The death of the Yang family’s young master brought immense joy to the Chang family, who had been harassed by the Yang mother and son for years!

Especially after learning that while the Chang young lady’s actions were partly due to her own foolishness, the Yang family’s young master’s scheme was the key, the Chang family was naturally even more furious: after years of helping them, the Yang mother and son showed no gratitude whatsoever, instead biting back like the wolf saved by Dōngguō Xiānsheng!

They had originally thought that the Yang family’s young master would only receive his due punishment after the case was adjudicated, but now that he was dead, the Chang family was overjoyed, shouting that heaven had eyes, and bought firecrackers early in the morning to celebrate.

After the celebration, they simply searched the house, taking out and burning everything related to the Yang family.

After all, for the Chang family, anything related to the Yang family was best left unseen!

It was during this search that they discovered a strange object.

Lin Fei entered the Chang family’s residence and saw the Chang father and son already waiting there.

On the ground lay a pile of half-burnt objects, charred and crackled, with water spilled nearby. Clearly, the fire had been extinguished halfway through when they realized something was wrong.

Seeing Lin Fei approach, the Chang father and son quickly greeted him, bowing and calling him “Sir”. They then pointed to a strange, wrinkled piece of cloth among the objects, saying, “I don’t know what this is! It’s hidden inside the document swearing brotherhood between our two grandfathers!”

Or, more accurately, it was mixed in with the thick document.

What astonished the Chang father and son was the cloth’s peculiar properties!

“It doesn’t burn when exposed to fire; I’ve never seen cloth like this before,” the Chang father and son said. “It must be a rare treasure!”

The Chang father and son knew that their grandfather’s encounter with the Yang grandfather was likely a setup and that Grandfather Yang had falsely accused him of being a thief. They understood that this matter was likely significant and important, and dared not make a decision on their own, so they rushed over to report it.

“Out of curiosity, we picked it up and looked at it,” the Chang father and son admitted. “It looks like a map hiding something!”

Lin Fei picked up the fabric and examined it.

Seeing this, the Chang father and son thought for a moment and then spoke about the fabric: “The sworn brotherhood document between our two grandfathers was originally kept in our Chang family’s possession. After Yang’s grandfather died, Yang’s father came to collect his father’s belongings. We were supposed to have Yang’s father take them back, but a few days later he returned them, saying that the sworn brotherhood between our two grandfathers couldn’t be broken…”

At this point, the Chang father looked somewhat puzzled, and the young master couldn’t help but sneer: “But we didn’t see any deep sworn brotherhood. Instead, Yang’s father and that wolfish father and son from the Yang family are exactly the same—they came to ask for the things first, and then returned them. I wonder what they’re up to.”

What were they up to? A scheme! The constable who had come with Lin Fei couldn’t help but shake his head: They just wanted to extort some benefits from the villains using this item! As for why the item was returned… it wasn’t out of any deep, sworn brotherhood but simply because it was safer at the Chang family’s place. After all, the Chang family, angered and disgusted by the Yang family’s actions, held them in utter contempt and wouldn’t even touch their belongings. Otherwise, the fact that the item was hidden in the documents sent by the Yang family wouldn’t have been discovered so late!

Looking at the map in his hand, Lin Fei lowered his eyes, his expression showing no surprise. He nodded and said, “Though he was a petty person, this calculation was extremely accurate!”

He knew his actions had already disgusted the Chang family, and he also calculated that if something happened to him, the delighted Chang family would burn anything related to him, and then they would inevitably discover this strange fabric.

Therefore, the Yang family’s young master’s threat to those people must have been, “The item is in his hands, hidden in a place no one knows. If something happens to him, the item will definitely be handed over to the authorities!”

Those “wealthy idlers” cherished their lives dearly; after all, their lives were too comfortable in this world, how could they bear to die? They wished they could live forever and enjoy wealth and luxury forever! Naturally, they wouldn’t take the risk, so they kept Young Master Yang alive!

Now that Young Master Yang has suddenly died unexpectedly, those people must have been watching the Dali Temple yamen since early morning! Seeing that the government wasn’t taking any action, and no one was delivering anything to the government, they secretly cursed Young Master Yang for daring to deceive them, but at the same time, they breathed a sigh of relief.

It was precisely because they breathed a sigh of relief and had no worries that they dared to provoke Liu Yuanshi so early in the morning!

Everything made sense now.

So… looking at the markings on the peculiar piece of cloth in his hand, Lin Fei looked up at the sky and said, “Let’s go, it’s just outside the city!”

…

…

Today was Laba Festival for ordinary people, the difference being that they ate an extra bowl of Laba porridge, but for them, it was extraordinary!

Regardless of wind or rain, even if heavy snow sealed off the city, they must leave today.

The auspicious time was the hour of Wu. Placing the special almanac at his side, the Lu Shan Wang no longer showed the arrogance he had displayed when provoking Liu Yuan in the morning, nor the usual ease he had when idling about in Chang’an, fighting cocks and walking dogs. Dressed in a black cloak and ritual robe, Lu Shan Wang sat devoutly at the center of the altar, lifting his eyes to look at the group of imperial clansmen who were dressed the same as him.

“What time is it?” Lu Shan Wang asked.

One of the royal family members glanced at the shadow of a needle on the sundial beside the altar and said, “It’s almost noon!”

The royal family member who answered was no longer as arrogant as usual; he looked devoutly at the coffin in the center of the altar, made of glass and wrapped in countless yellow cloths covered with inscriptions. Through the transparent glass, the figure lying inside could be vaguely seen.

“The time is almost here!” said Lu Shan Wang, licking his lips and looking at the transparent coffin with greedy eyes. “We can absorb the spiritual energy of heaven and earth from the Yin Maiden now!”

The guards who had been restraining themselves from entering the cave fell silent upon hearing this. They looked up at the usually arrogant royal family members sitting there, not daring to place their prayer mats on the ground, sitting on the cold floor, not daring to move an inch. Their devout appearance was rare even among the believers who regularly frequented the temple.

Turning back to Lin Fei, who glanced at the altar covered in talismans, he said calmly, “Arrest them all!”

…

…

The bell for the hour of Wu rang out. Watching a few scattered yamen runners and Wei Fu step into the public kitchen, Liang Hongjin, who had already received her midday meal, could not help but say, “I had been guarding this place all along, fearing I would have to queue, but I never expected that today it wouldn’t be necessary!”

The Dali Temple staff, usually the most eager to eat lunch, were late today because something had delayed them.

Wen Mingtang smiled and shook her head, pouring a spoonful of hot oil onto the suān cài niú ròu bāo in Liang Hongjin’s hand, seasoned with Sichuan peppercorns, dried chillies, and minced garlic.

With a sizzle, the hot oil met the ingredients, accompanied by a flood of oil bubbles, instantly releasing the aromas of the various ingredients!

(End of Chapter)

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