Chapter 321: Every heir of the Marquis of Dingxiang, not a single one omitted, all recorded here!

Little Sima Residence.

The lanterns in the corridor swayed gently in the wind, and their shadows flickered into fragments.

On the bed lay You Wangzhi, his complexion as pale as paper, the silk band around his forehead stained with blood spreading a large dark red.

At the edges one could glimpse a snarling wound where flesh had peeled back.

His eye sockets were sunken, his breathing feeble like a dying candle in the wind.

"Lord, it's time to take the Pill..."

Mrs. You approached, holding a celadon porcelain bowl of medicine; the steam rising from its rim blurred the tenderness in her eyes.

She half‑lifted him onto a soft pillow, moving so lightly as if afraid to shatter a piece of glass.

"Open your mouth," she whispered, her voice low and tinged with a barely perceptible tremor, as the wooden spoon touched his cracked lips.

"Um."

You Wangzhi answered, then let the brown medicine slip in slowly, his brows suddenly knitting, "So bitter!"

The bitter sting hadn't faded when his throat involuntarily tightened, a sudden wave of itchiness surging up.

"Cough... cough cough..."

You Wangzhi couldn't help but cough lowly, at first a few shallow sounds, then quickly merging into a light cough.

The tremor in his chest tugged at the wound on his forehead, pain causing a cold sweat to bead instantly on his brow, the blood under the silk deepening further.

"Lord, are you alright?"

Mrs. You hurriedly set the bowl down, one hand steadying the back of his neck, the other gently patting his back, her palm clearly feeling the rapid rise and fall.

When his coughing eased, Mrs. You lifted her hand, the pad of her finger gently wiping the medicine from his mouth corner; the skin she touched was icy, dotted with fine cold sweat.

His eye sockets had turned red at some point, like cherries soaked in water, the vapor hazing his lashes.

He blinked again, and warm droplets ran down his cheek, falling onto the brocade quilt over his chest, spreading a small dark stain.

"No problem!"

You Wangzhi, regaining some strength, noticed his wife's unusual expression and asked, "Madam, what's wrong with you?"

"I'm so scared!"

Mrs. You could no longer hold herself, her knees gave way, she leaned into You Wangzhi's arms, careful not to press his wound, burying her face in the hollow of his neck as her shoulders trembled violently.

Large tears fell, scorching as they landed on his collar, instantly soaking a patch: "I'm afraid, Lord, you will never wake up again..."

"That day when you were carried back from the palace, I was truly terrified!" She could no longer hold back, her voice trembling wildly, like a leaf tossed by a gale.

"Wuwuwu!"

The horror of that day remained vivid in her mind...

Mrs. You almost fainted on the spot, but she forced herself to stay upright.

Because she knew the household could not be without its pillar.

"Don't cry!"

You Wangzhi moved his throat, using his last bits of strength to raise his lead‑heavy arm another inch, his trembling fingertips brushing his wife's tear‑soaked cheek.

His rough finger pads gently wiped away the tears under her eyes, soothingly saying, "Isn't the husband fine now?"

He paused, then continued, "Before the pillar incident, I had already taken the life‑saving Pill given by Supervisor Chen!"

That night, Supervisor Chen, after arranging the current pillar‑assault assassin, slipped him a Pill.

It was said to protect the heart meridian, preserve a breath, so that even a severe wound could still be healed...

Therefore, before ascending the hall, You Wangzhi had already taken the medicine!

Mrs. You's sobbing abruptly stopped; through her blurred, tear‑filled eyes, the usually gentle gaze suddenly showed a hint of wariness and unease.

She lifted her hand, grasping the one still on her cheek, her finger pads clutching his icy fingertips, her voice still tinged with sobbing yet more urgent: "Lord, you trust the Bright Mirror Office supervisor too much, don't you?"

"How can we know if that Pill is real or fake?" Mrs. You's speech quickened, doubt rising like tide in her eyes, "Could it be deceiving you?"

Mrs. You was skeptical about the life‑saving Pill's authenticity.

If it were false, it would be the Bright Mirror Office supervisor's deception...

Thinking of that, she bit her lip hard, refusing to think further, gripping his hand tighter, her knuckles whitening.

"That Pill is definitely real and absolutely effective!"

You Wangzhi's fingertips brushed lightly in his wife's palm; though weak, his gaze suddenly sharpened like a cold star flashing in the dark.

His voice was low but carried an unshakable certainty, each word grinding out as if from between his teeth, leaving no room for doubt.

"Lord, are you so sure?" Mrs. You asked, puzzled.

"Of course!"

You Wangzhi gave a slight nod, his gaze landing on his wife's frantic face; the wound on his forehead throbbed slightly as he spoke, yet his tone remained steadfast: "Because I, as this pawn, am still useful to Supervisor Chen, greatly useful!"

"He would never let me have any danger to my life..."

That confidence seeped from the cracks of his bones, overwhelming his frailty.

You Wangzhi dared to gamble because he knew his own worth.

He was certain that Supervisor Chen would never let him get into trouble...

Otherwise, he wouldn't risk his life and fortune to attempt such a perilous move!

"Lord, if something else happens to you, what should I do?"

Mrs. You's tense back suddenly relaxed, all her worries and doubts drowned by a wave of lingering fear.

She leaned back into his arms, her cheek against his collar, shoulders beginning to tremble lightly again, her sobs thin yet endless, like beads on a broken string, "Wuwuwu!"

"Dong, dong, dong!"

The door was gently knocked; a servant lowered his voice outside to report, "Lord, the Bright Mirror Office's Supervisor Chen is here to visit!"

As soon as the words finished, You Wangzhi's relaxed shoulders snapped upright, the weakness in his eyes fading, the sharp vigor suppressed by illness resurfacing, and he, barely able to speak, ordered, "Quickly, invite them!"

"Please go to the Shufang!"

Immediately, when he turned his head to look at the lady in his arms, You Wangzhi's gaze took on a hint of urgency: "Madam, quickly… quickly change my clothes!"

"Yes." Madam You's eyes reddened as she answered.

The candlelight in the corridor flickered with their footsteps; You Wangzhi leaned half his body on his wife's shoulder, and with each step the wound at the corner of his forehead felt as if struck by a blunt weapon.

Cold sweat trickled down his temples, yet he clenched his teeth and made not a sound.

The moment the Shufang door was pushed open, the figure seated at the desk slowly lifted his eyes.

He wore a dark black Brothel, the collar embroidered with dark silver cloud patterns; candlelight fell on his face, half lit, half shadowed, his gaze unfathomable.

It was none other than Chen Yan, who had come to pay his respects.

"Apologies for keeping you waiting, Supervisor Chen…," You Wangzhi steadied himself with his wife's support, gave a slight nod, his voice hoarse from blood loss yet tinged with a deliberately maintained calm.

Speaking, he leaned on the desk edge and slowly sat down on the chair opposite.

Madam You stood behind, scrutinizing the young Supervisor.

"Not waiting long!"

Chen Yan smiled faintly, appraising You Wangzhi from head to toe, and asked with apparent concern, "Is the young Sima's injury much improved?"

"Much better…" You Wangzhi nodded and replied.

"What are those large hemp bags holding?"

"Why is there such a heavy smell of blood?"

"And why are they so bulging?"

Madam You's peripheral glance caught several large hemp bags at Chen Yan's feet, their mouths tightly bound with coarse rope, swollen and oddly shaped.

What tightened her heart further was a thick, heavy scent of blood drifting out of the bag openings with the evening breeze, mingling with the candle's aroma, spreading through the Shufang, the stench making one's nostrils raw.

The smell of blood was so intense it could not be the ordinary scent of slaughtered livestock; it seemed more like…

But before Madam You could fully register her shock, Chen Yan spoke, "Young Sima, regarding the promise to you, this Supervisor will see it through…"

"All the heads of Marquis Dingxiang's offspring, not a single one missing, are all here!"

"Please verify!"

Saying so, he gently raised his hand, signaling the embroidered‑clad messengers behind him to untie the bags.

What rolled out were individual heads!

The hair bun was in disarray, eyes wide open, faces still frozen in terror and pain, they were the offspring of Marquis Dingxiang!

The smell of blood instantly erupted throughout the Shufang, so intense it nearly suffocated anyone.

"So these are all the heads of Marquis Dingxiang's sons?!"

Madam You felt a chill surge from her feet to the top of her head, her blood seeming to freeze, astonished, she gasped inwardly.

She paused, then thought, "No wonder the lord used his own life as a shield, also needing to cooperate with Chief Supervisor Chen?!"

At that moment, Madam You finally realized…

Changde killed the You family's bloodline nearly to extinction, and also wants the Chang lineage completely eradicated!

Retribution upon retribution!

With such tempting terms of cooperation, no wonder her own husband could not refuse…

"Hahaha!"

You Wangzhi's gaze fell on those Human Heads, at first scanning calmly, then suddenly he let out a low laugh.

The laugh at first carried a post‑illness weakness, but quickly grew louder, revealing a certain exhilarating satisfaction: "Supervisor Chen, you truly are a man of promise!"

He patted the desk, and the wound at the corner of his forehead bled anew from the vigorous motion, yet he seemed unaware.

Eradicating the Chang bloodline, all the price he paid was worth it!

"Changde slit his wrist and committed suicide in prison!"

"The Marquis Dingxiang's manor has been seized by my Mingjing Department!"

"All the women have been filled into Jiaofang Si, to be slaves and maids for generations!"

Chen Yan's mouth twitched slightly as he spoke casually.

"Fine, fine!"

You Wangzhi steadied himself on the desk, rose, his steps wavering from blood loss but he forced his posture steady, and repeatedly cupped his hands toward Chen Yan: "I, You, owe Supervisor Chen a great favor…"

Had it not been for the aid of this Mingjing Department Supervisor, he alone would have found this step nearly impossible.

"Young Sima, you are being modest!"

Chen Yan waved his hand, smiled lightly, and said, "This Supervisor has utterly eradicated the Chang lineage; not only am I helping you, but also helping myself…"

"Regardless, I, You, will forever remember this kindness!" You Wangzhi bowed deeply again, the gauze on his forehead tugged, dark red blood beads sliding down his cheek, dripping onto his collar.

"Young Sima, you have offended two senior pillars at court…"

Chen Yan rose, lifted You Wangzhi's hand, and said meaningfully, "Zhao Qian's heart is narrow, Dugu Zhao's eyes will surely seek revenge; once he makes a move, it is absolutely impossible to spare you and the household of this manor!"

"I, You, understand!"

You Wangzhi, hearing this, knew he had no way out, nodded heavily, and in a deep voice said, "I shall charge ahead for the Great Tomb Steward and the Supervisor, fighting those two until death!"