Xiang Qi turned back to glance at her.
“I’m just a minor official, trying to live a quiet life. As for who you are, I don’t know, and I have no intention of finding out,” he said.
“But I still want to tell you,” Cheng Jiao-niang replied. “Have you heard of the divine doctor who came to the capital last year, the one said to bring the dead back to life? He saved the Chen family’s old master and Tong Neihan, who nearly died from consuming gold and minerals. They say he’s a disciple of the True Master Li.”
Xiang Qi hadn’t expected her to bring that up and looked slightly startled.
That shocking piece of news had long spread throughout the capital, often in wildly exaggerated versions. As someone guarding the city gate, he naturally knew about it.
But why mention it now? He looked at Cheng Jiao-niang without saying a word.
“I am that divine doctor,” Cheng Jiao-niang said, extending her hand. “A direct disciple of True Master Li, holder of the secret art to bring the dead back to life, capable of snatching lives back from the hands of King of Hell himself.”
Zhou Liu-lang and Ban Qin, standing nearby, both showed expressions of astonishment.
There had always been rumors that Cheng Jiao-niang had learned her skills from an immortal, but she had never admitted it herself. To hear her say it now was truly shocking.
Could it really be true?
Even Xiang Qi’s expression changed — he looked as if he couldn’t believe what he was hearing.
“So what if you are?” he said.
“Then of course, I’ve come for your life,” Cheng Jiao-niang replied.
“Y-You want my life? Based on what? Just your suspicions?” Xiang Qi shouted through clenched teeth.
“That’s right,” Cheng Jiao-niang said. “Based on my suspicions. I suspect that you were the one who framed them — framed my Tai Ping Residence. So that makes you my enemy. And if you’re my enemy, why should I treat you like a benefactor?”
A suspicion — which meant no solid evidence.
He couldn’t let himself be bluffed by this girl!
“I really didn’t do anything!” Xiang Qi cried. “You can’t just accuse me like this!”
“Still so stubborn! Why waste words on him!” Zhou Liu-lang couldn’t help but slam the table and shout angrily.
“What do you want from me?” Xiang Qi cried out with a hint of fear in his voice. Suddenly, he remembered — this young man standing here was the one he had seen sitting in the inner room of the gate officer’s quarters that morning.
When Xiang Qi had been summoned in to write a document, he’d stolen a glance through the lifted curtain as someone delivered tea.
Anyone who could command the gate officer had to hold a higher rank.
“We don’t want anything. Just to let you know,” Cheng Jiao-niang said calmly, “your time ends today.”
“You dare to kill me without reason!” Xiang Qi shouted, instinctively stepping back — but the door behind him was already blocked from the outside.
“I have money,” Cheng Jiao-niang said. “Not just the ten-thousand-tael rewards for my medical work — there’s also Tai Ping Residence, Tai Ping Tofu, and Immortal’s Abode. The wealth I have, you — or even your whole Dong family — couldn’t earn in a lifetime.”
Xiang Qi pressed his back against the door.
“And I have power too,” Cheng Jiao-niang continued, raising her hand to point at Zhou Liu-lang. “This is my cousin…”
Cousin…
This was probably the first time she had ever called him “cousin.”
In that moment, Zhou Liu-lang bristled all over, like a porcupine suddenly on edge, feeling completely ill at ease.
“…The Zhou family of General Guide — you must have heard of them. They may not be top-tier nobility, but they’re still worlds apart from you — a petty official — and from the Dong family, who rise early to clean chamber pots,” Cheng Jiao-niang said. “Not to mention the Chen family, Master Chen Shao — whom I once saved — the Tong family of the Imperial Hanlin Academy, and many more who owe their lives to me, who are just waiting for a word from me. People like you, in my eyes, are no more than ants — insignificant and worthless.”
One after another, names of important figures — names not easily heard even once — came crashing down. Xiang Qi’s eyes widened, and at last, panic and terror overtook his expression.
“Now tell me,” Cheng Jiao-niang asked, “for someone like me, what hesitation would I possibly have in crushing an ant like you? Do you want to test me? Want to see if I could beat you to death right here in the main hall of the Immortal’s Abode, in front of everyone — and see if anyone would dare stop me?”
Xiang Qi’s legs gave out. He slumped against the door and collapsed to the floor.
“Tell me, for someone like me — who has already decided that this was your doing — is there even a need to ask you?” Cheng Jiao-niang looked at the man who no longer carried the confidence he had when he first entered, and gave a faint smile. “This life of yours… if I want to take it, then it’s mine to take.”
“I was forced into this!” Xiang Qi suddenly cried out, crawling forward on his knees, weeping bitterly.
So it really was him!
Zhou Liu-lang couldn’t help but glance at Cheng Jiao-niang. Although Xiang Qi was clearly spineless and guilty, he was still surprised by how sharply and forcefully this usually quiet girl had cornered him with her words.
“Who forced you?” Zhou Liu-lang shouted. “Speak!”
“I don’t know, I really don’t know! I never saw them!” Xiang Qi cried, bowing his head as tears fell. His mind was in turmoil — how could he pass the blame when there was no one to verify anything?
“I… I just received a letter. The letter told me what to do. It said if I didn’t follow through, they’d… they’d kill my whole family!”
“Still trying to lie!” Zhou Liu-lang stood up and shouted angrily. “Looks like you’re really not afraid to die!”
As the young man walked toward him with a trace of murderous intent in his eyes, Xiang Qi was truly scared out of his wits — as if his soul had left his body.
“Forget it,” Cheng Jiao-niang suddenly said.
Zhou Liu-lang stopped in his tracks.
“It doesn’t matter whether you confess or not,” Cheng Jiao-niang continued. “I already told you — the reason I brought you here was simply to let you know that I’m aware it was you who secretly reported Fan Jianglin and the others. And as for what kind of person I am, you know what someone like me could do to you. But — I’m only here to tell you. I don’t intend to actually do anything to you.”
Then what is she intending to do?!
Not only was Xiang Qi completely confused — his mind exhausted by the whiplash of confidence and terror — even Zhou Liu-lang found himself baffled.
“You can go,” Cheng Jiao-niang said.
Xiang Qi’s eyes widened.
What did she mean?
“Go,” Cheng Jiaoniang repeated. “Someone like you doesn’t need me to do anything. Because your life ends today — there’s no need for me to dirty my hands.”
Is this girl insane?
What does she mean, my life ends today? What a joke.
She must be afraid of the person backing me, right?
Looks like making up that story about having someone behind me really worked!
If he didn’t leave now, when would he?
Xiang Qi scrambled to his feet and rushed toward the door.
This time, it opened easily.
“Do you think what I said was funny?”
The hoarse voice of the girl rang out again behind him.
“Don’t forget who I am. If I can bring the dead back to life, then cutting short someone’s life — why would that be impossible?”
Xiang Qi had just stepped one foot outside the door when his body suddenly trembled. His legs gave out, and he tumbled forward, falling to the ground. He didn’t dare look back — just scrambled up and bolted away, stumbling and crawling as he fled.
He had no idea how he managed to get out of Immortal’s Abode. His face was deathly pale, soaked in sweat, and his steps were unsteady as he walked.
Too terrifying. Far too terrifying.
He swore to the heavens — if he had known that Xu Maoxiu and the others were connected to Tai Ping Residence, he never would have written that anonymous report.
There was no need to dig for stories about Tai Ping Residence — just grab anyone off the street and they could tell you a tale.
The five street thugs from West Street.
Zhu Wu, the rogue hiding behind a broker’s facade.
Those who provoked Tai Ping Residence were shot on the spot.
The ones behind the scenes were forced to commit suicide.
Even this Immortal’s Abode — it was smashed up by Tai Ping’s people, and instead of winning anything back, it ended up completely taken over by them.
Wealthy and powerful — not to be trifled with.
Even though he was a petty official, he knew full well that in the capital, his life wasn’t worth as much as one of those street thugs.
Damn it.
How could he be so unlucky! Why didn’t he find out more before getting involved!
He had acted in a fit of rage, rash and reckless — and now it had brought disaster upon him.
Would it end with him losing his life?
“Your life ends today.”
“Sir, this is not good, not good. The area between your eyebrows is darkening — a sure sign of disaster.”
These words kept echoing in Xiang Qi’s mind and ears.
What a coincidence — both of them said the same thing?
Could it really mean a great calamity was coming?
No, impossible, impossible — it must be nonsense!
Xiang Qi’s breathing grew increasingly rapid, his heartbeat pounding fiercely. He pressed his hand against his chest as if trying to keep his heart from bursting out, weaving unsteadily through the crowds on the street.
Around him, the noise of laughter and chatter was loud and clear — yet somehow, he couldn’t make out a single word.
“Xiang Qi!”
Suddenly, a loud shout came from ahead.
Xiang Qi shivered and looked over, somewhat dazed, to see a group of people running straight toward him on the street.
“There he is!”
The leader, a burly man, pointed at Xiang Qi as he shouted, holding a wooden stick in his hand.
Not just him — everyone following carried wooden sticks and similar weapons.
What do they want to do?
So they really want to kill me, huh?
All those kind words just now were lies!
Xiang Qi involuntarily stopped in his tracks and began to slowly back away.
To dare fight and kill him right here on the street? That’s too reckless — impossible!
“Xiang Qi, look at what you have done!”
A voice shouted from within the crowd — a familiar voice.
Xiang Qi stared blankly and saw that among the crowd was Master Dong himself.
Master Dong’s face was grim. Though old, his steps were no slower than those of the other men as he strode quickly forward.
Look at what you have done!
He knows! Master Dong knows!
Xiang Qi’s face instantly turned ashen, his heartbeat stopping for a moment.
This man was his father-in-law — no, rather, his father. Since he was a live-in son-in-law, he had to call him “father.”
His father lived alone in the capital, having risen from the lowly trade of night incense selling — a man no one respected, and certainly no saint, with dirty hands.
This father had never liked him, and had only accepted him as a son-in-law to continue the family line.
Now that he had fathered two sons for the Dong family, Xiang Qi was useless to them!
He must have wanted to kick him out long ago.
Especially now, with Xu Maoxiu in the picture — just recall how happy that old bastard looked the day Xu Maoxiu visited, as if he wanted to call Xu Maoxiu “Father”!
Now that this old bastard knew it was Xiang Qi who did this, he had even more reason to get rid of him!
As a live-in son-in-law, Xiang Qi’s status was lower than that of a pig or dog — even if he were beaten to death, no one would care!
They’re going to beat me to death!
They’re going to beat me to death!
Xiang Qi shouted loudly and turned to run.
“You’re running? Where do you think you’re going?!”
Master Dong’s furious roar came from behind.
Xiang Qi quickened his pace, but unaware of what he stepped on, he stumbled and fell, landing face-first on the stone steps of a shop at the side of the street.
A piercing scream erupted through the street.
Ban Qin tightly covered her mouth to stifle the scream, eyes wide as she stared at the blood spreading from Xiang Qi’s face pressed against the ground.
My God! My God! My God!
