The charming widow of the Marquis's mansion: The stable boy carries the flag and raises the dra

Zhao Pojun staggered a step, then grabbed the half-door frame to steady himself.

Although Zhao Lingyun was a spoiled brat and a good-for-nothing, he was Zhao Pojun's only son and the future of his Zhennan Marquis's mansion.

His illustrious military exploits, his vast wealth, and everything he painstakingly built were all for Zhao Lingyun.

But now.

he died!

Zhao Pojun closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

When he opened his eyes again, the grief in them had been replaced by a cold killing intent.

He slowly turned around, his gaze sweeping over the servants who were staggering and trembling in the courtyard.

"Someone come here."

The sound wasn't loud, but it clearly reached the ears of everyone present.

"Lord...Lord..."

A middle-aged manager scrambled over, knelt on the ground, his forehead pressed to the ground, and his whole body was trembling.

"Pass down the order to block the news."

Zhao Pojun gritted his teeth.

"Anyone who dares to utter a single word about Lingyun's affairs will have their entire family executed."

"Yes...yes..."

The steward kowtowed repeatedly.

Then, Zhao Pojun took out a jet-black token from his sleeve and threw it on the ground.

"Summon the secret guards."

The steward shuddered and shakily picked up the token.

The secret guards are the most hidden force in the Zhennan Marquis's mansion.

Each of the secret guards is a fourth-rank or higher assassin, a trump card that Zhao Pojun has painstakingly cultivated over decades, and they are never used lightly.

"Yes... I'll take care of it right away..."

The steward scrambled out of the yard.

Zhao Pojun stood amidst the ruins, his gaze passing over layers of courtyard walls, looking into the distance.

"Luo Hanyi..."

He muttered to himself, his voice as cold as if it came from the deepest hell.

"I hope it's not you."

"If it were you..."

He didn't finish speaking, but the killing intent in his bloodshot eyes was so intense it was almost tangible.

less than 15 minutes

Sixteen black figures appeared silently in front of Zhao Pojun.

They were all dressed in black, their faces covered with black cloths, revealing only pairs of indifferent eyes.

Their auras were restrained, making it impossible to discern their cultivation levels, but each of them carried a chilling aura that sent shivers down one's spine.

That's the aura of someone who has crawled out of a mountain of corpses and a sea of ​​blood.

The sixteen men knelt on one knee in unison, without saying a word, simply bowing their heads and awaiting orders.

Zhao Pojun stood before them, his hands behind his back.

"I will give you three days."

His voice was cold and devoid of any emotion.

"Find out where Ling Yun went last night, who he met, and who he clashed with."

"Investigate everyone in the Zhenbei Marquis's mansion, from Luo Hanyi to the lowest-ranking servant, and find out exactly where each person went last night."

"If evidence is found..."

He paused, a ruthless glint flashing in his eyes.

"Report back immediately, I intend to personally destroy the Zhenbei Marquis's mansion."

Sixteen black-clad guards clasped their fists in unison and vanished silently into the morning light.

Zhao Pojun walked back to the main hall and sat in the only chair that was still intact.

He looked at the corpses of his servants on the ground and waved his hand expressionlessly.

"Drag him away and throw him to feed the dogs."

Several servants ran in trembling fear and dragged the body out.

Zhao Pojun took out the charred cloth from his pocket, placed it in his palm, and looked at it for a long time.

Her eyes were red-rimmed, but she didn't shed another tear.

"Lingyun, your father will definitely avenge you."

"No matter who it is, they must die."

The Marquis of Zhenbei's residence.

Wang Long leaned against the headboard, holding Qin Minglan in his arms, his fingers casually combing through her loose long hair.

Qin Minglan nestled in his arms like a lazy cat, her almond-shaped eyes half-open and half-closed, her breathing steady and even.

She fell asleep.

The girl was exhausted after a whole night of tossing and turning.

Wang Long looked down at her face, and the corners of his mouth unconsciously turned up.

Once asleep, Qin Minglan lost her usual domineering and arrogant demeanor, becoming quiet and incredibly adorable.

Her eyelashes were long and curled, her nose was straight and delicate, and her lips were slightly pouting, like two pink flower petals.

He couldn't resist reaching out and gently brushing the tip of her nose.

Qin Minglan wrinkled her nose, snuggled closer to him, mumbled something inaudible, and then fell into a deep sleep again.

Wang Long smiled and was about to close his eyes to rest for a while when a series of light footsteps suddenly came from outside the courtyard gate.

The footsteps were very light, but with Wang Long's current peak third-grade perception, he could not miss such a sound.

He frowned slightly and listened intently.

The footsteps grew closer, paused at the courtyard gate, and then gently knocked on the door.

"Uncle Wang? Are you there?"

It was Chunlan's voice.

Wang Long glanced at the sleeping Qin Minglan in his arms, carefully moved her away, placed a pillow under her head, tucked her in, then got up, dressed, and went out.

When Chunlan saw Wang Long come out, she quickly bowed and greeted him.

"Master Wang, the First Madam requests your presence in the main hall; she has important matters to discuss with you."

Wang Long nodded and was about to speak when Qin Minglan's drowsy voice suddenly came from behind him.

"Old man...where are you going?"

Wang Long turned around and saw Qin Minglan sitting up from the bed, her hair messy, her eyes not fully open, and looking completely bewildered.

The blanket slipped off her shoulders, revealing a section of her snow-white collarbone and ambiguous red marks on her shoulder.

Chunlan's gaze passed over Wang Long and she saw this scene.

Her eyes widened suddenly, her mouth opened slightly, then she quickly covered it. The expression on her face went from shock to disbelief, then to sudden realization, and finally to an indescribable shyness.

"Young...Young Miss..."

Chunlan stammered out a cry, her face flushing red from her neck all the way to her ears.

She quickly lowered her head, staring at her toes, not daring to look anymore, but she couldn't shake the scene from her mind.

Mr. Wang emerged from the young lady's bed...

The young lady's clothes were disheveled, and there were marks on her shoulders...

A lone man and a lone woman, alone in a room, for one night...

Although Chunlan was an unmarried maid, she knew everything that was necessary in the Marquis's mansion.

Her heart was pounding, as if it were about to burst out of her chest; her throat was tight; and her palms were sweating.

Good heavens!

The young lady and Mr. Wang...

them……

Chunlan thought Wang Long was taking care of Qin Minglan, but she didn't expect him to be taking care of her in bed.

Qin Minglan didn't react at first, staring blankly at Wang Long and Chunlan at the door, her mind a complete mess.

"Chunlan? What are you doing here?"

Her voice was still hoarse from just waking up as she rubbed her eyes.

"Madam...Madam requests that Master Wang go to the main hall..."

Chunlan's voice was barely audible, and she lowered her head even further, wishing she could disappear into a crack in the ground.

Qin Minglan then realized that Chunlan could see her current state clearly.

Her face flushed bright red, so red it looked like it was about to bleed.

"You...you...I...you mustn't think anything of it!"