The man in black robes was deathly pale; he knew everyone suspected him. Yet, he offered no defense.
"That's right, I came uninvited and was not invited by anyone."
Well, they're practically blatantly implying they doubt me! Yan Qing could already foresee everyone's reaction.
These people were just looking for a suitable scapegoat when the man in the black robe actually delivered himself to their door.
"Guards, take him to the ancestral hall!" As the mistress of the house, Madam Luo had no hesitation in ordering her men to tie him up.
Strangely, the man in black robes did not resist at all and was simply taken to the ancestral hall after being bound.
Now that things had come to this, Yan Qing realized that these people didn't care about Master Sima's death at all, nor did anyone want to seek justice for Young Master Liang. All they cared about was that unknown treasure.
Furthermore, as for the man in the black robe, she was certain that he was definitely not the murderer.
The murderer must be one of those four people.
She remembered that Lingxi had said that morning that everyone in the guest rooms had gone out. This was very unusual.
After dealing with the man in black robes, the old monk gave the order for everyone to rest.
Yan Qing, accompanied by her beloved elder brother, returned to the ancestral hall once again.
The man in black robes was chained to the entrance of the ancestral hall like a dog. A huge iron chain was wrapped around his waist, but his hands and feet were not bound at all.
This is bizarre. Could it be that the Sima family treats prisoners quite well?
What surprised her even more was that when they arrived at the ancestral hall, the man in black robes was kneeling in front of the coffin, and judging from his posture, he was burning paper money.
Yan Qing then realized that she knew what the man in black robes had been doing last night.
She had initially assumed that this person also had ill intentions. However, when everyone entered the ancestral hall in the morning, she inadvertently glanced at the brazier at the entrance of the ancestral hall, which was full of burnt ashes.
Last night, when she and Yan Che arrived, she personally witnessed the housekeeper burning paper money and leaving. At that time, there was only a shallow layer of paper money in the basin.
Thinking about it this way, it's not hard to conclude that this person actually came over in the middle of the night to burn paper money for Master Sima.
But it's clear that Master Sima's attitude towards him is not good!
At this moment, the man in black noticed the two of them and slowly turned around.
"What brings you two to the ancestral hall?"
Yan Qing curtsied to him, "Sir, you have suffered. We know that these people have treated you unfairly, so we came to offer our condolences. How are you, sir?"
The man in black robes lowered his head, his gaze fixed on the brazier before him, his hand still scattering paper money one by one, his tone unusually calm.
“What suffering do I have to endure to be here with him? I’d be more than happy to do so.”
These words struck Yan Qing as particularly awkward. Yet, she could also sense that the man in black robes was absolutely sincere.
It's just that something's a little strange.
"Sir, I have a question for you. Are you and Master Sima really not twins?"
"no."
The atmosphere was somewhat silent. Yan Qing and her companion silently lit an incense stick and then left.
On the way back, Yan Che couldn't understand it at all. "Girl, don't you think this man in black robes is strange? He looks exactly like Master Sima, but he just won't admit it."
"I think he's definitely not a good person."
"Not necessarily." Yan Qing had the opposite view. "I think this man in black robes is the only one who won't harm Master Sima."
"What?!!"
Yan Qing laughed, "Brother, how about we make a bet?"
"cut!"
On their way back, they passed by that huge artificial lake again. This time, the two of them made a point of stopping.
The artificial lake is clearer during the day; it is indeed very desolate, with nothing on the barren lake surface.
Moreover, there wasn't a single patch of green to be seen around the artificial lake.
"This shouldn't be!" Yan Qing muttered to herself.
"What do you mean it shouldn't be? It's just a broken lake. This Master Sima is so stingy. Why can't he build a lake properly? He has to make it look like the Dead Sea, with nothing there at all."
Indeed, this was something that Yan Qing had always felt was off.
According to the two old monks, this artificial lake was something that Master Mu insisted on building.
In Feng Shui, residential Feng Shui emphasizes that "Qi disperses with the wind and stops at water." The role of Feng Shui lies in defining the boundaries of Qi. Most auspicious Feng Shui layouts are situated with mountains behind and water in front, with mountains representing Yin and water representing Yang.
Ultimately, the yin and yang of the mountains and waters blend together, forming a very auspicious energy pattern. However, if the water is behind the house, the dragon energy from the mountains cannot extend into the house through the lake, which means that the auspicious energy inside the house will be cut off by the artificial lake.
In contrast, the Sima family's residence, situated with mountains in front and water behind, not only failed to gather auspicious energy but instead became an excellent place for cultivating yin energy. Naturally, it was ideal for a tomb.
But it makes no sense to use it in a place where living people live.
She looked at the artificial lake again. Although there were no plants around the lake, the water was murky and she couldn't see anything in it.
She leaned into the water, scooped up a small handful, and smelled it carefully. There was no special smell. After tasting it with her tongue, she found that the lake water was very clear and even had a slightly sour taste.
This is even stranger; it's completely empty, yet incredibly murky. It has no smell, yet it tastes sour. Does such a strange lake even exist?
Perhaps the two of them were too conspicuous standing by the lake, because soon a maidservant rushed over and said that the madam had invited them.
Luo's?
Yan Qing and her brother exchanged a glance, and the same thought simultaneously came to mind:
Okay, she finally couldn't sit still anymore.
The Luo family's house was located in the main hall of the backyard, clearly the residence of the matriarch, and it naturally looked grand and imposing from the outside.
However, once inside the house, the furnishings were simple and dignified, not at all like the room of an eighteen-year-old young woman.
I would prefer a room belonging to an elderly person in their eighties or nineties.
"Madam Luo, your room looks so grand! Is this Master Sima's bedroom?"
Madam Luo smoothed her hair and smiled shyly, "No, my husband always lives in the front hall. I decorated this myself. How is it?"
"It's more than good!" Yan Che's reaction was equally impressive. He immediately launched into a tirade, praising Luo's taste to the skies, making himself extremely pleased.
Then he changed the subject, "I wonder what brings you two here, Madam?"
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