Chapter 51: The Harbinger of Death

When Tan Yun heard what Li Xiao said, a flood of memories surged through his mind. Li Xiao mentioned that Tan Qingjiu’s peculiar fortune had only suddenly appeared on her six years ago.

Six years ago—yes, that was when Tan Qingjiu was thrown into the pond.

He had heard that on that day, someone came to the door seeking trouble, questioning Tan Qingjiu’s medical skills. Tan Qingjiu claimed that when she was submerged in the pond, she saw the Bodhisattva, who told her she was an apprentice beneath the Medicine King Bodhisattva…

It sounded utterly absurd, but somehow, it matched Li Xiao’s words.

Li Xiao had said that Tan Qingjiu would bring him new vitality and blessings. Whether she brought him fortune, he didn’t know, but when Tan Qingjiu reappeared, it happened to be when he was teetering on the edge of life and death—and Tan Qingjiu had saved him. Wasn’t that new vitality?

“Lord Tan?” Li Xiao noticed Tan Yun’s expression change rapidly and, seeing he hadn’t responded, gently reminded him.

“Ah!” Tan Yun snapped out of his reverie, quickly realizing what Li Xiao was saying. “Yes, yes.”

He turned to Tan Qingjiu. “Qingjiu, the Grand Master has some questions for you. Why don’t you accompany him for a walk in the manor?”

Tan Qingjiu raised her brows and looked up at the Grand Master. “Grand Master, this way, please?”

Li Xiao nodded and followed behind Tan Qingjiu. The two left the main courtyard one after another. Only then did Chen Yue’ru finally let her patience slip, biting her lip in frustration. “Master, I feel that the Grand Master’s words are rather mystical. Could it be…”

“Could it be Tan Qingjiu bribed the Grand Master, deliberately bringing him here to speak on her behalf?”

Tan Yun frowned at her words. “What nonsense are you spouting? That is the Grand Master—do you realize even His Majesty holds him in utmost reverence? Every year, His Majesty personally opens the altar for him to pray to the heavens and have him divine the fate of the nation. It’s been five years now, and though the Grand Master only predicts three matters each year, nothing he has foretold has ever failed to come true.”

“How much power do you think Tan Qingjiu has to bribe someone like that?”

“But…”

Tan Yun pursed his lips. “Enough with the ‘buts.’ Since the Grand Master has spoken, we should believe him. Now that Tan Qingjiu has returned to the manor, we’ll soon know whether what the Grand Master said is true or false.”

“You should also restrain yourself. I know you dislike her, but she’s never interfered with your affairs—why do you keep targeting her?”

She targeted Tan Qingjiu?

Chen Yue’ru pinched her palm secretly, barely managing to steady her emotions.

“I’m only thinking of you, Master. After all, it was you who ordered Tan Qingjiu to be drowned six years ago, and over ten years ago, it was you who ordered Shen Nianqing’s death. I’m just worried—if Tan Qingjiu has returned to the manor for revenge, what will happen to us…”

“The matter of drowning has already been resolved with her, hasn’t it?” Tan Yun frowned, his impatience evident. “I am the head of the Tan family; I acted then for the sake of the family’s reputation. Qingjiu understands this. She has said herself that she won’t pursue that matter again, so stop harping on about it.”

“As for Shen Nianqing…” Tan Yun’s gaze darkened. “Back then, Tan Qingjiu was still a child and knew nothing. Besides, most of Shen Nianqing’s attendants have already been dealt with. As long as you and I don’t speak of it, how would Tan Qingjiu ever know?”

Tan Yun squinted his eyes. “If Tan Qingjiu truly is, as the Grand Master says, the fortune of our family, then I will do whatever it takes to keep her here.”

Nothing mattered more than his rise to prominence.

Chen Yue’ru’s fingers nearly broke her skin, her palm bleeding. Ever since Tan Qingjiu returned, she felt that something about her was off, even sinister.

Since Tan Qingjiu’s return, her eyelids had been twitching nonstop.

She didn’t believe a word Li Xiao said—fortune, indeed.

To her eyes, Tan Qingjiu was nothing but a harbinger of death.

Besides, Tan Qingjiu was that woman’s daughter.

To have her revere Tan Qingjiu, to watch Tan Qingjiu parade about before her, was absolutely impossible.

Twisting the embroidered handkerchief in her hand, Chen Yue’ru released her bloodied lip. “Though the Grand Master claims Qingjiu is our family’s lucky star, I still get chills thinking about the ghost I encountered before—feels like it’s still haunting my courtyard.”

“I brought in a master to perform exorcism, but now the Grand Master has come—there’s no way I could ask him to do it instead.”

“Exorcising my courtyard has nothing to do with Qingjiu; it won’t affect the fortune she brings, and it’ll give me peace of mind. Perhaps I should let the expert I invited come in a couple of days?”

Tan Yun had no interest in any of this. “Do as you wish.”

With that, he strode away.

Chen Yue’ru’s smile gradually faded to coldness. Lucky star, is she?

The plan she had originally prepared was now useless.

She had to come up with another method—one that would make Tan Qingjiu lose face, so Tan Yun could see for himself that Tan Qingjiu was no lucky star, but rather a harbinger of calamity and doom.

She had spent so many years in this manor and seen all the tricks of the back courtyard—she knew and used more schemes than Tan Qingjiu had eaten meals.

She refused to believe she couldn’t outwit her.

Tan Qingjiu had no inkling of Chen Yue’ru’s thoughts, and at this moment was accompanying Li Xiao through the rear gardens of the Tan Manor.

“Why has Sixth Master come? You gave me quite a fright. I knew Chen Yue’ru wanted to invite someone to the manor to divine and calculate, and I knew it was to target me, to make things uncomfortable. I had already made arrangements—the person was supposed to come the day after tomorrow.”

“Then Sixth Master arrived suddenly. When I heard the report, I thought, ‘Oh no, I’m about to be targeted. Who knows what trick Chen Yue’ru will play next.’ But it turned out to be Sixth Master!”

Li Xiao’s eyes curved with indulgence as he looked at Tan Qingjiu. “Was it a surprise? Unexpected? You didn’t want me to publicly acknowledge our master-disciple relationship, but I can’t bear to see you suffer. So I had to use this method to help you.”

“It was such a surprise—Sixth Master, you truly dote on me the most.”

Tan Qingjiu couldn’t help but laugh aloud. “But Sixth Master, how did you come up with all that talk? Blessings entwined with misfortune, a lucky star descending from heaven, fortune swirling about me—do people actually believe it?”

“They believe it, naturally,” Li Xiao’s gaze brimmed with sarcasm. “Because I am the Grand Master of Qingning Nation.”

Tan Qingjiu sensed a strange undertone in Li Xiao’s voice. She looked up and saw the mockery in his eyes, and her footsteps halted.

It seemed… Sixth Master had a story of his own.