Chapter 12: The Murderer's Identity

"You say there's a Sword Qi inside Ping'an?"

Guo Xuesong was startled, looked up at Wang Ping'an in Liu Dongzhu's arms, and said gratefully, "Could it be that this Faction is possessed by a spirit, attracted by Ping'an? If it weren't for that Sword Qi inside Ping'an, the consequences would be unimaginable. That Great Sword Hero is actually a good man!"

The night was quiet, and the black-clad figure entered the bedroom without a sound; saying he didn't intend any wrongdoing would be impossible.

"Indeed, it's fortunate that the Great Sword Hero infused a Sword Qi into my grandson!"

Wang Lin also sighed, finally noticing Wang Ping'an in Liu Dongzhu's arms, and frowned, "Ping'an looks off; could he be ill?"

"Impossible..."

Liu Dongzhu was about to retort, but under the lantern's light, she saw Wang Ping'an's once rosy little face turn pale, cold sweat beading on his forehead, and she exclaimed in panic:

"Father, come quickly and see—Ping'an, Ping'an seems off!"

Hearing this, not only Wang Lin but also Guo Xuesong rushed over, also noticing something wrong with Wang Ping'an, yet after looking for a long time they could not discern any difference.

Wang Lin asked in surprise, "Scholar, what do you think happened to Ping'an?"

"I'm not a physician; how could I tell what's wrong with Ping'an!"

Guo Xuesong exhaled a heavy breath of foul air, his face full of worry, and said, "Brother Wang, I suggest you summon Wei Langzhong."

"I'll go right away!"

Since his own grandson's safety was at stake, Wang Lin dared not linger. As he rose to leave, he saw Liu Dongzhu holding Wang Ping'an and about to follow, and he hurriedly said:

"Dongzhu, it's windy outside; stay inside and don't take Ping'an out, lest you worsen his condition!"

"Brother Wang, Brother Wang!"

As Wang Lin's front foot stepped away, the rear foot heard Village Chief Cheng Yong's voice; at that moment it was confirmed there was no other danger, and the crowd at Wang Lin's doorway all went back to their homes.

Seeing a room's door open, Cheng Yong briskly entered, did not see Wang Lin, but saw Guo Xuesong and Liu Dongzhu holding Wang Ping'an, and asked:

"Scholar, Dongzhu, are you all right?"

On the way here, Zhang Guihua had already recounted the whole incident to them, so he roughly understood what was happening.

Zhang Guihua panicked, "Dongzhu, where is your father?"

"Mother, father went to fetch a physician for Ping'an!"

Liu Dongzhu said worriedly.

"What's wrong with Ping'an?"

Zhang Guihua instantly became extremely nervous.

"Ping'an..."

Liu Dongzhu was about to answer when Cheng Yong's startled shout was heard.

"Is it him?"

Guo Xuesong was stunned, "Village Chief, do you know him?"

Cheng Yong opened his mouth, his face full of complexity, and sighed, "I can't say I know him; I can only say we've met once. I didn't expect him to die here?"

Guo Xuesong impatiently said, "Village Chief, stop the small talk and tell me who he is!"

"He's someone from Liu Steward's entourage!"

Cheng Yong said.

"Liu Steward..."

Guo Xuesong frowned slightly, and before he could finish speaking, Zhang Guihua shouted profanities, "Beast, that swine-dog worse beast!"

Not only Zhang Guihua was cursing; Liu Dongzhu was weeping like rain, trembling all over, and would have fallen if not for Zhang Guihua's support.

She almost fell to the ground!

Guo Xuesong asked in surprise, "Guihua, what's really going on?"

"Sure enough, my guess was right!"

At this moment, Wang Ping'an also woke from his deep sleep, though he was very weak. While preparing to practice the Purple Qi Classic to restore his body, he heard the commotion and, though he muttered curses inwardly, was not overly surprised. After all, Liu Steward's gaze before leaving had seemed off, leading him to suspect Liu Steward of ill intent.

Indeed.

That night Liu Steward was planning to kill him and his mother!

Zhang Guihua's face turned sour, "Liu Steward is the servant of that beast, just arrived from the Capital City, claiming he was preparing to escort me and the old man to the Capital City."

"I didn't expect that escort to the Capital City was a lie; the real intention was to kill Dongzhu and Ping'an. How could that beast have such a cruel heart?"

"When did that beast become like this?"

Guo Xuesong said expressionlessly.

"Scholar, Guihua, since everything's fine, I'll leave now!"

Cheng Yong wore an awkward expression; he had been worrying about who intended to harm the Wang Family, never expecting it to be a domestic moral tale.

Since it involved the Top Scholar, and possibly even the Prime Minister's daughter, he dared not linger here any longer.

"Wait a moment!"

This novel you to

Guo Xuesong quickly called out to Cheng Yong, who was about to leave.

Cheng Yong froze and said, "Scholar, is there anything else?"

"Village Chief, please drag this corpse out!"

Guo Xuesong, his face grim, pointed at the black-clad corpse on the ground; initially he had worried it was a demon possession, never imagining it belonged to Wang Ruhai's people, so there was no need to stay here searching for evidence.

"Scholar..."

Cheng Yong was about to refuse—after all, he was quite old, and dragging a corpse out is inauspicious—but seeing Guo Xuesong's expression, the words at his mouth got swallowed, and he changed his tone, "Fine, I'll drag this corpse out right away!"

Guo Xuesong, watching Cheng Yong's departing back, instructed again, "Village Chief, please report this to the county office first thing tomorrow morning!"

"I understand!"

Cheng Yong replied.

Zhang Guihua said: "Scholar, it's late. Why don't you go back and rest?"

"Forget it!"

Guo Xuesong looked at the dispirited Liu Dongzhu, knowing that Wang Ruhai had sent someone to harm her life, which was a great blow to her, not less than the divorce letter sent back, he said: "I will stay here tonight to prevent petty people from entering again!"

Zhang Guihua opened her mouth wanting to refuse, but seeing Liu Dongzhu's dispirited appearance in her peripheral vision, she sighed: "Scholar, you're causing trouble!"

"Not troublesome, who let Ping'an be my future disciple?"

Guo Xuesong laughed, was about to leave the bedroom when, in his peripheral vision, he saw a bookshelf nearby, with several yellowed books inside, he casually took one, walked out briskly, and said:

"I'll be sitting in the hall; if anything unusual happens, remember to shout loudly!"

Zhang Guihua also prepared to get up and leave!

"Mom, don't go!"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Guihua's body froze, looking at Liu Dongzhu's flustered appearance, she explained: "Mom won't go; Mom is going out to get a bucket to wash away the bloodstains inside!"

"Mom, come back soon!"

Liu Dongzhu, looking at Zhang Guihua's retreating back, instinctively said something, holding Wang Ping'an, sitting on the bedside, while shedding tears and sorrowfully looking at Wang Ping'an in her embrace, she whispered:

"My child, why is Mother's life so bitter? When you grow up, will you also abandon Mother?"

"No, I will never abandon Mother for my whole life!"

Wang Ping'an secretly swore.

(End of chapter)