Corpse Retriever.

Chapter 310

Zhao Yanglin looked astonished, his eyes filled with disbelief:
"Qin...Liu...Dragon King's family."

Everyone present knew that once Brother Yuan introduced himself, it meant that the Second Master Zhao had no chance of surviving.

The boy pressed down on the umbrella handle to cover his face.

"Boom!"

As another clap of thunder sounded in the sky, everyone sprang into action.

Tan Wenbin raised his arms horizontally, tilted his neck to one side, and positioned his eyes, ears, mouth, and nose to intimidate Zhao Yanglin.

Runsheng charged forward, wielding his Yellow River shovel and bringing it down with all his might. He wasn't afraid that Zhao Yanglin would dodge; he was afraid that Zhao Yanglin wouldn't.

Feeling the intense attack, Zhao Yanglin sensed the terrible danger and instinctively dodged to avoid it.

Lin Shuyou positioned himself in the spot where his opponent was about to dodge, and slammed his double maces down.

The first mace shattered the mist in front of Zhao Yanglin, and the second mace dented his chest.

As he staggered backward from the severe blow, the blood that had been spilled from Zhao Yanglin began to swirl.

Zhao Yi appeared from the side, raised his hand, activated the Zhao Clan's original technique, and struck down with his palm, interrupting his second uncle's last chance to escape.

Liang Yan and Liang Li took turns, piercing Zhao Yanglin's chest with a soft sword and twisting it wildly, before severing his head with a dagger.

"Pfft..."

The headless corpse fell to the ground.

This father and son can agree to meet in the underworld.

"Ugh……"

Zhao Yi sighed, not at his blood-related second uncle, but at Liang Yan and Liang Li.

The Li group acted with almost perfect timing, while Liang Yan and Liang Li arrived a step too late. If Liang Yan hadn't intervened, her second uncle might have been able to struggle a few more times.

But the problem doesn't lie with the two sisters; it's the difference between their leaders.

Zhao Yi picked up his second uncle's head, but before he could speak, he noticed a peculiar fragrance emanating from the corpse.

It is very faint, so faint as to be barely perceptible, yet it is undeniably present.

This feeling was familiar. Zhao Yi subconsciously sniffed himself, as if he had experienced it before.

Zhao Yi: "Can you smell anything?"

Everyone else took a careful sniff, and Tan Wenbin even used his "bull's nose," but in the end, he still shook his head.

Li Zhuiyuan walked up to Zhao Xu's corpse and spread his hands.

The next moment, a tiny, crystalline purple flower slowly bloomed on Zhao Xu's corpse.

Of course, this can only be seen when one is in a state of spiritual descent, therefore, everyone present except Runsheng saw it.

Zhao Yi suddenly realized that it wasn't the taste he expected.

These are spider lilies, imbued with the aura of the underworld.

This group of people had been immersed in the dense fog of Fengdu, and Zhao Yi's life-or-death gate recorded this trace.

The spider lilies on Zhao Xu's body bloomed and then quickly contracted, as if they had wrapped something inside, before disappearing together.

Li Zhuiyuan walked to Zhao Yanglin's body and made the same gesture.

When the red spider lilies bloom, they bind the soul, which then dissipates and returns to the underworld.

The Great Emperor of Fengdu once issued an edict granting the Zhao clan of Jiujiang the title of Marquis.

This is equivalent to leaving a mark on every member of the Zhao family. Of the countless souls in the world, only a small percentage can enter the underworld, but every member of the Zhao family holds a ticket to the underworld.

Zhao Yi held Zhao Yanglin's head up in front of him and said:
"Second Uncle, look how good your nephew is to you. I didn't tell anyone else, but secretly sent you to the underworld to be selected as an official."

After witnessing how the Emperor of Fengdu treated his subordinates, it became clear that being a ghost official in the underworld was actually a form of endless torture.

Tan Wenbin: "When I watched 'Investiture of the Gods' before, I wondered why villains could be deified after they died. Wasn't that a reward for them? Now I understand."

Lin Shuyou: "I understand this isn't a reward..."

Tan Wenbin: "I understand this isn't a villain..."

Zhao Yi: "You don't even need to read myths. Just ask the White Crane Boy. Ask him which was more enjoyable: being a ghost king or a high-ranking official god."

Lin Shuyou's eyelids twitched, and he said, "The boy said that being Li, the corpse retriever from Nantong, is the happiest job right now."

Tan Wenbin: "Outside the team, your two family members have already reported down. After this matter is over, won't your Zhao family become a force to be reckoned with in the underworld?"

Lin Shuyou: "Perhaps in folk tales a hundred years from now, many of the ghost messengers and ghost generals will be surnamed Zhao."

Zhao Yi: "That sounds pretty impressive."

Tan Wenbin: "Aren't you afraid that after you pass away, you'll be reunited with your family in the afterlife?"

"What's there to be afraid of?" Zhao Yi raised his chin and pointed at Li Zhuiyuan. "We have people in the underworld."

Liang Yan and Liang Li took on the task of cutting facial skin.

With their skillful hands, the two faces were perfectly peeled off.

With this as a raw material, the effect of disguise would be excellent, especially since Zhao Yi is a member of the Zhao family.

There are two pictures now, one of a father and one of a son.

Zhao Yi, pinching Zhao Yanglin's face with his left hand and Zhao Xu's face with his right, asked Li Zhuiyuan:
"Brother Xiaoyuan, which one do you choose?"

As he asked the question, Zhao Xu deliberately twitched his face.

Li Zhuiyuan: "You choose Zhao Xu."

Zhao Yi: "Hmm?"

Li Zhuiyuan: "Give Zhao Yanglin face to Brother Binbin."

Zhao Yi: "Zhuangzhuang and I are going in together. Aren't you coming, Li?"

Li Zhuiyuan: "Go."

Zhao Yi: "Zhao Yanglin is tall and strong, while Zhao Xu is thinner. Li, you can imitate Zhao Xu. I'll make a puppet frame for you inside, and you can control it. With your puppetry skills, it will be difficult to find any flaws."

Li Zhuiyuan: "This is too tiring."

Zhao Yi: "Then..."

Li Zhuiyuan: "Let Brother Binbin pretend to be Zhao Yanglin. I will follow Brother Binbin into Zhao's residence. Anyway, Zhao Yanglin has kept many mistresses outside. It's not like he hasn't brought his illegitimate children into the house before."

Zhao Yi: "No, you know that?"

Li Zhuiyuan: "I know."

Zhao Yi: "But the younger generation is more free and easy, and they only associate with the younger generation in the family. But Zhao Yanglin is considered an older member of the family, and he only associates with the old foxes in the family. I'm afraid Zhuangzhuang won't be able to handle him."

Li Zhuiyuan: "Now, I probably understand your second uncle better than you do."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Yi immediately realized what was happening and turned to check on the two corpses.

The two corpses had already begun to decompose rapidly and would soon turn into pus, which was clearly abnormal.

"Hey Li, did you just use the Black Book Secret Technique on both of them?"

"Yes, we read their memories."

"Oh, sure, sure."

Zhao Yi shrugged. He had almost lost half his life trying to get rid of the side effects by using it once by chance, but the guy surnamed Li used this secret technique to gossip about the dead.

Tan Wenbin: "Now, where do we go?"

Zhao Yi: "Come on, let me take you to have breakfast first."

The store was already open for business before dawn.

The plump proprietress was cutting braised meat, while the bald proprietress, with a cigarette dangling from her mouth, was shirtless and setting up tables and chairs.

When Zhao Yi appeared, the shopkeeper immediately spat out the smoke from his mouth, and his wife dropped the knife in her hand. The two faced Zhao Yi and said very respectfully:
"Master."

Zhao Yi waved his hand and said, "I have a job to do, and while I'm at it, bring a few of my friends from out of town for an early morning drink."

The boss immediately bent down, preparing to move the tables and chairs that had just been moved out back in.

Zhao Yi: "No need for that. There's no need to treat us specially. What's the point of drinking without some local flavor?"

"Yes, young master, please have a seat with your distinguished guests. I will prepare for you right away."

Liang Yan handed the black package containing two human faces to the proprietress.

The proprietress responded and took the package into the kitchen.

Zhao Yi gestured for everyone to sit down and said to Li Zhuiyuan, "After getting caught in the rain, your muscles and bones are loosened. A little wine can help relieve your fatigue."

Li Zhuiyuan: "You guys drink."

Zhao Yi leaned back and called out to the busy shop owner:

"Do you have milk? Soy milk, cow's milk, or yogurt are all fine."

The shop owner shook his head somewhat awkwardly, then pointed to the shop that wasn't open yet, implying that he could pick the lock and go in to get it.

Do you have any soft drinks?

"Yes, young master."

"Then let's have soda."

Zhao Yi flicked his finger, opened the lid himself, inserted a straw, and pushed it in front of Li Zhuiyuan.

"The two were a pair of star-crossed lovers. They eloped and were chased by their families. I asked Old Tian to negotiate and he managed to save them. He's a clay figurine maker with a family tradition. His clay figurines are incredibly lifelike, but he stopped taking outside jobs a long time ago and only does freelance work for me."

Lin Shuyou: "What era are we living in? Why are you still trying to break up couples?"

Zhao Yi: "Exactly."

Lin Shuyou: "Is the landlady Zhang the Clay Figure Master?"

Zhao Yi: "Yes, all of them."

Lin Shuyou: "One surname?"

Zhao Yi: "Mm."

Lin Shuyou: "Cousins."

Zhao Yi: "There's one extra word."

Lin Shuyou's mouth hung open for a long time before he finally replied, "I understand now why my family is hunting me down."

Tan Wenbin stood up and distributed chopsticks to everyone, laughing, "As expected of Young Master Zhao, his life is truly rich and colorful. Tonight is full of exciting events."

Soon, dishes were served one after another, each with an alcohol stove underneath.

Zhao Yi: "Come on, have a taste. Although you two aren't locals, your cooking skills are impeccable."

Everyone started picking at their food, occasionally taking a sip of wine.

The more you drink, the brighter it gets.

In ancient times, wherever the canal transport was developed, the culture of drinking wine at dawn was preserved. After a hard night's work, the canal workers would come down from the dock, eat and drink something to reward themselves, and then go back to sleep.

The proprietress came out carrying a bag: "Young master, it's ready."

Zhao Yi: "Thank you for your hard work."

The proprietress quickly waved her hand and said, "No, no, I can't accept that."

After the meal, carrying the prepared noodles, everyone returned to their original lodgings.

Lin Shuyou and Runsheng went to sleep, and the Liang sisters also returned to their own rooms.

Zhao Yi and Tan Wenbin gathered in Li Zhuiyuan's room.

Two sheets of dough were placed in two basins filled with water.

"Zhuangzhuang, come here, take off your clothes and put your face against it."

Tan Wenbin did as instructed. When his face was pressed against the dough, not only did his face writhe, but the water in the basin was also drawn out and flowed down his neck.

After the commotion subsided, Tan Wenbin raised his head. Not only had his face changed to resemble Zhao Yanglin's, but his body shape had also changed. He looked almost identical to Zhao Yanglin, who had just died that night.

The so-called clay figures are not clay dolls, but rather living people who are molded into clay figures.

This craftsmanship is truly exquisite.

Zhao Yi also buried his face, and when he looked up again, he was Zhao Xu.

Young Master Zhao didn't hesitate at all, immediately displaying the same awe and obsequiousness a son shows when meeting his father:

"Father."

Tan Wenbin also got into character, nodded slightly, and replied in a nonchalant manner:

"Ah."

Zhao Yi: "Not bad, it has that feel to it."

The performance was good enough, and with someone surnamed Li by Tan Wenbin's side, Zhao Yi believed Zhuangzhuang wouldn't have any problems.

Zhao Yi looked at Li Zhuiyuan: "So, shall we go to my house next?"

Li Zhuiyuan: "Let's go there first."

It's a house that, from the outside, looks no different from any other house in the village.

As Zhao Yi, Tan Wenbin, and Li Zhuiyuan approached, the old-fashioned iron gate opened from the inside, revealing an elderly man standing inside.

"Master, young master."

The old man's gaze fell on Li Zhuiyuan. Although he didn't know where the child came from, he didn't dare to ask.

Another thing I dare not ask is that the four servants who went out with me yesterday did not come back with me.

Li Zhuiyuan held Tan Wenbin's hand and walked ahead. After entering the house, they went down the stairs to the basement.

Open the door, let the air in, and the candles inside will light automatically.

The basement was much larger than I had imagined; in fact, it was as if the houses above it were built specifically for this basement, as an add-on.

The basement walls were covered with various paintings, all very lifelike, mostly depicting Zhao Yanglin with various women. Zhao Yanglin was full of life, while the women painted with him felt out of place.

If it were just ordinary erotic art, or someone drawing themselves as a memento, that would be one thing. But the female characters in this are not real people.

Some were bound with iron chains, some had talismans pasted on their foreheads, and some even had peach wood swords stuck in their chests.

In several of the paintings, the father and son even appear together in the same frame.

These are just exhibits on the walls; in the basement, there are coffins of various styles piled up, and in the very center is a huge bed.

The coffin was not empty; it contained female corpses of various shapes, who, despite having already died once, were "awakened" again and subjected to further torment.

"Brother Binbin."

"Ah."

Tan Wenbin stepped forward and affixed talismans to each corpse inside the coffin. As the talismans burned, the corpses gradually began to crack and eventually turned into powder.

Their resentment still lingers here, and they are suffering the torment of the final scene. Now, they are being given relief.

Zhao Yi licked his lips. He knew that the man surnamed Li had come here specifically for this purpose.

"Brother Xiaoyuan, you know how I was before I lit the lamp and walked across the river. I wasn't even familiar with my parents, let alone the rest of the Zhao family."

The reason I knew about my cousin's quirks was because, after I gradually returned to normal, I had spies in the Zhao family, and they told me.

Moreover, the initial information I received was that Zhao Xu had only molested a corpse. But I never expected that my second uncle and cousin would go to such lengths.

They deliberately turn living people into dead people; I only learned this recently when I went to hear the latest report.

"Snapped."

Zhao Yi lit a cigarette, took a deep drag, and continued:
"Let me put it this way, if I had known this much earlier, even if the journey across the river hadn't ended, I would have set a trap to send this father and son away."

When traveling by river, one must not seek help from family members and must sever ties with them, for fear that the karmic consequences of one's journey will backfire on the family.

But killing someone in someone's home is not included in this category.

Brother Xiao Yuan, you have to believe me. I, Zhao Yi, am not exactly a good person, but I'm not so despicable as to tolerate or stand by and watch anything.

Li Zhuiyuan: "I didn't come here to hear your explanation of this."

Zhao Yi: "Are you trying to warn me? No, are you trying to remind me?"

Li Zhuiyuan nodded: "You've drawn many circles and marks on your family tree. I know your intention is to heal the Zhao family from the wound. You want to be the one to revitalize the Zhao family in the future."

But as you can see, this time it's not a casual trip to your home; this is already the first wave.

Admittedly, I know that there are definitely many innocent and clean people in your Zhao family, and I also believe that this proportion should be the majority.

But once an avalanche begins, it may be impossible to tell.

"Alright, Mr. Li, I understand what you mean."

"Whether you understand or not, I have to make this clear beforehand: if this is a catastrophe for your Zhao family, and it collapses as a whole, I will just stand by and watch."

I have no interest in who is innocent, who is upright, or who is kind. Don't expect me to save your Zhao family.

"Of course."

Tan Wenbin: "Brother Xiaoyuan, everything's been taken care of."

Li Zhuiyuan: "Let's go to the Zhao family."

The three left the basement and went upstairs.

Seeing them come out, the old man eagerly took out an envelope, handed it to Zhao Yi, and said obsequiously:

"Young master, these are all newly selected items. Please take a look."

Zhao Yi smiled.

The old man smiled too.

But soon, his smile froze on his face.

The old man's neck was snapped by Zhao Yi and thrown to the ground.

After finishing all this, Zhao Yi was about to leave when he sniffed and smelled the scent of the red spider lily again.

This means that the old man's surname is Zhao, but he must be from a distant branch of the family.

After getting into the car, Zhao Yi said, "I've discovered that the Underworld is a really good place. Some members of the Zhao family can only be killed once, which is too lenient for them."

Li Zhuiyuan didn't respond. He had already said what he needed to say, and Zhao Yi had understood.

On the surface, it means the young man will not help the Zhao family; the hidden meaning is:

You, Zhao Yi, should cut ties with the Zhao family as soon as possible.

The Zhao family has two old houses, one in the mountains and the other in the city.

The vast majority of the core members of the Zhao family live in this old house in the city.

"Zhao Mansion." On the wall next to the gate, there is a sign indicating that it is a cultural relic protection unit. There is also a rotating railing at the entrance, making it look like a small tourist attraction.

Fortunately, it's free; there's no entrance fee.

This also avoided the awkward situation of Zhao Yi having to buy a ticket to go home.

There were few tourists inside, but the architecture and flowerbeds were quite nice.

Upon reaching the steps and entering the front hall, Zhao Yi waved his hand lightly, and he, Li Zhuiyuan, and Tan Wenbin arrived at a new area together.

In an instant, the gaze shifted, and the scenery changed.

With its ancient architectural style, pavilions, and terraces, this is truly a luxurious ancient residence.

Two servants stood at the door and bowed to Zhao Yi and his party.

"Second Master, Young Master Xu."

The gates of the house opened.

Tan Wenbin reached out and took Li Zhuiyuan's hand, leading them inside.

Zhao Yi followed behind somewhat timidly, his face showing shame, resentment, and indignation.

The servants at the door exchanged glances, their eyes meeting.

These kinds of dramas in the mansions were the most interesting, and naturally became the talk of the servants.

For example, when the Second Master brought home his mistress's child again, Zhao Xu, the son of the principal wife, had to walk behind the mistress's child.

Zhao Yi glared at them angrily, and they immediately straightened their backs.

The house was decorated in a festive manner, as the day after tomorrow was the head of the household's seventieth birthday.

Although the core members of the family will celebrate at the old house in the mountains, the preparations at the new house will also be essential, since all the guests will be accommodated here.

The further you go in, the more people you'll encounter.

However, most of them took the initiative to greet Tan Wenbin, who only needed to nod in response. Zhao Xu would then come out from behind to greet and chat with each of them, and also to introduce their identities.

No one asked who Li Zhuiyuan was, because everyone "knew" who Li Zhuiyuan was.

However, although Zhao Yanglin brought his mistress's child in several times, it wasn't because he was stupid, but because he wanted to tarnish his own reputation and prevent the third wife from seeing him as a thorn in their side.

The struggle for family power actually began long ago.

The third wife, having given birth to Zhao Yi, their only son, was in an invincible position.

The people you encounter in the front yard are all unimportant minor characters; it's only when you enter the back yard that your real family members appear.

It was a woman standing inside the arched doorway, as if she had just rushed over after hearing a message from someone below.

The woman's gaze first fell on Zhao Yanglin, and then on Li Zhuiyuan, who was being led by the hand.

"Damn it, what sins have I committed in this life that you have to treat me like this!"

The woman stamped her feet and cried out, filled with anger and resentment.

Her name is Cui Xinyue, and she is Zhao Yanglin's wife. The two are related by marriage, but the Cui family's status in the martial arts world is much lower than that of the Zhao family.

Li Zhuiyuan and Tan Wenbin were connected by a red thread, and Li Zhuiyuan would tell Tan Wenbin how to react.

At this moment, Tan Wenbin's face darkened, and he snorted coldly, clearly displeased with his wife's overreaction.

Cui Xinyue rushed forward, grabbed Tan Wenbin's wrist, and said with grief and indignation:
"I don't care what you do outside, I don't even care if you bring them into the house, but don't give birth outside and bring them back. Count how many children you've brought back since I married into your Zhao family. People who don't know would think my second wife runs a charity!"

"Incomprehensible!"

Tan Wenbin shook off Cui Xinyue, then took Li Zhuiyuan's hand and continued walking inside.

Cui Xinyue fell to the ground, holding a silk handkerchief to cover her face, her shoulders shaking as she cried.

"Mother, mother, mother..."

Zhao Yi stepped forward, squatted down, and tried to hug his mother to comfort her.

"roll!"

Cui Xinyue shoved Zhao Yi away, and Zhao Yi stumbled and fell to the ground.

"You're no better. You were born from my womb, and you think I don't know what kind of pimps you've been running for your father? You two, father and son, aren't you ashamed at all!"

After scolding Zhao Yi, Cui Xinyue followed him inside.

Zhao Yi stood up and clapped his hands.

Just then, footsteps sounded behind them.

Zhao Yi turned around and saw his two older cousins ​​from the eldest branch of the family.

One was named Zhao Wen, and the other was named Zhao Li.

In a large family, the status of the younger generation is earned by the previous generation, unless you are exceptionally talented, in which case you can earn status for your parents.

But clearly, compared to the eldest son of the first wife who had long been in charge of family affairs, the second son of the second wife, who was full of absurdities and jokes, was not among those they respected.

Zhao Wen: "Xu, we're all brothers. If you have anything good, don't forget your brothers."

Zhao Li: "That's right, it's better to share happiness than to enjoy it alone. Don't just help your dad, take care of us brothers too."

The two men spoke sarcastically, but in reality, they weren't that bad people. The eldest son of the Zhao family was very strict with his children. The two men simply couldn't stand the good-for-nothings from the second branch of the family, so they came up to kick them while they were down and vent their anger.

Zhao Yi glared at them angrily, his fists clenched.

Zhao Wen: "Haha, you're angry? What's there to be angry about? You've got some nerve!"

Zhao Li: "That's right, you shameless bastard, get out of my way."

Zhao Li deliberately walked over and bumped Zhao Yi down again with his shoulder.

Zhao Yi sat on the ground, head down, sulking, but dared not really fight his two cousins.

Zhao Wen and Zhao Li exchanged a smile and walked away side by side.

"Ugh……"

Zhao Yi breathed a sigh of relief.

He suddenly realized that it wasn't so bad that he used to be sickly and could only lie in bed. If he were healthy and growing up with these guys every day, that would be torture.

I stood up again and washed my hands with some water at the foot of the artificial hill.

His gaze swept toward the west courtyard, where the third house's courtyard was located.

Now that I've finally made it home, how could I not go see my mother?

If nothing unexpected happens, his mother should be worshipping Buddha at the temple right now.

Her mother, Chen Cuier, had always presented herself as elegant and refined. Since marrying into the Zhao family, she had never competed for anything, had never been jealous or resentful, respected the elderly and loved the young, and was considerate to the servants. She could be described as a perfect young mistress.

But Zhao Yi knew that she was faking it all.

He never forgot the look of hatred in her and his father's eyes as they stood by his bedside.

A child who was called a genius but was actually paralyzed was thought to be dead by everyone, but he still didn't die.

Furthermore, because of him, she has been unable to conceive and give birth to another child for a long time.

The Zhao family was a renowned martial arts family with countless secret recipes and techniques, and fertility techniques were a must-have. However, they were all ready except for one crucial element: their eldest son, who was like a lump of mud.

There was something Zhao Yi didn't even tell Old Tian. After all, Old Tian was a servant of the Zhao family and had feelings for and loyalty to the Zhao family. One night, his mother, who always practiced vegetarianism and Buddhism, came to his room alone, reached out her hand, and tried to strangle him.

Later, she stopped. The reason she stopped was not because her maternal love had corrected her behavior, but because she finally realized that strangling her son in such a simple and brutal way would leave too many traces and was simply too stupid.

At least, although Zhao Yi was generally considered to be short-lived, the elders still held out hope. Since he had already been born, they figured they might as well let him live on, just in case.
Two flowers bloom, one branch each.

Tan Wenbin took Li Zhuiyuan's hand and led him to the second courtyard.

As soon as he entered, Tan Wenbin dismissed all the servants.

He released Li Zhuiyuan's hand, sat down on a chair in the hall, picked up a teacup, and began to drink.

Li Zhuiyuan, somewhat bewildered and cautious, walked to a chair in the corner and stood there.

Cui Xinyue lifted her skirt and rushed in, her aggrieved cries following her all the way from outside to the courtyard. Even after entering the hall, the cries didn't stop, but upon seeing the person in question, they finally let loose completely.

She plopped down on the ground, pounding the tiles with her hands, and wailed:

"Oh dear, I can't live anymore! I really can't live anymore! There's no way out! I have no face to continue living!"

Li Zhuiyuan lowered his head, like a child who had done something wrong, and shrank further into the corner.

But a question arose in my heart.

Tan Wenbin, who was sitting there drinking tea, felt the water in his cup sway slightly.

Ok?
How come this is different from the direction Brother Xiaoyuan just told me?
"Speak up! Speak up! Tell me! What am I supposed to do? What can I possibly do? Why is my life so miserable? Why was I so blind to agree to marry into your Zhao family and be betrothed to you!"

Cui Xinyue crawled up to Tan Wenbin, hugged his legs, and cried while hitting them.

Even from a distance, Li Zhuiyuan found the sound grating, let alone Tan Wenbin, who was now in close proximity to her.

The problem is, according to the memories that Li Zhuiyuan read from Zhao Yanglin...

This couple was merely putting on an act to lower their social standing. In reality, Zhao Yanglin had been secretly supporting the Cui family as his ally all these years. Cui Xinyue was also cunning, knowing how to cooperate with her husband while simultaneously seeking benefits for her own family.

Therefore, logically speaking, now that there are no outsiders around, according to the usual rhythm, everyone should quickly quiet down and even exchange some tacit jokes.

In the past, whenever Zhao Yanglin brought a child in from outside, Cui Xinyue would put on a show, and then the couple would immediately reconcile as before. The child would then be handed over to the servants to take care of, and on the surface, they would simply treat her as their legal mother.

Li Zhuiyuan had already chosen his position and was standing there, but Cui Xinyue hadn't followed the script.

She was still crying, still making a scene, still causing trouble.

This posture makes it seem like she's begging "Zhao Yanglin" sitting on top to kick her and give her a hard shout!
"Brother Binbin, keep drinking water."

Tan Wenbin continued drinking his tea.

Cui Xinyue continued to hug his legs, shake them, and cry. After a while, seeing that it was not working, she began to scratch Tan Wenbin with her fingernails.

"Damn it, you've made me so ashamed to face anyone, so I'll scratch your face until you can't show your face in public either!"

"Brother Binbin, kick her, and then curse at her."

Tan Wenbin had long since lost his temper, not only because her unique wailing voice was giving him a headache, but also because he was afraid that she would scratch the skin on his face.

"boom!"

Kick out.

Cui Xinyue landed heavily on the ground.

Tan Wenbin: "You bitch, get out of here!"

Cui Xinyue looked at Tan Wenbin in disbelief. In that look, there was the reluctance of a couple to part, disbelief at their current situation, and confusion and fear about the future.

Li Zhuiyuan, standing in the corner, had a look of fear and unease on his face, but he kept watching her.

She's such a good actress, and she acted so well.

But the character she portrays is Cui Xinyue as seen by outsiders.

Everything that had happened before was her way of asking for the curtain to fall on her performance.

"Zhao Yanglin, you heartless bastard, you deserve to die a horrible death!"

Cui Xinyue stood up, let out a long sob, then clutched her stomach and stumbled away.

That trembling figure profoundly illustrates what it means to be heartbroken beyond measure.

Li Zhuiyuan withdrew his gaze. This way of taking his leave was also a deliberate attempt to create a cold war, hoping that the two sides would not meet for a while.

Tan Wenbin placed the teacup back on the coffee table, his heartfelt message relayed to Li Zhuiyuan via the red thread:
"Brother Xiaoyuan, what's wrong with her?"

This character design is clearly not what I expected; it lacks depth.

Li Zhuiyuan didn't think he would pick up the wrong script, because he had extracted the memories from the residual spiritual energy on Zhao Yanglin's corpse.

Therefore, the problem lies with Cui Xinyue's script. She is a very good actress, but the script is only superficial.

“Brother Binbin, this second wife is fake, just like us.”

"Brother Xiaoyuan, is there another infiltrator in the Zhao family?"

"Perhaps there is more than one."

……

Zhao Yi waited outside the nunnery for his announcement. A short while later, a maidservant came over.

"Young Master Xu, Madam wishes to see you. Please come in."

Zhao Yi was never worried about not being summoned, because that was the image of her mother. Anyone in the family with worries or frustrations could go to her for advice.

She will enlighten you with Buddhist principles, helping you to find inner peace.

These conversations can all be recorded and used to fill in the gaps in Buddhist classics.

Because the person asking the question had designed it carefully, fearing that Chen Cuier would find it difficult or inconvenient to answer.

This is a concrete manifestation of the extraordinary status of the third branch of the Zhao family.

In the pavilion, Chen Cuier held prayer beads in her right hand, with a Buddhist scripture in front of her.

My mother has the appearance of a modest, demure young lady, and given the current environment and atmosphere, she really does have a sense of quiet contemplation and religious devotion.

However, Zhao Yi's heart follows in the footsteps of his ancestor Zhao Wuyang.

In his view, it was absurd that a Buddhist would appear in the Zhao family, which had once produced a dragon king.

Why not learn from and admire the true dragon that once existed in your own family, and instead pursue some empty gate?
However, Zhao Yi was not the head of the family, and the family's reputation had long been distorted.

Upon reaching the pavilion, Zhao Yi bowed:
"Third Aunt."

"Brother Xu, come and sit down."

Zhao Yi sat down and began to confide in them.

The theme is simple: an eccentric father, a short-tempered mother, and a person caught in the middle, suffering from both sides.

Chen Cuier offered explanations based on Buddhist principles.

He said a lot of things that sounded reasonable, but in reality, they were just empty platitudes.

Zhao Yi looked enlightened and quickly stood up to express his gratitude.

Chen Cuier smiled, appearing detached from worldly affairs.

Sigh, my mother hasn't changed at all; she still loves to put on airs.

Unfortunately, all this showy display is just hype.

Everyone says that the third wife gave birth to a good son. But if you take that as a reverse interpretation, it means that the third wife is nothing more than a good son who represents the family in the Jiangnan region.

Zhao Yi took his leave.

As soon as she stepped out of the pavilion, Chen Cuier began to strike the wooden fish and chant Buddhist scriptures.

"Do...do...do..."

Out of the corner of Zhao Yi's eye, he saw the fish in the ponds on both sides of the stone slab rise to the surface and sway gently to the sound of the wooden fish, as if they were comprehending Buddhist principles.

Even without seeing the goldfish, just hearing the sound of the wooden fish sent a warning through the crack of life and death in my heart!
This is Buddhism, no, it is the essence of Buddhism!

Only those with extremely profound Buddhist knowledge can exude Buddhist aura, attracting people to worship and even making beasts listen.

Zhao Yi's expression remained unchanged, and his pace remained the same, but in his heart, a raging storm was brewing!

He simply couldn't believe that his mother, Chen Cuier, had actually entered the Buddhist order, let alone practiced it so profoundly. It was utterly ridiculous that someone as superficial as her could enter a Buddhist monastery for advanced studies.

This only proves one thing:

The person in the pavilion is not his mother!

Zhao Yi prepared to leave and meet up with Li Zhuiyuan.

Hey Li, something's not right here!
On the way from the pavilion in the middle of the lake to the second courtyard, you will pass a secluded courtyard.

No one lives here now, because the former owner moved away.

This courtyard holds memories for Zhao Yi and Lao Tian.

During those most difficult days, it was Lao Tian who took meticulous care of him. Among the entire household, only Lao Tian regarded himself as a child suffering. Everyone else was waiting to see when this so-called genius would suddenly die at the crossroads of life and death.

Therefore, when passing by, Zhao Yi couldn't help but take another look.

In that one glance, he saw a figure standing in the room.

Zhao Yi stopped and pretended to be looking around and reminiscing before going inside.

The window was half open, with a frame supporting it. The reason it was hard to see clearly from outside was because I had practiced formations in this courtyard before. Although I would set them up and then dismantle them to play around with them, I still left behind a lot of formation remnants, which caused this place to naturally suppress one's senses.

The people inside must have realized I had arrived.

This is his father, Zhao Heming.

Zhao Yi: "Third Uncle."

Zhao Heming seemed to only then notice Zhao Yi, and was somewhat surprised. He then smiled and said, "Oh, it's A-Xu. What brings you here?"

Zhao Yi's father always liked to project an image of refinement, and he was also very good-looking.

Zhao Yi: "I went to find my third aunt to get some answers. On my way back, I passed by here and thought that Yi-ge'er had been away from home for a long time, so I came in to take a look and reminisce about him."

Zhao Heming nodded: "Me too. Everyone says the river is rough and dangerous. My family keeps talking about how he's made a name for himself on the river, but as his father, all I care about is whether he's safe and sound."

Zhao Yi: "With Yi-ge'er's abilities, there's definitely no problem. In the future, my Zhao family will produce another Dragon King!"

Zhao Heming: "I just hope he can come down from the river safely, that's enough."

As he spoke, Zhao Heming sat on the largest and most antique bed in the room, placing his hands on the bedding and gently stroking it, as if he were feeling the presence of his son.

However, he sat on the wrong bed.

Zhao Yi's bed was the small one in the corner; it was the servant's bed, and also Lao Tian's bed.

When I was little, Lao Tian would hold me and put me to sleep in that little bed.

As she grew older, she developed a fondness for that small bed, sleeping in it even when she was alone, while sending Lao Tian to sleep in the big bed.

Zhao Heming shouldn't admit his mistake, because when he and his wife came here before and looked at him with cold eyes, he was in the small bed.

Later, after confirming that he had been constantly pushing his limits and surviving the brink of death, his family officially recognized him as a genius of this generation. The couple came to visit him in the courtyard and found him lying on the small bed while Old Tian was lying on the big bed, taking a nap.

Zhao Heming used this to rebuke Lao Tian for his disrespect and lack of manners, and wanted to punish Lao Tian, ​​but he angrily retorted, even pointing his finger at the two of them without any politeness, saying:

If you want me to continue being your son, then don't ever come into this courtyard again. Believe me or not, I'll just adopt myself into another family!
Zhao Yi: "Third Uncle, I'm leaving now."

Zhao Heming: "Hmm."

He continued to savor the memory, lost in melancholy, immersed in the profound sorrow of his father's love.

Zhao Yi turned and left.

As he walked, he muttered to himself:

"Hehe, you surnamed Li, you might not believe it... but it seems like my parents are both gone."

(End of this chapter)