Undercurrents

"Boohoo... my poor, miserable Lin Hao..."

Inside the mansion of Cui Wanzhou, the Inspector of Yunzhou, a beautiful, well-proportioned middle-aged woman was clutching a handkerchief and wiping her tears, crying to another dignified and beautiful woman beside her.

This woman was the biological mother of Lin Hao.

Madam Lin wept, "Sister, tell me, why is my fate so bitter?"

The one she called "Sister" was naturally Cui Wanzhou's wife, Madam Cui.

Madam Cui patted her hand and comforted her, "Who says otherwise? Lin Hao was such a good child, how could he suddenly suffer such a disaster... and the murderer hasn't even been found yet."

Princess Anle's status was extraordinary.

Without evidence, spreading the word that she killed Lin Hao might result in her turning the tables and suing for slander. Lin Yeping acted cautiously and kept even his own wife in the dark, so Madam Lin firmly believed that the murderer who killed her son was Yang An.

"What do you mean 'hasn't been found'?!"

Madam Lin raised her head abruptly and said through gritted teeth, "It's just my foolishly straightforward husband who refuses to avenge our poor child! On the day Lin Hao was murdered, only that dog brat surnamed Yang had been to the Yunling Mountains."

"Especially a few days ago!"

"That dog brat's family even deliberately picked a fight and beat Lin Hao's pet beast to death! It must be their family holding a grudge and killing my Lin Hao!"

Hearing this, Madam Cui immediately flew into a rage.

"Do you have evidence, Sister? If you have evidence, I'll send someone to arrest that dog brat and bring him to justice right now!"

Madam Lin cried, "Where would I find evidence? Up to now, even Lin Hao's corpse hasn't been found. I'm afraid he was eaten by the wolves, tigers, and leopards of the Yunling Mountains long ago!"

"I asked my husband to arrest that Yang!"

"But he made all sorts of excuses, saying that dog brat holds a noble title, and that someone named Wu Zhe stands behind him, so he can't be touched casually."

"What Wu Zhe! Just a mere fourth-rank official!"

"So what if we just kill him directly? In the entire Yunzhou, is there anyone who can turn the sky upside down against our Cui and Lin families?!"

Madam Cui was speechless.

She could not agree. Although the Great Xia Dynasty was showing signs of chaos, it was still standing firm. To directly kill a fourth-rank official without going through the imperial court would mean one had lived long enough.

Just as Madam Cui did not know how to comfort Madam Lin.

"Aunt, I'm afraid there's something wrong with this matter."

Sitting further down.

Cui Wenyan, whose face still carried a bit of childishness, said, "I also know that Yang An. He failed his exams three times and doesn't even have the strength to truss a chicken. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to call him trash."

"How could someone like him have killed my cousin?"

"If not him, who else could it be?"

Madam Lin wiped her tears, her eyes full of venom as she said, "Even if it really wasn't him, he went to the Yunling Mountains, and he offended Lin Hao while he was alive. Based on this alone, he should be buried with my Lin Hao!"

Cui Wenyan wanted to say something more.

But Cui Wenli, who was sitting beside him, stopped him first.

Cui Wenli looked about forty or fifty percent similar to Cui Wenyan, but his appearance was more effeminate.

His narrow eyes narrowed slightly.

Instantly turning into two fine slits, he chuckled and said, "Little brother, you don't understand this. You are still young, haven't seen much of the world, and don't know the sinister nature of the human heart."

"Although that Yang An has no martial arts skills, his brother-in-law is a Commander of the Buliangren."

"So what?" Cui Wenyan was puzzled.

Cui Wenli said unhurriedly, "Buliangren this, Buliangren that. To put it nicely, he's a minor official. To put it bluntly, he's just a leader of untouchables leading a group of hooligans and thugs. Involved with such people, what good could Yang An be? It's highly likely that cousin Lin Hao's death was a deliberate revenge by their family."

"I see."

Cui Wenyan, who already looked down on Yang An, felt even more disgusted with him. At the same time, he secretly rejoiced in his heart that he had gotten to know Zhao Guizhen early on, saving her from falling into the fiery pit of the Yang family.

Madam Lin said, "Wenli is right! It must have been done by their family! It's hateful that without evidence, we can't do anything to them."

The smile on Cui Wenli's face deepened as he said, "Aunt, don't be anxious. If they can use underhanded tactics, we can also think of other methods. It's inconvenient for the government to make a move, but we can naturally find other ways. They are just a few cheap lives. As long as we pay, there are plenty of people willing to take action."

"Does Wenli mean to find assassins?"

Madam Lin's eyes lit up, but then she frowned again, "But I am just a woman, how would I know such shady people?"

"Aunt, rest assured, just leave this matter to me."

Hearing Cui Wenli say this.

Madam Lin immediately beamed with joy, "Good! If Wenli can avenge Lin Hao, you can directly come to serve in the Yunzhou army. When the time comes, this position of your uncle's might just be taken over by you."

"Aunt is joking, this is all what a junior should do."

Cui Wenli responded humbly.

Seeing him so sensible, Madam Lin became more and more satisfied with these two nephews the more she looked at them. She then turned to Cui Wenyan on the side and said, "Wenyan is also going to enter the Imperial Academy soon, right? Have you completed your Foundation Establishment? It must be at least a first-tier Foundation Establishment. A second-tier is too shabby and unworthy of the status of our Cui and Lin families. If you need the blood of a seventh-tier ferocious beast, just tell me. I will have your uncle requisition a portion for you from the military armory."

Madam Cui rejoiced in her heart and accepted the offer.

But Cui Wenli said, "Aunt doesn't need to bother. This afternoon, the Princess's Manor issued a notice, seeking to purchase a seventh-tier fire-attribute ferocious beast."

"I have already accepted the notice. When the snow on the Yunling Mountains melts tomorrow, I will have my subordinates go up the snowy ridges to inquire. At that time, helping the Princess hunt the ferocious beast will not only allow us to obtain the blood but also conveniently help my younger brother with his Foundation Establishment."

Madam Lin and Madam Cui were taken aback at first.

Then Madam Cui thought of something and said in pleasant surprise, "Wenli, could it be that you have feelings for the Princess?"

As soon as these words came out.

Madam Lin.

And Cui Wenyan both looked at him in surprise.

Cui Wenli nodded shyly, "If I can use this to gain the Princess's favor, it will naturally be my good fortune."

Madam Cui was overjoyed.

If her eldest son could become the Prince Consort, perhaps their Cui family could take another step forward!

The eyes of Cui Wenyan looking at Cui Wenli were also full of admiration.

Big brother is truly worthy of being big brother.

To actually want to marry the Princess. But indeed, big brother is skilled in both pen and sword. The only person who could match the Princess is probably someone like big brother.

Madam Lin clapped her hands with a smack and said joyfully, "Good! Very good, very good! If Wenli can win the Princess's favor, this will be a tremendous blessing for both our Cui and Lin families!"

The more she thought about it, the happier she became.

Madam Lin glanced at the young man guarding by her side, and she ordered coldly, "Lin Nu, you don't need to go back with me these next few days. Just stay at the Cui Manor to be of service and help Wenli hunt the ferocious beast."

The youth named Lin Nu was expressionless.

Cold as a wooden dummy, he responded in a low voice, "Yes, Mistress."

Seeing his dull appearance.

Madam Lin immediately got angry and cursed agitatedly, "Short-lived slave! Foreign bastard!" Before she could curse a few more sentences, her tears welled up again, "Why wasn't it you who died? Why did it have to be my Lin Hao... my Lin Hao..."

Lin Nu lowered his eyelids.

Allowing Madam Lin's insults to fall on him like knives, he didn't say a single word.