Chapter 21: Class-A Yellow, Lotus Lake (10)

During the day, villagers came and went on the manor grounds, making it impossible to pry open the door and sneak into the ancestral hall unnoticed.

After some discussion, Xu Yiliu and the others decided to seek out the steward to have a talk. It wasn’t that they didn’t trust Fang Xiaoyi; rather, like with the theatre troupe before, the teachers and students at the school were of such high caliber that they could easily be deceived and overlook certain details.

"Is that the steward?" Xu Yiliu asked.

The woman carrying a hoe replied, "Yes, that's him."

Xu Yiliu slipped her some silver, and the woman left happily. Then she turned to Ji Xianxing. "Do you still have money? I'm out."

Ji Xianxing was speechless. Xu Yiliu had been so generous with money that she never guessed she was actually broke.

“It’s collaboration,” Xu Yiliu said confidently.

Since the money wasn’t real currency and had little use beyond this, and Ji Xianxing was not good at socializing, the money would likely go unused if it stayed with her. It would be better in Xu Yiliu’s hands.

Ji Xianxing agreed silently and handed over a pouch of money. Meeting Xu Yiliu’s surprised look, she looked away and said, “You’re the one paying for our meals.”

Xu Yiliu laughed, “Who are you trying to fool? You already gave the money at the start.”

Ji Xianxing shot her a cold glance.

Xu Yiliu patted her mouth, “I’m off to find the steward.”

Saying that, she ran toward the man in the long robe.

The man sneaking into the ancestral hall was somewhat cunning; he knew to change clothes so that even if someone saw him, as long as he was fast enough, he likely wouldn’t be recognized.

“Steward, someone died on the manor. What do you intend to do?”

The steward seemed lost in thought. Hearing Xu Yiliu’s blunt question, he snapped back and waved a hand solemnly, “I’ve already reported it to the authorities. Officials should arrive within a day. Miss, there’s no need to worry.”

Xu Yiliu studied his face and noticed the dark circles under his eyes. “Steward, aren’t you sleeping well at night? Why do you look so bad?”

The steward hesitated but then heard Xu Yiliu say, “I have an ancestral remedy for sleep improvement. If you want, tell me your symptoms. If it fits, I can have someone bring it to you in a few days.”

Since the mission would end soon anyway, she felt no guilt in offering false hope.

“Really?” the steward asked.

“Why would I lie to you?” Xu Yiliu smiled.

The steward stroked his beard and sighed, “It’s not that I can’t sleep, I just keep dreaming for some unknown reason.”

Xu Yiliu found this odd. “Dreaming isn’t common?”

“Dreaming is common, but I dream all night long!” The steward’s face was full of worry. “I fall asleep quickly—just three breaths after lying down—and then nightmares come, nonstop all night. Even after a full night’s sleep, I feel as if I never rested.”

Xu Yiliu said, “That’s indeed strange. Do you remember when it started?”

The steward’s gaze drifted, and he didn’t answer immediately.

Noticing where he was looking, Xu Yiliu whispered, “Could it be related to that theatre troupe?”

The steward was shocked. “Are you one of them?”

“To be honest, I’ve been dreaming every night since I arrived here.” Xu Yiliu lowered her voice. “Someone died recently, and I suspect they’re connected. Steward, haven’t you suspected anything yourself?”

Ji Xianxing glanced at her.

Suddenly remembering the spell of words, Xu Yiliu wanted to pinch herself, relieved it was just a dream. Her sleep quality was always poor, so she wasn’t afraid of this. But she needed to be more careful with her words later; the effect lowered her mental sharpness, and she might unintentionally dig a hole for herself.

The steward nervously looked at Ji Xianxing, hesitating.

“Don’t worry. Miss Ji and I have been close since childhood,” Xu Yiliu said deliberately. “Just tell me everything. It’s our secret.”

Sharing secrets is the fastest way to build trust.

The steward sighed and led them to a secluded spot. “To be honest, it’s not that I don’t want to tell you, I’m just afraid no one will believe me!”

He began to reveal what he had long kept inside:

“Our master bought this manor and assigned me as steward. When I arrived, I found that theatre troupe here. They refused to move and gave me a large sum of money. Money can sway hearts. I thought they weren’t causing trouble, weren’t freeloading either, and since the master never comes here, I let it be.”

“Later, I found out there was a room in the manor...”

Xu Yiliu realized he meant the ancestral hall and looked alarmed. “Is it the one behind the main hall...?”

“You guessed right.” The steward felt a kinship with her and grew excited. “That room is locked. I can’t get in. Out of curiosity, I asked the troupe about it but got scolded terribly.”

He sneered, “Even though it was in some gibberish, I knew they were cursing me.”

Xu Yiliu asked, “How did you get in later?”

The steward was about to answer, then suddenly paused. “How do you know I got in?”

Xu Yiliu cursed her own slip and laughed, “I figured since you dream so much, you probably hadn’t been in before. I thought it must be connected to the ancestral hall because I only started dreaming after getting close to it myself.”

The steward rubbed his arm. “The energy around that hall is so fierce, no wonder you dream even without entering.”

Xu Yiliu sighed but secretly felt glad he wasn’t very clever.

If it were Ji Xianxing, she would have already sensed something was off—no one was that easy to fool.

But it seemed the people involved in this mission weren’t very bright, except for those contaminated.

The steward continued, “One night, I was busy checking the accounts and missed curfew. On my way back, I saw the ancestral hall’s door was open. Curiosity got the better of me, so I went inside. After that...”

Xu Yiliu and the others listened intently but noticed he suddenly slowed and fell silent.

“What happened next?” Xu Yiliu asked.

The steward frowned. “After that... I... I...”

He looked up blankly. “I can’t remember clearly. I think I saw something... something frightening, so I hurried out. When I checked again during the day, the door was locked.”

He muttered to himself, “What exactly did I see...?”

Xu Yiliu interrupted, “Maybe it was something you weren’t meant to see. Don’t dwell on it—it’ll only scare you.”

The steward nodded. “You’re right.”

He worried aloud, “Perhaps I broke some taboo, which is why I can’t sleep.”

Xu Yiliu sighed. “This can’t continue. My remedy probably won’t work. I plan to pray to the Buddha statue at home. You should try that too.”

“All right, I’ll look into it. If I find anything useful, Miss, you must tell me,” the steward said anxiously.

He now regarded Xu Yiliu as a kindred spirit and felt a genuine warmth toward her.

After talking a bit more, Xu Yiliu watched his slightly stooped figure fade away.

Ji Xianxing, who had remained silent, looked at her. “Are you really Xu Yiliu?”

Xu Yiliu was puzzled. “If not? What’s wrong with me?”

Ji Xianxing studied her carefully, then said, “You don’t seem like a student.”

More like a worldly-wise veteran.

Xu Yiliu shrugged, “Not everyone has an easy life.”

Ji Xianxing didn’t press further.

“After curfew tonight,” Ji Xianxing said, “you and I will go to the ancestral hall.”

Fang Xiaoyi and the others dared not venture out after curfew, yet Ji Xianxing insisted on this time.

Xu Yiliu smiled, “That’s exactly what I had in mind.”