Royal Gold Magistrate

The woman, cradling the cup of tea, didn’t stand up. Instead, she shuffled forward on her knees.

After just two small movements, she was beside Sun Jiacheng. However, those two subtle shifts were enough to hitch up the hem of her mourning dress ever so slightly.

Revealing a stretch of milky white calf.

It was only when Sun Jiacheng reached out to take the teacup that he realized the woman’s mourning attire was entirely different from the usual.

Rather than mourning clothes, it would be more accurate to describe it as a light, thin white dress.

The hem was even adorned with lace.

The woman was also barefoot, her delicate feet clad only in snow-white silk stockings, which had also been pushed down to her ankles.

Sun Jiacheng glanced at her, feeling slightly reassured. He reached out to take the teacup, forcing himself to stay calm as he said, “Thank you, miss.”

Then he drained the cup in one go!

Seeing him finish, the woman smiled softly and said in a gentle voice, “Did I startle you earlier, sir?”

Sun Jiacheng managed a strained smile, mustering up the courage to ask, “M-miss, why do the paintings in this room have no faces…”

“Is this still Fenghua Tower?”

As he spoke, the woman poured him another cup of tea and handed it over.

Then she turned to look at the picture frames and explained with a sob, “This is this humble girl’s home, how could it be Fenghua Tower?”

“As for these paintings, they were arranged by a fortune teller. My late husband drowned, and we feared his vengeful spirit might come back, so we painted these pictures…”

The woman was still spinning her tale, but Sun Jiacheng was panicking!

If this wasn’t Fenghua Tower, then where the hell was he?! Had he really encountered a ghost?

The thought sent a wave of fear through him. He looked at the woman warily and quietly shuffled back a bit.

The woman, holding the teacup, also shuffled forward, offering it to him.

She said pitifully, “Please have another cup, sir. It’s so gloomy here, this humble girl is terrified too.”

Let me get you to drink some more! You coward!

Sun Jiacheng took the teacup, and the woman’s little finger lightly brushed against his hand.

His heart inexplicably fluttered, and he took the cup and drained it again.

“May I ask for your name, miss? Let me pay my respects quickly, and then I can leave, right?”

“This servant’s surname is Nie, sir can call me Xiaoqian. Please come closer, sir, let this servant help you offer incense.”

Saying this, she turned her back to Sun Jiacheng.

Looking at Xiaoqian’s slender waist, Sun Jiacheng’s breathing grew heavier.

At the same time, he felt his mouth going dry, his throat seemingly on fire.

He had just drunk two cups of tea, so why was he thirsty again?

He shook his head, trying to dispel these distracting thoughts! Offering incense and leaving was the priority!

Sun Jiacheng gritted his teeth and moved forward to sit beside Xiaoqian.

Waves of fragrance wafted towards his nose, making him feel somewhat dazed.

Xiaoqian lit the incense and passed it to Sun Jiacheng.

Sun Jiacheng hurriedly took it, knocked his head on the ground three times with loud thunks, and quickly stuck the incense into the burner.

He asked impatiently, “Can I leave now?”

Hearing this, Xiaoqian raised her pretty face and looked at Sun Jiacheng with autumn-pool eyes.

“Could sir stay a bit longer… This servant… this servant is afraid.”

Sun Jiacheng wanted to refuse, but a surge of emotion welled up in his heart, and as if possessed, he nodded!

As soon as he nodded, he regretted it. He knelt there with a bitter expression, staring blankly.

Xiaoqian looked timidly at Sun Jiacheng and said, “How about… sir has another cup of tea?”

“Oh, alright, alright!”

For some reason, he now felt unbearably thirsty, his throat burning. Another cup of tea would be good!

Sun Jiacheng took the tea and downed another cup.

Seeing that he had already drunk his third cup and still showed no reaction, just kneeling there rigidly with his whole body tense, Xiaoqian couldn’t help but frown!

Can this old guy even perform or not?

Then her hand secretly reached for a thread near the coffin and gave it a hard tug!

The picture frame on the memorial altar fell down with a loud clang!

Sun Jiacheng was startled! But the next second, he saw Xiaoqian throwing herself into his arms!

His heart began to race uncontrollably.

Sun Jiacheng looked down to see Xiaoqian gazing up at him with watery eyes, below her neck was a harmonious part of civilization.

Her mourning dress had become somewhat disheveled.

Two long legs were displayed before his eyes, and the loose silk stockings had been kicked off without him noticing.

Revealing a pair of delicate feet, with toes curling playfully.

“Sir, this isn’t… a haunting, is it…?”

Sun Jiacheng swallowed hard, unable to resist pressing his hands on Xiaoqian’s shoulders. “It’s an accident! An accident! I must leave quickly… if you’re scared, we can leave together!”

Xiaoqian said resentfully, “I can’t! The vigil isn’t over, this servant can’t leave.”

As she finished speaking, she forcefully pulled back, breaking free from Sun Jiacheng’s hands, and secretly tugged at her sleeve!

The light of civilization suddenly bloomed!

“Ah!”

After a cry of surprise, Xiaoqian hurriedly pulled her mourning dress back into place and turned away, sobbing.

“Ah, this…. Miss! I didn’t mean to!” Sun Jiacheng was at a loss, but the tea was starting to take effect, and he felt an inexplicable discomfort.

“I don’t want to live anymore!!” Xiaoqian shrieked, straightening up as if to throw herself at the coffin.

Seeing this, Sun Jiacheng instinctively reached out to grab Xiaoqian.

But this tug was no small matter. The mourning dress, as if made of paper, tore with a loud rip, half of it coming off!

Sun Jiacheng stood there holding half a piece of cloth, his eyes wide and mouth agape.

Xiaoqian quickly crouched down and began to cry.

As Sun Jiacheng stood there, not knowing what to do, he suddenly heard faint voices coming from next door…

A lightning bolt of realization struck his mind!

Fuck! So I’m still in Fenghua Tower, and this so-called Xiaoqian has been putting on an act with me!

No wonder this crappy outfit had such a peculiar style and such poor quality!

Having figured it out, Sun Jiacheng was instantly enraged. He glared fiercely at Xiaoqian!

Then he lunged forward in one step.

He yanked Xiaoqian up from the ground with one hand!

Then he roughly threw her onto the bed of purity.

The bedspread was even embroidered with the words “Civilization, Harmony, Equality, Justice.”

Xiaoqian let out a miserable cry, her eye twitching twice as she looked at Sun Jiacheng.

Shit! He drank too much tea, this dog almost killed me!

Sun Jiacheng, his eyes bloodshot, approached Xiaoqian with a sneer, holding the half-torn cloth.

“Tell me! Were you putting on an act?!”

Fortunately, Xiaoqian was still professional. With eyes full of terror, she said, “Sir, what are you talking about?”

“This is my late husband’s memorial hall, please control yourself!!”

“Oh ho! Interesting! Weren’t you trying to kill yourself just now? Now it’s not you anymore?”

“Still acting? You really think I can’t see through it?!”

Sun Jiacheng, hearing the sounds coming from next door, fully understood now. He whipped the torn cloth strip sharply!

“Let me show you Sun’s techniques!!”

……………

Outside the room, Wu Sheng and Xie Xian listened to the reactions from inside, nodding repeatedly.

“The effect is pretty good, our people are quite professional!”

Xie Xian asked curiously, “What’s the theme of this room?”

“It’s called ‘A Chinese Ghost Story’, but the Master changed it later! There’s even an advanced version, with fox spirits and monsters and such.”

“But we were afraid it might be too intense, so we didn’t use it.”

Wu Sheng sighed, “The Master is truly talented! I’m still far behind!”

Xie Xian immediately objected, “Master Wu, you’re already very impressive. Didn’t you design more than half of the themes here?”

Wu Sheng shook his head, “It’s all thanks to the Master’s guidance.”

“Ah, I don’t know why, but I always feel like I’m living in the Master’s shadow…”