Chapter 959 - 957: Why So Coincidental?

Words : 1391 Updated : Sep 21st, 2025

Chapter 959: Chapter 957: Why So Coincidental? Wang Yongzhu remained silent; Xiao Wu hadn’t yet reached the critical part of his story before being interrupted by Lady Huang. She carefully recalled Xiao Wu’s behavior from yesterday. It started as ordinary attentiveness, but when did it begin to stand out? The Tian Family! It was after the Tian Family caused a scene at the viewing platform! Could it be that the dispute with the Tian Family yesterday, which Xiao Wu overheard, led him to discover that she had smashed the Tian Family’s Rouge Shop, thus inciting this idea? Moreover, with Xiao Wu’s surname being Huang, who exactly is this Lady Huang to him? Why did she stop Xiao Wu? She wasn’t in a hurry, though. The one who should be anxious is Xiao Wu. If he truly has such intentions, even if Lady Huang tries to stop him, he will find a way to reach out to her. Thinking this, Wang Yongzhu felt calm: "No matter what Xiao Wu is planning, whether he wants to use us to deal with the Tian Family or something else, he will come back." Despite saying this, Song Chongjin was still apprehensive, especially now that both Governor Chen and Zhu Haoran were in Jing County, along with Imperial Doctor Du’s advisements. He thought it wise to be cautious. He considered discussing the matter with his uncle Yang Zongbao in the evening, feeling it necessary to investigate past events involving the Tian and Huang Families, to avoid being unwittingly manipulated. Old Madam Ding, listening to the conversation, showed a hesitant expression, which Wang Yongzhu noticed: "Aunt Ding, is there something you want to say?" Caught off guard, Old Madam Ding quickly responded: "Speaking of the Huang Family, I do have some recollection." Surprisingly, someone knew about the Huang Family? Wang Yongzhu promptly signaled for her to continue. Just as Old Madam Ding was about to speak, Old Granny Zhang, listening from the inner room, who didn’t originally intend to come out, couldn’t hold back after hearing this, and joined them to listen. It turns out, indeed, the Huang Family was quite renowned in Jing County over a decade ago. Their family lived off flower cultivation for generations, and at least sixty percent of the vast flower fields, now owned by the Tian Family outside the city, used to belong to the Huang Family. Back then, most wealthy families in Jing County sought the Huang Family for flowers, even the flowers at Changqing Academy were reportedly sourced from the Huang Family during those years. Because of this, the Huang Family was considered a reputable and influential family in Jing County. Unfortunately, despite their good fortune, that generation of the Huang Family only had two daughters and no son to inherit the family business. Having no other option, the head of the Huang Family devised a plan to bring in a son-in-law. After careful selection, they chose a Scholar from a desperately poor family for Miss Huang. The Scholar’s family was named Loo, said to be a promising talent, and gifted in his studies. But his family was exceedingly poor, relying solely on his parents and a few acres of barren land to support him and his three or four younger siblings. The head of the Huang Family chose Scholar Loo and agreed beforehand that upon entering the Huang Family, they would support him through his studies and examinations. Should he have a son, he must bear the Huang surname to continue the family legacy. The Loo Family agreed, and soon after, Scholar Loo married Miss Huang, and the Loo Family received a substantial bride price, improving their living conditions significantly. Later, Scholar Loo successfully passed the exams and became a Graduate, and Miss Huang bore a son, who carried the Huang surname as agreed upon. Thus, the Huang Family had an heir. Unexpectedly, on a trip to visit friends with his wife and son, Graduate Loo encountered bandits. While he barely escaped with his life, his wife and child were killed by the bandits. Although Graduate Loo managed to escape, he was injured and was brought back by a kind person. Upon his return, the Huang Family was shattered by the news. They began arranging a mourning hall while also spending silver to request the Government Office hunt the bandits and retrieve the bodies of Miss Huang and her son. To their misfortune, on the day the bodies of Miss Huang and her son were returned, a fierce wind rose overnight. It was said the burning candles at the mourning hall set the drapes on fire, and with the wind’s aid, the whole Huang Family, exhausted by the endless calamities, fell into a deep sleep that night, and none survived. Except for Graduate Loo, due to the trauma of seeing his wife and child’s bodies, he fainted in a city clinic and thereby survived, while everyone else in the Huang Family, including over twenty servants, perished in the flames. In one night, the vast Huang Family was reduced to a single unconscious Graduate Loo. The Loo Family stepped forward at this time, gathering the remains of the Huang Family and organizing a meager burial. When Graduate Loo awoke, he was nearly driven insane. He drifted in a stupor for half a year before regaining his senses. Since he was the last of the Huang Family, everything else had been consumed by the fire, and the houses were reduced to just a few walls. Graduate Loo, still possessing some conscience, built a thatched hut beside the Huang Family’s remains and mourned them for three years. After the three-year mourning period, Graduate Loo decided to leave this sorrowful place. No one knew where he went, and later, somehow, ownership of the Huang Family’s lands and shops transferred to the Tian Family. It was rumored that since Graduate Loo was the sole successor to the Huang Family, the land deeds registered with the Government Office went to him. However, unwilling to remain in Jing County, a place constantly reminding him of his wife and child’s tragic deaths and the complete demise of the Yue Family, He sold all the Huang Family’s lands at a low price, took the silver, and left for another place. As Old Madam Ding’s voice trailed off, an eerie silence enveloped the courtyard. Wang Yongzhu lowered her eyes, feeling a chilling sensation across her body. Old Madam Ding’s concise account depicted a family’s tragic end — over twenty lives snuffed out. The lingering scent of blood, after all these years, seemed to assault them through the retelling. "Monsters!" Gu Zikai slammed the table in fury. "What a Tian Family! What a Graduate Loo!" Song Chongjin sneered coldly. No one was fooled; the sinister undertones were unmistakable. How was it coincidental that the bandits killed only Miss Huang and her son, and Graduate Loo escaped alone? How was it further coincidental that on the day Miss Huang and her son’s bodies were returned, the entire Huang Family perished in flames, yet Graduate Loo was conveniently absent? What about mourning for three years? It was merely a façade, meant to silence the ignorant. Otherwise, why hastily sell all of the Huang Family’s lands in a guilty escape? Old Granny Zhang couldn’t help but utter a few incantations, "Heaven’s wrath! Conscienceless!" Old Madam Ding, hearing Song Chongjin’s words, felt pale as she took another look at everyone’s expressions. Wang Yongzhu still asked, "Didn’t anyone suspect the suspicious deaths of the Huang Family? Over twenty people in a family died, and the Government Office didn’t investigate? It was just wrapped up so hastily?" The more Old Madam Ding thought, the more frightened she became, trembling as she spoke: "The whole Huang Family had perished, and the old Master Graduate was still in a coma. The Loo Family took charge of the burial arrangements, claiming peace in burial, and hired Monks and Taoist Priests to chant for seven days." "Moreover, it was said the Huang Family’s servants were careless with the candles, and those servants also perished in the flames. Who could they blame? As the saying goes, if the people don’t speak, the officials don’t investigate. Even the only remaining victim, Graduate Loo, didn’t pursue the matter with the Government Office, so naturally, the officials wouldn’t look into it either."

Chapter 959 - 957: Why So Coincidental?

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