Old Marquis Qi felt that his granddaughter was rather uncanny as well.
Saying so didn’t seem very appropriate for a family member.
But he genuinely couldn’t help thinking it.
Anything that landed in Qi Yuan’s hands seemed destined to succeed.
No matter how enormous the problem, she always appeared to solve it with a casual wave of her hand.
Surely that couldn’t be explained by luck alone?
Especially now that she had said Ren Ming killed so many people in order to borrow their lifespans.
Just thinking about it made his scalp tingle and goosebumps rise all over his body.
Qi Yuan let out an “Oh” and replied casually, “Ever since I learned of Ren Zhong’s death, I’ve been sneaking into the Ren residence every night to observe them.”
The truth was that most of Qi Zhen’s previous shock and fear had been an act.
But this time, his jaw genuinely nearly hit the floor.
What kind of person was this?!
What kind of person was his daughter?!
After Ren Zhong died, she had been sneaking into the Ren residence every night to eavesdrop?
And she had actually heard something useful.
The whole thing was honestly difficult to describe.
This time, even Old Marquis Qi failed to maintain his composure.
He nearly burned himself alive with a mouthful of hot tea.
After finally collecting himself, he asked, “Ren Ming follows the Dao?”
No wonder Qi Yuan had prepared a White Lotus Sect headscarf in advance and arranged for it to be planted on Ren Shuquan.
She had already known about Ren Ming’s murders and the buried corpses.
The entire matter sounded horrifying no matter how one looked at it.
Anyone hearing it would immediately think of dark sorcery.
His teeth were beginning to ache.
Then he looked at Qi Yuan. “Will His Majesty believe it?”
“Of course he will.”
Qi Yuan curled her lips slightly and chuckled.
“I’d wager that His Majesty has already summoned Master Wangyue from Longhu Mountain.”
Speaking of Master Wangyue, he had originally been arranged by Longhu Mountain for Qi Yuan’s sake.
The plan had been for him to clear her name and remove her reputation as an ill-fated star.
But at the time, it had not accomplished much.
Now, however, was when he would truly be useful.
Resting her chin on one hand, Qi Yuan idly played with an apple on the table. “It’s a pity I can’t enter the palace to watch the show.”
***
A great drama was indeed unfolding in the palace.
Emperor Yongchang first sent Master Wangyue to inspect the Ren residence.
Meanwhile, he studied the maps drawn by the Imperial Guards showing the layout of the estate and the burial locations.
His brows remained tightly furrowed.
By the time Ren Ming was brought before him, everyone was looking at him strangely. Most wished they could stand as far away from him as possible.
The man was simply too sinister.
He had killed far too many people.
Meanwhile, Chu Bo stared at him thoughtfully, something stirring in his mind.
Lai Chenglong kicked Ren Ming. With a heavy thud, Ren Ming crashed to his knees.
Without even lifting his eyes, Emperor Yongchang said in disgust, “Tell me. When did you join the White Lotus Sect?”
The White Lotus Sect?!
Ren Ming’s mouth fell open. Immediately, he protested, “Your Majesty! I am innocent! I have absolutely no connection whatsoever to the White Lotus Sect!”
Even now, he was still lying.
Emperor Yongchang sneered and threw a dossier into his face. “Then why did you kill so many people?! And why was your nephew carrying a White Lotus Sect headscarf?!”
At this moment, Ren Ming was terrified beyond measure. Once his murders had been exposed, he already knew there was no path to survival.
But he had never imagined that he would also be branded as a member of the White Lotus Sect.
He knew perfectly well how much the court despised the White Lotus Sect.
Murdering people was one thing.
He could perhaps claim personal madness and bear the blame alone. But if he were identified as a member of the White Lotus Sect, then his entire family would be finished.
Immediately, he struggled and protested desperately.
Emperor Yongchang remained completely unmoved.
At that moment, Eunuch Xia led Master Wangyue into the hall.
Only then did the Emperor say, “Whether he is or isn’t can be determined simply by asking.”
Master Wangyue offered his formal greetings.
Emperor Yongchang immediately gestured for him to dispense with the ceremony.
Then he asked, “You’ve already inspected the site. What exactly is going on?”
Master Wangyue’s expression was solemn.
Without hesitation, he replied, “Your Majesty, someone was practicing dark arts. After arriving there, I found the entire courtyard steeped in yin energy. Its layout was unusual, and beneath the entrance gate was buried a black cat that had died while pregnant…”
Everyone listening felt chills crawl over their skin.
Even Chu Bo unconsciously felt uneasy.
People often said that gentlemen avoided discussing ghosts, spirits, and supernatural forces.
Yet when such things appeared to happen in reality, most people still preferred to believe rather than dismiss them.
Every hair on Ren Ming’s body stood on end.
He had never dreamed that Master Wangyue would say such things.
And he had no idea how Master Wangyue had even discovered the dead cat buried beneath the gate.
A chill ran down his spine as he stared at the Daoist master.
Master Wangyue flicked his whisk and continued gravely, “This is an extremely sinister and vicious method. The person who arranged it intended to use the black cat’s death energy and resentment to suppress the souls of those who died wrongful deaths. As for the victims, I examined the birth data of several of them. Without exception, they were all born on yin days and at yin hours, ideal candidates for having their lifespans stolen.”
Stealing lifespans!
The moment those words were spoken, everyone instinctively wished to distance themselves from Ren Ming.
What else could such a person be but a horrifying monster?
Borrowing lifespans?
He had murdered all those people for that purpose?
Compared to him, Tian Baoci seemed almost harmless.
Emperor Yongchang grabbed the inkstone beside him and hurled it at Ren Ming. “You’ve completely lost your mind!”
Ren Ming stared at Master Wangyue with his mouth hanging open.
For a moment, he genuinely didn’t know how to react.
Master Wangyue sighed. “There were not only women among the dead. There were also several children only three or four years old…”
In other words, for the sake of prolonging his own life, Ren Ming had sacrificed countless innocent people. He had not even spared children.
Children barely three or four years old.
Was this still the act of a human being?
If this wasn’t the work of an evil cult, then what was?
Only someone corrupted by heretical teachings could commit such unimaginable atrocities.
Chu Bo’s fingers twitched slightly.
Then he lowered his head.
Ren Ming was finished.
No matter what happened now, he was finished.
Sure enough, Ren Ming collapsed to the ground and burst into tears.
“Your Majesty! I was confused for a moment! I lost my senses! But I am not a member of the White Lotus Sect! I have never had any connection with the White Lotus Sect, Your Majesty!”
But how could Emperor Yongchang possibly believe him anymore?
The Emperor felt his very eyes had been sullied merely by looking at him.
Coldly, he glanced at Lai Chenglong. “Take him to the Meridian Gate immediately and execute him! Flay him! Hang his skin at the Earth God Temple! Display his head from the city walls! A criminal like this must be punished without mercy!”
Ren Ming instantly collapsed.
His entire body went limp like a puddle of mud.
He had become too terrified even to beg for mercy.
Trembling uncontrollably, he was dragged away by Chunsheng and Chunlin.
The members of the Grand Secretariat sat in complete silence.
Grand Secretary Li’s teeth were chattering.
Emperor Yongchang glanced at him indifferently. “It seems the Grand Secretary’s eyes have grown dim with age. Ren Zhong was your disciple, and Ren Ming could be considered half your disciple as well. They turned out like this, yet you knew nothing?”
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