The Entire Harem has Transmigrated - Chapter 17

Having rested sufficiently, Ruan Qingqing rose and left her room.

Qian Shengjin greeted her with another round of flattery and had a box of cash brought to her.

Ruan Qingqing glanced at it dismissively before turning away. “I am a cultivator of the Great Dao,” she said coldly. “I seek not wealth, but merit. If you truly wish to help, contribute to charitable causes. This will not only benefit my cultivation but also help you cleanse your karmic debt and prolong your life.”

With that, she handed him several talismans, instructing him to place them under his pillow each night to ensure restful sleep.

Having witnessed the talismans’ effectiveness firsthand, Qian Shengjin was deeply grateful, thanking her profusely. He offered to have someone escort her home, but Ruan Qingqing declined, citing the need to finalize the formation. She urged him to leave first, and Qian Shengjin dared not refuse.

Having resolved the ghost problem at the old residence and enjoyed a rare night of peaceful sleep, Qian Shengjin was now beaming with pride and satisfaction. As his car pulled away, he spotted Jiang Li and her group. When he overheard them mentioning they were there to capture ghosts, he scoffed, “Another bunch of charlatans trying to swindle me out of my money? Let me tell you, I’ve already hired a true Master. Her skills are unmatched, and her integrity is beyond reproach—nothing like you frauds.”

Old Madam Jiang’s attendant bristled with anger. “Who are you calling a fraud? Our Madam is a legitimate member of the Metaphysical Sect…”

But Qian Shengjin cut him off, ordering his driver to speed away.

“That man has no sense of gratitude!” the attendant fumed.

Jiang Li, however, merely curled her crimson lips into a faint smile. Turning to the elder beside her, she remarked, “Did you see? They clearly don’t need our help.”

Old Madam Jiang slammed her cane against the ground, letting out a heavy snort. “Don’t think you can escape this so easily, Jiang Li. Today, you will capture the ghost in this old residence—whether you want to or not!”

Jiang Li straightened her posture, the distant lights of the old residence reflecting in her eyes. Her voice remained cold and unwavering. “I regret to inform you that I cannot comply.”

Inside the Qian Family Old Residence, Li Qianxuan stood beside Ruan Qingqing, asking with a smile, “You’re really not charging him?”

Ruan Qingqing winked playfully. “If I take his money, I’d have to actually solve his problems. But I have no intention of doing that.”

For legitimate fortune-telling, of course, she’d charge. Ruan Qingqing planned to handle Yu Yunfei’s matter first, then visit the Empress before setting up a street stall under the Tianqiao Bridge, where she could put her skills to good use.

What would be a fair price? Thirty coins for a reading? Fifty for a talisman? That didn’t seem unreasonable.

As Ruan Qingqing pondered this, the elderly butler, his back bowed, approached her.

“Miss Ruan,” he said, his voice weary and weathered, yet tinged with an unspoken stubbornness. “You promised you’d help me see her one last time.”

Yu Yunfei had visited earlier that day, but Li Qianxuan hadn’t known about it. She tilted her head, asking Ruan Qingqing, “Who does he want to see?”

“Bai Xiulian,” Ruan Qingqing replied. Ever thoughtful, she added, “Qianxuan, are you scared? If you are, you can wait for me in the next room.”

Ruan Qingqing’s words instantly ignited Li Qianxuan’s competitive spirit. She lifted her chin. “How could I be scared? I’m undefeated across the land—I only inspire terror in others!”

Ruan Qingqing smiled, her eyes crinkling at the corners. “Then just stand behind me. If you get scared, grab onto me.”

After giving these instructions, she formed a hand seal to summon the spirit. Within moments, the red-robed female ghost materialized and glided toward the group.

Li Qianxuan had prepared herself, but this was her first time seeing a ghost. Her body tensed with nervous anticipation. At first, Bai Xiulian was too far away for her to make out her features, only her silhouette. Even from that distance, Qianxuan could sense the lingering allure of a woman who had once been beautiful. But as the figure drew closer, revealing its face…

Li Qianxuan couldn’t help it. She screamed almost reflexively, “Aaaaaah!”

It wasn’t Qianxuan’s fault. No matter how beautiful a person might have been in life, transforming into a malevolent ghost would inevitably distort their features beyond recognition. Bai Xiulian’s face was no longer human, its appearance truly eerie and terrifying.

“Don’t be scared, don’t be scared,” Ruan Qingqing said, unfazed by Bai Xiulian but startled by Li Qianxuan’s scream. She quickly turned around, stood on tiptoe to pat Qianxuan’s back, squeezed her hand, and drew a Concentration Seal on her palm. “I’m here too,” she reassured her. “I’ll protect you.”

“Qingqing…” Li Qianxuan, no longer afraid, still leaned into Ruan Qingqing’s worried embrace, saying, “I’m so glad you’re here.”

Li Qianxuan hadn’t always been so manipulative, but Yu Yunfei’s influence had taught her the value of playing vulnerable. At the very least, feigning weakness now earned her a comforting hug from Ruan Qingqing—a small advantage.

Meanwhile, the butler had knelt before Bai Xiulian, kowtowing and weeping uncontrollably. “Xiulian, I’m sorry,” he sobbed. “I failed you…”

After comforting her Noble Consort, Ruan Qingqing frowned at Bai Xiulian.

Bai Xiulian’s condition was far worse than she’d imagined. Without intervention, the ghost would completely dissipate within days.

This won’t do.

Though Ruan Qingqing’s original purpose in coming to the Qian Family Old Residence was to deal with Yu Yunfei, she couldn’t simply ignore this situation now that she’d witnessed it.

After all, Bai Xiulian had been a beautiful and kind-hearted woman in life.

Ruan Qingqing initially wanted Li Qianxuan to return home while she stayed to handle the aftermath. But Li Qianxuan refused without hesitation, her resolve unwavering. Left with no choice, Ruan Qingqing allowed her to stay overnight at the old residence. While Li Qianxuan wasn’t looking, she secretly affixed a talisman to the door, ensuring a peaceful night’s rest and protection.

After completing these preparations, Ruan Qingqing instructed the butler to find a suitable vessel and used her magic to contain Bai Xiulian’s soul within it.

The butler asked anxiously, “What are you planning to do?”

“Don’t worry,” Ruan Qingqing reassured him. “Miss Bai’s soul is unstable. I need to take her to a place with dense Yin energy to infuse her with Ghost Qi.”

“A place with dense Yin energy?” the butler repeated.

Ruan Qingqing replied calmly, “Yes, isn’t there a cemetery nearby? I plan to go there.”

The butler cautioned, “But it’s already midnight. Shouldn’t you wait until tomorrow?”

Ruan Qingqing gave him a puzzled look. “Midnight is the perfect time! If I wait until tomorrow, the Malevolent Ghosts will have hidden away, and the Yin energy will have dissipated. What would be the point of going then?”

The butler wanted to say, “You’re just a young girl,” but remembering her extraordinary abilities, he held his tongue.

Anyone daring to venture alone into a cemetery at this hour must be no ordinary person. As a mere mortal, he shouldn’t interfere with the Master’s affairs.

He made one final plea: “Then please, protect Xiulian at all costs.”

After Ruan Qingqing agreed, she walked out on her own.

At that moment, the Jiang Family’s grandmother and granddaughter remained locked in a stalemate at the entrance until a phone call shattered the impasse. The call reported an emergency at the adjacent cemetery, requiring Old Madam Jiang’s immediate presence to oversee the situation.

“I’ll spare you for today,” Old Madam Jiang snapped, glaring at the aloof young woman beside her. She then issued stern orders to her entourage: “Xiao Li, you stay behind and ensure Miss Jiang Li’s safe return. The rest of you, follow me.”

The group had arrived with considerable fanfare, and their departure was equally ostentatious. Only after a long interval did the surroundings finally fall silent, revealing the desolate stillness of the night.

Xiao Li, the man Old Madam Jiang had addressed, was actually middle-aged. He waited patiently for a long time before finally summoning the courage to ask Jiang Li, “Miss, are you ready to return now?”

Though Jiang Li was young and utterly ignorant of metaphysics, she possessed an inexplicable aura of detachment and authority. Even Xiao Li, a grown man, couldn’t help but feel intimidated by her cold demeanor.

After what seemed like an eternity, Jiang Li finally responded with a curt, monosyllabic “Mm.”

Xiao Li exhaled in relief, opened the car door, and was about to invite Jiang Li inside when a tearful voice suddenly called out from the side: “Jiang Li!”

Jiang Li herself was still trying to grasp what was happening when the beautiful girl suddenly charged forward like a cannonball and threw herself into her arms.

Jiang Li steadied herself against the car door, her sharply tapered eyebrows furrowing. With a firm hand, she pushed the girl away, her voice devoid of warmth. “Let go.”

The girl finally looked up.

Her face was undeniably beautiful, framed by long, thick lashes that curled upward. Almond-shaped eyes, misty with tears, were tinged red at the corners and the tip of her nose from crying, giving her a pure and endearing appearance, a sight that would melt any heart.

Jiang Li’s movements froze.

It wasn’t lust that struck her, but rather a sudden, inexplicable ache deep in her chest the moment she saw the girl’s face. It felt as if something were being torn apart, the pain searing through flesh and bone.

“Jiang Li, Jiang Li… waah…” Ruan Qingqing clung to Jiang Li, sobbing uncontrollably.

She hadn’t meant to, but she couldn’t help herself after seeing this woman.

Ruan Qingqing buried her face in Jiang Li’s embrace, her sobs wracking her body. The voices of the past echoed in her ears, when she had sat alone on the throne in the empty Golden Hall, waiting for Jiang Li to come fetch her.

Jiang Li had addressed her as “Your Majesty” as always, but Ruan Qingqing had suddenly asked, “Will the Imperial Preceptor always stay by my side?”

Jiang Li’s expression remained unchanged. “The future is ever uncertain.”

“So you’ll leave me,” Ruan Qingqing said, her voice muffled and unhappy. “Then… what if I miss you? Can I come find you?”

Jiang Li reached out to pat Ruan Qingqing’s head, her tone still distant. “There’s no need. If fate wills it, we’ll meet again. If not, we can’t force it.”

Now, Ruan Qingqing had smeared Jiang Li’s robes with tears, sobbing, “I listened to you so well! I never went looking for you, because you said we’d meet again if fate allowed… sniff… I never imagined I’d see you here, Imperial Preceptor. I’ve missed you so much… I’ve missed you so, so much…”

Jiang Li endured the sharp pain in her chest and still pushed Ruan Qingqing away.

Frowning, her voice turned icy. “You’ve mistaken me for someone else.”

“I haven’t mistaken you!” Ruan Qingqing cried fiercely, venting her frustration. “You’re the one who forgot me! How could you forget me?”

In the end, that face was too beautiful, even softening the heart of someone like Jiang Li, who had no interest in women. She paused, took out a pack of tissues, and offered them. “Little one, calm down. I really don’t know you.”

“So what if you don’t know me?” Ruan Qingqing sobbed uncontrollably, refusing the tissues and tugging on Jiang Li’s sleeve, pleading, “Then just hug me once.”

Jiang Li thought she’d misheard. “What?”

Ruan Qingqing suddenly turned fierce. “I said, I command you—hug me now!”