Chapter 41: Sudden Death of the Wang Father and Son, Spread of the Blood Curse

Cui Shi quickly conveyed the news to Chu Li and Fu Heng. Chu Li immediately stood up and said, "Take me to the Wang family estate. Before things get out of hand, the sooner, the better."

Not daring to delay, Cui Shi immediately ordered the screens to be removed and walked ahead to lead the way.

The auction was still ongoing, and the crowd cast curious gazes as the mysterious man finally appeared.

"He's finally shown his face. Good heavens, how can anyone in this world possess such a flawless visage?"

"Doesn't this appearance outshine the top courtesans of the Crimson Chamber by a margin of ten streets? The heavens are truly unfair. Did they use all their exquisite craftsmanship on this single man?"

"Vulgar! What courtesan? That young lord clearly exudes noble elegance and an astonishing bearing. There is even a faint aura of martial severity about him, full of masculine vigor. How could those spineless creatures of the Crimson Chamber compare?"

"..."

Hearing the exclamations of the crowd, Chu Li heartily agreed in her heart.

Indeed, indeed. This scoundrel truly possessed a face that defied the heavens, which was why she had momentarily lost her footing. This couldn't be blamed on her; she was just a normal person with worldly desires. What was wrong with coveting a little male beauty?

Most of the gossiping onlookers stared at Fu Heng, but those with keen insight had already sensed that something was amiss.

Young Master Cui's expression looked as though a major crisis had occurred. He was leaving in a rush before the auction had even ended; most likely, he had run into trouble.

When they cast their gazes upon the woman closely following behind Young Master Cui, they all noticed the pelt she was holding in her hand.

The auction item that Young Master Cui had withdrawn as an exception was actually not given to the mysterious man, but to this woman dressed in peach-pink.

For a moment, everyone was consumed with curiosity regarding her identity.

Having already perceived those probing gazes, Chu Li mentally complimented herself on her clever wit.

Before coming out, she had specifically asked Qiu Yi for a veil to wear. It wasn't that she deliberately wanted to hide herself, but this was, after all, Rong City, and the Chu family's eyes and ears were everywhere. There was no guarantee that someone from the Chu family might recognize her here.

Fu Heng's identity would sooner or later spread throughout Rong City, and she did not wish for the Chu family to learn of her interactions with the Prince of You, lest it disrupt her plans.

However, this veil could not block Chu Zhonghe's piercing, venomous eyes.

Inside the private box, Fang Zhenshan was still subtly and openly disparaging the Chu family as mere merchants, completely oblivious to Chu Zhonghe's blazing eyes, where a surging ambition was frantically taking root.

What did he just see? That little wretch Chu Meng was actually holding the final auction item and walking ahead of the Prince of You!

How could Chu Zhonghe fail to understand what this meant?

This despised stepdaughter of a humble background—whom he had never looked upon favorably and had allowed to fend for herself in the manor since she was four years old—had returned after a three-year disappearance, only to present him with such an enormous pleasant surprise...

***

Cui Shi had already prepared carriages and climbed into one first.

Just as Chu Li was about to board the carriage, a fair and slender hand blocked her path, saying in an irrefutable tone, "Ride in my carriage."

As soon as the words fell, Heiyu nimbly drove the Prince of You's exclusive carriage forward. Chu Li rejected him on the spot.

"Your Highness is too kind, but this commoner has enough self-awareness regarding her own status. Statuses differ, so please do as you wish, Your Highness."

With that, Chu Li took Qiu Yi and boarded the Seven Treasures Residence's carriage, leaving Fu Heng standing right where he was.

The atmosphere grew bizarre. Initially consumed with anxiety over the Wang family's affairs, Cui Shi hadn't paid attention to the Prince of You's side. By the time he reacted, he felt as though he were sitting on pins and needles, and could only try to minimize his presence as much as possible.

Though Fu Heng said nothing, the hand behind his back quietly clenched into a fist, an indescribable emotion churning deep within his heart.

The more she acted like this, the more he wanted to probe and find out.

Yet he knew full well that Chu Meng was not Chu Li. His interactions with Chu Meng were entirely for the sake of finding his beloved Li.

Watching the prince's expression, Heiyu felt his anxiety grow increasingly intense.

What on earth was wrong with the prince? First, he had them keep a close eye on this Chu Meng. They had already investigated her background, and this woman was a member of the Rong City Chu family—she was not their Princess Consort. Yet now, the prince seemed to be paying more and more attention to this Miss Chu.

Heiyu desperately wanted to ask on behalf of the runaway Princess Consort Li: Did the prince actually favor Princess Consort Chu Li, or did he simply tend to develop feelings for any woman with the surname Chu?

Of course, Heiyu only dared to grumble inwardly; he would never dare to gossip right in front of the prince. At the very least, all of them serving as shadow guards had witnessed the deep affection the prince held for the princess consort.

Chu Li didn't care whether that man would throw a temper tantrum. Once inside the carriage, she immediately urged Cui Shi, "Young Master Cui, let's set off quickly. If we go too late, I'm afraid new complications will arise."

Cui Shi recovered his wits as well, not daring to delay for a single moment, and immediately instructed the driver to speed toward the Wang family estate in the East City.

Passing through two long and wide streets, the two carriages drove one after the other into a small alley in the East City.

This place was located in a remote part of the East City, right beside an inner river that flowed in from outside the city. All along the drive here, a pungent odor drifted from the inner river—a sour, foul stench mixed with the smell of corpses, terribly choking.

Yet on the stone steps along the riverbank, numerous commoners were squatting: some were washing rice and vegetables, while others were rinsing laundry and buckets downstream, seemingly oblivious to the nauseating odor.

Chu Li frowned and lowered the curtain, a subtle sense of dread weighing on her heart. The blood curse was arriving faster than anticipated; it had already begun affecting the local environment.

"Miss Chu, is something amiss?"

Cui Shi suddenly spoke up, feeling deeply uneasy. The sudden, violent deaths of the Wang family father and son must have been triggered by the sable pelt. He had also touched the pelt, and if not for Miss Chu's help, he would have ended up dead just like them.

Before this item had fallen into his hands, who else had touched it? Would those people be in danger as well?

Chu Li glanced at Cui Shi, shook her head slightly, and instructed in a low voice, "When we reach the Wang family estate, just wait outside. If anything needs to be done, I will call for you. Without my permission, do not step foot through the Wang family's doors."

The root of the blood curse lay with the Wang family father and son. The Wang family estate had now become a fatal, ominous place where no one should tread. Anyone lacking sufficient life-force who entered would undoubtedly be struck down by the blood curse.

The mere thought of having to exert herself shortly to cleanse numerous people of the lingering blood curse made Chu Li feel utterly exhausted.

She had only wanted to settle the karmic grievances between the original owner and the Chu family in Rong City, so why had she run into a blood curse the moment she arrived?

Had losing half her fortune really made her this unlucky? She seemed capable of stumbling into major life-or-death crises wherever she went; she was practically becoming the Grim Reaper...

The carriages stopped before the Wang family residence. In the narrow alley, a crowd of curious onlookers had already gathered.

Alighting from the carriage alongside Cui Shi, Chu Li quickly noticed the government bailiffs guarding the Wang family gates. On the moss-covered stone bricks, two shocking trails of bloody residue wound their way down toward the riverbank and disappeared.

At this sight, Chu Li's pupils instantly constricted.

This is bad. We've arrived a step too late. The tainted blood has already flowed into the inner river and spread into the city...