Even so, Duke Chu still refused to believe that his living, breathing son was truly gone just like that.
Pressing his lips together, he stared coldly at Huang Wenjun before shifting his position in the chair and asking in a low voice, “Then where is my son’s body?”
The moment he uttered the word “body,” even his cheeks stung with pain.
This son had not come easily. He had always been carefully protected. To secure a bright future for him, the Duke had even arranged for him to be adopted under his first wife’s name, so he could rightfully inherit the title of Duke Chu.
Years of planning now ruined in an instant—nothing could be more painful.
Huang Wenjun was starting to regret coming to the Duke’s manor.
He had been a escort-for-hire for years. By now, he should have been in charge of a branch office. His peers had either started their own businesses or at least risen to positions of leadership. Only he was still slowly climbing the ranks, relying on seniority.
On the surface, he always acted indifferent, but in truth, he had long held a grudge, waiting for the chance to rise in a single leap.
For him, becoming one of the elite was his life’s greatest dream.
So from the very first day Qi Yuan came to hire him, he had been extremely attentive.
Observing along the way, he quickly realized this client was no ordinary person—she was either wealthy, noble, or both.
He had thought about pledging his loyalty to Qi Yuan, but the woman was terrifying.
Back then, when he obeyed Qi Yuan’s orders to drive the wolves to attack that group, he learned from a dying man under Qi Yuan’s horse that their master’s identity—
It was Duke Chu Shizi’s household!
In the entire Great Zhou, there was no one who didn’t know Duke Chu’s family!
He had never imagined that the man he helped Qi Yuan kill was the shizi to the Duke’s household.
But at the same time, another thought sparked in his heart:
This was his chance to rise to power!
Duke Chu had only one shizi, and now that shizi had died by Qi Yuan’s hand. Qi Yuan had also erased all traces of the incident.
Given a choice between the Duke’s household and Qi Yuan, anyone with half a brain would know whom to side with.
Unless they were insane, who would choose Qi Yuan?
Even if she was a princess, in front of Liu Jinghong, she still had to call him “uncle.”
And Qi Yuan was ruthless—she burned everything clean with tong oil and even buried the remaining bones.
In a few months, when spring arrived and plants grew again, even he wouldn’t be able to find the burial site.
With such a secret in hand, he had thought he would certainly get everything he wanted this time.
Wasn’t it said that the powerful are the most generous?
Besides, he hadn’t even touched a hair on Liu Jinghong’s head. This incident had nothing to do with him.
He said exactly what he was thinking, gritting his teeth to keep breathing as he replied, “In the remote wilderness! No one lives within ten miles! Only I know the location!”
Duke Chu stared at him for a long while. “I’ll trust you this once. Fine, if it’s truly as you say, then as long as you help me find him, I will make sure you get what you wish for!”
If he had said this earlier, Huang Wenjun might have believed him.
But now, even he knew—whether or not he had personally harmed Liu Jinghong, just being involved in this matter meant he wouldn’t be allowed to live.
He bitterly regretted his greed.
He had received two thousand taels, but still wanted ten thousand, then twenty thousand, and even foolishly dreamed of one day being valued by Duke Chu’s household.
Duke Chu immediately mobilized the remaining shadow guards from the Qi Wang’s manor.
On this point, the Duke’s advisor, Wen Changshi, strongly objected. “Your Grace, the Duke’s household is indeed close to His Highness, but there’s a saying: ‘Outsiders should not meddle in family matters’…”
Lately, Qi Wang had been visibly distancing himself from Duke Chu’s family.
For instance, when Qi Wang sent men to chase Qi Yuan to Fujian, he never informed the Liu family.
That was an unusual signal.
Now, mobilizing Qi Wang’s shadow guards without permission would only make things worse once Qi Wang found out.
If it had been before, the Duke might have listened.
But now, consumed by the grief and shock of his son’s likely death, how could he hear such counsel?
He coldly laughed, “That’s a problem for later! He’s still too weak to fly on his own—he needs my permission to leave the nest!”
Wen Changshi could only drop the matter. “Then what is Your Grace’s plan?”
“Mobilize the shadow guards to pursue them. If it’s true, then—”
The Duke suddenly couldn’t finish.
If it was true, his son was really dead.
His voice turned hoarse. “If it’s true, then at least I must bring my son’s remains home! And—kill Qi Yuan!”
That wretched girl—that lowborn wench—he had been far too lenient with her.
He always thought she was just a little girl, incapable of causing any real trouble.
Yet in such a short time, she had crippled his granddaughter and killed his son!
It was his fault. One should never show mercy to such b*stards.
Wen Changshi nodded.
This matter could never be made public.
Otherwise, how would they explain why Liu Jinghong was killed? What happened to the men he took with him? And where was Qi Wang during all this?
None of these could be explained, and all were taboos that could drag the Duke’s household to ruin.
Since it couldn’t be handled openly, they would deal with it in the shadows.
They had more than enough manpower. Even if Qi Yuan could evade them for a while, she couldn’t evade them forever.
Wen Changshi sighed softly. “What about the informant?”
“Kill him!” Duke Chu said without hesitation.
Why didn’t he report it earlier?
If he had warned them before Qi Yuan killed Liu Jinghong, the Duke’s household might have even been grateful.
But being wise only after the event was nothing but disgusting.
Wen Changshi understood and acted quickly. As soon as the shadow guards departed, he took his men and stuffed Huang Wenjun onto a cart used to haul night soil.
Huang Wenjun struggled desperately before getting on the cart, but no sound came from his throat.
He regretted it all!
No matter how ruthless Qi Yuan was, she only targeted her enemies. She treated the hired bodyguards fairly and always paid promptly.
He should never have conspired with tigers!
The cart left the manor and, as was customary, first went to dispose of the night soil near the public mortuary.
Once the waste was dumped, the cart leisurely headed toward a mass grave further away.
When Huang Wenjun opened his eyes, he saw a sharp, gleaming blade being lifted from the cart, pointed straight at him. He whimpered and shook his head frantically.
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