Chapter Sixty-Three p3
Jin Xi knew that she was referring to her brother, and couldn’t help but curl her lips: “My family is even more playful than me. They clearly have the opportunity to study, but they never cherish it. After he knew that I wanted to come here, he was even happier than me, and even deliberately opened the door and let me go. Otherwise, do you think I, a weak woman, a weak scholar, could escape from home?“
Bo Chi suddenly realized, and shook her head: “Then you have to work even harder. Since you don’t want to obey your family’s arrangements, you have to achieve something and make your family recognize and respect you.“
Jin Xi’s heart was warmed, and she nodded repeatedly: “I know, thank you, Chi Niang, I will remember your words.“
She was quite moved, and after a long and reluctant farewell with Bo Chi, Yu Zhao finally frowned and pushed her into the academy.
After watching her go in, Liu Qinger said tactfully: “Shuang’er and I will take Hua Ci back first, Chi Niang, you and Master Yu can stroll around the capital.“
Fu Shuang nodded, but Hua Ci was unwilling, and held Bo Chi’s hand, refusing to let go.
Bo Chi was about to knock on the little girl’s head when she suddenly heard a hesitant voice, saying with some uncertainty: “Are you… Master Yu?“
Everyone followed the voice and saw that the speaker was sitting in a carriage, poking his head out, with a young man in scholar’s clothes standing beside him.
He also seemed to be here to see someone off. He happened to see Yu Zhao, and after seeing Yu Zhao nod to him, the man hurriedly got out of the carriage, left the scholar aside, and smiled at Yu Zhao: “So it really is Miss Yu, it’s been a few years since we last met, and I haven’t seen you since. Everyone suspected that you went to seek revenge on that ghost, or that something happened to you on the way. I’m really glad to see you safe and sound now!“
He spoke enthusiastically, but there was no ambiguous meaning in his words. After a little thought, Bo Chi could guess that he was also coveting Yu Zhao’s strength and eager to get the protection of the exorcist.
However, Yu Zhao didn’t know what was wrong with her mind, held Bo Chi’s hand, and said seriously: “This is my future wife.“
The man was stunned, stared at Bo Chi for a long time, and after looking at her from all angles, he found that she was a beautiful girl. Finally, he took a deep breath, and started to flatter Bo Chi without changing his expression.
After praising Bo Chi and Yu Zhao as the only lovers in the world, he finally got to the point amidst Bo Chi’s dry laughter: “When did Miss Yu return to the capital? Why didn’t you tell us, so that we could hold a welcome banquet for you?“
Yu Zhao said casually: “I just came back two days ago, and I’ve been busy with my wife these two days, and haven’t had time to attend any banquets.“
Bo Chi: “…”
Speak properly, don’t shift the blame!
Obviously, the man also felt that Yu Zhao was shifting the blame, and said with a smile when he heard this: “Then let’s not wait for another day, Miss Yu, why don’t you and your wife come with me to the imperial city? You can meet His Majesty, and also have a good chat with the other exorcist masters.“
Yu Zhao was a little puzzled: “Exorcists always travel around, and rarely get together. Why are the exorcist masters you mentioned gathered in the imperial city?“
The man hesitated, his gaze wandering between Liu Qinger, Fu Shuang, and the others, obviously hinting subtly.
Liu Qinger was very tactful, and found an excuse to leave.
Bo Chi touched Hua Ci’s head, and she obediently left with them.
After there was no one around, the man spoke again: “This matter… is also related to you, Miss Yu. Recently, there have been frequent incidents of evil spirits harming people in the capital. His Majesty heard that this might be related to the ghost that destroyed the Yu family more than ten years ago, so he widely recruited talented people from all over the world, offered treasures from the national treasury as rewards, and invited many exorcist masters to gather in the imperial city to protect His Majesty’s safety.“
Hearing the word ‘ghost’, Yu Zhao’s face darkened. After knowing the cause and effect, she said decisively: “Please lead the way, I’ll go to the imperial city to attend the banquet.“
Just as the man smiled, Bo Chi gently tugged at Yu Zhao’s clothes, and whispered: “Can I not go?“
Before Yu Zhao could answer, the man, because of Yu Zhao’s concern for Bo Chi, hurriedly persuaded: “Madam Yu, you don’t know, all the exorcists are gathered in the imperial city now, there is no safer place in the world. Even if there really are ghosts, they will never return! So Madam, don’t be afraid, just go to the imperial palace with Miss Yu.“
Bo Chi smiled bitterly.
It was precisely because there were too many exorcists, and any ghost that appeared would die, that she was even more afraid to approach!
Fortunately, Yu Zhao always respected her. Seeing that she really didn’t want to go, she immediately compromised: “There are too many people in the imperial city, and I’m not at ease with you following me. Then just stay at home, and I’ll come back to marry you after I deal with the ghost.“
Bo Chi’s expression was subtle: “Do you know what you look like now?“
Yu Zhao was puzzled: “What?“
Bo Chi said faintly: “Like an old general on stage, with flags all over his back.“
Yu Zhao: “…”
Although she didn’t quite understand, it didn’t sound like a good thing.
Considering the ferocity of the ghost, Bo Chi couldn’t help but give Yu Zhao a few more instructions, then watched her get into the carriage, and didn’t return to the courtyard until the carriage was out of sight.
Liu Qinger was sweeping the fallen red maple leaves in the courtyard. Seeing her come back without Yu Zhao, she was stunned for a moment, and then said as if nothing had happened: “When I came back just now, the neighbor aunt chatted with Shuang’er and me for a while, and I learned that the students who entered Bailu Academy can’t come back often, and can only return home in the middle of each month. You said that Jin Xi, she, she’s alone in the academy… won’t something happen to her?“
Bo Chi also heard this news for the first time, was stunned for two seconds, and hesitated: “It shouldn’t. Although she’s talkative and a bit jumpy, she’s still quite smart, she should be able to get through this half month… After half a month, when she’s familiar with those students, the danger will naturally decrease.“
Liu Qinger nodded: “That’s for the best.“
In the following days, Yu Zhao didn’t come back.
Ever since Bo Chi learned that there were many exorcists in the capital, she rarely went out. Liu Qinger and the others didn’t think much, only thinking that Bo Chi was still a delicate young lady from a good family who didn’t like to go out.
In order to prevent Bo Chi from being bored at home, she and Fu Shuang would often come and tell Bo Chi about the news they heard on the road when they went out. After listening for half a month, Bo Chi didn’t hear any news about evil spirits, and couldn’t help but ask: “Has the capital always been so peaceful? Haven’t there been any rumors?” Liu Qinger and Fu Shuang looked at each other, shaking their heads blankly.
The quiet Hua Ci suddenly spoke, her eyes serious: “I heard that a shop in the west of the city closed a few days ago. Some people said they smelled a strong bloody smell when they passed by. The Yixiang Pavilion has been carrying out more prostitutes recently than last year. Everyone is guessing that it’s because the only son of the Minister’s Mansion is too cruel…“
Before she could finish speaking, Liu Qinger and Fu Shuang covered her mouth, their faces flushed red: “You, you’re an unmarried girl, how can you say such vulgar and dirty words!“
Bo Chi was also a little embarrassed, but her focus was still on Hua Ci’s words: “Bloody smell? Could it be that everyone in that family is dead?“
Liu Qinger hesitated: “Not necessarily, Shuang’er and I also heard these words, but those people later said that this family slaughters pigs, and the bloody smell might be pig blood?“
Bo Chi pondered for a while, and shook her head: “Since passersby deliberately mentioned the bloody smell, it must be because that family didn’t have such a terrifying smell when they slaughtered pigs before.“
Besides, at this juncture, nothing could be covered up with speculation.
Bo Chi became more and more certain that something was hidden in the shadows of the capital, perhaps a ghost, or perhaps a large group of exorcists.
And whether it was either side, it was not something she could provoke.
Bo Chi, who was cowardly at heart, decided to stay put and not go out until Yu Zhao came back.
However, things were unpredictable. After finally making it to the middle of the month, when she had the opportunity to pick up Jin Xi, Liu Qinger and Fu Shuang both persuaded Bo Chi to go out with them.
All the excuses Bo Chi found were blocked by them, and in the end, she could only be led out of the courtyard with a pounding heart.
She didn’t know if it was her illusion, but after half a month, the capital didn’t seem as lively as when they first arrived. The vendors along the road were still hawking, but there were far fewer people dressed in fine clothes. Occasionally, a carriage would pass by, but it would also speed away quickly, disappearing from the street.
Bo Chi and the others walked all the way to Bailu Academy, and saw Jin Xi holding a pile of books waiting for them from afar.
After taking two books from her, Liu Qinger was about to chat, when Jin Xi lowered her voice and said: “Let’s go, let’s go, let’s talk when we go back.“
Back in the courtyard, Jin Xi exhaled, first talked about her experiences at the academy, focusing on praising the academy’s tradition of one room per person, and then said seriously: “I heard from my classmates that the capital has been restless recently, and His Majesty hasn’t attended the morning court for a long time. Although His Majesty doesn’t have much ability, and spends all day in the harem, attending the morning court is a tradition left by previous emperors. If he doesn’t attend the morning court for no reason, he will definitely be scolded by the civil officials. But strangely, this time, none of the civil officials criticized him, but instead rushed to ask for leave to go home and rest. Don’t you think it’s strange?“
Bo Chi nodded silently, and said casually: “A storm is probably coming to the capital. When are you going back to the academy? If your identity isn’t exposed for a while, don’t come back frequently. It’s better to be in the academy than in our small courtyard.“
Speaking of this, Jin Xi’s face immediately fell: “Don’t even mention it. I came back in the morning, and have to go back to the academy in the afternoon. Those students whose families are far away didn’t even intend to go back.“
Bo Chi and the others looked at her with pity. After comforting and accompanying her for a while, they went out again in the evening to personally see her off.
Since she came back safely in the morning, Bo Chi relaxed, and when Jin Xi begged her to see her off, she agreed again softly.
But this time, just as they walked out of the courtyard and before they even reached the street, a ferocious black shadow suddenly appeared in front of them, and not far away, a series of footsteps were approaching.
Bo Chi’s heart skipped a beat, and she backed away, wanting to escape. But the black shadow suddenly turned around at this moment, as if it had set its sights on their group, which was the closest. Without any hesitation, it quickly rushed over.
Seeing that the black shadow’s sharp claws were about to pierce Jin Xi’s chest, Bo Chi hurriedly reached out and pulled Jin Xi away from the claws.
The black shadow roared angrily, as if enraged, and swiped at Bo Chi’s waist and abdomen with its backhand.
This claw was faster than the previous one. Before Bo Chi could react, she felt a chill in her waist.
The next moment, a familiar voice rang out, so shrill that it almost cracked: “Chi Niang!!“
After this shout, Jin Xi and the others also hurriedly shouted: “Chi Niang? Are you okay?!“
“Chi Niang, are you injured?“
“Chi Niang, your, your waist!“
Bo Chi looked down belatedly, and found that there was no blood flowing out of her ripped waist and abdomen, but a smoky soul body was revealed.
Her heart trembled, and when she looked up again, she saw that Yu Zhao, who had been furious just a moment ago, now had a frozen expression, and muttered: “Chi Niang…?“
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