In the morning, Yi Sun felt birthmark on his back itch and burn. After he cleaned himself, he found that his birthmark had become swollen red. He applied medicine on his cuts and put on his robe, not thinking much about the redness in his birthmark.
Shen Zi Yu came to find Lady Yuwen in the Eastern courtyard of the manor. She was scolding a maid for spilling water all over the floor, and asked her to clean it before someone slips and hurt themselves.
"Lady Yuwen." Shen Zi Yu greeted her.
"Young Master, Zi Yu" She's surprised to see the other. "What brings you here?"
"I'm here to thank you for the medicine." Shen Zi Yu offered her a courtesy bow.
"Please don't stand on ceremony. It's nothing." She assured him. "Besides, you got punished because of Yi Sun."
"Lady Yuwen, please don't hold him accountable for his good intentions."
"I..." Lady Yuwen didn't get a chance to finish her sentence. The maid who's pulling a bucket of water out of the well, slipped and almost into the well if not for catching the rope in time. Lady Yuwen immediately grabbed the rope as Shen Zi Yu pulled the maid up by her arms. It's then Lady Yuwen looked down into the well and saw something in reflection that made her gasp. She looked back up at Shen Zi Yu's in horror, then back into the well.
'It couldn't be...'
"Lady Yuwen, are you alright?" Shen Zi Yu asked catching Lady Yuwen off guard. In panic, she failed to notice that he had already pulled up the maid, and now was looking at her intently.
"I'm alright." She composed herself and looked away from the well. "I forget to check on Jiang Li. It's time for her medicine."
"Mother..." Yi Sun called for her but Lady Yuwen brushed past him in a rush.
"What happened?" Yi Sun asked in confusion. "The maid almost fell into the well that had baffled Lady Yuwen." Shen Zi Yu answered him pointing at the maidservant.
"Oh..." Yi Sun said. "Are you okay now?" The maid shook her head and Yi Sun felt assured.
"Aye, Zi Yu?" Yi Sun spoke earning other's attention. "Didn't you say that you wanted to buy more scrolls for the exam preparation."
"Yes, I did"
Why don't we go to the market and have a look?" Yi Sun offered and Shen Zi Yu agreed to go to the market with him.
That night, Lady Yuwen remained restless and couldn't sleep at all. She felt as if someone had been looking at her through the window. She got up to close the window and went back to sleep with Jiang Li.
As the dawn broke, the maidservant went to fetch water from the well, but dropped the bucket and screamed in horror upon seeing seeing Lady Yuwen hanging from rope in the well.There were sound of wails and cries in the manor. The servants were running around, and cries of maids echoed through the Eastern Courtyard. Yi Sun woke up, and put on his outer robe to see what happened in the manor. He rushed through the servants and froze upon seeing the pale blue, dead body of Lady Yuwen on the ground.
Yi Sun couldn't process anything. His father was devastated; his grandmother collapsed and had to be taken back to her room to rest. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Jiang Li hiding behind their father. She was shaking and was constantly looking at something.His eyes trailed her gaze back to Shen Zi Yu who was standing among the servants, and caught Yi Sun looking back at him. Yi Sun narrowed his eyes, and then looked back at his terrified sister who hid away from him. The funeral ceremony was prepared, mourning filled the atmosphere of Jiang Manor once again and Yi Sun kept the vigil to fulfill his filial duty while Shen Zi Yu kept him company.
Jiang Li had fallen seriously ill, and couldn't wake up due to fever. Jiang Xian couldn't bear to lose his daughter as well. Physicians were called from all the places but no one could tell what was wrong with the young girl. One said, it's cold as she had been weak since birth. The other said it's due to grief of losing her mother at such a young age and disturbed her meridians, whilst some said that her soul had been snatched by an evil spirit. Old Madam Jiang thought it must be the latter case as no child could survive in the manor after Yi Sun's mother death. It's then she recalled that Lady Su Ying's maid who had committed suicide was also with a child back then. It must be the spirit of the tree. Seeing her worried, Old Madam Jiang's maid told her about a monk in Yanjing who was good at curing soul disease. So, she decided to call that monk for Jiang Li.
After the burial, Yi Sun took it upon himself to look for that spirit healer and Shen Zi Yu insisted on coming along with him. When Yi Sun refused he said,
"Lady Yuwen treated me with nothing but kindness. I've been to Yanjing, and know the way around it too." It would be easier for them to find that spiritual healer sooner.
Thus, on the first of the next moon, Yi Sun and Shen Zi Yu set out in a carriage to Yanjing. Before leaving, Old Madam Jiang asked her maid to sew in a protective charm in Yi Sun's scented pouch.
"I'm afraid this journey will not be an easier one for him." Madam Jiang told her. "May Heaven protect him from the Evil till he returns"
YOU ARE READING
Winter Poisoning
Horreur"In ancient times, women would worship peach blossom tree and make offerings to the tree's spirit to be blessed with a child. However, the spirit of tree is a malevolent one." Shen Zi Yu told Yi Sun. "It always takes back what is promised to it eve...
