No matter how Lang Eldest Uncle pressed, Lang Jiuchuan would not name the Marquis Zhenbei. She had no confidence in Marquis Kaiping Manor’s current strength. True, the saying went that even a ruined ship still had a few nails left — Marquis Kaiping Manor, diminished as it was, was not without any use at all. But compared to Marquis Zhenbei’s manor, which was in full flourishing power, the gap was not a small one.

And the Marquis Zhenbei was about to return any day now to preside over his eldest son’s wedding. If Lang Eldest Uncle learned it was he who had killed his own second brother and then had to face him — no matter how deep a city of composure he possessed, could he possibly remain calm in front of that man?

She herself had no deep bond with Lang Zhengfan, yet even knowing he had died by underhanded sorcery still roused her anger. For Lang Eldest Uncle, who shared the same mother as Lang Zhengfan, how could he possibly pretend that nothing had happened?

When a man of the family died in battle, it was grievous, but one could accept it — everyone knew that marching onto the battlefield meant strapping one’s head to one’s waistband and gambling with one’s life. Being wrapped in horsehide in death was something every martial family with sons in the army was already prepared for.

But dying to dark arts — how could anyone endure that?

What was more, the Marquis Zhenbei was the calculating, deep-city sort. He was cautious and vigilant, and if he caught the slightest hint that something was off, he might well strike first to secure his advantage and move against Marquis Kaiping Manor.

Lang Jiuchuan had no wish to deal with the Marquis Zhenbei while also having to worry about smashing the jade vase in the course of catching the rat.

And so, facing the aggrieved, furious, and heartbroken look in Lang Eldest Uncle’s eyes, Lang Jiuchuan remained unmoved.

“Do you think that our manor can’t even avenge your own father?” Lang Eldest Uncle said, his voice low and heavy.

“His vengeance — I will take it myself,” Lang Jiuchuan said.

Lang Eldest Uncle was momentarily stunned. He looked at the young girl before him, nearly of age to come of age — her frame slight and lean, her spine held perfectly straight as she sat on the stool, her pale face carrying not even a trace of a smile, only determination and confidence, a fierce edge to her bearing, and in her eyes, a cold and composure that carried a glint of killing intent.

A fine sword about to leave its sheath — and once it does, it will draw blood.

Lang Eldest Uncle felt something stir in his chest. His eyes grew red, moisture gathering at the edges. His second brother had a worthy successor.

He drew a deep breath and asked, “This is not your matter alone to carry. Your father was also a son of the Lang Family — my second brother. Marquis Kaiping Manor may be on the decline, but the connections we built over the years haven’t all been severed. There are still people who can lend their strength.”

“He died from the Soul-Devouring Parasite. I know in my heart who did it, and that person will not escape.” Lang Jiuchuan said. “As for the arrow wound used to conceal it — that it struck precisely in the back — whether that was coincidence or whether someone lent a hand, that is what I do not yet know.”

She rubbed the teacup between her fingers. “Anyone who had a hand in harming him — I will not let a single one go.”

Repaying grievances with grievances, repaying enmity with enmity — perfectly natural.

Lang Eldest Uncle felt shock and fury rising in his chest in equal measure, his fingertips trembling faintly. A Soul-Devouring Parasite — he died from Parasite poison?

No wonder their autopsy had turned up nothing. It had been a Parasite, and in the heart — they had never even looked there.

The tears came streaming down Lang Eldest Uncle’s face.

Second Brother — how much agony must he have suffered while the Parasite was devouring his heart? No wonder he had not looked at peace in death. Being devoured by countless creatures at his very heart — of course there could be no peace.

He had never witnessed a Parasite himself, but sorcerous Parasites were among the things all people feared most in the world. Falling under one was something an ordinary person could neither guard against nor detect, unless one was a physician of exceptional skill who could discern the signs. But if the attack came swiftly and violently, how could anyone tell?

With what Lang Jiuchuan had said, he could already picture the scene: the Soul-Devouring Parasite doing its terrible work while everyone around believed Second Brother’s wounds from battle were simply too grave for him to survive.

No one could perceive it. Not a seam left unstitched.

“Wretched bastard!” Lang Eldest Uncle’s fury surged, and he slammed another cup down hard!

The manservant standing a great distance from the study heard the sound of another cup shattering, and went off to fetch a replacement.

Lang Eldest Uncle smashed the cup, then paced back and forth across the study until he gradually grew calm. He turned to look at Lang Jiuchuan. “You were asking about your father’s personal troops — do you suspect some of them were involved?”

“Betrayal is simple enough: when the reward is large enough, loyalty ceases to exist.” Lang Jiuchuan tapped the teacup and said, “All I want is a list of names. With physiognomy reading, I can always tell whether someone has done evil or not.”

Once she knew who was involved, things would be straightforward — she would deal with them one by one.

“I will compile a detailed roster for you,” Lang Eldest Uncle said.

He would not argue on behalf of those people either. People pursued profit in this world, and there would always be those who could not resist temptation and allowed treachery to take root in their hearts.

Something flashed through his mind; his body stiffened, and his expression shifted. He looked at Lang Jiuchuan. “The person you’re unwilling to name — could it be because they have long since risen to prominence, to a position of power and influence even greater than our Marquis Kaiping Manor?”

Lang Jiuchuan looked at him, her gaze deep and steady. She said nothing — but there was no denial in that look, either.

Lang Eldest Uncle’s heart sank.

He had guessed correctly. But who was it — could it be…

A name surfaced in Lang Eldest Uncle’s mind, and his face went pale with shock. It couldn’t be him?

He was not a fool. If he simply thought about who had benefited most from Lang Zhengfan’s death — that was who could not escape suspicion.

Marquis Zhenbei, Xie Zhenmining — was it him?

“Is it…”

Lang Jiuchuan set down her teacup and cut him off. “Give me the roster. As for the rest — don’t move, don’t act. Just observe your mourning period quietly. If you spook the quarry and drag me into extra trouble, I won’t have the spare energy to deal with him while cleaning up behind you as well. So — do nothing. Act as though you know nothing.”

Lang Eldest Uncle gave a helpless twitch of his lips. “You didn’t tell me before, and I wouldn’t have known. But now that you have told me — how could I possibly pretend I don’t know?”

“I told you so you’d have some preparation, so the shock wouldn’t be so severe when the time comes.” Lang Jiuchuan frowned, thought it over, and then said, “Though what you said is perhaps fair — I probably shouldn’t have told you at all. I should have just killed the people first and told you afterward.”

A miscalculation.

Lang Eldest Uncle: !

He stared at Lang Jiuchuan for a long moment. “Are you truly planning to carry this alone?”

“Why not?” Lang Jiuchuan said. “He is my father in this life. If I hadn’t known, there would have been nothing to say. But knowing that he died unjustly — I cannot simply ignore it. One more thing: Madam does not know of this, and you are not to tell her. We don’t need more complications.”

Lang Eldest Uncle’s expression was complex — he didn’t know what to say.

He felt relief and heartache in equal measure, and not a small amount of guilt besides.

If only Marquis Kaiping Manor still held real power — upon hearing this news, why should a little girl have to run herself ragged over it?

Lang Eldest Uncle resolved to pile more lessons onto the young men of the household, to drive every last one of them into becoming stronger, into becoming people capable of protecting the family. They couldn’t all be outdone by a young woman.

Though, even if those useless ones did improve, they would still be no match for her. Ah.

Several of the younger ones were crouching behind the garden’s artificial rockery, secretly eating roasted venison. They suddenly felt a cold draft down their backs. Surely no one had caught them eating in secret?

But as Lang Jiu had said, mourning was a matter of the heart — and it wasn’t as though they ate meat every day. This was their first time sneaking it in ages.

Oh — speaking of which, wasn’t that Lang Jiu who had just walked by?

She had even looked in their direction. She had clearly seen them!

After Lang Jiuchuan left the study, Lang Eldest Uncle sat slumped there until nightfall, then red-eyed, summoned his trusted head steward Gaoping and gave him a string of instructions before rising and making his way to the ancestral shrine.

Lang Eldest Uncle looked at his second brother’s portrait, lit a stick of incense for him, and then let out a long, mournful cry and wept.