Jiang Xingyan watched Xiao Chonghua’s retreating figure, feeling strongly that this matter wasn’t as simple as it seemed.
She exchanged a look with Yun Chunfeng, confirming he thought the same.
Huo Ci bristled: I’m still right here, and you’re already making eyes at each other like that!
He really wanted to rush out and plant himself squarely between them.
However, the shop managers surrounded him, forming a protective circle at the very center, leaving him no opportunity to move.
Huo Ci wept inwardly: I know you’re all very loyal, but please, not right now.
Jiang Xingyan tilted her chin towards the attendant who had been beating himself up. “Well, look who’s still here.”
The attendant was speechless: Could you be any more obvious?
I’m a full-grown man who’s been self-harming here for so long, and you dare pretend you didn’t see me?
“This humble one begs the General’s forgiveness. I am at your mercy,” he said, not stopping his actions even as he spoke.
Jiang Xingyan found it amusing. “Alright, enough. What could a lowly soldier like you possibly influence? Hurry up and catch up to your Lord. Go back.”
The attendant, as if having received an imperial decree, stopped immediately.
Thump! Thump! Thump!
He kowtowed three loud times to Jiang Xingyan, then turned and left.
His face swollen, he moved with swift, nimble steps, quickly catching up to Xiao Chonghua. He knelt on one knee before him, clasping his fists and saying, “Just as you anticipated, My Lord. Huo Ci let me return without any trouble. It’s definitely not normal.”
By now, Xiao Chonghua had long shed his earlier emotions, becoming as calm and still as dead water under the moonlight. Only a faint trace of a smile lingered on his face, as if the previous frustration and reluctant sacrifice had never existed.
Sometimes, showing a few weaknesses is necessary to make the fish bite sooner.
“Keep watching.”
The Huo family, for generations, had always remained neutral in the struggle for establishing the Crown Prince.
But if he could get a handle on Huo Ci, then when the time came, he wouldn’t have a choice but to pick a side.
——-
Jiang Xingyan didn’t have the energy to ponder what sinister schemes Third Prince was brewing.
That was Huo Ci’s problem to worry about.
Xia Feng and Dong Yang had already arranged most of the shop’s affairs. Her purpose in gathering the managers today was just to reassure everyone, so they could focus on doing good business from now on.
After dismissing everyone, they returned to the General’s residence.
It had to be said, even wandering around the market was quite exhausting.
Sure enough, before they even reached home, Jiang Xingyan had fallen asleep holding Little Ya. The four maids—Chun, Xia, Qiu, and Dong—were even deeper in sleep, dead to the world.
When the carriage stopped, the group staggered back to their respective rooms with half-open eyes and collapsed into bed, fast asleep.
But the moment her head touched the pillow, a piercing scream erupted from the main courtyard.
Just closed my eyes!
Jiang Xingyan irritably buried her head under the brocade quilt.
It’s just Jinzhu. It’s not like you didn’t see her yesterday. Is there really a need to wail like a banshee?
Boom!
Crack!
The night, which had been clear with a bright moon, suddenly filled with flashes of lightning and rumbles of thunder.
The screams from the main courtyard grew louder and more panicked, one after another.
Jiang Xingyan’s heart sank. This isn’t good. I hope nothing else goes wrong.
She didn’t want this to reach the court and have the Emperor punish her again.
What if the Emperor got angry and gave her a few strokes of the cane?
Huo Ci’s body might withstand it, but she certainly couldn’t!
No matter how reluctant she was, Jiang Xingyan got dressed properly, settled Little Ya to sleep with Qiu Yan, and stepped out of her room.
As soon as she opened the door, she saw Yun Chunfeng already waiting in the courtyard.
“Don’t worry, Young Lady,” he said. “He has already gone ahead.”
Jiang Xingyan pursed her lips. Of course he rushed over fast—it concerns his dear mother.
She looked up at the sky; it was still clear, with a bright moon and sparse stars.
“Huh? I could have sworn I heard thunder earlier.”
Yun Chunfeng nodded slightly with a faint smile. “Let’s go see for ourselves, and you’ll understand.”
Jiang Xingyan snorted lightly. “Still keeping secrets from me, are you?”
The two walked through the corridors and arrived at the main courtyard, where they both stopped dead in their tracks at the entrance.
They saw a handsome Taoist priest, wearing a lotus crown and a dark blue Taoist robe, standing in the center of the courtyard with his back to them, holding a long sword.
A fierce wind arose out of nowhere, causing the priest’s robes to billow. The two cranes embroidered on them seemed to come alive, dancing gracefully.
He held his left hand in a sword gesture, pointing towards a spot opposite him. His voice seemed to wash over them from all directions: “Evil spirit, prepare to be vanquished!”
Crash!
The main room instantly splintered apart, bricks and tiles shattering everywhere.
The Old Madam Huo, Baozhu, and Yuzhu, covered in dust and grime, huddled together, too exhausted to scream anymore.
Standing before them was Jinzhu’s corpse.
She wielded the severed limb of her right arm as a weapon in her left hand, swinging it constantly.
Her head had been reattached, but it was placed upside down on her neck.
From her wide-open eyes, bloody tears streamed down incessantly.
A guttural, rasping sound kept emerging from her throat.
Jiang Xingyan swallowed hard. Never mind the Old Madam Huo, who had driven Jinzhu to her death; even she, the victim, found the sight utterly terrifying.
The Taoist priest in the courtyard changed his hand gesture from a sword seal to a demon-subduing seal. Countless beams of golden light erupted from the ground, shooting towards Jinzhu and binding her tightly.
Jiang Xingyan stared in shock at Yun Chunfeng.
Even though she knew this was fake, her senior brother made it sound so convincing.
Yun Chunfeng looked up at the sky, speechless.
He had only asked for help pretending to catch a ghost. Who knew Fifth Senior Brother would be so extra!
It was this glance upwards that made his expression change drastically.