Chapter Eighty-Two: The Accused of a Thousand Voices

Word spread quickly. The guests surged onto the stage, eager to scrutinize the evidence, just as Pei Qinghu had suggested. They examined everything carefully—the color, the scent, even the marks. In the end, every detail matched perfectly. In other words, Pei Qinghu’s accusations were justified: the person who planted the explosives was none other than Ye Wushang!

“Damn it, you’re the one crying thief while being the thief yourself!”

“You set the explosives, then tried to frame the Pei family? You’re despicable!”

“How did you know the bomb wouldn’t go off? Because you planted it yourself! You’re truly mad!”

“You want Xu Zifeng? Then fight for him yourself! You nearly scared me to death—what’s your real motive?”

The crowd unleashed a torrent of condemnation, voices sharp and unforgiving. Even knowing Ye Wushang’s formidable martial skills, they could not restrain themselves from shoving and grabbing at him, treating him as though he were a criminal beyond redemption.

“Enough! All of you, be quiet!” An Lan stepped forward, fiercely shielding Ye Wushang behind her. She argued, “Impossible—this absolutely cannot be true! There must be some mistake. I believe Wushang isn’t that kind of person. He’s our security chief; he’s here to protect us—how could he…”

“But the facts are plain for all to see. What are you still defending him for?”

Before she could finish, Lan Ruoshang scoffed coldly, curling her lip, “He made the bomb. He arranged the fuse. Regardless of his motives, anyone who does such a thing must not be let off lightly!”

Zheng Yiren chimed in, “Speak up—why did you do it? If you can’t give a reasonable explanation, we’ll hand you over to the police and let the law punish you!”

“Sigh…” Lan Ruoxue sighed inexplicably. She, too, found it hard to believe Ye Wushang could commit such an atrocious act. Yet Pei Qinghu’s analysis, and what they’d seen with their own eyes, all pointed to him.

Wanting Xu Zifeng was a pretense; helping the An family suppress the Pei family was the real aim. Though she hailed from a third-rate family, she understood the feuds of the elite. An and Pei families stood on equal ground, but their rivalry was fierce—over wealth, connections, and territory, all waged in secret. Now Ye Wushang had joined with An Lan, a heiress; to secure this position, he would surely pay a price. Using this as leverage to force the Pei family to submit seemed reasonable enough.

“So, I’m the joke after all…” Lan Ruoxue couldn’t help but mock herself. Three years of marriage, and he did nothing but laundry, cooking, and serving tea. She had hinted—both openly and subtly—urging him to strive and learn the business, but he always turned a deaf ear. After their divorce, once he was with An Lan, he started working hard for her. Three years of marriage couldn’t compare to three days of fleeting romance.

“Ye Wushang, if you want to seek leniency, you’d best confess,” Lan Ruoxue said, utterly despondent. She didn’t know if she was lamenting their absurd relationship, or if lingering marital feelings made her reluctant to see him fall into utter ruin.

“I didn’t do it. What am I supposed to confess?” Ye Wushang glanced at her, then turned his gaze to the triumphant Pei Huaide and his son, his face dark.

This turn of events had caught him completely off guard. The explosives were certainly planted by Master Wang, and he himself had had no contact with him. By rights, there should have been no opportunity to frame him. Yet every detail now pointed to him as the culprit—how could this be? The skill required to move objects unseen and place them so subtly was extraordinary; even he could not achieve such a feat. At the fifth level of the Qi Refinement Realm, his strength and agility were exceptional, his skills in alchemy and talisman-making unmatched, but the kind of supernatural technique needed here belonged to secret arts of cultivation—how could Master Wang possess such abilities?

“Still stubborn, even on the brink of ruin?” Pei Qinghu sneered, glaring at An Lan. “Ms. An, the evidence is clear. He’s the mastermind behind the bomb, and you personally chose him as your security chief. You owe us an explanation.”

“What do you want from me?” An Lan’s eyes blazed with fury. She refused to believe Ye Wushang was guilty, but all the evidence was against him. An unprecedented urge to protect him surged within her. As long as she could guarantee his safety, she was willing to pay any price.

“It’s simple.” Pei Qinghu exchanged a glance with his father and smiled. “Three demands. First, Ye Wushang must be handed over to the police for thorough investigation. Second, since Xu Zifeng is at the root of this, I must take him away for questioning. Third, your An family failed in oversight and lacks capability—until the investigation is complete, you are barred from all commercial activity.”

He leaned in, voice chilling, “Including the medicinal cuisine competition.”

Boom. Hearing these harsh terms, An Lan’s mind buzzed. Ultimately, they wanted Ye Wushang destroyed, and were clearly using Pei Qinghu’s so-called old grievances as a pretext for revenge. Moreover, they sought to seize Xu Zifeng and win the medicinal cuisine contest.

“Pei Qinghu, you’re going too far!” An Lan’s voice trembled with anger. But Pei Qinghu remained calm, indifferent. “Too far? If I truly wanted to push it, according to our family management rules, as a clan equal to yours, the Pei family has the right to take Ye Wushang away for interrogation. Whether he goes to the police or is taken by us—it’s your decision…”

“Dream on!” An Lan cut him off instantly. She could tell from his determined look he meant business.

“Wushang, you’ll have to endure for now. Go to the police station for a while; I’ll arrange for someone to look after you.” She pulled Ye Wushang’s arm, whispering, “I believe you’re innocent, but all the evidence is against you. By retreating first, we can weather this crisis, and then I’ll find a way to clear your name—alright?”

Ye Wushang hesitated. One careless slip had ruined everything. He had planned meticulously, even considered how to use the incident against the Pei family. But now, they had turned the tables, with seemingly irrefutable evidence, leaving him no room to argue. Where had the plan gone wrong? How had the explosives ended up on him? He combed through every detail, hoping to find a clue.

“Fine, I agree to your three demands. Ye Wushang will be taken to the police, Xu Zifeng will be handed over to you for investigation, and as for the medicinal cuisine competition…” An Lan fought back tears, gritting her teeth. “The An family will withdraw. From now on, the Pei family stands alone.”

“Haha!” Pei Qinghu burst out laughing, the victor at last, casting a glance at Ye Wushang. “Kid, cooperate with the police at the station. I have people there—if you try anything or flatly deny the charges, I won’t trouble you, but I will hold the An family responsible. Today’s events are witnessed by all; justice outweighs any personal feeling.”

The guests nodded in agreement, whether out of a desire to curry favor with the Pei family or because of Ye Wushang’s actions. If he wasn’t punished, who knew how many more would suffer?

“Tiger’s right—sending him to the police is just the first step. The key is fairness and making sure he’s punished!”

“Who’d have thought the security chief himself would plant bombs at the event? Nearly scared me to death.”

“Interrogate him thoroughly—he may have more schemes. Don’t let him succeed!”

At this moment, Ye Wushang was the target of everyone’s wrath, a criminal whom all would gladly see destroyed. If murder were legal, he would have been torn apart already.

Pei Qinghu soon ordered two henchmen to seize Ye Wushang. An Lan was worried sick. Lan Ruoshang and Zheng Yiren jeered. Lan Ruoxue, though anguished, could do nothing. Xu Zifeng, too, could only comply with the Pei family under pressure.

Just as Ye Wushang was about to be taken away and the dust seemed ready to settle, a sharp, feminine voice rang out, “Stop!”

Everyone turned. A young woman, splendidly dressed, strode toward the stage, followed by a maid. Her bearing was extraordinary, as if she were born to command respect; the crowd instinctively parted to give her passage.

“Pianruo?” Pei Qinghu’s face lit up with joy. After the unpleasant incident at the manor, he thought their relationship was finished. She had ignored his texts and calls, leaving him depressed. But now she had come, and among those present, she knew only him—surely she was here for him.

“Dad, Pianruo is here for me!” Pei Qinghu exclaimed, grabbing Pei Huaide’s arm.

Pei Huaide smiled, “Yes, I spoke with Chairman Huang earlier. He said he would oversee the matter. It seems Chairman Huang doesn’t want to break ties with our Pei family, and sending Pianruo in person shows real sincerity. Tiger, seize the opportunity, and don’t upset her again.”

Master Wang was overjoyed, congratulating them, “Congratulations, President Pei, and to you too, Tiger! You’ve secured Xu Zifeng and reconciled with Miss Pianruo—a double blessing! You should go greet her.”

Pei Qinghu, beaming, jumped off the stage and hurried to Huang Pianruo. “Pianruo, why didn’t you tell me you were coming? I could have made arrangements…”

“What does my coming here have to do with you?” she replied coldly. “Why would I notify you? Are we connected in any way?”

His warm enthusiasm met with utter indifference.

“Pianruo, what do you mean? If you’re not here for me, then who…”

“I’m here to clear up the misunderstanding on behalf of Mr. Ye!”

…