The next morning, Xu Ke received an official document from County Magistrate Zhou. It stated that his old illness had flared up again, that he needed to remain in bed to recover, and that he would likely be unable to handle county affairs for the foreseeable future, requesting the magistrate’s understanding and so on.

Xu Ke glanced through it and casually set it aside.

Zhou Fengchun had clearly been frightened by yesterday’s events. Good—less of a nuisance in his way. At this point, the deputy magistrate was no more than a minor irritation, not worth further attention. The real priority was the Xiao’ao Valley project, where countless matters needed his personal oversight.

Xu Fu was capable, and with Jia Yun’s help they were stationed day and night at Xiao’ao Valley, handling bricks, timber, and workshop construction in an orderly manner. But recruitment had to be handled personally by Xu Ke himself—this project was meant to benefit the people, and he could not allow anyone underneath to distort its purpose.

By the third day after the announcement, over a thousand people had gathered at the eastern outskirts of Xiao’ao Valley.

Young and strong laborers made up the majority. Xu Ke had Ni Er select candidates, and the first batch alone exceeded three hundred workers. The more difficult cases were the elderly, women, and children—gray-haired old men with hunched backs squeezed into the rear of the crowd; women holding infants stood on tiptoe, eyes full of hope; and half-grown children, thin and frail, stared longingly at those receiving work tokens, not daring to step forward.

Xu Ke sighed and issued instructions.

Elderly men capable of light work would be kept on. Women would set up tents for cooking and boiling water. Children would assist craftsmen with simple tasks. Wages would be lower, but meals would be provided twice a day.

Ni Er scratched his head.

“Master… there are really too many people…”

Xu Ke waved a hand.

“When our coal briquettes are eventually sold across all of Shenjing, there will be plenty of work. Besides, this is only the first phase—we’ll be hiring more later.”

The order was passed down, and a wave of cheers erupted outside.

In the end, five to six hundred workers were taken in. It was chaotic, but at least everyone was settled.

From then on, Xu Ke shuttled daily between the county yamen and the workshop. He left before dawn and returned only after lamps were lit. The workshop was complicated and demanding, and since this was his first time managing such a project, he was constantly overwhelmed. Only after half a month did things finally begin to take shape.

That day, finally free for once, Xu Ke remembered his agreement with Wang Xifeng regarding the coal stove business and brought Yingchun with him to the Rongguo Mansion.

They first went to the East Courtyard to pay respects to Jia She and Madam Xing.

However, upon arrival, the gatekeeper said the master had gone out early to visit friends and did not know when he would return. Xu Ke did not mind and simply asked the servant to inform Madam Xing.

Madam Xing was at home. Hearing that her son-in-law and daughter had arrived, she quickly invited them into the main hall.

“My dear girl, it’s been so long since you came!” Madam Xing took Yingchun’s hand and seated her beside herself, studying her carefully. “You’ve grown even more delicate—what a pity for your husband to have taken such a fine girl.”

She then turned to Xu Ke with a smile.

“Sit, son-in-law. Don’t stand.”

Xu Ke bowed politely and took a seat below.

Madam Xing chatted at length about household matters—whether life in the county yamen was comfortable, whether the servants were obedient. Yingchun answered softly to each question, a faint smile on her face.

After a few exchanges, Madam Xing lowered her voice.

“I heard the Feng girl has been quite busy lately. Something about starting a business? Do you know anything about it, son-in-law?”

Xu Ke’s eyes flickered slightly, but his expression remained calm.

“Yes, Madam. Some time ago I discussed a small venture with Second Sister-in-law—selling heating goods in Shenjing. She has been handling the arrangements.”

Madam Xing’s eyes lit up, though she pretended indifference.

“Oh? What sort of business requires her to be so busy? Son-in-law, we are family after all—shouldn’t such matters be discussed with us first?”

A faint unease appeared on Yingchun’s face.

Xu Ke, pretending ignorance of the internal affairs of the Jia household, smiled.

“As you say, Madam. We are all family—how could we bypass Second Sister-in-law?”

Madam Xing pursed her lips and was about to say more when sudden chaos erupted outside.

A servant woman stumbled in, face pale as death.

“Madam! Madam, something terrible has happened! Second Young Mistress Lian… she’s gone mad!”

Madam Xing shot to her feet, a flash of excitement crossing her face.

“Mad? How has she gone mad?”

The servant trembled.

“She’s holding a knife, attacking anyone she sees… she’s already killed several chickens in the courtyard and injured a few maids…”

Madam Xing’s eyes brightened. She grabbed Yingchun’s hand at once.

“My dear, come quickly and take a look!”

Then she beckoned to Xu Ke.

“Son-in-law, come as well!”

Without waiting for a response, she hurried out, her steps noticeably quicker than before.

The three of them left the East Courtyard and followed the corridor toward Wang Xifeng’s residence.

Just as they turned through a moon gate, they heard panicked screams from ahead.

Madam Xing froze, instinctively taking half a step back, yet still craning her neck to look.

There, Wang Xifeng came charging toward them, hair disheveled, holding a gleaming short blade. Her eyes were blood-red, her lips curled into a strange smile. Her clothes were torn in several places, hairpins scattered, barefoot—striking at anyone in sight.

Several servant women circled her from a distance, none daring to approach. A young maid failed to dodge in time and was cut on the arm by the blade, collapsing with a scream. Wang Xifeng moved forward again, while the others hesitated, circling helplessly and calling out “Madam” and “Second Young Mistress,” begging her to drop the knife.

Madam Xing turned pale with fright and immediately released Yingchun’s hand. She retreated behind a corridor pillar, covering her mouth with a handkerchief, her voice trembling.

“This… this is dreadful…”

But her eyes never once left Wang Xifeng.

The surroundings descended into chaos. Some shouted, “Call the physician!” Others cried, “Go inform the Old Madam!” Yet no one dared step forward.

Xu Ke’s expression darkened. He strode forward.

The moment Wang Xifeng swung her blade, he sidestepped it, seized her wrist with one hand, and used the other to twist sharply downward. The knife clattered to the ground.

Wang Xifeng struggled again, but Xu Ke had already struck lightly at the side of her neck. Her body went limp and collapsed into his arms, unconscious.

Ping’er rushed forward from behind, weeping. Xu Ke handed Wang Xifeng over to her and instructed that she be taken back to her room and properly watched over—she would not wake for some time.

Ping’er held Wang Xifeng, trembling all over, but still forced herself to call for the maidservants to help carry her away.

Xu Ke suddenly recalled that in the original story, there had been such an incident—Wang Xifeng and Jia Baoyu both falling victim to a curse cast by Madame Ma using paper effigies.

Could it truly be sorcery or supernatural forces?

As he was thinking, another young maid stumbled over, face ashen.

“Something terrible has happened! Young Master Bao… Young Master Bao is also… also gone mad in Rongqing Hall!”

Everyone’s expression changed dramatically.

Without hesitation, Xu Ke immediately strode toward Rongqing Hall. Yingchun followed behind. Madam Xing hesitated for a moment, then lifted her skirts and hurried after them.

Inside Rongqing Hall, chaos had already broken out.

The moment Xu Ke entered, he saw several maidservants holding Baoyu down on the bed, while he continued struggling violently, shouting incoherently—sometimes crying, sometimes laughing.

Madam Wang knelt by the bedside, gripping his hand tightly. Tears streamed endlessly down her face. Her voice was hoarse from crying:

“Baoyu… Baoyu, look at your mother…”

Her whole body trembled so violently that without Zhou Rui’s wife supporting her from behind, she would have collapsed long ago.

Grand Mother Jia stood nearby, supported by Yuanyang. Her body shook uncontrollably, lips trembling, unable to speak.

Xu Ke swept his gaze across the room and noticed Tanchun pulling Daiyu and Madam Xing into a corner. All three girls were pale.

Madam Xing clutched Tanchun’s sleeve tightly, her body trembling slightly. Tanchun held her with one hand while gripping Daiyu’s with the other, eyes fixed on Baoyu on the bed. Daiyu leaned against Tanchun’s side, eyes reddened, but forcibly holding back her tears.

Yingchun entered behind Xu Ke. Seeing the scene, she was startled. She quickly walked over to Tanchun’s group, gently taking Daiyu’s hand and giving Tanchun and Xichun a reassuring glance.

Daiyu stiffened slightly, then relaxed, gripping her hand in return. Tanchun gave a small nod and held Madam Xing closer.

Xu Ke withdrew his gaze, stepped forward, and pushed aside the maids. He pressed lightly at Baoyu’s neck. Baoyu’s body stiffened; his struggling gradually weakened until he finally closed his eyes and fell into unconsciousness.

Madam Wang rushed forward, holding him and weeping as if her heart would break.

Grand Mother Jia, supported by Yuanyang, finally came forward as well. Trembling, she stroked Baoyu’s face, tears flowing freely.

Xu Ke stepped back and addressed her:

“Grandma, in my opinion, this does not resemble an ordinary illness. You should quickly summon an imperial physician to examine him.”

Lady Dowager Jia nodded repeatedly.

“Yes, yes—call the imperial physician at once!”

Madam Xing somehow had edged closer, covering her mouth with a handkerchief.

“Grandma, this doesn’t look like illness to me… it seems more like some sort of evil possession. First Feng girl went mad today, and now Baoyu as well—how can that be such a coincidence?”

Lady Dowager Jia’s expression changed. She shot her a sharp glare.

“Nonsense!”

Madam Xing quickly fell silent and stepped back.

Before long, an imperial physician arrived. After examining Baoyu for a long time, he merely shook his head, saying the pulse was chaotic and mixed between deficiency and excess. He prescribed a calming decoction to try.

After the medicine was administered, Baoyu did calm down briefly—but less than half an hour later, he went mad again.

Meanwhile, Wang Xifeng was the same—alternating between unconsciousness and violent awakenings, during which she would try to attack anyone nearby with a knife. Ping’er dared not leave her side for a moment, and several maidservants took turns watching her, none daring to sleep.

Lady Dowager Jia was frantic with worry and had no idea what to do. Madam Wang cried until she nearly fainted. Madam Xing kept murmuring that they should invite a Taoist priest. This time, Lady Dowager Jia did not scold her—she simply remained silent with a dark expression.

By afternoon, several Taoist priests were indeed summoned to the mansion. They chanted scriptures and performed rituals for hours, but neither patient showed any improvement.

Xu Ke remained in Rongqing Hall the entire time. Yingchun stayed by his side, saying little, occasionally glancing toward Tanchun and the others.

While they were sitting there, Ping’er suddenly entered with red eyes and knelt before Xu Ke.

“Second son-in-law,… I beg you… please go take a look at my mistress.”

She cried.

“She feels like she’s burning up like charcoal. She’s speaking nonsense now… we truly… truly have no more options…”

Xu Ke looked at her, then at Baoyu lying unconscious on the bed. He stood up and cupped his hands toward Grandmother Jia.

“Grandma, I will go check on Second Sister-in-law first.”

Grandmother Jia, exhausted, nodded weakly and waved him off.

Yingchun also tried to follow, but Xu Ke pressed her hand gently.

“You stay here with the sisters. I’ll be back shortly.”