Chapter 20: That’s a Soul-Summoning Banner, Damn It!

Chapter 20: This Is a Damn Soul-Summoning Banner

This time, he didn't add adjectives like "beautiful" or "pretty," but still got a shake of the head and a denial from Yuan Changsheng. "No more. In the past two years, in my quest for a son, I've married every decent-looking woman I could find."

The man's chromosomes determine whether it's a boy or girl. If you can't sire a son, the problem's on your end. With chromosomes that messed up, what's the point of marrying so many wives?

Looked like another guy brainwashed by old-school feudal nonsense.

Xue Youtan opened his mouth, planning to drop some subtle biology knowledge on Yuan Changsheng, to get it through his head that marrying more women wouldn't help—he needed to lose weight, get healthy, and see a doctor ASAP. But before he could say a word, a woman's voice shouted from the courtyard, "Changsheng!"

Didn't he say there were no other women in the house? Then who was calling his name now—a ghost?

Xue Youtan followed the voice and spotted a woman in a nearby room, leaning out the window and waving at Yuan Changsheng.

Perhaps due to the dim lighting indoors, the woman's skin looked unnaturally pale, almost like porcelain at first glance, but she was definitely a looker.

Yuan Changsheng clearly hadn't expected her to speak. His face was a mix of shock and panic, and he instinctively shot a glance at Xue Youtan, who was staring at the window. He quickly explained, "She's not my woman—she's my sister, Yuan Yingdi. The demon only targets my women; it shouldn't go after my sister, right?"

Nope, it was the exact opposite. The demon had always been after the pretty women in this house. It just so happened that all the decent-looking ones in the Yuan residence had been snapped up by Yuan Changsheng as concubines, which was why only those concubines had died.

Xue Youtan had been wondering why the demon hadn't left after killing all the pretty women. So there was another one hidden here?

He wasn't sure if it was his imagination, but Xue Youtan felt this woman looked subtly similar to the concubines Yuan Changsheng had taken—something about the eyes and eyebrows.

Was this just a coincidence?

Having been stared at for too long, Yuan Yingdi nervously pulled her head back inside and shut the window.

"Don't mind her, Master," Yuan Changsheng said, rubbing his hands together as his bulky frame moved to block Xue Youtan's view. "My sister is in poor health and has been cooped up indoors for years, so she's a bit shy around strangers."

Cooped up indoors for years? No wonder her complexion was so deathly pale.

Xue Youtan suppressed his doubts and looked away, watching as the steward led the newly acquired concubines away. As the steward passed Yuan Changsheng, he asked abruptly, "Master, by the look of the sky, it might rain tonight. Should we still put up the banner in the main hall?"

"Of course, we must," Yuan Changsheng replied, glancing toward the window where Yuan Yingdi had appeared, then added, "Put them up in my sister's courtyard too. The banner brings wealth—let her share in the fortune."

"Yes, sir." The steward bowed and left.

Xue Youtan hadn't reacted much when the banner was mentioned, but at the word "wealth," his eyes suddenly lit up, like something clicked.

A banner that brings wealth, and a fat-cat squire like Yuan the Fat swears by it—hard not to be tempted.

If it really worked, once the demon was dealt with, he could swipe one and bring it up Cangya Mountain to give to that miser Yue Li. Wouldn't that move him to tears?

But then again, in two lifetimes, he'd only ever seen a soul-summoning banner—a flag used to summon the spirits of the dead, typically reserved for unlucky occasions.

What did a wealth-attracting banner even look like?

"What kind of banner is this you're putting up? Can you show us?"

Just as Xue Youtan was thinking this, Xiao Yiheng, quick to speak as ever, had already blurted it out. His eager, childlike curiosity flattered Yuan Changsheng's vanity, and he eagerly offered to take them all to see the banner.

Xiao Yiheng and Li Luoshu were eager to go, but without Xue Youtan's approval, they didn't dare split off from the group.

"Go if you want—your legs are your own. It's not like I can stop you."

"Great, Master!" The two bounced along behind Yuan Changsheng toward the main hall, joyful as children.

Right, they were still under twenty, boys the same age as the main character—just kids at heart.

Unlike someone, who stood sullenly against a tree, not saying a single word since entering the residence.

Honestly, both were young men, so why was the difference between them night and day?

Xue Youtan looked at Pei Zhi and asked, "You're not going?"

Pei Zhi shook his head, but then nodded. "I want to, but I don't have the strength to walk."

Don't play that game. If you had no strength, how did you manage to walk to the hot spring last night?

After fifteen lashes, you were spry enough to use a water blade to cut a branch and turn it into a hairpin. Now, after just five, you're too weak to move?

Besides, didn't Wu Qingcheng give him that magic medicine?

That medicine was legendary in the story—a dab could beautify the skin, heal wounds, and remove scars. Xue Youtan didn't believe Pei Zhi had applied it without effect.

Too lazy to play along with his little act, Xue Youtan turned to follow the others and check out the wealth banner. But just as he moved, Pei Zhi's voice came from behind.

"I scoped out the area earlier. The banner in the back courtyard isn't far from here—you can see it from the rooftop. I'd like to look now. Would Master be willing to give me a hand up there?"

Pei Zhi's voice was low, with a hint of weakness, like a wounded rabbit.

Knowing full well that the main character on a revenge arc wouldn't be the sad, pitiful type, Xue Youtan still stopped at his words.

Fine. After all, Pei Zhi's wounds were his doing. It was just a rooftop climb—what was the big deal? He'd help him up. He could watch from anywhere anyway.

Xue Youtan turned back, walked over to Pei Zhi, grabbed his arm with one hand, and with a little effort, hoisted him onto the roof.

Just as Pei Zhi had said, the banner in the back courtyard was nearby. Standing on the roof, they could see the whole layout clearly.

Xue Youtan saw that banners had been placed at the four corners of the roof of the back courtyard—north, south, east, and west.

The flags were all red, edged with black and gold patterns, and at the center was a long, narrow rune.

Once he recognized the rune, Xue Youtan's eyes widened in shock.

This was no evil-repelling banner—this was clearly...

"A soul-summoning banner."

Xue Youtan's thought was spoken out loud by Pei Zhi. Startled, he ripped his gaze away from the flag and turned to look at Pei Zhi, only to find him frowning deeply, staring at the banner, lost in thought.