Volume 6, Chapter 364 – He Released the Malignant Ghost (Part 1)

“Well said!”

Lady Shen couldn’t help but voice her praise, her face revealing an appreciative expression. She knew she had bet correctly.

“Everyone!”

Qi Huang paid no attention to the speechless Liu Biao, turning instead to survey the crowd. “As the saying goes, ‘Of all virtues, filial piety comes first.’ If you support such a clan leader, you will also bear the stigma of being unfilial descendants. I hope you all consider carefully before making your decision.”

The members of the Liu family whispered among themselves, clearly taking her words to heart.

“I don’t expect every one of you to be a paragon of filial piety, but take a look around you, which family’s children are not present today? Your actions today will set an example for them to follow. I doubt anyone here wishes for their own children to grow up as unfilial wretches, do you?”

Qi Huang continued, appealing to both reason and emotion.

This time, everyone was visibly moved, and they began scrambling to switch sides.

“I support the Ancestress’s decision! In the Liu family, no one is more filial than me!”

“The Liu family? Hell, even across the entire capital, you won’t find anyone more filial than me! So I absolutely stand with the Ancestress, and I even suggest deposing Second Uncle as clan leader!”

“Exactly! What right does an unfilial person have to lead the clan?”

“Son, do you see this? One must understand filial piety, otherwise, you’ll be despised by everyone!”

“That’s right! What the elders say is right, even if it’s wrong! You must obey without question!”

The room full of relatives began declaring their stances one after another, some even seizing the opportunity to use Liu Biao as a cautionary tale to lecture their own children.

Liu Biao was now utterly dumbstruck. His mouth opened and closed several times, but not a single coherent sentence came out. His face flushed crimson, his neck bulged, and he stood there like a wooden post, humiliated beyond words.

“So the Liu family is full of paragons of filial piety! How touching!”

Qi Huang’s sarcasm dripped with mockery before she turned back to Liu Biao. “Second Master Liu, it seems there are far more filial people in the Liu family than you thought! Well? Do you still insist on marrying off Miss Yingyue?”

“When the master speaks, what right does a mere servant have to interrupt?”

Liu Biao snapped in humiliated fury.

“Oh? So when you can’t win with reason, you resort to pulling rank? You dare oppose the Ancestress, yet I’m not allowed to speak?”

Qi Huang sneered again.

“You—!”

Liu Biao trembled with rage, teeth clenched as he glared at her.

“Enough with the ‘you, you, you’. Your time is up, can’t you see that? Stubborn resistance won’t change anything.”

Qi Huang laughed mockingly.

Liu Biao, after all, was no young man. He quickly regained his composure, knowing full well the wisdom of “As long as the green hills remain, there will never be a shortage of firewood.” Swallowing his pride, he conceded reluctantly:

“Everyone, perhaps I was not thorough enough in my considerations. Let us set aside the matter of the marriage alliance for now. But in the end, I acted for the good of the Liu family, I hope you can understand!”

“Tch! Truly, ‘a dead duck’s mouth is still hard’!”

Qi Huang rolled her eyes disdainfully.

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“What? So we’re just letting this go?”

Xia Wei protested indignantly.

“What else do you want?”

Liu Biao retorted.

Xia Wei wanted to say more, but the young lady beside her tugged at her sleeve, forcing her to shut up. After all, she was still just a servant, it wasn’t her place to overstep.

And so, the farce came to an end. Liu Biao slunk away in disgrace, and the other relatives gradually dispersed.

As always, Qi Huang stayed close to Liu Yingyue’s side, while Xia Wei, still fuming, refused to leave.

“Little Yu, now can you tell me why you went easy on someone like Second Uncle? If we had exposed all his misdeeds, his tenure as clan leader would have ended right then and there. After that, he’d have no authority to order me around anymore.”

Liu Yingyue’s expression was grave.

“Yeah! After all that effort, we got nothing out of it. He’s definitely not going to let this go.”

Xia Wei grumbled.

“Nothing out of it? Oh, it was incredibly effective. Right now, he must despise your great-grandmother.”

Qi Huang gloated.

“What kind of effect is that? If I’d known it’d turn out like this, I might as well have gone through with the marriage alliance. The root problem isn’t solved, and now my great-grandmother has drawn his hatred for nothing.”

Liu Yingyue sounded ready to throw in the towel.

“Isn’t that perfect? Otherwise, why would your Second Uncle make a move against her?”

Qi Huang replied, utterly unbothered.

“Make a move? What move? How do you know Second Uncle would act against my great-grandmother?”

Liu Yingyue asked, startled.

“Simple logic. Killing your father didn’t solve the problem, so naturally, he’d go all the way and kill your grandmother too.”

Qi Huang dropped the bombshell without batting an eye.

“What?!”

Liu Yingyue shot to her feet, her chest heaving violently. “You mean… my father was really killed by him?” she asked in a trembling voice.

“Have I ever lied to you?”

Qi Huang countered.

“But didn’t you say he died because of an evil spirit?”

Liu Yingyue still refused to believe it.

“I also said that the evil spirit might just have been a tool.”

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Qi Huang rebutted, then pulled out the Shadow-Retaining Mirror and aimed it at Liu Biao’s residence. “If my guess is right, your Second Uncle is definitely plotting how to kill your great-grandmother right now. If you want the truth, just watch.”

Half-doubting, Liu Yingyue leaned in, her delicate face drawing close as the mirror began displaying scenes from Liu Biao’s home.

At this moment, Liu Biao had already returned and was drinking gloomily in the main hall.

“Husband, I heard you were back. Why aren’t you resting so late at night?”

Madam Liu entered and inquired.

“Don’t even ask. Tonight, I had planned to finalize Liu Yingyue’s marriage alliance with the Hai family while everyone was present. But who knew that old hag would go back on her word and ruin everything?”

Liu Biao gnashed his teeth.

“What? The Ancestress reneged? Is she not afraid of death?”

Madam Liu gasped in shock.

“That’s exactly what she said. Who knows if she meant it?”

Liu Biao laughed bitterly.

“Husband, did they find out about you retrieving the medicine from the escort agency? Otherwise, why would that old crone be so bold?”

Madam Liu immediately sensed something amiss.

‘What a sharp woman! Pity her cleverness isn’t used for good.’

Qi Huang sighed inwardly, though this was well within her expectations.

“I’ll send someone to the escort agency tomorrow to investigate.”

Liu Biao slammed the table.

“Husband, if—just if—they really do know, what will you do?”

Madam Liu pressed seriously.

Liu Biao said nothing, only drinking in sullen silence.

“Husband, don’t hesitate anymore. You’ve already killed your own elder brother, why balk at the Ancestress? If we can’t marry off Liu Yingyue, how will we explain things to the Hai family?”

Madam Liu reminded him anxiously.

“Let’s confirm the situation first. If they really knew, why didn’t they expose me in front of everyone tonight?”

Liu Biao retorted, still clinging to a sliver of hope.

The couple’s conversation ended there.

“To think our Liu family could produce such a beast!”

Liu Yingyue bit her red lips, her sharp nails scraping mindlessly across the table, producing a grating sound. She didn’t even notice when one broke.

Qi Huang’s heart ached for her. She quickly pulled Liu Yingyue’s jade-like hand back and said, “Now do you believe me?”

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“You knew the truth all along? Why didn’t you tell me?”

Liu Yingyue turned back, her eyes rimmed red.

“We found the murderer, but what about that evil spirit? You don’t want to let it go, do you? That’s why I didn’t tell you earlier, I was afraid you’d act rashly and alert the enemy.”

Qi Huang explained.

“So… you’re using my grandmother to lure out that evil spirit?”

Liu Yingyue finally understood.

“Exactly. I promised you’d get to avenge your father personally. That evil spirit won’t escape either.”

Qi Huang admitted freely.

“But what about my grandmother’s safety?”

Worry flashed across Liu Yingyue’s face.

“Don’t worry. I’ll protect her personally when the time comes, unless you don’t trust me.”

Qi Huang reassured her again.

Liu Yingyue gazed at Qi Huang silently for a moment before nodding firmly.

“By the way, didn’t the old lady send someone to investigate the escort agency today? Any results?”

Qi Huang then asked.

“I’m not sure. Today was too hectic, I haven’t had time to check.”

Liu Yingyue shook her head.

“Let’s go ask her now. We can also explain my plan to her.”

Qi Huang suggested.

The three women soon arrived at the old lady’s residence.

“I sent Little Ju to investigate, but the escort agency said the person who sent the medicine always did so anonymously. The only thing we know is that they’re from Xitong Kingdom.”

Madam Shen shared her findings.

“Xitong Kingdom?”

Liu Yingyue was stunned. “Great-Grandmother, do you have any relatives or friends in Xitong Kingdom?” she asked cautiously.

“None! That’s what puzzles me.”

Madam Shen fell into thought.

“How strange. If they weren’t close to you, why would they send such precious medicine, and keep doing so for twenty years?”

Liu Yingyue was baffled.

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Qi Huang grew impatient, she had no interest in this mystery. “Whoever they are, if you really want to know, investigate later. Right now, we need to deal with Liu Biao.”

She then laid out her plan to Lady Shen.

Upon learning that Liu Biao was the murderer, Lady Shen was naturally grief-stricken. But since her eldest grandson wasn’t completely gone, she quickly steadied herself and agreed without hesitation to act as bait.

“Little girl, I have a question. Even if Liu Biao wants to act against me, how can you be sure he’ll use that evil spirit again?”

Madam Shen then asked curiously.

“Ancestress, a wise person knows that ‘caution preserves one for ten thousand years’. Since he succeeded last time, why would he take the risk of trying something else?”

Qi Huang countered.

“A fair point!”

Lady Shen nodded faintly, then remarked neutrally, “If I’m not mistaken, you investigated the medicine’s origins precisely to use this old woman as bait, didn’t you?”

“The Ancestress is indeed wise. But then again, wasn’t sending me to investigate your plan from the start? We’ve each used the other once, let’s call it even!”

Qi Huang replied calmly.

Liu Yingyue and Xia Wei exchanged bewildered glances.

Lady Shen was momentarily stunned before chuckling in admiration. “For someone so young, your mind is remarkably sharp. Even this old woman feels inferior. What a pity you’re a girl, if you were a boy, I wouldn’t mind letting Yingyue spend time with you.”

“Great-Grandmother! What are you saying?!”

Liu Yingyue’s face turned scarlet.

“No problem! I’m not picky. Men, women, it’s all the same to me!”

Qi Huang immediately declared her stance, but the women all assumed she was joking.

The next day, Liu Biao personally visited the escort agency and discovered that Little Ju had inquired about the medicine’s origins. Realizing the truth was out, his expression darkened.

“Fine. Since that’s how it is, don’t blame me for being ruthless!”

Knowing he had no way back, Liu Biao returned home, preparing to unleash the evil spirit for a final, desperate gambit.

Little did he know, the main hall of Liu Yingyue’s residence was already packed with members of the Liu clan, all invited by Qi Huang to witness the spectacle.

Standing in the center, Qi Huang manipulated the Shadow-Retaining Mirror, broadcasting Liu Biao’s every move in real-time for all to see.

“Sister Weiwei, pass out the cat’s tears. Today, I want the entire Liu family to witness everything.”

She handed the vials to Xia Wei, her voice firm.