The morning sun cast a lazy, warm glow over Qi Yuan.
Chen Kangbao held a steamed bun in his mouth, chewing indistinctly.
In the martial practice grounds of the Shen estate, young men and women gathered in small knots of three to five, conversing in hushed tones.
"I wonder if I have the talent to become an implement master?"
"If I'm chosen to go to Yeshan Lake and happen to devise a brilliant plan to repair Weilong Xuanyuan, imagine how glorious that would be!"
"I heard that last night, the matrilocal husband wanted to draw a bath for the Madam... Honestly, I want to as well..."
Some of these voices were spoken aloud, while others were merely inner thoughts, yet none escaped Qi Yuan's ears.
The moment Qi Yuan appeared, the thoughts regarding "bathwater" multiplied among the crowd on the practice grounds.
However, not a single person dared say it to his face, as the Madam's dignity was at stake.
Qi Yuan stretched languidly, his thoughts tangled.
*My progress in playing the matrilocal husband is moving too slowly. Not only did I fail to pour bathwater for my mother-in-law, but these people also have surprisingly good emotional restraint. Not a single person has stepped forward to humiliate me. How am I supposed to roleplay like this?*
According to Qi Yuan's logic, if no one bullied a matrilocal husband, how could he advance his progress?
Nevertheless, Qi Yuan's presence drew many eyes.
Shen Baiting watched Qi Yuan, his gaze shifting as numerous thoughts flashed through his mind.
*Lingxuan possesses heavenly beauty—how could she marry such a useless nobody? Why didn't he die in Ninghe County?*
*He caused such a scene in the Shen estate yesterday, yet the family head didn't even punish him. Despicable!*
*Unfortunately, he is the family head's son-in-law after all, so he can't be crossed recklessly. I need to find someone foolish enough to manipulate into making trouble for him.*
*Seeing him live so carefreely really makes me jealous!*
*Shen Baihu would be a good choice, but last time I spoke to him... he said he doesn't bully trash.*
Shen Baiting's thoughts were gloomy.
He had long disliked Qi Yuan.
In fact, he had always regarded his cousin Shen Lingxuan like a goddess, harboring a fierce possessiveness toward her.
Just then, hearing Shen Baiting's inner voice, Qi Yuan's eyes lit up.
He had found someone... who could bully the matrilocal husband.
"Old man, go get a wooden board..." he whispered to Chen Kangbao.
Hearing Qi Yuan's order, Chen Kangbao hurried to stuff the rest of his steamed bun into his mouth and trotted off.
Under the gaze of the crowd, Qi Yuan walked toward Shen Baiting's small circle.
Shen Baiting's brow furrowed slightly.
Shen Baihu looked surprised.
The bystanders wore puzzled expressions.
"Greetings, Brother Qi!"
Regardless of their true feelings, they all addressed Qi Yuan as "Brother Qi," their faces beaming with pleasant smiles.
Such was the benefit of a husband rising through his wife's status.
Qi Yuan couldn't help but marvel. As expected of people from large clans, they were remarkably adept at putting on acts.
Especially Shen Baiting—in his heart, he wished nothing more than for Qi Yuan to drop dead, yet the smile on his face was thoroughly warm and genial.
"I'm merely a matrilocal husband. I didn't expect you to treat me so well," Qi Yuan said, adopting the demeanor of a delicate, innocent white lotus.
"Brother Qi jokes. You are Lingxuan's husband, and we are all family. If we aren't good to you, who would we be good to?" Shen Baiting replied with a warm smile.
"Sigh," Qi Yuan let out a sorrowful sigh.
"Does Brother Qi have something troubling your heart?" Shen Baiting asked considerately.
"I was just lamenting how many petty intrigues there are in large families. You clearly wish I were dead, yet you greet me with a smiling face." Qi Yuan looked at the young man before him.
The smile on Shen Baiting's face froze, instantly replaced by an aggrieved expression. "Is Brother Qi... framing me? I do not know when I ever offended you, Brother Qi, to earn such hatred. If you tell me, I will correct it at once!"
When it came to playing the innocent white lotus, Shen Baiting was far more adept than Qi Yuan.
His pitiful display was so convincing that even a man looking upon him would feel pity.
Many of the onlookers even glared angrily at Qi Yuan, feeling that he was the one bullying others.
Their inner voices clamored: *A mere matrilocal husband dares to act so boldly!*
Against someone like Shen Baiting, who preferred pulling strings from behind the scenes, ordinary people had no recourse.
Qi Yuan remained calm. "If you didn't wish for my death, why would you try to provoke Shen Baihu into moving against me?"
The moment those words were spoken, Shen Baiting's expression changed abruptly.
Shen Baihu frowned deeply as a realization struck him, his fierce eyes turning suspiciously toward Shen Baiting.
"Don't spout nonsense! Why would I provoke anyone?" Shen Baiting panicked slightly. The words he had used to incite trouble between Shen Baihu and Qi Yuan were known only to Shen Baihu.
Shen Baihu looked like a straightforward, honest fellow—how could he have repeated those words to Qi Yuan?
Had he misjudged him? Was Shen Baihu deeply calculating as well?
"Sigh, Baihu, I truly misjudged you." Shen Baiting adopted a heartbroken expression. "When Lingxuan married Qi Yuan back then, I did harbor some resentment, but it was merely drunken babble. I never thought you would actually repeat those words to Brother Qi!"
He hastily distanced himself from the accusation.
He even appealed to the bystanders for sympathy.
After all, plenty of young men in the Shen family resented Qi Yuan marrying Shen Lingxuan.
Of course, the resentment in Shen Baiting's heart was far greater.
He was a disciple of a branch family who considered himself exceptionally gifted.
Branch families were permitted to intermarry with the main line.
Having just earned the opportunity to enter the Shen estate's inner circle, a single glance at Shen Lingxuan had ignited an overwhelming possessiveness within him.
Conceited as he was, he believed that given enough time, he would certainly win her over. From there, he could acquire more resources and ultimately take control of the Shen family.
Who could have predicted that Qi Yuan would cut in out of nowhere, completely wrecking his plans?
Hearing Shen Baiting's words, Shen Baihu's expression shifted repeatedly.
Seeing this, several nearby Shen family disciples also spoke up on Shen Baiting's behalf.
"Brother Qi, Brother Baiting merely let slip some absurd remarks while drunk. Please don't take them to heart!"
Many of the young generation harbored grievances over Qi Yuan marrying into the family.
They assumed Shen Baiting felt the same way they did, only to be betrayed by Shen Baihu's reporting.
Three or four young disciples stepped forward to plead for Shen Baiting.
Shen Baiting stood with a modest, slightly bowed posture, inwardly smug.
*Hmph, Shen Baihu, with such crude schemes, how do you expect to compete with me?*
He naturally assumed Shen Baihu was jealous of him and had tattled, prompting the matrilocal husband Qi Yuan to seek trouble with him.
Right then, Chen Kangbao came running over quickly.
"Young Master, the sign!"
He handed over a wooden board.
A cord was attached to it, and Qi Yuan hung the board around his neck.
He flipped the board over, revealing two large lines of writing:
"I am only a matrilocal husband, very easy to bully!"
"Shen Baiting, if you want to bully me, just bully me. Don't hide your true thoughts!"
Qi Yuan pointed at the large characters on the board and looked at Shen Baiting.
Seeing this, the surrounding crowd was utterly shocked, finding the situation completely bizarre.
"Has this matrilocal husband... truly gone mad?"
"His behavior is... simply too unhinged."
Indeed, Qi Yuan's actions left them completely at a loss.
Shen Baiting's face alternated between pale and dark, looking terribly unsightly.
He never imagined that Qi Yuan would seek him out and display a wooden sign written like that.
Beside them, Chen Kangbao blinked in confusion, because he clearly remembered there was no writing on the board when he brought it.
"Shen Baiting, I'm very easy to bully, hurry up and bully me!" Qi Yuan urged Shen Baiting, an expectant look on his face.
His roleplay progress as the matrilocal husband Qi Yuan was stuck at 29%.
He had a hunch that taking another step forward would yield a reward, so he was quite eager.
As long as Shen Baiting bullied him, his progress might finally pass 29%.
Shen Baiting took a deep breath. "If Brother Qi is displeased with me, Baiting admits his fault. I hope Brother Qi will let his anger subside!"
He offered a solemn bow, apologizing to Qi Yuan.
The surrounding onlookers looked at Shen Baiting with sheer sympathy.
"Sigh, are you a man or not? If you want to bully me, just say it straight out. Putting up a facade every day like a hypocrite—aren't you tired?" Qi Yuan asked.
Hearing this, Shen Baiting maintained his wronged expression. "Brother Qi, your misunderstanding of me is far too deep!"
The crowd looked at Qi Yuan with hints of indignation.
They seemed outraged that Qi Yuan was bullying Shen Baiting like this.
A person with an outside surname dared to strut around and act so arrogantly in their manor.
Just then, an urgent voice called out, "Brother-in-law, I found Lao Zhong's residence!"
The voice carried a trace of delight.
Shen Lingfeng ran over and grabbed Qi Yuan's arm.
His arrival brought the ongoing dispute on the field to a sudden halt.
Hearing this, Qi Yuan looked at Shen Baiting. "Baiting, wait until I get back before you bully me. I have business to handle first, so I'll be taking my leave."
"Brother-in-law, what are you saying?" Shen Lingfeng asked, scratching his head in confusion.
"Nothing. Let's head over to Lao Zhong's place first."
Qi Yuan pulled Shen Lingfeng along.
After all, Lao Zhong's death was rather suspicious, and Qi Yuan needed to find out who was pulling the strings behind the scenes.
This was also one of the key tasks in roleplaying the matrilocal husband Qi Yuan.
Shen Baiting watched the retreating backs of Shen Lingfeng and Qi Yuan, his expression darkening.
*How did the two of them suddenly become so close?*
*This Qi Yuan is truly detestable. Is he playing dumb, or what?*
*Hmph, moral righteousness is on my side. As long as I'm careful during this period, how can he possibly fight me?*
Shen Baiting thought to himself.
In the current situation, he was the victim. Even if the matter were brought before the Council of Elders, the advantage lay entirely with him. He had no reason to fear Qi Yuan.
***
"Brother-in-law, I knew you wanted to investigate the cause of Lao Zhong's death, so I specially found you a helper. He's at Lao Zhong's house right now, examining the corpse," Shen Lingfeng said earnestly, like a child seeking praise.
"Thoughtful of you," Qi Yuan remarked.
"Hehe, doing things for my brother-in-law naturally requires full effort!" Shen Lingfeng grinned, then lowered his voice secretly. "Brother-in-law, I've already received seventeen replies today."
He puffed up with pride, clearly showing off.
He had sent out over a hundred letters, and now seventeen replies had arrived.
"However, Miss Li and Miss Lin haven't replied. Sigh..." Shen Lingfeng lamented.
"That means you have no destiny with them. Don't bother with them anymore," Qi Yuan said.
"Alright, I'll listen to you!" Shen Lingfeng replied.
Before long, the two arrived at Lao Zhong's residence outside the Shen estate.
The place was quite secluded and small—gloomy and damp.
Inside the house lingered a faint stench of decay, mixed with a scent reminiscent of dead snakes.
A coffin rested in the room, its lid slid open. A man dressed as a head constable stood beside it, brow furrowed in thought.
"Lin Qinghe, how is the investigation going? Who killed Lao Zhong?" Shen Lingfeng shouted as he walked in.
His thoughts interrupted, Lin Qinghe looked toward Qi Yuan and Shen Lingfeng. When his gaze passed over Qi Yuan, a flicker of surprise crossed his eyes.
Even so, he answered truthfully, "The deceased has been dead for too long; too few clues remain. However, there is a small, clean cut at his throat bone. According to my deduction, he was likely killed by a swordsmanship expert who slit his throat in a single strike."
Lin Qinghe's eyes held a touch of helplessness.
Lao Zhong had died too long ago, and too few traces were left in this room.
Even if divine constables were summoned, it would be difficult to uncover the culprit.
"Who killed him to frame my brother-in-law?" Shen Lingfeng asked.
Lin Qinghe shook his head. "I need time to investigate and discover more clues."
"Let me take a look." Qi Yuan spoke up and stepped toward the coffin.
Lin Qinghe looked slightly surprised, but said nothing.
"Brother-in-law, you know how to solve cases?" Shen Lingfeng asked from the side.
"Actually, I'm exceptionally suited for solving cases," Qi Yuan replied seriously. "If I were a head constable, there would hardly be a case in this world I couldn't crack!"
If he hadn't ended up in a cultivation world, his supernatural abilities would make him perfect as a detective or police officer.
Hearing this, Lin Qinghe felt rather speechless.
He naturally recognized the young man before him as Qi Yuan from Ninghe County.
He had not expected Qi Yuan to emerge from the Madhouse and return to the Shen family.
Yet considering the Shen family's power, it made sense.
He knew this Qi Yuan was mediocre, even somewhat of a good-for-nothing.
How could someone like that solve cases?
Boasting so brazenly now was genuinely laughable.
"Does Brother Qi happen to know... why a section of bone is missing from Lao Zhong's waist and abdomen?" Lin Qinghe asked casually, seemingly intending to test Qi Yuan.
"Is that important?" Qi Yuan glanced at him. "It has nothing to do with his death. For you to fixate on such things suggests your skill is quite lacking."
Lin Qinghe was taken aback, finding it both ridiculous and exasperating.
*Could this matrilocal husband Qi Yuan... not tell I was testing him?*
*If he can't even discern such a simple injury, how can he claim there isn't a case under heaven he cannot solve?*
Qi Yuan ignored Lin Qinghe and fixed his gaze on Lao Zhong's decomposing corpse.
He glanced at the fatal wound on the neck.
Instantly, a line of information appeared in Qi Yuan's vision:
[This sword mark was left by Fang Shisan of the Radiant Society.]
"Brother-in-law, do you have any clues?" Shen Lingfeng called out from a short distance away, not daring to step closer.
Lin Qinghe watched Qi Yuan, feeling helpless inside.
This man had merely glanced at the body without even properly examining the bones. How could he possibly find any clues?
"No clues, but I found the person who killed Lao Zhong," Qi Yuan said.
Lin Qinghe froze, then asked reflexively, "Who is the murderer? Does Brother Qi know him?"
"The murderer is Fang Shisan of the Radiant Society. Do either of you know him?" Qi Yuan asked in return.
"The Radiant Society? Fang Shisan?" Lin Qinghe blinked in confusion.
He had never heard of either name. Could Qi Yuan be spouting nonsense?
"I've never heard of them," Shen Lingfeng said, shaking his head.
"Looks like neither of you knows." Qi Yuan spoke casually. "Let's go. We're heading home. Since we know who the murderer is, all we need to do now is track him down."
Admiration filled Shen Lingfeng's face. "Brother-in-law, you're amazing! With just a single glance at the corpse, you knew who the killer was!"
Beside them, Lin Qinghe remained utterly speechless.
He wanted to refute Shen Lingfeng, but thought better of it; there was no point arguing with him.
After all, he firmly believed Qi Yuan was talking nonsense.
How could someone look at a dead body and immediately know the killer's name, especially when he didn't know or recognize the culprit? Could it be that the killer's name was carved into the dead man's bones?
"Brother Lin, help me issue a wanted notice for this Fang Shisan of the Radiant Society!" Before leaving, Shen Lingfeng didn't forget to ask Lin Qinghe for the favor.
"...Alright." After a moment of conflicted hesitation, Lin Qinghe nodded.
Chapter 495