Marriage of Di daughter

136

The Copper Coin Sword headed straight towards Jiang Li!Everyone gasped in shock, unable to react in time. Jiang's elderly lady was on the verge of fainting.However, Jiang Li stood steady, the tip of the sword stopping right at her nose. Although the Copper Coin Sword was not as sharp as a regular sword, the sudden turn of events did not faze her at all. Still wearing a faint smile, she showed no sign of panic on her face.Daoist Chongxu was momentarily stunned. Before coming here, he had already learned quite a bit about Miss Jiang Er. Despite the unexpected horse fright incident during the archery competition, she still completed the shooting with precision, showing her strong and resilient nature. She was not an ordinary delicate lady that was easy to deal with. However, today's situation was different from archery, even if Jiang Li did not lose her composure, she should have shown some surprise.But she didn't.The girl stood straight, like a young tree yet to grow, slender and fragile yet with a determination that even strong winds and heavy rains couldn't shake.She even looked over at Daoist Chongxu and nodded at him.In an instant, a chill ran down Daoist Chongxu's spine. Even though today's task was to tarnish Miss Jiang Er's reputation, at this moment, Daoist Chongxu couldn't help but feel puzzled. He even began to wonder if Miss Jiang Er truly had a hint of evil in her. She remained calm unlike ordinary people.Jiang Yuanbo finally reacted, furrowing his brows and asking, "Daoist, what is the meaning of this?"The Copper Coin Sword still floated in the air, its tip pointing at Jiang Li without any movement. Jiang Yuyao covered her mouth and whispered, "The sword is pointing at Second Sister. Could it be... Could it be that Second Sister is the evil spirit?!""Silence!" Jiang's elderly lady's eyes narrowed. "Yuyao, how could you baselessly tarnish your sister's reputation like that!"Jiang Yuyao retreated behind Ji Shuran in grievance, and Ji Shuran comfortingly patted her hand. Mrs. Lu looked at Ji Shuran and her daughter in confusion. Ji Shuran and her daughter seemed to dislike Jiang Li, indicating they might want to deal with her. However, today Daoist Chongxu was sent by the emperor, and the commotion in the courtyard was indeed quite peculiar. The wind chime rang inexplicably, the sword stood up pointing at Jiang Li. Mrs. Lu's eyes carried a hint of taboo.Hearing is false, seeing is believing. If one only heard the name of Daoist Chongxu, others might not completely believe in his ability to expel evil spirits. But after witnessing his actions, people couldn't help but think that Daoist Chongxu's skills were not just boasting.Daoist Chongxu reached out, and as if the Copper Coin Sword had eyes, it immediately flew back to his hand with a "whoosh" sound. It seemed to have a life of its own, rather than being an inanimate object. The people around fell silent, and Daoist Chongxu said to Jiang Yuanbo, "Master Jiang... this..."Jiang Yuanbo replied, "Feel free to speak, Daoist.""The matter of expelling evil is not so simple. But because the evil entity lurking in your mansion has not fully formed yet, it is easily identified. That is..." he glanced at Jiang Li, his eyes filled with hesitation and doubt. This look fell into the eyes of others in the courtyard, and they immediately understood what was going on."Daoist, what do you mean by this?" Jiang's elderly lady asked."The young lady in the house is the host of the evil spirit," Daoist Chongxu said, looking at Jiang Li.At this moment, all the servants and attendants in the courtyard turned to look at Jiang Li. From the looks they gave her, some were fearful and disgusted, while others avoided her like the plague.Although she had informed Tong'er in advance, now that the old Daoist was accusing her, Tong'er couldn't help but defend, "Nonsense! How could our young lady have anything to do with an evil spirit? You're clearly talking nonsense!""Stop it." Jiang Li shook her head at Tong'er, then apologized to Jiang's elderly lady, "My maid is just overly protective, I hope you won't blame her.""It's alright," Jiang's elderly lady said.Seeing this, Ji Shuran's brows furrowed imperceptibly. It was already such a time, and Jiang Li was being accused of being an evil spirit, yet she still had the mind to manage her maid. Did she really think she could safely walk away from this? This was no small matter.Jiang Jingrui ignored Mrs. Lu's warning gaze and spoke, "Jiang Li an evil spirit? Daoist, are you sure you're not mistaken? Our Jiang Li stayed in the temple on Qingcheng Mountain for eight years. That place is a pure land, how could an evil entity exist there?"Mrs. Lu quickly slapped Jiang Jingrui.Jiang Yuanping pondered and added, "Indeed, Daoist, my niece is usually gentle and quiet, unlike any evil entity."Jiang Li was quite surprised that her second uncle, who usually had a smiling face, would speak up for her. But upon second thought, if something really went wrong in their house, the Jiang family's reputation would suffer.At least Jiang Yuanping spoke up for her, but the third branch's Jiang Yuanxing and his wife said nothing from start to finish. Jiang Yuyan was even less likely to speak up in such a situation. It seemed that Jiang Yuanxing had become even more silent since the incident with Jiang Yuer. And Mrs. Yang, looking over here, seemed to take pleasure in watching the show.The third and second branches seemed to have completely detached themselves.Just as these thoughts crossed their minds, Daoist Chongxu's voice rang out, "This young master only knows one side of the story, not the whole truth. Even in the Buddhist temple, impurities can exist. On the contrary, many who enter the monastery with unclean thoughts are more likely to be plagued by inner demons. At this moment, evil spirits take advantage of vulnerabilities to inhabit a host. However, in a Buddhist temple, even if there are evil spirits, they dare not cause harm and instead hide within the host, waiting for an opportunity. Once they leave the temple and enter the world, the evil spirits can grow infinitely. Since this young lady was previously in the temple, returning home now, it is possible that this is the reason."Jiang Jingrui still didn't believe, "You're saying all the good and bad, but does it matter whether we believe you or not?""I am not speaking lightly. The most likely manifestation of being possessed by an evil spirit is a drastic change in temperament, appearing like a completely different person. As the saying goes, a person's temperament does not change drastically overnight. Even if the temperament changes, the past habits and essence will still remain the same. Is this young lady's temperament drastically different from before?"With these words, silence fell over the courtyard once again.Jiang Li had indeed undergone a significant change in temperament since returning to the mansion. Thinking back to the old Jiang Li, before being sent to Qingcheng Mountain, she was hot-tempered, willful, and emotional, with every emotion written on her face, prone to tears. As time flew by, the current Jiang Li made it difficult for everyone in the mansion to read her.She remained calm, gentle, always wearing a soft smile, yet no one knew what she was thinking. She no longer cried, and she didn't even show emotions like "fear" or "grievance." Regardless of what happened, she would just smile.As if she didn't care at all."I see..." in the silence, Ji Shuran's voice broke through, saying, "Since returning to the mansion, Li'er has indeed changed significantly from before. Her temperament has become more mature, but she doesn't seem like a typical fifteen-year-old girl. Yuyao, who is of similar age, behaves like a child who never grows up... She used to love meat and fish, especially the lamb stew made in the kitchen, but now she feels nauseated at the smell of lamb, preferring vegetables... everything is different..."Did she want to rush to convict her? Jiang Li looked coldly at Ji Shuran as she listed one difference after another between herself and Miss Jiang Er. Without saying a word, the doubts on the faces of the people in the courtyard increased. Indeed, she was not the real Miss Jiang Er, and had no similarities with Miss Jiang Er in terms of upbringing or temperament. So, it was easy for Ji Shuran to find their differences. In the end, they seemed to have no common ground, they were completely different people.These suspicions were probably also harbored by Jiang's elderly lady and Jiang Yuanbo, but they weren't as clear as Ji Shuran in remembering. Ji Shuran brought it up at this moment, not to make everyone believe in Daoist Chongxu's words, but to make them believe a little more.In a way, Ji Shuran seemed to have grasped some truth.Jiang Li remained silent, not retorting. When Ji Shuran finished listing all the differences, she looked at Jiang Yuanbo with concern, "So, Li'er is indeed very different from before... Father, I'm not suspecting Li'er of being an evil spirit. But all of this is for Li'er's sake, for the sake of the Jiang family. If Li'er... if Li'er really becomes a host to an evil spirit, Daoist should have a way to drive out the evil spirit. By then, Li'er will be safe, right?"Jiang Li said, "Mother."Looking at Jiang Yuanbo, Jiang Yuanbo stared at this unfamiliar daughter, saying, "Go on.""Daoist is right in saying that a person's temperament and preferences cannot undergo a drastic change overnight. However, when I left home for the temple, it wasn't for just one night, not for a few days, not even for a month or two, but for eight years.""Eight years is not a short time," she smiled at Daoist Chongxu.Meeting the Daoist's gentle gaze, Jiang Li's lips curved like before, "Madam Liu came to Qingcheng Mountain to pay her respects to the Buddha. I don't know if anyone paid attention to her words. When she saw me that day, I was kneeling in the ancestral hall, not drinking a drop of water for a whole day and night.""For me, this was a normal way of life. Being hungry, cold, and accustomed to it. Even the brightest clothes in the temple were better than nothing to wear.""I just wanted to struggle to survive, but my sister is different. My sister lacks nothing in the house, so she can naturally develop a personality that lacks nothing. I have been polished by life. If I didn't compromise, I would have gone crazy long ago. So changing habits was just to survive. Don't talk about bright clothes, the temple had spare monk robes, which were better than the clothes that didn't cover the body.""I just wanted to survive, but my sister is different. My sister lacks nothing in the house, so she can naturally develop a personality that lacks nothing. I have been polished by life. If I didn't compromise, I would have gone crazy long ago. So changing habits was just to survive. Don't talk about bright clothes, the temple had spare monk robes, which were better than the clothes that didn't cover the body.""I just wanted to survive, but my sister is different. My sister lacks nothing in the house, so she can naturally develop a personality that lacks nothing. I have been polished by life. If I didn't compromise, I would have gone crazy long ago. So changing habits was just to survive. Don't talk about bright clothes, the temple had spare monk robes, which were better than the clothes that didn't cover the body.""I just wanted to survive, but my sister is different. My sister lacks nothing in the house, so she can naturally develop a personality that lacks nothing. I have been polished by life. If I didn't compromise, I would have gone crazy long ago. So changing habits was just to survive. Don't talk about bright clothes, the temple had spare monk robes, which were better than the clothes that didn't cover the body.""I just wanted to survive, but my sister is different. My sister lacks nothing in the house, so she can naturally develop a personality that lacks nothing. I have been polished by life. If I didn't compromise, I would have gone crazy long ago. So changing habits was just to survive. Don't talk about bright clothes, the temple had spare monk robes, which were better than the clothes that didn't cover the body.""I just wanted to survive, but my sister is different. My sister lacks nothing in the house, so she can naturally develop a personality that lacks nothing. I have been polished by life. If I didn't compromise, I would have gone crazy long ago. So changing habits was just to survive. Don't talk about bright clothes, the temple had spare monk robes, which were better than the clothes that didn't cover the body.""I just wanted to survive, but my sister is different. My sister lacks nothing in the house, so she can naturally develop a personality that lacks nothing. I have been polished by life. If I didn't compromise, I would have gone crazy long ago. So changing habits was just to survive. Don't talk about bright clothes, the temple had spare monk robes, which were better than the clothes that didn't cover the body.""I just wanted to survive, but my sister is different. My sister lacks nothing in the house, so she can naturally develop a personality that lacks nothing. I have been polished by life. If I didn't compromise, I would have gone crazy long ago. So changing habits was just to survive. Don't talk about bright clothes, the temple had spare monk robes, which were better than the clothes that didn't cover the body."This statement was calm and steady, but every word carried deep emotions. Even Mrs. Lu, who was usually fierce, showed a trace of sympathy on her face, unable to understand what Jiang Yuanbo was thinking. Even if Jiang Li was at fault, she was still his flesh and blood. If Jiang Jingrui and Jiang Jingyou made mistakes, she would scold them severely, but she would not go to the extent Jiang Yuanbo did.On Jiang Yuanbo's face, there was shame, anger, frustration all mixed together, avoiding Jiang Li's gaze.In her heart, Ji Shuran cursed fiercely, thinking, what a smooth-talker...She was a cunning little devil with a silver tongue. Even at the brink of death, she still managed to stir up trouble. No wonder she was so difficult to deal with. No wonder back at Qingcheng Mountain, she had ordered someone to torture Jiang Li, yet this little troublemaker managed to survive!Daoist Chongxu, however, felt a sense of unease. Over the years, he had deceived and manipulated people everywhere, even daring to deceive the emperor. Apart from his skillful deceit, he was also adept at reading people. By pinpointing each person's weaknesses and striking there, many things became much easier.But with Miss Jiang Er, he had known her background before entering the mansion, and even after observing her for a short time inside, he couldn't pinpoint Jiang Li's weaknesses. Even now, she remained composed, presenting her arguments logically and convincingly to others.Regardless of whether she could convince others, her strong character was already a challenge.Jiang Yuyao said, "Although Second Sister is right, but... Second Sister did not fare any worse on Qingcheng Mountain than the young ladies who grew up in Yanjing City. In terms of accomplishments, Second Sister even excelled in the Six Arts, didn't she?"The Six Arts? Ji Shuran's heart stirred, hesitatingly said, "That's true. Li'er didn't like to study when she was young. Unexpectedly, after spending eight years in the temple, she returned as a talented woman. Later, I inquired, there were no horses or zithers in the temple, yet Li'er managed to excel on her own. It's truly remarkable."Jiang Yuanbai looked at Jiang Li, sharing the same suspicion. Although Jiang Li had explained at the time, and Jiang Yuanbai believed her, for some reason, he later sent someone to investigate Qingcheng Mountain, and the results matched exactly what Ji Shuran was saying now.How could Jiang Li become so intelligent? In this world, there are geniuses, but geniuses still need guidance. Even a clever woman finds it hard to cook without rice. Without anything, how could she succeed?"Furthermore," Ji Shuran continued anxiously, "Last time when Li'er went to Xiangyang, she came back with the Assistant Magistrate of Tongxiang County, Xue Huaiyuan. Although Li'er is righteous and brave, she is very concerned about Xue Huaiyuan. In the past, there was no connection between Li'er and Xue Huaiyuan. Why is she so obsessed with a stranger? Could it be that she has been misled by some evil spirit, making incomprehensible decisions?"As these words came out, Jiang Yuanbai's gaze suddenly turned severe. This was also Jiang Yuanbai's concern, a stone weighing on his heart. Jiang Li was more filial to Xue Huaiyuan than to him, her own father. This had long been a source of frustration for Jiang Yuanbai. If Xue Huaiyuan were not currently an irrational lunatic, Jiang Yuanbai would truly want to find out what was going on.But Jiang Li couldn't say it, she couldn't bring herself to.So in the eyes of everyone, it seemed like she was at her wit's end, tacitly admitting to being possessed by an evil spirit."In reality, who would want to trouble a child like this," Ji Shuran added, "But if there is something truly wrong with Li'er, causing harm to the Jiang family, the mansion, and all the children... it won't be a good thing."At the mention of harming the Jiang family, even Old Madam Jiang was moved. She asked Daoist Chongxu, "In your opinion, how should we drive away the evil spirit? If we drive it away for my granddaughter, will it harm her?"Although concerned for Jiang Li, Jiang Li's heart also shook, feeling sympathy for Miss Jiang Er. After all, once she tacitly admitted to having a connection with an evil spirit, she would be following the path designed by Ji Shuran, and the end of that path was certainly not a good place. But for the sake of the Jiang family, Old Madam Jiang did not argue on her behalf, nor did she believe in her completely.If it were really Miss Jiang Er, she would definitely be heartbroken."It won't," Daoist Chongxu said, "But after driving away the evil spirit, Miss Jiang will have to stay in a pure land of Buddhism for some time, away from others. Although the evil spirit may not be visible now, after it's driven away, Miss Jiang may experience some lingering symptoms, such as weakness. She needs to be well taken care of."Jiang Li understood. Going to the Buddhist land? Was she going to relive the scene of going to Qingcheng Mountain years ago? With her weakened body, she would grow thinner day by day in the Buddhist land, eventually succumbing to a silent death? It provided a perfect excuse. Jiang Li believed that as soon as she left, Ji Shuran would spread the news far and wide. At that time, she wouldn't need to return to Yanjing City, she would quietly die on Qingcheng Mountain.And to cover up the truth of the matter, the Jiang family would come up with some excuse, such as dying of illness, just like Ye Zhenzhen, or her previous life, dying inexplicably.Because Ji Shuran knew that she couldn't touch herself in Yanjing City, and the usual accusations wouldn't warrant Jiang Yuanbai taking her life. By using the pretext of driving away evil, sending her far away, it would be the easiest way to deal with her.It was a very cautious plan."Second Miss," Old Madam Jiang asked, "Since there is no major issue, let Daoist Chongxu drive away the evil spirit for you?"Jiang Li nodded, then turned to Jiang Yuanbai, asking, "Father, do you agree?"Jiang Yuanbai stared at Jiang Li. He didn't completely trust Daoist Chongxu, but Jiang Li's strange behavior was also completely inexplicable. He felt that Jiang Li had turned into a stranger, even the faint blood ties seemed to have disappeared.He made up his mind and said, "It won't harm you, so go ahead.""Alright," Jiang Li nodded, seemingly not discontent with Jiang Yuanbai's decision. But in that moment when she lowered her head, Jiang Yuanbai seemed to see the disappointment in her eyes. For a moment, Jiang Yuanbai regretted whether agreeing to let Daoist Chongxu drive away the evil spirit for Jiang Li was a mistake.Jiang Li said, "Daoist Chongxu, please."She took control of the situation, showing no fear of the unknown, appearing calm as if she were attending a banquet, which left Daoist Chongxu momentarily stunned."Miss Jiang, please," Daoist Chongxu said.Jiang Li was about to walk towards him when Tong'er couldn't help but reach out and tug at her clothes. Jiang Li turned to look at Tong'er, who reluctantly let go of her hand, tears welling up in her eyes.She just couldn't let go of her worries.Daoist Chongxu led Jiang Li to stand between four pillars with taut ropes, handing her a bell to hold. He then walked to the altar, where a live chicken was brought forward by a disciple. Daoist Chongxu's sword pierced the chicken's neck, blood spurting out."Ah!" The maids in the courtyard were so scared that they turned away and covered their eyes. At that moment, the black mist grew denser, almost as if it were night, eerie and sinister.Ji Shuran instinctively pulled Jiang Yuyao closer to her, taking a step back. Although she knew it was all fake, the eerie atmosphere in the courtyard sent shivers down her spine.Lu Shi had long been holding onto her two sons, standing at the back. She appeared fierce, but in reality, she was the most timid, and she believed in ghosts and spirits. She was the most convinced of Daoist Chongxu's words.Yang Shi and Jiang Yuanxing from the third branch looked skeptical, while Jiang Yuyan had already turned away in fear, no longer able to watch.Among the crowd, Nurse Hu stood in an inconspicuous spot, staring straight at Jiang Li.From the beginning until now, Jiang Li had been passive. This also left Nurse Hu uncertain. She had placed all her bets on Jiang Li, even though Jiang Li had shared her plan with her, Nurse Hu still found it risky. Deceiving under the watchful eyes of others was extremely difficult.But Jiang Li was resolute, and Nurse Hu had no choice. She couldn't seek revenge on her own. To cooperate with Jiang Li and play out this act well, she had made up her mind. She was willing to pay the ultimate price. If Jiang Li failed... if... at that moment, her gaze met Jiang Li's in the air.Under the dark mist, the girl's eyes were bright and gentle, exuding unwavering determination.In an instant, Nurse Hu fell silent.It wasn't time to panic yet, not yet...Daoist Chongxu continued with the ritual.To others, his actions seemed mysterious and profound, displaying the demeanor of a master. Over the years, he had become adept at such actions. In fact, where were ghosts and spirits in this world? They were just figments of people's imaginations.He used these superstitions to deceive people, remaining undiscovered for so many years. His master, the real Daoist Chongxu, was a true master, but what did he achieve in his lifetime? Only he had truly embodied the meaning of the name "Daoist Chongxu."Thinking this, Daoist Chongxu couldn't help but feel a sense of pride. Every time he performed this "ritual," looking at the dignitaries who usually looked up to him, their hopeful eyes fixed on him, expecting him to provide them with the last straw of salvation, Daoist Chongxu felt proud. He could manipulate all these people at his fingertips, showcasing his skills.However, the young girl today was the most cautious person he had ever met.She seemed to have no inner demons, standing calmly, facing her actions head-on, even showing a hint of interest, which offended Daoist Chongxu. Perhaps Jiang Li was someone who didn't believe in ghosts and spirits, which allowed her to remain composed.Jiang Li saw the fleeting annoyance in Daoist Chongxu's eyes.People like him were praised too highly, forgetting their original position. Truth be told, she did believe in ghosts and spirits. She had truly died once and then became Miss Jiang Er. Wasn't that a form of the supernatural? But she was certain that Daoist Chongxu had not seen this layer.Daoist Chongxu smeared the chicken blood on the peach-wood sword, and the yellow talismans around him stood upright as he chanted. They surrounded Jiang Li!The scene was now truly eerie.And the Daoist, with an air of immortality, pointed the sword at Jiang Li with a sudden shout!The wooden sword did not pierce her body but stopped in front of her, yet Daoist Chongxu's body trembled as if he had struck something in the void, making a sound like metal clashing.The chicken, which had already been bled, suddenly started squawking.The maids in the courtyard were so scared that they knelt in a heap, and even Jiang Yuanbai's heart wavered slightly.Daoist Chongxu seemed to be holding something in his hand, then shouted, "Evil spirit, come out!" He raised his hand, and a large clump of sticky rice mixed with unknown things was scattered down.Within that clump of sticky rice, there seemed to be something else, and Jiang Li instinctively closed her mouth and nose, stepping back.But immediately, her nose, mouth, and corners of her mouth started bleeding.She sneered coldly in her heart. This was just Daoist Chongxu's trick!To look like an evil spirit, she naturally had to appear as one. The sticky rice mixed with some kind of powder made her look terrifying. It might even make her lose her senses, but because she closed her mouth and nose, she didn't inhale anything, unsure of how to react.Under the eerie night sky, Jiang Li, dressed in plain clothes, with blood flowing from her ears, nose, and mouth, looked like a terrifying ghost. This scared everyone in the courtyard, making them scramble away.Jiang Yuyao screamed, "A ghost!" and the people of Jiang family took a step back in fear.Daoist Chongxu was inwardly pleased, expecting to see Jiang Li's panicked expression.But when he looked, he was stunned.In the dim candlelight, Jiang Li gave him a bright smile.Though her appearance was far from cute, rather terrifying.Jiang Li sneered, indeed, she was an evil spirit, but not the one they thought she was. This evil spirit was the one that would claim Ji Shuran's life!Suddenly, the sound of a girl crying burst out in the courtyard.A loud cry that seemed to echo in everyone's ears.