Pawning lifespan, starting from a low-level martial arts world to transform into a dragon.

Chapter 99 concludes the story; to nip the problem in the bud, one must eliminate it completely.

Inside the temple.

Master Mingxin struggled to get out of bed and sat back down cross-legged.

At this moment, his face was ashen, and he kept his head down, chanting "Amitabha" over and over again.

It's as if, as long as the scriptures are recited fast enough, everything that just happened has never occurred.

Guan Rongci slumped to the ground, her bloodshot eyes fixed on the drooping bald head.

She waited for a long time.

All that awaited them was the sound of chanting Buddhist scriptures over and over again.

Not a word of explanation, not a word of comfort.

Guan Rongci suddenly smiled.

There was a hint of desolation in her laughter.

Guan Rongci stood up.

As she stood up, she muttered to herself, "Amitabha, Amitabha—hehehe—you certainly let it go cleanly—"

Master Mingxin's chanting stopped abruptly, and he did not reply.

After a short while, the chanting resumed.

Looking at his avoidance, Guan Rongci felt a surge of disappointment.

She felt as if she had a thousand words in her heart, but when she opened her mouth, all the words got stuck in her throat, and in the end, they only turned into a long sigh.

Guan Rongci turned around, pushed open the door and went out without looking back, walking straight out of the temple.

Zhou Yun'e and the others saw Feng Bainian angrily walking out of the bamboo forest from afar, and quickly followed after him.

The group walked forward with their heads down, their eyes darting around them, clearly exchanging glances.

Although they did not enter the meditation room, the noise of Feng Bainian kicking the door open was quite loud, and they could hear it clearly from the next room.

I've seen everything I should and shouldn't have seen.

I heard everything I should have heard and everything I shouldn't have heard.

Everyone looked embarrassed, feeling that Feng Bainian's hunched back looked rather pitiful.

-

After the group hurriedly caught up with Feng Bainian, Zhou Yun'e seized the opportunity to step forward, her face suddenly turning cold. She sternly ordered, "None of you saw or heard what happened today."

"If I find out anyone who can't control their mouth and spreads a single word outside," her gaze swept over each face, her tone suddenly turning icy, "don't blame me for being ruthless and tearing their mouth apart!"

The two or three servants who had come with her trembled and bowed their heads, replying, "Don't worry, Third Madam, we didn't see or hear anything."

Zhou Yun'e examined each person carefully, and only after confirming that no one dared to show any displeasure did she turn around and quickly walk to Feng Bainian's side.

She whispered, "Grandpa, we shouldn't stay here any longer. Let the masters handle the prayers today. Let's go back to the manor first. We can discuss anything else when we get there."

Feng Bainian's face was ashen. He didn't answer, but just snorted heavily and strode out of the temple.

Zhou Yun'e understood and followed closely behind.

The entourage did not dare to be negligent and quickly tidied up.

Zhou Yun'e found Master Jinghui and explained the situation in a few words. All the originally arranged Buddhist worship and vegetarian meals were canceled, and the temple was entrusted to carry out the ceremony on her behalf.

Then, the group of people escorted Feng Bainian and hurriedly left Xiangguo Temple.

The whole process was swift and efficient, without the slightest delay, thus preserving the Feng family's reputation.

Seeing this, Feng Bainian's tense expression eased slightly.

Two sedan chairs were already prepared outside the temple gate.

Zhou Yun'e helped Feng Bainian into the sedan chair at the front. She glanced at Feng Bainian's still unpleasant face, hesitated for a moment, and then said softly, "Father, I have something to say, but I don't know if I should say it."

Feng Bainian, his face grim, uttered only one word: "Speak."

Zhou Yun'e comforted her, saying, "It is truly wrong of the First Madam to have made such a mistake today. But after all, she has managed the Feng family for twenty years and served the old man for so many years. Even if she has no merit, she has certainly worked hard."

Now that the master knows about this, she will never be able to hold her head high in the mansion again; she has learned her lesson.

If the old man goes back, it would be better to spare her life and let her spend the rest of her days in the Buddhist hall, which would also preserve the dignity of the Feng family.

If, in a fit of anger, he were to kill her, and word got out, it would only make the Feng family a laughingstock.

She spoke tactfully and with utmost sincerity, as if she were genuinely pleading for Guan Rongci.

However, when these words reached Feng Bainian's ears, they felt like needles, each word a slap in the face.

It was as if they were mocking his incompetence.

His expression grew increasingly grim.

He turned his head, glared at Zhou Yun'e, and said coldly, "Are you trying to plead for her?"

Zhou Yun'e's heart skipped a beat, and she quickly lowered her head, saying, "This concubine wouldn't dare, but—"

"Just what?" Feng Bainian interrupted her, his voice filled with barely suppressed anger. "She did such a shameless thing, and you still want me to spare her life?"

Do you think that being cuckolded isn't enough for me? I raised someone else's son for over twenty years, and this outsider killed my own child, and I'm supposed to treat her like royalty?!

Zhou Yun'e could tell that the anger in his tone had reached its peak, so she dared not say anything more and apologized, "Father, please calm down. I misspoke."

"go back!"

Feng Bainian angrily yanked off the sedan curtain, blocking Zhou Yun'e from entering.

Zhou Yun'e sat back in the sedan chair without any expression.

Once the sedan chair was lifted, she felt a sense of relief wash over her, leaning back against the side of the chair, a long-suppressed sense of joy on her face.

She casually lifted the side curtain.

The vast bamboo forest outside the window was draped in a thin veil of gold and white under the autumn sun.

As the autumn wind sweeps by, the bamboo swaying in the breeze resembles waves on a vast sea, creating a magnificent sight that instantly broadens one's mind.

Zhou Yun'e smelled the refreshing scent of bamboo leaves and felt great.

The frustration that had been building up in my chest these past few days vanished completely in an instant.

When the group returned to the capital, it was nearly evening.

This time, Zhou Yun'e stepped out of the sedan chair through the main gate of the Feng residence in a very open and aboveboard manner, and was the first to walk out.

At a street corner not far away, Zuo Dongxi, who was waiting there, saw the two sedan chairs. When he saw Zhou Yun'e again, he immediately called his brothers to mount their horses.

As arranged by Chen Ye, he led a group of people on horseback past the gate of the Feng residence.

The sedan curtain was lifted, and Feng Bainian bent down and stepped out.

Looking up, I saw Zuo Dongxi riding a horse.

He recognized the man.

It was that rough, street-smart man whose wife he had taken away.

They even spared his life back then.

Feng Bainian knew that today's events were sudden, and Zuo Dongxi's appearance at this time as an outsider was mostly a coincidence.

But whether intentionally or unintentionally, he always felt that Zuo Dongxi was smiling at him in a way that was neither smiling nor laughing, and that there was a hint of amusement and mockery in his smile.

Feng Bainian's face instantly turned a deep liver color.

A tremendous sense of shame surged up his head, completely shattering what little reason he had left.

After watching Zuo Dongxi leave, he clenched his fists tightly, his face turning angry and distorted, and returned to his residence without saying a word.

Zhou Yun'e was also quite surprised by Zuo Dongxi's sudden appearance, as Chen Ye had not informed her in advance.

A thought flashed through her mind, and she understood the situation.

Chen Ye has completely left Guan Rongci with no way out.

That night.

The Feng family's house was brightly lit.

Only the First Madam's courtyard was desolate and lifeless.

All the servants and maids in the courtyard had already been dismissed.

Only a handful of people remained in the large room.

The atmosphere was so oppressive that it was almost suffocating.

Feng Bainian sat on the grand chair in the main hall, his face ashen, staring coldly at Guan Rongci kneeling below him.

At this moment, Guan Rongci had her head full of jewels removed, and her hair was disheveled, but she still kept her back straight and did not bow her head.

After a long silence, Feng Bainian raised his hand.

A steward came forward carrying a lacquer tray.

Three items were placed on the lacquer tray.

A dagger, a white silk ribbon, and a porcelain bottle.

Feng Bainian said coldly, "I'll give you some dignity: a gentleman with a knife, a gentleman with ropes, a gentleman with poison. You choose one."

Guan Rongci raised her head, her gaze falling on the lacquer tray, and said, "Master, why must we go to this point? From now on—at worst, I will no longer manage household affairs, and Rong'er will no longer seek the position of head of the Feng family. Wouldn't that be better for the Feng family and for everyone?"

Besides, among wealthy and powerful families, which one doesn't have its share of sordid squabbles? At least Rong'er still bears your surname. Why force things elsewhere?

Enraged, Feng Bainian laughed coldly, "So, I should be grateful to you for giving me such a fine son? I'll make this clear today: you die, Lu Rong lives. Lu Rong dies, you live!"

Guan Rongci trembled, as if she wanted to argue further, but in the end she chose to give up.

Under Feng Bainian's gaze, she slowly stood up and, without the slightest hesitation, reached out and took the porcelain bottle.

"That Zhou Meizi has some tricks up her sleeve. I'm no match for her, and I'm willing to accept my defeat." Guan Rongci looked up at Feng Bainian and said kindly, "Master, you must be careful of this woman in the future. Be careful she doesn't ruin the Feng family's fortune."

"Do you think I'm not even as good as a woman?" Feng Bainian sneered. "It's none of your business what the Feng family does."

Guan Rongci said no more, reached out and picked up the porcelain bottle, uncorked it and drank it all in one gulp without hesitation, saying, "Finally, I have one more thing to say."

She looked at Feng Bainian, her eyes full of mockery, and said, each word piercingly, "I've been married to you for decades, and in the end, I haven't had as much fun as I did during the six months I spent with Master Lu!"

Feng Bainian suddenly stood up, knocking over the teacup beside him, his face turning pale and then flushed.

He pointed at Guan Rongci and said, "You—you—you—bitch!"

"Hahaha!"

Seeing Feng Bainian's furious state, Guan Rongci felt a twisted sense of pleasure.

Feng Bainian calmed himself down and said coldly, "I've changed my mind. Your son will be here soon."

The laughter stopped.

Guan Rongci suddenly clutched her chest, her face contorting in pain.

A moment later, he could no longer hold on and knelt on the ground, a trickle of black blood beginning to spill from the corner of his mouth.

Under Feng Bainian's gaze, the light in his eyes gradually faded, eventually turning into a grayish-white.

Feng Bainian walked out of the courtyard without looking back, and silently instructed, "Notify all families tomorrow to prepare for the funeral."

Soon, the entire Feng family was in a flurry of activity.

After hearing in the courtyard that Guan Rongci had committed suicide by poisoning herself, Zhou Yun'e knew that the matter was now settled.

Things went much more smoothly than she had imagined.

Unconsciously, Zhou Yun'e valued Chen Ye more and more.

After much deliberation, she finally made up her mind to invite Chen Ye to a gathering in a few days to try and win him over.