Yuan Jue smiled enigmatically without answering. (To be continued. If you like this work, please vote for it on Qidian (.). Your support is my greatest motivation.)
☆, Chapter Thirty-One Analysis
Seeing that Jin Ming was only holding the relic, and Yuan Jue was looking like he couldn't reveal a secret, Ming Feng immediately jumped up and down anxiously: "What are you two doing? Hurry up and put it on Fei Fei!"
Jin Ming was taken aback, touched his nose, and handed the relic to Yuan Jue with great embarrassment.
After Yuanjue took it, he scooped out a red rope that he had found somewhere and began to weave it around the relic.
Feng Fei watched with great interest as the red rope turned in Yuan Jue's hands. In no time, a knot was tied, and the relic was wrapped in the red rope, neither conspicuous nor cumbersome.
"It's really beautiful," Feng Fei couldn't help but exclaim.
Yuanjue handed the knot to Fengfei, indicating that she should wear it herself, but Fengfei glanced at the knot and a troubled look appeared in her eyes.
Yuan Jue quickly realized the crux of the matter. It seemed that the vengeful spirit within Feng Fei's body also knew the power of this relic. Although it couldn't suppress Feng Fei's soul at the moment, it still affected Feng Fei's behavior.
At that moment, Yuan Jue smiled, straightened up, and walked to Feng Fei's bedside to help Feng Fei put on the tassel.
As soon as the net tied with the relic was hung around her neck, Feng Fei felt relaxed all over, and even the jade-gold spiritual power in her body seemed to be circulating much faster.
"So comfortable"
Looking at Feng Fei's charming smile, Yuan Jue felt a strange joy flash through his heart, so fast that he didn't even realize it himself.
"Alright, since that's the case, let's analyze the situation and make other plans. Being stuck in Yangzi Town all the time isn't a good thing." Yuan Jue turned around and sat back down at the table, casually playing with the jade pendant at his waist.
Feng Fei agreed, then threw off the covers and got out of bed. He walked to the table, poured himself a pot of tea, drank it down, and said with a sigh, "This is the most comfortable moment I've had lately."
Everyone in the room understood Feng Fei's meaning, and seeing his relieved and happy appearance, they all burst out laughing.
"Alright, stop laughing. I've been suffering for days. Can't I even complain a little?" Perhaps because he had been holding it in for a while, Feng Fei suddenly became extremely lively. Everyone nodded in understanding, but the uncontrollable curve of his lips and the undisguised smile in his eyes made Feng Fei a little shy.
"Ahem." After making a show of it, Feng Fei said with a straight face, "Since entering Yangzi Town, I've been the one who's suffered the most, so I'll go first."
Feng Fei looked around and, seeing that both Da Bao and Xiao Bao had serious expressions, continued with satisfaction, "Upon entering the town, we must have entered this strange cycle of Yangzi Town. And Jin Ming's statement that we can't get out must have been going on for quite some time." At this point, Feng Fei paused, looked at Jin Ming, and saw Jin Ming nod affirmatively. She then smiled gently at him.
"And the matter of Xuanlang and Yuanqing is probably true. After all, the ghost-guided technique has existed without exception since its inception. Everyone who has been in life is an extremely kind person who died unjustly and thus naturally acquires this ghost technique. Yuanqing should have lost her mind like the vengeful ghost inside me. But because of that magical bead, she has become more and more lucid." Feng Fei's words were well-founded, and everyone in the room nodded in agreement.
"Then there's Old Man Lü in Yangliu Lane. It turns out that Yuanqing and her husband had helped them escape Su Cheng's clutches multiple times. Moreover, Old Man Lü's youngest son and daughter-in-law were also brutally murdered by Su Cheng, showing that Old Man Lü's family were also victims. But today, Yuanjue, Mingfeng, and I went to Yangliu Lane and discovered that Old Man Lü was actually a member of Su Cheng's household. And he seemed extremely powerful. I just can't figure out the connection."
Feng Fei stopped here, puzzled. After going through the whole story again, he continued, "When I was in Old Man Lü's courtyard in Yangliu Lane, I could see the old locust tree that Yuan Jue Mingfeng couldn't see. It was that old locust tree that led me to discover the human pig in the backyard. Now that I think about it, that old locust tree might be the transformed spirit of those who were turned into human pigs. I just happened to be a ghost, so it took the opportunity to enter my body."
The thought of another soul inside his body made Feng Fei feel a little uncomfortable, but then he remembered that he was just an outsider and immediately felt relieved.
"That's all I can think of. The rest is up to you."
Feng Fei took a cup of warm tea and sat down on the couch next to him. Although the couch was not as comfortable as a bed, it was much softer than a chair or stool.
Yuan Jue glanced at Feng Fei with amusement, but didn't point it out.
"According to Feng Fei, all these things were just orchestrated by Su Cheng?" Jin Ming also had many questions in his mind, and he couldn't help but ask them one by one. "I suppose you don't know either. I asked some people in the town, and they didn't know that there was a 'Lu Mansion' in Yangliu Lane. I'm afraid that this Old Man Lu was just made up. But the couple in love received a lot of favors from Old Man Lu. I really don't understand."
Mingfeng immediately interjected, "Could it be that Old Man Lü is deliberately helping the Yuanqing couple, making them think he's a good person, and therefore trusting him completely? Is that why Old Man Lü has been able to find out where the Yuanqing couple lives so many times?"
Mingfeng's words struck Fengfei and the others like a heavy hammer blow.
They hadn't even considered that direction.
If Old Man Lü had been deliberately trying to get close to the Yuanqing couple from the beginning, then given their naive and innocent nature, he would surely have completely trusted and entrusted himself to them.
"I'm afraid... he was poisoned by Mingfeng." Yuan Jue muttered quietly, but he was already certain in his heart.
The room fell silent; you could hear a pin drop.
“Perhaps…” Feng Fei thought of defending Old Man Lü, but then he remembered his words and actions at the Lü residence in Yangliu Lane, and stopped talking.
At this moment, Jin Ming seemed to have thought of something again, and slapped his thigh, exclaiming, "Do you remember the innkeeper said that the Su family's rise to prominence in Yangzi Town only happened in the last few years? And the Yuanqing couple died almost four or five years ago. The Su family's prosperity began about seven or eight years ago, and at that time, Su Zai, the eldest son of the Su family, had only been married into the Tao family for a short time. Could it be that someone from the Tao family was behind this? Don't forget, before Su Zai married into the Tao family, the Su family was just a large household, not the powerful family that people in town describe now."
Upon hearing this, Yuan Jue's heart stirred. After a moment of contemplation, he continued, "Jin Ming's words make a lot of sense. The Su family isn't really a family with a deep foundation. In many aspects, even the servants of the Tao family are probably much stronger than the Su family. We should investigate the Tao family thoroughly..." As he spoke, his voice lowered, as if he was thinking about how to proceed.
Everyone else in the room looked at Yuan Jue, and then at the others. Except for Jin Ming, who occasionally showed some cleverness, Ming Feng was rather slow to grasp things, while Da Bao and Xiao Bao, though not stupid, were rather oblivious. Feng Fei was quite calculating, but she lacked understanding of this world, and her considerations were often less thorough than Da Bao's.
Therefore, the task of planning and strategizing fell to Yuan Jue.
After a while, Yuan Jue finally relaxed his brow. He poured himself a cup of tea, only to be surprised to find that everyone in the room was looking at him.
Yuan Jue coughed slightly, then smiled and said, "How about this? Feng Fei and I will take Ming Feng to the Tao family. I've heard that the Tao family patriarch, Tao Wan, is a very powerful woman. As for Jin Ming, you go to the Su residence. Today, I saw them carrying that 'human pig' and wine back, so there will probably be a banquet tonight. Go and investigate quietly to find out what the pretext of this banquet is and who will be going back. It would be best if you could find out Su Cheng's purpose."
Jin Ming spat, "Do you think I'm a god? Find out Su Cheng's motives, then find out!" But then, glancing at Feng Fei's thoughtful and worried face, he changed the subject. "Alright, alright, I'll do my best. Just wait for good news."
Before the words were even finished, Xiao Bao hurriedly asked, "What about us brothers? Are we still going to stay and guard this inn?"
Yuan Jue chuckled and reassured Xiao Bao, "Well, although you're still in this copper coin shop, it doesn't mean you can do nothing. First, you need to leave us a way out. I have a feeling there's some kind of conspiracy in Yangzi Town. Second, this copper coin shop might also be a bit suspicious. You need to investigate it carefully, but remember not to let the shop owner or the two waiters know what you're doing."
Seeing that Da Bao and Xiao Bao nodded eagerly, Yuan Jue continued with a smile, "Actually, you did a great job. If you hadn't decorated this room with so many things, we wouldn't dare to sit here openly discussing secrets without taking any precautions. You only spent a morning decorating; you must be tired, right?"
Xiao Bao quickly waved his hand and said, "How could it be tiring for what we do? Hehe, actually we did a lot of this when we were inside the sect, it's all very familiar to us." Da Bao, standing to the side, nodded repeatedly, indicating that everything his younger brother Xiao Bao said was true.
Yuan Jue nodded slightly, then looked at Feng Fei gently: "With this distribution, do you have anything to add?"
Feng Fei shook her head. Yuan Jue's arrangements were always meticulous, and it was fortunate that she didn't cause any trouble.
"Then let's split up and do our own thing."
Jin Ming and Da Bao were both filled with excitement, eager to produce results immediately; Ming Feng, on the other hand, followed Yuan Jue's example, adopting a calm and collected demeanor as if nothing was amiss. Feng Fei and Yuan Jue stood up at the same time, beckoned Ming Feng over, and then went downstairs.
As soon as they went downstairs, Feng Fei and his two companions ran into the innkeeper, who had just returned from outside.
"Oh dear, where are you three going? It's not peaceful outside." Perhaps having seen his son and daughter-in-law, the gloom between the innkeeper's brows dissipated considerably, and his words became extremely cheerful.
Feng Fei replied angrily, "Greetings, Boss. The three of us plan to pay a visit to the Tao residence."
The innkeeper's expression changed slightly, and he said somewhat awkwardly, "I would like to ask the official to take a look at Tao Hui, the daughter of the Tao family. She was frightened by my daughter-in-law. I feel uneasy and guilty about it."
Feng Fei and Yuan Jue exchanged a glance, and then Yuan Jue stepped forward and said, "Yes, please rest assured, boss, we will do our best."
"You are all such good people. Good people will be rewarded."
The innkeeper burst into tears, as if touched by a painful memory. He disregarded Feng Fei and the other two, and dejectedly walked upstairs.
"Actually, the boss is also a pitiful person."
"Hmm..." (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to visit (.). Your support is my greatest motivation.)
Chapter 32 Tao Shi
Feng Fei and his two companions walked down the street, their fine clothes attracting much attention. Normally, their attire would be quite ordinary, but at this moment, the streets of Yangzi Town were only occupied by people wearing linen clothes with the patchwork of the Calamity Keeper.
The people on the street glanced at Feng Fei and his companions for a moment before quickly slipping away, as if they were terrifying, man-eating monsters.
This fear of himself made Feng Fei feel depressed for a while, while Yuan Jue and Ming Feng remained calm, which made Feng Fei envious.
Before long, Feng Fei and his two companions arrived at the gate of the Tao family mansion.
Because the Tao family was famous for its ceramics, in addition to two majestic stone lions, various types of porcelain made of bluestone were displayed on both sides of the gate of the mansion. These bluestone porcelain pieces had foundations buried in the ground and were watched over by family members at all times, so these bluestone porcelain pieces had never been damaged or lost.
Although few people in the town go out anymore, the Tao family still sends servants to guard the gatehouse.
The gatekeepers spotted Feng Fei and his two companions heading towards the Tao family mansion early in the morning and immediately sent someone to deliver the message to the back.
Feng Fei and the other two stood in front of the mansion gate, and Yuan Jue spoke up: "I am Yuan Jue, and I have come with friends to pay our respects to the Tao clan chief."
The gatekeeper was immediately impressed by Yuan Jue's polite and refined demeanor. However, since news of the master had not yet arrived, he could only leave through the large door, his muffled voice coming from across the gatehouse: "Please wait a moment, young master. We have already sent someone to inform the master."
Yuan Jue glanced gratefully at the servant, then stood aside with Feng Feimingfeng and waited quietly.
Before long, a series of hurried footsteps came from inside the Tao family mansion. With the sound of Longlong's father's clothes fluttering, the gate slowly opened.
First to emerge was a middle-aged woman in a brocade robe. Behind her were two servants. One was panting, presumably the servant who had gone to deliver the message earlier; the other, with a shy expression, was the servant who had spoken to Yuan Jue through the gatehouse.
Yuan Jue first calmly sized up the newcomer, who was not Tao Wan, the patriarch of the Tao clan.
With just one glance, Yuanjue came to this conclusion.
However, since she was able to represent Tao Wan in greeting people, it was clear that she held a high position in the Tao household.
Sure enough. The woman then introduced herself: "I am Tao Lan, the steward of the Tao family. Fortunately, the people in the family call me Mama Lan. If the three of you do not mind, you may also call me that."
Tao Lan wore a distant smile, yet it was never impolite. This immediately made her likable.
Fengfei and the other two couldn't help but call out "Mother Lan".
Tao Lan's face immediately lit up with a smile, which, unlike her previous perfunctory manner, now carried a hint of sincerity.
"Please come with me, the three of you. The patriarch is waiting in the hall." Tao Lan waved her right hand slightly forward and led Feng Fei and the other two to the hall in the front courtyard.
"May I ask what brings you three here?" Tao Lan turned slightly to Feng Fei, her tone slightly probing, yet not in an offensive way.
Feng Fei did not answer, but looked at Yuan Jue instead.
Yuan Jue was somewhat surprised, but then he remembered that the Tao clan had always been led by women, so they valued women even more. So, Yuan Jue smiled and nodded to Feng Fei, signaling her to go ahead and do as she pleased.
This scene, however, displeased Tao Lan.
However, Tao Lan did not show it on her face and still looked at Feng Fei with a gentle expression.
Feng Fei bit her lip. After a moment's thought, she said apologetically, "Aunt Lan, I'm so sorry. This matter is a bit..." The lingering meaning in her words made Tao Lan realize that this was not a good thing, nor was it an easy matter.
Thinking of this, Tao Lan wanted to ask some more questions, but then she arrived at the hall.
A fleeting hint of regret flashed across Tao Lan's eyes, but she smiled and said, "Please come with me."
As Feng Fei ascended the steps, the entire hall gradually came into view.