These words made Song Chaoyu feel a chill down her spine.
The old lady also said to the silver maid beside her, "You go and inquire these past two days whether anything happened to the Song family before. I see that Chaozong's expression is not very good today, and Madam Ning has also tried to talk to me several times but couldn't find an opportunity, as if she has unspeakable difficulties."
The old lady observed carefully, and Song Chaoyu actually had the same feeling.
—
As night fell, perhaps because of the old lady's words, the First Madam had two more candles lit in the room.
After Song Chaoyu moved to a new room, she didn't feel anything unusual.
She didn't go to the front hall to eat dinner with them. Ning Shi sent Song Jiaojiao to bring it.
Perhaps because both she and Song Jiaojiao were concubine-born daughters, Song Chaoyu was very polite when she saw Song Jiaojiao, "Sister, you're here? Please sit down, let's eat together?"
Song Jiaojiao didn't even dare to lift her head, shaking it like a rattle drum, "No, no, Fourth Aunt only asked me to deliver the meal. If you don't get used to the dinner made in the kitchen today, just tell Fourth Aunt."
Song Chaoyu sighed when she saw her cautious appearance, then signaled Tiaohong to bring her pair of peach blossom jade dingdang bracelets.
The peach blossom jade dingdang bracelets were delicate and exquisite, with a warm and fine color.
Without a word, Song Chaoyu slipped the small bracelet into Song Jiaojiao's hand, "Don't be afraid of me! I've come to Jiangzhou alone and don't know anyone. I'll have to rely on you for care in the future!"
This small bracelet was a good thing for Song Jiaojiao. Only then did she raise her head and look at Song Chaoyu gratefully, "Thank you, Fourth Sister."
She looked around, then whispered to Song Chaoyu as a reminder, "Fourth Sister, you must lock your doors and windows when you sleep at night."
These words were sudden. When Song Chaoyu wanted to ask something else, Song Jiaojiao had already run away.
Tiaohong looked at her retreating figure, also inexplicably, "Why is this young lady so strange? What did she say to you just now?"
Song Chaoyu shook her head and instructed Tiaohong, "You all be vigilant when you guard at night, and it's best if we can stay together. Anyway, this courtyard is not large, so if anything happens, we won't have to fight alone."
Tiaohong shivered at these words, "Why did Miss suddenly say this? Don't scare me!"
Song Chaoyu smiled and shook her head, then walked towards the old lady's room, "It's just such a small courtyard, no matter how you look at it, it's just the Song family. What can we not think of?"
After they ate in the old lady's room, night had already enveloped the land.
Song Chaoyu was really tired. When she returned to her room, she just wanted to lie down and sleep quickly.
However, the room had not been tidied for too long. Even though the charcoal fire was burning hotly, it still felt damp and cold.
Although Song Chaoyu was extremely tired, she always slept restlessly in a daze.
"Wuwuwu—"
After an unknown amount of time, she heard the eerie sound of the wind outside. She opened her eyes and realized that the charcoal fire in the room was no longer hot enough.
She shivered and then got up, intending to call Tiaohong to add charcoal.
But suddenly she saw a figure flash past her window!
"Who?!"
Song Chaoyu called out in a low voice, "Stop playing tricks, who is outside?!"
"Ah! Help—"
However, before she could open the window to check the situation outside, she heard a scream from the First Madam!
The lights in the courtyard instantly ignited.
When Song Chaoyu put on her clothes and opened the door, she saw the old lady also opening her door.
The maids rushed into the First Madam's room, and Song Chaoyu saw the First Madam stumble out.
And her hands were stained with blood, "Mother, Fourth Girl, this courtyard is not right! As I was sleeping, blood suddenly started dripping from above my head! It's too terrifying, really too terrifying!"
"Don't talk nonsense!"
The old lady had never believed in such superstitious things. She signaled the maids to hold up the lights, then walked to the First Madam, grabbed her hand, looked at it carefully, and sniffed, "What blood? Isn't this red paint? I'm afraid the newly applied red paint on your head is not dry yet because the room is too damp! Why are you making such a fuss here?"
"Is it red paint?"
The First Madam sniffed her palm in confusion. While breathing a sigh of relief, she still looked at the old lady fearfully, "Mother, this courtyard is not right! When sleeping, I always hear women crying. Also, dead birds were found on the windowsill, and I saw dead mice under the table! I always feel like there are figures moving around outside. Mother, I'm really scared!"
Although the First Madam said so, Song Chaoyu also realized that there was something wrong with this courtyard.
The old lady also frowned, "I understand. So, what do you say we do? We've woken everyone up in the middle of the night, and then we say we're going to stay at an inn?"
The First Madam lowered her head, looking displeased, "Their own courtyard has problems, they can't blame us for living outside?"
Song Chaoyu stepped forward, "Grandmother, your granddaughter thinks there is something strange about this courtyard, so we just need to find out. Anyway, someone is causing trouble, or the courtyard really has problems. Your granddaughter has thought of a method, I wonder if Grandmother... wants to hear it?"
The old lady looked at Song Chaoyu, who did not seem afraid, and nodded with a smile, "This is the courage a Song family member should have! Tell me, what method do you have?"
Song Chaoyu leaned over and whispered into the old lady's ear. The old lady praised her, "Let's do it! Come, extinguish all the lights in this courtyard!"
"Ah?!"
The First Madam shivered at these words, "Things have already happened with the lights on, why turn them off?"
The old lady glared at the First Madam, "Go back, close your door and sleep! No matter what you hear or see tonight, pretend you don't know. Tomorrow morning, there will be a conclusion!"
She then instructed the silver maid, "Go and tell Ning Shi and the others that we will not eat breakfast with everyone tomorrow morning. Have them send the food, and say that we are tired from the journey and need more rest."
The silver maid nodded, then took Tiaohong out.
The old lady led the way into the room, "Close the door, sleep!"
—
That night, Song Chaoyu did not sleep soundly.
She always heard the wind outside like a woman crying, and the "dong dong" sound of doors being hit.
Finally, as dawn broke, she got up and saw Tiaohong excitedly bringing hot water into the room, "Miss's method really worked!"