Chapter 22: Overnight Stay at the Liu Residence, the Lady Knocks on the Door!

On the way here, Chen Mo learned roughly about the Liu family's situation from Constable Xing.

The Liu family's ancestors had been second-rank palace guards, a prestigious clan in their own right; later the family fortunes declined, and they moved to this Tongling County seat.

The late family head, Liu Yuan, was himself a seventh-rank martial artist, generous and open-handed, devoted to public duty, and held an excellent reputation throughout the city.

The only thing people criticized him for was:

Being far too obsessed with women.

Seven concubines were still not enough, so he set his sights on his own younger sister-in-law.

The girl had only just passed her hairpin age, and under Liu Yuan's mix of pressure and seduction, she could only compromise and agree to become his co-wife.

Then, on the very night of the grand wedding, something happened...

"The servants' eyes are dull, mice cannot recognize a True Person—my lord must not take offense."

Lady Liu stepped forward, curtsied gracefully, and said, "I, Liu's wife née Qin, greet the Banner Commander, my lord."

Chen Mo raised his eyes and studied her.

Her full figure stretched Ling Yishan taut and round, face bare to the heavens, no powder or rouge, her faintly furrowed brows carrying a trace of frail, sorrowful charm.

A married-woman saintly body plus a widow—her buffs were truly stacked to the max.

"Li Yuan, inspect the goods."

Chen Mo said flatly.

Li Yuan was briefly taken aback, then caught on.

Though she was quite displeased by his high-handed, bossy manner, she still held her tongue, took a pure-white jade stone from her bosom, and walked up to Lady Liu.

"Don't resist."

The jade stone touched Lady Liu's brow.

No reaction at all.

This was a Tongxuan Jade, capable of sensing demonic Qi.

No reaction at such close range meant Lady Liu had not been possessed by any demon or ghost.

Afterward, they called over everyone else in the residence, and after checking each one, confirmed there was no problem.

Looking at the bevy of beauties before him—the whole flock of concubines—Chen Mo shook his head inwardly, thinking this Old Man Liu was quite the ladies' man, feasting on meat and fish every day and still craving a side dish...

But strangely enough, after marrying so many wives and concubines, he hadn't produced even a single son or daughter.

Could it be a gun with no bullets?

"Why don't I see your sister?"

Chen Mo's gaze swept past as he asked.

Lady Liu sighed and said, "From the day the incident happened, Ruyan has been terrified; she's been hiding in her room and doesn't dare come out."

"If you need to test her, I'm afraid you'll have to trouble my lord to go there personally."

On the day of great joy, lifting the bridal veil revealed the groom beside her with an empty head—already a corpse.

It would indeed leave quite a psychological shadow.

"Wan'er, lead the way for my lord."

Lady Liu instructed.

"Yes, my lord, please follow this servant."

A maid led them toward the rear courtyard.

The moment they left, the once somewhat bustling courtyard fell instantly silent—you could hear a pin drop.

Everyone's face was expressionless as they turned in unison to look toward the rear courtyard.

Arriving at a side room, the maid knocked on the door—no answer.

"The Second Young Mistress may be resting..."

Before she could finish, Chen Mo pushed the door open and walked straight in.

The room was dim, no candles, no lamps; a thin, frail woman lay on her side on the bed, her features bearing some resemblance to Lady Liu, her face bloodless, looking sickly and listless.

Perhaps because there was no ventilation, a faint whiff of decay could be detected in the air.

Seeing someone enter, the woman scrambled up in a fluster, her expression somewhat tense.

"Don't be afraid, we're not bad people."

Li Yuan said soothingly.

She walked up to her, took out the Tongxuan Jade—no reaction at all.

Chen Mo frowned and said, "Are you sure this thing actually works? It couldn't be a fake, could it?"

Li Yuan shot him a look, too lazy to respond, then turned her head and asked gently:

"Miss, on the night of the incident, did you notice anything unusual?"

Qin Ruyan slowly shook her head; as if recalling that terrifying scene, her face grew even paler.

Constable Xing said quietly, "We've already questioned her several times—no problem—and when it happened, all the relatives and friends were present, so it shouldn't be her..."

Chen Mo looked at her pretty face and asked, "Liu Yuan forced you to marry him—do you hate him in your heart?"

Qin Ruyan was silent for a moment, then said weakly, "The master treated my sister and me very well; in these chaotic times, to have a place to settle, with food and clothing free from worry, what could I possibly hold a grudge over?"

Chen Mo nodded and said nothing more.

After everyone left, the room fell quiet again.

"Sister, was my acting passable?"

Qin Ruyan tilted her head and said softly.

Her withered frame swiftly filled out, and in the blink of an eye she was identical to Lady Liu!

He opened his mouth, and a slightly mature voice came through:

"The two who came this time are a bit tricky to deal with. Let's first think of a way to get through tonight."

"Just one more blood sacrifice and it'll be a Great Achievement — once it's done, we won't have to be stuck in this dump anymore! The sky's the limit!"

……

He walked out of the back courtyard.

The sun was now setting behind the mountains, dusk slowly settling in.

According to Constable Xing's words, if nothing unexpected happened, something unexpected was bound to happen tonight.

Li Yuan said: "Since the Liu family has no problem, our next step is…"

Chen Mo said lightly: "Who says there's no problem?"

Li Yuan frowned, just about to speak, when Lady Liu swayed her waist and walked over.

"Has my lord finished the investigation?"

"It's getting late, and the city hasn't been peaceful lately. The manor has no choice but to lock its doors. I won't keep you gentlemen any longer."

It was already a polite dismissal.

Chen Mo, hands behind his back, said with perfect seriousness: "This official has a premonition that demonic cultivators may cause trouble in the Liu manor tonight. I've decided to stay here and protect the Lady."

"Cough cough cough!"

Constable Xing nearly choked on his own saliva.

That demon ghost specifically picks men to kill — Lady Liu is far safer than you!

Li Yuan silently spat.

What a sanctimonious act — clearly just lusting after her beauty, harboring improper intentions… She had thought he was different from other men, but now it seemed he was just as filthy!

Lady Liu was a little stunned, and said hesitantly: "Most of the manor's residents are women, and I'm still in mourning for my husband. Wouldn't that be rather improper?"

Chen Mo's expression turned solemn. "These are special times — we must employ flexible measures. How can we fuss over empty formalities?"

His eyes narrowed slightly. "Or is it that the Lady is questioning this official's character?"

"I wouldn't dare…"

Lady Liu, seeing there was no other choice, said: "If that's the case, then thank you for your trouble, my lord. Someone come — show my lord to the west wing to rest."

"Arrange a room for me too, right next to his."

Li Yuan stared at Chen Mo without blinking.

She was going to see exactly what this fellow was up to!

……

The Liu manor's front gate was tightly shut.

Constable Xing stood outside the door and let out a helpless sigh.

Chen Mo's earlier behavior had made him naively believe that this lord had really come to solve the case.

Now it seemed there was no difference between him and that surnamed Yan — both cut from the same cloth…

Watching the last afterglow fade bit by bit on the horizon, Constable Xing's eyes filled with dread — who would be the one to die tonight?

……

In the room, the candlelight flickered like a bean.

Chen Mo sat cross-legged, true essence circulating within his body.

Threads of vital essence gushed out from his acupoints, continuously tempering his physique and nourishing his qi and blood.

Although the people of the Liu manor seemed normal on the surface, and indeed carried no aura of demons or ghosts, the vital essence within his body was somewhat restless — as if there was something here it particularly rejected.

Clearly something was off.

And after the system prompted the triggered event, it went silent.

This was the consistent style of *Jue Xian* — no quest requirements, everything left to self-exploration.

Knock knock knock.

At that moment, the door was knocked, and Lady Liu's soft, sweet voice came from outside:

"My lord, have you rested?"

Chen Mo opened his eyes, a glint flashing in his pupils.

"I'm not coming to explore the Lady, yet the Lady comes to explore me?"