Chapter 41: Chapter 41 The Death of Situ Yuntian
"Young Master, please give your order,” Black Thirteen said quietly after a moment of silence.
"The Family Head of the Situ Family, Situ Yuntian,” Xu Zimei whispered.
"I understand,” Black Thirteen started, slightly startled. He nodded slowly and then his figure disappeared from the room.
Xu Zimei looked around the now silent room, lifted his head slightly, and gazed at the bright moon gradually emerging from behind the clouds.
"What a pity, I wanted a family that acts like a lapdog, but you had too many ideas of your own.”
...
In the inner courtyard of the Situ Family, Situ Yuntian had just begun to undress, his mind still preoccupied with the day’s events.
Just then, a gust of wind blew, snuffing out the lamplight in the room.
Situ Yuntian’s gaze sharpened as he saw a black figure suddenly appear in front of the window.
Before this, he hadn’t noticed anyone at all.
The immense strength of the Empty Vein Realm enveloped the entire room, and the bed curtains stirred gently in the breeze.
"Who are you?” Situ Yuntian took a deep breath as the presence of the True Vein Realm rose bit by bit within him.
He felt a murderous intent, his heart beating seemingly faster than usual.
A tangible intent to kill filled the room. The man in black raised his knife slightly, his figure casting a lingering shadow in the air.
Situ Yuntian’s eyes sank in, and his complexion turned to shock. He couldn’t react in time before he felt a chill throughout his body.
He looked down slightly to see his waist had been severed, his body now in two halves.
He looked up again at the man in black but could not utter a word. Blood spurted from his mouth, and he fell to the ground.
Inside Linjiang Restaurant, Xu Zimei nodded slightly while listening to Black Thirteen’s report. “Now that the man is dead, there must be a scapegoat.”
"What do you mean, Young Master?” Black Thirteen asked, puzzled.
"The three Elders of the Situ Family might be a good choice,” Xu Zimei mused aloud.
"But why would they willingly take the blame?” Black Thirteen inquired, still confused.
"Everyone in this world seeks something, wealth? Status? Beauty? Or strength?” Xu Zimei said with a smile.
"I understand,” Black Thirteen nodded, watched Xu Zimei wave his hand, and then his figure also gradually vanished.
Without a word spoken all night, the next morning dawned with gloom hovering over the entire Situ Family.
Situ Yuntian was dead—his demise sent shockwaves throughout Zhouque City.
The Situ Family was engulfed in mourning. Situ Yuntian had three sons, and with the addition of Situ Yunqing, there were four children in total.
At that moment, Xu Zimei, accompanied by Lin Ruhu and Xiao Guizi, had just entered the Situ Family residence when they saw a crowd surrounding a stretcher amidst loud wailing.
The body of Situ Yuntian had been stitched together and was wrapped in a white cloth.
"Father, I will surely find your killer to appease your spirit in heaven,” Situ Yuntian’s eldest son, Situ Bo, vowed fervently.
Situ Yunqing also knelt to one side, her gaze sweeping across the faces of everyone present, studying each expression, hoping to discern something.
Her eyes then returned to the man on the stretcher; though their acknowledgement of each other had not been for long, since her arrival at the Situ Family, Situ Yuntian had doted on her extremely.
She had originally been somewhat indifferent towards Situ Yuntian, resenting him for neglecting her and her mother for so many years.
But that was merely the indignation of a young girl’s thoughts; in truth, her heart had long since accepted this father.
But now, her father lay bloodied on the stretcher, and she couldn’t help feeling a wave of sorrow.
At this moment, Xu Zimei looked at the scene unfolding before him, pushed through the crowd surrounding the stretcher, and leaning beside the body of Situ Yuntian, he said mournfully, “Brother Yuntian, although we had but a brief encounter, as they say, ‘heroes admire one another without question of origin.’
I didn’t get the chance to discuss life with you, and I never expected that in just a single night’s time, we would be separated by yin and yang.
Indeed, ‘good people do not live long; creation plays with man, creation plays with man indeed!'”
"Brother, don’t be too upset, the dead cannot be brought back to life,” Xiao Guizi quickly comforted from the side.
"How could I not understand? It’s just a pity for Brother Yuntian to pass away—he was truly a hero,” Xu Zimei took a deep breath, his eyes brimming with sorrow.
He turned to look at Situ Yunqing, who was sobbing softly, and advised, “Don’t be too heartbroken, the urgent matter now is to quickly find the murderer and avenge your father.”
Situ Yunqing nodded slowly, looking at Xu Zimei expectantly as she said, “I know you’re a capable person, can you help me?”
No matter how formidable Situ Yunqing from her previous life might have been, the her of now was just a helpless girl.
With no one to rely on and no power to support her, it was simply unrealistic for her to find the murderer all by herself.
"It’s not that I’m unwilling to help, but this is an internal matter for the Situ Family, and my intervention as an outsider could easily lead to rumors,” Xu Zimei said, appearing troubled.
Situ Yunqing fell silent for a moment, not sure what to say.
"Prepare for your father’s funeral sooner rather than later. Although I can’t directly participate in the investigation, I will keep an eye out for the murderer in secret,” Xu Zimei offered a few words of consolation before leaving with Lin Ruhu and the others.
"Zimo bro, are you thinking of taking control of the Situ Family?” On the way back, Lin Ruhu asked curiously.
"You see it?” Xu Zimei asked with a smile.
"Not certain, but it seems like you care a bit too much about the Situ Family,” Lin Ruhu said.
"More or less, but now is not the time; the fire isn’t burning fiercely enough,” Xu Zimei said with a smile.
"What should we do?” Xiao Guizi asked from the side.
"You, go to the Wang Family and the Wan Family, and get those two families to join forces to suppress the industries of the Situ Family,” Xu Zimei instructed Lin Ruhu.
In Zhouque City, only these two families could rival the Situ Family. Now that Situ Yuntian, a key figure, was no longer present, these two families would undoubtedly be interested in the juicy morsel that was the Situ Family’s fortune.
"Xiao Guizi, you go and stir up some trouble among Situ Yuntian’s three sons. Make them fight each other for the position of Family Head,” Xu Zimei said.
"Don’t worry, young master, I’ll make sure the entire Situ Family is turned upside down,” Xiao Guizi confidently replied.
"When everything gets out of control, that’s when I’ll step in to settle the chaos,” Xu Zimei said slowly, “I want Situ Yunqing to willingly join my forces.”
"Zimo bro, if you ask me, why not just fight directly and be done with it? Is all this trouble really necessary?” Lin Ruhu asked, perplexed.
"You need to understand one thing, we might be villains, but we are definitely not brainless,” Xu Zimei laughed, “What I want is not just the person Situ Yunqing, but also her heart.
Besides, the Situ Family really is a good stepping stone. Also, Black Thirteen, go to Heavenly Sword City and find Shili Changkong, ask him to come over here.”