Free Web NovelChapter 767: Chapter 579: The Crime of Presumption_2
As for the Tea Life, which meant 108 years old, once someone reached this age, it was commonly believed in folklore that this person, both in this life and in past lives, must have performed many good deeds and accumulated enough virtue to be favored by the heavens. No one is perfect, yet this person was nearing perfection, hence Tea Life was also referred to as the Complete Life or the Perfect Life.
Of course, there were no clear records above that age, and at 141 years old, Yang Xiao and the others had never even heard of someone reaching such an age. Not to mention in ancient times with primitive medical and health conditions, even modern people hadn’t heard of anyone living that long.
If accounted by the aura of longevity, the Ancestor of Fushou Manor had maxed it out, and this was what Yang Xiao was most worried about. This overwhelming fortune might attract some malevolent entity, possibly leading to a great disaster at Fushou Manor. freёweɓnovel.com
Of course, he did not actually believe that the Ancestor could live to such an old age. To him, it was very likely that this situation was a scam.
As he was still pondering, suddenly, a servant holding a red lantern rushed in, reporting, "The auspicious hour is near, only thirty minutes left!"
Thirty minutes could mean anywhere from 15 minutes to half an hour. Hearing this, everyone in the courtyard visibly tensed up. Steward Wu first arranged for people to escort the Manor Master away; at the same time, nearby servants quickly retreated outside the courtyard. This scene confused everyone present, prompting Lou Huixiang to immediately question, "Steward Wu, it hasn’t even started, why is everyone leaving?"
"Don’t ask what you shouldn’t, it’s the rule." The next second, Steward Wu pulled out a crinkled piece of paper from his bosom—a yellowish one with a coarse texture, similar to the kind used for talismans—and handed it to Xiang Fengchen, who he perceived to be the leader of the group, urgently advising, "Keep this paper safe. When you hear the drum, enter immediately after the third beat. Once inside the Longevity Hall, everyone should stand according to the positions marked on it; do not move around or speak. The Ancestor prefers quiet."
"In front of the Ancestor are four longevity candles, each of a different length. After the first candle burns out, you perform the first bow; after the second candle, the second bow, and so on. After the fourth candle burns out, you bow and then do not get up until you hear the night watchman’s clapper outside, then leave the same way you entered. Do you understand?"
"We understand." It wasn’t hard to comprehend.
After giving instructions, Steward Wu also left. Now, only their group remained in the vast courtyard. What was disquieting was that upon leaving, Steward Wu also closed the courtyard gate, and soon after, a "clattering" sound came from outside.
"It’s chains." Tang Zerun furrowed his brows intensely, his unease becoming more palpable, "They’ve locked us inside the courtyard."
"Mr. Xiang, what exactly is this Evil Spirit they mentioned?" Zhang Songde looked toward Xiang Fengchen, likely the most knowledgeable person there.
Uncertain whether he truly didn’t know or didn’t wish to speak, Xiang Fengchen tightened his face and slowly shook his head, softly saying, "We’ll have to take it one step at a time. If it’s as they say, then this longevity celebration for the Ancestor will definitely not be peaceful. Everyone, stay alert." freēwebnovel.com
Upon opening the yellow paper in their hands, they saw a rough topographic map that marked each person’s place, divided into two columns. On the left, the first person was Nalan Shuo, followed by Yang Xiao, Gong Banlan, Fang Zhou, Lou Huixiang. The right column was led by Zhang Songde, followed by Xiang Fengchen, Tang Zerun, Jiang Qingluan, Chang Chuchu.
Oddly enough, a line was drawn across the middle of these two columns, cutting them in half. On the left inside this line were Nalan Shuo and Yang Xiao, and on the right were Zhang Songde and Xiang Fengchen. It felt as if they could be closer to the Ancestor, seemingly an honor.
Moreover, the columns weren’t entirely symmetrical; the right column had one extra position because, between Tang Zerun and Jiang Qingluan, there was a spare space large enough for one more person.
"This position was originally Yuan Ruoci’s!" Chang Chuchu pointed out immediately.
The next second, a more pressing question arose: if Yuan Ruoci was already dead, why was her place at the longevity ceremony still being reserved?
Both Tang Zerun and Jiang Qingluan grew increasingly uneasy, especially since Yuan Ruoci’s place was between them. In extreme terms, reserving a place might mean that Yuan Ruoci would return that night to join them in "boosting" the longevity for the Ancestor.
But since Yuan Ruoci had already died, and considering what the Manor Master had mentioned about a possible Evil Spirit appearing tonight, everyone felt considerably heavier-hearted.
"Thump!"
"Thump!"
"Thump!"
Suddenly, drumbeats sounded from afar, signifying that tonight’s task had begun. They would have to enter the imposing mansion in front of them and go into the Longevity Hall to "boost" the longevity for the Ancestor, who, according to the leader of the team that had led them into the manor, was already nearing the end of his natural life.
"Let’s get in formation first." Nalan Shuo gathered everyone, aligning them into two teams, with himself at the head of the left team. The right team was led by an armored Zhang Songde. Compared to Nalan Shuo, Zhang Songde’s mental resilience was slightly weaker, visible from his taut mouth—the nervousness obvious as he faced the large-sized building resembling an ancestral hall. A double wooden door was tightly shut, a faint dark red glow seeping through from inside, producing an unsettling feeling.
"Push the door," Nalan Shuo whispered in a low voice.
The next second, he and Zhang Songde exerted force together, one on the left and one on the right, pushing the door open. The door hinge emitted a piercing screech, as if the door hadn’t been opened for a long time.
As the door was pushed open, the scene inside came into view for everyone. The next second, Xiang Fengchen’s pupils contracted violently; he had never imagined that there would be such a hidden world inside. More than a dozen thick pillars propped up the building from within. From their perspective, every pair of pillars had a plaque hanging above, with each pair of plaques forming a couplet in celebration of longevity.
Normally, these kinds of congratulatory couplets are not directly carved on plaques. Instead, it would be sufficient to write them on paper and stick them up. If the extravagance of Fushou Manor could be used to explain this, what came next was even more shocking for the seasoned martial artist Xiang Fengchen. Since the illumination inside the building was poor, he could only barely make out a few words on the couplets nearest to him. He saw words like "sun" and "moon," as well as "heaven" and "earth." To know, in ancient times there was the saying "The ruler is like the sun." Such vocabulary was exclusively reserved for royalty. To use it in the little Fushou Manor was a grave act of presumption, an offense that could lead to execution if taken seriously.
