CHAPTER 38: CHAPTER 37: ONE LIFE FOR ANOTHER!

The faces of the people from the Wei Mansion changed dramatically, especially Mr. Wei, whose expression alternated between green and red. He angrily said, "What nonsense are you talking about? Even if you are the future Princess Consort Su, you and Prince Su are not yet married, yet here you are spouting nonsense trying to frame me."

"Do you have righteousness?"

Yu Nianzhao’s eyes were disdainful, "Your Children Palace has no main star, even those you could see are accompanied by Yin Sha and Heavenly Punishment. Observing your fate, it’s one of child weakness. Your eldest son died young, your second son died from a fall three years ago, and now you’ve sacrificed your youngest son. You claim to have righteousness? That’s the joke of the century."

Mr. Wei’s face was uncertain. He suppressed his anger, "Do you think you are some kind of fortune-telling Magician? Those who know the situation of the Wei Mansion are not limited to you alone. Just by saying this, you think you can sever the relationship with Prince Su? You dare to say these things in front of my son. Don’t you know that for the deceased, everything is of great significance?"

Ms Wei’s lips trembled slightly, her expression was panic-stricken, and she looked at Yu Nianzhao with eyes already showing emotion.

"Zhaozhao, what are you doing here?"

Behind her came the voice of Pei Yunqing. He arrived with Pei Yuncheng and first bowed to Mr. Wei, "The younger generation is here to pay respects on behalf of my father."

Pei Yuncheng frowned, said displeased, "Zhaozhao, when did you become so full of mysticism and mysterious talk? This is the Wei family’s funeral, you must not be disrespectful!"

Yu Nianzhao didn’t care about these two at all, not even giving them a glance, "Are we familiar?"

Pei Yuncheng was provoked, "You... you are truly beyond hope!"

Pei Yunqing sighed helplessly, "Zhaozhao, no matter what you say, you are still my sister."

Mr. Wei frowned intensely, his gaze darkened, "This future Princess Consort Su is Marquis Wu’an’s..."

Pei Yunqing said, "She is the previously estranged sister raised in the countryside, only returned to the capital recently."

Yu Nianzhao looked bewildered, "The relationship has already been severed; why bother creating ties here?"

Severed ties?

Yu Nianzhao’s stunning words made Pei Yunqing’s expression awkward, but he remained resolute, "Zhaozhao, no matter what, we are born of the same mother, and this will not change."

Pei Yuncheng was upset, "Big brother, I’ve told you, don’t try to warm the other’s cold shoulder."

Dongfang Chenyuan crossed his arms, smiling kindly, "Indeed, Mr Pei is right, this is our future Princess Consort Su, who has long severed ties with the Pei Family. Don’t try to reach out for kinship."

Song Jiling frowned, protective, "Yu is really formidable, the Daoists outside can’t match even one finger of hers. If not for her help, I’d be like Wei Zhao and others, hanging myself at Shangyuan Gambling House by now."

The mere thought made him shiver.

"What?"

Ms Wei stared at Song Jiling, "Yes, I remember Zhao’er saying that Mr. Song had accompanied him to Shangyuan Gambling House. Why is Mr. Song safe and sound, when out of four people, three are dead, and by hanging... I find it odd. My Zhao’er was always cheerful; he would never hang himself."

Mr. Wei snorted, "Surely Prince Su did something, on the day Shangyuan Gambling House was raided, Zhao’er was inside, and afterwards, they changed dramatically, dazed all day, muttering that Shangyuan Gambling House was innocent."

"With that, do you still believe Shangyuan Gambling House is innocent?"

Yu Nianzhao raised the oilpaper umbrella in her hand, "Did you hear that? This is the father you’ve been trying to protect. He never hoped to avenge you. His only goal is to pour dirty water onto Prince Su to further his promotion, while you were just his pawn, dispensable on his way forward."

A cold wind swept through, causing the white lanterns within the mansion to sway.

Mr. Wei felt a chill in his heart, glaring, "You... who are you talking to?"

Yu Nianzhao tilted her head to look at him with a slight smile, "Of course, your son, Wei Zhao!"

Eerie fear spread through everyone’s hearts.

Mr. Wei tugged at his lips, his face pale, "Don’t play tricks here, my son Wei Zhao is already dead!"

Pei Yuncheng swallowed, glancing around, "Yu Nianzhao, what are you about to conjure up this time?"

The ghostly events at the Pei Mansion vividly lingered in his memory.

Only Ms Wei knelt on the ground, tears streaming down her face, "Zhao’er, are you here? Why don’t you come out and see your mother? You are the child I bore for ten months. You’re my only child. Why must Heaven treat me so, always calling upon the elderly to mourn for the young? I’d rather Heaven take me away, I’d willingly die in place of my son, he is still so young, with his whole life ahead of him. If only King Yan could take my life and let my son live in return!"

The abundant mother’s love made the oilpaper umbrella tremble incessantly.

"King Yan governs life and death, but he cannot randomly break the rules, to arbitrarily sever lives!"

Yu Nianzhao opened the oilpaper umbrella where she stood, "But I can let you see your son once more, and let you personally witness whether what’s beside you is human or ghost!"

At the moment the oilpaper umbrella opened.

Above, dark clouds gathered, and in the dim light, three shadows leapt out from under the oilpaper umbrella, obediently standing before the coffin.

The air was filled with eerie coldness. They couldn’t use the Heavenly Eye to see the true form of ghostly figures, yet they indeed saw three shadows.

"Ahhhh! A ghost, a ghost, we’ve seen a ghost!"

The servants of the Wei Mansion and the guests who came to pay their respects were terrified to the point of fainting for some, while others fled through the door, causing chaos at the scene.

Ms Wei’s eyes were wide open, looking at the ghostly figures, eagerly crawling forward, "Zhao’er, is it really my Zhao’er?"

Wei Zhao whimpered, wanting to approach Ms Wei, but was afraid of tainting her with the deathly aura.

"Mother..."

He called out once, turning into a sigh, while Ms Wei’s heart twisted like a knife, she responded and burst into tears, "Zhao’er, my Zhao’er..."

She turned to bow at Yu Nianzhao, "Young lady, I believe it, I really do believe it, you must be an incredibly powerful grandmaster, I beg you to let me see Zhao’er again, surely he has many things to say to me, I beg you."

At this moment, Yu Nianzhao, in her eyes, was akin to the reincarnation of the Bodhisattva Guanyin, her hands were clasped, her eyes devout, and there was a faint glow of merit emanating from her.

"I can help you, but you need to sever the cause and effect first!"

"Yes, yes, yes, I’ll pay whatever the cost!"

Ms Wei wiped the tears off her face and hurriedly ordered someone to fetch the silver.

The Wei Mansion, although not as wealthy as the Song Family, was sustained by Ms Wei’s natal family managing several prosperous shops, accumulating substantial Silver Coin.

This time she came forth with a full five thousand taels, enough to make Pei Yuncheng’s eyes widen. He could never have imagined that Yu Nianzhao, severed from the Pei Family, could earn five thousand taels of silver in an instant.

Even the Pei Family couldn’t manage that.

He saw Dongfang Chenyuan gleefully accepting the silver, smiling widely, his heart suddenly felt a bit mournful and bitter.

If Yu Nianzhao were willing to obediently return to the Pei Family, this silver would naturally belong to the Pei Family, wouldn’t it!