Interrogation

Wu Han stared at the women for a long while, but instead of feeling a shred of desire, he grew more irritated the longer he looked. His already wretched face twisted visibly.

With a loud "bang," he swung his palm down, shattering the solid wood tea table beside him and sending splinters flying everywhere.

The three women were terrified, their faces drained of color and their bodies trembling so violently they dared not even breathe.

"A bunch of trash! You call yourselves the top talent of the Moon Gazing Pavilion? Nothing but empty shells!"

Wu Han cursed loudly in the room.

Scenes like this had played out countless times over the past few days. Everyone in the courtyard was walking on eggshells, tiptoeing about for fear of provoking this young master's wrath.

Seeing the situation turn sour, Xue Zhao quickly waved his hand, shooing the bewildered women out of the room.

He watched their slender figures disappear beyond the courtyard gate with lingering regret before turning back to plaster a fawning smile on his face, picking up where Wu Han left off:

"The young master is right. Those few were nothing but common willows, unworthy of your gaze. It is only natural that they failed to stir your interest.

"After all, what kind of quality can you expect in a small place like Black Water Town?

"Once you return to Ping'an County and pick a few truly top-tier girls to serve you, your body will surely recover in no time."

Wu Han's expression softened slightly, though the gloom in his eyes remained.

For the past few days, his physical ailment had become his inner demon.

The mere thought that he might never be a man again made him gnash his teeth in hatred, the evil fire in his chest impossible to suppress.

"It's all that bitch Li Muxue! If it weren't for her, I wouldn't have ended up in this state!"

The more he spoke, the more he hated, the murderous intent in his eyes nearly overflowing. "And that thief who ambushed me—I had better not find out who it was, or I will tear him limb from limb and grind his bones to dust to appease my hatred!"

Xue Zhao stood by, breaking into a cold sweat and feeling his heart hammer against his ribs, yet he still leaned in to console him:

"Young Master, please calm your anger and wait a few more days. I have sent out more men to investigate, and we should have a breakthrough within the next two days. You can rest assured."

Wu Han slanted a glance at him, his voice chilling. "This better be true. If there is no progress, you will see how I deal with you."

Xue Zhao nodded and bowed repeatedly, his smile growing even more eager and confident.

Fan Qingyang had given him a military pledge, guaranteeing that this plan was foolproof.

Instead of fearing punishment, he was already calculating how he might earn a merit and catch Wu Han's eye.

If he could truly climb this high branch, get a promotion, or even be taken in as a servant of the Wu Family, it would be a meteoric rise.

Just as Xue Zhao was lost in dreams of promotion and becoming a Wu Family servant, an apprentice ran to the door, panting heavily, and said urgently:

"Steward Xue, there is something I must report to you."

Interrupted in his daydream, Xue Zhao's face darkened. He felt the apprentice was truly ignorant—could he not see he was busy buttering up Young Master Wu?

He suppressed his impatience, whispered a few words into Wu Han's ear, and followed the apprentice out of the room.

Once outside, he snapped irritably:

"Speak, what happened? Why the panic? Is someone causing trouble, or has someone been pilfering again?"

The apprentice shook his head frantically, gasping for air. "No, it's not that. It's the herb-gathering team... someone has returned."

Xue Zhao pondered for a moment, then a smile appeared on his face:

"You mean Fan Qingyang and the others are back? Isn't that good news? Tell him to come see me now."

The apprentice stomped his feet in anxiety, shaking his head like a rattle:

"No, it's not them—Jiang Feng is back!"

"Jiang Feng is back?" The smile on Xue Zhao's face froze instantly, his voice rising uncontrollably. "And Fan Qingyang? Where is he?"

"I don't know... of the entire team that went out, only Jiang Feng returned."

Xue Zhao's heart skipped a beat, and a sense of foreboding surged up his spine.

According to the plan he and Fan Qingyang had set, no matter who returned, it should never have been Jiang Feng.

Realizing that something had gone wrong, he didn't say another word and bolted toward the courtyard gate.

On the other side, Jiang Feng was led by a maid into the reception hall, where he finally met Xue Shu, who had hurried over.

Before he could even speak, Xue Shu walked up with a joyful expression, gripped his hand warmly, and asked with deep concern:

"Jiang Feng, you've finally returned! Did the team send you back to deliver news?"

Xue Shu's gaze swept over Jiang Feng, quickly noticing the wounds covering his body. His brows furrowed, and his voice deepened:

"What happened to these wounds? Did you run into some accident while you were out?"

Jiang Feng listened, but his mind was racing.

He had learned from Fan Qingyang that this trip was a premeditated ambush against him.

At first, he had even suspected that Xue Shu might be involved. If that were the case, he had been prepared to bolt the moment he stepped into the Medicine Hall.

But seeing Xue Shu's genuine ignorance and his relief at seeing him alive, it was clear he had nothing to do with it.

For him, this was the best possible news.

Jiang Feng's expression shifted to show appropriate pain and weakness, his voice dropping low:

"Manager Xue, we were indeed ambushed during our trip. Of the entire team, I am the only one who survived."

As these words fell, everyone present was shocked.

In all the years the Medicine Hall had sent out teams to collect herbs, there had never been such heavy casualties.

Xue Shu's expression turned solemn. He immediately waved his hand to dismiss the surrounding attendants before speaking to Jiang Feng in a low voice:

"Jiang Feng, tell me carefully—what kind of ambush did you encounter, and why were the casualties so severe?

"Rest assured, you were working for the Medicine Hall, and the Medicine Hall will certainly back you up."

Jiang Feng nodded with feigned gratitude and began to slowly recount the story he had rehearsed countless times in his mind.

The account was largely consistent with the truth, save for the fact that he deliberately omitted the part about Fan Qingyang colluding with outsiders to target him.

He knew that if he exposed this, it would inevitably draw more attention, and that attention might not be a good thing for him right now.

After all, the Benevolent Heart Medicine Hall was ultimately a property of the Wu Family. If Wu Han was determined to kill him, he would have no room to resist.

Xue Shu's face was grave after hearing the story. He remained silent for a moment before nodding slowly:

"So it was an attack by an evil spirit... that explains it.

"Even martial artists give evil spirits a wide berth, let alone Blood-Moving Realm disciples like you."

He looked at Jiang Feng, his gaze softening with genuine emotion.

"It is truly remarkable that you managed to escape from the clutches of an evil spirit."

He was about to ask for more details when a discordant voice rang out coldly from outside the hall.

"Hmph, escaped from the clutches of an evil spirit?

"Jiang Feng, aren't you afraid of biting your tongue with such tall tales?"

The conversation came to an abrupt halt.

Jiang Feng and Xue Shu looked toward the door simultaneously, only to see the apprentice manager, Xue Zhao, striding in aggressively with several subordinates in tow.