Chapter Fifty-Four: Hello! (Massive Update)

Liu Ling’er felt a little dejected. Was she really this clueless? Otherwise, she wouldn’t be unable to discover a thing. Baili Xian continued to read his book quietly, unfazed by Liu Ling’er’s restless fumbling as if he hadn’t noticed a thing.

At first, he assumed Liu Ling’er was just looking for a book to pass the time, but then he realized she seemed to be searching for information about that ancient box.

Liu Ling’er glanced up at Baili Xian, her eyes darting with mischief. “Prince Xian, do you dare make a wager with me? Let’s bet on whether you can open this box. If you can open it…”

Without even looking up, Baili Xian flatly refused, “No interest. I never gamble with others; such a lowly amusement.”

Liu Ling’er clenched her delicate fists in frustration. If she weren’t so outmatched, she’d have punched him by now. Her attempt at goading him had failed, so she tried flattery instead, softening her tone, “Prince Xian, I’ve heard your skills are unmatched, that you’re one of the top experts in the imperial court, and you’re my dear husband to boot. Won’t you help me out?”

As Liu Ling’er’s words grew more shameless, a faint flush crept up Baili Xian’s face. He muttered, “You can stop talking now. I don’t want another sycophant like Yin Wula by my side. Hand over the box.”

Indeed, no amount of cunning compares to a well-placed compliment—an eternal truth of the human world! Liu Ling’er hurriedly trotted over and passed the box to Baili Xian, grinning obsequiously all the while.

Baili Xian took the box, examined it, then tried to force it open. To Liu Ling’er’s disappointment, even he couldn’t unfasten it. When Baili Xian summoned his inner strength, Liu Ling’er’s eyes lit up with hope, but the box remained immovable, as if forged from solid iron.

With a sigh, Liu Ling’er was about to reach out and reclaim the box when she saw Baili Xian pull a silver-white dagger from within his robe and, with a swift motion, bring it down upon the box.

Startled, Liu Ling’er quickly withdrew her hand. Judging by his force, if she hadn’t been quick enough, she might not have gotten her hand back at all. She shot Baili Xian a fierce glare, rolling her eyes dramatically, but when she looked again, the box had indeed been split open.

But Liu Ling’er did not reward Baili Xian with a pleasant expression. Like a little tigress, she scolded him, “Baili Xian, how could you just hack it open without a word? What if you’d hit me?”

Returning the dagger to his robe, Baili Xian replied innocently, “You only asked me to open the box, not how to do it. See, it’s open now—and I didn’t hit you, did I?”

Liu Ling’er was speechless.

Fortunately, Baili Xian had chosen the right spot; the contents inside were unharmed. There were three items: two small bottles and a jade dragon hairpin.

One bottle was clear, containing a blue liquid; the other was made of ancient porcelain, and Liu Ling’er had no idea what it contained.

Upon seeing the clear bottle with the blue liquid, Liu Ling’er was stunned. Back in the modern world, she’d apprenticed under a certain lecherous master who’d tried to teach her the arts of exorcism and demon-slaying, but she had always scoffed at such things. As a staunch atheist, why would she learn tricks to deceive others?

But faced with this blue liquid, Liu Ling’er was forced to believe that the arts of exorcism and demon banishment truly existed. After all, the founding empress Ma Linger had been a master of such arts!

This blue liquid wasn’t ordinary medicine—it was genuine ox tears. The reason she couldn’t read the letter Ma Linger had left her was that she hadn’t applied ox tears to her eyelids. What a clever method!

Baili Xian, after putting away his dagger, picked up his book and resumed reading, paying the contents of the box not the slightest interest, as if the book in his hands were some peerless martial manual.

Having figured out how to read the letter’s contents, Liu Ling’er quickly reassembled the box, took the letter, and prepared to return to her room to study it thoroughly.

She hadn’t even stepped out of the study when Baili Xian, still seated at the desk, looked up and said, “Get up early tomorrow. According to the customs of Dongchu, I must accompany you back to your family home.”

Liu Ling’er had never been married before and had no idea who came up with these ridiculous customs in Dongchu, but visiting her easygoing father didn’t sound so bad—after all, he was her only family in this life.

Back in her room, Liu Ling’er lit the lamp and impatiently opened the letter. Pulling out three sheets of paper and the small bottle of blue liquid, she dabbed some onto her eyelids.

It was as if she’d awakened a secret power; instantly, the letter’s contents became visible. The effect was immediate—truly miraculous!

But the surprises didn’t end there. The letter, which should have been lying quietly, suddenly floated up and hovered upright before Liu Ling’er.

What in the world! The letter could fly? Had it somehow become sentient over the years?

Startled, Liu Ling’er leapt back two steps, but the letter followed her every movement, always hovering before her.

Oh, come on! Stop following me! This was too eerie, especially in the dead of night—it made her shiver with fear. The letter seemed to have latched onto Liu Ling’er, and when she retreated to her bed, drawing the curtains around her, the letter slipped inside as well.

After a few rounds of this, Liu Ling’er gave in and took the letter in her hand. Instantly, it settled down, lying motionless in her palm.

After reading the entire letter, Liu Ling’er was utterly flabbergasted! The letter read: “Hello! My dear Junior Sister Liu…”