Old Lady Liu was shouting vigorously when Lei Zhen’s sharp rebuke from this half-grown youth didn’t make her voice pause even for a moment—she continued wailing and crying to heaven.
At this moment, a middle-aged man who had entered with Liu stepped forward. After sizing up the two Lei brothers, he said with an air of authority, “We are people of the Liu family. This is my mother, who is also the biological younger sister of Old Madam Lei.”
He had expected the two Lei brothers to come forward and call him uncle, but unexpectedly Lei Zhen looked at them with suspicion, while Master Lei, Lei Ting frowned and thought for a moment before saying flatly, “In previous years, I sent people back to inquire. The branch of the Liu family from my great-grandmother’s generation no longer had anyone left.”
Before the middle-aged man could say anything, the crying old woman turned around and glared, “Who says the Liu family has no one left! I am a daughter married out of the Liu family. Now my second son has taken the Liu surname and kowtowed before the Liu family ancestral tablets. He will inherit the Liu family lineage in the future.”
Lei Ting looked at them, his frowning brow still not relaxing, clearly not believing their words much.
At this time, a middle-aged woman who had been supporting Old Lady Liu and looked quite formidable said loudly, “Mother, don’t waste words with them about such things. We didn’t come here today to recognize relatives, but to support our aunt. She died under unclear circumstances—isn’t the Lei family just bullying the Liu family for having no one? Today, we’ll show them whether the Liu family has people or not! A life for a life—our aunt cannot die in vain!”
As soon as this woman’s words came out, the surrounding onlookers erupted in uproar.
Though there were many rumors outside about Old Madam Lei’s cause of death, hearing it from the mouths of supposedly Old Madam Lei’s natal family was different.
Someone spoke up, “Madam, you can’t speak carelessly. What evidence do you have?”
The woman wasn’t intimidated upon hearing this, but became even more adamant, “Want evidence? That’s simple! Our Liu family has already decided to report this to the authorities. When the time comes, we’ll have the magistrate send people to examine my aunt’s corpse—what won’t be clear then?”
This statement caused another uproar.
Lei Zhen angrily said, “No! My grandmother is already gone and should rest in peace. How can you desecrate her like this?”
The middle-aged woman sneered in confrontation, “We’re desecrating her? I’m afraid it’s your Lei family with guilty consciences!”
The scene had become chaotic, with onlookers changing from whispered conversations to open discussion. Some said these Liu family people who appeared from nowhere were making malicious accusations with unknown motives, others said the Lei family indeed had problems and perhaps Old Madam Lei’s sudden death was truly connected to the Lei family, while still others stood aside to watch the excitement without commenting randomly.
This made the entire mourning hall lively.
Seeing the scene about to turn chaotic, Lei Ting raised his hand and waved to signal everyone to be quiet. Though young, when he put on a stern face, he truly had the prestige of the Lei family head. Plus, everyone wanted to know what Lei Ting was about to say, so the scene quieted down.
“You want to report to the authorities?”
With the scene quiet, everyone looked toward the Liu family people who had come.
The Liu family had come with over ten people this time, men and women, old and young. However, everyone could see that the main characters should be the old lady, supposedly Old Madam Lei’s sister, the speaking middle-aged man, and the middle-aged woman.
Old Lady Liu had only been crying since entering, presumably not in good health either. After saying those few sentences earlier, she had been leaning there somewhat breathlessly, constantly supported by another woman. The speaking middle-aged man and woman should be her son and daughter-in-law.
At Lei Ting’s question, the middle-aged man came out to answer him, “That’s right, we want to report to the authorities! We’re accusing your Lei family of forcing my aunt to commit suicide. Without waiting for us, Natal’s family members to arrive, you wanted to bury her to destroy the evidence. Fortunately, heaven has eyes—I heard the mountain road collapsed and the route was blocked.”
Lei Zhen was about to say something when Lei Ting stretched out his hand to stop him. He said coldly, “In what capacity do you intend to report to the authorities?”
The middle-aged man scoffed, “Naturally, as Old Madam Lei’s natal family members. Didn’t I say? My mother is Old Madam Lei’s biological younger sister.”
Lei Ting remained unmoved, “I’m sorry. Ever since the Lei family came to Yanbei, families coming to recognize kinship have increased. I haven’t seen you before.”
The middle-aged man wasn’t anxious upon hearing this, as if he had long expected their identity to be questioned. He snorted lightly and took out a piece of paper from his sleeve pocket, leisurely handing it to Lei Ting, “Look clearly. This is a letter from the Liu family clan leader, clearly stating what our identity is. It also bears the clan seal and the personal seals of several old uncles from the Liu family. We are the Liu family people, Liu Old Madam is my sixth aunt. If you have any doubts, feel free to return to the clan to inquire clearly. Just don’t blame others for laughing at you then.”
Steward Liu Gui quickly stepped forward to receive the paper from the middle-aged man’s hands, unfolded it, and handed it to Lei Ting. After Lei Ting carefully examined it, his expression finally improved somewhat, “So you are Liu family people.”
The Liu family people immediately straightened their backs.
Though the Liu family had been a premier aristocratic family in Jiangnan decades ago, they had been in decline for a long time. Most of the remaining Liu family members were distant branches who hadn’t been implicated back then, having long lost their aristocratic bearing.
Lei Ting glanced toward somewhere in the crowd and secretly gave his people a signal.
Then someone was heard saying, “Oh, how come Liu family people are coming to recognize kinship again? Weren’t there rumors about this Old Madam Lei’s background before? Some said Old Madam Lei wasn’t from the Liu family’s main line, just a concubine’s daughter from a secondary wife. Some said Old Madam Lei was just an orphan girl of unknown origins who had sought refuge with the Liu family. There were even people saying this Old Madam Lei was completely fake, and even the two Lei masters were bastards of unknown origin.”
Though this person appeared to be discussing with others, his voice was quite loud, and many people present heard it.
Lei Zhen was trembling with anger and was about to order people to drive out those speaking nonsense. Lei Ting appeared completely unmoved, as if he had only heard someone fart in public, but he was constantly watching the Liu family’s movements.
Therefore, he didn’t miss the middle-aged man and woman exchanging glances at this moment.
Actually, at this time, both husband and wife were thinking about what they had heard before entering the Lei family.
They had already set out from their hometown before Old Madam Lei’s death. At that time, that person’s orders to them were to expose Old Madam Lei’s identity.