Method

Huizhou County's entire city of nobles and dignitaries died soundlessly that morning, and the solemn, imposing County Office courtroom became a hell on earth.

Turning into the rear hall, they found a long, narrow viewing corridor, with courtyards on either side strewn with fallen autumn leaves.

Here, Xu Yuan saw once again the beautiful woman he had encountered by the artificial lake earlier.

This time, she had put on a bodice. Attended by maids, she was enjoying a lavish breakfast with a man who bore some resemblance to Magistrate Liu.

A handsome man and a beautiful woman, chatting and laughing together—the golden leaves swept up by the autumn wind made the scene look exquisite.

Behind the hall lay the county magistrate's living quarters. It seemed Xu Yuan's earlier guess had been right: she truly was either the magistrate's concubine or his daughter.

He wondered what expression she would wear if she saw the scene inside the courtroom.

A single wall separated the bloody hell of the main hall from the beautiful scenery of this rear courtyard.

"Changtian, should we silence them?"

Lou Ji had also spotted the lovely pair over there and asked with interest, "Those two seem to be Magistrate Liu's children."

Xu Yuan glanced back at her. "Is there any need?"

The two of them were shrouded by Lou Ji's ever-present Dao Domain; no one else could sense them at all.

Lou Ji's eyes curved as she smiled. "Perhaps one day, they'll stumble upon some fortuitous cultivation art and come looking for revenge against you, Changtian?"

"Revenge against me?" Xu Yuan shot Lou Ji an odd look, then shook his head and continued down the corridor. "They'd probably have to queue for several years just to get their turn."

A flicker of amusement passed through Lou Ji's beautiful