Duan Yan dropped straight to his knees, his face full of sincerity and gratitude, and gave Lu Zheng a deep bow.
Lu Zheng could not help drawing in a sharp breath. He had never seen anyone so brazenly shameless.
The women of Five Beauties Manor were also briefly stunned, then immediately came to their senses.
"Shameless!"
"Nonsense!"
"You're perfectly conscious. You were clearly the one controlling that zombie!"
"Young Master Lu, don't believe him!"
Hu Cainiang flicked her fingers, faint claws appearing as she prepared to step forward and finish him off.
But Lu Zheng stopped Hu Cainiang.
Hu Cainiang was not Bai Ting'er. She did not believe for a moment that Lu Zheng would fall for Duan Yan's nonsense, so she merely turned back and looked at Lu Zheng in confusion.
Lu Zheng narrowed his eyes at Duan Yan. "You were controlled by the zombie several months ago?"
"Exactly so!"
Duan Yan nodded heavily. "Brother—no, benefactor, are you an imperial official who came because of the Duan family massacre in Dingshan County?"
Without waiting for Lu Zheng to answer, Duan Yan continued, "That zombie wanted revenge, so it made me gather every member of the Duan family together. I was under its control and had no choice! Now that the zombie has been executed, I too am a victim. I must thank you, benefactor, for avenging my family!"
At this point, Duan Yan choked up and burst into tears. "Father! Grandfather! You died such terrible deaths, but a benefactor has already avenged you!"
Bai Ting'er, the most innocent of the five women, was completely dumbfounded. "Were you really controlled by the zombie?"
"Truer than true gold!"
Duan Yan nodded forcefully and kowtowed to Lu Zheng again. "Now that my benefactor has saved my life, this life of mine belongs