CHAPTER 668: CHAPTER 550: AFTER THE ALTERATION

Gongsun Yanming sent Xiao Rong’er back to the courtyard.

When he came out, Gongsun Yu was waiting for him outside.

"Brother, is sister-in-law alright?"

Gongsun Yanming shot him a glance.

Gongsun Yu hurriedly said, "Ziyu’s death hit her too hard, and Uncle Xiao coincidentally came to the mansion. If Uncle Xiao thinks our Thousand Mechanism Pavilion mistreated his daughter..."

"That’s not something you should worry about."

Gongsun Yanming interrupted him.

Within a day, incidents occurred one after another, even he couldn’t help but show a trace of fatigue between his brows.

Gongsun Yu hesitated for a moment, then asked, "Brother, about Ziyu... are we holding a funeral?"

Gongsun Yanming said, "Not holding a funeral yet."

The sister died on her elder sister’s wedding day, and spreading the news might cause another stir.

Lately, there have been enough upheavals at Thousand Mechanism Pavilion, we can’t let the public speak ill of us anymore.

Gongsun Yu muttered, "As for Uncle Xiao... my brother, you should speak to him yourself. I dare not."

Gongsun Yanming suddenly asked, "How’s that person?"

"Who?"

Gongsun Yu was stunned for a moment before realizing who his brother was referring to, "Same as always, either lying down or sitting idly all day."

Gongsun Yanming said, "I’ll go take a look."

The two brothers went to the small courtyard where the array was set up.

As soon as they entered the yard, Gongsun Yanming paused and looked around with alertness.

Gongsun Yu asked, "Brother, what’s the matter?"

Gongsun Yanming looked at the bird droppings in the corner of the wall: "Is someone nearby raising birds?"

"No," Gongsun Yu said, "No one in the residence raises birds. Maybe because spring has sprung, there are more birds around?"

Gongsun Yanming entered the main door.

He looked up at the red lantern that was already hung back in place and headed down to the cellar.

Gongsun Yu activated the mechanism and opened a stone door in the cellar.

A pungent and unpleasant smell hit their noses, and Gongsun Yu covered his mouth and nose with his sleeve: "Brother, why did you suddenly want to see him?"

Gongsun Yanming walked directly to the stone bed, first glanced at the scattered mantou and dishes on the ground, then raised his hand to pull off the moldy quilt on the person.

An unbelievable scene unfolded.

Under the quilt lay not a living person, but a scarecrow with long hair!

Gongsun Yu was utterly shocked, quickly walked to the bed, and twisted off the person’s head.

The size of the head was quite convincing, and with long hair covering it, anyone not looking carefully wouldn’t notice the difference.

"It’s not... this... I clearly... where’s the person?"

He was too shocked to speak coherently.

Gongsun Yanming asked, "How often do you deliver food?"

Gongsun Yu replied, "Once a day."

Gongsun Yanming looked at him seriously.

Gongsun Yu lowered his head guiltily: "Once... every two days... it’s gotten cold... sometimes every three or five days... But I swear, I really came last night! Thinking Liuying was getting married, I gave him a good meal as charity. If you don’t believe me, brother, look, these chicken, duck, and fish dishes on the ground are all leftover from the kitchen’s banquet dishes yesterday! Could he have escaped today?"

Gongsun Yanming asked, "Did he eat the food you gave before?"

Gongsun Yu said, "Yes, but not much. Spilled all over the floor, just like usual."

Gongsun Yanming’s fingers touched the dust on the stone bed: "He’s been gone for a while. Someone has been ’eating’ the food you’ve been delivering all along."

Gongsun Yu was stunned with fear: "Who could it be? It can’t be that girl, right?"

Gongsun Yanming said sternly, "Don’t let word of this leak out, especially don’t let my father-in-law know."

Gongsun Yu nodded solemnly: "I understand. If that person reveals the past events, not only will Thousand Mechanism Pavilion suffer, but the Xiao Family will also be targeted by everyone. If Uncle Xiao finds out he’s alive, he’ll surely kill him. Unfortunately, we haven’t gotten what we want yet; we can’t let him just die."

"It must be that girl! Brother, at this point, the only option is to use Yan Hanshuang’s life... to exchange for the person."

Midnight.

Xiao Rong’er fell into a horrible nightmare.

"Mother... your daughter is suffering terribly..."

"Your daughter’s fingers hurt so much..."

"Please save your daughter..."

"Liuying... Liuying... Liuying—"

Xiao Rong’er woke up from her dream in a panic, cold sweat soaking through her sleepwear. She was still frightened, gasping heavily.

"Someone!"

She called out.

The maid on night duty entered with a lamp, gently opened the curtains, "Madam."

Xiao Rong’er panted, "Where’s Hong Xiu?"

The maid said, "Sister Hong Xiu went out, tonight it’s my turn to be on duty."

Xiao Rong’er said irritably, "Who allowed her to go out? Does she still see me as her mistress?"

The maid was terrified and dared not breathe loudly.

"Serve tea."

"Yes, madam."

The maid poured a cup of tea for Xiao Rong’er.

Xiao Rong’er took a sip and spat it out, slapping the maid across the face, "Are you trying to scald me?"

The maid fell to her knees: "Madam... the water is cold..."

"Dare to talk back?"

Xiao Rong’er splashed the tea over the maid’s head.

The maid’s head was instantly covered in blood.

Xiao Rong’er shouted, "Get out!"

The maid bit her lip, quickly cleaned up the fragments on the ground, and left in tears.

Xiao Rong’er lay down again.

"Sister Rong’er... Sister Rong’er..."

Xiao Rong’er suddenly opened her eyes: "Who? Who’s there pretending to be a ghost?"

"Sister Rong’er, it’s me, Sister Yuan."

A gentle and sweet voice, coming from all directions.

Xiao Rong’er pulled open the curtains.

A dark shadow flashed past outside the window, casting a fleeting reflection on the window paper.

Xiao Rong’er pulled down the treasure sword hanging on the wall and rushed out the door.

The cold wind blew in, stirring her long hair and sleepwear.

"Sister Rong’er."

"Sister Rong’er."

The calling was sometimes near, sometimes far, like water waves endlessly assaulting her mind.

"Stop pretending to be a ghost! Come out for me!"

She shouted angrily.

The maid came up tremblingly: "Madam..."

She had just been hit with a wound, her face full of blood.

Upon appearing, Xiao Rong’er only felt that Zhongli Yuan, who had turned into a Fierce Ghost, had come to claim her life, and she swung her sword at the maid.

The maid screamed miserably and fell down the steps.

"Sister Rong’er."

"Sister Rong’er."

Xiao Rong’er could still hear Zhongli Yuan’s call.

She held her sword and charged towards the source of the sound.

"Zhongli Yuan! Come out for me! Even if you become a ghost,"

"Sister Rong’er."

"Sister Rong’er."

The calling was sometimes near, sometimes far, like water waves endlessly assaulting her mind.

"Stop pretending to be a ghost! Come out for me!"

She shouted angrily.

The maid came up tremblingly: "Madam..."

She had just been hit with a wound, her face full of blood.

Upon appearing, Xiao Rong’er only felt that Zhongli Yuan, who had turned into a Fierce Ghost, had come to claim her life, and she swung her sword at the maid.

The maid screamed miserably and fell down the steps.

"Sister Rong’er."

"Sister Rong’er."

Xiao Rong’er could still hear Zhongli Yuan’s call.

She held her sword and charged towards the source of the sound.

"Zhongli Yuan! Come out for me! Even if you become a ghost,"