The Li household couldn't be missed even if one was blind. It was unnecessarily big and gawky. Like a palace smack middle of a merchant city. Whoever had had it built must have been very pompous. A high brown brick wall isolated the white building from the rest of Lunan. The red-tiled roof looked new, and it shined under the Sun.
Two golden lion statues guarded the main entrance and two servants stood behind them polishing the statues with minute attention. The building seemed to stretch on endlessly. It was in the center of Lunan, the biggest of its kind around, and held within at least one hundred servants.
XiaoFen had been looking at the building for quite a while now. She didn't like what she saw, and what she saw only immortals could. The house was radiating with something sinister. Great negative energy enveloped it, like an invisible fog. Mortals seemed oblivious to it. She was having a bad feeling about the place.
Meanwhile, XiaoFu was circling the shops, buying everything she didn't need, and then proceeded to buy matching ones for XiaoFen too. XiaoFen was carrying most of her sister's shopping while taking cover under the shadow of a fig tree.
Currently, XiaoFen was yawning and brushing off advancing men like flies. She was growing irritated, and nearly punched a guy who had tried to pull her hand. The man would have been a bloody pulp on the ground if she hadn't had her father's patience. Not anyone could cling to Wang XiaoFen!
Her senses shot to life as she saw the main entrance of the Li household open, and a young woman, not much older than herself, stepped out and smiled seductively at the servants before gliding away. XiaoFen gnashed her teeth. The slightly slanted eyes, the ever raised lips accompanied by the bright marine robes with the snake scale embroidery, XiaoFen was sure who she just witnessed. Her father and uncle weren't going to be happy in the least.
Wang XiaoFu was stepping over with a handful of new shopping. "Why such a sour face, FenFen?"
"FuFu, you won't believe who I just saw step out of the Li's!" Wang XiaoFen said dramatically, as she took the new wrappings from her sister's hands. XiaoFu was blinking her round eyes at XiaoFen.
"Who?"
"Lan Guan-Yin!"
XiaoFu blinked again, this time slowly. She said softly, "Who's that?"
"How- What do you mean who it is?!"
***
Meanwhile, the three brothers had finished their meals and were strolling down the street leisurely. MingYu was very content and in a good mood after a stomach full of substance. He was smiling and whistling a tune he was not familiar with when he rammed into ZhiYi. He nearly broke his nose against the rock-hard back of the head of the demon. "What- Why did you stop in the middle of the street?!"
MingYu was rubbing his reddened nose with gentle strokes. It was still intact. Looking at ZhiYi for answers, he noticed the brothers were staring at the large brick wall in front of them with a frown. MingYu stepped closer to the wall, and at that moment, a faint current of negative energy wafted over him. His pewter staff rattled. The golden rings shook and jumped in their hoops.
"What is this place?" MingYu asked as he gave a closer look at the staff. The artefact seemed to pick up on shifts of energies more keenly than him. ShiBai's body was too weak to sense such faint energies from far away, MingYu realised to his dismay.
"ZhouYan!" ZhiYi called and the bird shot up the sky and disappeared behind the wall. PingZe had snuck ahead of them and was now out of sight. ZhiYi strolled forward and MingYu scrambled after him. The pewter staff stopped making sounds as they moved a little further away from the building.
PingZe appeared behind them, he had swiftly circled the entire premise of the building. His grin now had a bit of smugness in it. He said, "Congratulations, brother MingYu. You are where you should be. This is the Li household."
At the moment, they reached the front of the gates. The servants stopped polishing the statues at once. They had been at it for half the day and this was a wanted distraction for them. They hurriedly approached the three guests.
One of them said, "You are finally here!"
The three brothers exchanged looks of confusion.
The other servant took hold of MingYu and started pulling him towards the gates.
"Wait-" MingYu tried to struggle out of their holds but failed miserably.
"Oh, we have waited enough, alright. The whole day in fact!" The first servant exclaimed and help push MingYu through the gates. The brothers had been standing dumbfounded and staring at the situation, then the two of them jump into action and tried to enter too, but the first servant stopped them in their place.
"Only the summoned priest may enter, no other are allowed!"
"But we are with him!" PingZe smiled his most dazzling smile, one which even men would falter in front of. For a moment, the servant blinked and almost nodded but he quickly gathered himself and said,
"Orders are orders! Madam Li said only the priest!" With that, he closed the gate doors on their noses.
"Brother-"
"It's ok, maybe he will find something out." ZhiYi assured with not much conviction.
"Really?" PingZe sounded less than hopeful.
Suddenly, a priest stepped out from a corner and headed towards the gates. Seeing him, PingZe put on almost a predatory grin and approached the monk. They exchanged words and soon, PingZe guided the man off the premises.
ZhiYi took a deep breath. He sure wished MingYu could handle this on his own, whatever it was. It wouldn't make a good impression if ZhiYi had to barge in uninvited to save him.
***
MingYu was pushed and shoved through so many doors and corridors, he lost count. The house was magnificent, it was sure MingYu had never seen anything like it before in his life, and he had a feeling he never would again either. High ceilings had carvings of mythical creatures embedded into the dark wood. Dragons decorated every pillar, phoenixes flew across the walls. Gold shined from every surface. Frail vases of priceless craftsmanship stood on every available surface. His pewter staff was rattling like a madman. The place reeked of negative energy.
After he was dragged across a yard filled with blossoming peonies, he was thrust into a darkly lit room and the doors were closed behind him. Being shoved from the light into the dark, his eyes took a moment to register his surroundings. The room was scarcely decorated. A simple table for four situated in the middle, a recess led to a bedroom, ShiBai reckoned. On the other side of the room was a screen splitting the entire room in two, behind the screen, was most likely a changing room and a tub for bathing.
The room seemed to belong to a woman. A few books could be seen on shelves. There was a small basket filled with threads and fabrics. A pot of wilted roses stood in the far corner. MingYu took a step into the room and a woman appeared from the recess and nearly scared him to death.
Holding his pewter staff for mental support, MingYu politely bowed and tried to avoid eye contact. The woman was in her late forties, she was dressed in deep green silk, her hair had a golden pin, that swayed with her every movement. Her eyes appeared sunken, and the brims were angry red. She used to be beautiful, MingYu could tell. Her face was now haggard, not due to age, but sleepless nights and something else. MingYu felt uneasiness settle over him as he studied madam Jiang. She was almost as good as dead, her life force seemed to be lacking greatly. Yet, she didn't seem to be haunted by anything. MingYu looked at her with curiosity, he had never seen anyone like her.
"I'm sorry to suddenly ask for you, dear monk." She said. Her voice was coarse, tired.
"It's fine. I-"
"But I've been having trouble sleeping these past few weeks."
MingYu was quite sure her sleeplessness had nothing to do with him or any other monk. Not knowing what to say, he mumbled, "I see."
"That is why I need you to bless this room. My husband has been unyielding that I should not ask for anyone to visit, that is why you were so hurriedly dragged in. I apologise."
"It's no trouble." MingYu didn't know much of blessing houses or rooms, but he was sure there needed to be more than just one monk to perform the ritual.
Whoever madam Jiang had hired was clearly a swindler. MingYu felt glad that he was the one dragged in the household instead. MingYu stepped back as the woman came closer and peered at him expectantly.
After a moment of MingYu doing nothing, an irritable look flashed on her face and she said, "Well? What are you waiting for?"
MingYu's brain was working so hard, he was surprised no steam erupted from his ears. Seeing her darkening looks, he hurried to say, "Ah, well, about that blessing. To do it, I need you to step outside. I need to do it alone in peace and quiet."
Madam Jiang gave him a long, curious look before she slowly nodded and said, "While, of course. Just call me if you need anything. I'll be outside." She slowly stepped out and with a final inspecting look at MingYu, closed the doors.
MingYu let out a breath he had been holding in. Looking around the room, he felt a surge of hopelessness wash over him, and he frowned. His pewter staff was silent the moment they crossed the yard and entered the room. There were no signs of any dark energy present in this area of the household. But there was an overwhelming sense of sadness. Within these walls, much pain and anguish were released.