Are you unwilling because we can’t find evidence of your father’s evil deeds?

Or unwilling because Geng Songsheng’s so-called innocence is false?

Or perhaps…

Unwilling that you married me?

Xie Erli withdrew his gaze, a cold smile playing at the corners of his mouth. With威 imposing authority but no anger, he said:

“Dig through beneath the mud and sand again, inch by inch. Dig deep. Find something, and I’ll reward you with a hundred taels.”

A hundred taels?

Shi Ming’s eyes lit up. He exchanged a glance with his brother, then climbed down the well again.

Under the umbrella, Xie Zhifei looked at his eldest brother, then at his sister-in-law on the other side. He only felt his chest was even more congested, almost unable to breathe.

“Take away the umbrella and let me get some air.”

Zhu Qing quickly moved the umbrella aside. Xie Zhifei weakly tilted his head back, leaning against the grand master’s chair.

Suddenly.

His pair of peach blossom eyes widened inch by inch, wider and wider.

Just when they seemed about to pop out, Xie Zhifei cried out in alarm, “Quick, look at the sky!”

Though his voice wasn’t loud, everyone heard it.

They all looked up.

In a piece of pitch-black night sky, a round moon was emerging from the dark clouds at an eerie speed.

Yet the snow continued to fall.

Very heavy.

So heavy it was vast and boundless.

Everyone felt their hair stand on end.

On a heavy snow day with black clouds covering the sky, where did this moon come from?

Today wasn’t the fifteenth—where did this full moon come from?

The instant the full moon was completely revealed, a crow suddenly burst out from within, like a sharp arrow rushing toward the courtyard where they stood.

Zhu Yuanmo inexplicably recalled that scene in the Netherworld and shouted, “Quick, cover your heads—watch out, it’s going to peck!”

The words had barely left his mouth, and before hands could be raised, everyone saw a black shadow flash before their eyes, followed by a “thud” from the well.

Young Master Pei gasped. “Wh-what was that sound?”

Huang Qi silently moved a step closer to Li Bu Yan. “Master, it seemed like something entering the water?”

Entering the water?

The crow didn’t peck anyone but found death on its own by rushing into the well?

Young Master Pei used his eyes to signal Huang Qi: “You look into the well.”

Master, I’d have to dare!

Huang Qi quickly looked at their anchor.

As he looked, everyone’s gazes turned toward Yan Sanhe.

Yan Sanhe was silent for a long moment, then sighed very faintly and said truthfully, “I don’t know either.”

Just as the words fell, a “splash” sounded from the well.

Shi Ming’s voice trembled—whether from cold or fear was unclear.

“El-Eldest Master, a, a bird burrowed under the mud and sand and, and, and pecked something out.”

Zhu Yuanmo’s liver and gall split with fear. “Th-that bird?”

“It’s dead.”

Everyone in the courtyard froze, each face showing an expression of horror.

Yan Sanhe seemed to realize something and suddenly raised her head.

Seeing her raise her head, everyone followed suit and looked at the sky.

There was no moon in the sky—the cloud layer was oppressively black.

Snowflakes danced through the sky, silently landing on everyone’s shoulders, as if that scene just moments ago had been merely an illusion.

“Y-Miss Yan?”

Zhu Yuanmo’s voice trembled even worse than Shi Ming’s. “Wh-what on earth is going on?”

Yan Sanhe’s fingers at her side slowly clenched tight.

The moon and the crow were both things that appeared in Old Master Zhu’s heart demon—that place belonged to the Netherworld.

But how could things from the Netherworld run into the real world?

“I don’t know.”

Yan Sanhe took a deep breath. “Pull him up.”

Zhu Yuanmo came to his senses. “Quick, quick, pull him up!”

At this moment, Xie Zhifei could no longer contain himself. “Carry me over there.”

This time Zhu Qing didn’t try to dissuade him. He carried Xie Zhifei on his back and walked toward the well.

Shi Ming was pulled up by his brother. Before he could steady himself, he pulled something from his chest—

A small, dark thing.

Young Master Pei exclaimed, “What about the dead bird?”

Shi Ming: “G-gone.”

Everyone: “…”

“That bird gave me what it had in its beak, then just like that, whoosh… g-gone!”

Gone meant not even a corpse remained.

Young Master Pei suddenly raised his hand and slapped himself.

It hurt!

He grabbed Li Bu Yan’s arm like clutching at his only lifeline.

“Per-perhaps it’s… it’s haunted.”

Yan Sanhe: “It’s also possible that Zhu Xuanjiu in the Netherworld couldn’t stand watching us be so stupid and lent us a hand.”

Hearing this, Zhu Yuanmo immediately took the thing in his hand and said hoarsely, “Old Steward, have the Shi brothers go rest.”

“Yes!”

Li Bu Yan suddenly sneered coldly. “Master Xie, don’t forget that hundred taels reward. A man’s word should be his bond!”

Xie Erli seemed to wake from shock. His face iron-blue, he glanced at Li Bu Yan and pulled out a banknote from his chest.

Li Bu Yan watched as Shi Ming received the banknote, then turned her head. “Young Master Pei, why didn’t you jump on my back this time?”

Wasn’t it because there were so many people around and he felt embarrassed?

Yan Sanhe looked at Zhu Yuanhao. “What do you have to say now?”

Zhu Yuanhao’s eyes were bloodshot, so red they could drip blood.

He clenched his fists tightly, his chest heaving up and down several times. Suddenly he raged, “My father could never do such things.”

“Go to the main hall.”

She said coldly, “Zhu Yuanhao, you personally unwrap this ball of black thread for me!”

…

The main hall had four charcoal braziers—it was two different worlds from the cold outside.

Everyone gathered around.

There wasn’t even the sound of breathing.

The black thread was tied in a dead knot. Zhu Yuanhao’s hands trembled slightly—he couldn’t untie it.

Yan Sanhe: “Get scissors, bring the candlelight closer.”

Zhu Yuanhao took the scissors and cut lightly at the dead knot.

The black thread scattered open. Zhu Yuanhao pulled out the hairpin from his head and used the pointed end to carefully pick apart the black thread, allowing what was inside to be revealed.

The items were finally exposed.

Three things in total.

A small ruby ring.

A fresh, blood-red peach blossom petal.

Several strands of fresh, blood-red fur.

The ring and peach blossom petal weren’t surprising.

“What are those few strands of red fur?”

With more people around, Young Master Pei’s courage had grown again. He reached out wanting to touch this fur.

“Don’t touch it!”

Pei Xiao jerked his hand back in fright. “Is, is it poisonous?”

Beside him, Zhu Yuanmo’s face was deathly pale. He looked like he’d been clubbed with a stick, his voice trembling:

“This is fur from a red fox.”

“Clatter—”

The scissors fell from Zhu Yuanhao’s hand to the floor. He could barely stand and quickly used his hand to support himself against the table edge.

Young Master Pei was startled by him. “Does red fox fur have some special significance?”

Zhu Yuanmo glanced at the devastated Third Brother and said through gritted teeth:

“In feng shui, foxes are extremely yin and evil creatures. White foxes are spiritual, red foxes represent carnal desire, black foxes are malevolent.”

Carnal desire?

Good heavens!

No wonder the Eldest Master even went after the cook’s daughter—so this thing was an aphrodisiac.

Young Master Pei quickly asked, “Are these three things bound together the most powerful Peach Blossom Well?”

Zhu Yuanmo: “Not yet the most powerful Peach Blossom Well.”

Li Bu Yan: “What’s the most powerful like?”

Zhu Yuanmo: “An entire red fox sunk at the water bottom.”