Chapter 2: The Soul-Calling Flute

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Sigung District was mostly home to the nobility; the residences of prominent clans such as the Wang family of Taiyuan and the Cui family of Boling, along with many officials serving at court, were all located here. Among them were numerous inns and taverns, many serving as drinking establishments and music houses.

At this moment, however, the Wang family mansion was draped entirely in white silk, a somber gloom hanging heavy over the estate. Lady Liu, wife of the third branch, was weeping with heart-wrenching sorrow.

“Ah Lang, if it weren’t for your obsession with marrying Ah Ying off to that unlearned, worthless Ninth Master of the Zhou family, how could she have taken her own life and done such a foolish thing?”

“What choice did I have? This marriage was never my wish. Since Emperor Gaozong issued the ban on marriages among the noble clans, our once powerful five surnames and seven prominent families, along with ten other great houses, no longer dare to arrange alliances or hold weddings openly. The current sovereign despises us aristocratic families even more. After he ascended the throne, he replaced the “Clan Records” with the “Surname Registry,” which no longer honors ancestors but only official rank. Any official ranked fifth grade or above, regardless of their ancestors’ origins—even if their forebears were mere clerks—are included in the registry. Conversely, no matter how noble your lineage, if you hold no office at court, you are excluded.”

“Although our Wang family still has members serving in government, since the new sovereign took power, he has favored treacherous villains like Suo Yuanli, Qiu Shenji, and Zhou Xing. Even Chancellor Pei was executed by the sovereign, and Wei Shilang, a close ally of Pei, was falsely accused by Zhou Xing and ordered to die at home.”

“If we refuse the Zhou family’s proposal, our Wang family will likely suffer the same fate as the Pei or Wei clans—or like those Li family relatives who met ruin.”

Lady Liu’s face paled instantly. Before the sovereign’s ascension, many members of the Li Tang imperial clan had rebelled under the banner of “Eradicating the Demon Empress and Restoring the Li Tang Dynasty.” Among them, Li Jingye’s rebellion implicated many, with Chancellor Pei being accused of conspiracy and executed. Later, following a rebellion by the Prince of Yue and the Prince of Langya, Zhou Xing accused hundreds of Li Tang relatives and their factions of treason. Thousands more innocent people were unjustly implicated and killed.

This was the woman’s path to power—one paved with blood, even the blood of close kin.

Thinking this, Lady Liu’s heart filled with bitter resentment. “But my daughter died in vain? So silently and without meaning? I cannot accept this, I cannot!”

At that moment, the sound of wooden clappers echoed. Lady Liu seemed to hear something and ran crying to the mortuary, frantically demanding the coffin, just about to be nailed shut, to be opened.

“Madam, please spare your grief,” a maid urged.

“Get away! All of you, get away! My daughter is not dead. She won’t die! I just heard her call me!”

The maids lowered their heads, trembling in fear—had the third madam gone mad?

Then the elderly Lady Wang entered the mortuary, leaning on her cane. Seeing the chaos, she scolded sharply:

“Third daughter-in-law, what are you doing? Ah Ying has already passed; stop disturbing her!”

She then ordered the maids forward:

“Help the third madam back to her room to rest!”

Suddenly, Lady Liu turned around, glaring fiercely at Lady Wang.

“Ah Jia, now that my Ah Ying is gone, are you happy? You’ve long resented me for not bearing a son for the third son, so you had everyone in the household torment my Ah Ying, wishing her gone sooner. But why would Ninth Master Zhou suddenly know that my Ah Ying was beautiful and well-educated? Why would he abruptly propose? That playboy already has many wives and concubines; his household has countless maids who’ve been beaten to death. If Ah Ying had married him, could she have survived?”

Lady Wang’s eyes, barely open before, snapped wide with fury.

“Liu Shi, what nonsense are you spouting? Are you saying I caused Ah Ying’s early death?”

Lady Liu collapsed onto the coffin, sobbing bitterly.

Hearing this, Third Master Wang rushed over, seeing his wife crying and his mother enraged.

“Mother, what’s going on?”

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“What’s going on? Your good wife almost reported me to the authorities, accusing me of killing her daughter!”

“Mother, what are you saying?”

“I want to know what she’s thinking. Ah Ying is my granddaughter too—do you think I don’t wish her well?”

Understanding the situation, Third Master Wang quickly embraced Lady Liu to soothe her.

“Stop this, come with me to our room.”

“No, I won’t go. I want to stay here with Ah Ying. She’s all alone and so cold. It’s my fault. If I had noticed any sign of despair, I could have stopped her from taking her life.”

“It was my negligence. I, as her mother, failed her. I was careless!”

“Mei Niang, please stop. Ah Ying is gone. Accept this truth and don’t cause more trouble. We can have more children in the future, we will…”

Lady Liu pushed him away fiercely, disbelief in her eyes.

“Even if we have more children, they won’t be Ah Ying!”

“If even we as parents say she’s gone, that she no longer exists, then she truly ceases to exist. She came into this world—why must she leave so silently? Why can’t she be remembered forever?”

Her words fell into stunned silence. Night had fallen, and suddenly a cold draft swept through the mortuary. The maids shivered.

The atmosphere grew unnervingly strange. Amid this eerie stillness came the clear sound of a flute, melodious and mournful, like flowing water cleansing the soul. Birds in nearby woods chirped softly, soothing the heart with a calming serenity.

Listening to the flute, Lady Liu ceased her outburst, her heart swelling with tender longing. She approached her daughter’s coffin once more, gazing upon her face, as delicate as the moon and lotus, lost in memories.

“Who is playing the flute outside, making Liu Shi stop raging?” muttered Lady Wang. Then she commanded:

“Someone, invite the flutist inside!”

“Yes, madam!”

The maids followed the music to the mansion’s entrance, where they saw a maiden in a white robe and light veil standing under the moonlight, playing the flute. Bathed in moonlight, her figure appeared ethereal, almost otherworldly.

What a celestial being!

As the maids marveled at the dreamlike sight, a girl’s voice suddenly called out:

“Ah! Someone’s come out! Ah Huan, you’re amazing!”

From behind the white-robed maiden, a girl with her hair in a bun, dressed in a green skirt, ran out cheerfully and approached.

“Auntie, did you invite us to your mansion?”

“How did you know?” the maid asked in surprise.

“My lady said so! She said your household has a patient who needs urgent treatment, or else after tonight the soul will depart and can never be saved!”

“Because of that, my lady rushed here without even going home first. We haven’t even had dinner yet!”

“I’m so hungry!”

The maid screamed in fright at the sudden outburst and, as if her legs had wheels, quickly ran into the Wang mansion.

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Ashu was confused and looked back at Murong Huan.

“Miss, what’s going on? Why did she run away?”

“What else could it be? She must think we’re ghosts!”

“Ah?”

“At midnight, two visitors showed up. One claimed to know there’s a patient in the household while the family is holding a funeral. Then you made a scary face and said you were hungry. Don’t we look like soul collectors?”

“I wasn’t making a scary face! Ah Huan, are you teasing me?” Ashu joked lightly but then grew sad. “Ah, it’s my fault for not explaining properly and scaring her away. If only she had entered the Wang mansion, we’d surely have good food to eat, right?”

“This family looks rich. Ah Huan, aren’t you hungry? I’m really starving!”

Murong Huan pondered for a moment.

“I am hungry, but you’ll be eating well very soon.”

“Really?”

Ashu gazed hopefully at the brightly lit Wang mansion.

Meanwhile, inside the Wang estate, the maid ran in breathless. Under the elderly lady’s questioning, she said:

“There was a female immortal—or no, two starving ghosts—who came to our mansion asking for food. Madam, I was scared to death!”

“What nonsense are you talking about? One moment an immortal, the next moment starving ghosts. What are you saying?”

The maid’s legs trembled. Just then, the steward hurried over and reported to Lady Wang:

“Madam, two visitors arrived outside—a young young lady and a maid. The flute music was from the young lady. She claimed that Lady Ah Ying is not dead, and her illness can be cured!”

“Illness?” Lady Wang felt something was amiss. Ah Ying’s body had been retrieved from the pond; she was already bloated. The doctors examined her and declared her lifeless. How could she not be dead?

“Could they be impostors pretending to be healers, coming to swindle food and drink?”

Just as Lady Wang was about to order the servants to turn the two away, Lady Liu, disheveled and wild, rushed over and blocked the maids.

“Ah Jia, if this person knows we have a patient, then she is no ordinary visitor. Whether she truly can heal or is here to deceive, I don’t care. As long as there is a glimmer of hope for Ah Ying, I must try!”

The senior madam sneered beside her, “The body is already sealed in the coffin. What cure can there be?”

Lady Wang frowned displeased.

“Very well, then bring her in.”