Chapter 49: Tonight Entertain the Young Master Well

"Black-faced Tiger, if you have the guts, come to the underworld and get your money from me!"

"What kind of man preys on the orphans and widows of the Chen family?"

Suddenly, everyone in the hall shivered in fright. The timid ones even screamed.

"Ah! He's back from the dead!"

The women of the clan turned pale and ran out of the hall in panic. The men also looked terrified. Even Black-faced Tiger trembled violently, his jowly face quivering as he stammered, "It's... it's a ghost?"

Only Chen Siling and her mother, Liu Qinmin, rushed to the coffin in joyful surprise. Watching Chen Yuqiu slowly open his eyes, indeed alive again, they cried out in delight.

"Father!"

"Husband!"

At this, everyone finally calmed their fears. They gathered around, repeatedly expressing shock at seeing Chen Yuqiu truly alive.

"The family head has really come back from the dead!"

"This Number One Shadow Guard can actually bring the dead back to life!"

"A divine physician! A truly great divine physician!"

Ye Qingxue's beautiful face was filled with shock.

"Number One Shadow Guard is also a divine physician?"

"Wait! Could it be that he actually learned something from the 'Immortal Medical Compendium'?"

"Impossible, no one can understand that medical text."

Regardless, the Number One Shadow Guard's profound medical skills were genuine. She glanced at Zhu Jianshen, a thoughtful expression appearing in her eyes.

With everyone's help, Chen Yuqiu sat in the family head's seat. He stared coldly at Black-faced Tiger and said, "You want the receipt, don't you?"

He opened his mouth and forcefully pulled out one of his false teeth. The tooth was hollow, and inside it, a tiny, tightly folded scroll of paper was hidden. When unfolded, it was indeed the receipt signed by Black-faced Tiger.

"This is the receipt you personally wrote after I repaid you a million taels of silver. Surely you won't claim not to recognize it?" Chen Yuqiu demanded.

The Chen family members suddenly understood. No wonder they hadn't found the receipt on Chen Yuqiu when they carried him back. It turned out that Chen Yuqiu had anticipated Black-faced Tiger's scheme and hidden the receipt in such a secret place beforehand.

Seeing his plot exposed, Black-faced Tiger, guilt-ridden, fled for his life. He feared being surrounded by the enraged Chen family and never being able to leave.

Just as everyone thought the matter was over, Chen Yuqiu suddenly roared, "Chen Wuji! Get over here!"

Everyone turned to look. The Chen family's proud divine physician was, at that moment, stealthily trying to slip away, taking advantage of the crowd.

Chen Yuqiu's eyes burned with hatred: "Black-faced Tiger injured me, but I don't resent him; it was my own failing, and I accept it! But you! You, who ate and drank from my Chen family, actually colluded with outsiders and plotted to kill me! You ungrateful wretch! Bind him up and beat him to death! Make him confess who wanted to harm me!"

"What?" The Chen family members were greatly astonished. It turned out that for the past three years, Chen Yuqiu's unconsciousness and worsening injuries were all Chen Wuji's doing!

Several young clan members roared and rushed forward, pinning him to the ground and tying him up tightly.

Chen Wuji begged for mercy: "Family Head, spare my life! I... I was forced!"

*Bang!*

Chen Yuqiu slammed his palm onto the table and angrily said, "Still making excuses! You were forced? Then I ask you, when this young divine physician checked my pulse and knew I wasn't dead yet, why did you go to such lengths to stop him from examining me?"

"What?" Only then did the Chen family members recall how Chen Wuji had previously carried a hoe, looking as if he had an unresolvable feud, to obstruct Jiang Fan. And, led by him, all the Chen family members had tried to drive Jiang Fan away. They felt both hatred and immense self-reproach. They had almost become accomplices in their family head's murder!

Filled with righteous anger, the clan members grabbed sticks and began beating him to death. However, after only a few blows, Chen Wuji screamed, vomited blood, and died. A shuttle-shaped projectile had struck him in the back, piercing his heart. Clearly, someone had silenced him to prevent him from revealing the mastermind! But the scene had been extremely chaotic just now, and no one had noticed who had made the move!

This made Chen Yuqiu both furious and anxious, and a trace of blood spilled from his lips.

Jiang Fan said helplessly, "Family Head Chen, investigating the mastermind can wait. You should focus on recovering from your injuries for now."

The Chen family members dared not be careless. They immediately carried Chen Yuqiu to a room. Jiang Fan checked his pulse again and prescribed a more suitable medicine.

Soon after, after drinking a bowl of the medicine, Chen Yuqiu coughed up several mouthfuls of dark blood, and he immediately felt much lighter.

"Thank you, Divine Physician! You saved me, and you saved my Chen family!" Chen Yuqiu struggled to get out of bed, intending to kneel before Jiang Fan.

Jiang Fan waved his hand, "There's no need to be so polite. Take this medicine continuously for a month, and most of your old injuries will recover. I have other matters to attend to, so I'll take my leave now."

Hearing this, Chen Yuqiu quickly said, "Divine Physician, wait! Siling, quickly go to the family treasury and get a million taels of silver for the Divine Physician."

Chen Siling nodded without hesitation. Compared to the Number One Shadow Guard's life-saving grace and his salvation of the family, a million taels was a small price.

Jiang Fan smiled faintly and said, "No need. I only acted out of consideration for your esteemed daughter. Money and such things don't matter to me."

Chen Siling looked puzzled. She simply didn't know anyone her age with such formidable power and exquisite medical skills.

Chen Yuqiu's gaze involuntarily shifted to Chen Siling. After three years of unconsciousness, seeing her again, he had to admit his daughter had grown into a graceful and beautiful woman, loved by all. He instantly understood Jiang Fan's intentions. After a long pause, he gritted his teeth slightly and said, "Siling, this young master will stay in the mansion tonight. You should prepare dinner and entertain him well."

Chen Siling, who had managed the family's assets for three years, could not have failed to understand the meaning behind his words. In her mind, Jiang Fan's image involuntarily appeared. Then, looking at the masked man before her, an intense resistance surged from deep within her heart. If she were to give herself to this masked man, she would no longer be worthy of Jiang Fan, not even as a concubine!

"Go quickly!" Chen Yuqiu urged, his heart aching. As someone with experience, he knew too well what kind of debt was the hardest to repay in the world: a debt of gratitude. The longer it was delayed, the harder it became to repay. He could only hope that this Number One Shadow Guard was a true gentleman, whose admiration for his daughter would go no further. But such men were few and far between.

Chen Siling bit her red lip slightly, her eyes welling up with sorrowful tears, and she turned her head, rushing into the kitchen.

Jiang Fan, however, was bewildered, not understanding what was happening with the father and daughter. Why was Chen Siling crying so indignantly over dinner? Was his mask really that frightening? He had intended to politely decline the dinner, but now he felt a little annoyed. He wanted to see what he had done to displease Chen Siling.

"Alright! I'm really looking forward to tonight's dinner!" Jiang Fan snorted lightly.

*It's over!* Chen Yuqiu's heart sank. His daughter might lose her innocence tonight. If the Number One Shadow Guard were a true gentleman, he would surely have declined. But he didn't even bother to decline, making no attempt to hide his intentions. His daughter probably couldn't escape. He sighed heavily, yet felt powerless. Who could blame them when the Chen family owed such a tremendous debt of gratitude?

In the kitchen, Chen Siling shooed away the head chef: "You, go away! I'll cook myself!"

The chef was stunned: "Miss, when did you learn to cook?"

Chen Siling huffed, "I know many things!"

"Miss, that's too much salt, far too much! Why are you pouring in the whole jar?"

"I want to make him die of saltiness!"

"No, Miss, that plate of beef isn't cooked yet."

"I want to make him die of rawness!"

"Didn't he fancy me? Whatever he fancies, I'll change it!"

As the moon rose above the willow branches, beneath the pear blossom tree, when several dark, disfigured dishes were placed before him, Jiang Fan simply froze.