Chapter 134: Killing the Heart by Destroying the Spirit

"Speak!" Luo Kui said, sounding slightly impatient.

To him, Lady Wang served only as a bridge to communicate with Shen Yuqin; he had no interest in anything else she might have to say. Moreover, he did not believe she was capable of bringing any matter to his attention that he would consider significant. At least, that was his perspective. Their stations in life were different, and naturally, the way they viewed problems differed as well. To put it plainly, it was a matter of vision; what might appear as a major issue to Lady Wang could very well be a triviality to him.

Still, since she had come all this way, he decided to hear her out before passing judgment, though he held little expectation.

Once she received his nod, Lady Wang quickly gathered her thoughts and proceeded to recount the sequence of events, embellishing them as she went along.

Luo Kui was stunned at first, and then he could not help but burst into laughter. "What kind of nonsense are you spouting? If you were to accuse someone else of such sordid behavior, I might harbor a shred of doubt, but my Ninth Wife? That is absolutely impossible! I shower her with affection, and she is utterly dependent on me; there is no way she would betray me."

His expression shifted, turning stern. "If you continue to spout such drivel, do not blame me for being discourteous."

His words were laced with a volatile intensity, as if his inner rage would ignite like gunpowder at the slightest sign of defiance from her. If Lady Wang did not still possess some value to him, she would already be a dead woman after uttering such malicious claims.

"M-my lord, please calm your anger... It would be better to let me finish before you pass judgment. I would not dare say such things without cause; after all, no one is in such a hurry to end their own life, are they?" Lady Wang’s face turned pale. The pressure emanating from Luo Kui was so immense that she found herself struggling to breathe, her voice trembling as she spoke.

She did not retreat. There was no turning back now; the arrow had left the bow. Even at great risk, she had to grit her teeth and see this through, for if she failed, a far more miserable fate awaited her. This was no exaggeration or irrational fear; she knew Luo Kui well—he was a man who could not tolerate even a grain of sand in his eye. He kept her alive only because she was still useful, but once that utility was exhausted, her death would be certain.

Luo Kui’s face was dark. If one looked closely, they would see his cheeks twitching slightly, his expression filled with unnatural tension. "Speak!" he said in a low voice.

Though he still did not want to believe it, Lady Wang’s logic was sound, and it shook his previously unshakable conviction. To be precise, his attitude had shifted from absolute disbelief to deep suspicion. All he lacked was proof to turn that suspicion into certainty.

The logic was simple: if Lady Wang dared to challenge his bottom line, she must have uncovered some form of evidence. As she said, life was precious—who would willingly seek their own destruction?

Lady Wang observed his complexion. Only when she saw his expression beginning to twist did she let out a small sigh of relief, though a complex, nervous tension remained. If her next words missed the mark, she knew Luo Kui’s tyrannical nature would lead him to dispose of her without a second thought. Conversely, if she satisfied him, not only would her life be spared, but her importance in his eyes would grow. For the sake of that influence, and given how confident she was, it was a risk worth taking.

She organized her thoughts, intending to use the evidence she had prepared to sway him. But just as she was about to speak, a better approach occurred to her—one that would be far more convincing than mere empty words.

"My lord, there is no point in me talking at length. Even if I explain the details, you may not believe me. Instead, why not come to the scene with me to see for yourself? You will know immediately whether I am speaking the truth or just babbling." Having appealed to his reason, she felt it still lacked a certain edge, so she quickly added, "My lord, I have one more thing to say. You might not like it, but please do not take offense."

"Speak freely," Luo Kui said, his eyes flashing. At this point, what else could be left unsaid?

He felt a stifling sensation in his chest. An uncontrollable rage was sweeping through his heart, threatening to break free and seize his consciousness, potentially driving him to act irrationally.

Lady Wang rearranged her prepared words and spoke bluntly: "My lord, as far as I know, the Ninth Wife makes frequent trips to the Dianzhuang Pavilion. If one were to say there is nothing going on between them, no one would believe it."

"There is something else, and while you may not be pleased to hear it, I will not hide it, for your sake."

"In truth, there have been rumors circulating for some time. At first, people were just gossiping without proof, so I paid them no mind, assuming they were merely malicious attempts to slander you."

"But looking at it now, I fear those rumors were not without foundation. It is highly likely that the illicit affair between the Ninth Wife and the owner of the Dianzhuang Pavilion was discovered long ago."

"The person who stumbled upon it simply chose to remain silent to protect themselves."

"But there is no such thing as an impenetrable wall. No matter how perfectly they hide their tracks, it is impossible to leave no trace at all."

Lady Wang’s words were calculated to wound, acting like oil on a fire. Upon hearing this, the rage in Luo Kui’s heart was stoked to an unbearable degree; he burned with the desire to tear that pair of wretches into pieces.

He had harbored suspicions before. After all, rouge and powder were neither food nor drink, nor were they daily necessities—why the need for such frequent purchases? Combined with all the previous signs, Lady Wang’s words convinced him entirely.