“Insect magic?” Qian Jiaoniang and Qingya exchanged glances and shook their heads. “Never heard of it.”
“It’s a type of magic used by certain tribes deep in the southern mountains. They call it gu magic. Usually, they place poisonous creatures—like venomous snakes and scorpions—into a container and let them fight. The one that survives becomes the gu. This is used to harm others. I once went deep into the mountains near Mizhou to search for medicinal herbs. There lived a tribe that called themselves the ‘Shang.’ Among them were people known as gu users. But these gu people were often ostracized, even by their own tribe.”
Ah Da said, “But we’ve never even heard of this stuff, let alone had dealings with these tribes. You can’t say they just harmed our General for no reason, can you?”
Wang Yong said, “Shh, let the doctor finish.”
Wan Wengyuan hesitated, then continued, “It’s all just hearsay, but I once heard from a Shang gu user about a kind of blood-fire gu, also called madness gu. They said people afflicted by it would change from normal to idiotic—sometimes even violent. If the gu user casts a spell, the person becomes even more deranged. And if the gu survives in the body for over a year, the person will remain insane for life.”
Qian Jiaoniang suddenly stood up. “This blood-fire gu—it’s also a secret technique of the Shang?”
“No, it’s from another tribe—the Ji tribe. The Shang wanted to learn it but never managed to.”
“Ji tribe? Ji tribe…” Qian Jiaoniang muttered to herself.
Qingya said, “Why does that name sound familiar?”
Qian Jiaoniang jolted. “Do any of you know about Mengerli’s wives or concubines?”
Li Qingquan and the others all shook their heads. Wang Yong, though unsure of her intent, thought for a moment and said, “Aliman was once Mengerli’s slave. He might know.”
“Where is he? Go fetch Aliman—I have something to ask him!”
Aliman was quickly summoned. This loyal Western Li native, devoted to Xing Muzheng, had been sullen ever since his failure to save him. If one looked closely, his eyes were red. Qian Jiaoniang had no time to console him. She asked directly, “Have you ever seen Mengerli’s third wife?”
Aliman was startled and nodded. “Lady Duye—I know her. She was Mengerli’s most favored consort.”
“Where is she now?”
Aliman shook his head. “I don’t know. After Mengerli died, all his wives and concubines scattered. I haven’t seen Lady Duye since.”
“Did she… use insects?”
Ah Da was shocked. “Madam, are you saying Mengerli’s third wife…”
“Yes. I remember—she was from the Ji tribe.”
“Ah! That’s right! You even mentioned something about the Fish Tribe!” Qingya clapped her hands. She remembered too.
Aliman didn’t understand what everyone was talking about and only answered honestly, “Lady Duye didn’t use insects, but she did raise venomous snakes. I heard their tribe worships a snake god.”
“Could that poison fog we encountered earlier have been her doing?” Li Qingquan glared.
“Most likely,” Qian Jiaoniang replied.
“Did anyone around her raise insects?” Qian Jiaoniang raised a hand to stop the others and continued her line of questioning.
“Insects…” Aliman tried hard to recall. “I don’t think anyone around her raised insects… Wait—there was one. She had a slave. He didn’t talk much and wasn’t favored by Lady Duye. He spent all day locked in a small room raising bees. I thought he was just keeping bees… maybe it was something else?”
Wang Yong asked, “And where is he now?”
“Well… he was just a slave. Who would bother keeping track of whether he lived or died?”
Li Qingquan cursed, “D*mn it, the world’s so big—how are we supposed to find him?”
“Maybe he’s still in the manor!” Qian Jiaoniang and Wang Yong said at the same time, both recalling the strange noise they had once heard outside the study.
Wan Wengyuan said, “Yes. Though gu worms are dangerous, they have a weakness: the caster carries the mother gu, and the child gu is placed in the victim. Before the child gu fully adapts to the host’s body, it cannot be too far from the mother gu. And to cast spells, both must be within resonance distance.”
Qian Jiaoniang slapped the table. “Good. Lock down the entire estate. I want this person found!”
Seeing her speak with such authority, Qingya hesitated but felt compelled to say, “There are so many people in the manor—how will you know who the gu user is? Even if you found him, do you think he’d step forward and admit it?”
Li Qingquan asked Aliman, “Do you remember what the gu user looked like?”
“I… I honestly don’t remember,” Aliman answered in a small voice. He could barely remember what Lady Duye looked like, let alone a lowly slave.
Qian Jiaoniang said, “I have a way. Just say a new housekeeper is taking post and wants to meet everyone.”
Following her orders, Ding Zhang hurriedly gathered every servant in the front courtyard, even dragging those locked up in the dungeons. Once the headcount was complete, he invited Qian Jiaoniang—who had been waiting inside—to come out.
She had Wang Yong stay with Xing Muzheng in a side room of the main hall, where they could hear everything from an open window. Taking a deep breath, Qian Jiaoniang walked out with Qingya and Wan Wengyuan. She asked, “Is everyone here?”
“Everyone’s been counted,” Ding Zhang replied. “Except for Old Zhang from the south gate—his wife is ill, so he’s taken leave to care for her.”
Qian Jiaoniang nodded. “He’s from Yuzhou—not a concern.” She walked to the front steps. The sun was blazing, and below was a sea of bowed heads, men and women standing with lowered eyes, nervously glancing around.
Their hearts were pounding—and so was hers. So many people? Wasn’t it supposed to be fewer than a hundred? Why did it look like such a massive crowd? The last time she’d seen a scene like this was when she was just a laundress working for a wealthy lord. That time, the lady of the house had called all the servants to question who had stolen her jewelry.
Who would’ve thought—one day, she’d be the one standing above them all.
Qian Jiaoniang’s legs wobbled slightly. Qingya gave her a discreet nudge from behind. “Chin up, shoulders back—act like the madam of a marquis’ household.”
Jolted upright by the push, Qian Jiaoniang cleared her throat and raised her chin. “Today, everyone… today I’ve gathered you here to introduce the new housekeeper. But before that, I’m looking for someone…” She paused. “I don’t know this person’s name. But once I describe him, I’m sure someone here will know. Let’s play a game. Listen carefully to what I say. The first person who tells me who it is will be rewarded… five hundred taels of silver.”
The crowd erupted into whispers. Five hundred taels! Heavens—that was more than they’d see in a lifetime!
“Five hundred taels,” Qian Jiaoniang said, holding up five fingers. “Don’t mishear it as five or fifty taels. If someone else gets it before you, don’t blame me for not giving you a chance.”
Everyone looked around at each other. Fear and anxiety had been replaced by eager anticipation.
Qian Jiaoniang swept her eyes over the crowd and raised her voice slightly. “Now, listen closely. First: the person is male. Second: he keeps to himself, doesn’t socialize. Third: he may be mute—or simply never speaks. If he does, he speaks with a heavy accent. Fourth: he appears and disappears mysteriously, often vanishing at night. Fifth: he keeps insects…”
“It’s Li San’er!” someone suddenly shouted before she could finish. A stablehand pointed at the man beside him. “It’s him!”
Everyone’s eyes turned toward the gray-clad man he pointed to. Those nearby quickly stepped back, leaving him standing alone and exposed.
“Yes, it’s him!”
“Looks like him!”
“Wait—who is he?”
Qian Jiaoniang’s gaze locked on the gray-clad man. His head was lowered, fists clenched at his sides. Everyone pointed and whispered, but he didn’t move.
Qian Jiaoniang barked, “Seize him!”
Before the words had even fully left her mouth, the gray-clad man shoved the stablehand aside, reached into his robes, and flung a handful of poison powder. The servants collapsed one by one like wilting grass. The crowd panicked and scattered.
Li Qingquan roared, “Loose the arrows!”
