The male supporting character was actually myself.

Strangely enough, ever since the second young master was born, so many concubines have entered the Marshal's Mansion, yet no woman has been able to conceive and give birth. As a result, Qinglang Garden has never been used again over the years.

Until today, the usually peaceful Marshal's Mansion has suddenly become haunted, and red powder has reappeared.

The head steward felt much relieved after pouring out all the secrets he had kept hidden in his heart. He kowtowed and pleaded, "General, in those years, I was ordered to cause the deaths of at least twenty mothers and children. I am deeply guilty and have no face to ask for your mercy."

I just hope the commander-in-chief won't implicate my family; they really don't know anything about it!

Over the years, aside from dealing with the second young master, I have served as the steward diligently and without the slightest negligence, and my family has not received any extra money from me. I beg the Commander to allow them to leave Yucheng; I am at his mercy!

Also, although I have used a lot of this red powder, I always got it from Madam. I really don't know where she got it from. The only person I can think of right now is the eldest young master—he has Madam's belongings, and perhaps there are clues to the powder among them.

Moreover, judging from the dosage used in this poisoning incident, the person who administered it clearly did not know the exact amount.

The amount of powder the youngest concubine had ever added was less than half of what she had used this time. It is clear that if the eighteenth concubine had actually drunk this medicine, there would have been no chance of saving both her and her unborn child!

Just now, I vaguely saw that the ghost's shadow looked somewhat like Aunt Liang. I was thinking... perhaps she couldn't stand the poison harming people, so she appeared to stop it..."

The thought of so many of his women and children dying in the long-abandoned Qinglang Garden, located at the back of the Marshal's Mansion and almost never visited, filled Li Tianxing with a surge of anger and grief. He could no longer remember the faces of those women who "died of illness." Each of them was a beautiful woman in her early twenties, yet they all died so tragically in Qinglang Garden.

So many unborn children died along with their mothers without their knowledge. They had no tombstones, no memorial tablets, and most of them were even burned to ashes and scattered in the wind under the pretext of epidemic.

The only one who stayed by his side all along, the cheerful, lively, bright and beautiful Liang Xiaoxiao, who could ride horses, shoot arrows and kill enemies, still risked her life to leave him with her own flesh and blood after enduring torture.

She blamed the child who had lost his mother at birth, and complained that his birth had caused the death of the woman she loved, unaware that she was the real culprit!

"What a tragedy!" A thousand sorrows churned in his chest, and finally, Li Tianxing covered his eyes and could only let out a helpless sigh.

It's laughable that he always thought he was a pillar of society, only to realize now that he was just a blind and foolish idiot! So many lives were lost because of that despicable person, yet he didn't even notice!

A tear rolled down his cheek, and he waved his hand weakly.

Lieutenant Li, having received instructions, walked to the butler's side and said coldly, "I won't implicate your family, and I'll give you some final dignity. Let's go."

He took a deep breath, knelt down properly, and kowtowed. "Thank you for your magnanimity, Commander. I am deeply sinful and must take my leave now. I can only repay the great kindness I owe you in the next life!"

Under the personal supervision of Lieutenant Li, the butler left a suicide note in a box, then took a shower, tidied himself up, swallowed a pill with some strong liquor, lay down on the bed, turned off the lights, closed his eyes, struggled a few times, and gradually stopped breathing.

"General, there is something strange about the haunting of the mansion." After returning home, Lieutenant Li couldn't stop thinking about it and said, "We soldiers have crawled through piles of dead bodies in our marches and battles, so we naturally believe that when a person dies, the lamp goes out."

But whether it was the broken medicine pot, the strange occurrences in the kitchen, or the fact that the subordinates discovered the medicine powder without any wind, none of it seemed quite normal. "General, do you remember the fortune teller we encountered when the car suddenly stalled on our way down the mountain today?"

Chapter Fifty-One: The Final Chapter (Can Be Slaughtered)

The events of today were too shocking for Li Tianxing to process at first, before he remembered to ask, "Oh? What happened to him?"

"When I was ordered to give him a reward, he accurately described the situation in the mansion and reminded me that there was a jinx lurking in the mansion and that I should pay more attention to the diet of the pregnant concubine."

That's why I ordered that each concubine's diet be strictly managed by a designated person, and that the maid who brews the medicine be allowed to leave the medicine pot for even a moment. Today, the eighteenth concubine escaped a disaster thanks in part to me.

Otherwise, if we continue with our usual laxity, the other side might succeed.

Lieutenant Li carefully considered his words and tentatively said, "Ghosts are really too mysterious and hard to believe, but if there are extraordinary people in the martial arts world secretly helping us... I think it's better to believe it than not."

Especially now that we know about the old story, but after so many years since the lady passed away, whether the prescription has been passed down or who has it, too many people will talk and it will take too long to investigate secretly, while a large-scale search will easily alert the suspect.

It would be better to play along and prepare for two scenarios. First, keep a low profile on the outside but keep a close watch on the inside, waiting to catch them like turtles in a jar. Second, invite that fortune teller to come to the mansion; perhaps he can find some clues. It just so happens that Qinglang Garden also needs a master to perform a ritual for the deceased.

Inviting him to stay at our residence would be a natural and unconventional move, and if he truly possessed some skill, wouldn't that be twice as effective?

Immersed in the blow, Li Tianxing suddenly looked several years older. He nodded weakly, "Do as you say. I'm too tired and need to rest. You can arrange it as you see fit."

"Hey hey hey, that's it!" Having accomplished his task, he brushed off the feathers and disappeared into the night, keeping his accomplishments hidden. The fluffy little ball was very satisfied and then skipped away into the night.

When Lieutenant Li led his men to Nanhutong to inquire and finally found Mr. Nangong's residence to invite him, Mr. Nangong looked completely bewildered, fiddling with his catfish-shaped beard for a long time before finally understanding what was going on.

While packing his things and trying to divine the future, his expression suddenly hardened, and he became even more bewildered.

How strange! Which wind suddenly shifted? Who is this powerful figure who, with the aura of a chosen one, can defy fate and forcefully change their destiny, managing to turn their life around and have another chance to enter the Marshal's Mansion to deal with the jinx?

Several major events occurred at the Marshal's Mansion that night.

First, the eighteenth concubine suddenly had a stomachache in the middle of the night, causing a great commotion. In the end, it was only after Dr. Yang used some Western medicine to stabilize the pregnancy that she calmed down. The maid in charge of taking care of her said that she had probably caught a cold and had a miscarriage. Fortunately, there was nothing serious and she just needed to rest in bed.

Secondly, the head butler suddenly fell ill and died.

The concubine in the manor was already unwell and was afraid of causing any harm, so the warlord gave her some funeral expenses and bestowed upon her a fine coffin, telling her family to carry it out as soon as possible;

Then, with the ghost story spreading like wildfire, the Marshal's Mansion invited some Taoist priests to perform rituals early in the morning. They said they would stay temporarily in the abandoned courtyard at the back, not only to perform the rituals but also to pray for the pregnant concubines so that the Marshal's Mansion could have a baby.

"What exactly happened in the backyard?" Li Dongchen, who had slept until late morning, pretended to be nonchalant as he asked a servant, "I heard that the Eighteenth Concubine seems to have summoned Doctor Yang over there?"

Chen Ma was carrying a basin of water to throw it away when he asked, and she gossiped, "She said that the concubine had a stomachache in the middle of the night and somehow it affected the pregnancy. Fortunately, it wasn't serious and she's fine now after taking the medicine."

The girls say she's too pampered; she won't eat this or that, and even refuses to drink the herbal medicine for preventing miscarriage because it's too bitter, only taking a sip or two before throwing up. Now that the pregnancy is unstable, she definitely needs to take her medicine properly, otherwise, if anything happens to the baby, she'll regret it terribly.

Damn it!

She didn't drink it all because she thought it was too bitter?!

Li Dongchen never expected that the other party would find the medicine too bitter and escape unscathed. That small dose only caused her some trouble and prevented a miscarriage. Damn it...

When bad luck strikes, even drinking cold water can cause problems!

"The eighteenth concubine must have had a falling out!" Chen Ma looked around to make sure no one was watching, then put down the basin and lowered her voice, saying, "The head steward died last night! I heard from Xiao Qianzi, who was helping to collect the body, that the room reeked of alcohol, and the steward was lying on his side with a pale face, as if he had drunk too much and choked to death!"

It's true... he's not that old, how could he be so unlucky?

A person who dies before the age of sixty is not considered to have died peacefully, especially someone like him who died unwillingly and with heavy resentment! He must have died in the middle of the night. Pregnant women who are newly pregnant and whose fetuses are unstable are most afraid of being disturbed by yin energy, which is why the eighteenth concubine, who was closest to him, had a stomachache.

Fortunately, she was young and strong, and with the help of Dr. Yang's skillful hands, the baby was saved; otherwise, she might have miscarried!

Oh right, there's also the story about the ghost in the courtyard of the Eighteenth Concubine. Oh dear, all sorts of rumors are circulating. They say the little maid who brewed the medicine and encountered the ghost was so frightened that she fell ill and had to be taken home by her family to be cared for overnight.

I think if it really is haunted, maybe the head butler's birth chart wasn't strong enough and he was affected by a ghost, which is why he was so unlucky—he even choked to death while drinking!

Li Dongchen scratched his head, feeling like he had only taken a nap and had missed a lot of important news.

The ghost story is definitely false. After all, he made that noise himself, so it's clear that he did it himself. The rumors were all instigated by Li Jiangchen to get his mother to posthumously confer titles on him. It has nothing to do with offending anyone.

The eighteenth concubine almost miscarried because of the medicine powder; it had nothing to do with anything else.

On the contrary, it was quite unexpected that the usually robust butler would die so suddenly...

He listened attentively for a long time, but all he heard were various superstitious rumors with no useful information. In addition, Zhang Ziqiu said that many Taoist priests had moved into the mansion and were preparing to perform rituals, which further solidified Li Dongchen's idea that it was all a farce. He could take the blame for the ghost story and use it to target the pregnant concubines.

Anyway, there are still several months before they give birth, so there's plenty of time to hunt!

"Host, isn't your cute little white cat awesome?" The fluffy little ball of fur perched on the host's shoulder, wagging its big, fluffy tail and puffing out its chest, asking for praise.

Jiang Chen handed it some dried fish and stroked its soft fur, nodding in satisfaction. "It was indeed more effective than our previous plan. I never expected that by just pretending to be a ghost, the MVP of the game, Lieutenant Li, could play a winning hand and bring the bug to the Marshal's Mansion."

"Yes, yes, that Lieutenant Li is indeed incredibly capable!" The little white cat nodded while munching on a dried fish. "He's got at least eight hundred tricks up his sleeve. No wonder he's always been the adjutant by the General's side. He seems like he doesn't have to do anything, but he's actually the one who worries the most. Hmm, compared to that, Zhang Mingyuan, the little follower by the host's side, is a bit lacking. At least he's not as cunning!"

He squinted slightly in the sunlight, watching the slender figure training the medics in first aid. A genuine smile appeared on his face, and he said softly, "As long as Zhang Mingyuan is loyal enough to me, he doesn't need to be so cunning."

After all, we've already discussed it and agreed that once the world is at peace and the people can live in peace and prosperity, we'll find a beautiful place to live a carefree life. The future new nation belongs to those young talents of the Red Revelation Society who possess a sincere heart, ideals, and ambitions; I won't worry about that.

Life is short, why be so attached to the fleeting pleasures we can have?

"Picking chrysanthemums by the eastern fence, I leisurely gaze at the southern mountains; living a carefree, secluded life with her is what I long for most."

The fluffy dumpling looked up and mumbled with its mouth full, "Hmm, that's good too. It saves us from having too many people, too much trouble, and too much scheming and tiring. Fighting is so hard, we should really take a good rest and enjoy life in the future!"

However, this is contingent on the bug being powerful enough to accurately snipe the protagonist. Oh, and by the way, we also need to find a way to deal with that troublemaker, Ruan Xiangqin, otherwise the consequences will be dire.

The scriptwriting team has probably worked themselves to the bone trying to turn things around, but they've completely given up and given up. Ever since the fluffy little girl stopped the protagonist from putting the red powder into the medicine pot and failed, the script has been in a state of no update and there's been no further activity.

On the surface, the Marshal's Mansion appears peaceful and tranquil, but beneath the usual serenity, undercurrents are surging.

After the Taoist priests finished their rituals of deliverance, they performed a blessing ceremony, keeping the entire mansion lively and bustling. Meanwhile, Lieutenant Li took the opportunity to lead a few trusted men to peel away the long-abandoned, mottled surface of Qinglang Garden, revealing dark bloodstains on the kang (heated brick bed), in the cracks of the walls, and in the cracks of the floor, which once again confirmed the testimony of the former steward.

"Keep it down, you guys. Look how scared that coward is, he won't even lay a hand on you." The little white cat muttered boredly behind the cunning Lieutenant Li. "We need to take care of him quickly, otherwise it'll be troublesome if the invading army attacks in the spring. My master doesn't want the Marshal's Mansion to be disgraced, we can't give him the chance to betray his country and be nailed to the pillar of shame..."

Lieutenant Li naturally couldn't hear it, and even Bug couldn't hear the fluffy dumpling's bored mutterings.

"Why haven't they made a move yet? Could it be... that something has been discovered and they're afraid to act?" He stroked his catfish-shaped beard, looking up at the sky with a worried expression. If the other party doesn't make a move, he's just a decoration. It would be embarrassing to just sit around doing nothing for a long time.

"You're overthinking it. He didn't find anything; he just thought it would be harder to make a move when there were too many people around." The little white cat looked up at the sky in the same posture, feeling utterly bored.

After a few days of quiet, Lieutenant Li felt the time was right and began to arrange for traps to be dug, waiting for the villains hiding in the shadows to jump in on their own.

"I heard the Marshal is going out with his nineteenth concubine. Why bother going out in this freezing weather?"

"Don't you understand? The rime ice along the Chazi River is just right right now! The commander knows how to enjoy life. He always has a car to ride in and a heated room prepared by someone, so he won't get cold."

"I heard the other concubines aren't very happy. They've only been quiet for a few days, and now they're vying for the emperor's favor again."

"Of course they have to compete for favor! The other three who haven't gotten pregnant yet are all praying to the gods and hoping to get pregnant soon. This trip will be quite long, so whoever can go with them will be more favored and have a better chance of getting pregnant."

"Once you enter a large mansion, you have to find a way to have more children while you're young, otherwise... look at those concubines in the past. Although they didn't have to worry about food and drink in the other courtyards, they ended up spending their whole lives alone in empty rooms."

"I heard that ever since the eighteenth concubine almost miscarried, all the pregnant concubines have been drinking a lot of medicine to prevent miscarriage, for fear of any mishaps. We all know that medicine is three parts poison, and drinking too much is not good, is it?"

"The commander-in-chief specifically left Dr. Yang behind when he went out. With him around, there shouldn't be any problems, right?"

"Lieutenant Li will definitely go with the Marshal. Without him watching over things and with the new steward, I'm afraid the maids and servants will have time to slack off. I heard that serving a pregnant concubine is quite hard work..."

Early that morning, Li Tianxing had just announced that he was going out for a walk and that Zhang Ziqiu would temporarily take charge of the household affairs when the servants, led by some people with ulterior motives, began to gossip and whisper among themselves.

Li Dongchen was both excited and nervous after hearing the news.

Earlier, when I was chatting with my father, he mentioned that the house was noisy with all the burning of incense and religious ceremonies lately, which was quite annoying. On a whim, I brought up the rime ice by the Chazi River, which was in full bloom at the moment. I recalled how I had a lot of fun there when I was young, when I was stationed there with my father. As a result, my father became interested and the two of us had a very pleasant chat!

What was said in jest was taken seriously by the listener. The nineteenth concubine insisted on going to see the rime ice, and the old man decided to go for a walk to clear his head. Lieutenant Li was definitely responsible for their safety. After the unexpected death of the former steward, a new steward had taken over but had not yet made any achievements and could not keep the servants in check.

This is a great opportunity to do it yourself!

What could Zhang Ziqiu, the housekeeper, possibly manage? She could only maintain order in the mansion according to the old calendar. If her management was lax, she could take the opportunity to kill those pregnant, delicate concubines in one fell swoop.

If nothing is found out at that time, the mess will be used to frame Li Jiangchen's mother, who has been dead for many years, since her good son arranged for people to say that she was haunted!

The general never liked to procrastinate, so he decided to pack his things immediately, take his concubine, and leave the city by carriage under the protection of guards, heading straight for Chazihe, dozens of miles away.

Sure enough, without the commander-in-chief in charge, Lieutenant Li making daily inspections, and the former steward diligently keeping watch, the entire mansion was filled with a relaxed atmosphere.

Even the servants in Li Dongchen's west courtyard took the opportunity to either run off to watch the Taoist priests perform rituals, visit other courtyards for casual chats, or leave only one servant behind to go shopping.

"The new housekeeper is so incompetent! The old woman who watches over the garden at the side gate is nowhere to be found. I had to open the gate myself when I came in. If someone sneaks in now, wouldn't there be a huge mess?" Zhang Ziqiu stormed in, washing her hands as she complained. "My father-in-law just left and everything's already in chaos! My words as a young wife have no effect. Aren't you, the young master, going to give him a talking-to?"

Li Dongchen couldn't be more relaxed, so it would be easier for him to administer the drug at night. He casually replied, "It must be because Dad is too strict on weekdays. Who doesn't want to relax sometimes? This is a rare opportunity, so let them be free."

Zhang Ziqiu frowned slightly and spat, "That's disgusting. So they're just supposed to take high salaries and slack off? If they think the Marshal's Mansion is strict, they can quit. Back then, reforms had already abolished indentured servitude and replaced it with a contract system. If you're paid to do a job, you should at least do your job well. If you want freedom, you can resign and leave!"

"Long hair, short wits..." Li Dongchen was in a good mood and seized the opportunity to give a long speech about his views on hired workers.

Zhang Ziqiu ignored him and turned to leave. "I need to go to those courtyards and give them a few more instructions. Otherwise, if anything happens to the child, no one's life will be enough to compensate. I hope those maids and servants can understand this!"