Chapter 14: The Female Corpse in the Water Tank

  My struggles were effective, and the female ghost let go of my wrist. I swam towards the shore... Updates are coming soon.

  I stood on the shore and gazed into the water, where that female ghost was standing on the surface of the water, staring at me intently with her mouth opening and closing as if saying something.

  I don't know why, but this time I had a very deep impression of this 'female' ghost. The corpse ghosts I saw in the Black Bamboo Forest before were all covering their faces with hair or crawling on the ground, rotting away, while this 'female' ghost made me look at her very clearly, as if she wasn't a ghost but a dead body?

  I returned to the room, and the maid servant had already arrived, Xuan Yuan Qi was also angry and scolding.

  "I didn't expect such a thing to happen in my Qi Wang Fu, how did you 'guards' do your job... Mei Lingxue? You... are back?" Xuan Yuanqi saw me and couldn't help but shut his mouth.

  I was chilled to the bone, and a maid brought me a quilt to wrap around my body. The old nanny was also busy preparing hot water for me to bathe in.

  I'm so weird, I made such a big splash earlier and no one came over. Now that I've jumped into the water, they're all showing up one by one. How strange is that?

  After taking a hot bath, there were guards added at the 'door', and an old mother and a young maid were left behind. Xuan Yuan Qi Cai left.

  Having been frightened, I then encountered a water ghost. I couldn't sleep, so I had someone prepare some rice paper for me. Under the lamplight, I drew the appearance of that 'female' ghost on the paper.

  I remember the last time I looked at her, she opened and closed her mouth as if she wanted to say something to me. I imitated her, with my mouth also opening and closing in sync with hers, repeatedly pondering, suddenly a light bulb went off in my head.

  That female ghost is going to tell me three words: "Xuanyuanqi!"

  What's the relationship between Xuan Yuan Qi and this female ghost? Where were the people from Qi Wang Fu when I was assassinated? Is Xuan Yuan Qi trying to harm me? My mind is like a bursting bomb, I put away the painting paper, looking at the white clouds in the sky, waiting for Xuan Yuan Qi to come over as soon as possible.

  After having breakfast, Xuan Yuan Mu appeared. Xuan Yuan Qi told him about the encounter with the assassin last night and apologized.

  Xuanyuan followed me back to the room, and with concern asked me: "Are you okay?" A hint of panic flashed in his eyes, as if he was afraid I would get hurt.

  "It's nothing, I can run very fast, didn't you know?" I smiled and then closed the door before taking out the drawing paper from my arms: "Look, do you recognize this woman? She died in the pond of this courtyard."

  I told him about meeting the female ghost last night and also hearing the cat meowing.

  Xuanyuan's eyebrows furrowed, and after careful observation, his face turned solemn: "This is Princess Yulan. I heard she went missing three years ago. Could it be that she died here?"

  "Where's the cat? I heard that in Tiancong country, it's forbidden to raise cats. I heard a meowing sound!" I was really surprised, last night was too scary.

  "As for the cat's meowing, perhaps it is silently protecting you!" Xuan Yuan Qi didn't find this strange at all.

  "Are you referring to that dead mummified cat?" I asked curiously.

  "Hmm! The Tiancang Kingdom banned raising cats the year I died, except for you, there's no other cat that can protect me!" Xuan Yuan Mu said with a gentle smile on his face when mentioning the cat.

  "Why are you so sure?" I asked curiously.

  "...because..." Xuan Yuan whispered close to my ear, "I am the cat corpse, I was touched by a kitten I raised when I died, which shocked my body. So when they bled me that year, I was still alive. It's also because of this that they dismembered me and hid me around the small building, fearing that I would come back to avenge myself. And it's also because of this that Tiancang country has not allowed raising cats since then."

  Xuanyuan Miao was actually a cat corpse, no wonder he died for so long and his body didn't rot.

  "It's a good thing that cat helped me." I nodded slightly and then said, "But the Qi Wang Fu is very strange. Last night, I encountered an assassin, and the sound was so loud, yet this huge mansion didn't have anyone who heard it."

  Xuanyuan Mu stretched out his hand and 'touched' my hair: "Do you suspect Si Wang?"

  "I have no evidence."

  "Alright, I'll investigate this matter. As long as you're alright, that's all that matters. Return to the small residence tonight and come back during the day tomorrow. In three days' time is the annual sacrificial ceremony, at which point we will return to the imperial palace together."

  "Hmm!"

  What will I meet? I don't know, but I know that now I have no way to retreat. In my heart, I can't define the position of Xuan Yuan dusk, nor do I know what the future will bring me.

  Xuanyuan Mu likes moonlight, just like I like sunlight. I sit under the lamp to read books, and he leans against the window to look at me.

  "Lin Xue?" Xuan Yuan Mo interrupted me by opening his mouth.

  "Will you regret it?"

  "What?"

  "Do you know me?"

  I looked at him and shook my head: "No regrets!"

  Xuanyuan Mu heard me say this and suddenly became excited, jumped out of the window, and came to my front: "Why don't we worship heaven and earth tonight?"

  I looked at him strangely and then shook my head slightly: "Don't mess around, it's meaningless to do these things."

  "What's the point, I want to kneel down with you and worship heaven and earth. I don't know if there will be such an opportunity in the future, but today there is!" Xuan Yuan Mu said, his eyes slightly yellow, as he walked forward and picked me up, heading downstairs.

  "Xuanyuan!" I struggled hard, such a quiet night, was actually disturbed by him again. "How can you think of doing whatever you want? Let me go!"

  "Are you regretting it?"

  Xuanyuan Wu doesn't have a sense of security, he wants to find that kind of security in me, but can I give it to him? I don't have an answer.

  "Xuanyuan, don't make a fuss, we need to have a good talk."

  He heard this and put me down, nodding his head "Alright!"

  "I don't want to worship heaven and earth, also... I don't want..." My heart slightly feared, I was afraid that if I said these words he would fly into a rage.

  "Don't you want to marry me? The whole world knows that you are the queen of Xuan Yuan, do you think you can still refuse? We just lack a formal ceremony, once we have it, you will be my wife."

  Are you still afraid that I'll escape? Am I not already the queen destined for life and death with you? Here... I pointed to my forehead: "There's the blood curse you placed, no matter when, as long as you want, I'll have a splitting headache, better off dead than alive."

  Xuanyuan's voice trailed off, he looked at me, then turned and walked upstairs with a flick of his sleeve. Halfway up, he suddenly turned back, his whole body radiating anger.

  "You are the one I've been searching for all my life. Even without the blood oath, you are..." As he spoke, he tightly hugged me in his arms.

  His hand slipped into my skirt, his lips wildly falling on my mouth, neck, I struggled hard, but couldn't resist him, he poured all his fiery anger onto me.