Listening carefully, Feng Fei was extremely disappointed: apart from Qing Yan's voice, there was no other sound outside the courtyard.
"Hahaha, you insisted on saving Hui-jie'er, and I did just that. But these three who came were swindlers. They used the wrong medicine and killed Hui-jie'er. They were afraid the people in the courtyard would leak the news, so they killed them all to keep quiet. Just as they were about to escape, I ran into them. Tsk tsk, how could I let such vicious people go? So I wanted to arrest them and report them to the authorities, but they actually resisted and even tried to kill me. So I had no choice but to accidentally kill them."
Qingyan was talking to herself outside the courtyard. The scribe grew increasingly frightened and clung tighter to Tao Hui's arm. Yuanjue, on the other hand, frowned and was about to speak when a strange yet extremely faint sound came from outside the courtyard.
"puff……"
"Bang..." (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to visit (.). Your support is my greatest motivation.)
Chapter Thirty-Five: Secrets
"puff……"
"Bang..."
It sounded like someone had been hit on the head with a club and then fell to the ground.
For some reason, such a thought flashed through Feng Fei's mind.
Feng Fei couldn't help but cover her mouth and chuckle softly, which drew Yuan Jue's attention. Just as Feng Fei was about to explain, the dark and terrifying scene surrounding Huiming Garden slowly dissipated.
Holding Tao Hui's documents, a look of wild joy flashed across his face, and he took a few steps forward, but then suddenly stopped.
"Thank goodness, Miss, we're saved!"
Compared to the clerk's unbridled joy, Feng Fei and the other two were much more composed.
When all the black mist dissipated, Feng Fei saw a person standing behind the courtyard gate.
Feng Fei's heart tightened, and Ming Feng instantly stepped in front of Feng Fei, which moved Feng Fei deeply.
Yuan Jue said softly, "This person is probably Su Zai."
Upon hearing this, Feng Fei looked at Yuan Jue in astonishment. Seeing that he nodded affirmatively, she then looked carefully at the courtyard gate with some hesitation.
It really was Su Zai
Feng Fei thought that Su Zai was Tao Hui's biological father, and that he had earnestly asked them to only have Tao Hui, so he must love Tao Hui very much. And everything at this moment also proved that Su Zai was paying attention to Tao Hui's situation at all times, which is why he arrived in time when Qing Yan surrounded Huiming Garden.
But how did Su manage to get Qingyan to stop?
Feng Fei craned his neck to look to the side, hoping to see if there was anyone else nearby or if Qing Yan was still there. Unexpectedly, he found a person dressed in bright red lying on the ground – it appeared to be Qing Yan. Beside Qing Yan lay a long wooden stick, presumably the "weapon" that had extinguished Qing Yan's ferocity.
The scribe picked up Tao Hui and ran out of the courtyard. Feng Fei and the other two followed without hesitation.
"Father"
Tao Hui actually recognized Su Zai Lai.
Su Zai clearly hadn't expected Tao Hui to recognize him. His face first showed astonishment, then ecstatic joy. Seeing his daughter's outstretched hands, Su Zai didn't hesitate to hug Tao Hui tightly.
"Hui-jie'er..."
Su Zai rested her head on Tao Hui's neck, hugging Tao Hui tightly, and tears involuntarily streamed down her face.
At this moment, Tao Hui surprisingly helped Su Zai wipe away his tears, saying, "Daddy, don't cry. I'll give you something good to eat." She even offered her right hand to Su Zai.
Su Zai was taken aback when he saw Tao Hui's small fist in front of him. He looked down blankly and saw Tao Hui slowly open her palm: "Daddy, you eat."
It turned out to be the cooked lotus root starch that Tao Hui had been eating in the room earlier. Tao Hui grabbed a handful of it in her hand. At this moment, she remembered Su Zai and wanted to give it to Su Zai.
Could it be that Tao Hui wasn't mentally challenged?
Feng Fei couldn't help but look at Yuan Jue, only to see Yuan Jue shaking his head slightly at her.
Confused, she turned to look at Su Zai and Tao Hui again.
"Alright, alright. Daddy, eat."
Su Zai casually ate some cooked lotus root starch from Tao Hui's hand, but after just one bite, she couldn't help but hug Tao Hui and burst into tears: "My poor child, God! Why are you treating my Hui-jie like this? If you have any problems, take them out on me!"
After letting Su vent his anger, Yuan Jue stepped forward and bowed.
"Miss's illness is actually not difficult to treat, perhaps I have a way."
Su's eyes widened instantly. She quickly handed Tao Hui to the scribe to hold, then grabbed Yuan Jue's sleeves and was about to kneel down: "Please save my daughter, I'll do anything you ask!"
Just as Feng Fei was about to agree from behind, Yuan Jue asked, "What can you do to help us?"
Su Zai fell silent for a long while. Then, she took a deep breath, suddenly raised her head, and said, "I can tell you a secret—the secret of why you can't get out."
Yuan Jue, Feng Fei, and Ming Feng both felt a sudden tightness in their hearts. Fortunately, Feng Fei calmly pulled Ming Feng back, otherwise Ming Feng would have blurted out the question immediately.
Yuan Jue stared intently at Su Zai, and asked coldly, "How can I trust you?"
"I have my own way of making you believe me," Su said, kicking Qingyan without any regard for her image, then revealing a disdainful smile.
"You must have seen the desolation in Yangzi Town." Seeing Feng Fei and the other two nod, Su Zai continued, "Actually, this is all because of my younger brother and the people under my feet." When he mentioned his younger brother, Su Cheng, Su Zai's face was filled with loneliness, sorrow, and desolation.
When Yuan Jue and the other two saw that the matter had been brought up with Su Cheng, they all perked up their ears.
"My younger brother has been violent since childhood, but because he is the youngest son in the family, he has always been spoiled. Over time, he has developed into the lawless, fatherless, motherless, brotherless, and disrespectful person he is today. In recent years, he has become even more ruthless and has taken many lives, all because Qingyan wants to collect some kind of souls."
"There seems to be some kind of deal between Su Cheng and Qing Yan. They've only been seeing each other for the last five or six years. I've repeatedly warned Su Cheng not to associate with Qing Yan, but he never listens. Then I talked to Tao Wan about it, but she said it was all baseless speculation and told me not to guess." At this point, Su Zai couldn't help but give a bitter laugh. He didn't know when it had happened, but his relationship with Tao Wan had changed from being loving and affectionate to being estranged.
"Then what does all this have to do with our going to Yangzi Town?" Feng Fei asked, seeing that Su was still immersed in some unpleasant memories.
“Of course there is a connection.” Su Zai quickly composed himself, glanced at Tao Hui in Wenshu’s arms, and then continued, “This is all a conspiracy by Su Zai and Qingyan. But I can’t find out the specifics. However, I do know that the cherry blossom groves near Yangliu Lane in Zhennan are one of their methods. Perhaps you don’t know, but for those cherry blossoms to bloom brilliantly and romantically, they need to be fed with enough flesh and blood.”
Upon hearing Su mention cherry blossom trees, Feng Fei couldn't help but think of the "human pig" wine in Old Man Lü's courtyard in Yangliu Lane, and couldn't help but ask, "Do you know about Su Cheng's 'Bone and Blood Wine'?"
Upon hearing this, Su Zai was taken aback: "Of course I know, this bone and blood wine is a family heirloom recipe of my Su family."
Upon hearing Su Zai's words, Feng Fei and the other two all turned grim.
"You Su family, you actually scoop people up to soak in alcohol!"
"What?!" Su Zai seemed utterly shocked. He took several steps back, then suddenly rushed forward, grabbed Yuan Jue's arm, and shouted, "Is his real?" Before Yuan Jue could answer, he retreated again, utterly distraught. "Impossible, impossible! This bone and blood wine is just made by soaking some qi-tonifying and blood-nourishing medicinal herbs. How could it be made by soaking a person?"
Suddenly, Su Zai pointed directly at Ming Feng, his face contorted with rage as he roared, "Where did this ignorant child come from, daring to slander our Su family?"
"Why should we slander your Su family as a filthy place?"
Ever since Xue Tuan transformed into her original form and began cultivating within the void stone between Feng Fei's brows, Ming Feng has become one of Feng Fei's Achilles' heel. Su Zai's words undoubtedly touched upon this Achilles' heel.
Seeing Feng Fei's furrowed brows, Su Zai calmed down.
"I'm sorry." Su Zai's voice was soft and light, as if it might be blown away by the wind at any moment. "It seems Su Cheng has done this."
In fact, he had already realized this in his heart, but he didn't want to believe it.
"Do you know that Su Cheng used the wine made by these people to entertain your Su family? He even used this 'blood and bone wine' to build your Su family's golden reputation." Yuan Jue said this quietly, which made Su Zai's face turn as white as paper.
"He's going to destroy the Su family." Su Zai's mood plummeted, and he had already foreseen the future of the Su family.
But Su wasn't the type to be easily swayed by gains and losses. Right now, her daughter Hui'er's matter was the most important thing.
"So you all know all this, and I have no more valuable secrets. But if you're willing to save my daughter, I'll repay you even if I have to be your slave." This Su was a man of principle; knowing that kowtowing at such close range was impossible, he suddenly took a step back and knelt on the ground: "Please, save my daughter!"
"Father..." Tao Hui reached out her hand to Su Zai from within the scribe's arms, but Su Zai didn't even glance at her, still pressing his forehead to the ground: "Please save my daughter."
Seeing this scene, Feng Fei felt extremely sorry for him and couldn't help but look at Yuan Jue: "Yuan Jue..."
Yuan Jue had originally intended to treat Tao Hui. However, his personality and habits made him hope to gain some benefit from the matter. So when Feng Fei looked over, Yuan Jue smiled and said, "Then please ask Mr. Su to get up first."
It means that he/she agreed.
Su immediately got up. Just as he was about to have the clerk carry Tao Hui closer, Qingyan, who was lying on the ground, let out a soft groan.
Su Zai's expression hardened. He knew that Qing Yan would definitely mess things up once she woke up. Just as he was about to pick up the long stick on the ground and hit Qing Yan again, he heard a series of dense footsteps coming from afar.
Everyone turned to look.
Unexpectedly, it was Tao Wan who brought a large group of people here.
As soon as Tao Wan got closer, she saw Qing Yan lying on the ground. Her delicate eyebrows furrowed slightly, but she pretended not to see her and went straight to meet Su Zai.
"Are you alright?"
Su Zai coldly withdrew his hand from Tao Wan's and looked away indifferently.
Tao Wan didn't mind, and simply smiled as she looked at Feng Fei: "I wonder if my daughter can still be saved?"
Although Tao Wan's words seemed like a perfunctory response, Feng Fei saw the deep concern and worry hidden in her eyes, and immediately said softly, "Miss's condition is not very serious, we can cure her."
Upon hearing Feng Fei's words, a barely perceptible hint of joy flashed across Tao Wan's face. However, she didn't show it on her face at all, maintaining a calm demeanor: "Oh? Then please ask Miss Feng Fei to take good care of it."
"Of course." Just as Feng Fei was about to say something more comforting, a shout came from the inner room of Huiming Garden.
"Help! Help! There's a ghost!"
Everyone looked and saw Wenqin, her hair disheveled, her clothes tattered, her figure disheveled, and her body covered in wounds.
She stumbled and ran outside, glancing back every now and then, repeatedly calling out, "Ghost! Ghost!"
The piercing sound sent chills down everyone's spines. (To be continued. If you like this work, please visit (.). Your support is my greatest motivation.)
Chapter Thirty-Six: Cooperation
"A ghost...a ghost! Don't follow me, don't!"
Wenqin ran erratically towards the outside of Huiming Garden.
Tao Wan gave a signal to one of the people behind her, and that person stepped forward and restrained Wenqin.