Chapter Thirty-One: The Death of Mo Qinghai

“Stop hitting me, stop! I’m telling you, the list is in my hands—it’s all handed over to the eldest son of the Yan family. He only collects the money,” Mo Qinghai pleaded humbly.

Hearing this, Lin Chen was a bit surprised and pressed further, “How many Yan families are there in Jinxiu City? Are you talking about the Yan family where Yan Ruyu belongs?”

Mo Qinghai nodded repeatedly. “Yes, yes… The eldest son of the Yan family, relying on Yan Ruyu’s reputation, wields nearly unchecked power in Jinxiu City. I dare not disobey him. I had no choice but to do this. Please, spare me.”

Lin Chen was relieved that Yan Ruyu was not involved; otherwise, it would complicate matters. But since the eldest son of the Yan family did not know about the debt list, he could be ignored.

He rose slowly and approached Mo Qinghai from behind. With a swift strike, the bamboo staff pierced straight through his throat.

In a deep voice, he said, “Whether or not what you say is true, if you have caused someone’s death, you must pay with your life.”

Mo Qinghai struggled with all his might, clutching his throat as he vomited blood violently. His face turned to the earth as he collapsed.

“The man is dead. Shouldn’t we be leaving now?” Xie Mengmeng gasped, then softly asked after a long pause.

“Let’s hang him secretly at the city gate as a warning to these lawless scoundrels,” Lin Chen said, dragging the bloated corpse toward the gate.

The next day.

Chaos reigned within the city—some rejoiced, others fretted. At the Mo family mansion, a middle-aged man sat rigidly on a high platform, his face ashen. The teacup in his hand creaked under his grip.

This man shared some resemblance with Mo Qinghai; he was Mo Qingshan, the eldest son of the Mo family.

His suppressed rage finally erupted upon seeing the large characters before Mo Qinghai’s body.

He smashed the teacup violently and spat through clenched teeth, “Investigate! Capture and interrogate everyone who has entered the city in the past few days.”

“Qingshan! Won’t this anger the Crown Prince? After all, Jinxiu City is bustling—there could be thousands, if not ten thousand, people entering the city in just a few days,” Mo Wentian cautioned hesitantly beside him.

“Father! The second son has been working for the Yan family’s young master. He won’t stand idly by. As long as the Yan family is willing to help, why fear a mere Crown Prince?” Mo Qingshan scoffed, showing utter disdain for the Crown Prince.

Mo Wentian was not so convinced. Even if the Yan family agreed to help, they would not protect the Mo family forever.

Ultimately, this would leave a poor impression on the Crown Prince.

Yet these thoughts remained buried in his heart. His son was now the head of the Mo family, and the decisions were his to make.

Mo Wentian had no right to object; it was said a son should inherit his father’s legacy, which was only natural.

However, this son had seized the headship by allying with the clan elders.

At that moment, Mo Qingshan drummed his fingers on the table and said sternly, “Father, you should go to the Yan family and inform Young Master Yan of this matter. Let’s see how he reacts before making further plans.”

Hearing this, Mo Wentian breathed a sigh of relief. He suddenly felt his son was not so foolish after all.

So he smiled warmly, “Alright, I will go at once.”

The Yan family was currently celebrating Yan Ruyu’s return and paid no heed to Mo Qinghai’s death.

“Xiaoyu, how long has it been since you came back? You must come visit your parents more often,” spoke an elderly woman with graying temples.

She was, of course, the matriarch of the Yan family and Yan Ruyu’s grandmother.

Compared to the Mo family, the Yan family’s traditions were even more steadfast.

As long as the elders remained, the headship of the family would never change.

“Matriarch, rest assured, Xiaoyu will visit you and her parents frequently,” Yan Ruyu said with a bright smile, sitting beside the elderly woman.

“Sister, you’ve finally come home,” Yan Ruhu’s voice came before he appeared.

Yan Ruyu rose and bowed slightly. “Xiaoyu pays respects to her elder brother.”

“Sister, you need not follow such mundane formalities. You are to become immortal; how could you bow to others?” Yan Ruhu quickly stepped forward and gently helped her up.

“Brother, nonsense. Regardless, our Yan family’s ancestral rules must be remembered,” Yan Ruyu smiled.

“You two! Stop bickering. You are both good children of the Yan family. Xiaoyu is right—no matter your status, you must abide by our family rules,” the matriarch said pointedly.

The two replied in unison, “The matriarch speaks truly.”

Just then, Mo Wentian approached with a greedy smile, showing no sign of mourning for his son’s death.

“Mo family…” The matriarch instinctively said “Mo family head,” but hesitated and corrected herself, “Mo Wentian, what wind has blown you to the Yan family?”

“To be honest, my son was harmed by thieves yesterday. Since he had some dealings with Young Master Yan, I hoped you might help,” Mo Wentian said, bowing respectfully.

Upon hearing this, Yan Ruyu seemed to recall Lin Chen’s earlier inquiries and realized the culprit was likely the demoness of the Hehuan Sect and Lin Chen.

She hadn’t expected her elder brother to have connections with such a rake.

As she pondered, a vague unease gradually spread through her heart.

“When did this happen? Have you found the culprit?” Yan Ruhu’s expression darkened instantly, clearly anxious.

After all, he was their family’s source of wealth. To sever someone’s fortune was like killing their own parents—a grudge that must be avenged.

No matter who, they must pay the price.

“Young Master Yan, we haven’t found them yet. We want to seal off the city gates, but… we fear offending the Crown Prince and others,” Mo Wentian said with a troubled face.

“It’s just a Crown Prince. Seal off the gates as you see fit. Now that our sister is back, what can the Crown Prince do?” Yan Ruhu declared confidently.

He didn’t even bother to ask, simply pulling his sister forward to bolster their position.

With Yan Ruhu’s words, Mo Wentian left the Yan family with a beaming smile.

Seeing Yan Ruhu’s attitude, it was clear he was eager to find the real culprit. Moreover, Yan Ruyu had returned.

Mo Wentian muttered to himself, “Heaven truly favors me. The Mo family will not let Qinghai die in vain. We will crush that thief to dust and let the world know the consequences of offending the Mo family.”

At this moment, Yan Ruyu said with frustration, “Brother, how did you get involved with such a rake and offend the Crown Prince? Do you know what that means?”

She didn’t mind being used as a tool, but offending the royal family was unwelcome. Besides, the Crown Prince held power in the Surveillance Institute and commanded vast influence.

The royal family’s century-old reign was not something their modest clan could compare to.

“I have business dealings with Mo Qinghai. Don’t worry, sister, the Crown Prince won’t turn against us. Besides, the Mo family’s second son was poisoned—surely the royal family should act on this,” Yan Ruhu waved off her concerns indifferently.

“Xiaoyu, leave these trivial matters to your brother. Rest assured, he will handle them properly. Now, come, let’s go see your parents,” the Yan family matriarch said, taking Yan Ruyu’s arm as they walked inside.