OMD Chapter 6

Chapter 6: First Meeting

"Heh, it doesn't matter. Whether he admits it or not amounts to the same thing." A very pleasant, clear, and bright voice drifted over.

Shen Yi peered through a crevice in the rockery and happened to see the man lean down and bend over. In the next second, she heard the sound of a sharp weapon entering flesh, followed by a strange, guttural gasping noise.

When she looked again, the man in the brocade robe had already sidestepped away. Half of his face was visible; it was sharply chiseled with an excellent jawline. His nose was high and straight, marking him as a handsome man.

The bearded man was collapsing, clutching his throat with both hands as he slumped to the ground, bright red blood pooling everywhere. 

From her position, Honglu couldn't see anything, seeing Shen Yi’s expression change, she was about to ask what happened when Shen Yi stopped her. Honglu was sensible enough to immediately shut her mouth and nod.

On the other side, the man in brocade said, "Dump him far away. This is a divine sanctuary, it shouldn't be defiled."

"Yes, sir." Two guards grabbed the man by his ankles and began to drag him away. 

Blood was still flowing from his neck, spraying and seeping across the ground in a sparse trail. The man was clearly still alive, but his vocal cords had been damaged; he couldn't cry out. 

One hand clutched his throat while the other scratched futilely at the ground trying to anchor himself, but it was useless, he was dragged away regardless.

Shen Yi watched this scene unfold with her own eyes.

To be honest, it is impossible not to be afraid when witnessing a murder, yet she did not flee in a panic. 

Once the bearded man had been dragged into the distance, she heard that pleasant voice say, "Come out. Why are you hiding?"

Honglu was startled.

Shen Yi steadied her heart and pressed down on Honglu’s hand, indicating that she would go out alone. Honglu was terrified and tried to pull her back, but after one glare from Shen Yi, she didn't dare move.

Shen Yi took a deep breath before stepping out. Although this world was different from the one she used to know—and killing didn't seem to be a particularly shocking occurrence here, the decades of values she had lived by made it difficult to accept entirely even now. 

It was impossible not to feel panic in such a situation. However, she was able to remain calm.

"It’s a Young Lady. You must be frightened?" The man in brocade looked over with a smile. 

"Look, your face has turned white from fear."

Shen Yi offered a curtsy. "I hope the Young Master doesn't take offense. As a girl of the inner chambers, this is the first time I have seen such a scene. I am indeed somewhat frightened."

The man in brocade laughed, as if he found it truly amusing. "You can actually respond fluently without crying; that is quite rare."

"I have no intention of prying into the Young Master's affairs. Nor do I know the Young Master's name. You may simply ignore me," Shen Yi said.

Behind the rockery, Honglu was trembling all over, terrified that the man opposite them would be unreasonable. If that happened, they would have to reveal their identity. 

She hoped the name of the State Duke’s Manor would be enough to intimidate him so that no harm would come to the Young Lady.

The man in the brocade robe smiled. "What you say is true, things are indeed exactly as you’ve stated. There is truly no need for this Young Master to make things difficult for you. You may go."

Shen Yi offered another curtsy. "Then this girl shall take her leave."

Having said that, she indeed turned and walked away immediately.

The man in the brocade robe watched her retreating figure with a playful smile. Such a bold woman was truly rare to see. Although her face had paled, her steps remained steady. 

Her etiquette was flawless as well—tsk, clearly one from a prestigious family. All the more remarkable.

Once they were far away, Honglu finally spoke, "Which family’s Young Master was that? To... actually..."

Though she hadn't witnessed the murder itself, she had seen the blood afterward.

"This is Ningjing City, at the foot of the Emperor's throne; it is both the safest and most dangerous of places. You were born and raised in the State Duke’s Manor, surely you have seen and heard of such things? Some matters should not be investigated to their roots. Today’s events must rot in your stomach. Tell no one, telling would bring you no benefit," Shen Yi said.

"Yes, the Young Lady’s lecture is correct. This servant shall simply forget it. But Young Lady, are you alright? You weren't frightened, were you?" Honglu said, moved. 

She certainly wouldn't dare speak of it; if she did, the Young Lady might be fine, but she herself would likely meet an end.

"I am fine. Let’s go," Shen Yi said.

On the other side, the man in the brocade robe stood where he was, waiting for his two guards to return.

"Young Master, did someone see?"

"It’s no matter, just a young girl. Let’s go," said the man in the brocade robe... Ruan Yingzhao.

"Yes, Young Master." The guards glanced toward that direction, but there was no sign of any young girl. Since the Young Master said it was fine, it likely was.

The master and his two servants soon vanished into the distance.

When Shen Yi walked back, she saw the Sixth Young Lady sitting alone under the shade of a tree, so she went over to sit with her.

When the scripture lecture ended, the Old Madam sent for them. The Old Madam was sitting in a side room, speaking with an old Taoist priest. 

This priest appeared to be in his eighties, with hair and a beard as white as snow, yet his complexion was ruddy; he looked every bit the transcendent master.

"Come, Daoist, look—my granddaughters are all here. Look at them. A family like ours no longer seeks wealth or status. I only wish to see if there are any obstacles in these girls' destinies. If there are, we must avoid and resolve them. I only pray for a lifetime of peace and health."

The old Taoist smiled. "The Old Madam is compassionate. Since that is the case, this humble Taoist naturally complies."

The old Taoist looked over with a smile and asked for the girls' birth horoscopes (Bazi- 8 characters.). 

He then asked the girls to randomly call out a number, and a young Taoist boy took a thick volume of scriptures, flipped to the page corresponding to the number, and selected the first character on the first page.

After reading them with an unfazed expression, the old Taoist smiled and said, "Why doesn't the Old Madam also choose one?"

The Old Madam smiled and said the number nine.

After reading them all one by one, the old Taoist smiled and said, "The Old Madam is a person of extreme wealth and status. There is no need to speak of your fate; it is incomparably noble. It's just that as one ages, some minor ailments will inevitably find their way to you. You must take extra care to stay warm during the cold winter months in the future. Moving forward, your path will remain smooth, wealthy, and noble."

The Old Madam smiled and thanked him; naturally, she was pleased to hear this.

"As for the young ladies of your noble manor, since they are still young girls, this humble Taoist does not dare to speak of their destinies in full. One must know that fate is not fixed, it changes with time and experience. I only dare to speak of the present."

"You are right. Just say what you will. Although we are taking a look, we cannot rely on this alone. In the end, we only seek a good omen for the moment," the Old Madam laughed.

"Yes. Then this humble Taoist shall say that the Sixth Young Lady and the Fourth Young Lady have some twists and turns in their destinies. Be sure to act with a kind heart, and you need not worry about stability. The other young ladies are all stable and smooth, there may be minor illnesses, but no major troubles—they all have good destinies. As for your manor's Fifth Young Lady..."

He paused for effect, stroking his beard with a chuckle as he looked at Shen Xichang.

The Old Lady was somewhat nervous, she naturally wanted to know most about the Fifth Young Lady's prospects.

"This humble Taoist is incompetent, but I saw a ladder." He pointed upward. 

"Her nobility is beyond words."

Once these words were spoken, the Old Madam immediately became jubilant. The Fifth Young Lady was also delighted, a ladder, a ladder to the heavens!

"The Old Madam should know that the secrets of heaven must not be leaked. Many things are best left at a hint," the old Taoist said.

"Yes, yes, yes, the Daoist is quite right. This old woman understands everything." The Old Madam smiled. 

"It's getting late, and we still intend to have a vegetarian meal at your temple. The sesame oil I specifically ordered to be brought has not been delivered yet, and this year's offerings have also been sent. I know you do not manage these affairs, so this old woman shall take her leave now."