"Did you go to play at the cemetery outside?"
Hong Ye couldn’t help but speak up.
Brother Kang shook his head: "Sister Hong Ye, I picked it up from the abandoned well in the courtyard."
Qin Yuan suddenly stood up and said, "Then let’s go take a look."
Brother Kang led the way, and the group headed to the southeastern corner of the courtyard, where ancient trees towered overhead, their shadows growing as the sun sank in the west.
"Achoo," Hong Ye shivered slightly, "It’s quite chilly, making me uneasy."
Brother Kang said, "They say it has been abandoned for many years and no one has lived here."
Qin Yuan bent slightly to hold his hand and asked, "Are you cold?"
Brother Kang shook his head: "I’m a child, full of warmth."
Cui Ming laughed.
Brother Kang said, "Nanny Rong said so, I’m not lying, my hands are warm."
He reached out to grab Cui Ming’s hand.
Cui Ming quickly withdrew her hand and said, "My hands are cold, I don’t want to chill Young Master Kang."
Qin Yuan touched her hand, surprised: "Why are your hands so cold? I’ll give you a few acupuncture needles later."
Brother Kang was shocked and asked, "Auntie, are you so amazing? Sister Cui Ming didn’t do anything wrong, why would you needle her?"
"Well, if you don’t behave, be careful or I’ll needle you."
Qin Yuan smiled, teasing him.
Laughing and chatting, they reached the place.
Indeed, it had been abandoned for a long time, with crumbling walls and ruins everywhere in sight. Standing outside, one could see wild grass growing tall in the courtyard, a child squatting down could easily hide amidst them.
Gu Shiliu, accompanied by several guards, was stationed at a certain spot in front of the house. Nearby stood two monks, hands clasped, heads bowed muttering something.
Sixth Master Gu was squatting on the ground with his back turned.
"Why has the madam come here?"
Gu Shiliu looked up and anxiously asked.
Qin Yuan smiled and said, "I heard from Brother Kang that a child from the Xu family found a skull, so I came to see what happened."
Gu Shiliu looked troubled: "Madam, the ground is covered with grass and moss, it’s difficult to walk. Besides, this skull has been here for years, who knows when it was discarded here in the abandoned well, perhaps it’s better not to enter to avoid any unpleasant disturbances."
Qin Yuan smiled: "It’s fine, I came to see, after all, this is the family temple; our ancestors’ memorial tablets are here guarding us."
Gu Shiliu wanted to persuade her, but Qin Yuan had already walked in.
In her previous life, she had accompanied Lin Ziqi on assignments to poor counties in Jiangxi, witnessing many things that would frighten ordinary people, but she was not afraid.
Hong Ye and Cui Ming also came in to support her.
Brother Kang was held by a nanny, who soothed him: "Young Master Kang, just wait outside. This is adult business; we shouldn’t add to the chaos."
Brother Kang nestled in the nanny’s arms, nodding, his eyes still staring straight at the people in the courtyard.
The courtyard was indeed desolate.
The house was in ruins, half collapsed covered in vines, the uncollapsed half roof had a stand of dried grasses rustling in the wind.
Following the disorderly footprints left by everyone on the thick layer of rotten leaves and moss on the ground, Qin Yuan and her group stumbled to the side of the abandoned well they had surrounded.
Once they stopped, Qin Yuan asked: "How long has it been since people lived here?"
The elderly monk had long, drooping eyebrows that seemed perpetually compassionate towards the world, and upon hearing her, he immediately said: "Lady benefactor, at least several decades have passed since anyone lived here."
Qin Yuan asked his religious name and then inquired: "Master Zhi Guang, how long have you been in the temple approximately?"
Monk Zhiguang replied: "More than thirty years, my master came from Shu to the Capital City to visit friends, was introduced to the Marquis Mansion family temple, and took residence; I followed to quietly cultivate, after serving my master till his passing, I have stayed here since."
Qin Yuan then looked at Sixth Master Gu squatting on the ground chanting over the skull, listening closely; he was reciting the "Skull Poem."
"... Among thorns the grass covers the mound, cold and chill, the wind blowing the lotus leaves swaying with sorrow. Skull! Skull! Green grass is the mat, the moon is the lamp. Lonely, not a brother coming... Whose kin, one first deceased? Raindrops, wind blowing like frost and snow... Skull! Skull! Only left with two eye sockets. Regret how short life’s span is?..."
At the end, he added: "Tonight I perform rites for my deceased wife, perhaps let’s plan to travel west together..."
Qin Yuan sighed: "If you think that way, why not set up incense burners and candles by this abandoned well, invite people to chant scriptures for a passing ceremony."
Sixth Master Gu stood up and asked: "Sister-in-law, is that okay?"
Qin Yuan nodded: "Certainly."
The monks’ expressions relaxed slightly, and they smiled: "The noble’s kindness lets this wandering lonely ghost have a destination, there will be blessings to come."