Chapter 27 Borrowing the East Wind (Additional Update)

The street gradually became lively, with vendors and runners bustling around like mushrooms after a rain.

Groups of women went out early with bamboo baskets to buy vegetables.

Soon, a scream pierced the dawn.

Within moments, a dense crowd blocked the Dong Residence completely.

"It's terrifying, Dong Hui has been dead for five years, how could he be dug up again? Hey, look closely, this coffin is made of superior rosewood!"

"It's covered with yellow talismans, and a huge 'Sin' word is written on the red gate, whether it's in human blood or..."

Someone read those small words aloud.

"Has the Dong Family offended someone?"

Someone else chuckled.

"Haven't the Dong Family offended only a few people over the years? Maybe they've done something else outrageous. Deserved it, ha!"

Yicui squeezed through the crowd, manipulating the atmosphere with a pitched voice: "Yesterday, the wizard's bell was ringing continuously; from my point of view, it could be a vengeful spirit at the door."

Sure enough, the expressions of the people became solemn, and the surroundings suddenly turned silent, clearly, their thoughts were successfully led astray.

Yet, if they talked about vengeful spirits, they could only think of those concubines who were buried alive all those years ago.

After so many years, coming back for revenge?

With a 'bang', the name plaque shook and fell straight down, shattering into two pieces. Ji Qing, from a distance, withdrew his hand that had thrown pebbles, and quietly left.

Nobody saw who acted. But the discussions grew even louder.

Inside the inner courtyard of Dong Residence, it was as if water was leaking inside the room, droplets splattered onto Mr. Dong's face, making his sleep restless. He rubbed his eyes and, upon opening them, saw a head hanging above the bed.

What fell on his face wasn't water; it was clearly blood...

And the owner of that head was someone most familiar to him, the skilled wizard he hired at a high price from the Miao Clan.

The wizard's eyes were wide open, with a rigid expression of fear. It was unknown how long he had been dead, staring straight back at him, with eyes that seemed as if they could fall out at any given moment.

With a 'plop', the bloody head rolled onto his lap.

"Master!"

The butler stumbled and rushed in from outside.

"The wizard has inexplicably disappeared!"

The head in his lap giggled.

The butler saw the tightly closed door and dared not intrude, so he said again: "The sign outside has also been smashed!"

Mr. Dong was drenched in cold sweat, his heart racing like thunder. He suppressed the scream in his throat and clambered out of bed, not caring about his disheveled clothes.

Over the years, for the sake of fortune, he had stained his hands with the blood of many.

Some were dead, and some were alive.

Gathering eighteen girls was not easy.

With time running out, under the wizard's guidance, he found the last girl with an extremely auspicious fate.

But she wasn't dead yet.

So Mr. Dong chose the right time to personally send her on her way.

White knife in, red knife out.

He could remain expressionless, but startled by seeing the wizard's head, his body trembled with a persistent nausea and retching.

Who was warning him?

Butler: "The young master's grave has also been dug up! It's displayed outside! The whole Fengzhou City probably knows. Lady Dong is furious upon hearing this, vowing to report it to the officials and ask Lord Prefect to take charge, capturing the villain to be dismembered, not enough to vent her anger."

With a 'creak', Mr. Dong staggered out.

"That foolish woman!"

"In this time of trouble, I fear someone is doing this deliberately! To enter my Dong Residence and kill my wizard shows that their strength cannot be underestimated; the attacker is in the dark, we are in the light. Even though Lord Prefect favors our Dong Family, how can we provoke recklessly?"

————

"Move aside, disturbing the government's case handling will cost your head!"

Before Lady Dong could file a report, the government had already sent people, dozens of knife-wielding officials fiercely came.

The common people naturally fear the government and hastily made way.

Officials who usually dared not touch the Dong Family were now assertively bold.

"Someone reported a case, Dong Family is involved in a murder case, take them all away!"

The Dong Family was connected to the Magistrate, offering large sums of silver notes every year.

Yet, the officials from this small county government dared to be so brazen?

Lady Dong, lying on the coffin with red eyes, turned around and cursed loudly.

"Are you all blind? Doesn't the County Magistrate fear being blamed by Lord Prefect for sending you to arrest people?"

"Even in hell, my son wouldn't find peace! I intended to report it myself!"

But no matter how much noise she made, these officials acted willfully.

In a daze, Mr. Dong was embarrassingly taken out by officials entering according to law.

Even the servants throughout the Dong Family were taken to the government office.

In the elegant room of the teahouse.

Looking out the window, one could see the farce in front of the Dong's gate clearly.

The aroma of tea lingered, but Shen Hua hadn't taken a sip.

Shen Hua frowned, troubled and puzzled.

The teahouse was where Cui Yun brought her, and even this stack of evidence in her hand was given by him.

Yet, after bringing her here, Cui Yun left.

Without leaving a word.

But Shen Hua strongly believed that the current events were Cui Yun's doing.

Yicui watched the spectacle with keen interest and entered the teahouse feeling refreshed.

"That Young Master Cui just arrived in Fengzhou City, yet effortlessly gathered all the evidence that had troubled madam for days without finding a single clue. It shows his heroic spirit, but who knows what his identity is?"

Shen Hua was full of worries.

It's not that she was being overly anxious, Shen Hua really didn't understand.

She and Cui Yun had no private interactions before?

Why would Cui Yun help her?

Was it because he had a grudge against the Dong Family, coincidentally aiding her, or did he bring down the Dong Family just to help her?

She leaned her head to look out of the window.

"Did you see that, the County Magistrate, who fawns over the Magistrate like a dog, even sent people. But in doing so, he became opposed to the Magistrate."

Shen Hua: "The County Magistrate is timid, never standing out; over the years, when people appeal, send petitions, he does his best, but any case involving people of power ends without results, under the Magistrate's oppression, he can only close his eyes to protect and cover up."

As she was speaking, she lowered her gaze, her eyes fluttering, asking word by word.

"Who do you think the County Magistrate borrowed courage from, or whose power did he borrow?"

Shen Hua had actually thought of various ways to bring down the Dong Family, but never about reporting to the authorities.

Reporting to the authorities... was the least effective.

These high-ranking officials, corrupt and collusive, how would they consider the people's suffering?

All Shen Hua thought of was creating an unsettling atmosphere so that no one would be at ease.

To completely expose these criminals' ugliness under the sun.

If there was no way to report it to the authorities, she would make the Dong Family uncomfortable with her own methods.

But now, with just one action from Cui Yun, even the County Magistrate confronted Deputy Governor.

This loss of control felt very unsettling.

She didn't know what else Cui Yun planned to do next.

Yicui was most concerned about Shen Hua's condition: "Madam, you didn't get a good rest last night, you look quite exhausted now; how about returning to the residence to rest?"

"The crime is evident; this time, the Dong Family has met a tough opponent. I will have the servants in the courtyard go to observe the trial and report any updates to you."

But Shen Hua shook her head.

"I am waiting."

"Waiting for what?"

Shen Hua's beautiful eyes curved.

Since she borrowed Cui Yun's east wind and this stack of evidence, she naturally had to deliver it to the County Magistrate herself.