CH 96.3

—

In the live broadcast room.

[Why is God Xin crying again?]

[What did the big boss do to God Xin under the table?! This is God Xin! Our God Xin! Can you lift the tablecloth and be bold?]

[I’m laughing to death. Lift the tablecloth? Do you think the screen won’t go dark and black out? I thank God for the tablecloth.]

[Wuwu, crying so beautifully, like pear blossoms in the rain, so shy and so timid, who wouldn’t sigh after seeing this?]

[? ? ? Upstairs, I suspect you are driving, but I have no proof.]

[In front of everyone, adopted son vs. little mother, so audacious, so wild! hehe.]

[Tenty: I can go out by myself, thank you.]

[Tsk tsk tsk, God Xin is always given a bad physique, and this time, even going OOC is banned. I suspect that the boss made this copy for himself.]

—

“Oops, I’m sorry for keeping all of you waiting.”

An enchanting female voice came. Hu Meier settled down and smiled in the direction of Feng Gu: “Sister, you can not be angry this time.”

“I came late for a reason.”

Feng Gu took a deep breath, “What reason?”

Hu Meier said, “I went out early this morning and made a special trip to Meiyuan.”

She then paused and looked at Feng Gu expectantly, as if waiting for her to ask what she did at Meiyuan.

But Feng Gu gave a heavy snort from the tip of her nose and did not say anything more.

Brother Yun picked up, “Oh, what did you go to do at Meiyuan?”

Bai Lixin observed the three faces before him. Although Brother Yun resented Hu Meier, he would occasionally help her.

Hu Meier was embarrassed, but when Brother Yun asked her, her eyes immediately lit up. “Tonight, Meiyuan is going to play the “Romance of the West Chamber.” I have begged the leader for a long time, and he is willing to keep the second floor of the pavilion reserved.”

“Sister, yesterday was my fault and this is my compensation to you. Do you think it is okay?”

Feng Gu didn’t answer, but her cold face eased a bit.

“That is the most popular Peking opera house in Fengcheng. Every show is packed and tickets are hard to buy.” Brother Yun said with a choked voice. “Not to mention, the second floor pavilion? Are those the seats that can only be booked ten and a half months in advance?”

Hu Meier said, “Yes, I really put in a lot of effort.”

Feng Gu’s face finally eased completely. She looked at Hu Meier, and then turned her head to look at Brother Yun, and asked, “Is it really that famous? Do you really want to see it?”

Brother Yun froze and nodded, and Hu Meier’s smile stiffened for a second.

Feng Gu finally smiled. “Okay, although I have little interest in opera, let’s go see it since you guys want to. It’s the fifth sister’s intention, after all.”

Hu Meier reluctantly forced the corners of her mouth to pull up into a smile.

After talking about this matter, Hu Meier seemed to notice Dijia’s presence, and she exclaimed in amazement, “The eldest young master is also here. I was so focused on the happy event of the plum garden that I didn’t notice. I don’t know if you have time, but do you also want to go and see?”

Dijia gently rubbed and pinched Bai Lixin’s fingers under the table, and replied with a few words, “Okay.”

Hu Meier froze.

Originally, she was asking out of politeness and didn’t expect the other party to really agree.

Won’t such a large ice cube spoil everyone’s fun?!

Dijia gently swept the corner of his eyes at Bai Lixin and said, “Since everyone is here, let’s eat.”

He said it exactly like the head of a house would, and Feng Gu’s face, which had just turned better, instantly darkened again.

It was not until it was time to eat that Dijia let go of Bai Lixin’s hand.

They didn’t speak while eating, and aside from the clanging of porcelain plates, there was no other sound in the hall.

—

The sky outside was still gloomy, but it maintained that state. Shallow clouds hang in the distance, covering the sun, and neither coming closer nor leaving.

After the meal, Dijia expressed his intention to investigate, “I have eaten. Who will take me to see my father’s room?”

Several people had not yet left the table, and Feng Gu was slightly stunned.

She swept a glance at the table and ordered a person, “Hu Meier, Xin, accompany the young master. I will get emotional, so I will not go.”

What a load of crap!

Hu Meier’s face was green.

—

“Ahead is the Lord’s courtyard,” Hu Meier twisted her handkerchief, her expression showing great reluctance. “In fact, I have entered the Lord’s courtyard only once, so I can not help you much.”

“I have brought you Li Yuan. He often cleans the Lord’s room, so you can directly ask him if you have any questions.”

“As you must have heard, I made my second sister angry, so I have to go to Meiyuan House once again to ask for the first seating. It is not good to leave room for mistakes.”

Hu Meier stood at the door of the courtyard. The chilling wind blew by, making the white silk hanging in the courtyard and the trees to sway side and side

Noon was supposed to have the strongest sunlight, but this courtyard was the same as last night, only a little sunlight was cast in.

It was not sunny, but it was still daylight. The wall, the trees, and bamboo branches all blocked the sunlight.

Hu Meier’s body trembled, and her whole body screamed reluctance.

Dijia only glanced at her, “All right, you go.”

Hu Meier was happy, she immediately turned around and quickly left the place, as if there were ghosts chasing her.

There was a man standing beside Bai Lixin and Dijia; he was the Li Yuan Hu Meier mentioned.

Li Yuan looked thirty years old. He was ordinary looking, and had an honest temperament.

His face was a little pale, and there was a thick layer of shadow beneath his eyes. He was already out of breath after walking a few steps.

Li Yuan bowed towards Dijia, “Eldest young master, I never thought I would see you back in my lifetime.”

Dijia nodded slightly, “Let’s go in.”

Bai Lixin entered this courtyard last night. Although the investigation was already done, the light made things easier. Maybe he would find something that was missing last night.

They first came to the study.

Bai Lixin swiped a finger on a table and did not find any dust.

Li Yuan, “In the past, I would send someone to clean the Lord’s room, but after his death, those people were afraid, so I would come and clean it myself.”

Bai Lixin, “You cleaned today?”

Li Yuan nodded, “Yes.”

Bai Lixin walked straight to the inner study. He stood where Lord Li stood yesterday and carefully looked at the wall in front of him.

Although the wall was clean, the marks left by the painting were still there.

“What was originally hanging here?” Bai Lixin looked at Li Yuan’s eyes, but found Li Yuan’s eyes somewhat dazed. He stood frozen in place and did not hear his question at all.

“What was originally hanging there?” Just when Bai Lixin was about to ask again, Dijia spoke for him.

The cold voice cut through the air and pierced directly into Li Yuan’s ears.

Li Yuan was in a trance for a moment, and the dazed eyes gradually cleared.

He let out an “ah”, looked at the person, and then looked at the wall, and only after a moment did he reply, “It was a portrait of the ancestor of the Taoist temple. I found that the painting had some damage, so I put it away.”

Dijia and Bai Lixin looked at each other.

Dijia asked, “Is it still in your possession?”

Li Yuan hurriedly waved his hands in a panicked mess, and his eyes flashed. “No, no, no. The Lord liked that painting very much. He once mentioned that if he died, he’d wish to take it with him. I saw that the painting was damaged, and then remembered the Lord’s words, so I just burned it to the Lord.”

He pointed across the open window to the fire pit containing black ashes in the courtyard, “There, you see, the ashes are still there.”

A portrait of the ancestor of the Taoist temple?

Really?

Dijia asked again, “Which ancestor’s portrait was it?”

Li Yuan, “That…I really don’t know them.”

While the two were talking, Bai Lixin had already come to the bookshelf.

The books were all wire-sealed, and the title was not visible from the spine. Last night, the light and time did not allow it, so he did not look at the bookshelf carefully.

The bookshelf didn’t have many books. He took a few and found they were either the Four Books or Five Classics, or books on business management.

At the end, he did not see any books on Taoism.

Bai Lixin looked back at Li Yuan and asked, “It is said that the Lord was obsessed with Taoism. Why is there no trace of Taoism in the study? Did the Lord have another room dedicated to the study of Taoism?”

Li Yuan shook his head after some serious thought. “I have been following the Lord and I have never seen or heard of a room like that.”

Bai Lixin, “Then how did you know that the Lord was obsessed with Taoism?”

Li Yuan, “The Lord often went to the temple in the mountain to practice. He practiced for half a month, and from time to time, he would also invite Taoists as guests, each time with warm hospitality. When I accompanied the Lord to the Taoist temple, I would see him even change into Taoist robes.”

“After a while, I accompanied the Lord to the mountain and came back by myself. After the half month deadline, I went up the mountain again to pick up the Lord.”

Dijia, “Is the Taoist temple you mentioned called Qinlian Temple?”

Li Yuan’s eyes widened, “How do you know that, Young Master?”

Bai Lixin also looked at Dijia curiously.

“Didn’t I leave in a hurry yesterday?” Dijia looked at Bai Lixin. “The adjutant told me that they found a corpse in the mountain. The death was similar to my father’s. His chest was also torn open and his heart, liver, and lungs were missing.”

“His face was bloody and fleshless, and it was impossible to see what he originally looked like. He was wearing a Taoist robe, and was near that temple.”

“The adjutant brought the body to the people of the Taoist temple to ask, and it was confirmed that the deceased was the master of the Qinglian Temple.”

“What?!” Li Yuan exclaimed, “You said the deceased is the Taoist Qing?”

Dijia, “You know him.”

Li Yuan, “Naturally, my lord went to the Taoist temple and followed him to practice. He often mentioned to me how mysterious Taoist Qing was, and he was full of admiration for him.”

Bai Lixin lowered his eyes, “Then they both died. Is there anyone else with whom they often interacted?”

“You mean there might be another victim?” Dijia tilted his head to the side and his gaze fell on the slender neck.

Bai Lixin frowned, “I’m just guessing. Call it a sixth sense, but I feel like things are just beginning.”

“If I really have to say who is a little familiar with them,” Li Yuan patted his head, “It would be Boss Huang of the antique store.”

“I often see the three of them get together in the Taoist temple.”

Li Yuan shrank in fear, “Eldest young master, in that case, I am often there as well. Isn’t that murderer looking for me too?”

Dijia laughed, “Then tell us, have you done anything unethical?”

Li Yuan’s already pale face became even paler, “How..How is it possible? I am an honest man!”

Dijia said, “Tell me after you think about it, and I’ll send soldiers to protect you if necessary.”

“Let’s go to the bedroom next door and take another look.”