Chapter 230: His Heart is Punishable

A look of hesitation appeared on Luan Bao's face.

Luan Jingfu whispered, "Bao'er, do not be soft-hearted!"

"For a man, cowardice and lack of resolve are a supreme disgrace!"

"Besides, do you think that old codger has any good intentions? Why did he have Wang Dean come find us father and son the moment Duan Rong blocked the door? He is trying to drag me into the mud, terrified that others might not know I am involved in this! His heart is truly punishable!"

When Luan Bao walked out of his own mansion gate, his expression was as gloomy as the cold, overcast weather of the twelfth lunar month.

Luan Bao returned to the Backyard Accounting Office heavy with worry. He paced there in the Main Hall for a long time before finally making up his mind, walking with heavy, slow steps toward the Dongjia Room where Xu Shouxian was being held.

Luan Bao said to the Guard watching the door, "The Manager asked me to ask the Chief Accountant Xu a few questions. Stand further away, and do not let anyone come near!"

"Yes!"

Seeing that the Guard had moved to the entrance of the Corridor, Luan Bao pushed the door open, entered, closed it behind him, and looked with a cold gaze at Xu Shouxian, who was sitting behind the desk.

Xu Shouxian's eyes were vacant, like a withered bone stripped of its soul, sitting there in a daze.

Luan Bao walked a few steps closer and said, "Chief Accountant Xu!"

Xu Shouxian turned his head somewhat stiffly, his eyes unfocused, looking blankly at Luan Bao.

Just at this moment, Luan Bao's figure flickered, and he stood behind Xu Shouxian. The Belt hidden in his bosom, at the same instant Luan Bao flashed over, had already wrapped around Xu Shouxian's neck like a python.

Luan Bao felt a bit of panic in his heart, pulling hard on the belt in his hands, strangling Xu Shouxian's neck with all his might.

Xu Shouxian's heart had already turned to ash, but with his windpipe being strangled, he immediately found it difficult to breathe. His brain lacked oxygen, his eyeballs rolled back, and his primal instinct for survival began to emerge, his hands and feet flailing about wildly...

Luan Bao's voice muttered in his throat, "Xu Shouxian, you are already a withered bone in a grave! Why struggle? Just die!"

As Luan Bao spoke, it seemed more like he was talking to himself. The sound in his throat seemed to dissipate his panic. Luan Bao's eyes began to turn ruthless, and he added more force to his hands, pulling Xu Shouxian up from the chair, his legs dangling off the edge, his buttocks suspended in the air...

After a few breaths, Xu Shouxian had gone limp like a noodle, his hands hanging down powerlessly...

Luan Bao strangled him for a while longer before letting go. He wiped the fine sweat from his forehead and tested Xu Shouxian's breath, discovering that Xu Shouxian was completely dead...

Luan Bao looked at Xu Shouxian's face and was suddenly startled, subconsciously taking half a step back...

Xu Shouxian's eyes were wide open, staring at him, and at his neck, the ligature marks were bruised and deep into the flesh...

Luan Bao steadied himself before looking up at the roof beam.

He untied Xu Shouxian's belt, hung it on the beam, then carried Xu Shouxian up onto the desk and hung the corpse on the tied belt, creating the illusion that Xu Shouxian had hanged himself.

After finishing all this, Luan Bao calmed his mind, straightened his clothes, and walked slowly out of the room.

After Luan Bao went out, he closed the door properly and looked at the Guard, saying, "Watch the Chief Accountant Xu well; no one is allowed to go in and disturb him!"

"Yes."

One hour later, it was time for the noon meal.

Although Xu Shouxian, Wang Dean, and Zhu Shicheng were all being held in separate rooms, Ruan Fengshan had already ordered that no one be allowed to contact them.

But they could not be left to starve.

Luan Bao pointed to two Guards, telling them to go to the Middle Courtyard canteen to collect the food and send it in for them to eat.

One of the Guards arranged by Luan Bao to be responsible for delivering the food carried the food box and opened Xu Shouxian's door.

The moment the young Guard pushed the door open, he froze there. His hands trembled, and he barely managed to catch the food box as it slipped from his grasp. The Guard turned his head and shouted, "Chief Accountant Xu... he has hanged himself!"

Ruan Fengshan and Ma Chunying were lying on the bed together. Ma Chunying was awake, holding a fan and fanning the sleeping Ruan Fengshan...

Ruan Fengshan snored lightly; even when he was asleep, his eyebrows were knitted into a ball.

He had not slept all night; he and Luan Jingfu had both put in much effort for the Filthy Blood Sect's operation in the neighboring county. Moreover, as soon as he returned to the Escort Agency, he encountered the matter of the bad accounts in the Accounting Office.

The accounts being in such a mess had a significant impact on Ruan Fengshan's state of mind!

Ruan Fengshan was sleeping soundly when his Personal Attendant Zheng Wei suddenly appeared behind the screen in front of the bed and whispered, "Master, something has happened!"

After Zhou An died, Ruan Fengshan had handed over the duties of responding and receiving guests to Zheng Wei.

This Zheng Wei did things by the book, not as flexible as Zhou An, but having been a Personal Attendant for many years, he was already quite proficient in matters of etiquette.

As soon as Zheng Wei's words were spoken, the fan Ma Chunying was waving stopped. A few breaths later, Ruan Fengshan opened his eyes.

Ruan Fengshan's voice was dry and hoarse as he said, "Come in and speak."

Zheng Wei lowered his head and walked behind the screen. Light gauze hung from the bed, and Ma Chunying's graceful, naked body was faintly visible.

Zheng Wei glanced at it and lowered his head even further.

"Master, Xu Shouxian has hanged himself!"

"What!"

Ruan Fengshan, naked, pushed aside the gauze curtains and jumped off the bed.

"This old maggot, he wants to die to end it all!"

"Bastard!"

Ruan Fengshan paced the room naked, his face gloomy!

The news of Xu Shouxian's hanging quickly spread through the Escort Agency. Many of the guys who had been frowning suddenly felt a sense of relief; as the saying goes, when a person dies, the debt is cleared!

Ye Tian was the Old Butler of Xu Shouxian's mansion. He was already sixty-seven years old this year, five years older than Xu Shouxian.

He usually dressed elegantly, and although his hair was sparse and white, it was combed very neatly.

This afternoon, he walked out of the Xu Mansion gate all alone and walked along the alleyway toward the outside.

At the entrance of the alley was a shop selling sesame cakes. Ye Tian often bought cakes there, so when he passed the shop, the boss enthusiastically called out, "Old Father Ye, freshly baked sesame cakes, have two!"

Ye Tian smiled and said, "My master has something for me to handle; I will buy some when I return."

The boss glanced at Ye Tian's trembling back; he did not know why, but he felt this old man seemed a bit different today.

Ruan Fengshan had already put on his clothes and was sitting in the back hall, sipping ginseng tea and thinking.

Just at this moment, Zheng Wei walked in slowly and said, "Master, the Old Butler from Xu Shouxian's house has come over, saying he wants to see you."

Ruan Fengshan's cold eyebrows stood up as he said, "Tell him, when it is time to collect the corpse, I will call him! Now tell him to get lost!"

Zheng Wei said, "He is not here to collect the corpse!"

"You aren't here to collect a corpse?"

"He said that before Xu Shouxian died, he entrusted a secret letter to him, saying that if he were to die, he should have the Old Butler deliver that secret letter to you!"

"A secret letter?" Ruan Fengshan's gaze suddenly sharpened, his thoughts churning, and he said, "Let him in!"

Ye Tian had an aged face but a vigorous spirit; he wore a black silk long gown, and upon seeing Ruan Fengshan, he bowed and said, "This old man pays his respects to Manager Ruan."

Ruan Fengshan looked at Ye Tian and said, "Old man, you say that before Xu Shouxian died, he gave you a secret letter!"

"That is correct!"

"Where is the secret letter?"

Ye Tian took a rather thick-looking envelope from the inner pocket of his robe, held it with both hands, and walked in front of Ruan Fengshan.

Ruan Fengshan watched Ye Tian's gait, as he was judging whether this old man possessed martial arts.

Ye Tian placed the letter on the side table next to Ruan Fengshan, then retreated on his own.

Ruan Fengshan glanced at the rather thick letter, pressed his large hand onto it, rubbed it for a moment, and only then picked up a dagger to slice open the seal of the letter.

(End of chapter)