The Clues to the "Rules of Burial" Seemed to Be Coming Together

"Shen, my father... how is he?"

The maid remained calm in the face of the young man's sudden and perplexing question.

It was as if the "Third Young Master" walking beside her was the one who should be concerned with the master's daily life.

"The master was naturally extremely heartbroken. Ever since that incident, he has never set foot in the backyard again. Every time he passes by that well, he takes a detour, and even..."

The maid paused.

"The master also had the well sealed off, weighed down tightly with a very heavy bluestone slab, and had words carved on it and talismans pasted on it, saying that he was afraid the sixth young master would not be able to rest in peace."

Sealing wells, carving characters, pasting talismans...

Xu Xi couldn't help but think of the Ancient Well in the garden that could kill anyone who touched it.

However, the well in the garden sealed off the Shen Family's "debt".

The well here was sealed for the sixth young master.

So... is the Shen Family's "debt" related to that sixth young master?

Moreover, he had assumed that the maid's plain white dress was because Master Shen's funeral was being held and the entire mansion was in mourning.

Judging from the other person's tone, Master Shen is clearly still alive. So, who is this person dressed in white for?

Or rather, someone had already died in this house long before Master Shen's sudden death.

The current timeline is precisely at the point where the sixth young master "drowned" and the funeral arrangements are not yet completely over.

Xu Xi's gaze fell once again on the yellow dog leading them toward the garden.

Seeing that the "Third Young Master" was staring at Xueke, the maid assumed that the young man was interested in it, so she explained, "Speaking of which, it was the Sixth Young Master who named Xueke."

"It was winter. The sixth young master accompanied the Seventh Concubine to the temple to offer incense. On their way back, they encountered Xueke lying by the roadside, barely alive from the cold. He begged the Seventh Concubine to bring it back."

"The Sixth Young Master believed that meeting it on a snowy day was fate; it was a guest from the snow, hence the name 'Xueke.'"

Xu Xi nodded; he was more concerned about the Seventh Concubine the maid had mentioned.

After thinking for a moment, he asked first, "How is Seventh Concubine now?"

The maid's expression darkened slightly. "Seventh Concubine... has been locking herself in her room these past few days and rarely sees anyone."

"After the sixth young master left, her health deteriorated. The master invited several doctors to examine her, and they all said it was due to excessive worry and that she needed to take good care of herself."

As she spoke, her pace slowed and her voice lowered.

"Actually, we all know in our hearts that Seventh Concubine is suffering. Sixth Young Master was her only child, and just like that... he's gone. Who could bear that?"

Xu Xi did not respond.

Even the seemingly normal Shen Residence still exudes an air of strangeness.

Although the maid was surprised by his appearance, she quickly accepted his identity as "Third Young Master" and did not ask any further questions.

However, these people never appeared in the other party's description.

However, another issue is now more important.

He made it sound like a casual remark, but was actually probing. "I heard that Seventh Concubine tried to cross Sixth... Brother's name off the Clan Genealogy?"

The maid's reaction surprised him.

"Third Young Master, how did you know?" The maid was visibly startled for a moment, then lowered her voice, her tone quite urgent, "Third Young Master, did Seventh Concubine ask you for help? You mustn't agree!"

The maids also knew the rules of the Shen Family.

Seventh Concubine had no access to the Shen Family Clan Genealogy, she could only seek help from other members of the Shen Family.

Only...

"Why?"

After a moment of silence, the maid spoke in a low voice, "Since the Sixth Young Master left, the Seventh Concubine's health has deteriorated, and she's also experiencing some mental problems..."

"Seventh Concubine somehow obtained a method, saying that as long as someone crosses Sixth Young Master's name off the Clan Genealogy, that person can go to the underworld in Sixth Young Master's place, and Sixth Young Master... can return to the world of the living."

Xu Xi was slightly taken aback upon hearing this, then the maid reminded her again, "So if Seventh Concubine asks you for help, you must not agree."

"Regardless of whether this method works or not, the master wouldn't allow anyone to act recklessly."

Xu Xi lowered her head and pondered for a moment, then suddenly asked, "Did Seventh Concubine say how to draw it?"

Seeing the maid's eyes widen, he quickly added, "I was just asking."

The maid relaxed, thought for a moment, and said, "Master has an extremely precious calligraphy brush that he never leaves behind. It is said to have been passed down from the old master, and the characters it writes have a peculiar fragrance that lingers for a long time."

"Seventh Concubine said that only that pen could be used to cross out the names on the Clan Genealogy."

The clues seem to be connecting, Xu Xi thought.

He also remembered seeing Master Shen in the coffin holding a broken calligraphy brush with dark red ink stains on its tip in his left hand.

Do you know where the Clan Genealogy is kept?

The maid shook her head. "This servant does not know. Such a valuable item is not something a servant like me should concern myself with."

Xu Xi was not disappointed.

After all, he had obtained quite a bit of information on this trip.

However, seeing that the maid would answer any question he asked, he continued to inquire, this time being more direct. "Has our family ever incurred any debts?"

"Debt? This, this servant knows nothing about."

Are you familiar with that butler?

"The steward always stays by the master's side, while I usually stay in the backyard and am not familiar with him."

They asked a few more questions, and the maid's answers were either "I don't know" or "I don't understand."

Upon seeing this, Xu Xi understood that she couldn't get any more information from this maid.

Just then, they arrived in the garden.

The yellow dog eagerly pounced on the well, barking at the Ancient Well and even starting to tear at the edges of the talisman paper.

The maidservant, seeing this, quickly ran to stop it.

Xu Xi stared at this scene, frowning in deep thought.

Two seconds later, he strode forward, and under the horrified gaze of the maid, tore off the talisman and lifted the heavy bluestone slab.

The next moment.

"Woof."

The yellow dog jumped straight into the well at the maid's urgent shouts.

Xu Xi walked to the edge of the well and looked inside. He saw that the well water was as black as ink and bottomless.

The yellow dog paddled frantically with its four paws, its furry head occasionally popping out of the water only to be quickly swallowed by the darkness.

It is diving.

However, before long, a sudden wave of dizziness and vertigo struck.

In the last moment of his distorted vision, he saw the yellow dog suddenly pop its head out of the well water, a soaking wet booklet in its mouth.

*

Once her vision cleared, Xu Xi found herself standing at the door of the side room.

A thick, inky darkness suddenly enveloped them.

He was all too familiar with this feeling. Just as he was about to retreat back into his room, a deafening explosion suddenly erupted from the direction of the Ancestral Hall.