Although the price was a bit steep, it was worth every penny. Dr. Shen believed that without Nanli’s help, he might not have escaped this calamity.
Knowing Nanli’s temperament, Dr. Shen understood that no amount of gratitude could compare to a tangible silver ingot. Therefore, when he left home, he brought all his savings with him. After he paid the silver, Nanli smiled and said, "Thank you, Dr. Shen. If there’s anything else, don’t hesitate to come to me."
Dr. Shen forced a smile; he hoped there wouldn’t be anything else. This time, Madam Fan had mistaken him for someone else, and he had suffered unjustly.
When Mrs. Shen woke up, it happened that Xie Beihan arrived, so the Shen family didn’t stay long. Xie Beihan, afraid of Ye Siheng, had been avoiding the Prince Yu Mansion since Nanli married in, not even daring to call her Sixth Sister anymore. Today, however, Nanli had sent someone to summon him.
After scanning the room and not seeing Ye Siheng, Xie Beihan relaxed visibly. "Sixth Sister, did you call me here for something important?"
Nanli nodded seriously. "Indeed, there’s a very important task for you."
Xie Beihan immediately became earnest. "I’ve learned quite a bit from Master Zhi Mi. I can vaguely see ghostly energy now! I won’t let you down, Sixth Sister!"
Nanli called out to the inner hall, "Little Xuan, come out. Your playmate is here."
Xie Beihan had a bad feeling. He came here to do serious work, not to be a playmate!
Nanli pointed to an empty spot, "I need to draw talismans and set up a talisman array. You keep this little ghost entertained."
Xie Beihan felt a chill, his voice trembling, "Where... is the little ghost?"
"Didn’t you say you could vaguely see ghostly energy? Looks like you haven’t made any progress recently," Nanli sighed and shook her head.
Xie Beihan, embarrassed, explained, "It’s on and off."
Nanli had him come closer and made a hand seal. Her fingertips glowed faintly with golden light as she touched Xie Beihan’s forehead.
Suddenly, Xie Beihan’s vision cleared, revealing a terrifying baby with a gaping mouth! He screamed and stumbled backward, falling to the ground.
Nanli grabbed Little Xuan, frowning, "Scare him again, and I’ll trap you in the talisman array."
Little Xuan, genuinely frightened, pouted and reverted to his original form.
Seeing the little ghost turn back into a cute child, Xie Beihan didn’t relax, as the child still emitted a faint glow, marking him as a ghost, not a human.
He was on the verge of tears. "Sixth Sister, why are you making me a ghost’s playmate?"
Do you have any concern for me at all?!
"No choice. The people in the mansion are too timid. Only you can handle this task," Nanli said matter-of-factly.
"Humans and ghosts are different. Shouldn’t you send him for reincarnation? Why keep him in the mansion?"
"He’s Madam Fan’s child, contaminated with the karma and aura of a vengeful spirit. We need to cleanse him with a talisman array before sending him to the underworld," Nanli explained.
Hearing this, Xie Beihan no longer feared the child. He composed himself, "Alright, leave this to me."
Nanli gave him a long look, reminding him, "Be careful not to let him play you to death."
"Don’t worry, I can handle a ghost that hasn’t even been born yet," Xie Beihan said confidently.
But soon, he paid the price for his bold words. Little Xuan, though a ghost, was far more mischievous than any ordinary infant.
Xie Beihan’s rudimentary skills were no match for Little Xuan. Rather than being a playmate, he was more like a plaything for Little Xuan. For instance, while playing cuju (kickball), the small ball, controlled by Little Xuan’s force, hit Xie Beihan with painful precision.
Grimacing in pain, Xie Beihan threatened, "You little ghost, why are you so vicious? If you keep this up, I’ll show you a thing or two."
Little Xuan paid him no mind. Considering that Xie Beihan couldn’t even see him initially, he was far from being a real threat. Little Xuan continued to enjoy himself, making the ball bounce all over the place, repeatedly hitting Xie Beihan.
Little Xuan’s laughter echoed through the room, accompanied by a chilling wind, making the atmosphere exceptionally cold.
Xie Beihan was in pain, unable to catch the ball, and kept getting hit. As he saw the ball, charged with energy, coming straight for his face, he yelled and quickly covered his face with his hands.
However, he didn’t feel the anticipated pain. Instead, he felt a cold gaze fixed on him.
Lowering his hands, Xie Beihan saw the ball lying on the ground and a tall figure standing nearby.
Ye Siheng, dressed in a dark satin robe with red trim and a jade belt, exuded an extraordinary presence. His cold, aloof face and commanding aura were intimidating.
Not only did Xie Beihan shiver, but even Little Xuan felt the oppressive atmosphere and wanted to flee.
"Nin... the Ninth Prince, you’re back," Xie Beihan stammered.
"Is this all you can do?" Ye Siheng’s words carried a hint of disappointment. "It seems you have no talent."
Xie Beihan, feeling dejected, replied, "Ninth Prince, I’ve only been learning for less than a year."
He couldn’t possibly compare himself to his sixth sister; if he did, he might as well bang his head against a wall.
Ye Siheng stepped closer.
Little Xuan, seeing him approach, trembled and tried to hide, but Ye Siheng grabbed him by the collar.
"Let go!" Little Xuan yelled, struggling. For an ordinary person to even see him was rare, let alone catch him. This man was terrifying!
Xie Beihan’s eyes widened. "Ninth Prince, you... you’re amazing."
"If you lack talent, you should stop wasting time," Ye Siheng said, setting Little Xuan down with a warning glance.
Little Xuan gulped and nodded, prompting Ye Siheng to release him.
Xie Beihan, on the verge of tears, muttered, "Ninth Prince, your words are too harsh."
Ye Siheng glanced at him, turned his prayer beads, and spoke slowly, "There’s a task for you."
Xie Beihan wanted to roll his eyes but dared not. No wonder the Ninth Prince was so harsh; he wanted to assign him a job.
Ignoring whether Xie Beihan agreed or not, Ye Siheng continued, "Recent heavy rains caused damage to towns near the Capital. The Ministry of Revenue has allocated funds for reconstruction, but we need a trustworthy person to oversee it. You will go."
Though not in officialdom, Xie Beihan, as the Noble Prince of Zhenbei, wasn’t ignorant.
He pouted, "It’s not that you lack trustworthy people; this must be my father and aunt’s idea."