Chapter 37: Zhang Yi's Revenge Arrives

Zhang Yi’s accusation that Chang Yuchun had slaughtered captives was nothing short of rubbing salt into the wounds of the Chang family. This was far more severe than Deng Zhongxiu’s evasive words before Lady Lan. Zhang Yi’s statement was essentially saying that Chang Sen’s death was retribution for Chang Yuchun’s excessive killing of prisoners.

Chang Mao stared fiercely at Zhang Yi. If Lady Lan weren’t present, he might have rushed forward and attacked him. Lady Lan’s expression was equally grim; to accuse Chang Yuchun of retribution for slaughtering captives was to question the righteousness of the entire Chang lineage. Had Zhang Yi not just demonstrated his supernatural abilities, she would have shown him her displeasure.

Yet, deep within, Lady Lan accepted Zhang Yi’s explanation. The idea that Chang Sen had been harmed by others was a subconscious attempt to shirk responsibility, but she also believed in it. The notion that slaughtering captives brought misfortune and karmic retribution was deeply ingrained in the people of this era. Zhang Yi’s words left Lady Lan in a particularly uncomfortable mood—he satisfied her dark desire to shift blame, but did not fully appease her.

Thus, Lady Lan’s face was ashen, and she remained silent for a long time.

“It is precisely because there is a reason behind it,” Zhang Yi explained, “that my senior brother and I dare not speak recklessly. My senior would rather lie to preserve General Chang’s reputation. If not for the fact that only the Chang family is present and you pressed me so forcefully, I would not have spoken so plainly…”

This declaration eased the expressions of the Chang family somewhat and made them more inclined to believe him. When Zhang Yi entered, he had announced that the Chang residence was afflicted by evil spirits, but Deng Zhongxiu had covered his mouth to stop him from speaking. At first, Lady Lan thought this was childish naivety, but now she realized he was considering the family’s dignity.

Unexpectedly, Deng Zhongxiu gained a favor from Lady Lan; when she glanced at him, her eyes revealed undisguised gratitude, and Deng Zhongxiu felt as if he were dreaming.

Why, when his junior accused Chang Yuchun, did Lady Lan not get angry? Moreover, Zhang Yi had caused her attitude to reverse completely.

Deng Zhongxiu was honest but not dull; especially since Zhang Yi had hinted at his methods earlier, he understood the logic behind Zhang Yi’s words. While Zhang Yi seemed to blame Chang Yuchun, he had actually helped Lady Lan shift the blame, albeit not to her satisfaction, but the matter was half settled.

The Chang family could certainly be angry, but Zhang Yi had made it clear: "I didn’t want to speak, but you forced me." Thus, the family had no retort and even owed Deng Zhongxiu a favor.

The more Deng Zhongxiu thought about it, the more he realized his junior was remarkable. Indeed, even Taoist cultivators needed skills in the art of gathering wealth. He made a mental note to learn from Zhang Yi’s ways of dealing with benefactors.

Deng Zhongxiu grew increasingly perplexed. His junior had changed since leaving Longhu Mountain, becoming a person he could no longer understand.

Yet, another question lingered: Zhang Yi could have used gentler words to comfort the Chang family—why did he choose to malign Chang Yuchun? Could he be speaking the truth?

Before Deng Zhongxiu could resolve his doubts, Lady Lan had already shifted the topic. Accepting and believing something was one thing; confronting it directly was another.

She forced a smile and said, “Young Master Taoist…”

“Madam, I must remind you, there is no longer a Zhang Heavenly Master, only Zhang the True Man…”

“My mistake, please enlighten me, Young True Man. You spoke of two sides—what is the other side?”

Zhang Yi’s expression turned strange at her words.

“Madam, are you certain you wish to know?”

Lady Lan’s expression became conflicted; whatever Zhang Yi was about to say could not be good. Yet her curiosity had been piqued, and suppressing it would be difficult, especially since this Young True Man had already revealed the ill fortune of Chang Yuchun’s slaughter of captives. What could be worse?

Lady Lan thought for a moment and nodded firmly.

“Madam, you saw only one person in your dream, but I saw three… Or rather, three departed souls!”

Zhang Yi’s words left everyone bewildered. Three—who were the other two? Could they be vengeful spirits slain by Chang Yuchun, still haunting Chang Sen?

“My poor child…”

Before Zhang Yi could finish, Lady Lan broke into tears, and the Chang family maids wiped their eyes.

“Young True Man, you must help my poor child…”

Lady Lan, her face streaked with tears, pleaded with Zhang Yi.

“Are you not curious who those other two are?”

“Who are they?”

Lady Lan instinctively followed Zhang Yi’s lead and asked about the origins of the evil spirits.

“They were soaked and dressed as servants. When they saw me, they cried out their grievances and begged me to seek justice for them!”

Zhang Yi’s account left Lady Lan bewildered, but Chang Mao’s face turned deathly pale. Zhang Yi noted his reaction and became more convinced of his suspicions, so he continued:

“They said they are at the bottom of the well and miss Young Lord Chang dearly…”

“No…”

Before anyone else could grasp Zhang Yi’s meaning, Chang Mao collapsed in terror.

At this point, Lady Lan sensed something was wrong. She turned to face Chang Mao.

“What have you done?”

A dreadful thought flashed through her mind, and she looked to Zhang Yi for confirmation.

Zhang Yi had been watching Chang Mao closely, and from his reaction, Zhang Yi became certain of his guess.

“The Dao of Heaven is cyclical; Heaven spares no one! Young Lord Chang, the gods are three feet above your head. Do you think you can conceal the matter of beating those two servants to death and secretly throwing them into the well in the courtyard?”

“Chang Mao!”

Lady Lan abruptly stood and glared at him. Weren’t those two servants supposed to have run away? How could it be that her own son had killed them and their bodies remained in the house?

“No, I didn’t… You filthy Taoist, you’re slandering me…”

Chang Mao’s expression changed drastically. He instinctively tried to defend himself, and his malice toward Zhang Yi, the instigator, was barely concealed.

Though he did not confess, Lady Lan, the Chang family maiden, and Chang Sheng could easily discern the truth from his reaction.

Lady Lan looked grim. No matter how much she had indulged her son, she knew this was no trivial matter. The act of Chang Mao killing servants was not serious in itself; had Crown Prince Zhu Biao not happened to witness it previously, Chang Mao would have already vented his anger on those two servants.

However, since Zhu Biao had spoken on their behalf, the nature of the act changed. Unless it could be proven that the servants had committed wrongdoing, Chang Mao killing them again would harm the Chang family’s reputation and the emperor’s opinion of them.

Lady Lan had warned Chang Mao about this matter, yet he could not restrain himself and killed the servants anyway—then left their bodies in the house?

The sudden reversal left everyone stunned. Even Deng Zhongxiu had not anticipated the situation would turn out this way. He looked at Zhang Yi and realized why Zhang Yi had deliberately provoked Lady Lan.

He was avenging himself! From the moment Chang Mao offended him, Zhang Yi had planned his revenge.