Chapter 527 Rooster Substitute

Chapter 527: The Rooster Stand-In

Daxisipo didn’t even glance up. "Is the Fate-Changing Tower well guarded?"

The person who had gone to inspect the tower immediately replied, "We’ve already posted guards at every level around it."

Daxisipo nodded, then counted on her fingers before pacing outside.

The Princess Consort followed anxiously, step by step, only to see Daxisipo muttering as she stared at a certain spot outside the commandery estate: "The northwest direction..."

The Princess Consort was baffled. "The northwest direction? What does that mean?"

Daxisipo glanced at her. *"It means the person who caused this calamity for your daughter is located in the northwest of the capital."*

*"Caused this calamity..."* The Princess Consort’s mind was still muddled, unable to react immediately.

Wei Zihang, however, blurted out urgently, "Mother! The divine physician means the person who harmed Second Sister!"

Only then did the Princess Consort finally realize—the Fate-Changing Tower’s spire hadn’t been thrown into the bushes for no reason.

The tower’s location had been chosen with extreme caution, deep in the remote mountains.

So this was... someone had deliberately plotted to harm her daughter?!

No—the divine physician had also said that the backlash could engulf their entire Jiping Commandery Prince’s household!

The Princess Consort gasped, rendered speechless.

Xingxing shot Yu Mingzhu a curious glance.

Though Yu Mingzhu’s expression remained calm, her brows knit slightly like her mother Jiao Shi’s, as if she too was speculating nervously about the culprit. A closer look revealed her thumb pressing tightly into her index finger—a tell when she was tense.

They were discussing the person who tampered with the Fate-Changing Tower. Why was Yu Mingzhu nervous?

Xingxing stared intently at Yu Mingzhu.

Yu Mingzhu seemed to sense her gaze and instinctively turned to meet it. When she saw it was Xingxing watching her, her pupils shrank, and for a brief moment, she forgot to control her expression, revealing a rare, venomous glare before turning away.

Xingxing didn’t take offense. She observed Yu Mingzhu for a while longer before finally looking away.

She thought to herself—that split-second snarl of panic must be Yu Mingzhu’s true nature. Wasn’t it exhausting for her to keep up the act every day?

Daxisipo was decisive. After her calculations, she frowned and coldly instructed the Princess Consort, "Find ten roosters, slit their throats and drain the blood, bury the bodies under the tree in the northwest corner of your estate, and drench her in the rooster blood all over her body."

The Princess Consort gasped again.

Her daughter had always been obsessed with cleanliness—covering her entirely in rooster blood...

Her slight hesitation made Daxisipo lose her temper instantly. "How ridiculous! Cleanliness over survival, is it? Then why did you even call for me?!"

The Princess Consort panicked and hurriedly grabbed Daxisipo’s arm, pleading, "Please, Divine Physician, don’t be angry! I hesitated for a moment. Of course we choose survival, survival!"

With that, she immediately ordered her subordinates to carry out the task.

Daxisipo remained visibly displeased, glaring at the Princess Consort. "One more thing—I’m not helping you break this curse for free."

The Jiping Commandery Prince quickly interjected, "Understood, fully understood! Once the divine physician finishes, we will offer a generous reward!"

Daxisipo said coldly, "Make it ten thousand taels."

Ten thousand taels?!

The Princess Consort of Jiping Commandery nearly passed out.

Outsiders might see the commandery prince's household as wealthy and prestigious, but maintaining such grandeur for a large family requires a fortune!

Jiao Shi also frowned, thinking ten thousand taels was far too expensive.

Especially since she had arrived somewhat late and hadn't witnessed the burned amulet turning to black ash or the eerie wind that had swept into the room earlier. Instinctively, she suspected this so-called 'healer' might be a fraud.

Jiao Shi shot Xingxing a pained look.

How could such a sweet young girl get involved with swindlers?

Ten thousand taels!

Daxisipo impatiently barked, "If you can't pay, I'll leave!"

It was the Jiping Commandery Prince who was quick to agree, "Ten thousand taels it is! It's only right, only right!"

Daxisipo gave a derisive snort, "I'm helping you break the karmic cycle and ward off disaster. Ten thousand taels is more than fair."

Jiao Shi's frown deepened, but she ultimately remained silent.

After all... this was the Jiping Commandery Prince's family matter.

Their marriage arrangement hadn't even been formalized yet!

The Duke of Xinguo's household had no authority over the Jiping Commandery Prince's affairs.

Still, her gaze toward Xingxing grew increasingly anguished.

Xingxing shot Jiao Shi a confused look but didn't dwell on it.

Daxisipo rummaged through her medicine box again, finally pulling out a white porcelain bottle stoppered with a green cork.

Frowning, she carefully poured some shimmering powder onto a square of cloth.

The powder glimmered faintly, each granule sparkling like countless gathered starlight.

The Princess Consort of Jiping Commandery barely breathed, not daring to speak.

Daxisipo approached the bed and snapped at Yu Chongen, who had been keeping vigil by the bedside, "Move aside."

Yu Chongen had his own doubts about Daxisipo being a fraud, but with no objections from the Jiping Commandery Prince's household and Xingxing accompanying her, he bit back his objections and silently stepped aside.

Daxisipo applied the glittering powder to Wei Shuangyan's eyelids, nostrils, ears, and lips.

Throughout this, Wei Shuangyan remained unconscious, showing no signs of waking.

The anxious Princess Consort of Jiping Commandery ventured to ask, "...Healer, what is this for?"

Daxisipo ignored her until she had finished applying every last speck of powder to Wei Shuangyan's lips, then finally glanced at the princess consort, "...This is Life-Veiling Powder. It seals the seven orifices so the Fate-Changing Tower's backlash of malignant energy cannot find its target. The rooster corpses buried under the northwest tree in your courtyard will serve as substitutes, drawing the backlash onto them instead."

The Princess Consort of Jiping Commandery listened in stunned silence, "It's that simple?"

"Simple?" Daxisipo gave a derisive snort, "Do you know what this Life-Veiling Powder is made of?... Never mind, it's not worth explaining."

Waving a dismissive hand, Daxisipo added, "There's one final crucial step. We need a girl under fifteen, born in the first month of the lunar calendar—any day will do—but must be born during the Tiger hour (3-5 AM). She must go immediately to the very center of the commandery prince's residence, facing south with a rhino horn lantern to suppress the calamitous energy... But we must hurry."

Glancing at the sky, Daxisipo warned, "We have at most half an hour left."

"The first month of the lunar calendar..." The Princess Consort of Jiping Commandery paced anxiously, "Tiger hour, Tiger hour..."

None of the daughters by concubines were born in the first month—who could possibly qualify?

Just as she was about to order her maid to search urgently, her gaze fell upon Yu Mingzhu. Suddenly, she cried out excitedly, "Ah! I almost forgot!"