The main hall was filled with people.
Most of them were from the Li family, and they all glared with anger and hatred at Li Peihua, who was kneeling on the ground.
Li Peizong stood to the side, his eyes full of helplessness.
That was his own brother!
The whole affair was quite simple. Li Peihua had always coveted the position of family head held by Li Peizong, but lacking the ability, he could only resort to cunning schemes.
By a stroke of luck, Li Peihua was bribed by Bai Yusheng. Bai Yusheng instructed Li Peihua to find a way to lure Yan Shouyi into their trap. In return, the Bai family would eliminate all the ancestors of the Li family and support Li Peihua's rise to power.
Li Peihua, blinded by greed and with a rather dull mind, readily agreed.
Following that, Li Peihua feigned a search for Yan Shouyi, informing him of false news that the Bai family was targeting the Li family, and then pretending to join forces with Yan Shouyi to eliminate the Bai family.
However, Yan Shouyi had long seen through Li Peihua's deceit. He performed a divination for himself and knew that Ping'an Building was a trap, but also an opportunity. Therefore, he did not expose Li Peihua directly.
Li Peihua's thinking was straightforward: he cared not for the family's continuation, nor for his descendants; he only sought immediate gain.
Thus, he cooperated with the Bai family, disregarding the lives of the ancestors.
Last night, Lü Jingsheng led people to rescue the Li family members and recover some of the souls of the Li ancestors. Only then did Li Peizong learn the truth.
Early this morning, Yan Chou sent people to find the West Lake Li family, demanding they hand over Li Peihua, or face repercussions.
Thus, Li Peizong brought the Li family members, along with Li Peihua, here.
After a brief introduction, Li Peizong learned of Yan Chou's identity.
At the same time, Li Peizong was not a fool. Observing the situation, he understood that Yan Chou was no ordinary person. He quickly capitulated to Yan Chou, agreeing to hand over Li Peihua to him for any disposal.
At this moment, Yan Shouyi and Lin Zitong entered the hall.
As the two of them appeared, everyone in the hall fell silent.
The Li family members had all seen Yan Shouyi and knew that he was the one who had cut off the West Lake. Their eldest daughter, Li Qing'er, had also been driven out because of him.
They also knew Lin Zitong. Although this Miss Lin was not born into a ghost king's lineage, her backing, the Lin family of Lizhou, held a prominent position in Jianzhou Province. Lin Zitong was also known as a formidable businesswoman. It was impossible for the Li family not to recognize her.
Now that the two of them were together, they seemed quite a match, even more so than Yan Shouyi and Li Qing'er. Everyone thought so.
Yan Shouyi, holding Lin Zitong's hand, ignored everyone else and walked directly to Yan Chou.
Lin Zitong bowed slightly, placed the tea on the table, and quietly picked up the teapot to pour a cup of hot tea, then offered it to Yan Chou:
"Dad, please have some tea."
Yan Chou was immensely pleased with this daughter-in-law. His usually stern expression was about to bloom.
He accepted the tea with a smile, took a gentle sip, and nodded to Lin Zitong: "You've arrived at just the right time. Sit down."
Indeed, there were two empty seats on the side, seemingly reserved for them.
Yan Shouyi led Lin Zitong to their seats. To his left was the dog Taoist.
As soon as he sat down, the dog Taoist grinned and said:
"Nephew, your father is here to settle the score for you."
Yan Shouyi replied sheepishly, "Didn't my father say he wouldn't interfere in my affairs?"
"Your father also said he wasn't managing your affairs, but the affairs of a Luban descendant. No one in this world can bully a Luban descendant!" the dog Taoist stated.
"Ahem!"
At this point, Yan Chou coughed, drawing everyone's attention.
His gaze was chilling, fixing on Li Peihua, who knelt below, sending shivers down his spine.
Li Peihua began to falter under the gaze and couldn't help but look at Li Peizong beside him:
"Brother, what I did was at most a family matter for us Li family. Why must an outsider interfere with me?"
Li Peizong shook his head, wondering if his useless brother still didn't understand the situation.
Yan Chou was Yan Shouyi's father. He was confronting you not because you harmed the Li family, but because you harmed his son!
Seeing Li Peizong remain silent, Li Peihua continued, "What Yan Shouyi, Yan Chou, what Luban descendants? Aren't they just some low-class tricksters who know a few tricks!"
"Continue speaking, I'm listening." Yan Chou, drinking the tea poured by his daughter-in-law, seemed to be in good spirits and was not in a hurry to trouble Li Peihua.
Li Peihua, utterly oblivious to his peril, actually stood up and glared at Yan Chou:
"You Luban descendants are just a bunch of dead carpenters! Find someone else if you want trouble. I'm not playing this game with you!"
This time, Yan Chou closed the lid of his teacup.
He said calmly, "Leave? Can you leave?"
As soon as his voice fell, Li Peihua suddenly collapsed straight onto the ground.
Overcome by unbearable pain, he rolled on the ground in agony. In his panic, he took off his shoes, only to find a tumor had somehow grown on the sole of his foot.
The tumor was rapidly expanding like a balloon, its veins clearly visible, as if it might burst at any moment.
Furthermore, Li Peihua's phone rang. It was his wife.
Enduring the pain, he answered the call. His wife tearfully informed him that their eldest son had died at home the previous night from excessive drinking.
Li Peihua was struck as if by lightning. With trembling hands, he hung up the phone and looked towards Yan Chou seated in the hall.
Yan Chou said calmly, "Your son committed many wicked deeds. According to the law when I was imprisoned, he wouldn't even have the chance to be jailed; he would have been sent directly to the execution ground. Considering he has lived a few more years until now, retribution has arrived. You should accept it."
Hearing Yan Chou's words, Li Peihua immediately understood that Yan Chou was behind all of this!
He was shocked, enraged, and simultaneously filled with fear.
Luban descendants, to put it crudely, were just carpenters who knew some magic.
Yet, they could easily control people's lives and deaths.
They were simply not people Li Peihua could afford to offend!
The dog Taoist whispered, "Your father acts decisively and is clear about grievances. Those who deserve to die, he will not hesitate for a moment. I don't know if you two can accept him like this."
Yan Shouyi remained silent. Lin Zitong, however, said, "Whether I accept it or not, he is still my father-in-law."
A tumor on his foot, the loss of his beloved son, the once arrogant Li Peihua, could no longer withstand the pressure. He kowtowed to Yan Chou and apologized:
"Mr. Yan, I was temporarily blinded by desire. Although my awakening is too late, please give me a chance to atone!"
"A chance?" Yan Chou chuckled. "You want a chance? I'll give you a chance. Tell me, how can you atone?"
Unlike the previously benevolent and protective Yan Chou, the current Yan Chou, seated high in the hall, exuded an imposing aura that even made seasoned officials like Li Peizong feel inclined to bow their heads.
Li Peihua was almost prostrate on the ground. He quickly said:
"I will hand over all my assets to you. I can work for you like an ox or a horse, doing whatever you say!"
Unexpectedly, Yan Chou sneered, "I wouldn't even glance at your meager assets if they were left on the roadside. As for working like an ox or a horse, perhaps your brother could fetch my shoes, but as for you—you're not even worthy of fetching my shoes! ... It seems you can do nothing. Let's talk about how you lured my son to Ping'an Building instead."