yet she could still greet him with a smile at a palace banquet.
And now, while her actions were for Jian Ninghua's sake, who was to say she didn't also intend to mislead the emperor?
Jian Ninghua wouldn't be waking up anytime soon, so Qiu Chi didn't stay in the General's Manor any longer.
In a few days, Madam Jian's peace would likely be shattered as well.
Although she considered Madam Jian a formidable figure, that was as far as it went. She might not strike a woman, but she wouldn't show mercy simply because her opponent was one.
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