mesbooks Chapter 2093 Using a borrowed knife to kill and diverting disaster eastward
Chapter 2093 Using a borrowed knife to kill and diverting disaster eastward
"Young Master..."
The name, squeezed dryly from Shangguan Wuji's lips, fell into the courtyard, but it was like a piece of thousand-year-old ice being smashed into boiling oil, stirring not only a sizzling sound, but also a chill that penetrated to the bone.
The silence in the courtyard lasted for a few breaths before being broken by an uncontrollable commotion.
It wasn't a commotion, but rather a series of gasps, the clinking of glasses, and the rustling of clothes—a low, subtle noise that betrayed the fear in everyone's hearts.
Li Xiangnan remained as steady as a rock, but his gaze was as cold as a frozen pool.
Little Buddha!
He knew that name all too well!
Behind several bizarre incidents in Beijing recently, this shadow has been looming in the background.
The insidious and bizarre leech that afflicted Cheng Kui's father, Cheng Yue, and Lan Cuihua's father was one of his masterpieces.
This person acts without any bottom line or logic, specializing in attacking people's weaknesses with ruthless and cunning methods that are impossible to guard against!
Li Xiangnan had long considered it one of the most threatening potential enemies to the Li and Mu families.
At this moment, Shangguan Wuji publicly threw this out. Although it was a trick to shift the blame, it was also like a sharp alarm whistle, piercing through the illusion that the situation had temporarily calmed down.
The dragon head of the cane that Du Xingyue was stroking suddenly stopped. A sharp light flashed in his old eyes, as sharp as a knife, as if he wanted to completely dissect Shangguan Wuji's thoughts.
"Little Buddha? Shangguan Wuji, you certainly know how to pick your moments! This man has been lurking in the shadows for years, stirring up trouble. I've heard a bit about him. Are you trying to cover it up now, or is there some truth to it?"
The old man's words were both a questioning of Shangguan Wuji's motives and a way of pointing out to everyone the real existence and danger of the Little Buddha, and that he was not a character that Shangguan Wuji had made up out of thin air.
The triumphant expressions on the faces of Song Cijiu, Wang Defa, Song Zimo, and others vanished instantly, replaced by solemnity and anger.
Song Ziming gritted his teeth and whispered, "It really is that persistent bastard!"
Wang Defa clenched his fists, making a cracking sound. Recalling the various things that had been secretly sabotaged at Nianwei Hospital and the Li family, he said hatefully, "It's him again, Xiang Nan. This bastard has been targeting us for more than just a day or two!"
Although Yang Weidong, Ma Yingyao, Mi Le, and other relatives and friends may not know the specifics of Little Buddha's actions, seeing the reactions of Li Xiangnan, Song Cijiu, and others, and hearing Du Xingyue personally confirm the existence of this person, they felt a tightness in their hearts and realized that the trouble was far from over, and might have just moved from the open to the more dangerous shadows.
The representatives of the ten families in the corner were experiencing extremely complicated feelings at this moment.
Fear had not subsided, and now suspicion and doubt had arisen!
Ye Ruyan's face turned pale. She knew how terrifying the Little Buddha was. If this was true, and the Li family had been targeted by such a vicious person, wouldn't their actions today have dragged them into an even more terrifying vortex?
Clearly, the young master's target is probably the same as theirs: the Mu family's account books!
If he suspects that we are trying to steal food from his mouth, wouldn't he also be rude to us?
Yan Qinghe's back was already soaked with cold sweat, and his eyes were panicked. He just wanted to grab some benefits and leave, and he didn't want to get involved with a madman like Little Buddha!
Qian Houjin's initial elation at embracing spring vanished, leaving only lingering fear.
Damn it, this pool of water is indeed deeper, more murky, and colder than he imagined.
Inside the main house, the four old men listened to everything happening in the courtyard through the cracks in the windows.
"Young Master?" Jiang Huaiyuan suddenly stood up, his chair creaking as he did so. His face was ashen. "That old bastard Shangguan Wuji, he really had no good intentions! Even before leaving, he had to throw out such a hot potato. Did he think that since he was in trouble, he wanted to drag the Li family into an even deeper quagmire and fight to the death?"
Yu Haoran stroked his beard, his brows furrowed: "It might not be a simple frame-up! Qingyue's interrogation just now was almost like forced confession. Under those circumstances, it would be too risky for Shangguan Wuji to fabricate a completely unrelated name out of thin air; he could easily be exposed on the spot!"
He narrowed his eyes, pondering, "Since he dared to mention Little Buddha's name at this time, it at least shows that among the forces that have recently tried to target the Li family, there are indeed clues related to Little Buddha, or he has some evidence that makes people think of Little Buddha! This person is meticulous and wouldn't tell such an easily exposed lie in front of the Ji family!"
"Brother Haoran is right!" Song Qiankun pondered, his gaze still fixed on the chessboard. "This Little Buddha has been expanding his influence in the shadows very rapidly in recent years. He acts mysteriously and ruthlessly, and has indeed posed a threat to many established forces!"
"The Shangguan family may also feel the pressure! He brought up this name today, firstly to divert attention, and secondly, he may also be plotting to use someone else to do the dirty work and shift the blame to the Li family and the Little Buddha, so that he can reap the benefits! This is a vicious scheme that kills two birds with one stone, or even three birds with one stone!"
Qin Zongheng had remained silent until now, when he slowly put down his teacup, his eyes deep and unfathomable: "Truth and falsehood are intertwined! Shangguan Wuji's words are seven parts falsehood mixed with three parts truth, making them the most difficult to discern!"
"But this young master's covetousness of the Li and Mu families is probably not unfounded! The Mu family's old case is far-reaching, and that ledger is the key! It's perfectly normal for a hyena like this young master, who hunts in the shadows, to pounce on the scent of blood!"
He looked at Jiang Huaiyuan: "Brother-in-law, calm down! Let's see how Qingyue handles this. Since the Ji family has made it clear that they want to protect the Li family, this matter will not be easily resolved!"
Inside the courtyard, Ji Qingyue heard Shangguan Wuji's last words, which were eager to distance himself but also concealed malicious intent. A faint, almost mocking smile flashed across her cold face.
She did not immediately react to the name "Little Buddha," but instead turned her gaze to the restless Shangguan Wuji again. Her voice remained steady, yet it carried a power that could see into people's hearts.
"Patriarch Shangguan, your words have certainly absolved you of all responsibility. You were arrogant at first, then obsequious, your words evasive, and by throwing out the Little Buddha at the end, you think you can completely clear yourself of any suspicion of forcing the emperor to abdicate today or causing trouble here?"
"Do you think everyone here is a three-year-old child who can't see through your little scheme of using someone else's strength to shift the blame?"
Shangguan Wuji's face flushed red and then turned pale, his lips trembling as he tried to explain himself but couldn't find a way to do so. Under Ji Qingyue's clear gaze, any attempt at sophistry seemed pale and laughable.
Ji Qingyue stopped looking at him, as if he was no longer worth her time. She turned to Li Xiangnan, her tone much softer, yet still carrying a detached caution.
"Doctor Li, the Ji family has also heard of the Young Master. In recent years, he has been active in the shadows, acting erratically, and is indeed a troublesome figure! As for how much of what Patriarch Shangguan said is true and how much is false, the public can judge for themselves. But since he dared to mention him at this time, there must be something unusual about your residence today, which is vaguely related to this person?"
Her question was clever, both indicating that the Ji family was not unaware of the situation and leaving the judgment to Li Xiangnan, while also implying that Shangguan Wuji's words should not be taken at face value, but they were not necessarily entirely false either.
Li Xiangnan nodded slightly and said in a deep voice, "To be honest, Miss Ji, there have indeed been a few incidents recently, the methods of which are insidious and suspicious, and they are suspected to be related to this person. There has also been some disturbance at his home and hospital!"
He acknowledged the existence of the threat but did not elaborate, maintaining restraint.
Ji Qingyue nodded knowingly, her cool gaze sweeping over the worried faces of the Li family members and relatives in the courtyard, and she raised her voice:
"Demons and monsters are accustomed to operating in the shadows and cannot bear the light! The Li family and the Ji family have a history together, and the Li family is also a close friend of the Song family. Their little dirty tricks are nothing to fear!"
She paused, her tone calm yet imbued with undeniable confidence and a promise: "From this day forward, if any unknown forces in Yanjing City attempt to use insidious means to harass the Li family or threaten the peace of the Mu family... my Ji family will not stand idly by!"
These words were like a shot of adrenaline to everyone!
Ji Qingyue did not boast that she could eliminate the Little Buddha immediately, but she made it clear that the Ji family would stand behind the Li family and become a solid shield!
This carries more weight than any concrete promise!
Given the Ji family's power and superior status, their declaration of concern and determination to not stand idly by would be enough to force any secretly coveting forces to reconsider the consequences!
Li Xiangnan bowed deeply: "Thank you, Miss Ji!"
Du Xingyue stroked his beard and nodded, feeling much more at ease.
With the Ji family's words, the Li family's foundation in Yanjing is now secure. At least the public storm can temporarily subside.
When Shangguan Wuji saw Ji Qingyue's stance, he knew that his last attempt to sow discord had completely failed, and instead, it had brought the relationship between the Ji family and the Li family even closer.
His face was ashen, and he had no courage or reason to stay any longer. He didn't care about etiquette, so he haphazardly cupped his hands in the direction of Ji Qingyue and Du Xingyue, and then tried to take a step, preparing to flee in panic.
Seeing his actions, the tense atmosphere in the courtyard finally eased, and many people secretly breathed a sigh of relief, feeling that the tumultuous full moon banquet had finally come to a relatively stable end in Li Xiangnan's plan.
However, just as Shangguan Wuji was about to leave...
"Hehe...This is so much fun!"
A clear, even somewhat innocent, childlike voice drifted down from the roof of the backyard without warning.
Everyone turned to look, and suddenly felt a chill run down their spines and their bodies go cold...