"Since the two parties have met, I shall not impose any further. I'll take my leave for now."
Meng Dai smiled and spoke at just the right moment before quietly withdrawing.
"Take care, Steward Meng."
Lin Tianlu cupped his hands in farewell. After a moment of silence, he turned around and said calmly, "Miss Cheng, what important matter did you seek me out to discuss?"
"Have you heard some rumors circulating among the common folk?"
Cheng Yishi's voice carried a hint of allure as she spoke softly. "Rumors concerning my Cheng Family."
Lin Tianlu furrowed his brows slightly. "I have indeed heard something, but whether those rumors are true..."
"Of course they're false."
Cheng Yishi spoke with great decisiveness. "I don't know who deliberately spread these baseless claims throughout Changling County, intending to slander and defame my Cheng Family's reputation by speculating that ghosts and resentful spirits are hidden within our household."
"In the past, we could pretend nothing had happened. But some time ago, the fire at the cloth shop proved that ghosts truly were wandering through the county and causing trouble. These rumors have once again begun to spread like wildfire. Thanks to all this gossip, quite a few of my family's shops have been affected, and our losses have been considerable."
False information?
Lin Tianlu was somewhat surprised.
So people in this era had already started hiring online armies to smear others?
They had even used the cloth shop fire to embellish the story and add fuel to the flames. They were rather clever.
"Then, Miss Cheng, did you come looking for me specifically to... clear your name?"
"Your wisdom is truly extraordinary. You understood with just one sentence." Cheng Yishi smiled elegantly and gave a slight nod. "My father values his reputation and was unwilling to disturb your peace by visiting you without invitation."
"But we happened to hear that Mister Lin was dining at Tianhai Tower. Thus, I came especially to invite you with due courtesy. We hope that Mister Lin can come to our manor and conduct a careful inspection, thereby clearing my Cheng Family's name. That way, we can avoid having our neighbors whispering behind our backs all day long. It's truly vexing."
Lin Tianlu smiled and nodded. "That naturally won't be a problem, but... huh?"
His expression shifted slightly. He hurriedly reached out and caught the girl, who had suddenly staggered and swayed.
"Miss Cheng?"
"Please forgive me for making a spectacle of myself. I've suffered from a weak constitution since childhood and am prone to dizziness and fatigue. It's nothing serious." Cheng Yishi's pretty face seemed somewhat pale. She lightly retreated two steps, then bowed again. "I'll return to my father's side first. Mister Lin and this young lady may dine at ease. I'll wait patiently downstairs later."
"Sorry for the trouble." Lin Tianlu cupped his hands. "Miss Cheng, you should also get plenty of rest after you return."
Cheng Yishi paused mid-step and looked back with a radiant smile. "I'll remember Mister Lin's advice."
Only after watching Cheng Yishi leave did Lin Tianlu return to his seat, a thoughtful look appearing on his face.
"Senior."
Hua Shuya blinked her beautiful eyes and asked softly, "Why are your brows so tightly furrowed? Could it be those rumors about the Cheng Family..."
"Something doesn't seem right."
Lin Tianlu pondered. "Perhaps things aren't as Miss Cheng claimed. Perhaps this matter isn't simply a rumor spread out of nowhere by outsiders."
"My wrist made slight contact with Miss Cheng's just now, but her skin felt icy cold. It was as if yin energy were swirling around her."
Hua Shuya was startled when she heard this. "Could Miss Cheng have already been harmed by a ghost?"
"That's difficult to confirm. If we want to uncover the truth, the most appropriate thing would be to go to Cheng Manor and take a careful look."
Lin Tianlu had carefully examined Cheng Yishi's body just now.
Yin energy had taken root deep within her body and was entrenched there. However, she herself was not entangled in any bloodshed, clearly indicating that she had never harmed anyone or taken a life.
The problem naturally lay within Cheng Manor.
Hua Shuya lowered her eyes slightly and asked worriedly, "Senior, are you really going to Cheng Manor?"
"Exorcising demons and eliminating evil is a good deed in itself. Besides, there are elderly and children in their household. It would be pitiful if they encountered misfortune."
Lin Tianlu pulled the broken jade pendant from his robes and chuckled. "Besides, I have a bit of a selfish motive as well."
Although this jade pendant could currently only serve as a completely useless glowing light bulb, it had absorbed the gray energy produced after ghosts were destroyed twice in succession. No matter what, he wanted to give it a try—
to see whether the broken jade pendant would reveal any other functions after absorbing more gray energy.
Of course, if it truly proved completely useless, he could simply regard this trip as an opportunity to accumulate merit by doing good deeds.
Hua Shuya glanced curiously at the jade pendant. It seemed to possess no hidden mysteries. But she thought that since it was something Senior cared about, it was probably quite precious.
However, she did not dwell on the pendant for long. Instead, she hesitated and asked, "Senior, then may I... accompany you on this trip?"
Seeing the hint of apprehension on the girl's face, Lin Tianlu chuckled. "Of course we'll go together. Without Miss Hua protecting me, I'd be terribly uneasy on this trip."
"Senior, rest assured!" Hua Shuya could not help breaking into a sweet smile.
Lin Tianlu called out twice. "Let's eat first. The food won't taste good once it gets cold."
"Mm!" Hua Shuya picked up her chopsticks again. Even the fish she placed in her mouth seemed more flavorful than before, and her crescent-moon eyes narrowed in delight.
It was already deep into the night, and Zuixian Tower had gradually fallen quiet inside and out.
After Lin Tianlu and Hua Shuya settled the bill, they walked out of the restaurant and soon spotted a familiar figure waiting beside a carriage in the distance.
"Miss Cheng." Lin Tianlu stepped forward and cupped his hands, letting out an embarrassed laugh. "I'm truly sorry to have made you wait in the evening breeze for so long."
"Please don't mind it, Mister Lin. I had only just finished saying farewell to my relatives and friends as well." Cheng Yishi's gentle smile remained unchanged. She spread out a hand behind her. "Mister Lin, and Miss Hua as well—this is my father, Cheng Yanghua."
Cheng Yanghua's face was somewhat aged, yet it concealed a murderous air. His cold expression possessed an intimidating dignity even without anger.
He cupped his hands toward the two of them and forced up a somewhat stiff smile. "I'm truly grateful that the two of you accepted my invitation to visit our manor. If you can clear my Cheng Family's name, I will certainly present you with a generous gift afterward!"
"There's no need for a gift. Being able to befriend Steward Cheng is already a blessing." Lin Tianlu replied neither warmly nor coldly. Hua Shuya also cupped her hands in greeting without saying anything more.
Cheng Yanghua gestured courteously. "Please, board the carriage."
Tianhai Tower was not very far from Cheng Manor, and they arrived at their destination in less than fifteen minutes.
After getting out of the carriage, they saw a broad courtyard come into view. Two guards stood watch outside the gate, and the estate possessed considerable grandeur.
With Cheng Yishi and Cheng Yanghua leading the way, everyone soon entered the manor. Looking around, they saw flickering lamplight throughout the courtyard, along with the occasional servant.
Lin Tianlu walked through the covered corridor and pondered aloud, "I wonder how many people are there in Steward Cheng's household?"
"There are twenty-one servants and maids in the manor, along with my three concubines, their three daughters, and one son." Steward Cheng hesitated briefly before continuing, "As well as my eldest daughter, Yishi."
There really were quite a few people.
The corner of Lin Tianlu's eye twitched.
Three concubines and five children—this man really knew how to breed.
But after thinking about the customs and prevailing attitudes of the era, it was hardly surprising. At least Hua Shuya, who was walking beside him, remained completely composed.
"Since Mister Lin has come to our manor, perhaps I should have my wife and children come out to..."
"Father."
Before Cheng Yanghua could finish, Cheng Yishi quickly lowered her head and spoke softly. "It's already late. If we insist on going through all those empty formalities, I'm afraid we'll only tire Mister Lin further."
"Why not let everyone in the manor retire early? Mister Lin can walk around the manor a few more times as soon as possible. Once we confirm that there are no resentful souls or fierce ghosts here, we can have the servants spread the news tomorrow morning, clearing my Cheng Family's name."
"Excellent, excellent!" Cheng Yanghua agreed repeatedly. "It was my failure to think things through just now. Someone! Tell everyone in the household to return to their rooms and go to sleep as soon as possible. Do not disturb Mister Lin!"
"Yishi, you'll help guide Mister Lin around."
"Rest assured, Father." Cheng Yishi nodded slightly.
Before long, the atmosphere within Cheng Manor gradually grew bleak and deserted. The lights in many rooms were extinguished one after another, leaving them dim and dark.
Yet throughout this process, Cheng Yishi merely kept a smile at the corners of her lips and silently waited beside Lin Tianlu. From the corner of her eye, faint glimmers of unusual radiance seemed to flash.
Those little glances did not escape Hua Shuya, who followed silently nearby.
This woman... is rather strange.
Before you continue