The Aloof Lord's Mysterious Wife
Chapter 308: Antiques with Dark Spirits

Chapter 308: Antiques with Dark Spirits

"Marquis, didn’t His Royal Heir send you a lot of silver? Why do you still look so downcast?" Nanli asked, sitting down and snapping Xie Beihan out of his thoughts.

Mentioning this made Xie Beihan feel even worse. Pouting, he said, "I went through so much trouble to help him detoxify, and he only gave me fifty taels of gold, just fifty taels!"

In contrast, Emperor Muwu had rewarded Nanli with ten times that amount of gold!

Nanli didn’t hesitate to tease him, "With your mediocre skills, it’s already generous of the Royal Heir to show any gratitude. Don’t expect too much."

Xie Beihan gave Nanli a wistful look. "Sixth Sister, if you were a bit sweeter, I’d like you even more."

"Then I’d better be even more sharp-tongued," Nanli joked.

Even though he knew she was joking, Xie Beihan couldn’t help but feel his spirits sink.

He lifted his sleeve, showing a charm that had been suppressing the death curse. It was already looking a bit dull. He said, "Sixth Sister, I’ve already asked your Second Brother to handle my estate after I die. He’ll transfer everything to Yunxi’s name. Honestly, it’s my fault for holding her back. Can you set up a Peach Blossom Array for her in the future, so she might find a suitable husband?"

Nanli raised an eyebrow. "People outside say you and your wife don’t get along, living in the same house but not seeing each other for days on end. How come you’re so considerate now?"

Even in the Prince Yu Mansion, there were people who gossiped. In the Marquis Zhenbei Manor, any minor incident would become talk of the town.

Xie Beihan and Fan Yunxi, while mourning and abstaining from consummation, lived in separate courtyards, practically living separate lives. Outsiders might have thought they were neighbors, not a married couple.

Xie Beihan pursed his lips, clearly unhappy. "She married me, and since I’m going to die early, isn’t it right for me to plan for her future? I just regret not having the Prince’s means; otherwise, these rumors wouldn’t spread outside."

"If you lack confidence in yourself, fine, but why lose faith in me?" Nanli countered.

Xie Beihan sighed. "But you’ve said that the death curse can’t be solved just by using charms."

Having witnessed the deaths of his brother and father, he thought it wise to plan ahead to prevent distant relatives from bullying Fan Yunxi after his death. This was the only thing he could do.

Nanli, seeing his frustration, asked him to wait a moment. She went to Liuli Pavilion and brought back a piece of Divine Wood.

The Divine Wood had been purified in a magical formation for several days, cleansing it of any chaotic energies.

"Here, take it." Nanli casually tossed the Divine Wood to Xie Beihan.

Xie Beihan, not being very agile, fumbled to catch the Divine Wood.

The moment he touched it, he felt a refreshing clarity throughout his body. The oppressive aura weighing on him seemed to lift significantly.

He was both surprised and excited. "What kind of wonderful item is this?"

"Kunlun Divine Wood," Nanli replied, then added, "taken from a corpse."

Xie Beihan’s excitement plummeted instantly.

His hands trembled as he placed the Divine Wood on the table.

"Hey, don’t be so squeamish. This Kunlun Divine Wood is extremely rare; you can’t buy it even if you have the money," Nanli explained. "Keep it on you, and in less than a month, it will naturally dispel the death curse."

"I’d have preferred not to know that it came from a corpse."

"Your antique collection includes many items dug up from tombs and resold. I thought you wouldn’t mind," Nanli said.

Xie Beihan’s scalp tingled as he stammered, "Wha... what? How did you know it was dug up from a grave?"

"Burial items left in tombs for a long time naturally absorb the deceased’s aura," Nanli blinked. "Generally, I don’t recommend keeping such items at home; the yin energy from the deceased can affect one’s luck."

Xie Beihan nearly fainted. "Sixth Sister, why didn’t you mention this earlier!"

Nanli realized belatedly, "I thought you knew."

"How could I know it was dug up from a grave? When my father and I bought them, the sellers certainly didn’t tell us that."

At this moment, Xie Beihan’s expression became even more aggrieved.

Though the weather was still hot, Nanli sipped her sour plum soup and said, "Sorry, I didn’t realize you were so inept. After all this time studying, you can’t even sense ghostly or evil auras, let alone detect the somber energy from objects."

Xie Beihan felt bitter hearing this. "Alright, stop it. I really can’t take any more blows."

Nanli smiled slightly, "No worries, I’ve already cleansed the Divine Wood of any dirty energies. You can safely carry it."

Xie Beihan’s eyes brightened as he stared intently at Nanli.

"Sixth Sister, why not be a good person once more and help cleanse the antiques in my mansion too?"

Nanli rested her chin on her hand, not agreeing, "Cleansing those somber energies doesn’t require profound skills. You should do it yourself. You can’t always rely on others."

Consulting some books would allow him to draw the right charms or set up effective formations.

Such a simple task was something Zhi Mi learned in just two months at Xuanyue Temple.

Xie Beihan’s mouth twitched.

Nanli advised again, "You managed to use detoxifying charms in the palace. Though it was rough, you succeeded in the end, didn’t you? Believe in yourself; you can do it."

Recalling his experience, Xie Beihan’s lips twitched, "I feel like you’re not encouraging me but hitting me again."

He then put away the Divine Wood.

Anyway, his life was saved.

Seeing it was getting late, he prepared to leave, saying he needed to fetch Fan Yunxi to return home together.

Nanli glanced at him, "You’re pretty considerate."

"Now that my life is safe, I need to plan for the future," Xie Beihan chuckled. "Thank you, Sixth Sister!"

He felt hopeful about life again.

Nanli casually asked, "Where did your wife go today?"

"Miss Lu is hosting an elegant gathering, so she asked her to join in the fun."

Though Xie Beihan rarely saw Fan Yunxi, he had secretly arranged everything.

Lu Yanyan’s small banquet was merely to help Fan Yunxi get to know the officials’ wives in the capital.

Nanli understood Xie Beihan’s good intentions. This kid might have a tough exterior, but he was quite thoughtful.

When Xie Beihan arrived at the Prime Minister’s mansion, the small banquet was still ongoing.

The gathering included only officials’ wives.

Whether in status or rank, they were top-tier in the capital.

In this era, a woman’s nobility didn’t come from self-reliance like Nanli’s. At home, they depended on their fathers and brothers; after marriage, they relied on their husbands.

The noble circles had stopped gossiping about the Prince Yu Mansion’s private affairs, but with the Marquis Zhenbei Manor now left with only Xie Beihan, and his newlywed wife coming from Ruyang, they didn’t regard them highly.

In the pavilion, several high-born ladies were whispering quietly, occasionally letting out smug laughter.