Chapter 150 Story (VI)

Chapter 150: The Story (Part Six)

Zhou Ye said, "He was my young master, Wu Buwei, who had just turned fifteen."

Pei Xiao exclaimed, "Is he Wu Shunian's son?"

Xie Zhifei frowned, "So the ones who survived that war were not just father and son, but grandfather, father, and grandson?"

Yan Sanhe asked, "How did he pass away?"

"Wu Buwei was my lord's grandson and also Wu Shunian's son, the only heir for three generations. He died of smallpox, in my arms."

Zhou Ye's eyes were cold.

"The last words he left me were: Uncle Zhou, tell Father that I'm not in pain, not at all."

"Where were you, Wu Shunian?" Xie Zhifei suddenly shouted.

His shout was so loud that it startled Yan Sanhe and Pei Xiao.

"I was outside the door. Aye was afraid I would infect him and refused to let me in."

Without realizing, Wu Shunian had already opened his eyes, "I replied, 'Good boy, Father has wronged you.'"

"Because I didn't let Wu Shunian see his child off, he wanted to stay with him longer, so we kept the body for seven days. After seven days, he was buried on the top of Great Bright Mountain, alongside his grandfather."

Zhou Ye could not hide his sorrow.

"A wordless monument stands before the grave, two pine trees behind it, and a large stone nearby. If you want to go there, you should find it easily."

Hearing this, Pei Xiao felt a strange sensation.

Why should we go?

Does this have anything to do with resolving my grandmother's inner demons?

And why are they recounting these details so meticulously? What is their purpose?

He instinctively looked up at Yan Sanhe—

Only to see her face pale, her eyes wide open, staring intently at Wu Shunian.

What's wrong with her?

Pei Xiao quickly turned to look at Xie Zhifei—

Only to see Xie Zhifei sweating profusely, his hands clenched into tight fists on the table, making cracking sounds as if his bones were breaking.

What's wrong with him?

Pei Xiao's heart leaped to his throat, about to speak, when unexpectedly, Xie Zhifei stood up abruptly and grabbed Zhou Ye by the collar.

The black-clad men, seeing this, drew their swords and surrounded them.

Even Li Buyan, who had been leaning against the water barrel listening to the story, jumped up, drawing his sword.

In an instant, the atmosphere in the courtyard became tense.

Pei Xiao shuddered and whispered, "Xie Wushi, what are you doing?"

Xie Zhifei's eyes were trembling, and he growled like a trapped beast, yet he did not utter a single word.

His usually smiling face was now twisted, veins bulging on his forehead as if about to burst.

Pei Xiao had never seen Xie Wushi like this in his twenty years of life.

"Xie Zhifei!"

Yan Sanhe stood up, boldly placing her hand over his clenched fist.

The coldness of her palm made Xie Zhifei's grip loosen slightly.

Yan Sanhe then pulled hard.

Xie Zhifei stumbled back into the armchair, his mouth twitching as if trying to say something, but nothing came out.

"Zhou Ye."

Yan Sanhe looked at him, her voice colder than ever, her words slower than ever.

"You went through such lengths to tell this story. Are you trying to tell me that the massacre of the Zheng family was not committed by Wu Guanyue and his son?"

"What, what?" Pei Xiao was shocked.

"The Zheng family case happened on the fifteenth day of the seventh month in Yonghe eighth year."

Because of the need to resolve Yan Xing's inner demons, Yan Sanhe had memorized this date.

"Wu Guanyue had already died four years ago. On the tenth day of the seventh month, Wu Shunian's son Wu Buwei passed away. They kept the body for seven days, which means the funeral was on the seventeenth day of the seventh month."

"So, the massacre of the Zheng family must have been committed by someone else, and Wu Guanyue and his son were wrongly accused."

Wrongly accused?

Pei Xiao scoffed, "Don't joke. How is that possible?"

"Our lord was wrongly accused."

Qiang walked over with a cold face, "We were all outside with our lord when the young master passed away. I even cried!"

"I'm here too!"

"I'm here too!"

"I'm here too!"

"I swear to heaven!"

"I can swear to heaven too, with a curse!"

One by one, the black-clad figures spoke up.

Pei Xiao felt as if the world before her eyes had changed color.

The Zheng family's case had shocked the entire nation. If Wu Guanyue and his son were truly innocent, then who was the real culprit in this case?

If Wu Guanyue and his son were not innocent, what was their purpose for doing this?

He subconsciously looked at Yan Sanhe but saw that her long, dark eyelashes were trembling slightly, and her face wore an expression as if she had been struck by lightning.

Dead silence!

A suffocating dead silence.

After a long while, Yan Sanhe nodded towards Wu Shunian, "I have a few questions to ask."

Wu Shunian looked at her and smiled lightly.

Aye was right; among these six people, this youngest girl was the most unfathomable.

"Little girl, just ask."

Yan Sanhe: "You say you're innocent. Apart from what you've said, do you have any other evidence?"

Wu Shunian: "No!"

Yan Sanhe: "Since there is no evidence, how can I believe that what you're saying is true?"

Wu Shunian: "Hasn't Miss Yan heard the saying, 'a dying person speaks the truth'? I have no reason to lie to you."

Yan Sanhe shook her head, "It's not just a matter of 'a dying person speaks the truth.' When I resolve grievances, I need to understand the cause and effect."

"Well said!"

Xie Zhifei, with a stern face, said, "Apart from the joint investigation by the Ministry of Justice, the Supreme Court, and the Censorate, the Embroidered Uniform Guard has also been secretly investigating. With four departments working together, how could they possibly make a mistake?"

At this moment, Zhou Ye suddenly sneered, "I also want to know, how could four departments working together still make a mistake?"

Xie Zhifei, provoked by him, became angry again, "Zhou Ye, don't forget that you are an official of Great Hua."

Zhou Ye frowned, "My apologies, Third Master, but here, I only recognize the Wu family as my master."

Xie Zhifei gritted his teeth, "This is treason, punishable by death, and your entire clan will be exterminated."

Zhou Ye lifted his chin and sneered, "I am alone in this world, without a clan."

"You..."

"What about me?"

Their eyes met, both cold as ice.

"Aye!"

Wu Shunian's voice trembled, "Help me up!"

Zhou Ye's gaze, sharp as a knife, swept over Xie Zhifei, and he bent down to help Wu Shunian up.

Wu Shunian swayed, steadied himself, and then pushed away Zhou Ye's hand, moving forward step by step.

He walked very slowly, each step like walking on a blade.

Finally, he reached the water barrel, held onto its edge, and turned to look deeply at Xie Zhifei.

"There are six fish in this barrel. Do you know why there are six, Third Master?"

Why?

Everyone wondered in their hearts.

Wu Shunian said nonchalantly, "They represent the six times I went to the Imperial City of Great Hua."

A bolt of thunder struck Xie Zhifei.

The person the Embroidered Uniform Guard had searched far and wide for had actually been coming and going right under their noses?

This...

How audacious!