Madam, don't do this!

Chapter 493 Grandmaster? (5,000 words)
The warm sunlight slanted in through the eaves of the pavilion.

Song Yan's body cast a long, dark shadow, which loomed over Yang Guochen's ashen face.

It was unclear what kind of poison Yang Guochen had ingested, but he appeared to be in great pain. His entire body was writhing and struggling on the ground like a giant maggot, his flesh spasming and twitching. Only his bloodshot, scarlet eyes were fixed on Song Yan.

It's somewhat frightening.

That look in his eyes was one of resentment and bitterness.

Yang Guochen was ultimately not Yang Hetong, and might even be slightly inferior to Yang Siqi.

When Song Yan stabbed him to death, Yang Hetong was surprised but did not cry out; he simply accepted his impending death. As for Yang Siqi, although young, she was quite mature. Despite being shocked by Yang Rui's sudden attack, in her final moments, she did not harbor hatred for Yang Rui, but rather concern for the future of the entire Yang family.

Only Yang Guochen, caught in the middle, was different from his father, who had experienced so much and forged an iron will, and unlike Yang Siqi, who was born intelligent and had already reached a height that was difficult for ordinary people to reach from the moment he was born into this world... Yang Guochen was probably the most common kind of ordinary person, whose thoughts were somewhat complicated and contradictory.

Faced with death, he deliberately put on a calm and serene appearance to cover up his deep-seated fear and to maintain the dignity of the Yang family's third branch.

On the other hand, they were unwilling to accept such an ending.

Not wanting Song Yan to have an easy time, he wanted to leave a thorn in Song Yan's heart, wanting Song Yan to live in constant suspicion from now on. He couldn't accept that, although it was Yang Miaoqing, the daughter of Yang Hexing from the fourth branch of the Yang family, who initially caused the trouble, the third branch of the Yang family ultimately bore all of Song Yan's revenge. He hated Song Yan, but he didn't want to die while the fourth branch of the Yang family remained unscathed. It was under the influence of this complex and contradictory psychology that Yang Guochen revealed the secret that a prince had been replaced.

This was probably the most valuable thing Song Yan said during his meeting with Yang Guochen.

Yang Guochen had no idea that Song Yan could accurately determine the true identity of the replaced prince based on just this ambiguous statement, which was even difficult to discern as true or false.

Ha, what a formidable opponent.

I have no idea what kind of changes the secret I impulsively revealed will bring to the future.

Perhaps, the Yang family will also be destroyed because of this?
I probably regret it a little.

But, it doesn’t matter anymore.

The excruciating pain from the deadly poison was tormenting Yang Guochen's body and mind. He could feel a burning sensation in his stomach, a twisting pain in his intestines, and more and more blood gushing from the corners of his mouth. His chest was already covered in a wet, sticky mess. He had wanted to leave this world with dignity and composure, but in the end, he ended up in such a wretched state.

I feel a little resentful.

With a strange, hissing sound coming from his throat, the light in Yang Guochen's eyes grew weaker and weaker. After about fifteen minutes, Yang Guochen's body trembled violently, and then he completely lost all his strength. The last light in his eyes disappeared, and only blood foam continued to slowly gush from the corner of his lips.

died.

"Let's go."

Song Yan let out a breath and turned to leave.

Luo Tianxuan and Luo Tianyi followed behind, exchanging a glance. Both sisters could see the doubt in each other's eyes.

Who was the prince who was replaced?
Although they were curious, they ultimately did not ask.

They are very satisfied with their current lives and do not want their peaceful lives to be disturbed by some unfounded issues.

At the entrance of the Yang residence.

Under the scorching sun.

The officials of the Ministry of Revenue were waiting anxiously, their robes soaked with sweat, their hearts burning as intensely as the sun in the sky.

Upon seeing Song Yan emerge from inside, their eyes suddenly lit up.

"Minister Xia, you may go in and confiscate his property now..." Song Yan said with a smile.

These words were like heavenly music to the ears of Xia Yuanchang and other officials in the Ministry of Revenue.

"However, Yang Guochen committed suicide, and everyone inside is dead. Whether we can extract all the money hidden in the Yang mansion depends on your abilities."

Xia Yuanchang wasn't too disappointed about this. The soldiers guarding the surrounding area must have heard some of the noise from Yang Guochen killing the servants in the mansion last night. It wasn't surprising that Yang Guochen chose to commit suicide. In this era, this was a common occurrence. Some high-ranking officials who committed crimes would often choose to end their own lives in order to avoid being humiliated by the jailers and cruel officials.

As for the gold and silver hidden by the Yang family... it's not a big problem. Xia Yuanchang trusted the Ministry of Revenue officials' keen sense for money. At worst, they could dig three feet into the ground, smash through the walls, and drain the lake. They would eventually find it.

Song Yan stretched his arms forcefully.

Looking up at the sky, the sharp, knife-like sunlight made it hard for him to open his eyes.

After a long while, Song Yan finally looked away and waved to a constable guarding the door.

"My lord, what are your orders?" The constable immediately approached Song Yan with a beaming smile. Although the lord had killed countless people and was a madman who could stop a child from crying, anyone who knew the Marquis of Champion even a little would understand that his ruthlessness was only directed at foreigners and corrupt officials. The lord was always very kind to ordinary people and petty officials like them.

"What's your name?"

"Reporting to Your Excellency, this is Zhao Jie."

"Please go back to the government office and inform Fangshan to bring a group of constables to the Prince of Fu's residence."

Zhao Jie immediately nodded in agreement without even asking why, since the champion Hou had his reasons for doing things.

It's around noon now, the hottest time of day. Walking through the streets of Dongling City, under the blazing sun, you can hardly see any passersby. The hot wind is howling. It's not yet autumn, but some leaves have already turned golden and are still swaying gently in the wind.

The inner city was quieter than the outer city, mainly because there were fewer people living there, and those who did were mostly people of status and position. Even if something did happen, they would usually handle it calmly and rationally rather than making a scene. Occasionally, faint sounds could be heard coming from inside the courtyard walls nearby, probably the steward of the mansion disciplining his servants.

He would also encounter some officials who seemed to be in a hurry, walking by. When they saw Song Yan, their expressions would change, and they would rush over to greet him, their eyes showing a hint of fear. Song Yan would only exchange a few pleasantries, his attitude calm.

Unlike yesterday in the imperial court, they did not kill anyone they caught.

These people looked relieved.

Song Yan knew that they might not be entirely clean; they had also been corrupt and lawless... but they should still have some conscience left. At least these officials hadn't knelt down and forced Emperor Ninghe to execute Ningguo's most capable general or send the royal princess away for a political marriage when the Xiongnu and Jurchens appeared... As the saying goes, "too much clarity leaves no fish," and if you really counted, a lot of the Fang family would probably have had their heads chopped off. Therefore, Song Yan was willing to give them a chance.

The sudden kindness even made these officials feel flattered, and they vaguely sensed that this Jingguan fanatic wasn't so scary after all.

This could probably be considered the earliest form of the Jingguan Maniac Syndrome?
The journey was fraught with delays, and by the time they arrived at the Prince Fu's residence it was already afternoon. Fang Shan had already arrived with a group of constables to guard the place. To be honest, for Fang Shan, the Prefect of Dongling, the Prince Fu's residence was probably his favorite noble family. The Prince Fu spent most of his time traveling and seeking immortality, and the Princess Fu rarely left the palace. Even the servants in the entire residence had developed a cautious and timid personality, rarely going out, and even when they did, they seldom caused trouble.

Fang Shan found it somewhat strange that Song Yan had suddenly come to the Prince of Fu's residence, but he also understood that Song Yan was not the type to make empty promises. Since he had specifically requested to come to the Prince of Fu's residence, something terrible must have happened there.

Upon arriving here, even before entering the house, Fangshan had a vague feeling that something was amiss.

It's so quiet.

The entire palace was like a lifeless graveyard, utterly silent. The air was also somewhat foul, with a faint, nauseating stench.

Despite the blazing sun overhead, everyone, including Fangshan, felt a chill run through their bodies, a very bad premonition lingering in their hearts.

"My lord," Fang Shan bowed to Song Yan, his expression somewhat grave, "Regarding the Prince's residence..."

Song Yan shook his head, remained silent, walked to the front door, and pushed it open with both hands.

crunch.

The friction sound of the door hinges turning is extremely unpleasant to listen to.

The moment the door opened, a stench assaulted Song Yan's senses. The thick, rotten, decaying smell made him feel a churning in his chest and he almost vomited.

The constables behind him gagged. Fang Shan glanced inside over Song Yan's shoulder, and his face turned ashen, his body trembling uncontrollably.

Looking around, one could see corpses lying haphazardly all over the front yard of the Prince Fu's mansion.

These bodies must have been dead for some time. Yesterday they were soaked in the torrential rain, and today they were exposed to the scorching sun, which accelerated the decomposition process.

The corpse was bloated like a gourd, its skin gleaming like bronze, and its eyes bulging out and hanging on its forehead!

This is the concept of giants.

Hearing the commotion behind him, Song Yan felt somewhat sorry for the constables. They would probably have nightmares when they got back today.

Even the situation in Fangshan wasn't much better. His throat bobbed violently, and he subconsciously covered his mouth and nose with his hand, though it was of no use: "My lord, what exactly happened at the Prince of Fu's mansion?"

Song Yan scoffed, "The entire family was wiped out."

"I'm not entirely sure about the specifics."

"But no matter what, these corpses must be dealt with as soon as possible, otherwise they may cause a plague," Song Yan said in a deep voice.

Fang Shan's expression was also solemn. As the Prefect of Dongling Prefecture, such a matter could only fall on his shoulders.

Song Yan stepped over the threshold and walked to the nearest corpse. He heard a buzzing sound and a swarm of flies took flight, forming a dark mass in the air. Looking down, he saw the corpse lying on the ground. Due to the decomposition of the flesh, the expression on its face was no longer visible. All he could see were several bloody holes in its head.

Judging from the appearance, it must have been done by an extremely skilled expert who managed to scratch it off with his fingers.

It's somewhat similar to the Nine Yin White Bone Claw from the novel.

Hua Lianyue once used such methods.

The holes in the heads revealed tiny maggots wriggling and thrashing inside, sending chills down Song Yan's spine. Holding her breath, Song Yan walked forward step by step. All the corpses were lying on their backs, which must have been done by Luo Tianxuan, who had examined all of them.

Even more bizarrely, the fatal wounds of all the victims were almost identical: several holes in the top of their heads.

"Tianxuan, can you handle this kind of injury?" Song Yan couldn't help but ask Luo Tianxuan, bending his fingers to show her.

Luo Tianxuan blinked her beautiful eyes: "I specialize in swordsmanship. If I channel my inner strength into my fingertips, I can easily shatter bones and break stones. However..." As she spoke, Luo Tianxuan glanced at the enormous mansion in front of her: "There are just too many."

Song Yan understood Luo Tianxuan's meaning. With her strength, it was not difficult for her to penetrate a person's skull with her fingers. One or two, or even ten or twenty, would not be a problem. However, with several hundred people in the entire Prince Fu's mansion, this was something she could not do.

The internal strength couldn't hold up.

Could it be that... the person who wiped out the entire Fu Prince's family was even stronger than Luo Tianxuan?

A thought suddenly popped into Song Yan's mind, making him shudder. Luo Tianxuan was already a Grandmaster, but her strength was even greater than that of a Grandmaster. Could she be... a Great Grandmaster?

Impossible, absolutely impossible.

The moment the thought crossed Song Yan's mind, she couldn't help but shake her head, immediately extinguishing the conjecture in her heart.

A grandmaster indeed.

That is a legendary existence.

The martial arts tradition has been passed down for hundreds of years.

To date, the only confirmed Grandmaster is the Hehuan Patriarch, who has been dead for decades.

That kind of strength is overwhelmingly powerful.

The difference in strength between martial artists of different realms is enormous. For example, a ninth-rank martial artist can deal with three or even four eighth-rank martial artists at the same time; but a grandmaster-level expert is no match for ten ninth-rank martial artists; as for the gap between grandmasters and grandmasters... it is even greater, like an insurmountable chasm.

The legendary Grandmaster is a being who is almost omnipotent.

The experts around Luo Yuheng must have been arranged by Emperor Ninghe... But if Emperor Ninghe could truly command a Grandmaster-level expert, how could he have endured twenty years of subservience and humiliation under the oppression of Bailu Academy and the Yang family? Even his own princes and princesses had to be fostered by Luo Yuheng? Wouldn't it have been better to have a Grandmaster infiltrate Bailu Academy, or even storm into Langya and slaughter the entire Bailu Academy and Yang family?

Song Yan couldn't help but shake his head, finding the thought that had flashed through his mind at that moment truly laughable.

Perhaps, he was also a master-level expert, but he had been at the master level for longer than Luo Tianxuan, and his skills were more profound. Moreover, unlike Luo Tianxuan, who was good at using swords, he might be good at claw techniques.

Having witnessed Hua Lianyue pierce through someone's skull with her fingers, he assumed it might be a secret technique of the Hehuan Sect and thought that the massacre of the entire Fuwang Mansion might also be related to the Hehuan Sect.

However, according to Luo Tianxuan, as long as one's skill reaches a certain level, it seems that doing this is not difficult, and such thoughts gradually dissipated.

We passed through the archway and arrived at the backyard.

The situation in the backyard was not much better than in the front yard. Most of the bodies were piled up inside the house, and some of them were still wearing their undershirts, indicating that they had been suddenly killed while they were sleeping.

The sheets and blankets were covered in dark brown stains.

The blood that covered the entire ground had already dried.

"My lord, what should we do with these corpses?" Fang Shan frowned. "These past few days, many constables from the yamen have been seconded. It will take quite a while to get rid of all these corpses with the brothers behind me. Moreover, if these rotting corpses are dragged out, they will inevitably be seen by the people of Dongling City, which may even cause a riot..."

"Then just pile the corpses up in the backyard of the Prince of Fu's mansion and burn them." Song Yan smiled, not exposing Fang Shan's ulterior motives. Burning these rotting corpses was definitely the most convenient and safest method, and as the Prefect of Dongling, he couldn't possibly be unaware of this.

But this is, after all, a royal residence.

For Fangshan to say this would be somewhat presumptuous.

Song Yan's words are just right.

After all, this was a rebellion confirmed by Emperor Ninghe's golden words; mere overstepping of authority was nothing at all.

As for finding the murderer?

joke.

The fact that the entire Prince Fu's family could be wiped out without causing much of a stir clearly indicates that the Dongling Prefecture was not a force to be reckoned with.

With Song Yan's approval, Fang Shan waved his hand, directing the constables to move the body to the middle of the courtyard. The constables were somewhat resistant, but Fang Shan promised them a reward of ten taels of silver each after today, which finally gave them some motivation.

Where is the master bedroom?

"This way."

Luo Tianxuan led the way, and before long they arrived at a quiet and elegant courtyard.

Clumps of bamboo grew in the courtyard, straight and slender. Perhaps because there were relatively few corpses in this courtyard, the air even carried the fragrance of bamboo leaves. The door was open, and upon entering the room, one could see a dressing table, a bronze mirror, and a few strands of a woman's long hair scattered on the floor—everywhere was filled with traces of a woman's long life.

After searching the house for a while, nothing particularly noticeable was found.

Looking down unintentionally, Song Yan noticed a dark brown stain on the ground. She subconsciously squatted down, gently rubbed a bit of the stain with her finger, and sniffed it.

is blood.

(End of this chapter)