The sound was exceptionally mournful, as if the person was suffering endless pain.
All the guests turned to look at the newcomer. Yan Qing pursed her lips. Sure enough, this was the uninvited guest in black robes from last night.
In the legendary melodramatic soap operas, when the main characters get married, someone inevitably comes to steal the bride or seek revenge, disrupting the wedding. This creates conflict and facilitates the further development of the plot.
She touched her chin, her gossip-loving spirit igniting.
This man in black robes doesn't seem to be seeking revenge; he seems more like he wants to stop Master Sima from getting married.
Could it be that she's mistaken?
The moment the man in black appeared, Master Sima's face turned ashen. Yan Qing even saw him clench his teeth tightly, clearly furious.
"What are you doing here?!" Master Sima practically forced the words out through clenched teeth. "Didn't we have an agreement?"
The man in black shook his head. "No, I regret it. I won't allow you to marry her!"
"You—!!" Master Sima seemed about to explode in anger, but considering the guests present, he suppressed his rage halfway through. Instead, he spoke in a somewhat humble tone,
"Let me finish the wedding ceremony, then we—"
Before he could finish speaking, Master Sima collapsed to the ground.
Caught completely off guard, no one had time to react before he collapsed to the ground, motionless.
"No--!!"
The man in black robes was the first to react. He quickly ran to Sima Yuanwai's side and tremblingly touched his nose to check for breath.
Then he plopped down on the ground, muttering to himself, "How could this be? How could this be?"
At this moment, everyone realized what was happening and rushed forward, surrounding Master Sima.
As a professional, Dr. Zhang took his pulse and ultimately sighed and shook his head.
“The man is already dead; even a celestial being cannot save him.”
"My husband, my husband—"
His new wife, Ms. Luo, finally came to her senses and immediately threw herself onto the corpse, wailing in anguish.
The joyous occasion has turned into a tragedy, and the wedding can no longer proceed. But the sudden death of Master Sima seems rather odd!
“Amitabha!” Master Yijing chanted the Buddha’s name. “How could Benefactor Sima have died so suddenly? Is there something wrong with this? I have known him for more than ten years, and I must let him leave in peace.”
He turned to the crowd and said, "Please tell us your assessment, Dr. Zhang."
Dr. Zhang's expression was somewhat strange and confused. Having been suddenly called upon by Yi Jing, he could only state his previous assessment.
“When a person is about to die, there are always signs in their pulse. This kind of pulse is called the death pulse. But I just took the pulse of Master Sima last night, and he was perfectly healthy! Yet he suddenly died today. I just can’t understand it.”
Doctor Zhang practically declared that someone was deliberately plotting to harm Master Sima. For a moment, everyone's expressions became incredibly complex.
Yan Qing secretly observed these people. Apart from the woman surnamed Luo who was constantly holding the corpse and crying, the expressions of the others seemed somewhat complicated.
Of the four, Liang Gongzi, being a young man, seemed the most impulsive. He appeared to be trying his best to control himself, but she could still clearly see the hidden joy beneath his sorrow.
This person, on the surface, is a good friend of Master Sima, but behind the scenes, the two must have a considerable grudge. Yan Qing was quite certain of this.
As for the other three, they were all highly skilled. The old monk looked deeply saddened, while Doctor Zhang sighed repeatedly. His wife, meanwhile, was already wiping away tears.
"Master Sima is a good man, this shouldn't be happening!"
Seeing the situation becoming awkward, Yan Qing quietly nudged her older brother. Thanks to their years of sibling tacit understanding, Yan Che immediately received her instruction.
"Cough cough cough—I said—"
Everyone turned to look at him. Yan Che's expression was one of profound grief. "I have known Master Sima for over a decade. His sudden death today is something I must do to find the murderer. What do you all think?"
"Yes!" the old monk responded quickly, "Me too."
"My husband and I agree!"
I agree.
Thus, everyone unanimously elected the relatively impartial old monk and Yan Che as their representatives to investigate the truth behind Sima Yuanwai's death.
The first person suspected was the man in the black robe. Although he appeared to be the most heartbroken of the group, he was also the most likely suspect.
"Take off your mask and let us see who you really are!"
Young Master Liang acted swiftly, tearing off the black mask from his face.
Then, everyone froze in shock.
"What, what, another Master Sima?!" Young Master Liang's hands were trembling, but he still forced himself to maintain his composure.
"Tell me, who exactly are you?!"
The man in black robes did not speak; he simply stared blankly at the man on the ground, blood-red tears gradually welling up in his eyes.
This was the first time Yan Qing had ever seen a grown man cry. The man in black robes didn't say a word the whole time, but everyone could feel that his sorrow was more genuine than anyone else's.
—Including the new wife, Mrs. Luo.
Perhaps stimulated by the blood and tears, Luo fainted while crying.
Dr. Zhang immediately stepped forward to take her pulse, saying, "Don't worry, Madam is fine."
That's good.
All eyes turned back to the man in black robes, and finally, it was the elderly monk who spoke first.
“Amitabha, it would be best if you could speak out about your troubles, benefactor.”
The man in the black robe stared at him intently for a long while before slowly speaking.
"I—I—" He seemed to have not spoken for a long time.
"I didn't kill him, and I won't kill him," the man in black robes said, and then fell silent.
"Then you have to tell us who you are, right? And why do you look exactly like Master Sima?" This is a topic that everyone cares about.
The man in black robes didn't explain, but instead asked, "What did he say about me?"
"This—" Everyone was speechless. Although they guessed that the two were twin brothers, Master Sima had admitted it, hadn't he?
Yan Qing felt she could take this opportunity to test the waters, so she spoke up, "We suspect you are twin brothers, and Master Sima has not denied it."
Upon hearing her words, the man in the black robe actually gave a bitter smile.
"If that's the case, then so be it."
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