Chapter 24 : The Demonic Ghost is Merciless

In early April, Ji Yu set off for the Qingyu Chen family estate.

Accompanying her were Ji family’s disciples, including Hongxiao and Ji Buhuan, as well as a group of Demon Division members led by Jiang Shiqiu.

This was no surprise to anyone.

Jiang Shiqiu, as Ji Yu’s husband, was staying at the Ji family to be with her. Since Ji Yu was going to Qingyu Chen family to offer congratulations, he naturally had to accompany her.

To show their respect for the Chen family, the court had specially sent Qin Du to offer congratulations. Since Jiang Shiqiu was accompanying Ji Yu, Qin Du joined the Ji family in their journey with gifts for the Chen family.

The night before departure, Ji Yu went to bid farewell to her grandmother.

Grandmother Ji warned, “Being away from home isn’t as comfortable as being at home. Take good care of yourself, and if you encounter any issues, consult Master Jiang you don’t need to bear everything on your own.”

Ji Yu looked at her with some surprise.

Although her grandmother had always been concerned about her health, she had previously insisted that as the Ji family’s young master, Ji Yu needed to bear her responsibilities and not forget her duties, even while taking care of her health.

Hearing this now, however, it was as if her grandmother prioritized her well-being and suggested she didn’t need to shoulder everything alone.

Grandmother Ji, aware of Ji Yu’s thoughts, sighed and said, “You are the Ji family’s young master, and you should fulfill your responsibilities. But…”

Her eyes revealed a complex emotion.

Although her grandmother had always been concerned about her health, she always told her that as the young master of the Ji family, she needed to shoulder the responsibilities of the young master, and asked her to take care of her health while not forgetting her responsibilities.

However, since her granddaughter returned with her “grandson-in-law,” Grandmother Ji had realized that many things had changed.

Her granddaughter now had the protection of a powerful and terrifying demon, with fortunes difficult to predict.

Given the situation, Grandmother Ji didn’t want her granddaughter to suffer too much. While she was still alive, she wanted her to have an easier time and, at least, avoid too much regret if things took a turn for the worse in the future.

Ji Yu was taken aback, beginning to understand her grandmother’s concerns.

Regarding her marriage to Jiang Shiqiu, Grandmother Ji had always held a somewhat pessimistic attitude.

Since ancient times, it has been known that one day, she would die at the hands of her evil husband and turn into ashes.

Humans have emotions, but demons and ghosts are heartless, and it is uncertain if a demon would truly love a human.

Ji Yu looked seriously at her grandmother and asked, “Grandmother, what exactly is the situation with my marriage to Jiang Shiqiu?”

It was not appropriate to ask this when Jiang Shiqiu was present, but now, with just the two of them, Ji Yu found it hard to resist.

Grandmother Ji did not answer immediately. She adjusted the slightly crooked jade hairpin in Ji Yu’s hair and her usually stern face softened with a rare hint of tenderness.

At this moment, she was not the head of the Ji family but a grandmother who loved her granddaughter dearly.

She said, “Ji Yu, it’s not the time to tell you yet. Knowing too much may be harmful to you.”

“Why?” Ji Yu asked in confusion. “Is it related to the Ji family’s curse?”

Grandmother Ji’s gaze sharpened, “You know about the curse?”

Ji Yu nodded and recounted the encounter with the water ghost on the way back.

Even without the water ghost incident, she had her suspicions. From childhood, the constant vigilance and certain actions by her grandmother and other relatives suggested something more was at play.

She had previously avoided thinking about it because she feared her body might give out at any time, and she didn’t want to upset them. Now, although her health was still fragile, there was at least a glimmer of hope.

Old Lady Ji sighed inwardly and said gently, “Ji Yu, you will understand in the future.”

Ji Yu looked up at her grandmother for a long moment and eventually stopped asking questions.

Although she didn’t know why she wasn’t being told, she understood that her grandmother’s actions were for her own good. She had always been patient and wasn’t in a hurry to find out.

After speaking with her grandmother for a while longer, Ji Yu stood up to leave, saying, “Grandmother, it’s late. You should rest now, there’s no need to see me off.”

Old Lady Ji smiled at her granddaughter at the door and was about to say something when she saw the man approaching under the moonlight.

The new moon hung in the night sky, serene and mysterious.

The man, dressed in red, seemed like a supernatural being stepping through the moonlight, enchanting and wild.

He was almost too captivating to look directly at.

Ji Yu turned her head and, seeing the newcomer, her clear eyes softened with a gentle smile as she asked, “Why are you here?”

Jiang Shiqiu stepped forward, taking her hand, and after greeting Old Lady Ji, he said, “It’s very late, and I was worried about you, so I came to take you back.”

Ji Yu replied seriously, “The Ji family residence is very safe. You don’t need to worry.”

This was where she had grown up, she was familiar with every corner and didn’t think it was unsafe.

Jiang Shiqiu was momentarily at a loss, muttering softly, “Wife, you have no sense of romance.”

At times like this, wasn’t she supposed to be moved?

It seemed the stories from the human world were indeed deceptive. Who said a young lady would be frightened by walking at night and throw herself into her husband’s arms? His wife was neither afraid nor inclined to lean into him.

Perhaps he should ask Qin Du to find more normal stories for him tomorrow.

Ji Yu felt a bit uneasy, worried that he might say something inappropriate in front of her grandmother. After bidding her grandmother farewell, she quickly took him away.

Old Lady Ji watched the young couple walking away under the moonlight, talking softly as they went, and her expression gradually relaxed.

No matter how many times she saw it, she couldn’t get used to this scene; it felt like a dream.

As they passed the lake in front of Zuo Qing Courtyard, Jiang Shiqiu suddenly stopped.

“Jiang Shiqiu?” Ji Yu looked at him in confusion.

Jiang Shiqiu pointed at the lake and asked, “When was this lake dug?”

Ji Yu thought for a moment and replied, “I don’t know. It seems to have been here since the Ji family settled in Wushan City.” She then asked, “What’s the matter?”

Jiang Shiqiu withdrew his gaze, took her hand, and continued walking, saying, “There’s something at the bottom of the lake.”

Ji Yu was taken aback but responded calmly, “There’s a segment of a demon bone buried under the lake.”

This was a secret of the Ji family, known only to the Ji family members and not meant to be casually revealed. However, Ji Yu knew that even if she didn’t mention it, Jiang Shiqiu would eventually find out.

He should have noticed it on his first day in the Ji family.

They didn’t discuss the demon bone further or inquire about the demon it belonged to. After returning to Zuo Qing Courtyard and freshening up a bit, they went to bed.

They were departing the next day, and Ji Yu quickly fell asleep.

That night, she had another dream.

Darkness descended upon the sky, covering the whole area. She walked along the bank of a quiet river, with clusters of blooming flaming flowers at her feet, winding forward. They seemed like flames embellishing the dark and cold world, beautiful and yet enchanting.

Ji Yu stood by the river, looking at the distant bridge. The bridge was silent and devoid of the figures from her memories.

For some reason, she felt a sense of loss in her heart. Perhaps it was because she was accustomed to “Him”‘s existence since she was a child. She never knew that one day “Him” would disappear from her dreams and she would never see him again.

—

The next day, Ji Yu was not in a good mood.

Jiang Shiqiu reached out to touch her forehead, finding it normal in temperature, and asked with concern, “Ji Yu, are you feeling unwell?”

Ji Yu shook her head. “It’s nothing, just that I didn’t sleep well last night.”

Didn’t sleep well?

Jiang Shiqiu frowned slightly, thinking that she might be suffering from the poison of a corpse, which could be causing her pain and disrupting her sleep.

At this moment, a maid brought over the prepared medicine.

Ji Yu remained composed as she drank it all in one gulp. Just as she was about to wipe her mouth with a handkerchief, Jiang Shiqiu took over.

He held her chin gently and used a plain handkerchief to carefully wipe the remnants of the medicine from her lips, his voice filled with tenderness as he said, “My wife has suffered.”

Ji Yu’s lips curled into a slight smile as she said softly, “It’s not really about suffering or not. It’s always the same taste.”

She had been accustomed to it since she was young, and her taste buds had grown used to that peculiar flavor. It wasn’t particularly unpleasant for her.

Jiang Shiqiu was surprised. “Doesn’t my wife find it bitter?”

Ji Yu replied, “…It’s not too bad.” Even though she was used to it, it didn’t mean the medicine was not bitter.

Seeing him feed her preserved fruits with that expression of pity, Ji Yu was at a loss for words for a moment before decisively changing the subject, “It’s about time. Let’s set off.”

They bid farewell to Old Lady Ji and then boarded the carriage.

The disciples of the Ji family and the members of the Demon Division mounted their horses and followed. The procession left Wushan City in a grand manner.

Wushan City was a major city in the southwest, with countless vehicles and people entering and exiting daily.

At this time, many merchant caravans from various places were waiting at the city gate to enter. Seeing a group of demon hunters escorting a carriage, they were quite curious.

They asked one after another, “Who is in the carriage? Why is it escorted by so many demon hunters?”

The answer came from the city guards, who said, “This is a carriage from the Ji family. The person inside should be Young Master Ji. It is said that the Old Master Chen of the Qingyu Chen family is having a birthday soon, and the Ji family has sent Young Master Ji to offer birthday wishes.”

The crowd was astonished. “Young Master Ji is inside? Why is there an escort from the court’s Demon Division?”

The demon hunters from the court’s DemonDivision were easily recognizable by their uniforms and the strange knives they carried.

Master Jiang and Young Master Ji are married, so it makes sense for them to travel together.”

There was nothing strange about it.

The carriage certainly carried both Young Master Ji and Master Jiang. It was only natural for the Demon Division to escort them.

Upon hearing this, the merchants from afar finally understood.

No wonder so many members of the Demon Division were deployed, it was because the Commander of the Demon Division was also present.

Some people remarked, “I thought the Ji family was on the decline, but with such a son-in-law, who would dare underestimate the Ji family now?”

“Yes, Master Jiang is not the same as the criminal slave Shang Yunxiao from the past. He is a powerful official of the court.”

The position of the Commander of the Imperial City’s Demon Division carried significant weight, and everyone had to show respect. As long as the Ji family weathered the current difficulties, restoring its former glory would be inevitable.

Many in the crowd looked at the speaker with warm eyes.

They were all locals of the Wushan region, beneficiaries of the Ji family’s kindness, and naturally wished for the Ji family’s continued prosperity.

The Ji family was a renowned family of demon hunters, dedicated to subduing demons and protecting the people. They were known for their benevolence, having established orphanages and providing protection to the local populace. The Ji family held great esteem and affection in the hearts of the people of Wushan.

Inside the carriage, Ji Yu placed a crystal bottle containing a fat-headed fish on the table, along with a flower basket.

The flowers in the basket were picked from the mountains early that morning by Jiang Shiqiu. They were vibrant and colorful, arranged into a basket that added a touch of wild charm to the carriage.

The fat-headed fish in the crystal bottle looked longingly at the flowers but dared not sneak a bite. It could only occasionally glance at them to satisfy its cravings.

Ji Yu picked up the flower basket and looked at the fat-headed fish, then took a few flower petals and added them to the crystal bottle.

Seeing the fat-headed fish happily wagging its little tail as it devoured the petals, a smile appeared in her eyes, and her pale face showed a rare hint of liveliness.

Jiang Shiqiu noticed this and said, “If you like it, I can catch a few more for you another day.” Of course, he wasn’t talking about ordinary fish. Only demon fish with intelligence could provide his wife with entertainment.

The fat-headed fish, currently munching on the flower petals, wagged its tail even more excitedly.

It could definitely handle a few more misfortunate creatures, it liked them.

Ji Yu shook her head. “No need. One fish is enough.”

Though her name included “fish,” she didn’t actually have a particular fondness for raising fish. It was only because this fat-headed fish was the first gift Jiang Shiqiu had given her to alleviate her boredom that she kept it.

Demon hunters who subdue demons and protect people usually did not have much interest in keeping demonic creatures themselves.

The fat-headed fish, however, was disappointed.

It actually regretted its actions. If it had known there was such a formidable master on the ship, it would never have been so greedy as to try and eat her. Instead, it ended up as a captive entertainment for the demon hunters, the most unfortunate demon of all.

—

The Chen family is located in the southeastern coastal region, with Qingyu City being their territory.

Qingyu City is built along the coast, where birds with green feathers from the sea frequently visit and roost in the city. These birds are known as Qingluan, and their feathers are the symbol of the Chen family.

The Chen family’s status in Qingyu City is comparable to that of the Ji family in Wushan City.

With the approaching birthday of the Chen family’s old master, Qingyu City has been bustling with activity. Various factions from different places have been arriving with congratulatory gifts, and the city’s shops are celebrating the old master’s birthday with numerous discounts and lively promotions.

As the sun set, the procession slowly approached the city from outside.

Although it was getting late, people continued to stream into the city, lining up at the gate.

The city guards were inspecting the incoming citizens when they saw a grand procession with a carriage escorted by many guards.

When they recognized the uniforms and weapons of the escorting guards, the city guards were taken aback.

These were the uniforms of the Imperial DemonD ivision.

The city guards quickly reported this. 

In no time, a captain of the guard hurried over with a respectful attitude.

The people waiting in line to enter the city looked on in confusion. Many of them recognized the members of the Imperial Demon Division and were quite surprised.

Since when did members of the Demon Division become city guards?

Who could afford to have the court’s demon hunters as their escorts?

At this moment, another group of people on horseback approached, raising clouds of dust.

Seeing their green feathers, it was clear they were disciples of the Chen family, and people moved aside to let them pass.

In Qingyu City, Chen family disciples did not need to queue to enter, they could go straight in.

When the Chen family disciples passed by the waiting carriage, the leading young man suddenly stopped. He stared at the carriage’s diagonal jade emblem, then shifted his gaze to the DemonDivision’s guards beside the carriage and snickered.

“Since when did the Imperial Demon Division fall so low as to be escorts for someone?”

Upon hearing this sarcastic remark, the crowd fell silent.

They recognized the speaker as Chen Qingzhe, the Ninth Young Master of the Chen family, which made his behavior somewhat understandable.

Chen Qingzhe was the most favored grandson of the Chen family’s old master, and he had a reputation for arrogance and flamboyance, rarely showing restraint.

Qin Du glanced at him haughtily and retorted, “What little brat is this? Chattering away. Did your elders never teach you manners?”

Chen Qingzhe was enraged. He hated being lectured and accused of lacking manners.

He still harbored a grudge from the last time at the Crescent Moon Mountain Villa when Ji Yu had scolded him harshly, calling him worse than a beast.

“How dare you! Who are you?” Chen Qingzhe shouted angrily. “Do you know who I am?”

Qin Du responded with surprise, “If you don’t even know who you are, how would I know who you are? Move aside, brat. We need to get into the city.”

If Chen Qingzhe was arrogant, Qin Du was even more so.

The Chen family was indeed a significant power, but the Qin family of Yun Jing was no less impressive. Not to mention, he now represented the court’s Demon Division, so what was there to fear?

Even if the Chen family’s old master were here, he wouldn’t have the upper hand!

Chen Qingzhe was furious. Throughout his life, except for the setbacks he faced with Ji Yu, everything had gone smoothly for him, and everyone had always catered to him. This was only the second time he had been bested.

Before he could act on his anger, a Chen family disciple immediately stepped in to stop him.

“Ninth Young Master, this is Qin Du from the Demon Division.”

Chen Qingzhe was taken aback, scrutinizing Qin Du’s youthful face with suspicion. His instinct was to doubt, “This kid with barely any facial hair…”

He had heard that Qin Du was in his early twenties, not a teenager. Could it be a trick?

Everyone was silent.

Qin Du snorted and retorted, “Little brat, are you talking about yourself?”

He was about to throw in a few more jabs when a low, pleasant voice emerged from the carriage, “Qin Du.”

Upon hearing the voice, Qin Du immediately composed himself and turned to the captain of the guards. “Alright, when can we enter the city?”

The captain of the guards glanced at Chen Qingzhe’s enraged face, pondered for a moment, and then decisively stepped aside to let them enter the city.

Compared to the Ninth Young Master, the position of the Demon Division’s commander and the Ji family’s young master held greater weight and could not be offended. Clearly, this time it was the Ninth Young Master who was in the wrong, and the Chen family should not blame him.

The carriage moved forward again.

Throughout the entire encounter, the people inside the carriage remained silent and made no attempt to greet the Chen family members, maintaining an air of aloofness.

The Ji family disciples standing beside the carriage were equally unresponsive, their expressions cold as they ignored the Chen family disciples.

To onlookers, this seemed like extreme arrogance on the part of the Ji family. However, considering the recent events, it was understandable that the Ji family members behaved this way, given that Chen Qingzhe had provoked them first.

The surrounding citizens were so tense they dared not breathe, afraid of drawing the ire of the disgruntled Ninth Young Master.

As they watched the Ji family’s carriage enter the city, Chen Qingzhe, in his fury, snapped the green feather he was holding in half.

“Ninth Young Master…” The captain of the city guards approached with difficulty.

Chen Qingzhe turned to glare at him, his gaze terrifying. He then lashed out with his riding whip, sending the captain sprawling to the ground before mounting his horse and leaving.

Once the group had departed, the captain was helped up by his guards.

“Are you alright?” one of them asked nervously, wincing at the sight of his bloodied shoulder.

The captain grimaced in pain but said, “I’m fine. I just hope that the Ninth Young Master’s anger is appeased and that he won’t cause me trouble in the future.”

Although he said this, the captain wasn’t very hopeful.

He cursed under his breath, feeling incredibly unlucky for having run into the Ninth Young Master today. If he had known, he would have swapped shifts with someone else.

It’s not surprising, though, that the Ninth Young Master would be so irritable and end up offending the Demon Division.

I’ve heard that the Ninth Young Master and the Ji family’s young master from Wushan Mountain are half-siblings with the same father but different mothers. The Ninth Young Master has expressed his dislike for the Ji family’s young master on several occasions in public, so his reaction today is quite understandable.