Glancing around, he added in a low voice, “Steward, this is not something one or two servants could accomplish. To administer poison and evade the household surveillance requires someone who knows the estate inside out and can monitor it at any time. Otherwise, it would be impossible.”
He did not need to say it. Wen Kui knew it well. “Have you identified the poison?” he asked.
The guard replied, “We cannot figure it out. We need to ask those with expertise from Qinglian Mountain.”
Just then, the sound of a woman weeping drifted over. Everyone looked to see Lady Wen Rong stumbling forward, supported by two servants. She fell to her knees and threw herself onto her husband, Wen Jianming, weeping heartbreakingly.
Prefectural officials were also present. Seeing the scene, they sighed and shook their heads, deeply feeling that the Wen family had suffered a terrible disaster that night.
There was no other way. Wen Yan’an was an official appointed by the imperial court. Even if the Wen family might not welcome their interference, the officials could not simply ignore the matter.
In a corner not far away, Zou Yunting silently watched Lady Wen Guo, who seemed to be weeping tears of blood. He felt waves of chill rising up his spine.
He knew perfectly well that this woman was the mastermind behind the incident. He had no choice. He had been forced to take part.
Without his involvement, without his help in diverting the guards’ attention, those arranged by Lady Wen Guo would have had little chance to strike.
When he first heard of the plan, he immediately refused, but he was instantly blackmailed by Lady Wen Guo.
In that moment, he truly felt the urge to kill her to silence her.
However, Lady Wen Guo presented two points.
First, coercion. She said if she died, the secrets between them would be exposed immediately.
Second, enticement. She promised to spare Wen Xin, saying that once her branch became the head of the family, she could help Wen Xin break off her engagement, ensure she never married, and even create opportunities for Wen Xin to secretly become his woman.
He was utterly astonished at the time, wondering how this woman knew he favoured Wen Xin.
The woman revealed that during their moments of intimacy, he would sometimes call out Wen Xin’s name when his emotions ran high.
Under coercion and temptation, he agreed. With the assistance of him, a direct disciple of the Qinglian Mountain elder stationed at the Wen estate, many matters suddenly became much easier to handle.
He had originally thought she poisoned the others to elevate her own husband. Who would have guessed she killed her husband as well, and did not spare her daughter, son-in-law, or grandson. Judging by this, if she could become the head of the Wen family herself, she probably would not spare her own sons either.
By now, how could he not know that she killed her husband, daughter, and son-in-law simply to clear the second branch of suspicion.
Her cruelty and ruthlessness were simply hair-raising, sending shivers down his spine.
Whenever he thought of her entanglement with him, he felt as though a venomous snake had coiled around him.
Since things had come to this, he could only hope she would keep her word and help him obtain Wen Xin. It was his only hope and comfort in his deep regret.
“Father!”
“Sister! Brother-in-law!”
Lady Wen Guo’s two sons, Wen Yanshang and Wen Yanping, were also helped forward. Both looked pale and weak, their steps even more unsteady. Upon seeing their deceased relatives on the ground, they immediately cried out in grief.
Many people were closely observing their reactions. At first, there was a faint suspicion, as such a tragedy in the Wen family easily led people to suspect a struggle for inheritance. However, those who knew their characters well realised these two were not capable of such refined acting. They truly seemed to know nothing.
In truth, the two brothers really knew nothing. Just as the bystanders observed, their mother knew they were poor actors.
Setting aside the wild suspicions, everyone saw another implication in the two brothers. Almost all of the head’s descendants were dead, leaving only these two. In other words, these two grandsons of the clan head had become the sole heirs of the Wen family.
Wen Kui pressed his lips together, his expression complicated. He knew the truth about the inheritance, knowing the two brothers had no chance at the title, but he could not speak of it.
He silently observed the others and noticed it. The way everyone looked at the two brothers had already undergone a subtle change.
After weeping over her husband’s corpse for a good while, Lady Wen Guo suddenly looked up and called out to Wen Kui, “Steward, how is my father-in-law’s condition?”
Wen Kui took a deep breath and replied gravely, “The clan head has passed away.”
“Ah? Father…”
Lady Wen Guo let out a mournful cry, then climbed to her feet once again, weeping loudly and stumbling away, with two servants quickly supporting her.
In the corner, Zou Yunting’s mouth twitched as he watched the woman’s brilliant performance.
Upon hearing that their grandfather, the clan head, was dead, the weeping Wen brothers were also shocked. They hurriedly rose unsteadily and were helped away as well.
Soon, the miserable wailing of the mother and her two sons echoed before the remains of Wen Mao.
“Grandfather, do not frighten us!”
“Father, Jianming is gone, and now you, the clan head, have left us like this. Someone wants to harm us, and we are terrified!”
Outside, a large crowd had gathered, quietly watching this scene of loud weeping.
Wiping her tears and weeping bitterly, Lady Wen Guo suddenly paused. Thinking she might have seen wrong, she raised her sleeve to wipe her eyes, then stared closely at Wen Mao’s fingers. She saw the mark where a ring had been worn for years, but the ring representing the identity of the Wen clan head was missing.
She suddenly gasped, “Who stole father’s belongings?”
At these words, even her two grief-stricken sons froze.
Several people immediately entered from outside to see what was happening. Wen Kui and Fan Wuchou also came in.
Pointing at the mark on Wen Mao’s finger, Lady Wen Guo turned and asked, “Where has father’s ring gone?”
Everyone looked doubtful, and their gazes finally settled on Wen Kui.
Fan Wuchou also knew the significance of that ring and immediately asked Wen Kui, “Kui Zi, I saw it on Brother Wen’s hand earlier. Where is the ring now?”
Wen Kui said, “I have kept it safe. Before the clan head passed away, he instructed that it should only be brought out when the sect leader of Qinglian Mountain arrives.”
He would not say it was with Wen Xin, and he dared not say it now, even facing Fan Wuchou. Just as Wen Mao had suspected before his death, could someone from Qinglian Mountain also be involved in this?
Given this, Fan Wuchou found it hard to say more. The man had stated he would hand it over when the sect leader arrived.
However, some guilty parties were particularly sensitive. For example, Lady Wen Guo first wondered why the ring had to be urgently hidden away at this moment. There must be a special reason.
Yet she truly could not figure out the reason, only feeling vaguely that something was wrong.
Unable to work it out, she could only continue weeping.
After a while, when people urged her to restrain her grief and helped her out, Lady Wen Guo wiped her tears and her gaze suddenly swept over Song Pingping, who was often with Wen Xin, standing in the crowd. Suddenly recalling something, she turned back and asked, “Where is Xin’er?”
After searching around for a moment, everyone’s gazes once again converged sharply on Wen Kui.
Wen Kui replied, “She is probably overcome with grief and resting in Jade Garden.”
Everyone thought it reasonable and let it go, continuing with the aftermath arrangements.
They let it go, but Lady Wen Guo, feeling uneasy in her heart, did not. On the way back, supported by servants, she used concern for Wen Xin’s safety as an excuse to order Wen Xin brought to her side for care.
This immediately pierced through Wen Kui’s facade, revealing that Wen Xin was not in Jade Garden at all.
Lady Wen Guo immediately sensed something was wrong and ordered a search.
At this moment, a single command from the second branch produced remarkable results. Even Lady Wen Guo felt this subtle yet satisfying shift. With one order, everyone obeyed.
The masters were all dead, leaving only this family. Everyone could see clearly. If they did not listen to this side, whose orders would they follow?
It was quickly discovered that five carriages had left the Wen estate earlier. Someone had seen Wen Xin’s maid, Xiao Hong, on one of them.
Crucially, it was also found that this was arranged by the steward Wen Kui. Someone, eager to impress Lady Wen Guo, had actually dared to betray the steward.
Carried on a temporary sedan chair and surrounded by a crowd, Lady Wen Guo headed straight to Fan Wuchou’s lodging. She did not seek out Wen Kui first, but went to Fan Wuchou to explain the situation and demand an account.
Left with no choice, Fan Wuchou had to summon Wen Kui.
Laying out the findings, Fan Wuchou questioned him, “Kui Zi, what exactly is going on?”
Wen Kui said, “When the sect leader arrives, I will explain.”
He would not reveal the truth. The five departing carriages were a decoy arranged to prevent anyone from tracking Wen Xin’s whereabouts, making people believe she had left, buying time until the Qinglian Mountain sect leader’s arrival.
In truth, although the Wen family’s tunnels were hidden, they could not withstand a thorough search. He deliberately used Xiao Hong as bait to prepare in advance for a situation beyond his control. Now it was obvious. The situation had indeed slipped beyond his control as steward. Otherwise, his secret arrangements would not have been exposed. Before the incident, no one would have dared betray him.
Fan Wuchou’s face darkened. “Kui Zi, do you not find your contradictory statements highly suspicious? What are you trying to do? You had better give me an answer immediately!”
Sitting on the sedan chair, the uneasy Lady Wen Guo could no longer hold back and seized the moment to erupt, “Elder Fan, can you not see it yet? At the banquet, everyone who was not poisoned is a suspect, and he and Wen Xin are the most suspicious. Judging by everything now, he and Wen Xin must be involved!”
Fan Wuchou frowned slightly. He still remembered what Wen Mao had said before passing away, that Wen Xin had no motive for the crime.
Hearing this, Zou Yunting in the crowd was shocked. He felt the woman had gone mad, actually targeting Wen Xin. Yet he dared not step forward to accuse her of breaking her promise.
Lady Wen Guo suddenly shouted, “Guards, take our great steward away and interrogate him thoroughly!”
The men on site immediately looked at each other. Many broke into a cold sweat. Were they really going to act against the second most powerful figure in the Wen family?
Seeing no response, Lady Wen Guo instantly screamed hysterically, “What are you waiting for?”
After the second shout, some attitudes softened. Finally, someone gritted their teeth, waved their hand, and gave an order. Several men immediately rushed forward, twisted Wen Kui’s arms behind his back, and dragged him away on the spot.
Unable to bear the sight, Fan Wuchou frowned and said, “Lady Wen Guo, are you not going too far?”
Lady Wen Guo immediately retorted loudly, “He is clearly suspicious. Are we to simply ignore it? My entire family is almost wiped out. Must we wait until the real culprit escapes?”
“…” Fan Wuchou was left speechless, choked by emotion. Indeed, there were too many suspicious points regarding Wen Kui.
In the crowd, Song Pingping gripped the hem of her clothes with both hands, biting her lip in silence, watching helplessly as Wen Kui was taken away.
Even Wen Kui’s trusted subordinates could only watch helplessly at this point. No one dared to speak, nor was it appropriate to do so.
Soon, the sound of whipping echoed through the Wen family’s private dungeon.
Bound to a rack, Wen Kui was beaten until his clothes were torn and he was covered in blood. The former second most powerful figure of the Wen estate was instantly reduced to a villain.
When the whipping stopped, the man holding the whip stepped forward and lifted Wen Kui’s chin. “Great Steward, why make this so difficult? I suggest you just confess.”
Wen Kui panted, “I have always treated you well. Today I finally see your true colours.”
The whip-bearing man laughed loudly. “What do you mean treated me well? Old man, have you got it wrong? I am loyal to the Wen family, not to you. The times have changed. A new ruler brings new officials. You cannot turn this around. Do you not understand? Confess honestly, and we will all be at ease.”
Wen Kui slowly turned his head away, ignoring him.
Crash! The whip-bearing man suddenly threw a heavy punch, producing a sickening crack of breaking ribs.