Rules of Horror: Survival Begins in the Haunted Harem - Chapter 62

Even with a driver here to collect them, Xie Nuange did not lower her guard.

What if they had survived everything inside only to board the wrong carriage…

Skill activated—Datafication.

[Target: Coachman of the Xie Residence, Xie Si.]

[Identity: Servant of the Xie Residence. Has served the Xie family for more than ten years.]

Xie Nuange did not waste mental power reading anything else.

Only after confirming he was one of her own people did she smile and nod. “Let’s return to the residence.”

Xie Si acknowledged her and attentively escorted both women into the carriage.

The compartment was small but very clean.

The cushions were covered in slightly worn blue satin. A little sachet hung beside the window, probably filled with dried flowers. It smelled pleasant.

Su Ye sat beside her. Through the carriage wall, they heard Xie Si call to the horse, and the wheels began to rumble forward.

Xie Nuange and Su Ye each lifted the curtain on one side and looked out.

The carriage traveled south along the main street, passed through an alley, then turned a corner.

The pedestrians paid no attention to the blue-curtained carriage. Those buying vegetables continued shopping. Those out for a stroll kept walking.

It truly felt like a living city.

“This scenario…”

Su Ye kept her voice low. “It’s larger than we imagined.”

Xie Nuange let the curtain fall and nodded.

The boundaries of the scenario extended far beyond what either of them had expected.

She had always thought it consisted only of that imperial compound.

The Palace of Gathered Elegance, Yinghua Hall… Everything had taken place inside the palace.

Yet now the carriage was carrying her to the Xie Residence, where her family waited.

She remembered the rules from the beginning of the scenario.

[Rule One: Always remember your identity. You are a palace candidate. A qualified palace candidate will bring benefits to her family.]

Benefits…

The carriage swayed onward and soon reached the gates of the Xie Residence.

A crowd had gathered outside. The gates stood wide open, red silk draped across the lintel. Even the two stone lions had red ribbons tied around their necks.

In the open space before the gate, more than a dozen musicians dressed in red stood in two rows. Suonas blared and gongs and drums thundered.

The driver stopped beside a side entrance and tied the reins to a hitching post before turning to help Xie Nuange down.

Su Ye jumped out first.

Once steady, she turned, bent slightly, and offered her arm with all the practiced poise of a true personal maid.

Xie Nuange rested a hand on Su Ye’s wrist, stepped onto the stool, and descended.

The moment her feet touched the ground, the crowd by the main gate surged over.

At the front walked a slightly plump man in his fifties, dressed in a sapphire-blue silk robe patterned with round floral medallions.

A woman in an autumn-yellow jacket followed him.

She looked a little over forty and was well preserved. Her eyes were red as she looked at Xie Nuange. A handkerchief was clenched in one hand, and her lips trembled faintly.

Two young women followed beside her.

Behind them came servants in coarse cloth and hemp.

“Congratulations, Your Ladyship!”

The servants knelt one after another, their faces bright with shared pride.

Xie Nuange and Su Ye exchanged a glance.

They did not recognize a single person.

There had not even been a basic introduction…

But a smile had already appeared on Xie Nuange’s face.

The woman spoke first.

“My child!”

She swept Xie Nuange into her arms with strength that did not belong to a pampered official’s wife.

Held tightly, Xie Nuange rested her chin on the woman’s shoulder and smelled osmanthus-scented hair oil.

“You’ve lost weight. So much weight.”

Madam Xie’s voice broke with tears. One hand patted Xie Nuange’s back while the other dabbed at her eyes with the handkerchief.

“Mother burned incense every day and prayed to the Bodhisattva every day. I was so afraid…”

“Ahem.”

Master Xie coughed twice beside them. “She is already a Noble Lady.”

At his words, Madam Xie immediately stopped and released Xie Nuange.

She stepped back, pressed the handkerchief to her eyes, and recovered the composure of an official’s wife.

Xie Nuange’s gaze passed over everyone present, from the master and mistress of the Xie family to the servants.

Every one of them looked alive.

They were completely different from the attendants inside the palace.

“What matters is that you’re home.”

Master Xie stepped forward. “What matters is that you were chosen. You have brought honor to the Xie family and glory to our ancestors.”

“Come inside. We must open the ancestral hall today and inform them.”

With that, everyone followed Master and Madam Xie through the main gate.

The moment Xie Nuange entered the Xie Residence, she expected rules to appear.

But when her foot touched the blue-brick paving, nothing happened.

No rules.

She frowned faintly. Every new setting since the scenario began had come with rules.

Only the Xie Residence had none.

Even after she entered the main reception hall, no information appeared.

Was it because there was no danger at home?

Master and Madam Xie took the seats of honor.

Xie Nuange looked at the rows of chairs to either side, momentarily unsure where she belonged.

“Why aren’t you sitting?”

Master Xie looked at her. “Sit down.”

Without moving her head, Xie Nuange glanced at the two young women beside Madam Xie.

Neither had sat.

She walked to the first chair on the right and took her seat. It did not matter who those two were.

Xie Nuange had just been invested as a Noble Lady. Her status was unquestionably above these two sisters. Sitting here was entirely proper.

Only then did the two young women sit in order.

Xie Nuange still did not know who they were. They clearly were not servants—their clothes and jewelry marked them as mistresses of the household.

Older sisters? Younger sisters? Cousins?

No one introduced them, and she did not dare speak recklessly. Who knew whether they were family members or Chosen Players?

Master Xie set down his teacup. “Go pay your respects to your grandmother shortly. She has spoken of you constantly these past few days.”

“Yes.”

Xie Nuange answered, “But your daughter is covered in the dust of the journey. Visiting Grandmother like this may be improper. Would Father permit me to return to my courtyard and wash and change before paying my respects?”

Rather than taking offense, Master Xie nodded. “That is as it should be. Your grandmother values propriety above all.”

He turned to Madam Xie. “Take our daughter back. Once she is presentable, accompany her to Shouchun Hall.”

Madam Xie agreed. Xie Nuange rose, curtsied to Master Xie, and inclined her head to the two young women before following Madam Xie from the hall.

Xie Nuange and Su Ye exchanged a glance. Both were braced as though facing a mortal enemy.

It felt as though a new scenario might leap out at them at any moment.

They left the reception hall and followed the covered walkway toward the inner compound.

Only when Xie Nuange drew level with her did Madam Xie reach out and take her hand.

“Your father said we should open the ancestral hall, but ordinarily we ought to wait for your brothers.”

Madam Xie lowered her voice, making the words private between them.

“Neither of your brothers is at the residence. They are studying at the academy and cannot return at once.”

“Your father said we would not wait. Tomorrow, we will open it and let you kowtow and offer incense to the ancestors by yourself.”

Xie Nuange listened without speaking.

Madam Xie tightened her grip. “If your brothers knew their little sister had been selected, they would be so happy.”