He turned and looked at Third Master Feng. “What’s this got to do with us?”
“Well… not exactly with us…” Third Master Feng’s face had gone pale. “It—it has a bit to do with Daoist Li.”
With Li Changqing?!
Feng Caiwei’s face turned even paler.
How could this be?
How did Daoist Qiu get struck by lightning so suddenly and without warning?!
Her hand clenched so tightly around her handkerchief that the veins on the back of her hand bulged.
Feng Yuzhang closed his eyes briefly, then asked, “What connection?”
“They—they found a huge stash of gold and jewels in that Huang Daxin Temple… and a bunch of corpses too.” Third Master Feng was still gasping, his face clearly showing he’d been badly frightened. “Then the Shuntian Prefecture compared the image of Daoist Qiu and realized—he was that Daoist from Mount Mao who escaped more than a decade ago…”
Back then, it was Li Changqing who handled the Mount Mao affair.
So yes, this was related to him.
Feng Yuzhang suddenly turned to stare at Feng Caiwei—and without warning, slapped her across the face.
His tone was sharp and furious. “Are you insane?!”
Feng Caiwei slowly curled her lips into a smile. Even after being slapped, she showed no fear, no retreat.
Instead, she glanced at the stunned Third Master and asked lightly, “Grandfather, do you really want me to say in front of Third Uncle who taught me to do all this?”
Feng Yuzhang closed his eyes again, glanced at Third Master Feng, and said, “Old Three, go out first. I have something to say to her alone.”
Third Master Feng had clearly sensed something was off. He quickly responded and left, giving Caiwei one last look before retreating.
Feng Caiwei, now with nothing to lose, laughed softly. “Grandfather, do you really think I managed all this without any help? Do you remember how Nanan County Prince visited recently?”
Feng Yuzhang remembered—and immediately felt a toothache.
Insane.
That Nanan County Prince was insane!
At once, he understood the prince’s scheme.
Have Li Changqing proclaim that Qi Yuan was a harbinger of disaster. If Xiao Yunting truly loved her, he’d naturally go against Emperor Yongchang because of this.
But imperial favor always came with limits. The more you disobeyed, the faster it vanished.
As for elevating Feng Caiwei, the intention was clear—label her as possessing a phoenix fate, then marry her.
Wouldn’t that allow him to soar?
He pointed at Feng Caiwei, then ordered that her courtyard be locked down—no more sending messages.
Then he rushed off, hoping to request an audience with Xiao Yunting.
But Xiao Yunting wasn’t in the palace.
He took the chance to go to the Qi residence—only to find it empty.
When Qi Zhen saw him, he was startled and quickly said, “Your Highness, Ah Yuan has gone out.”
Xiao Yunting frowned. “Do you know where she went?”
Qi Zhen wanted to know.
But Qi Yuan hadn’t told him either.
So he could only say awkwardly, “She didn’t say, but she should be back soon.”
Qi Yuan was at another Jiang residence.
This one, however, was unknown to Madam Jiang—the tofu beauty.
It was where Jiang Yanzhen kept his mistress.
At that moment, Jiang Yanzhen was lying on the mistress’s belly, sighing in post-coital satisfaction.
The beauty teased him in a sweet voice, pushing his head. “Master, you haven’t visited lately… Don’t tell me you think I’m old and losing my looks?”
“What do you know?” Jiang Yanzhen scowled. “There’s a tigress at home watching me like a hawk! I’ve been hiding at home, pretending to be sick every day.”
Just thinking about it made him gloomy.
Ever since Liu Wangfei returned, Duke Chu’s household had been wiped out—Consort Liu, Eldest Princess Baorong… all gone.
He should’ve gone down with them, but maybe people had forgotten about him.
Still… who knew how much longer the good days would last?
He sighed inwardly.
The mistress giggled and began massaging his head. “What’s there to fear, Master? You are—”
She watched him close his eyes in contentment, and quietly slipped her hand under the pillow—pulling out a dagger.
Then she stabbed down toward him.
But just at that moment, a pebble flew through the air and struck her wrist, making her cry out in pain and drop the dagger.
Jiang Yanzhen jolted awake. When he saw the blade on the floor, he panicked and rolled off the bed, his flabby face trembling in terror. “You wretched sl*t! You were trying to kill me?!”
The beauty clutched her wrist, her brows furrowed, but she didn’t answer. Instead, she flipped off the bed, grabbed the dagger again, and launched herself back at him.
Jiang Yanzhen was paralyzed with fear. His whole body trembled. He wanted to run, but his legs were too weak—he could only shut his eyes and wait to die.
Just then, someone leapt through the window and blocked the beauty’s strike.
A swift kick landed on her wrist.
Her arm, already injured, went limp again, and the dagger clattered to the ground.
This time, Jiang Yanzhen clearly saw who had saved him.
It would’ve been better if he hadn’t.
Once he saw who it was, he was stunned.
How could it be her?!
The God of Death—Qi Yuan!
The one who had slaughtered everyone he sent to kill her and that father-son pair!
He broke out in a cold sweat.
Qi Yuan moved with swift efficiency. Seeing the beauty reach for her waist, she raised her arm and fired a hidden dart from her sleeve.
In an instant, it embedded straight into the woman’s forehead.
Killing was as easy for her as eating or drinking.
As Jiang Yanzhen watched the woman drop dead with a dart between her brows, he was so terrified he couldn’t even scream—he fainted.
Qi Yuan turned to glance at him, curled her lips faintly, then walked over and picked up a basin of water.
She dumped the whole thing on Jiang Yanzhen’s face.
He woke up choking—and immediately wanted to faint again when he saw Qi Yuan.
Heaven help him! Why had this God of Death shown up again?!
He’d been hiding at home, afraid someone would remember he existed—and now she still found him!
Qi Yuan looked at him with a half-smile. “Lord Jiang, you might want to think twice before fainting again. Because if you do, next time it won’t just be water—I know how to use needles, you know?”
Jiang Yanzhen trembled as he sat up, shivering so hard his sweat stood on end. “Y-you… what do you want?”
“I saved your life,” Qi Yuan said with a light smile, sitting down in a chair and looking at him lazily. “Do you know why she tried to kill you?”
Jiang Yanzhen shook his head.
Qi Yuan’s smile faded. “Qiu Chuying from the Huang Daxin Temple… is dead.”
Jiang Yanzhen’s pupils contracted sharply—and realization hit him like a hammer.
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