Hu! That was close…
Watching Ye Cangtian and the others leave, Lei Ming breathed a sigh of relief, but it was only a temporary one.
Though he had managed to gloss over the matter for now, he knew that Death wouldn't let him off the hook. He would seize any opportunity to replace him.
At the same time, he was also aware that the suspicions held by his trusted subordinates wouldn't disappear just because he had managed to get through this.
If he wasn't careful, these people might also turn against him.
Damn it, this Death fellow was truly a formidable opponent!
While gritting his teeth inwardly, Lei Ming also felt a pang of fear.
This time, he had initiated the scheme against Death, and even caught Death off guard, he had still suffered heavy losses.
If Death were to scheme against him in the future, would he be able to counter it?
That remained an unknown!
With this thought, his gaze swept across everyone in the hall.
After a long hesitation, he spoke, "Regarding the speculations and doubts about Death, I hope everyone will keep their eyes wide open. I've always believed that a clear conscience fears no slander, so I won't offer further explanations!"
The expressions on everyone's faces didn't change much, clearly indicating they didn't quite believe his words.
Seeing this, Lei Ming was furious, but he was helpless.
After a moment of silence, he slowly said, "Everyone, go back and rest for now. Time will prove everything. Changshan, Qirong, you two, come with me."
Lei Ming had observed everyone's reactions to everything that had transpired today.
Among them, Changshan and Qirong had stood by him resolutely, no matter what doubts Ye Cangtian had raised or what words he had spoken.
With Feng Jun and Shen Kuo now dead, he had to cultivate new individuals to fill their vacancies.
Therefore, he had to make do with the best available, promoting these two.
Furthermore, Lei Ming felt reasonably confident in these two. Firstly, they both had families. Secondly, they had always obeyed his commands without question!
…
A secret chamber in the Imperial Dragon Villa.
Changshan and Qirong followed Lei Ming directly into the secret chamber.
Looking at the somewhat unfamiliar secret chamber, Changshan and Qirong exchanged glances, seeing the unusual look in each other's eyes.
Previously, Shen Kuo had confessed before his death that Feng Jun had been killed in a secret chamber.
Could this be that secret chamber?
Sensing their gazes, Lei Ming showed a faint smile. Without a doubt, he knew what they were thinking.
"You've guessed correctly. Feng Jun was killed by Shen Kuo right here, and I was the one who ordered it!"
As his words fell, Lei Ming clearly saw the change in their expressions and continued, "I know you want to ask why. I can tell you now, it's because Feng Jun betrayed me. He secretly colluded with Death…"
"How is that possible!"
With a single sentence, Changshan and Qirong's eyes widened instantly, and they asked in unison.
Feng Jun had followed Lei Ming for at least ten years. During these ten years, Feng Jun had worked tirelessly for Lei Ming, and he couldn't even tolerate hearing others question Lei Ming.
How could such a person betray Lei Ming?
Seeing the hint of doubt in their eyes, Lei Ming sneered and said, "Do you think I would kill him without evidence?"
"Think about it again, how did Death, who had just arrived, know about the secret realm behind the manor, and how did he manage to rescue the hidden members without anyone noticing…"
This…
Upon hearing this, the expressions of Changshan and Qirong immediately changed.
It was clear that Lei Ming was referring to Feng Jun.
However, what he said was not unreasonable. Ye Cangtian had just arrived at the Imperial Dragon Villa and could not possibly know about the secret realm.
Besides, to pass through the Imperial Dragon Villa from the secret realm and take away those hidden members, such a feat would be impossible to accomplish without anyone noticing.
But if a captain of the manor cooperated, then it would be a different story.
Most importantly, there had indeed been some commotion within the manor a couple of days ago, and Feng Jun was the one who stepped forward to apprehend the intruder.
With this in mind, they finally understood.
Since Feng Jun had betrayed Lei Ming, he deserved to die!
However, in the very next moment, Qirong suddenly thought of something, and his expression drastically changed. He quickly spoke, "Master of the Manor, could it be that what Death said about the secret realm is true?"
"It is true."
Lei Ming nodded in affirmation. Since he had decided to promote them, he would not lie about such matters.
Moreover, he had already confessed about Feng Jun's betrayal. Even if he denied it now, they wouldn't believe him.
"This…"
His voice fell like spring thunder, exploding in the minds of Changshan and Qirong, leaving them momentarily stunned.
"The reason I didn't tell you was because I didn't want you to be implicated by this matter. But now, there's no choice. Feng Jun and Shen Kuo are dead, and I need assistants!"
"Therefore, I've decided that Changshan will take Feng Jun's place, and Qirong will take over all of Shen Kuo's affairs."
"Of course, you are free to refuse, but…"
Seeing their expressions, Lei Ming hesitated for a moment before slowly speaking.
But as he spoke, his voice abruptly stopped, and his eyes revealed a cold smile.
It was clear that if they refused, they would not meet a good end.
Likewise, Changshan and Qirong realized this, and without a word, they knelt on one knee.
"Your subordinate accepts the order, thank you, Master of the Manor, for your cultivation!"
Hearing their words, Lei Ming displayed a satisfied smile.
He quickly helped them up, then continued, "Now that Death is so arrogant and presumptuous, we must prepare in advance. Qirong, you will immediately go to the headquarters of the Five Poisons Sect and deliver my letter…"
Lei Ming was out of options. Even his trusted subordinates were likely wary and suspicious of him now.
Under such circumstances, it was unrealistic to deal with Death, so he could only request support from the Five Poisons Sect.
"Understood."
Qirong knew he had no choice, so he readily agreed.
Seeing this, Lei Ming showed a satisfied smile and then gave Qirong the location of the Five Poisons Sect headquarters.
…
Another room in the Imperial Dragon Villa.
Lan Yue and Yao Bao'er sat at the table with Ye Cangtian, their expressions grim.
They had truly never seen Ye Cangtian at a disadvantage.
From today's situation, it seemed Ye Cangtian intended to oust Lei Ming from the position of Master of the Manor, but ultimately failed, which was difficult for the two women to believe.
But then again, it was also understandable, as the situation had been too sudden, and Lei Ming had made the first move with his scheme.
With this thought, Lan Yue looked at Ye Cangtian and said gently, "Junior Brother, everything that happened today was unforeseen. Don't take it to heart. It's already excellent that you could turn the situation around and eliminate Shen Kuo!"
Ye Cangtian glanced at Lan Yue upon hearing this and sighed, "Senior Sister, it's not about that…"
Ye Cangtian stated that eliminating someone like Shen Kuo was not difficult.
Let alone eliminating Shen Kuo, even eliminating Lei Ming would not be a difficult task!
He was only frustrated by two points.
Firstly, he had promised Feng Jun to spare his life, but Shen Kuo had killed Feng Jun.
Secondly, his original plan had been ruined by Feng Jun's death, and he was temporarily unable to bring Lei Ming to justice.
All of this could have been avoided.
But due to his carelessness, and his desire to not reveal his connection with Feng Jun, he had failed to protect Feng Jun, ultimately resulting in the failure of his plan.
He was extremely displeased by this turn of events.
Lan Yue also expressed her regret and then poured him a cup of tea, saying, "Junior Brother, you did your best concerning Feng Jun. As for Lei Ming, we will have opportunities later. He will surely reveal his flaws!"
Under Lan Yue's comfort, Ye Cangtian's mood improved considerably.
Hmm?
However, not long after, Ye Cangtian's brows slightly furrowed, and then a knock echoed at the door.
Yao Bao'er quickly went to open it.
The next moment, Zhan Wufeng entered the room.
He respectfully saluted Ye Cangtian and then said, "Lord Death, after you left, Lei Ming kept Changshan and Qirong behind…"
He briefly explained what he knew, believing it would be helpful to Ye Cangtian.
Upon hearing this, Ye Cangtian's eyes darted around, and he then asked, "What are the identities of this Changshan and Qirong?"
Lei Ming immediately provided the answer.
Changshan's identity was relatively ordinary, merely a deputy captain of the guards, but his strength was considerable, reaching the realm of quasi-heavenly tier one.
He was considered a rival to Feng Jun, striving to perform well and surpass Feng Jun, but he had never succeeded.
As for Qirong, he was one of the old Master of the Manor's disciples. When the three senior brothers competed for the position of Master of the Manor, he was insignificant.
It was only after Lei Ming assumed the position of Master of the Manor that he revealed himself, but he had never held any official position. However, he was extremely loyal to Lei Ming.
"I understand."
Hearing this, Ye Cangtian had basically guessed Lei Ming's intentions in keeping the two behind.
It was clear that Lei Ming intended for them to fill the vacancies left by Feng Jun and Shen Kuo.
With this thought, Ye Cangtian's face showed a smile. Were the vacancies of Feng Jun and Shen Kuo so easily filled?
How many dirty jobs had these two done for Lei Ming? To completely replace them, they would have to accept and take over these responsibilities.
Thinking this, Ye Cangtian looked at Zhan Wufeng and said, "Wufeng, I have a task for you. Keep a close eye on Changshan and Qirong. They are definitely the breakthrough points…"
"Understood! I'm on it."
Zhan Wufeng nodded in agreement, then seemed to recall something and quickly said, "Oh, right. A guard reported to me earlier that after Qirong parted ways with Lei Ming, he left the manor! I haven't had time to investigate this yet, nor do I know Qirong's purpose or destination…"
Ye Cangtian smiled at Zhan Wufeng and waved his hand, "No need to investigate. Just keep an eye on when Qirong returns."
"Ah? Lord Death, you've already guessed their destination?"
Zhan Wufeng was startled by this, and then he reacted, asking.
Hearing this, Ye Cangtian nodded and said, "After today's events, Lei Ming's prestige has plummeted. Therefore, he no longer trusts those around him, which is why he needs to enlist some external help to deal with me…"