Zhang Yuge felt a surge of emotions deep in his heart.
Although he had been at the Zhang Residence for quite some time, this was the first time he had entered through the main gate.
However, his expression was now cold and stern, revealing no emotion easily.
Too many words often lead to mistakes.
Since he had to impersonate Zhang Qingyao, it was best to speak as little as possible.
“Take my horse back to the stable.”
Zhang Yuge put on Zhang Qingyao’s signature Sima expression and gave the order to the household servant beside him.
The young girl following behind Zhang Yuge glared at him fiercely for how casually he was bossing around the family’s servants.
If Zhang Yuge hadn’t ordered Zhang Qingyao to keep silent before entering the residence, she would have already cursed him out loud.
Feeling the piercing gaze from behind, Zhang Yuge turned his head and leaned close to the girl’s ear.
“How do I look? Do I seem like you?”
Faced with such blatant provocation, Zhang Qingyao trembled with anger, her face flushed red, and her eyes wide with rage.
At that moment, a shout came from a distance:
“Yao’er!”
A beautiful woman rushed out of the mansion and hugged Zhang Yuge tightly.
“My Yao’er, what’s happened to you? Tell your mother, what exactly has happened?”
The woman wept, tears streaming down her face like petals in the rain.
“Mother, I’m fine, please don’t worry.”
Zhang Yuge gently patted Lin Yi’s back in reassurance.
Zhang Qingyao couldn’t take it anymore.
First, her identity was taken; she was turned into Zhong Bailing.
Now, this impostor was hugging her own mother—what was going on?
“Mother, he’s an impostor! It’s Zhang Yuge pretending! I’m your real son!”
Of course, she couldn’t say that out loud.
Before she could speak, a fierce surge of electricity erupted from the curse mark beneath her navel.
“Yiyi ya ya ya!”
Zhang Qingyao convulsed violently from the electric shock, collapsing on the ground, twitching continuously and foaming at the mouth.
Lin Yi recognized Zhong Bailing and looked at the girl on the floor in shock.
“Yao’er, what’s wrong with Bailing? Someone, quickly carry Zhong Miss to the guest room, and find the Doctor!”
After the servants helped Zhang Qingyao away, Lin Yi anxiously asked,
“Yao’er, quickly tell your mother, what exactly happened? Why did only the two of you return?”
“Mother, it’s a long story. Your son will first wash up and then explain everything to you.”
Seeing Zhang Yuge’s clothes were already in tatters, Lin Yi agreed.
“Alright, once you’re done, come to the Assembly Hall.”
Taking a bath was actually a delaying tactic for Zhang Yuge.
He had been thinking the entire way about how to explain everything to the Zhang family.
If he told the truth—that Zhang Qingyao was now impersonating Zhong Bailing—the consequences would surely be brutal revenge from the family.
His master had said that keeping her by his side would be beneficial for his future cultivation.
Zhang Qingyao’s room had a small bathing pool.
The servants had already prepared hot water with fresh red flower petals floating on the surface, filling the air with a faint floral fragrance.
Seeing this, Zhang Yuge sighed inwardly—what a cruel feudal landlord.
After undressing and entering the water, two beautiful Slave Girls sat at the edge of the pool.
Zhang Yuge was startled and only learned after asking that both were there to assist with his bath.
Though uncomfortable with the arrangement—he preferred to wash himself—refusing outright would be suspicious.
After weighing the pros and cons, Zhang Yuge decided to let the two Slave Girls stay.
While changing, he stretched out his arms and allowed the two girls to help.
At the same time, he had already prepared the explanations he would use with the Zhang family.
At the Assembly Hall, Lin Yi had been waiting for some time.
Besides her, several elders of the Zhang family were present.
There were also some unfamiliar faces—understandable, since Zhang Yuge had only been a lowly servant and had never met them before.
“Yao’er, I heard you were ambushed on the way to Qingyang to propose marriage. Is it true?”
The elder managing the Assembly Hall was the Five Elder, brother to Zhang Qingyao’s grandfather and a Foundation Establishment Stage cultivator.
In the Da Zhou Dynasty, Foundation Establishment Stage cultivators were like apex beings, mostly concentrated in the capital city.
In the entire Zhang family, only two cultivators had reached Foundation Establishment Stage at the initial level, and both were from Zhang Qingyao’s grandfather’s generation.
It was easy to imagine how exceptional it was that the eldest young master Zhang Qinglin had reached Foundation Establishment Stage by the age of twenty.
No wonder Zhang San’s mention of this eldest young master made Zhang Qingyao’s face fall.
After all, Zhang Qingyao himself was only at Qi Refining Second Layer—considered almost useless by the family elders.
“Yes, Elder Five. That is indeed what happened. The servants who went out with me were all killed.”
Zhang Yuge performed the junior salute.
“I heard from your mother that the Miss Zhong you went to propose to also returned with you, but it seems something is wrong.”
Five Elder didn’t sense anything suspicious, much to Zhang Yuge’s secret relief.
Zhang Yuge told the elders every detail of how the Zhong family ambushed his horse caravan.
“That’s what happened. Then suddenly a Strong Cultivator appeared from somewhere and wiped out everyone present. I saw their bodies—they were sucked dry to nothing but skin and bones, like dried corpses. I was badly injured and lost consciousness, so I escaped. When I woke up, Zhong Bailing was still alive, but she had lost all her memories and didn’t know how to circulate true Qi. Mother also just saw how Zhong Bailing suddenly went mad, fell to the ground, foaming at the mouth. I believe she was severely shocked and went into Madness. Now she’s a complete waste.”
Zhang Yuge did not mention Yun Lan’s existence or what had happened afterward.
Five Elder focused hard and asked,
“Do you know the cultivation level of that suddenly appearing Strong Cultivator?”
“I am simple-minded and couldn’t discern the opponent’s cultivation level.”
Zhang Yuge answered truthfully; he really couldn’t tell Yun Lan’s true power, but she was definitely above Foundation Establishment Stage.
“Fifth Brother, don’t guess anymore. Anyone who can easily wipe out the Sixth Master of the Zhong family has to be Foundation Establishment Stage.”
“All Foundation Establishment cultivators in the Da Zhou Dynasty are known—family heads and elders. We’ll find him sooner or later.”
“What’s most important now is to decide how to deal with the Zhong family. We can’t just let them off easily.”
“Seventh Uncle’s suggestion is reasonable. I think we should just kill Zhong Bailing and send her body back to the Zhong family.”
“I have no objections.”
“Nor do I. They should pay some price.”
Seeing the elders discuss how to dispose of Zhong Bailing, Zhang Yuge felt the moment had come.
After a moment of thought, he spoke up.
“I have something I wish to discuss with the elders.”
After bowing to the elders, Zhang Yuge began to explain his proposal.
“I believe, since Zhong Bailing has lost her memories, we might as well give her a new name and have her serve as a family Slave Girl. I request the elders’ consent to take Zhong Bailing as a Slave Girl.”