Chapter 98: Just Say We Surrender Ourselves
The steward of the Li Marquis Mansion trembled as he lifted his eyes to look at Li Yingling, whose face remained calm and unreadable.
As the householder's trusted retainer, he was the one in the mansion most concerned with this illegitimate daughter.
On the surface, the householder feigned indifference and had not met with Li Yingling or her mother again.
His silence was, in fact, the clearest statement of all.
No one had heard the Marquis utter the word "inauspicious," yet that word still spread throughout the entire residence.
As steward, he had to understand precisely what attitude Li Houye held toward this illegitimate daughter.
After several attempts, the steward finally grasped the Marquis's stance.
Her life and well-being were none of his concern, but the illegitimate daughter must not die inexplicably within the Marquis Mansion.
Although no one dared discuss the matter openly, everyone knew the truth in private.
The Marquis needed face, and so did Li Houye. To bear the reputation of being heartless and ungrateful would be an everlasting stain.
In the past, most simply expressed disdain with a few curses, but there was one matter in which the steward had truly offended Li Yingling.
He had personally arranged the marriage between the Li Marquis household and the foolish son of Minister Wang.
The Li Marquis's power had long declined. Apart from living off old prestige, the household had become a lowly presence in the capital.
When one's own house fails, one must attach to another—and the target was soon chosen: Minister Wang.
After all, his foolish son was infamous throughout the capital.
Li Yingling's mother had low status, but she was indeed the Marquis's daughter, and, most importantly, she was beautiful. Minister Wang had seen her portrait and was satisfied.
The match was socially acceptable, and any issue of status could be settled with a few words.
Everything progressed smoothly because both sides benefited—until the crucial moment when the young Miss of the Li household was abducted.
Then chaos erupted, and the steward, who had been the key instigator, became the target of everyone's condemnation.
So when the steward saw Li Yingling again, the anger he had suppressed all this time finally erupted.
He had ignored the two clear hints from the gate guards, and the pain of his tongue being cut snapped him fully awake.
The Golden Core pressure weighed down like a mountain, leaving him unable to breathe.
Enduring the pain, the steward lowered his head, eyes full of hatred as he stared at the ground.
"You bastard, if you'd gone with that Golden Core cultivator, the Marquis wouldn't have needed Minister Wang at all!"
Li Yingling looked at the steward. In the past, if she had seen this old dog so pitiful, she would have hidden under her blanket, laughing uncontrollably.
She would have thought he deserved to lose his tongue and been grateful to the hero who did it.
Now, however, her eyes swept past the trembling steward without emotion. Li Yingling raised her hand slightly, and the Golden Core pressure from her junior dissipated instantly.
Li Xingtian followed their master's teachings and gave his senior sister full respect.
Wenqing and Qiuling glanced over but said nothing, stepping forward to stand beside them.
As always—an honored guest was still an honored guest.
The commotion drew attention. Soon, a richly dressed middle-aged man surrounded by several guards emerged from the main hall.
Li Yingling's gaze immediately locked on the man.
She had never seen her father before, yet she recognized him at a glance—the father she had never met.
As a child, Li Yingling had imagined countless ways to take revenge—how to torment the heartless man, how to punish those who had humiliated her and her mother.
How to throw the Marquis Mansion into chaos, force her father to kneel and admit his wrongs, and make him promise to treat her mother well.
Childish and laughable.
But at this moment, all those thoughts were crushed beneath a single, overpowering question.
Li Yingling's gaze turned cold as she looked at the man she hated most.
"Where is my mother buried?"
Li Houye's eyes swept over the people standing behind Li Yingling, and when he noticed the two Red-Robed Reception Envoys from Xuanwu Kingdom, his eyes reddened instantly. His voice trembled.
"Yingling, are you doing well? I…"
Boom!
A sharp sword qi blasted the side room on the right into splinters.
A coiling dragon wound along Li Yingling's long sword as she spoke in a hoarse, icy voice, "My mother! Where is she buried?!"
Chu Xingchen led Chen Baiqing forward at a slow pace and quietly stood beside Li Yingling.
Li Houye quickly recognized the handsome young man as the one who had abducted his daughter, yet now the man was dressed in finery and the two reception envoys bowed humbly before him.
At this moment Li Houye understood he must answer the question, but the problem was he could not answer it at all.
Before Li Yingling could press him further, Qiuling spoke: "Li Houye, be clear. Do not hide anything else."
Her words left little room for pretense. Li Houye finally confessed, "The western burial ground."
Li Yingling gave a faint, resigned laugh—expected, yet unbearable. She had not asked before because she knew no one would tell her the truth.
Li Xingtian, standing to one side, spoke without restraint and with obvious murderous intent: "Senior sister, kill them all?"
Wenqing and Qiuling glanced at each other, wondering whether they should intervene now. Li Yingling did not answer; she looked toward Chu Xingchen and forced a smile, saying, "Master, I…"
Chu Xingchen replied softly, "Go. Your master will handle this." Li Yingling nodded gratefully and immediately turned to leave.
Wenqing and Qiuling watched Li Xingtian, whose gaze was cold and who gripped a great blade as if ready to strike at the slightest provocation. Chu Xingchen continued, "Xingtian, accompany your senior sister."
Li Xingtian nodded slightly, sheathed his long knife, and followed in Li Yingling's direction. Wenqing and Qiuling exchanged a look before Qiuling also turned and followed Li Xingtian and Li Yingling; these two had to be watched closely.
Chu Xingchen glanced at the pale, fearful Li Houye and offered reassurance: "Do not be afraid. As long as Yingling has not decided, you will live."
Familiar with Li Yingling's abilities, Chu Xingchen could clearly feel that his senior disciple had almost unleashed a major technique just now. She had not yet figured out what to do. Killing would have been simple, but some matters are not resolved by killing alone.
If Li Yingling had not yet made up her mind, that was her affair; Chu Xingchen's thinking was simpler. If debts must be settled, they would be settled thoroughly.
"Those who bullied Li Yingling and her mother—Li Houye, you will investigate and find them. When my disciple returns to me, I expect every one of them to be standing here, not a single one missing."
"Also, I heard Wang Shangshu issued a wanted decree; bring him along as well." Chu Xingchen smiled lightly, his expression turning cold as he added, "Tell them: Li Yingling and I are surrendering ourselves."
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