If it were a ghost, it would be easy to handle; a single burst talisman could burn a minor ghost with less than three hundred years of cultivation down to ashes without a trace. Yet this happened to be a human, and furthermore one of Yunchan Wei’s own relatives. Without a proper justification, one could neither touch him nor kill him.
Jinshu Fu felt endlessly vexed.
Coming out from Madam Wen’s side, their path happened to pass right by the spot where Jinshu Fu had previously fallen into the lake. Glancing at the pond, which had been refilled with water and stocked with fish once more, Jinshu Fu suddenly thought of a person he had forgotten, Qiuli.
Qiuli had claimed she wanted to find Haiyuan Wei to settle scores and exact revenge, but recently she seemed to have made little movement. Today, when Jinshu Fu laid eyes upon Haiyuan Wei, the man even appeared a bit fatter, living a life that was undoubtedly comfortable.
Could something have gone awry? Jinshu Fu muttered inwardly.
Meanwhile, gazing upon this lake water, Yunchan Wei likewise thought of a matter, he had yet to present that jade pendant to Jinshu Fu. Consequently, he quickened his pace, only to be abruptly caught by Jinshu Fu and brought to a halt.
“What is the matter again?” Yunchan Wei asked, uncomprehending.
The one who had hurried to leave a moment ago was him, and the one who suddenly stopped while walking was also him.
Furrowing his brows, Jinshu Fu fixed his gaze upon a certain spot within the lake, and following his line of sight, Yunchan Wei’s expression shifted slightly as well.
Floating within that lake was none other than a corpse. Face down, though its features remained indistinct, the garments worn by this corpse were precisely those uniformly issued to the pages of the Wei household.
After a brief moment, the individuals summoned by Yunchan Wei fished the body ashore.
As the form was flipped over, it revealed a pale, terrifying face. The eyes of this person were widened into circles, the mouth slightly agape, and the skin was slightly bloated due to having soaked in the water for an extended period.
With numerous pages populating the Wei estate, Yunchan Wei retained no impression of many among them, yet this particular individual was one Yunchan Wei recognized precisely as the person he had brought back from the Rouge Tower not long ago—He Pan.
Scarcely a few days had passed, and yet life had somehow been lost right here within the Wei residence.
Accidental drowning? Or suicide by jumping into the lake? Or perhaps… murdered by another? Yet who would inflict such a venomous fate upon an insignificant page? If claimed to be suicide by jumping into the lake, what was the reason? Having escaped the bitter sea of selling oneself through physical beauty, alongside the Wei family’s generous compensation, even serving as a page brought monthly wages exceeding those of strenuous manual labor outside, coupled with food, drink, and lodging provided, why would anyone commit suicide?
Pondering it back and forth, the possibility of an accidental drowning appeared substantially higher.
“Young Master, how should this be handled, in your view?”
Yunchan Wei waved a hand: “Purchase a plot of land and bury him.”
“Yes!”
The servants stepped forward, lifting He Pan’s corpse onto a straw mat, preparing to wrap him up before carrying him out of the estate to find a burial location, when their actions were interrupted by Jinshu Fu.
Jinshu Fu gestured briefly with his hands. Unaware of what he intended to do, Yunchan Wei nonetheless understood his gestures and instructed the servants: “Set the corpse down.”
While speaking, he walked over to Jinshu Fu’s side and asked, “Something fishy?”
Jinshu Fu nodded, crouching down to hook open He Pan’s collar with a single finger.
Yunchan Wei leaned in to look as well, his brows instantly furrowing upon catching sight of the bite marks on He Pan’s neck. He then reached out to untie He Pan’s belt. Lacking understanding, the servants wondered why their young master would suddenly start stripping someone’s clothes for no apparent reason.
Not until He Pan’s lapels parted to expose a torso mottled with bruises and bite marks did the onlookers draw in collective sharp breaths. Aside from Jinshu Fu, whose innocence left him unaware of their profound implications, everyone else present understood them completely, those represented the criminal evidence of having been violently violated and humiliated.
Comprehension dawned within Yunchan Wei’s mind; He Pan’s death was no accident. Even if he threw himself into the lake, it must have been because he suffered such degradation that, unable to bear the thought, he chose this method to end his existence.
“Call every male in the estate to the martial arts training ground.” Yunchan Wei commanded in a cold voice.
To dare commit outrages within the Wei estate truly showed a lack of fear for death.
A servant asked with trepidation, “The Third Young Master is still outside… does he need to be called back as well?”
Taking Jinshu Fu’s hand, Yunchan Wei strode toward the training ground, his voice carrying both authority and a biting chill: “Call everyone over.”
Receiving the order, the servant hurried off to execute it. Other attendants hoisted He Pan’s corpse to follow behind Yunchan Wei and Jinshu Fu, standing by to watch how Yunchan Wei would conduct the interrogation and solve the case shortly.
Meanwhile, casting a backward glance toward the center of the lake, Jinshu Fu perceived a young youth crouching beside Qiuli, weeping with his arms wrapped around his knees, and that face belonged precisely to the appearance of the corpse resting upon the straw mat.
“Do not weep, My Lord shall seek justice for you.”
“Which lord?”
“Naturally, My Lord Jinshu Fu.”
Exchanging a few remarks, the new ghost and the old ghost finally staunched their tears. Following their conversation, both gnashed their teeth in hatred.
He Pan’s eyes split wide with rage: “It was that Haiyuan Wei who harmed me!”
Qiuli burned with equal fury: “I too was harmed to death by him. Haiyuan Wei commits countless evils, he shall certainly meet a wretched end!”
The pair of spirits sighed in unison once more, sending a final silent farewell as Jinshu Fu, Yunchan Wei, and the others departed the area.
Madam Wen arrived first at the martial arts training ground, casting merely a single glance at He Pan’s corpse before turning her head away while using a handkerchief to cover her mouth and nose, unable to bear looking further.
“What on earth is happening here, who could be so audacious as to commit such a base and filthy act within the Wei estate?” Madam Wen walked up beside Yunchan Wei, and a servant hastily brought over a chair for her to sit upon.
Seemingly deep in thought, Yunchan Wei offered only a bland response: “We shall know shortly.”
Roughly half an hour later, the martial arts training ground was kneeling with a throng of people. At the front knelt the old steward, second steward, martial arts instructor, and head chef of the Wei estate. Following them were rows of pages, coachmen, general handymen, and stationed in the final rows stood the guards of the Wei estate.
As for Niangzi Shuang alongside her two sons, they arrived tardily, taking their seats upon mahogany chairs on the side while projecting an attitude of complete detachment.
With a gloomy complexion, Yunchan Wei tapped his fingers rhythmically against the armrest of his mahogany chair, his icy gaze sweeping across the subordinates kneeling and bowing their heads below.
Jinshu Fu’s gaze, however, remained fixed upon Haiyuan Wei.
Yet how could he prove to Yunchan Wei that the mastermind was none other than Haiyuan Wei? He could hardly tell Yunchan Wei: I can see ghosts, and I can converse with ghosts as well, right? Disregarding whether Yunchan Wei would believe it or not, such an explanation would completely fail to convince the public, instead painting him as someone possessed by evil spirits and spouting utter nonsense.
On the opposite side, upon spotting He Pan’s corpse, Haiyuan Wei experienced a jolt in his chest, feeling simultaneously nervous, frightened, and laced with a trace of annoyance, wasn’t it merely forcing him through a bout of intimacy; since a man wouldn’t get pregnant anyway, was there any need to go jump in the lake and commit suicide over it?
Now it had landed this messy trouble straight onto his head.
Yet… Haiyuan Wei glanced at Yunchan Wei; still, he wanted to see just how much capability this sickly invalid possessed, truly treating himself like Judge Bao reincarnated, heh.
Turning his head, he collided once more with Jinshu Fu’s gaze.
Before Haiyuan Wei could even register any delight, a chill struck straight down his spine, triggered by the murderous intent carried within Jinshu Fu’s eyes. Glancing back over, he found that Jinshu Fu had already turned away without looking in his direction again, making everything that just occurred feel merely like an illusion.
It ought to… be an illusion, right… how could a beauty possess such a terrifying gaze…
Amidst his daze, Yunchan Wei’s voice rang out.
“Strip off your upper garments.”
With this command issued, though the servants below harbored doubts, none dared disobey.
Yunchan Wei turned his gaze toward Haiyuan Wei and Zewen Wei: “You two strip as well.”
Zewen Wei voiced mild grievances: “Eldest Brother, what do you mean by this? Do you suppose we would harbor designs against a lowly slave? Do not humiliate us through such methods.”
In the first place, the secondary courtyard received little regard on ordinary days, coupled with Niangzi Shuang instilling the ideology of “your father only cares about the mother and son in the main courtyard” into her three children day after day, causing Zewen Wei to harbor a lingering hostility toward Yunchan Wei since childhood.
Ignoring him entirely, Yunchan Wei merely stared fixedly at the two brothers, his profound pupils shrouded in obscurity that made one’s heart crawl with unease.
Haiyuan Wei feigned composure: “Since we are investigating, Eldest Brother, you are likewise a male, and Sister-in-law is likewise a male; in the interest of fairness, shouldn’t everyone strip as well?”
As these words left his mouth, Zewen Wei quickly chimed in: “Exactly, exactly! You only make us strip, why don’t you and your male wife strip yourselves!”
The servants below all kept their eyes fixed on their noses and their noses on their hearts, bowing their heads in absolute silence while avoiding any involvement in this factional struggle between the legitimate and secondary branches.
They feared not the pair in the secondary courtyard, but rather accidentally provoking Yunchan Wei and inviting his wrath, that would constitute triggering catastrophic misfortune.
With a cold chuckle, Yunchan Wei raised a hand to unfasten his own belt, revealing his upper body in a matter of moments, before facing Haiyuan Wei and the others to squeeze out a single syllable from his throat: “Strip.”
Having shed his own garments, Jinshu Fu cooperated seamlessly, immediately moving to unfasten his belt. Spring clothing involved few layers to begin with, allowing his entire bare upper body to be exposed almost instantly.
Haiyuan Wei eagerly anticipated feasting his eyes, yet just as a fleeting glimpse flashed past, leaving his heart itching white-hot with desire, the spring scenery was abruptly blocked from view.
Pulling the inner robe closed around Jinshu Fu with one hand, Yunchan Wei shot him a glare and rebuked: “I rarely see you act this obedient, strip later, wrap your clothes properly for me now!”
Clutching his lapels, Jinshu Fu directed his gaze toward his bare chest. Knowing full well that his own physique hardly looked appealing, appearing shriveled, lean, and lacking the robust muscle definition of a routine handyman, Yunchan Wei pressed his lips tightly together as he turned around, leaving Jinshu Fu with nothing but a thin, slender back.
With both of them taking action, the two Haiyuan Wei brothers found themselves devoid of excuses, and therefore proceeded to remove their garments as well.
Unaware of what Yunchan Wei intended to accomplish, Haiyuan Wei felt simultaneous terror and clinging fortune, just stripping off some clothes, could that possibly unearth any hidden clues?
Pure pretense.