Sixteen-Bars

He said he wouldn't see them, and that was that.

The steward of the old residence presented him with twenty years' worth of account books. Hu Ma didn't even look at them.

It was easy enough to guess: the Hu residence hadn't been earned by the Hu Family. It had been bestowed by the previous dynasty. Twenty years ago, the Talisman Suppressing Hu Family had moved away as a clan, leaving only this old servant behind to watch the house. The gates had been locked for twenty years, and they had no dealings with anyone.

As time passed, even some of their holdings in the Imperial Capital had been scattered. The old servant was alone, and a little silver was enough to keep him fed.

The account books he'd brought merely listed which properties had once belonged to the Hu Family and who owned them now.

Hu Ma truly wasn't interested in any of it.

People from the Qingyuan Hu Family wanted to come in and say a few words as members of the Hu Family. He wouldn't see them.

Hu Ma was curious. He'd already killed people from the Qingyuan Hu Family, and the whole world knew about it. Why would they still come?

The Ren uncle from his maternal family also wanted to come in and reminisce with him. Hu Ma had no interest in seeing him either.

Later, when Old Abacus came in with Xiao Dou Guan—who strode along with a wide-legged swagger, two little wings perched on his head—to discuss arrangements for the funeral the next day...

...that was someone he did need to see.

Even so, Hu Ma decided to keep the funeral simple. By now, all of the Imperial Capital knew the Hu Family had returned, and everyone was watching them.

But Hu Ma