novelaction Chapter 198 The Marquis of Cheng'en's Residence
Chapter 198 The Marquis of Cheng'en's Residence
The following day, guards from the Pingxi Marquis's residence went to the inn where Aunt Cheng and Aunt Cheng were staying and escorted them to the Chengen Marquis's residence.
Aunt Cheng and Second Aunt Cheng did not come alone; they were accompanied by Second Aunt Cheng's son, named Sun Yongshi.
Although Uncle Cheng and Aunt Cheng have a son, the child was born sickly and weak. Although he has been well cared for over the years, he cannot travel far and be tired, so it is inconvenient for him to come.
Sun Yongshi was indeed an honest man, just as Cheng Ergu had said. Perhaps it was because Cheng Ergu was too domineering and meddlesome that he seemed honest and timid. When he heard that the people from the Pingxi Marquis's mansion were going to take them to the Chengen Marquis's mansion, he panicked.
Pulling Aunt Cheng aside, he couldn't help but say, "Mother, why don't we just not go?"
"Why don't you go?" Aunt Cheng glared at him.
Sun Yongshi opened his mouth, "I think we're not allowed to enter or leave the Chengen Marquis's residence. Who knows what's going on inside? If we go, we'll probably get involved, and then..."
"Shut up!" Aunt Cheng slapped him hard and pointed at his head, yelling, "Do you think I'm brainless? I'm doing all this for you and for your Sun family. If you were even a little bit more capable, I wouldn't have had to go through all this trouble."
“You must remember, the Marquis of Chengen’s mansion is still a marquis’s mansion. Even if it falls on hard times, it is still a powerful and noble family. If they could just squeeze out a little bit of money from their own pockets, we could live the good life we used to have. Do you want to continue to suffer?”
Sun Yongshi paused, naturally not wanting to suffer.
Seeing that he finally understood what was good, Aunt Cheng breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Remember, when you see your uncle later, you have to cry your heart out and let him know how hard you've worked all these years, understand?"
Sun Yongshi nodded: "Mother, I understand."
The three of them exchanged a few words and then followed the personal guards of the Marquis of Pingxi's residence to the Marquis of Chengen's residence. The main gate of the Marquis of Chengen's residence was guarded by the Imperial Guards. The personal guard did not go forward, but instead led his men into the alley.
Aunt Cheng's eyes darted around, and she couldn't help but ask, "Young man, if we're not going in, where are we going?"
The man was tall and imposing, probably in his early twenties. Just standing there gave off an aura of unapproachability. Upon hearing this, he simply explained, "The main gate is locked. You can only enter through the side gate. If you want to go, that's the only way."
Aunt Cheng frowned, somewhat displeased, but now that things had come to this, the most important thing was to see Marquis Chengen, and other trivial matters were not worth worrying about.
"Then please continue leading the way, young man. By the way, how old are you? Are you married? Do you have children?"
Aunt Cheng was very talkative and chatty, like a matchmaker in the neighborhood, always asking if people were married yet.
The guards pretended not to hear, and simply led the people to the side gate of the Chengen Marquis's residence. They spoke a few words with the gatekeeper, who then took a key, opened the gate, and invited them in.
"Gentlemen, this is the inside. Please come in."
"Young man, aren't you coming in with us?"
"No, after you go in, someone will naturally lead you to see Marquis Chengen. I will not go in. You should go and return quickly."
The three looked at each other, their hearts filled with even more unease.
What kind of monsters are inside the Marquis of Chengen's mansion that make people unwilling to go in even when they reach the door, and even send another person to enter?
Aunt Cheng's mouth was a little dry, and she pleaded, "Young man, why don't you come with us?"
"Yes."
The Cheng family members were somewhat aware that something was amiss in the mansion, and having another person around made them feel more at ease. Although they had only just met, this person was, after all, from the Pingxi Marquis's mansion, and should not harm them.
"No, the Marquis only instructed his subordinates to escort you to the door. If you regret it before entering, we will take you back. So, would you like to go in or go back?"
Should we go in or go back?
The three hesitated again.
In the end, Aunt Cheng gritted her teeth and made a decision: "Of course I'll go in. Marquis Chengen is my elder brother. Now that I'm here, how can I not go in?"
"Please, everyone."
Now that things had come to this, the only option was to go inside. Aunt Cheng gritted her teeth and went inside, with Aunt Cheng and Sun Yongshi following nervously.
However, as soon as the three of them stepped into the gates of the Marquis of Chengen's residence, they sensed something was amiss.
It was summer, and as the sun grew stronger, the world was bright and clear. The streets outside were clean and bright, but inside the Chengen Marquis's mansion, all you could see were collapsed houses, overgrown weeds, and twisted, gloomy trees.
It felt as if the sunlight was blocked as soon as you stepped inside, a cold wind blew and chilled your spine, and occasionally a few pieces of paper money were blown by the wind and scattered randomly in the courtyard.
Insects and birds chirped and twittered, and there was a rustling sound in the grass, as if something was crawling.
"This...this...this..." Aunt Cheng's face turned pale. "What kind of hellish place is this?"
Is this still the Marquis of Cheng'en's residence?
Is this a haunted house?
That's absolutely terrifying!
Aunt Cheng and Sun Yongshi were pale and filled with fear and unease.
Sun Yongshi hesitated: "Maybe we should just leave."
As soon as Sun Yongshi finished speaking, the door behind them suddenly slammed shut, startling the three of them. When they came to their senses, they saw a middle-aged man in a worn-out gray robe standing behind the door, staring at them for an unknown amount of time.
Aunt Cheng exclaimed in surprise, "You...you...are you a human or a ghost?"
The newcomer only showed half of his face, which had a scar that ran from his forehead to his chin. It looked extremely ferocious and dark. Moreover, the scar was too strange. It didn't seem to be an accidental injury, but rather... it was deliberately slashed with a knife.
"You're joking, folks. There are no real ghosts in this world, it's just that some people have ghosts in their hearts." His voice was hoarse, like the creaking sound of bamboo being blown and rubbed by the wind.
His voice seemed to chill the entire courtyard even more.
"I am the steward of the Marquis of Chengen's residence. You may call me Steward Yu."
It really is a living person.
The three of them breathed a sigh of relief.
"By the way, Steward Yu, how did the Marquis of Chengen's mansion end up like this?" Aunt Cheng looked around, feeling uneasy.
"It's been neglected for years and has naturally fallen into disrepair. By the way, I heard you've come to see Marquis Chengen, right? Come with me quickly. Also, don't wander around. There are a few snakes in this mansion. If you get bitten, no one will care."
“Snake…snake…” Sun Yongnian exclaimed in terror, “You’re still raising snakes here?”
"Why are you making such a fuss? It's not a poisonous snake. The two young masters of the manor caught it and cooked it when they were hungry. Some people want to have a bite but can't get one."
"Two young masters?" Aunt Cheng's heart pounded. "Are those two young masters Zhang's sons?"