The Aloof Lord's Mysterious Wife
Chapter 330: Dealing with Song Zihan

Chapter 330: Dealing with Song Zihan

The maid Shuang’er trembled all over, staring blankly at Xue Shengnan. They had indeed encountered bloodshed before, but that had been a matter of survival, a forced necessity.

Her eyes turned slightly red as she did her best to persuade her mistress: "Miss, though Mr. Song comes from a humble background, he is diligent, progressive, and courteous. Marrying him would make you his first wife, the legitimate one, with your family backing you. Your life in the Song family wouldn’t be hard."

In contrast, the Mansion of Marquis Anyang was full of brothers and complex personnel issues. Even if she succeeded, Miss Xue Shengnan would only be a secondary wife, a title not very respectable, likely to make others look down on her.

Xue Shengnan’s face hardened, and she glared fiercely at Shuang’er. "Enough! Even if he were a celestial being, if I don’t like him, I will not marry him."

It was clear that her mistress was determined, and Shuang’er found herself at a loss for words.

"But Lady Xiao is pregnant now, and she’s avoiding even important banquets. There’s no chance to make a move on her," Shuang’er said.

The Mansion of Marquis Anyang was like a fortress. They wouldn’t dare to risk bribing anyone there.

Xue Shengnan lowered her gaze, her eyelashes hiding the cold glint in her eyes.

Her slender fingers caressed the edge of the cup as she spoke slowly, "There will be an opportunity. For now, the important thing is to deal with Song Zihan."

Shuang’er sighed, silently praying that Mr. Song, no matter his grievances, wouldn’t come seeking vengeance against her. It wasn’t she who planned his death.

Why was she already mourning Song Zihan? Because none of her mistress’s schemes had ever failed, nor had they ever been detected.

---

Despite the establishment of Xuanzheng Temple, the business at "Magic Charms" continued to thrive.

Xuanzheng Temple aimed to help the poor, and those who wished to express their gratitude were only asked for a nominal three wen (cents).

Meanwhile, "Magic Charms," bearing Nanli’s name, attracted those with some wealth who preferred to buy Nanli’s charms.

As Chu Shuo said, both noble and common business should be handled together, not just for profit but also to prevent common people from being deceived.

The reputation of Xuanzheng Temple gradually spread, attracting people from nearby towns and villages seeking help in the capital.

The three Ming, besides patrolling at night, also had to take turns going out to exorcise evil spirits, leaving them busy and overwhelmed.

However, practice leads to progress.

In just about ten days, their skills had significantly improved.

This was largely due to Nanli’s guidance; her occasional tips were like enlightening them with divine insight, as if unlocking their meridians.

If even these old hands could make such progress, the other junior priests were naturally advancing as well.

Perhaps before, they could barely draw a protective charm correctly, but now they could easily create one with a single stroke.

They knew they owed their progress to Nanli!

Every time Nanli visited Xuanzheng Temple, the young priests’ eyes would light up with excitement. If Nanli agreed, they would have long knelt and kowtowed, eager to join her faction.

Nanli brought another batch of ancient books on formations to Xuanzheng Temple.

The cries of "Ninth Princess" echoed as the young priests bowed in greeting, their faces glowing with joy.

"Princess, I’ve mastered the tracking charm you taught the other day," said a young priest named Cangan.

Only thirteen years old, he had bright, clear eyes and showed promise despite his youth.

Nanli glanced at the other young priests and asked, "What about the rest of you?"

The others exchanged glances, their eyes avoiding hers, and soon shook their heads.

Unlike Cangan, they weren’t able to grasp things as quickly or easily.

Nanli then said, "Cangan, since you’ve learned it, teach it to your fellow disciples whenever you have time."

"Yes." Cangan had hoped Nanli would ask him to demonstrate. Not receiving her praise left him feeling downcast.

After delivering the ancient books, Nanli had other matters to attend to and was about to leave when someone rushed in from outside.

It was Li Da, from Qin Zheng’s side, whom Nanli had met a few times before.

Seeing him, Nanli knew something bad had happened.

Sure enough, Li Da clasped his hands in salute and immediately said, "Princess, something strange has happened at the Heir’s Palace. Please come and take a look."

"What’s the matter?" Nanli asked.

"The Heir’s Palace registrar suddenly had heart palpitations. The court physicians said he couldn’t be saved, but Lord Xie saw a black aura around him before he died. The lord wishes to investigate if it was an accident or foul play and needs your assistance," Li Da explained.

Nanli was a bit surprised. "Xie Beihan can see black auras?"

It sounded a bit far-fetched to her.

Li Da understood her skepticism and said, "The Royal Heir also thought the same and repeatedly asked Lord Xie if he had seen it correctly."

Nanli thought, it seemed that Xie Beihan’s use of the detoxifying charm last time had left Ye Chengyan deeply affected.

Thus, this incident seemed quite intriguing.

As she took a step forward, she suddenly paused and asked, "The Heir’s Palace registrar... isn’t that Song Zihan?"

She had heard from her fifth brother after returning to the Marquis’s residence that Song Zihan had taken up a post at the Heir’s Palace.

Li Da nodded, "That’s right."

Nanli’s expression darkened. "It appears to be a murder. I’ll head to the palace now. You go to the charm shop and bring Zhi Mi."

"Yes." Li Da responded and went to handle it immediately.

As Nanli boarded the carriage, someone from Xuanzheng Temple chased after her. It was Cangan.

"Princess!" Cangan’s eyes were pleading. "Could you take me along? If you let me follow you in everything, within a year, I’m sure I’ll surpass Zhi Mi."

Nanli looked at him, her gaze cool. "Even if I don’t take you, as long as you practice diligently, you will surpass Zhi Mi in time."

"If I’m talented, why don’t you consider using me more?" Cangan asked directly. "I can be more helpful than Zhi Mi."

It was natural to admire strength.

He had once idolized Ming Xu, but after learning that Ming Xu had died at Nanli’s hands, his admiration for her grew. He wanted to learn from her, believing in his own potential, yet Nanli never seemed to take any notice of him.

Nanli replied, "It’s true, Zhi Mi is of average talent and slow to learn. But in seeking immortality and cultivation, it’s not just about talent but also one’s nature. If you always compare yourself to others, how can you succeed? You must understand that there is always someone better. If you can’t adjust your mindset, you won’t make breakthroughs and might even stray at critical moments."

Cangan was stunned, staring blankly at Nanli.

After a while, he tried to justify himself: "I’m not trying to compare myself to others; I just want to learn more to improve my skills!"

"And once your skills improve? Do you seek recognition from others, or do you have other plans?" Nanli asked.

Being young, Cangan found himself at a loss for words.

Nanli continued, "Sometimes comparing with others isn’t a bad thing. What’s important is having good goals and the determination to pursue them. Think about it carefully, Cangan."