Chapter 87: Paying Respects to the Li Family’s Great-Grandmother (Part 1)

Chapter 87: Paying Respects to the Li Family Matriarch (1)

But that night, something happened that still fills him with terror whenever he remembers it. He has no idea whether the choice he made was right or wrong.

Master Li, the second elder of the Li family, smiled at him and said, “Since the matter is now settled, I’ll arrange for people to begin preparing for the wedding within the manor. But before that, you must meet the elders of our Li family, especially the most important among them—our venerable Matriarch, Grandmother Han.” He patted Zheng Ji on the shoulder. “The Matriarch seldom meets anyone, but since you are about to become one of our family, it is only proper for you to pay your respects. That is what a filial son and worthy grandson should do.”

Zheng Ji was overjoyed to find himself already being treated as one of the family, and readily agreed, “Of course. Having lost my parents so early in life, I only wish I could fulfill my filial duties before the family hall at once.”

The second master was pleased with his response and immediately ordered someone to escort Zheng Ji to visit the Matriarch and offer his greetings.

Zheng Ji found it a bit odd—first, that he was being brought for a visit so late at night, which seemed likely to disturb the old lady’s rest; second, that such a formal meeting with one’s elders should not be conducted without the second master himself leading the way. Nevertheless, he followed the servant, his mind full of questions, as they set off to meet the Matriarch.

On the way, Zheng Ji tried to engage the servant in conversation, hoping to learn more so as not to risk any impropriety upon arrival. His inquiries yielded some surprising information.

It turned out the Li Matriarch was truly of remarkable longevity, having lived far beyond the years allotted to most mortals. In Yangxi Town, the Li family was the preeminent household—even the magistrate had to show them deference. Their wealth was extraordinary and not without cause. An ancestor of the Li family had joined the founding emperor in his uprising and, during a chaotic battle, saved the emperor’s life. The family was greatly favored thereafter, and riches enough for three generations to squander were bestowed upon them. Even when the family later fell on hard times and relocated to this town to avoid turmoil, they arrived with vast tracts of good farmland and ample wealth.

Now, in the present day, the highest authority in the Li residence was naturally the oldest by both age and generation—the Matriarch, Lady Han. Remarkably, she was already one hundred and forty-four years old. Across the land, aside from legendary immortals, there could scarcely be found anyone who had lived longer.

It was said the Matriarch was not only astonishingly old, but her background was also extraordinary. Years ago, when a notorious case of heretical cults rocked the nation, it was rumored her own family was involved. Lady Han had secretly worshipped evil gods, and it was the Matriarch herself who exposed her own kin, leading to the uncovering of the scandal. Yet the entire family was accused of plotting wicked deeds through illicit sacrifices—except for the Matriarch, who alone was spared. The rest were executed or exiled. Later, by some unknown means, Han ended up marrying the Li family patriarch.

The years wore on, seasons came and went, flowers bloomed and faded, autumn leaves fell and winter snow melted into spring streams. Through it all, the Matriarch remained in the manor, overseeing household affairs year after year. Eventually, as the great-grandfather, grandfather, and even the eldest and second masters passed away one after another, the Matriarch still lived.

For this reason, everyone in the Li residence harbored a degree of fear toward her—no one dared disobey. Within the great manor, nothing escaped her watchful eye. It seemed as though the entire Li estate, perhaps even all of Yangxi County, was held firmly in her grasp.

Hearing all this on the way, Zheng Ji’s heart pounded with anxiety. Would the Matriarch like him? Was it perhaps his birth date and destiny she had chosen after careful scrutiny?

The Li residence was divided by numerous walls into courtyards of varying sizes. Beyond the central court with its pavilions and towers, every smaller courtyard was adorned with its own unique arrangement of flowers, trees, and ornamental rocks—some shaped like miniature landscapes, each meticulously cultivated, and no two exactly alike.

If an outsider wandered alone among these winding paths, it would be easy to lose all sense of direction. Zheng Ji followed the servant through a maze of turns, heading toward the deepest part of the vast estate. All around, the soft chirring of insects filled the air, and a chill wind stirred. The farther they went, the more oppressive and desolate the atmosphere became. The light faded, as though even the newly risen sun could not reach this secluded and shadowed corner.

At last, they arrived at a spacious courtyard. Like the others, it was square and orderly, but what set it apart was a single twisted locust tree, gnarled and lopsided, which cast a strange and unsettling mood over the garden. The weather, too, had grown gloomier, as if rain were about to fall.

Inside, red lanterns hung from the eaves at each corner of the surrounding buildings. Even the tassels were red, and after gazing at them for a time, one felt almost dizzy. The crimson glow filled the courtyard, casting eerie shadows across the dark green of the ancient tree, heightening the sense of the uncanny.

The black trunk of the ancient locust tree was so thick that three or four people could not have encircled it with their arms. Its bark was gnarled and knotted with the scars of countless years, twisted in bulging lumps that resembled grotesque tumors. Some of these growths, if one looked closely, seemed to form the distorted shapes of human faces, as though they were trying to break free from the bark itself. In spots, the bark had peeled away, exposing dark red wounds that looked uncomfortably like scabs. The roots writhed above and below the earth, many of them protruding from the ground, twisted together like snakes, centipedes, or other creeping things, all entangled as if they might burst forth at any moment.

Zheng Ji was led into the courtyard by the servant, who seemed distinctly uneasy. He bowed hastily toward the inner chambers, gave Zheng Ji not even a glance, and hurried away.

At that moment, an old maidservant appeared. Though her bearing was brisk, her face was ashen and drawn, as if perpetually in debt or long deprived of sunlight—enough to make anyone feel uneasy at a glance.

The old woman led Zheng Ji to a half-opened door and stopped. Zheng Ji was terribly nervous, his palms damp with sweat. The maidservant came over and opened the door for him, but instead of revealing a room, it exposed a long flight of stone steps, angling steeply downwards as if descending into the earth.

Swallowing hard, Zheng Ji mustered his courage and followed the old woman down the steps. At the bottom, the stairs gave way to a narrow, shadowy corridor. On each side, at regular intervals, were small niches in the wall holding candle stands.

Tiny, pale-yellow flames flickered atop pools of congealed wax, but their faint light was not enough to dispel the darkness. Most of the passage lay shrouded in shadow, with only the barest hint of carved patterns visible on the stone walls—enough to make one’s skin crawl.

Did the Matriarch truly live underground? Was she not afraid of the absence of sunlight?

As Zheng Ji followed the old woman down the corridor, the only sound was their footsteps. There were no windows to be seen, and the air was cold, damp, and thick with mustiness and rot, conjuring the most ominous associations.

It felt exactly like walking through a tomb.