Chapter 506: Chapter 498: She Predicted It Correctly
Whose fate is the cheapest and most fragile? It’s prostitutes.
Even after being chosen as the Oiran, Yiqiu cannot shed her brothel origins. Brothel women have the cheapest lives; even if they die, few will seek justice for them. At most, there will be a few sighs of pity, for in many people’s eyes, they are merely playthings. Who in the world truly cares about playthings?
Thus, the harsh truth Qin Liuxi spoke was unpleasant to hear. But once the rumors of Lady Lou killing Yiqiu spread, they likely won’t cause much of a stir and will fade away. No one would sympathize, and some proper ladies might even praise it as genuine emotion!
Indeed, the most despised brothel women, once dead, are just that. Genuine ladies wouldn’t care, and even men wouldn’t.
Qin Liuxi, looking at Yiqiu’s somber and bitter face, said, "In this world, people are of different ranks and classes. Not to mention the farfetched, but even Mr. Ding, the son of an official, and the plump scholar, the son of a merchant family, are of different classes."
Ding Yongliang’s heart skipped, feeling he had fallen into a trap again.
"The higher the class, the less they care about the lives of those beneath them. You might be displeased, but this is class," Qin Liuxi said indifferently. "So, your hope for justice from that person is nil. No one empathizes with a brothel woman, except perhaps the girls trapped in the brothel themselves. But their lives are even more fragile than paper, they can barely save themselves, what can they do for you?"
Yiqiu said, "So, even in death, I died in vain, can I only resent my own unfortunate fate?"
Qin Liuxi didn’t speak. She wouldn’t say naive things like all beings are equal, everyone is equal, to comfort her, because the human world is not like that.
"I still say the same thing, how you choose to act is up to you, as long as you can bear the consequences," Qin Liuxi looked at her and continued, "But since she has always honored Buddha and performed acts of almsgiving, accumulating some merit, she must be protected by a magical treasure with Buddhist nature. Even without it, she is in Shengjing where there are plenty of Buddhist and Taoist sects. If they call a Heavenly Master to capture you, you might not be able to escape."
Yiqiu grit her teeth in rage, "But to let go, I am unwilling, I’ve lost my life."
"Then go, since you have grievances, seek her out yourself, see her current situation before deciding. But be careful, don’t attract powerful Heavenly Masters," Qin Liuxi advised.
"You won’t help me?" Yiqiu sounded very sorrowful, "I see you are different from other Heavenly Masters, can you protect me?"
Qin Liuxi shook her head, "You may think I’m heartless or hypocritical, but I will not help you harm others. I can’t bear such karma. However, if you get caught and not soul scattered, and can escape to me, I can then send you through the Ghost Gate."
Yiqiu felt faint, not daring to imagine being captured by another Heavenly Master, but she could not bear reincarnation without seeing the downfall of the one who killed her. She couldn’t let go of this grudge!
Qin Liuxi then lifted the bellyband she was holding, "I see you are very obsessed with this bellyband, even bothering the plump scholar and harming the tomb thief, just because it was given by the Lou surname? You hate the Yuan Family for killing you, yet you don’t mention the real instigator. If he hadn’t interfered with you, the Yuan Family wouldn’t have targeted you. But you’ve never mentioned him, do you have feelings for him?"
Yiqiu scoffed at herself, "I entered the brothel at eleven, the first thing I learned was never give my heart to a patron. It’s not about having feelings for him, it’s just that he bought my auction night and only had me wear this bellyband, letting him paint. Because of this bellyband, I truly had a few carefree days without having to serve others. Moreover, it’s beautiful, isn’t it? It enhances a woman’s charm to the fullest, and moreover, it is uniquely mine."
Qin Liuxi’s hand trembled, tossing it onto the table.
Yiqiu glared at her, truly unromantic.
Qin Liuxi said, "Disappear, I will burn and send you your belongings. As for him, he also did not know this item came from a tomb, it was bought with real gold and silver. Now I return it to you, don’t bother him anymore."
Yiqiu obediently nodded her head; she was not foolish enough to oppose this Little Heavenly Master.
Qin Liuxi immediately asked Chen Pi to bring the Treasure Plate and a performed a sacrificial talisman ceremony, returning the bellyband to its rightful owner.
Yiqiu clasped her hands across her chest, revealing a charming smile joyfully and formally bowed to Qin Liuxi, then she disappeared.
No matter what, she had to go see that person at least once.
Being merely a soul body and taking a shadowy path, she quickly reached Shengjing. Yiqiu dared not appear during the day and could only first seek out the help of little ghosts in Shengjing to find the Lou Family’s location. When night fell, she stealthily entered and successfully arrived at the Old Madam of the Lou Family’s yard.
The yard was silent, but the house was brightly lit, with faint voices of conversation heard within.
Listening closely, Yiqiu’s eyes widened in shock – were these people saying that Yuan Shi was nearing her end?
Yiqiu immediately floated into the house; as soon as she entered the bedroom, she was struck by a fiercely bright golden light, which caused her soul body to emit a pitiful scream and become insubstantial.
She curled up, enduring the painful tumult of her soul, and looked towards the source of the golden light. It was a white jade Guanyin, glowing from years of worship and offering, possessing strong Buddhist nature.
The Little Heavenly Master was not wrong; Yuan Shi had worshipped Buddha for many years and certainly had a magic treasure protecting her body. This magic treasure was the statue of the Bodhisattva Guanyin, which she kept in her bedroom.
Yiqiu shivered in fright.
Suddenly, it was as if someone’s gaze was fixed on her; following that gaze, it belonged to a very skinny old lady who was nearing death.
This was Yuan Shi.
Her hair was silvery white, her face full of wrinkles, lips tightly pursed into a line, staring intently at Yiqiu just like back in the day, her gaze calm, as if looking at a mere ant.
Yuan Shi’s voice was hoarse as she said, "I knew the Soul Suppressing Nails would eventually loosen, and you would come." She paused then continued, "Poisoning you wasn’t wrong. I was merely protecting everything of the Lou Family."
Yiqiu got up from the ground and bore the pain, meeting her gaze.
The other party had no intention of admitting wrong, nor showed fear, only facing her calmly as she had those years ago.
"Someone told me, whatever deeds one has done, the Merit and Demerit Record will note it all. You killed me, no matter how many good deeds you did, the sin of murder cannot be erased," Yiqiu looked at her face finally changing expression and felt a slight pleasure, saying, "You’re close to death, the Mirror of Sin in the Underworld will reveal all your sins. I’ll be waiting."
Yuan Shi’s throat emitted a hoarse sound.
Yiqiu exited the bedroom and stood in the yard waiting, and soon someone inside shouted in horror, "The Old Lady followed the Old Master on his celestial journey."
Yiqiu felt the resentment dissolve from her heart. Floating out of the Lou Family’s residence, she wanted to find a place to recuperate her shaken soul. Looking left and right, her gaze landed on a residence with intense resentful energy, just as she wished, and immediately floated towards it.
Meanwhile, Qin Liuxi, after sending off the grateful He Shou, didn’t see Yiqiu return by the next day. He frowned but quickly relaxed.
Everyone has their own choices to make, even ghosts. Why should she intervene?