Chapter 4: Blood Curse

Madam Huo pointed at the cloak with a calm expression: "Go get some water and wash the bloodstains off the cloak as well!"

Shiliu immediately fetched some water and cleaned the cloak thoroughly.

[Oh my, Mother is too smart. She’s practically the roundworm in my stomach; she knows everything I’m thinking!]

Although Qiao Niannian found it strange that Madam Huo had discovered the straw doll, she was even happier that she didn't have to die.

However, a greater doubt arose the next moment.

This blood curse was vicious and sinister, but its requirements were also harsh. It not only required the target's birth date and time, but also a medium—and this medium had to be blood or hair from the person casting the curse.

Qiao Niannian was certain that the straw doll Madam Huo had just burned lacked such a medium.

Therefore, this straw doll was likely just a decoy, a replica.

The real straw doll, the one under the blood curse, was probably still in the hands of the person who cast it.

The other party's true target was the Emperor, and Madam Huo was merely being pushed out to take the fall.

Once the crime was pinned on her, any trouble that befell the Emperor in the future would be blamed on Madam Huo, and no one would suspect anyone else.

What a clever move—borrowing a knife to kill.

Afraid that the Emperor would investigate the truth, they pushed out a scapegoat. Once Madam Huo was dead, this person could kill the Emperor from the shadows without ever being suspected again.

Even if the power of the blood curse were discovered later, people would just assume it was because of Madam Huo’s malicious heart.

Daring to use such evil arts to frame her, Qiao Niannian was so angry she laughed.

This was like plucking whiskers from the King of Hell—a death wish.

Qiao Niannian planned to use the sliver of spiritual energy she had to draw a peace talisman for the Emperor, first to gain his trust, and then, once her body recovered, to ferret out the person behind it all.

It was just that there wasn't a single piece of talisman paper in the entire room.

At that moment, Shiliu happened to walk by with the blood-cursed paper, tossed it into the brazier, and walked out carrying the cloak.

Qiao Niannian flicked her finger, and the talisman paper flew up from the brazier and landed in her hand.

She brushed her hand over the blood curse, and it instantly transformed into a peace talisman.

She folded the peace talisman into a triangle and tucked it away. If she remembered correctly, the Crown Prince and the Third Prince would appear together later, and she would secretly hand the talisman to the Crown Prince then.

As Qiao Niannian finished planning everything, Madam Huo walked in with a pale face and pulled Qiao Niannian into a hug.

"Niannian, thank goodness for you."

Otherwise, if she had been accused of harming the Emperor, it might have implicated the entire Marquis Mansion and the General's Mansion.

Qiao Niannian pulled herself out of her thoughts in a second and acted silly while being hugged by Madam Huo.

[Mother, don't be afraid. Niannian will protect you.]

Madam Huo was warmed by her daughter's inner voice, and her tense body relaxed significantly.

She straightened up and stroked Qiao Niannian's head.

"My good daughter, you must get well soon."

Qiao Niannian nodded and patted her own small chest.

[Don't worry, Mother! I will definitely get better quickly. When I do, I'll help you deal with those bad people.]

Perhaps because she had been reborn into her ten-year-old self, Qiao Niannian's temperament had become much more childish.

She found Madam Huo's affection very heartwarming.

Moreover, Qiao Niannian had discovered something else.

When she restored her spiritual energy today, she accidentally discovered that the soul and spirit she had been missing were found—they were the original owner's soul.

So, she was actually Madam Huo's daughter; it was just that for some reason, her soul had flown out of her body and into another world.

No wonder when her master found her back then, he said she didn't belong to that world and would return sooner or later.

At the time, she didn't understand the deep meaning of those words, but now, she understood.

After half a day of cultivation, she hadn't recovered much spiritual energy, but it had allowed her to completely merge with this body, and her soul had been repaired as well.

Now, she possessed a complete soul.

No wonder the first time she saw Madam Huo, she felt a sense of closeness from the bottom of her heart and felt no resistance at all to calling her "Mother."

As the mother and daughter were being affectionate, the voice of a maid came from outside: "Madam, the Master is here."

Madam Huo's expression darkened.

Her daughter had been unconscious for two days, and Qiao Chushan hadn't even shown his face. Now that her daughter was awake, what was he here for?

Madam Huo opened her mouth, wanting to tell the maid to chase him away.

[My father chose a bad time to come! Mother definitely won't let him in!]

[Mother, you don't know, this is all a scheme by the concubine to sow discord between you and Father, and yet you fall for it every time.]

Because of Madam Huo's hesitation, Qiao Chushan walked in. He glanced at Madam Huo's unfriendly expression before turning to look at his daughter's pale face on the bed.

"Why is Niannian's face so pale?"

Qiao Chushan first touched Qiao Niannian's head, and only after realizing she no longer had a fever did he let out a sigh of relief.

[Oh, Father, you're really touching a sore spot; Mother thinks I jumped into the river because of you, and she's still angry!]

[Actually, neither of you knows that I was accidentally pushed in by someone.]

Madam Huo:...

She had been about to lose her temper, but the fire suddenly wouldn't ignite.

Qiao Chushan was startled at first, then he glanced at Madam Huo and the maid. Seeing their expressions were normal, he immediately understood!

It was likely that only he could hear his daughter's inner voice.

That made sense!

After all, in this family, his daughter was closest to him.

Qiao Chushan's expression softened. Madam Huo looked closely several times but didn't find anything unusual.

It seemed Qiao Chushan couldn't hear their daughter's inner voice.

She had said it before: such an incompetent father didn't deserve such a miraculous encounter.

Both husband and wife felt relieved instantly.

Seeing that his daughter remained silent, Qiao Chushan asked a few questions. Madam Huo grew angry, but not wanting to argue in front of her daughter, she dragged Qiao Chushan into the outer room.

She lowered her voice.

"Niannian has been burning with fever for two days and you weren't here. Why are you acting concerned about your daughter now? You are so good at putting on a show!"

Qiao Chushan also lowered his voice: "Putting on a show? Why didn't you tell me such a big thing as our daughter having a fever? Aren't you just trying to smear my reputation in front of her? Huo Mingyu, you've gone too far!"

If he hadn't asked the steward, he wouldn't have known Niannian had been sick for two days.

If his daughter hadn't interrupted him just now, he would have been there to demand an explanation.

Madam Huo was stunned with anger, and she couldn't help but voice her grievances: "I didn't tell you? I had the maid notify you several times, but you didn't even show your face. Now you come back and blame me? Qiao Chushan, you are truly shameless."

"I'm shameless? You're quite interesting. I, the Marquis, didn't know what 'a thief crying stop thief' meant before, but now I understand it perfectly."

"Huo Mingyu, it's fine if you want to argue with me, and it's fine if you don't let me into the bedroom, but she is my daughter too. Why shouldn't I be allowed to know about her affairs?"

Qiao Niannian heard everything clearly from the inner room.

When she read books before, she always thought the characters didn't have mouths, which was why there were so many misunderstandings.

Now she realized it wasn't that they didn't have mouths; it was that they were too good at arguing.

[My dear Father and Mother, haven't you realized why Mother said she had the maid notify you, and why you didn't receive the message?]

[And Mother, you're so busy arguing, haven't you noticed that Father keeps saying he never received news of my illness?]

[Sigh! Two childish ghosts.]

Madam Huo:...

Qiao Chushan:...

Who is childish?

They are not!

Daughter, stop thinking nonsense!!!