Chapter 27
The faint sound of the dice being crushed caused the four attendants to shiver, as if their bones were being crushed instead. They waited in silence, afraid to look up, their hearts pounding. They cursed whoever had angered the Lord, knowing that whenever he was displeased, it was always them who suffered.
After a moment, Shangguan Ye’s voice sounded again, his tone gritted with barely concealed rage. “Issue the Death Decree. From today, pursue and kill Yun Feiyang with full force. Anyone who interferes will be killed on the spot… except for the Immortal Sword Sect.”
The Death Decree?
The four’s expressions changed dramatically, their faces turning grave. One of them dared to ask, “Which Yun Feiyang are you referring to? Why are we to kill him?”
Although these four were known for their occasional recklessness, their positions as Shangguan Ye’s right-hand men and the four greatest assassins of the Death Hall were not due to connections alone. They had countless lives on their hands, each having shed blood in battle.
The Death Decree was the most severe assassination order in the Death Hall. Anyone marked by it was considered the greatest enemy of the Death Hall. Who was this Yun Feiyang to warrant such an order?
Shangguan Ye shot a cold glance at the man. “Just follow the orders.”
Under that piercing gaze, the man shuddered, quickly bowing his head. The four of them rose, took the decree, and swiftly exited to carry out the order.
Shangguan Ye lightly tapped the redwood table with his fingers. His eyes revealed no emotion, but the rhythm of his tapping grew faster and faster. Eventually, it seemed he could no longer suppress his anger, and the three-meter-long table was flipped over in a single motion.
“Yun, Fei, Yang.” Shangguan Ye enunciated each name with gritted teeth. He slammed his fist onto the floor, causing the smooth surface to shatter like a spider’s web under the powerful force.
His black hair flew wildly, revealing a face partially covered by a black mask. He looked like a vengeful deity.
Shangguan Ye had never been so desperate to kill someone, feeling a burning desire to crush Yun Feiyang into dust.
The four attendants, having just left, heard the explosive sound and couldn’t help but turn back. The intense killing intent emanating from Shangguan Ye was palpable, and their expressions reflected their shock. It was the first time they had seen the Lord so agitated.
“Who is this Yun Feiyang? What did he do to offend the Lord? Could it be a case of a stolen wife?” The man with the doll-like face joked, unknowingly hitting closer to the truth than he realized.
“Cut it out. If the Lord hears that, he might drag you into bed to see if you truly understand what a stolen wife feels like,” the woman scoffed. Everyone knew that the Lord of the Death Hall was famous for his preferences. The Death Hall’s courtyard was filled with handsome young men, most of whom were sent by martial artists. The idea of a stolen wife was laughable.
Moreover, even if the Lord had no interest in men, if he lost composure over a woman, it would be shocking, as they perceived him as a cold, emotionless deity.
“Well, how should we deal with this Yun Feiyang? We don’t even know who he is,” another person asked.
“Sigh, we can only say that those named Yun Feiyang are out of luck,” was the response.
Murong Qiufeng, oblivious to the fact that his casual conversation had led to a massacre and disaster for his beloved senior brother, was currently in the Duke’s residence, admiring the decorations for the wedding.
He thought to himself, “So this is where my sister will be living. Even though it’s decorated, the place still feels a bit desolate.” Reflecting on Shangguan Ye’s previous suggestion to renovate the residence, he now agreed. It did seem too cold and might not be comfortable for his sister.
As he thought about how he might mention this to Shangguan Ye later, he felt a bit odd but reasoned that since the wedding date was approaching, Shangguan Ye would soon be his brother-in-law. They would be family, so it wouldn’t be too distant.
Moreover, knowing that Shangguan Ye was aware of his drunken secret, he felt a bit more at ease, as if there were no more secrets left to hide.
Unbeknownst to him, Shangguan Ye’s frustrations and a whole night of vexation had yielded some small returns. Of course, he remained unaware that Shangguan Ye was currently hunting someone down.
Shangguan Ye did not linger in the Death Hall for long. After his outburst, he hurried back, realizing that spending time nurturing his relationship with Murong Qiufeng was more worthwhile than dwelling on his anger.
When Shangguan Ye arrived at the hall, he saw Murong Qiufeng on a bamboo ladder, holding a large red silk flower and helping the servants decorate the wedding hall.
Seeing this scene, Shangguan Ye’s earlier frustrations melted away, replaced by a sense of amusement. He wondered what Murong Qiufeng would think if he knew that the hall being decorated was actually his own wedding hall. Shangguan Ye couldn’t help but imagine him in a wedding dress…
“Ah, Your Highness,” the servants, who were decorating with Murong Qiufeng, noticed Shangguan Ye’s arrival and immediately knelt, their faces pale. They were anxious because, despite Murong Qiufeng being a guest, Shangguan Ye had instructed them to attend to him well, yet they had let him help with the rough work.
In reality, Murong Qiufeng had insisted on helping and had not given them a chance to refuse. His overly friendly attitude had made them forget Shangguan Ye’s previous instructions.
To their surprise, Shangguan Ye seemed to bear no grudge. He waved his hand and said lightly, “Leave for now.”
Although they were surprised, they were relieved and quickly departed.
Murong Qiufeng, having stopped his actions as soon as the servants spoke, held the large silk flower and looked at Shangguan Ye with an apologetic smile. “It’s my own choice to help. Please don’t blame them.”
Shangguan Ye smiled back at him. “I won’t. Just hang this up for now.”
Murong Qiufeng looked down at the flower in his arms, nodded, and climbed the ladder again. He then turned to Shangguan Ye, “Can you help me check the placement?”
Seeing Murong Qiufeng’s familiar attitude, Shangguan Ye’s mood brightened. He nodded with a smile and began offering careful guidance, although his “guidance” occasionally included intentional minor mistakes.
Thus, the two of them continued decorating the hall, enjoying the task despite its absurdity. The servants watched in disbelief, thinking that the Lord truly loved his new bride to the extent of personally decorating the hall.
Only the old steward, stroking his beard, smiled with satisfaction and a hint of meaningful reflection, sighing internally.
Since the Lord was ten years old, he had not seen a genuine smile from him. But recently, the Lord’s demeanor suggested that he was truly smitten. This Duke’s residence would indeed be well cared for, and he hoped things would continue to develop positively.
