Chapter 114: The Young Man Comes of Age 49

Chapter 114: The Young Man Comes of Age 49

Zeng Rong had thought they had a purpose in saving him, but he never expected them to leave the clinic after just dropping him off.

His hand, gripping the hem of his robe, tightened and loosened repeatedly, until finally, as Xu Zeping and the others stepped out of the clinic, he called out, "Hey, don't you have anything you want to ask?"

Xu Zeping curled his lips into a smile; the fish had taken the bait.

How could it be pure kindness for him to offer help?

But given their past opposing stances, if he were to directly admit his intentions, he might not get the answers he sought.

Thus, he chose to take a step back.

"Scholar Zeng, we still have exams tomorrow, so we won't disturb you further," Xu Zeping said with a bow. "If Scholar Zeng is willing, perhaps we can have a late-night discussion during next year's provincial examination."

Zeng Rong might know something, Xu Zeping rubbed his fingertips together, but the waters around the Jian family in Hu Lake Prefecture were too deep. He felt he should consult his elder brother before wading into this murky water.

His elder brother, such a wise person, had only humiliated Jian Zixin's dignity... which meant he knew there was something within the Jian family that he couldn't touch.

When Xu Zeping and the others finished dinner and walked to the inn entrance, they found it unusually quiet, feeling a bit uneasy.

Just as they were wondering if something had happened at the inn, the young attendant at the door saw them and exclaimed, "Young Master Xu, you're finally back! Quickly, quickly, come inside!"

The attendant, ignoring the surprise on Xu Zeping's face, grabbed him and rushed him into the inn.

Once inside, they were stunned by the scene before them.

A couple with gray hair and hunched backs knelt in the main hall, holding a corpse. The innkeeper, pale with fright, tried to drive them out, but the couple kept kowtowing, begging him to let them wait here without causing trouble.

The innkeeper, a simple man who usually followed the rules, had never seen such a spectacle. Seeing the body covered in white cloth, he knew it was ominous and wanted the attendant to report it to the authorities.

However, the couple said it was useless; they had just come from the government office. Even if they were arrested, they would only spend a few days in jail, and if they died there, they would be reunited with their son.

As they spoke, they continued to kowtow, only asking the innkeeper to let them wait for someone. When asked who they were waiting for, they said they were waiting for several young men from Qingshui Town.

"Young Master Xu, please, tell us who killed our Qi'er!"

Xu Zeping, upon meeting the eyes of the couple, was stunned. Were these the former headmen of Qingshui Town? How could they have aged so much in just a few days?

While Xu Zeping was still in shock, Huang Ren crawled to his feet and tightly grabbed his wrist, tears streaming down his face. "I know Qi'er wasn't a good person and caused you much harm, but considering your years of school friendship, and now that he is... please, have mercy on us and tell us who killed him!"

Xu Zeping dared not accept his prostration and struggled to free himself, but Huang Ren's strength was such that he couldn't break free. "Headman Huang, please, I know nothing. Don't harm me."

Xu Zebo and the others finally reacted, rushing forward to pull Huang Ren away.

But as soon as Huang Ren was pulled away, Huang Qi's mother also knelt before Xu Zeping, kowtowing relentlessly and slapping herself. "Young Master Xu, I know we spoiled him and indulged him, allowing him to become bold and wicked. He bribed your uncle's maid to slip cheating notes into your cousin's pen... and conspired with villains to try to kill you. But please, for his sake, let him rest in peace! If you tell us who the killer is, we promise not to bother you again.

Respect the dead, Young Master Xu. Please forgive him and let him rest in peace."

Each word from Huang Qi's mother was filled with sorrow, as if Xu Zeping were their last hope.

But her words changed Xu Zeping's mind. Thank her for confessing, which helped him understand the sequence of events. No wonder... no wonder they couldn't find the villain who almost framed them for cheating. It turned out the villain had help!

Conspiring with villains to kill them?

Xu Zeping's scalp tingled, and his mind raced with even more sinister thoughts. Could it be that Huang Qi was also involved in the Yingou Village incident?

As for Huang Qi's actions, Huang Ren and his wife must have known. Now, kneeling before everyone and begging for the identity of the killer was nothing more than an attempt to drag him into the mess!

This Huang family, indeed, had no good characters, old or young.

How could Xu Zeping let such vicious people have their way?

Even if they confessed, did that mean the harm they caused could be forgotten?

Xu Zeping, though kind-hearted, was not one to forgive everything!

"Ahh, my head hurts so much, so much."

Xu Zeping held his temples and moaned, then suddenly fell straight backward.

Fortunately, Gao Yan was quick to catch him, wailing like he had lost his parents, "Help! Someone, call a doctor!"

"Calling a doctor won't help!" Xu Zebo, noticing Xu Zeping's subtle gestures, shouted dramatically, "Quickly, call a sorcerer! There must be a villain trying to use my cousin's life force to revive evil spirits!"

With the combined performance of Xu Zebo and the others, Huang Ren and his wife were dumbfounded. This wasn't how their plan was supposed to unfold!

The innkeeper, tired of Huang Ren and his wife, took advantage of the commotion to have them driven out. Afraid of being tainted by the dead and worried that this unscrupulous couple might borrow his life force like they did with Xu Sheng, the attendants and waiters didn't hesitate to push them out.

In ancient times, superstition ran deep. Xu Zeping didn't believe that the innkeeper would still show mercy and allow them to stay after this.

Moral coercion?

It wouldn't work on him!

The innkeeper, highly sensitive to the idea of borrowing life force, feared that a scholar might die in his inn due to such a curse. He quickly summoned a sorcerer, who chanted and danced around Xu Zeping for half an hour.

Listening to the incessant chanting, Xu Zeping finally opened his eyes and bowed to the sorcerer, "Thank you, Master, for your assistance. Otherwise, I would still be trapped by evil spirits!"

As he spoke, Xu Zeping pulled out some silver from his chest and handed it to the sorcerer.

The sorcerer, perhaps a greedy man, immediately smiled broadly and exclaimed, "Not at all, not at all!"

When the innkeeper heard that they were trapped by an evil ghost, he was so frightened that his legs trembled. He hurriedly sent for silver to invite the priest to exorcise the evil spirits.

After all the commotion, it was already midnight.

With the help of the priest, everything was resolved satisfactorily.