FID – Chapter 882

Chapter 882: A Vastly Changed Space

“Later, the disciples of Baicao Valley who had scattered rebuilt the sect. They began operating more discreetly, slowly hiding their traces in the martial world. The events happened over ten years ago, and outsiders know little about them now. It’s very difficult to verify the truth.”

After listening to Wei Cheng’s report, Feng Qingbai fell into deep thought, sorting through each clue in his mind. He tried to make sense of the connections, but still found it hard to grasp the full picture.

Seeing his master frowning, Wei Cheng hesitated for a moment before speaking again, “Master, the old eunuch mentioned another clue. However, he said it was only his personal speculation, and he wasn’t sure if it was true.”

“Speak.”

“He said that back then, the late emperor was deeply fond of the Madam, which aroused the jealousy of countless concubines in the harem. Some of them may have tried to kill her several times in attempts to compete for favor. Perhaps, out of spite, they even orchestrated the massacre of Baicao Valley to deal a severe blow to the Madam.”

The ‘Madam’ here referred to Medical Lady Xue, the long-deceased doctor and Feng Qingbai’s mother, Xue Wanrong.

Feng Qingbai’s eyes darkened. He waved his hand to dismiss Wei Cheng.

The events of that year were too far in the past, and new clues were scarce. The veil over the true culprit remained stubbornly in place. 

His father, the former emperor, had moved too late. So, was it really a concubines’ jealousy that led to it, or was there another hidden hand behind it all?

His fingers tapped rhythmically on the desk, the da-da sound echoing softly in the room. A moment later, he withdrew his hand. “Wei Zi.”

Feng Qingbai leaned in to whisper a few instructions into Wei Zi’s ear. After watching him leave to carry out the task, he stepped out of the study.

In the room adjacent to the master bedroom, soft, deliberate conversation and laughter intertwined, creating a lively and cheerful atmosphere.

“Will this peace charm come loose if it’s tied like this? Should we take it off when bathing the baby? What if it gets wet?” Grandma Liu asked curiously as she watched the Empress Dowager tie the talisman on the baby.

The talisman, said to be consecrated by a highly attained monk, looked no different from those sold by the head monks at the small town temple.

But the Empress Dowager spoke of it with such reverence and mystique.

She shot her a sideways glance and said, “Of course it should be taken off. It’s not some divine object immune to water and fire. You’d better be careful not to lose it. It was very difficult for me to get, to ask for.”

Her tone had slipped for a moment, sounding harsher than intended. Fortunately, the Liu family wasn’t the most perceptive, and no one seemed to notice. The Empress Dowager quietly let out a breath of relief.

Grandma Liu nodded. “Got it.” 

Since it was for the children’s well-being, she would naturally take it seriously.

The two of them had claimed both cradles for themselves, and with the Empress Dowager present, no one else dared to push forward. The others could only stand nearby, watching eagerly from the sidelines.

Among them, Chen Xiulan was the most frustrated. Since Nannan had given birth to twins, she thought she could finally stop competing with her mother for time with the babies. 

Who would have thought the Empress Dowager would suddenly appear—and be even more impossible to compete with?

With those two around, she feared she might never get her wish in this lifetime.

She exchanged a glance with the man beside her, both of them exuding silent frustration, and sighed in unison.

“What are you two sighing about?” Du Juan teased with a laugh. “If you want to hold your grandkids, just let Nannan have another one in the future. What’s the big deal? Just wait a year or two. I’m the one who should be anxious. I haven’t even had the chance to hold a grandson yet.”

Liu Erlin clicked his tongue from the side. “We got to tell that stinky brat to work harder with Muqiu. Funny thing is, he’s the useless one. Just look at Zhixia—one shot, two hits! They’re brothers, but why is there such a gap in ability?”

As soon as he said that, he got pinched by his wife. “Watch your mouth! Your daughter-in-law is right here!”

Liu Erlin quickly cleared his throat and scratched the back of his head, flashing an awkward grin at the old man who was glaring at him.

Meanwhile, Liu Muqiu had turned bright red with embarrassment, while Liu Zhiqiu, whose manhood had just been questioned, was glaring blackly. “I’m useless? Dad, just wait. You and Mom will be holding two grandkids in three years, mark my words!”

“Pfft! Running your mouth is free, huh? Go ahead. We’ll be waiting!”

“Don’t come crying later about how tiring it is with too many kids!”

“I can carry three in one arm. If you’ve got the guts, go make it happen!”

Father and son stared each other down, eyes locked in a showdown. In the end, Liu Zhiqiu gave a cold snort. “Wife, let’s go. It’s time to expand the family tree!”

Liu Muqiu, “…” Her face instantly turned beet red.

The women around them were laughing so hard they couldn’t even straighten up.

Watching the laughter ripple through the room, the Empress Dowager found herself struggling to accept it. Her expression flickered between disapproval and confusion.

How could they all be so crude?

Could they really just say those kinds of things out loud, without regard for time or place? Weren’t they embarrassed?

The loud, hearty woman beside her was laughing so hard her face was all wrinkles. 

The Empress Dowager pursed her lips. Considering she was the twins’ maternal grandmother, she offered a kind word of advice, “Enough laughing. As elders, we should remain dignified and composed. Acting like this in front of the younger generation will only invite ridicule.”

“Oh, there you go again! Always worrying about face. We’re all family here, talking, joking around. Who’s going to ridicule anyone?” said Grandma Liu, completely unconcerned. She looked up and saw the Empress Dowager still wearing that stiff expression.

Without warning, she reached over and pinched the corner of her mouth. “I’ve never seen you smile. Do you even know how to smile?”

“You uncouth woman, how dare you!” The rough hand on her face made the Empress Dowager freeze. It took her a moment to snap back to herself and scold the woman in a low voice—still mindful not to wake the babies.

But her voice held no real authority at all.

Grandma Liu had already withdrawn her hand, looking surprised. “Why is your face so smooth? At your age, your skin’s like a young girl’s!”

“…” The Empress Dowager was so furious that she felt utterly powerless.

Standing outside the room, watching the warm candlelight glowing from within and listening to the cheerful laughter that chased away the chill, Feng Qingbai’s gaze softened.

He didn’t go in to interrupt the moment, nor did he leave. He simply waited until the twins woke up again, and then returned to the master bedroom alongside the older women who were carrying them.

The woman lying on the bed was still asleep, her brows slightly furrowed, as if caught in an unpleasant dream.

Even the babies’ cooing and babbling couldn’t wake her.

“Shengsheng? Shengsheng?” Feng Qingbai’s expression tightened as he stepped forward to gently shake her.

“Aiyo, why is she sleeping so soundly? You can’t even wake her up!” Grandma Liu quickly placed Hongdou down on the inner side of the bed and joined in trying to rouse the slumbering woman.

The Empress Dowager stood beside the bed holding Xiao Badou, her lips pressed in a worried line as concern filled her eyes. However, Liu Yusheng couldn’t feel any of it. Her mind was still adrift, dazed within the space.

In a half-dream, half-awake state, she entered the space again, and what she saw the moment she arrived nearly scared her soul out of her body.

Her space had completely changed. It was like being thrown back to the days before it was unlocked.

Although the herbs in the medicinal field hadn’t disappeared, they were wilted and drooping, having lost more than half of their vitality.

The spiritual spring water in the pool had also mysteriously vanished by more than half, with only a shallow layer remaining at the bottom. Although, it has not yet completely dried up.

Even the air in the space had become thin, and the once-rich medicinal fragrance had faded to the point of being barely perceptible.

All she did was give birth. How could the space shrink like this? 

Moreover, the two small glowing orbs she had once seen upon entering were now gone, nowhere to be found no matter how she searched.

What on earth was going on?

Liu Yusheng felt a bit panicked. While she didn’t need the space to survive, it had always been one of her greatest assets. For it to suddenly deteriorate like this was unsettling.

Suddenly, a cool sensation spread across her forehead, seeping into her clouded mind and instantly clearing it.

Liu Yusheng’s eyes flew open.