Chapter 278 - 276 Shen Yinning is Lu Ying’s Beloved Treasure

Words : 1658 Updated : Oct 1st, 2025

Thus, by the shores of Qianyou Lake, the original curses directed at corrupted officials gradually transformed into denouncements against Shen Yinning. Xue Ling heard his close aide reporting the matter but paid it little mind, nor did he bother to inform Lu Ying. After all, Shen Yinning loved to stir up trouble. Whether in the Capital or Jiangnan, rumors about her ran rampant, and this was no different. Soon enough, it would die down. As he expected, by noon, the Imperial Guards arrived at the lakeside, escorting Magistrate Luo and his cohorts. The voices of condemnation abruptly quieted, and the enraged citizens began pelting the corrupt officials with rotten vegetables and spoiled eggs they had prepared in advance—unrestrained in their fury. Noon had arrived. Lu Ying presided over the execution personally, listing the countless crimes committed by these individuals. The criminal officials and their families wailed pitifully; yet, weighed down by their immense guilt, no amount of regret could spare them from the death sentence. As the executioner raised his blade high, more than a dozen heads rolled onto the ground. Blood stained the soil of Liang Garden crimson. The oppressive clouds that had blanketed all of Jiangnan seemed to scatter somewhat. Lu Ying spoke calmly, "Jiangnan, a land of bountiful fish and rice, where the people ought to live in plenitude and joy, has suffered greatly under heavy taxes and labor levies in recent years. Farmers have been unable to focus on their crops; merchants cannot trade unhindered. With empathy for the suffering of the common folk, I hereby declare the abolition of taxes and levies in Jiangnan for the next three years. Trade routes by land and water shall remain open and unobstructed. I also order the opening of granaries to distribute food, thus enriching the people." The relief granted was tangible and benefited the populace undeniably. The masses knelt to the ground in raw emotion, chanting, "Long live the Crown Prince!" Their voices echoed across Qianyou Lake, resonating for a long time. Just then, amidst the crowd, an individual cried out loudly, "The Crown Prince is wise and mighty. Yet now, within Liang Garden there is a Fox Demon causing havoc, seducing men and bringing calamity to the people. We beseech the Crown Prince to vanquish the demon, eradicate the evil, and protect the nation!" Ciyin Temple’s Buddhist Tower. The windows remained shut tight. Shen Yinning leaned against the window frame, unwilling to let those outside see her current state. She listened to these shouted accusations and immediately understood the conspiracy behind them. They loathed her deeply; thus, they poisoned her, branded her as a Fox Demon, and now aimed to manipulate the masses against her... The sound of a lock being picked came from outside. With a loud "bang," Luo Wanxiang kicked the door open and entered. Upon seeing the white-haired, snowy-skinned, red-lipped girl, Luo Wanxiang couldn’t help but laugh, "Shen Yinning, look at you now! It seems my sister’s poison truly worked wonders!" Shen Yinning coldly stared at her. What surfaced in her mind wasn’t her own poisoning but the memory of unleashing two wolves to feast on Luo Xibai’s corpse. "Why are you glaring at me like that?" Luo Wanxiang approached her step by step, with a haughty expression on her delicate face. "I detest women like you—always revolving around men as if you can’t be apart from them for even a second! If it weren’t for you, my brother wouldn’t have met such a tragic end, and my sister’s husband wouldn’t have divorced her! Now, everyone is gathered by the shores of Qianyou Lake, even my brother-in-law and the Crown Prince. I’ll make sure they see you—this monstrous form of yours, not human yet not beast—and then we’ll see how you keep seducing men!" With that, she lunged at Shen Yinning. Shen Yinning dodged swiftly and used the chains to trip Luo Wanxiang. Luo Wanxiang’s head crashed against the windowsill, leaving her face covered in blood. She howled in pain as she climbed back up, refusing to relent, and attacked Shen Yinning again. Having trained in Kung Fu for years, Luo Wanxiang easily outmatched Shen Yinning, whose skills were self-taught and crude in comparison. With the chains restricting her movements, Shen Yinning was ultimately seized—her long hair grabbed viciously and dragged toward the window. Breathing heavily, Luo Wanxiang cursed, "Since you love playing the seductress so much, then let’s make you one for good!" Meanwhile, by Qianyou Lake. Spurred by the instigator’s shouts, the crowd remembered the rumors they’d heard earlier today. Their blood boiled with righteous fervor, and they began chanting en masse, "We beseech the Crown Prince to vanquish the Fox Demon, eradicate the evil, and protect the nation!" Lu Ying toyed with his Moyu Ring, casting a glance toward Xue Ling. Xue Ling rubbed his nose nervously, belatedly realizing that the rumors circulating today differed from those gossiping times in the Capital. This time, it was a deliberate setup—someone laying a trap to use the masses against Shen Yinning. Good heavens, Shen Yinning was Lu Ying’s cherished darling. Even if she caused a major uproar, Lu Ying never truly punished her. If she were burned as a Fox Demon, it’d be unimaginable! Not daring to dawdle, he steeled himself and recounted the incident in precise detail. Lu Ying’s face darkened. "Once this matter is resolved, I’ll deal with you personally." Xue Ling awkwardly tugged at his wide sleeves, muttering, "What happened to being sworn brothers?" Lu Ying ignored him and signaled to the Black and White Spiritbinders to immediately remove Shen Yinning from danger. But it was ultimately too late. The window at the top floor of the Buddhist Tower was suddenly pushed open. Luo Wanxiang appeared by the window, dragging Shen Yinning by her hair. Her voice rang out sharply, "I am Miss Luo Wanxiang of the Luo Family. I accuse Liang Garden of harboring a monster! This girl, Lv Zhu, is the Fox Demon that eats human hearts!" The crowd tilted their heads to look up. Dark clouds loomed thickly above. Several shafts of golden sunlight pierced through the clouds, illuminating the Buddhist Tower. The struggling figure by the high window—a white-haired, snowy-skinned maiden—though beautiful and alluring, was eerily strange. Her lips were such a blood-red hue, as though only just finished feasting on human hearts. The spring wind swept through, her hair—already voluptuous and cascading to the ground—fluttered chaotically, reminiscent of a fox swaying its tantalizing tail. "A demon!" "A monster!" "..." The onlookers, having never witnessed such a white-haired, snowy-skinned girl, grew alarmed and took several steps back in fear. Older, more superstitious villagers collapsed to their knees, weeping in terror, "A Fox Demon descends upon us—Great Zhou is doomed! Crown Prince, unless the Fox Demon is burned, the realm will find no peace!!" Luo Wanzhao, standing by Lu Shiyan’s wheelchair, allowed a flicker of satisfaction to pass through her gaze before feigning a shocked expression and covering her mouth, "Who would have thought Shen Yinning is a Fox Demon..." "Zhaozhao is not a Fox Demon!" Lu Shiyan’s brows furrowed tightly. His gaze settled on Shen Yinning, urgent and intent. The young woman who had fought with Luo Wanxiang now bore bruises on her body. Zhaozhao appeared much worse off, forcibly held by the hair against the window. Her pale face was pressed against the sill, fully exposed to display her ghostly white hair and snowy skin—uncanny and grotesque. He clenched his fists tightly. "I grew up with Zhaozhao. No one knows her better than I do—she’s absolutely not a monster! Someone must have poisoned her! Besides, ancient texts already record cases of naturally white-haired individuals, or those whose hair turns white overnight from stress. White hair and youthful skin are far from uncommon. Zhaozhao is certainly no demon!" Luo Wanxiang screamed hysterically, "Even now, Brother-in-law defends a monster?! She drove a wedge between you and Sister, seduced both my father and brother, driving them to commit unspeakable crimes! Her beauty is a curse, harming all who meet her—she is a demon!" The crowd, whipped into a frenzy, cried out unanimously for the Fox Demon to be burned. Demon... The rough surface of the windowsill dug painfully into Shen Yinning’s cheek. Tears rolled down from the corners of her eyes; her amber-colored Dan Feng eyes slowly turned bloodshot. She hadn’t wanted to come to Jiangnan, but they had forced her here. She bore no malice toward the Luo sisters, yet these two refused to leave her be. She closed her eyes briefly, recalling Luo Wanzhao’s attempt to coerce her into becoming a concubine, Luo Wanxiang’s vendetta, the death of Luo Xibai. Upon reopening them, her pupil was filled with dark, chilling fury. Luo Wanxiang continued her self-righteous ranting, "I, Luo Wanxiang, have never condoned corruption. Raised in martial discipline, I possess a virtuous spirit and despise all things vile—whether souls or spirits! Today, I expose her as a Fox Demon to seek justice from the Crown Prince and to bring salvation to the common people—" Before she could finish, Shen Yinning seized her moment and grabbed Luo Wanxiang’s hair, smashing her head against the windowsill! Luo Wanxiang let out a blood-curdling scream! Shen Yinning didn’t stop, wrapping the chains around Luo Wanxiang’s neck, panting heavily and red-eyed as she hissed, "Luo Wanxiang, are you some kind of leather sack to hold so much garbage?! Hypocritical and self-serving, you enjoy every privilege Luo Xibai brought you yet loathe him for his ugliness and cruelty. Of all the vile creatures in the Luo Family, you are the worst!" The chains tightened around Luo Wanxiang’s neck, leaving her half-dead, her face flushed bright red, her eyes brimming with tears. Choking desperately, she nevertheless glared fiercely at Shen Yinning, "You wretched woman... I will never... I will never forgive you..." Madness overwhelmed Shen Yinning, and in a burst of rage, she shoved Luo Wanxiang off the Buddhist Tower!

Chapter 278 - 276 Shen Yinning is Lu Ying’s Beloved Treasure

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