kvmb Chapter 687 My Family 5
Chapter 687 My Family 5
Vice Minister Fan picked one up; beneath its cool, heavy exterior lay an astonishingly light feel.
He ran his fingernail along the edge of the silver ingot, and the hard shell cracked open! It revealed a honeycomb-like cavity inside, as if it had been gnawed by millions of termites!
This scene caused everyone present, including the experienced old manager, to gasp and feel a chill run down their spines. This was absolutely beyond human capability!
Ancestral Hall: When Vice Minister Fan, with great effort and with support, reached the solemn place where the ancestral tablets were enshrined, he discovered extremely slight signs of loosening in the ground where the ancestral precepts stone slabs were buried.
Upon digging it open, the stone slab was undamaged, but only a layer of fine, dust-like powder remained in the hidden compartment below.
The old servant responsible for cleaning the ancestral hall every day collapsed to the ground, muttering, "The ancestors are angry... the ancestors are angry..."
The entire Fan family mansion was shrouded in gloom and despair.
The destruction was bizarre and illogical: visible treasures were lost, important secrets were destroyed, the core of the treasury was eroded, and even the jade tablets used to worship ancestors were desecrated!
The doors and windows were intact, the guards saw nothing amiss, and the items were not stolen, but rather turned to ash, vaporized, or destroyed from the inside! There were no footprints, no signs of disturbance, only pure...disappearance and destruction!
Rumors spread like wildfire throughout the mansion:
"It's haunted! It's the ghost messengers demanding repayment!"
"It must be that the young master or the master has incurred some kind of karmic debt outside!"
"That ability to pass through walls, break through barriers, and turn iron into jade—what else could it be but a ghost or monster?!"
Panic tightened around everyone's heart like cold vines.
The maids walked with trepidation, and the servants avoided eye contact and whispered among themselves.
Vice Minister Fan's face was so gloomy it looked like it was about to drip water. As the backbone of the organization, after experiencing the initial fear and rage, the deepest-hidden fear also coiled around him like a venomous snake—to destroy his deepest secret. This was clearly a warning so precise it was chilling!
He dared not publicize the lost "shady" items, and could only point the finger at the obvious losses.
"Go!" he said hoarsely, his voice weary yet filled with undeniable panic. "Go and invite Master Qingyun, the most accomplished Taoist priest at Baoxiang Temple! And Master Puzhi from Daguangming Temple! Bring a large sum of money! Have them come to the mansion to perform a ritual! To exorcise evil spirits! To protect the house! I want to see what kind of demons and monsters are causing this trouble!"
At this moment, this high-ranking official preferred to believe that it was some ethereal ghost or evil spirit, rather than delve into the terrifying power that might exist behind it, a power capable of silently destroying everything.
The golden banners of the Taoist temple and the wooden fish of the Buddhist monastery seemed to be the only straws they could grasp in this strange storm at the Fan residence.
A towering altar, several meters high, was quickly erected outside the mansion gate. Vermilion talismans danced in the air, and thick, pungent incense smoke swirled around the mansion. The sounds of copper bells and gongs mingled with the chanting of monks, creating a cacophony of absurdity and despair, futilely attempting to soothe the mansion that had been swallowed by an invisible fear.
Cuiyun Mountain truly lives up to its reputation.
The carriage slowly made its way along the winding mountain road. The closer it got to the summit, the more intense the peach blossoms became, a tapestry of pink and white, like a splash of rosy light cascading down the valley. The air was filled with a sweet, earthy fragrance.
Along the rugged mountain road, the sedan chair swayed gently. Tang Yun Chu, wrapped in a silver fur hood, had her eyes reflecting the sea of flowers outside the window, sparkling with an unprecedented brightness.
The family climbed to the ancient temple "Qiyun Temple" at the summit.
The solemn sound of bells echoed through the mountains and forests, and incense smoke swirled as Dufiqin devoutly offered incense, praying for her family, especially her youngest daughter.
Yun Chu then drew a fortune stick. The bamboo tube was shaken gently, and one of the sticks fell to the ground.
[Oracle]: The mist dissipates, concealing the phoenix's feathers on the green mountains; the boat sails on the clear water, reflecting the new sunshine. Do not say that storms are always treacherous; peace and tranquility in the home are a blessing.
The fortune slip was neutral. The old monk who was interpreting it glanced at Yun Chu's pale yet clear eyes and said gently, "Young lady, you are blessed with good fortune. The unity of your family is your greatest support. Although the storm may be dangerous, a benefactor will surely come to your home to bring good luck. Rest assured."
Yun Chu gently traced the inscription on the fortune slip with her fingertips: "Peace and tranquility in the home are a blessing." A slight ripple stirred in her heart.
She would personally protect this "lucky star".
The vegetarian meals at the temple are simple yet delicious, featuring bamboo shoots, wild mushrooms, and tofu soup, each with its own unique and elegant flavor.
I spent the night in the temple's clean room. Outside the window, the moonlight shone like water, and the shadows of the flowering trees swayed gently.
Yun Chu leaned against the window, listening to her mother and sister's hushed conversation, and her brother's soft snoring as he talked to their father about the mountain scenery in the outer room. An unprecedented sense of peace enveloped her.
Tang Yunmo was unusually quiet as she tucked the blanket around her younger sister and whispered, "Sleep well, Chu'er, your older sister is watching over you." Her voice was devoid of any restlessness, only gentle warmth remained.
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Several days after returning home, the mansion was filled with the lingering warmth of Cuiyun Mountain. However, Yun Chu's body, "unsurprisingly," weakened due to the arduous journey.
This time, she took the initiative to lie on the canopy bed covered with brocade, her complexion was even more translucent than paper, and her lips were extremely pale.
Du Feiqin anxiously stood by the bedside, her brows furrowed; Tang Wencheng paced restlessly by the window; Tang Yunlian blamed herself for not taking good care of her sister; while Tang Yunmo sat on the embroidered stool by the bed, tightly holding Yun Chu's slightly cool hand, her eyes filled with heartache and determination.
"Father... Mother... Brother... Sister..." Yun Chu's breathing was slightly labored, her voice as thin as a whisper, filled with deep affection and a heart-wrenching sorrow, "Chu'er... I've caused you all trouble..." Tears welled up in her eyes, threatening to fall but not quite, making her appear even more pitiful.
Everyone quickly tried to comfort her. Du Feiqin's eyes even reddened: "Silly child, what trouble are you talking about! The most important thing is for you to take good care of yourself!"
Yun Chu's gaze slowly swept over the face of her beloved, carrying a poignant sense of farewell: "Chu'er... I had a dream last night... I dreamt of lots of water, little bridges made of bluestone slabs, and swaying boats... It was all misty and rainy, so different from our Kangdu..."
Her gaze drifted into the distance, filled with longing and a touch of loss: "Is that...the hometown of my mother that I've heard so much about? Meizhou...a water town in Jiangnan...I really want to go and see it..."
“In my dream… the moisture there… seemed to… nourish my heart…” Her words were filled with a burning thirst for life, mixed with the despair brought on by weakness, and every word struck the hearts of her family.
pat!
A tear finally rolled down Tang Yunmo's cheek. She stood up abruptly, her voice sharper and more undeniable than ever before: "Go! If my sister wants to go, we'll go! If the doctors in Kangdu can't cure her, we'll go to Jiangnan to find a doctor! As long as Chu'er is happy, we'll go anywhere!"
Tang Wencheng immediately made the decision: "Okay! Let's go to Meizhou! Once you're feeling better and can endure the long journey, our whole family will set off immediately! The mild climate of Jiangnan will definitely be beneficial to Chu'er's health!" His tone was resolute, as if this decision had been brewing for a long time.
Tang Yunlian nodded vigorously: "Chu'er wants to go to Meizhou to see the water towns, brother will definitely take you boating!"
Du Feiqin held her daughter's hand, her gaze gentle yet firm: "Mother will search all over Jiangnan for the best doctors for you, and I'll also take you to taste the snacks I loved as a child." That shrewd businesswoman's eyes were now focused on planning everything for her daughter's wish.
Seeing that everyone was completely moved by this "illness" and the "last wish"-like longing, a faint smile finally appeared on Yun Chu's pale face, a smile that seemed to carry immense hope, like the first melting of ice and snow. She knew that the plan had succeeded.