The sounds of the crowd outside completely dissipated.
Shen Hua slept soundly and fell into a dream bit by bit.
It was New Year's Eve in the dream.
Shen Hewen was ordering everyone about. He was insisting on having a reunion dinner with all the Shen family members.
Shen Wei was soft-hearted and did not chase him out.
Shen Hua was not so polite. She threw a stone at the group of people.
"Who wants to celebrate the festival with you guys? Every time you meet us, you only ask my father for silver.
"Even a little beggar on the street knows how to thank people for money. So, in your eyes, you're very ungrateful to my father."
"Since we're separated, we're no longer a family. Why should my father support you?"
The stone drew a beautiful curve in the air and finally smashed straight into Shen Qu's forehead.
He did not dare to say anything. Soon, a bump appeared on his forehead.
"Yangyang, no matter what, he's still your second uncle," Shen Wei scolded.
She raised her head arrogantly and placed her hands on her hips. She was like a villain who had successfully executed their master plan. "Yangyang knows she is wrong, but Yangyang doesn't change."
Shen Hewen lowered his head and quickly said, "It's just child's play. It's normal to roughhouse a little. Why should Brother blame Yangyang?"
His wife, Shen Zhushi, was even more disapproving. "Brother Qu is a b*stard son. If he's injured, then so be it."
As she spoke, she pointed at Shen Zhui with her finger.
"Only a b*stard son and this b*stard daughter are worthy of playing with each other. This Shu daughter from Big Brother's residence was chasing Yangyang all day long. She was too ambitious. Forget about your status."
The New Year's Eve dinner was eaten with everyone around a table.
Shen Zhushi picked up the demeanor of an official's daughter, "Big Brother is a wealthy businessman. Perhaps he doesn't know the rules as well as my maiden family. Listen to my sister-in-law. You shouldn't have eat at the same table as the lowly thing that Aunt gave birth to."
Shen Zhui pulled back her chopsticks that were holding roast duck between them. She timidly lowered his head.
Shen Chunshi furrowed her brows. Her face was cold. "Even if your father is an adult, Sister Zhui is still the daughter of our First Branch. Shouldn't your sister-in-law be lowly too?
"I don't like to enforce rules, but Aunt Liu is honest and dutiful, and Sister Zhui is respectful and obedient. I can't find a single fault with them. If Sister-in-law really doesn't like it, you'd better leave!"
Shen Hua glared at Shen Zhui. However, she just raised her hand and placed the stack of braised duck in front of Shen Zhui.
"Second Aunt, don't you have a younger sister?" she asked in a childish voice.
Shen Zhushi ruthlessly tore her handkerchief.
"I don't." She forced a smile.
There were quite a few Shu sisters in the residence, but how could any of those people be worthy of being her younger sister?
Shen Hua had an epiphany.
"So because you don't have a sister to bully, you bully me?
"You're an elder but still acting like this. How unethical."
"You!" She was furious.
Shen Wei, who was eager to protect his daughter, quickly said, "Yangyang is still young, I think Sister-in-law shouldn't worry so much about her.
"It's my fault for being too chill. The daughter I raised is unruly." Shen Chunshi smiled and tried to smooth things over.
Shen Zhi smiled and picked up a dish with his chopsticks like a kind person and added it to Shen Zhushi's bowl.
"Little sister's mouth is unbridled. I hope Second Shen can calm down."
Nothing happened to anyone in the dream.
Perhaps it was because the dream was too sweet that Shen Hua also smiled sweetly.
She rubbed her eyes and woke up at midnight.
She walked out into the courtyard in a daze. She was hit by the bone-piercingly cold wind, and her sleepiness faded away. She was completely awake now.
"My lady?" Yi Cui heard the sound and chased after her.
"I have to go out for a while." Shen Hua stomped her feet.
---
The lights in the inn were lit up. Although Cui Yun lived in a superior room, it was still not as exquisite as the Marquis's Manor. Fortunately, since he was living like a prince, he did not have so many problems.
The night was hazy, and the inn was no longer as noisy as before. Only the servant on the first floor was dozing off with an abacus in his arms.
Cui Yun sat upright with a white flag in hand, playing chess.
The shaman knelt on the ground, his face covered in tears.
Ji Qing stood respectfully at the side.
Shen Hua was the person Master was looking for, so he had his heart set on her.
However, he did not expect to find out that Shen Hua had invited Miss Sheng'er, who was good at ventriloquism, to play tricks at the entrance of the Dong residence.
Shen Hua was deliberately provoking people's prejudice against the Dong family.
Ji Qing then found out that the Dong family actually used witchcraft!
Knowing this, he did not dare to delay things and immediately went to the West Garden of the Dong Mansion to kidnap him.
"Master, the Dong family had was planning to do witchcraft in a month's time. Mistress Shen's actions today made Old Master Dong apprehensive and afraid that there would be unforeseen circumstances. They're probably wary, so they probably postponed plans."
He presented the evidence.
Inside the bag were the stubs of the Dong family's many trips to the bank to withdraw money and appease the families of the deceased at a high price.
There was also a painting left behind by the artist who painted the portrait of the Dong family's daughter.
In addition to that, the Dong family had provided the talismans needed by the sorcerers, as well as the dead bodies of animals whose blood had been drained before the ritual.
Wait a minute.
Cui Yun casually glanced at it. He felt bad luck radiating from them.
The shaman was wearing a thin inner garment. He was shivering from the cold, and he could not make a sound after being hit. He could only retreat in fear like a madman.
"Be obedient!"
Ji Qing berated. He pressed down on his shoulder and exerted a little force. With a crack, his arm was broken.
The shaman's eyes almost popped out from the pain!
Cui Yun's expression was indifferent, and his voice was cold.
"If heaven-defying witchcraft magic runs rampant, the world will be in chaos. Once the Dong family has a taste of the sweetness…"
This time, it was a dead man's way of doing things. Next time, he might take an even more vicious path.
Sacrificing the living...
What would they not do?
If a merchant could do this, all the aristocratic families would probably follow suit…
Cui Yun had only come here to pick some people up. He never wanted to get involved in other things, but he just had to encounter witchcraft, which he hated the most.
It was not difficult to hate the shaman to the bone.
"I don't like common people because my father and brother died at the hands of the common people. They died heroic deaths. No matter how cold-blooded I am, I'm still the son of the Cui family. My dad did not want to see the world in chaos and traitors in power, bewitching people and messing up the court.
"The Taoist priest of the temple advised me to be kind, but how can I be when I am stained with blood?"
Cui Yun would kill those sanctimonious shamans every time he saw them.
He chuckled and spoke very slowly, "Help this Mistress Shen who is not ruthless enough."
"Yes," replied Ji Qing.
"Since we're going to start a fire, we have to add some firewood. The Dong family is going to have a marriage and many happy events. How can the son of the Dong family not be present for these events himself?"
Ji Qing understood and quickly went out to dig Dong Hui's grave.
The shaman did not know Cui Yun's identity, but the pain pierced his heart. When he heard Cui Yun's words, he only felt fear.
Dong Hui was already dead, so how could he say that?
No, how did he know about the Dong Clan in the first place?
"I heard that your divination skills are superb."
The room was silent and exceptionally loud.
Cui Yun put down the white chess piece. The game changed rapidly.
Under the light, his side profile looked particularly gentle. However, this sound was like a death talisman.
"Then do the math. Do you think you can survive tonight? "