Bang!
A dull thud sounded from inside Chen Yu’s body.
His face went pale, his pupils unfocused, and blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.
In the next moment, a crimson liquid seeped out, staining the ground red.
In the blink of an eye, Chen Yu’s breath faded away—he was dead, completely and utterly.
Ye Ruoshui bent down, took the brocade box containing the Buyuan Dan from Chen Yu’s corpse, and handed it to Xiao Minghuang.
“Well done!”
Xiao Minghuang patted Ye Ruoshui’s soft hair in encouragement.
Just moments ago, Ye Ruoshui hadn’t even blinked while killing someone, but now her cheeks were tinged pink, her face full of shyness, looking just like a sheltered young lady in love.
Lin Wanqiu stood to the side, witnessing everything, a complicated look in her eyes.
“Miss Ye really is… adorable…”
She turned her gaze to Chen Yu’s now lifeless body and let out a soft sigh.
“Your Highness was already willing to spare you, so why did you have to be so stubborn?”
She was sharp and perceptive, realizing that Xiao Minghuang’s real goal was just that Buyuan Dan.
To be fair, the Chen family didn’t deserve total annihilation.
Even though the Chen family head’s identity as an evil cultivator had been exposed, there was no way everyone in such a large family was involved.
If Chen Yu hadn’t kept cursing at Xiao Minghuang, he wouldn’t have ended up dead with his clan destroyed.
No matter what, the Chen family and the Lin family were both part of Beiyang City and had been close for generations.
Seeing the Chen family wiped out now, she couldn’t help but feel a little sorry.
But she wouldn’t plead for them—she understood the logic of cutting the weeds and pulling out the roots.
After Chen Yu was trampled to death, everyone present showed expressions of shock or complexity.
“Even a maid by the Ninth Princess’s side is this strong.
The royal family’s depth is truly unfathomable!”
“The Ninth Princess is so decisive—looks like the Chen family won’t escape this disaster.”
“The Chen family head’s crimes are undeniable, but did the whole Chen family really collude with evil cultivators and betray the country? Or is this just an excuse for the Ninth Princess to seize the Buyuan Dan?”
Not just the people present—even Lin Wanqiu had her doubts.
Just then—
Xiao Minghuang walked up to a high platform, drawing everyone’s attention.
She took out a stack of papers from her sleeve—the letters found in the evil cultivator leader’s storage pouch.
Xiao Minghuang glanced over the crowd and said loudly, “What I have here is evidence of the Chen family colluding with evil cultivators and betraying the country.
If anyone has doubts, you’re welcome to come and see!”
After a moment, three elderly men with graying hair stepped out from the crowd.
These three were the heads of the other three great families of Beiyang City, who had always been closely tied to the Chen family.
If the Chen family was guilty of colluding with evil cultivators and betraying the country, they’d be implicated too, so they were eager to know the truth and clear their own names.
The three family heads looked over the letters one by one, then their faces showed shock and anger.
“That Chen family, to do something so inhuman!”
“The Chen family head secretly ordered evil cultivators to plunder and blood-sacrifice civilians to practice evil arts—his crimes are monstrous and unforgivable!”
“And not only that, the Chen family head even colluded with the Jinxiang Kingdom, planning to hand over a newly discovered spiritual vein.
If not for the Ninth Princess’s timely discovery, Beiyang City would have lost it!”
When they said the last sentence, the three family heads lowered their voices, as if not wanting others to hear.
After reading the letters, the three family heads respectfully bowed to Xiao Minghuang and said, “The Chen family’s crimes are unforgivable.
We request to exterminate the Chen clan as a warning to others!”
But Xiao Minghuang shook her head and said calmly, “Beiyang City’s affairs—go find City Lord Lin to handle them.”
“As you command!”
The three family heads understood her meaning right away.
They immediately joined the siege against the Chen family head.
With three more Yongquan Realm fighters, the Chen family head quickly ran out of spiritual power.
In despair, he used evil arts but was still no match, and was finally killed by Lin Zhengquan’s spear.
After the Chen family head died, Lin Zhengquan took his storage pouch and treasured saber and presented them to Xiao Minghuang.
“These are the evil cultivator’s belongings.
Please check them, Your Highness.”
“Check” was just an excuse—he was really giving all of the Chen family head’s inheritance to Xiao Minghuang, currying favor.
One of the four great family heads in Beiyang City turning out to be an evil cultivator was a huge deal.
If word reached the capital, the court would definitely send people to investigate, and the Lin family and the other three families would be implicated.
It was better to keep things quiet.
Everyone present was either from the City Lord’s mansion or the three great families, so the secret wouldn’t get out.
The only person they needed to appease was Xiao Minghuang.
Xiao Minghuang, having come from afar, didn’t know the three families’ intentions and hesitated about accepting the items.
Lin Wanqiu stepped forward and whispered an explanation in her ear.
After hearing this, Xiao Minghuang understood, looked at Lin Zhengquan and the three family heads, and said in a deep voice, “The Chen family harbored evil cultivators and betrayed the country—their crimes are unforgivable.
City Lord Lin and the three families have done well in eliminating traitors.
I order you to confiscate all of the Chen family’s ill-gotten gains.”
As she spoke, Xiao Minghuang accepted the storage pouch and the treasured saber.
“These things are evidence of the Chen family’s crimes.
I’ll take them back to the capital and hand them over to the Three Judicial Offices.”
“Your Highness is wise and thorough, leaving nothing to chance.
We obey!”
Xiao Minghuang said she’d hand the items over to the Three Judicial Offices, but everyone knew the spirit stones, pills, and that precious mid-grade yellow-tier saber would end up in her own pocket.
Before dawn, the City Lord’s guards moved out overnight.
While the Chen family was still asleep, they arrested everyone and threw them in prison.
…
Because of the Chen family incident, the banquet was interrupted halfway through.
Xiao Minghuang lost interest and planned to return to her room to rest.
Although she was already at the Qi Refining Realm, she hadn’t reached the point of not needing food, being immune to the seasons, or never feeling tired.
After days of travel, a fierce battle in the Wild Forest, and the tense events at the banquet, Xiao Minghuang was exhausted and just wanted a good night’s sleep.
“City Lord Lin, I’ll leave the Chen family’s affairs to you.
I won’t interfere further.”
City Lord Lin understood and was deeply grateful to Xiao Minghuang.
What she meant was that he could distribute the Chen family’s assets as he saw fit.
The Chen family had lived in Beiyang City for nearly a hundred generations, and their accumulated wealth was unimaginable.
“This time, I’m really going to make a fortune!”
But with such a huge fortune, he couldn’t keep it all for himself.
After sharing with all the interested parties, what was left for him… was still a very considerable sum.
Thinking of this, Lin Zhengquan couldn’t help but smile.
He glanced at Lin Wanqiu, who stood obediently by Xiao Minghuang’s side, and felt gratified.
If not for his daughter, how could he have gotten close to the Ninth Princess, or had the chance to carve up the Chen family and share in the profits?
“Wanqiu, go escort the Ninth Princess back to rest.”
Lin Zhengquan said cheerfully.
Lin Wanqiu nodded and brought Xiao Minghuang back to their guest courtyard.
After they left, everyone present let out a long sigh of relief.
“City Lord Lin, your daughter being favored by the Ninth Princess is truly a great fortune.
With the Ninth Princess as our Beiyang City’s backing, we won’t have to worry about the court withholding our spirit stones anymore!”
“City Lord Lin, could you tell us a bit about your daughter’s relationship with the Ninth Princess? It would put our minds at ease.”
Hearing this, Lin Zhengquan frowned.
Only their family knew about the marriage agreement between the Ninth Princess and Lin Wanqiu; it had never been made public.
At today’s banquet, the Ninth Princess hadn’t announced it either.
If he revealed it now, it would seem like he was overstepping his bounds.
This made him hesitant to speak directly.
After thinking for a moment, Lin Zhengquan smiled and said, “The Ninth Princess and Wanqiu hit it off at first sight and are as close as sisters.
You can all rest assured!”
At this point, his tone changed, his gaze turning serious as he swept over everyone present.
“Although Beiyang City now has the Ninth Princess as our support, we must still act cautiously in the future, especially within each family.
What happened with the Chen family must never happen again!”
Upon hearing this, everyone present straightened up and said solemnly, “Rest assured, City Lord.
We’ll go home and check our own families right away.
What happened with the Chen family will never happen again!”
Seeing this, Lin Zhengquan’s expression softened and he said, “As long as you all understand.
From now on, Beiyang City is under the Ninth Princess, and we can’t embarrass Her Highness.
It’s getting late, everyone go home and rest.”
“We’ll take our leave.”
After everyone left, a look of joy appeared on Lin Zhengquan’s face again.
“From now on, the status of my Beiyang City should finally be secure.”
