Shen Yue’s expression shifted from astonishment to confusion, then to calm. As Youmi looked at her, she slowly lowered her head.
This action made Youmi believe that their suspicion had hurt Shen Yue. Just as she was about to speak in Shen Yue's defense, she heard a peculiar, cackling laugh emanate from Shen Yue's lips.
The chilling laughter shattered the silence of the ancestral hall, sending shivers down one’s spine.
“Shen Yue?” Youmi shook her head, “How could this be? It’s impossible.”
Youmi recalled that ever since she first visited Moyun Hall and started talking with Shen Yue, they had been almost inseparable. They even slept together.
Therefore, if the person before them was not Shen Yue, when was the real Shen Yue replaced? Where was she now? Alive or dead?
Who was this fake Shen Yue, and why hadn’t she harmed Shen Yue, having been with her for so long? Was it that Chi Hao discovered it before she had a chance to harm her? Or was there another reason?
Youmi’s mind was filled with questions, but not a single one could be voiced.
Jing Minghe stepped forward and cleared his throat, “Alright, stop laughing. You’re Lanzhi, aren’t you?”
Youmi’s thoughts were pulled back by Jing Minghe’s voice, but a new question arose in her mind: Who was Lanzhi?
“Shen Yue’s” voice abruptly stopped. She looked up sharply, glaring fiercely at Jing Minghe, her voice sharp and piercing, “You’ve seen him? You’ve actually seen him! Why aren’t you dead! Why? Does he like you? He actually likes you!”
Jing Minghe rubbed his ears, which felt like they were about to shatter, and said helplessly, “Stop it. You can eat anything, but you can’t say anything carelessly. I’m not dead because he couldn’t beat me… or my partner. It has nothing to do with liking me.”
“Impossible!”
“Shen Yue’s” face contorted, “I’m going to kill you!”
Jing Minghe sidestepped as the “Shen Yue” suddenly lunged at him. He turned to Chi Hao, “I say, isn’t this a bit unreasonable?”
Chi Hao stepped forward and subdued “Shen Yue” in a few moves, not forgetting to taunt Jing Minghe, “Are you reasoning with a lunatic?”
Jing Minghe retorted, “If you don’t reason with them, how do you dig up clues?”
“No need,” Chi Hao countered, grabbing “Shen Yue” by the neck. “If you want to get out, don’t cause trouble for us. When you need something from someone, you should humble yourself.”
“…”
Jing Minghe’s face clearly showed a look of admiration.
He had just told him not to reason with a lunatic, and now he was saying that reasoning wouldn’t work, but threats would?
If reasoning didn’t work, would threats?
Just as Jing Minghe was internally grumbling, he saw that the “Shen Yue,” who had been struggling desperately a moment ago, suddenly stopped.
Hadn’t Chi Hao choked her to death? No, she was already dead.
Chi Hao loosened his grip and threw “Shen Yue” to the ground. “Shen Yue” sat on the ground obediently, her head bowed, it was unclear if she was crying or laughing.
Jing Minghe had no expectation that Chi Hao would handle the questioning, and Chi Hao showed no intention of speaking further.
Fine, I’ll do it.
Jing Minghe walked over and looked down at “Shen Yue,” asking, “You’re Lanzhi, aren’t you? Is the person you possessed already dead?”
“Of course, she’s dead. I’m just a wisp of resentment. If she weren’t dead, how could I possess her?”
“Let me guess,” Jing Minghe said, feeling uncomfortable with his head bowed, so he squatted down. “Miss Lanzhi, you possessed Shen Yue not long after they entered the archway, didn’t you? That’s why Youmi was led out by you and couldn’t go deeper, right?”
Lanzhi remained silent, and Jing Minghe took it as an acknowledgment. He continued, “You said you are just a wisp of resentment, meaning your soul is still bound there. What do you want to do by coming out?”
“I want to see him.”
“What can you do if you see him?” Jing Minghe chuckled. “Question him why he didn’t save you? He can’t even save himself, how can he save you?”
Jing Minghe didn’t need Lanzhi’s answer and continued, “Only we can save you. Come, tell us obediently how you were murdered?”
Lanzhi sobbed softly. For some reason, she suddenly looked up and stared fixedly at Jing Minghe. After a long while, she burst into laughter again.
Finally, the situation devolved into a cycle of crying and laughing.
Jing Minghe wasn’t in a hurry. He just waited, wondering how long she would keep this up.
As he was thinking this, a hand suddenly appeared on his shoulder. Even through the thick clothing, he could feel the warmth of the palm.
As Chi Hao approached, Lanzhi finally tired of her outburst.
“I don’t know, I don’t know anything,” Lanzhi said, her voice no longer as sharp when she spoke properly, it was even quite pleasant. “I was an actress, so I wasn’t worthy of Young Master Zhan. But I just wanted to be with Young Master. He gave me his promise, and the person I loved gave me his promise, so why should I refuse?”
Lanzhi smiled again, her laughter filled with desolation. “Was it my fault? Why am I the one who has to be punished?”
Lanzhi cried, but there were no tears. “Young Master Zhan was born blind. I was just doing my job as an actress. How could I have seduced him? It’s absurd! They actually blamed me!”
Lanzhi finally shed tears, which were bright red. “They found someone with a similar voice to give to Young Master Zhan, but they saw through it. Can that be blamed on me? They said I put a spell on Young Master Zhan, which is why he could distinguish truth from falsehood even though he was blind. But I clearly did nothing!”
“Why didn’t they allow you to be with him?” Youmi, standing behind Jing Minghe, couldn’t help but ask, “Just because you were an actress?”
Lanzhi shook her head. “They said I was an ill omen because all my family members died, and I was the only one left. But what did their deaths have to do with me? It was a natural disaster, why should I be blamed for it?”
“This…” Youmi’s mouth opened, unsure how to respond.
“Young Master Zhan wanted to take me away,” Lanzhi looked up at an unknown distance. “But the night before we were to leave, they killed me. It hurt so much, it really hurt. I was tied to a stone platform, watching and feeling with my own body as my limbs were torn apart. They said this was the price for offending them!”
“What!” Youmi exclaimed in shock. “You were conscious? You… how could they be so cruel?”
“Cruel?” Lanzhi smiled bitterly. “Haven’t they always been like this? Otherwise, why would Young Master Zhan want to escape? They are all demons, devils! They never treated Young Master Zhan as a son, they didn’t even treat him as a person!”
After Lanzhi had vented her emotions, Jing Minghe pressed further, “By the way, is there anything only you and he knew, that others didn’t? Something related to smell.”
“A sachet,” Lanzhi quickly thought of the answer after Jing Minghe asked. “Young Master Zhan once gave me a sachet. He said the spices inside were personally blended by him, unique in the world.”