Put away your magical powers now!.

Chapter 80 [Magic Instruments] (11000 words, please support me by subscribing first!!)
(It’s now available, this chapter is 11000 words long, a big chapter!)
Chapter 77 [Magic Instruments]

Although the door of the main room was closed, some of the sunset light could be seen coming in through the window.

Chen Yan was sitting on a chair. Chu Keqing was talking to Boss He, but he looked up at a portrait of the old lady of the He family hanging on the wall. In the black and white photo, the old lady of the He family looked kind and benevolent.

The photo was hung on a cabinet, and on the cabinet below the photo were candlesticks and incense burners, as well as offerings of fruits and vegetables.

Chen Yan looked at the portrait, not knowing what came to his mind. He suddenly stood up, looked at Chu Keqing and Mr. He who were talking, and whispered, "You two continue chatting. I'm going to go out for a walk."

Director He frowned at the young man. Chu Keqing pursed her lips and gave Director He a slightly apologetic smile. Then she stood up and followed Chen Yan to the door, whispering, "Where are you going?"

"You stay with Mr. He and chat. I'll go out and look around."

Chen Yan waved his hand, turned around and walked out.

·
Inside the main hall, Director He squinted his eyes at Chu Keqing. "Didn't this young man claim to be Teacher Chu's disciple? Judging from his behavior, it seems that Teacher Chu is quite indulgent towards him."

"...Not really." Chu Keqing shook her head and said, "This is a disciple of a fellow Taoist. He just came here to practice with me for a while."

Seeing that Director He looked unhappy, Chu Keqing added, "I know this is Director He's family affair, and it's not appropriate to bring outsiders here. But this young man has some skills, and I thought he might be able to help."

Director He's expression softened and he waved his hand, "Teacher Chu, I don't care about that. As long as you can solve the problem, that's all that matters."

·
Chen Yan walked out of the main room, nodded and smiled as he greeted Assistant Zhao who was guarding the yard outside the door, then walked out of the yard.

"Mr. Chen, where are we going?" Assistant Zhao followed and asked.

"It's okay, just take a stroll."

Assistant Zhao thought for a moment and asked, "Do you want me to send someone to follow you?"

"No need. Oh, by the way, you don't have to wait for me for dinner." After Chen Yan gave the instructions, he waved his hand and left with a smile.

He Village is neither big nor small, and is a typical rural area in the south of Longguo. Under normal circumstances, this kind of place would not be very popular.

Nowadays, young people either go out to work or pursue their dreams in big cities if they have a degree. On weekdays, the countryside is mostly populated by left-behind elderly people or children, with few young people to be seen.

However, there were still more than ten days before the Spring Festival, and the village was gradually becoming more popular.

Chen Yan walked out of the He family mansion and strolled along the village road. He could see the doors of every house wide open. In some houses, he could see young faces, probably those who had returned home for the New Year.

Chen Yan walked for a while, played with the chickens, played with the dog, and then walked casually on the road in this village - he found a sense of familiarity.

Before I went to college, I lived with my old lady in the countryside, and I felt quite comfortable and at ease in the countryside environment.

At the door of a small shop at the entrance of the village, a big yellow dog was lying, lazily leaning against the wall, scratching its head with its hind legs from time to time.

Chen Yan walked over, but the dog didn't even look at him. It squinted its eyes and yawned.

Standing outside the store, Chen Yan saw that the shelves inside were filled with all kinds of New Year goods. There was also a stall outside, which was filled with fireworks and firecrackers.

Standing at the door, you can still hear the sound of mahjong tiles coming from inside.

Chen Yan walked into the store, stood by the shelf and picked up a bottle of Coke at random. He saw a small door on the left side of the store. The door was filled with smoke. There were three or five mahjong tables in the small room, and the room was crowded with people.

A man with a hot water bottle in his hands, probably the owner of this place, emerged from the mahjong room and glanced at Chen Yan. Seeing the Coke in his hand, he said in a very calm tone, "Two yuan for the Coke, scan the code yourself."

Chen Yan was happy.

This kind of business, operating a small shop and a mahjong parlor simultaneously, is common in my hometown. Aside from holidays, the small shop barely makes any money; mahjong is the mainstay. Chen Yan scanned the QR code to pay for his Coke and then headed straight into the mahjong room, casually standing at a table and watching people play.

He was not stupid to begin with, and after several days of nourishing his vital energy, his eyesight and hearing were sharp, and his spirit was vigorous. After just a few moments of studying, he figured out the rules of the local mahjong game.

After standing and waiting for a while, when someone at a table stood up, probably thinking it was time to go back to eat, Chen Yan walked over and patted the boss: "There's an empty seat, can I play a couple of rounds?"

The boss looked at the young man, but was not too wary - Chen Yan looked too young and did not look like a police officer who was catching gamblers.

"Are you really going to fight? Bring money." The boss said quickly.

"Yeah." Chen Yan nodded, and asked calmly, "How much is the tea?"

The boss reported a number, then smiled and helped Chen Yan pull out the table: "I have noodles and fried rice for dinner. Let me know if you want some."

The three people sitting at the table were obviously idlers in the village.

There are many such people in the countryside. They work on the farm during the busy farming season and occasionally do odd jobs when they are not busy. They live a life that is neither rich nor poor and have no aspirations - they are not willing to go to big cities or work in factories and suffer the hardships.

When I was in the countryside, I'd play mahjong and gamble for a little money. If I won, I'd buy a couple of packs of good cigarettes, have a drink, or add a hearty dish to the table. If I lost, I'd curse.

Of course, there were some gamblers, but they didn’t play much in this small shop, so I didn’t see any.

After Chen Yan sat down, the three people at the table teased him, "You young man looks unfamiliar. Are you from our village?"

"I'm from the same county and came here to play with my classmates." Chen Yan answered casually.

A middle-aged man sitting across from him at the table, a cigarette between his ears, teased, "Looking at classmates? Are you looking at your girlfriend?"

Chen Yan did not answer. He smiled and waited for the others to roll the dice, then skillfully arranged the cards.

Another person said, "Old man, don't laugh at him. This young man is very good-looking. Your daughter will be looking for a boyfriend in a few years. I'm afraid she won't be able to find such a good-looking young man by then."

The man opposite, called "Old Stick," blushed and said, "Nonsense! My daughter goes to school in the city and will marry in the city in the future."

A skinny man sitting in Chen Yan's house looked at him curiously and asked, "Young man, who's your girlfriend's family?"

Chen Yan glanced at the guy and said with a smile, "What's the matter? Are you worried that I'll lose money and refuse to pay? Do you have to ask the doorman for help just to play cards?"

The last part of the question about the store owner was a local dialect that Chen Yan had learned from the locals today, and when he spoke it now, he spoke it very fluently.

A few people smiled, and when someone was about to say something, Chen Yan had already played a card: "East Wind."

When the card game started, everyone focused their attention and skipped questioning Chen Yan.

Chen Yan's mahjong skills are average, neither good nor bad, and the local mahjong rules are different from what he is used to, so it is a bit awkward to play.

After playing for over an hour, he only won a small hand, but did hit two cannons. One of them even gave the player next to him a big win. The player next to him was a wizened middle-aged man, who smiled brightly and looked at Chen Yan with a little more enthusiasm.

The three of them watched the young man playing cards, not making a fuss when he won and not batting an eyelid when he lost, and they all praised his good playing style. Chen Yan took the opportunity to ask the boss to send over a pack of Furong King cigarettes, opened them up and gave each of them a cigarette, which made the atmosphere even more harmonious.

While playing cards, Chen Yan started to ask questions, and soon he found out some of the information he wanted to know.

First, I asked about Boss He's family - this action did not arouse anyone's suspicion.

After all, He Village has such a famous Boss He who can be on the rich list. Outsiders are naturally curious, and the villagers also enjoy gossiping about Boss He's family on weekdays.

Boss He generally had a good reputation in the village. After he became rich, he spent a lot of money on building roads and bridges. Every Spring Festival, he gave a New Year's gift to every household in the village.

There are many people who speak well of him - of course, there are also those who are jealous and envious and say bad things about him behind his back.

The death of the old lady in Boss He's family, the collapse of her grave, and the disappearance of her body have caused a lot of commotion recently and have become the hottest gossip in the local area.

On the day the coffin was opened, the He family held a grand ceremony, with many onlookers. After the coffin was opened, the old lady's body was nowhere to be found. With so many people watching—how could such a thing be hidden? The news spread quickly.

The villagers spread rumors of all kinds. Some said Boss He had offended an enemy, some said he had offended the mountain god, and some said he had run into some evil spirit...

The rumors are getting more and more bizarre.

But there is one thing... The three people at the table, when talking about the deceased old lady of the He family, all said good things, not a single bad word.

Firstly, country people believe more in the principle that "the dead are greater than the dead."

Secondly, Chen Yan could tell that Mrs. He had made many good friends in the village during her lifetime, so her reputation was very good.

According to the three people, when the old lady of the He family was alive, she was kind and gentle to everyone. Whenever anyone in the village encountered difficulties, as long as they came to her house to ask for help, the old lady would never let them go back empty-handed.

When the He family renovated their ancestral hall, Old Lady He directly agreed to cover 90% of the cost—she could have paid the entire amount, but she insisted that the hall didn't belong to her family alone, and that everyone should contribute a nominal amount, as was proper. This saved everyone's face, made everyone feel involved, and reduced their expenses.

Things were done beautifully.

When buying the hilltop land for the He family's ancestral tomb on the back mountain, more than 90% of the money was contributed by Old Lady He's family. The principle was the same as that for building the ancestral hall.

Chen Yan pretended to ask casually, saying that Boss He was too arrogant in his wealth, and wondered if the old lady of the He family knew feng shui and fortune telling or something.

After hearing this, everyone at the table shook their heads to indicate that they had never heard of it.

Old Mrs. He became a widow when she was young.

Before he got old, apart from raising a son like Boss He, he never left the house on weekdays. The family's fields were rented out to people in the same village for farming, and the money they earned was not high.

It is said that widows are often surrounded by gossip, but Mrs. He does not have this reputation and has a very good reputation in the village.

"You have to ask Lao Gun about this. Lao Gun is a direct descendant of the He family." Lao Deng, who was sitting in the house below Chen Yan, has been particularly kind since he got Chen Yan's advice.

The old man sitting opposite Chen Yan seemed to show a bit of pride on his face. He coughed and said slowly with a slightly proud look: "Speaking of Old Mrs. He, I should call her aunt. My aunt had a difficult life. Her husband died when she was young. However, her husband, my deceased distant uncle, did leave behind some family property.

The old lady was always kind, and everyone in her clan was willing to help her. Even the village scoundrels didn't dare to harass her. I remember hearing when I was a kid about a scoundrel who tried to break through someone's window at night. He ended up having his leg broken, and he never dared to do it again.

"Who was beaten?"

"We are the He family of our village. How could we let outsiders bully us?" Old Stick puffed out his chest. He looked so proud, as if he had broken the man's leg with his own hands.

"Ha! Old stick, you call the old lady aunt, but Boss He didn't give you any official position, just let you be a manager or something." The people next to him made fun of him.

The old man blushed, "Bullshit! I'm the most sensible person. I didn't even finish elementary school, and everyone in Boss He's company is a college graduate. What can I do there? Wouldn't that just cause trouble for them? But the old lady is gone, and Boss He did offer me a drink during the banquet."

Then Chen Yan turned the topic to Mrs. He, that is, Sun Chen.

However, everyone present said they didn't know.

Sun Chen rarely appeared in public, like the old lady's shadow, only staying by her side. Only when the old lady appeared would people see her following her. This wealthy lady rarely left the mansion on weekdays. When she did go out, she was always picked up and dropped off by car. She didn't interact much with the people in the village.

I heard that he had a younger brother, but he died a few years ago.

Speaking of this, everyone couldn't help but feel regretful... With Boss He's wealth, as long as his younger brother is not dead, Boss He will definitely not treat his brother-in-law badly. Isn't it a foregone conclusion that he will be rich for the rest of his life?

"Nonsense! What brother? He's a cousin! Boss He's wife's surname is Sun. She is the only daughter in the family. How can she have a brother? The one who died is a cousin. He is her uncle's son." The old man retorted.

As he spoke, Old Stick seemed to be showing off a bit, winking and saying, "You know nothing, you're just spreading nonsense! They even came here to make a scene twice before."

Chen Yan's heart moved: "What's the fuss?"

"Boss He's wife, her cousin, is no good." The old man said mysteriously, "If you ask me, that kind of person deserves to die."

Chen Yan immediately offered her a cigarette: "Tell me about it, I just like to hear gossip. Her cousin died, why did they come to the He family to make trouble?"

As Lao Gunzi was stacking his cards, he explained the situation: "Speaking of Mr. He's wife, she has done her best for her relatives.

Her cousin was her uncle's son, much younger than Sun Chen. When Boss He became successful, people came to him for help. I heard that the He family also arranged a job for him, which made him a lot of money.

But that kid, he's a bad boy. I heard he learned to smoke this outside..."

As he said this, Lao Gunzi made a gesture that made everyone understand.

"Once you get involved with that stuff, you're done."

"Yeah, that thing will be ruined if it gets contaminated."

The other two players at the table also nodded.

"The boy was later arrested and put in a drug rehabilitation center for a while. At that time, his family came to the He family and begged them to help get him out. But when the old lady found out about this, she said: We can help with other things, but we are a kind family and we cannot tolerate people like this.

Not only did they not help, but they also forbade the family from visiting again—this effectively cut off any ties. It was all the old lady's decision.

Although the old lady had a soft heart all her life, she was very decisive in this matter."

Chen Yan listened and nodded: "There's nothing wrong with what he did. Who would want to be touched by someone who smokes that thing? Whoever gets touched by it will be unlucky!"

"That's right. The old lady made the right decision." The old man continued, "The He family cut off all ties with that kid, and his lucrative position was taken away. Later, I heard that he got into some trouble outside, but he owed a large sum of money.

One year, he came to the He family again to seek help.

But this time the old lady was still very determined, she would not get involved, nor would she lend a hand. As the old lady meant it, Mr. He's wife did not disobey the old lady's order and did not intervene.

Later, not long after, I heard that the boy had died."

"How did he die?" Chen Yan paid attention.

"I don't know about that." The old man shook his head. "I heard he jumped to his death from a building. Maybe he took too much of that stuff and damaged his brain. Or maybe he was forced into a corner by his creditors. I'm not a policeman, so I don't know the details."

"What's the fuss? This man's death has nothing to do with the He family." Chen Yan shook his head.

"Who says it's not?" The old man said, as if they were all united in hatred: "That kid didn't learn his lesson and got himself into trouble. What does this have to do with the He family?
But there are those unreasonable people in this world. After that kid died, his parents came to the He family and made a scene, saying that the He family had let their son die without helping him, which was why they had him doomed... In the end, the old patriarch of the He family couldn't stand it anymore and had them driven away. I was there at the time."

"Bah! If you ask me, this is what kind of person you raise, what kind of son you will have! If the upper beam is crooked, the lower beams will be crooked too. The old man is so unreasonable, no wonder he raised a son who is a troublemaker and a bad boy." The card player next to him also joined in.

After hearing this, Chen Yan also responded with a few words.

It was already dark when they finished playing cards. When the bill was settled, Chen Yan's family lost the money of three other families. He alone lost more than three hundred yuan, while the other three families won some money, especially the old man, who won two hundred yuan alone.

Chen Yan always had a smile on his face. His attitude of not being embarrassed even when losing money made the three card players very happy. They even asked Chen Yan if he would come tomorrow.

Chen Yan smiled and said, "It depends on the situation," and left alone. He strolled around the village for a while, and finally walked back to the He family mansion.

Back at the He family mansion, the nanny opened the gate for Chen Yan.

When Chen Yan came in and walked through the yard, he saw Chu Keqing sitting in a small living room on the side, accompanied by Mrs. He and Sun Chen, and the two were talking.

Chen Yan walked in and glanced at the female assistant sitting next to her. The female assistant nodded to Chen Yan - Chen Yan understood that there must be some progress in the matter she was asked to inquire about.

He walked over with a smile and sat next to Sun Chen... Strictly speaking, this action was a bit inappropriate.

Because nominally he was brought by Chu Keqing, even if he sat down, he should sit next to Chu Keqing.

But he sat down next to Mrs. He, so Chen Yan and Chu Keqing sandwiched Mrs. He in the middle.

As soon as he sat down, a nanny brought a cup of tea. Chen Yan took a look at it and smiled, "I don't like drinking tea when I'm young. I'm afraid I can't sleep at night. Give me a drink, juice or cola or something."

Sun Chen looked at Chen Yan, who had a kind face, and smiled, "Young man, drinking something so sweet when you're almost going to bed at night is not good for your health."

Chen Yan returned a friendly smile: "It's okay, I'm young and have a good metabolism."

"That can easily damage your teeth. You should brush your teeth well at night." Sun Chen stared at Chen Yan for a few seconds and shook his head. "I'm sorry, Xiao Chen. I see that you are about the same age as my son. Maybe I said too much."

"It's okay. Mrs. He cares about me, and I appreciate it." Chen Yan nodded, then casually asked, "Is your son abroad?"

"Well, she came back when the old lady died, but she left again after the funeral. Then this incident happened again, and I didn't want to bother the children, so I didn't tell them."

As he spoke, a look of discomfort appeared on Sun Chen's face.

Chen Yan understood...this woman was missing her son.

This Sun Chen must be one of those rare traditional women. She married a husband and devoted her life to taking care of him and raising children. Furthermore, she had been living with the old lady for many years, essentially relying on her for everything.

My husband and children are not around.

The old lady is the closest person in her life.

Now that the old lady had passed away, Sun Chen had lost her support. She felt completely lost. The people she missed most were her two children.

She may not even miss Boss He in this way - after all, she and her husband have been separated for so many years, and it is hard to say how much affection they have.

Seeing Chen Yan, a tall, fair, and likable young man, Sun Chen felt his longing for his son suddenly rekindled. Unable to resist, he looked at Chen Yan again and chatted with him about family matters, asking about his name, age, where he attended school, what his major was, and so on...

Chen Yan was talking to Sun Chen while looking at the middle-aged woman. He noticed a emerald green jade pendant hanging on her sweater.

A Buddha statue.

It looks like a pair with the Guanyin pendant that I saw Boss He wearing today.

Chen Yan squinted his eyes and took a look, then something in his mind moved.

"Mrs. He, the Buddha amulet you are wearing looks very nice." Chen Yan suddenly said this.

After a pause, he quickly smiled and said, "I'm sorry, Mrs. He, I don't have any other hobbies on a daily basis. I just like to tinker with jade and other things. So when I see something good, I can't help but be curious."

As he spoke, Chen Yan pulled out the jade ring he wore close to his body and showed it to the public: "You see, I really like these things. I like to tinker with them on a daily basis, and I even wear one myself."

Sun Chen took a look. Although she rarely went out, she had married into a wealthy family and had seen many fine things. She had a good eye. She could tell at a glance that the jade ring was made of good material. She nodded and said, "This should be imperial green jade. The material is very good."

Chen Yan nodded and replied, "Yes, it's also an heirloom in my family." Sun Chen smiled and said casually, "This jade pendant was given to me by the old lady when I got married to Old He. It's also an heirloom in the He family. It was originally a pair of jade pendants.

Lao He has one that he has worn since he was a child. After we got married, the old lady gave me the other one so that I can wear it every day.

"A fine emerald." Chen Yan sighed, then his expression suddenly changed, pretending to be embarrassed. "Well... I'm excited to see the prey. Can you take it off and let me see it?"

In fact, this request is somewhat rude!

First of all, the jade pendant that Mrs. He wore was made of top-grade emerald and was worth a fortune. It was inappropriate to casually look at such a valuable item.

Secondly, these jade pendants that are worn have the function of amulets - this kind of protective item is taboo for others to touch.

Logically speaking, Chen Yan is such a young man, and his status and position are far inferior to Sun Chen. It would be very rude for him to rashly make such a request.

Originally, he was brought by Chu Keqing. Normally, Chu Keqing should have stopped him immediately and scolded Chen Yan at this time.

But how could Chu Keqing dare to stop Senior Chen Yan?

Sun Chen also felt that this was a bit presumptuous, but she was kind and gentle, so although she felt it was a bit abrupt, she still took off the jade pendant and placed it on the table, smiling kindly, "If you like it, then take a look. Just be careful not to break it. This is the thing the old lady gave me that she cares about the most. She usually requires me to wear it every day."

After hearing this, Chen Yan raised his eyebrows, then slowly picked up the jade token and looked at it carefully again and again.

About a minute later, Chen Yan returned the jade token to Sun Chen with both hands, and Sun Chen immediately put it back on carefully.

"This is a good thing, you must take good care of it." Chen Yan said in a serious tone.

Sun Chen sighed, as if a bit melancholy had moved again: "The things that the old lady cares about most, I will naturally keep them well."

Chen Yan glanced at Chu Keqing and continued, "Today, Teacher Chu and I talked about the horoscopes and destiny of the people in your house..."

Sun Chen looked more serious and looked at Chu Keqing.

Chu Keqing nodded immediately and said, "To survey the grave, we need the birth charts of the closest relatives in the family to determine the location. Today, I asked Mr. He for your birth charts and those of your children. I also had the birth charts of your children analyzed."

Sun Chen shook his head: "I don't really understand this."

Chen Yan then said, "It doesn't matter if you don't understand. However, after calculating your horoscope... Mrs. He, you and Boss He are a match made in heaven!"

"Hmm..." Sun Chen looked stunned.

"Let me put it this way. Your horoscope and Mr. He's are the most compatible I've ever seen. The combination of the two of you promises a long and prosperous life, numerous children, and great wealth and honor."

Chen Yan spoke quickly, then observed Sun Chen's eyes calmly: "Your horoscopes are so compatible. When you married Boss He, the old lady must have asked an expert to calculate it, right?"

Sun Chen smiled and said, "This... should have been calculated back then. But the He family is a wealthy family, and things like marriage, hiring a matchmaker, and calculating the horoscope are considered traditions here."

After thinking for a while, Sun Chen slowly said: "When I was still a girl, the old lady met me once and had a meal with me. At that time, I just thought it was the He family's matchmaking, and my future mother-in-law wanted to meet me first.

A few days after that meal, the He family came to propose marriage."

After hearing this, Chen Yan secretly exchanged glances with Chu Keqing... Could it be that the old lady of the He family is really an expert?

While eating, could he take the opportunity to read someone’s fortune?

Then, Sun Chen smiled and said, "Now that you mention it, I finally understand. When we had that meal together, the old lady didn't come alone. She also brought an elder with her.

At that time, I thought it was a group coming to meet me, and I was so nervous that I ate the meal very carefully, afraid of saying something wrong.

However, after I got married, I never saw the other elder who was at the dinner again. I originally thought he was also an elder from the He family. Later, I asked the old lady about it, and she said it was an old friend of hers who happened to be visiting at the time, so she simply brought him along for dinner.

Now that I think about it, maybe it was the expert invited by the old lady?"

Chu Keqing immediately pressed the issue, "Sister Chen, are you saying that when the old lady first met you and took a liking to you at the dinner party, she didn't go alone, but brought an elder with her?"

"Yes, there were three of us having that meal, me, the old lady... and there was another one, a friend of the old lady, also an old lady. I remember her last name was Huang, and I heard my mother call her Sister." Sun Chen recalled and nodded, "Yes, that's right, her last name was Huang, and my mother always called her Sister Shunying."

The last name is Huang... Shunying. So the full name should be Huang Shunying?
Chu Keqing didn't react much, but Chen Yan next to her widened his eyes.

His expression was inexplicably strange, and he tried hard to suppress the surprised expression on his face.

Hwang Soon-young?
My own old lady, that famous witch in the surrounding area, the venerable master in the domain...

The name on the ID card is Huang Shunying!
and so……

The old lady of the He family is not an expert.

The master is my old lady!

·
The news of this unexpected gain immediately silenced Chen Yan.

Sun Chen, on the other hand, looked at the time and stood up and said, "Okay, I've asked the kitchen to prepare some midnight snacks for Lao He. I need to go check it out. You all should have a good rest tonight. I've asked someone to prepare the guest rooms in the backyard. All the bedding and toiletries are new."

After saying this, Mrs. He politely said goodbye and left.

In the restaurant, Chu Keqing and Chen Yan stood up to see her off, then came back and sat down again. Chu Keqing saw that Chen Yan's expression was a little unnatural, so she asked, "Senior, what's wrong with you?"

Chen Yan shook his head: "Nothing, I just think I sprained my waist."

As he said this, he waved his hand and said, "Let's talk about what we've gained today."

Chu Keqing didn't want to ask too much, so she said slowly, "Mrs. He came here to deliver the guest list left by the old lady when she passed away, as per our request."

As she spoke, she took out a booklet and placed it on the table.

Chen Yan took a look and said, "Don't rush to look at the booklet yet." He looked at the female assistant and asked, "What kind of news did you get today?"

The female assistant immediately sat closer and said solemnly, "I asked around in the village, asked the local barefoot doctor, asked the barber... I ended up going to the store at the entrance of the village, but I happened to see you, Senior Chen, playing mahjong there, so I didn't dare disturb you."

"Well, how did it turn out?"

The female assistant's expression was a bit complicated. She looked at Chen Yan deeply and then said slowly: "He Village, since the death of the old lady of the He family, a total of three people have died in the village.

The first deceased was named Ding Youquan. He was a foreigner from He Village, but he was related to the He family.

A 41-year-old man, married with one son, is now divorced – I heard it was because he had a history of domestic violence, having often beaten and scolded his wife and children when he was younger.

After the divorce, my son lived with his ex-wife and moved to another town.

The funeral procession we met when we came back from the mountain today was the funeral of Ding Youquan.

This man made his living by farming and contracting a fish pond. From that particular pond, he supplied live fish to several restaurants in town, earning a small profit. However, he was a gambler, so he couldn't save much money and was often in debt from gambling.

Eight days ago, he fell into the pond while fishing. He was rescued and found fine. The next day, his friends came looking for him and found him dead at home. A hospital examination determined he had caught a cold after falling into the water in winter, which triggered a high fever and then went into shock. He died at home because he was unattended and not promptly taken to a hospital.

Oh, by the way, the reason we were able to encounter his funeral procession this afternoon was because... after this man got divorced, his son lived with his ex-wife and had no contact with him.

After Ding Youquan died, his son, resentful of him for beating and scolding him and his mother since childhood, refused to attend the funeral, let alone help carry his urn. Even before the funeral today, relatives continued to urge him to come, but in the end, he refused to come, wasting time. The funeral was scheduled for the afternoon, and we just happened to run into him.

After listening to this, Chen Yan nodded.

A bastard who always abuses his wife and children deserves to die without anyone to see him off.

Those relatives who try to persuade others are just like dogs trying to catch rats.

Then the female assistant mentioned two more people.

One of them was surnamed Wang, and his name was Wang Dasheng. He was also an outsider in He Village—but this Wang was different from Ding Youquan, and had no connection with the He family.

Wang Dasheng is a 37-year-old man. He has a wife and children, but he's a bit of a loafer. In his youth, he got into fights and spent over a year in jail. Later, he got married through an introduction.

I used to work for a boss in a fruit wholesale market in the county town, helping people collect fruits from fruit farmers in the countryside.

There was no fruit business during the off-season, so he would just hang around in the village, drinking and playing cards.

This man is a drunkard. Fighting, drinking and gambling are common occurrences for him.

Ten days ago, he was at the poker table when he suddenly suffered a heart attack and collapsed. His companions rushed him to the hospital, but he died on the way there.

The hospital's initial diagnosis was that the sudden death was caused by a heart attack, but because the family refused an autopsy, no further examination was conducted.

The last surname is He - when you hear this surname, you might think it is from the He family.

But actually, it’s not the case. It just happens that his surname is He, but he has nothing to do with the He family in He Village.

This man is called He Denian, a 39-year-old male, and a bachelor.

In the countryside, those who are still single at a certain age are most likely to be well-known scoundrels or idle rogues in the village.

He Denian was one such person. His mother remarried and brought her children with her, bringing him to this place many years ago, which is how he came to He Village. Later, both his mother and stepfather died of illness, and he became a well-known second-rate person in the village.

He steals chickens and dogs during the day and kicks down widows' doors at night - that's basically what he does.

He'd been caught for some minor offenses, but he'd only been detained for a few days at most. Although he was a scoundrel and not a good person, he didn't have the guts to do anything big, though he did commit some petty thefts.

More than ten days ago, he died in a car accident in the county town.

After the female assistant summarized the information she had learned, she sat back quietly.

Chen Yan looked at Chu Keqing and asked, "How is it? Did you hear anything wrong?"

Chu Keqing said slowly: "These three dead people...they all died after the He family's old lady's tomb collapsed!"

"Yeah." Chen Yan nodded: "And... these three people have one thing in common, they are all the lowest class in the countryside, idle, evil-minded, bad habits, and scoundrels with no extra money at home.

This kind of person is most easily bribed by profit.”

Chu Keqing narrowed her eyes and thought for a moment, then whispered, "Senior, what you mean is...it really is a man-made disaster?"

Chen Yan pointed to the guest book for the old lady's funeral on the table and said lightly, "If I'm not mistaken, you can take a look at this guest book. These three people should not have come to the old lady's funeral! The names of these three people should not be on the guest list."

Chu Keqing carefully opened the booklet and read it carefully.

Mrs. He Sun Chen seems to be very good at managing the household. Although this booklet was not written by her personally, it was recorded clearly and in an orderly manner under her instructions and commands.

During the old lady's funeral, all the guests who came to pay their respects were recorded clearly, including which family they were from, who came, what their names were, how much money they gave as gifts, and what items they gave.

After Chu Keqing read it once, her expression changed slightly.

"Senior, the booklet says that Ding Youquan, Wang Dasheng, and He Denian didn't show up for the old lady's funeral. Their names aren't on the list."

Chen Yan shook his head: "This is because of a guilty conscience."

He pondered for a moment and smiled, "He had planned to do something bad to the He family. He had ulterior motives and felt guilty, so he naturally didn't dare to attend the old lady's funeral."

Chu Keqing thought for a moment and frowned, "I roughly understand what you mean, Senior. Are these three people who died the ones who destroyed the old lady's tomb?

But... in my opinion, these three people have no relationship with each other, and they are all idle and thieves. They have no grudges against the He family, so it is unreasonable for them to do such a thing.

Unless, they are just thugs and tools, and someone paid them off. Who is this person behind the scenes..."

Chen Yan smiled and said, "My mahjong game today wasn't in vain."

As he spoke, Chen Yan recounted the incident involving Sun Chen's cousin.

Chu Keqing nodded after hearing this and said, "Mrs. He's cousin... even came to our house to cause trouble. So there's a grudge.

When that cousin got into trouble, his family came to the He family for help, but it was the old lady who refused to help and cut off all ties with them. So the family held a grudge, and they definitely hated the old lady the most.

The He family is rich and powerful, so the other family normally wouldn't have the ability or the courage to retaliate. So they came up with such a sinister trick, digging up the old lady's grave after she died?"

Chen Yan nodded: "That's possible, but we need to check some more information to verify the details."

Chu Keqing immediately ordered her female assistant to go to the county town immediately to inquire about Mrs. He's family, especially her cousin's family, and to investigate and verify the basic information.

"You go now and stay in the county town tonight. When you find out the news tomorrow, tell me immediately!"

The female assistant received Chu Keqing's order and hesitated for a moment: "Master Zi, if I leave, you..."

Chu Keqing frowned: "I'm at the He family mansion, Boss He is here, and he's naturally surrounded by security. Are you still afraid that I might encounter something?"

"No, I mean, you always have to have someone with you..."

"I've said it so many times, we practitioners don't have so many requirements and enjoyments." Chu Keqing looked unhappy.

The female assistant quickly said goodbye and left.

Chu Keqing sighed and said to Chen Yan, "I'm sorry to have embarrassed you, Senior. The people around me have been with me for a long time and have also picked up some worldly habits."

"The secular world is also good." Chen Yan didn't care at all: "I think your assistant is very considerate to you. We are practicing, not becoming monks, so why can't we enjoy the prosperity of the secular world?
Do I have to eat bran and drink water, and become an ascetic monk to be a pious practitioner?"

Chu Keqing shook her head and said, "If my Yun Sect's skills are overly influenced by worldly matters and the mind is contaminated by dust, then the aura reading will become inaccurate."

Chen Yan disagreed after hearing this.

That's just because your Yun Sect's martial arts are too rubbish.

It's okay for me to just look at the edge, and it doesn't affect my ability to see people through qigong.

After the female assistant left, only Chen Yan and Chu Keqing were left in the restaurant.

Chen Yan thought for a moment and asked Chu Keqing a question: "Just now I saw the jade token that Sun Chen was wearing - have you seen that jade token before?"

"Yes, I've seen Mrs. He wearing it before. I've also seen the one on Mr. He several times. He said it was given to him by the old lady and he's been wearing it since he was a child."

Chen Yan shook his head: "That's not what I meant. I was asking you, have you taken a close look at it?"

"...No." Chu Keqing shook her head, thinking: Do you think everyone is like you, doing things so abruptly? It's only because Mrs. He has a good temper and is easy to talk to. If it were someone else, they would definitely ignore you.

But she was smart and immediately realized: "Is there something wrong with that jade token?"

Chen Yan put away his smile and said in a serious tone, word by word: "That is a pair of magic weapons!"

·
Chu Keqing was startled.

"Magical weapon?" The Yun Sect leader was stunned for a moment, his eyes eager. "Senior, are you sure?"

Chen Yan glanced at the woman, and Chu Keqing immediately reacted and whispered, "I'm not doubting your judgment, senior, but... magical instruments are too rare!"

Chen Yan shook his head: "Although I haven't taken Boss He's jade token in my hand to look at it, but I took Mrs. He's jade token in my hand and checked it, and there was a fluctuation of vitality.

Moreover, the vital energy was constantly flowing... If it were an ordinary jade artifact, it could be infused with some vital energy. However, even if the vital energy was infused into it, the object would be inanimate, and over time, the vital energy would dissipate on its own.

But magic weapons are different. They have their own magic arrays that can condense the vital energy and keep it from dispersing. They can even automatically absorb the surrounding vital energy as a replenishment.

Mrs. He has worn this thing for so many years, and her vitality is still condensed and not dissipated, so this thing must be a magical instrument without a doubt."

Chu Keqing's eyes were bright: "Since it is a magical weapon...what is it used for?"

Chen Yan said slowly: "Bieqi!"

Chu Keqing frowned: "Bai Qi?"

"It's to ward off evil spirits, evil spirits, demons, and evil spirits... There are always some spirits in this world that ordinary people can't stand. For example, graves are where evil spirits gather. If ordinary people live in graves for a long time, they will be contaminated by these spirits. It won't cause any harm in the short term, but if it accumulates over time, it will affect a person's health and even their destiny.

This jade pendant, under the effect of a magical instrument, can help a person ward off these energies without causing any interference to themselves."

Chu Keqing nodded: "So, it's a talisman?"

She thought for a moment and said, "The He family is a wealthy family here, and it's also an old family with hundreds of years of history. They have some ancient treasures at home, so it's not too outrageous that they can take out something like this.

But... the unreasonable part is that this magic weapon was given to Boss He by the old lady many years ago.

Normally, many years ago, the old lady was just a widow with little money, and Boss He was just a young child. Even if the family had such a treasure, they would not give it to Boss He.

Besides, even if it wasn't a magical tool, that top-grade emerald would be extremely valuable in the secular world. How could it be easily given to a child to wear?"

After hearing Chu Keqing's question, Chen Yan's eyes flashed, but he didn't say anything.

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[Important Notice] Let me tell you about the updates after the game is put on the shelves: From now on, the daily updates will be advanced from 8 am to midnight, that is, 12 pm.

So the next chapter will be updated at 12 o'clock tomorrow night.

I will update every day in the future, with a minimum of 6000 words. If there is occasionally a shortage, I will definitely make up for it later.

Don't think 6000 words is too little; it's equivalent to two chapters for many authors.)
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(End of this chapter)