Chapter 523: Chapter 523: The person who killed him is you
Facing Xu Xiangbei, who was rumored to have killed his own father, Lu Mingliang did not show the disgust and anger that others did. He gently raised his hands, signaling everyone to be quiet.
Lu Mingliang appeared to have some status within the family, demonstrating his authority as the funeral hall quieted down.
He coldly asked, "What brings you here? Are you here to cause trouble?"
Xu Xiangbei slowly sauntered towards Lu Yao, his eyes fixed intently on her, making Lu Yao very frightened. She tightly clutched a cousin’s clothes, like a child threatened, cowering behind that person.
"I was not friends with Lu Jingyun; in fact, we were enemies. With his death, I feel an emptiness and came to pay my respects. Most importantly, I want to catch his killer for him."
Lu Hong stepped out from the crowd, injured from being knocked down by Xu Xiangbei earlier with untreated wounds, blood still staining his forehead, and his clothes torn, looking very disheveled.
He pointed hatefully at Xu Xiangbei: "Bah, shameless. You are the murderer, crying out thief while acting like a thief. You think finding someone to take the blame will let you escape the law’s punishment? Even if you can escape legal consequences, you won’t escape the Lu Family’s retribution. There’s a path to Heaven, yet you don’t walk it; there’s no way to Hell, yet you insist on entering. Today, I will avenge my Uncle Yun."
After saying this, Lu Hong suddenly pulled out a handgun, its dark muzzle aimed at Xu Xiangbei.
Jenny saw Lu Hong pointing a gun at Xu Xiangbei, and she also nervously drew her gun, aiming at Lu Hong: "Lu Hong, speak calmly. Don’t act rashly. If someone committed a crime, they won’t escape the law’s punishment. You must trust the law."
The relatives and younger generation of the Lu Family in the funeral hall had varied expressions, some casting admiring glances, others silently feeling Lu Hong was wronged, and some showed schadenfreude.
Xu Xiangbei laughed: "So ridiculous. You keep calling me the murderer. Is your brain full of crap? I came here today to find the real killer who murdered Lu Jingyun. This killer drugged the medicinal wine, then stabbed Lu Jingyun with a knife. From the wound, it was done by someone very close to Lu Jingyun, not an enemy like me."
Facing Lu Hong’s gun, Xu Xiangbei remained unfazed, reaching into his pocket, while Lu Hong shouted in fear: "Don’t move recklessly! If you dare to move carelessly, I’ll shoot."
Xu Xiangbei pulled out the bottle of medicinal wine, raising it high, and said to Lu Hong, "Lu Jingyun and I fought, and I hit him with several balls, injuring his muscles and bones, which led him to use this bottle of medicinal wine. He would never have expected someone to put Mandala flower powder in it. Mandala flower, used in Chinese medicine, serves as an anesthetic ingredient, causing sleep, hallucinations, weakness in limbs. So no matter how skilled he was, he couldn’t fend off a stab, and the person who stabbed him was not me, but you."
Facing Xu Xiangbei’s questioning, Lu Hong’s face turned pale, anxiously defending himself: "You’re arguing vainly, trying to confuse everyone. Don’t believe him, everyone."
"You keep labeling me as the killer to divert attention, making everyone think I’m the outsider culprit, letting me take the blame while you escape responsibility, is that it?"
"No, Uncle Yun was like a benefactor to me. We’re still relatives. How could I possibly kill him."
More skeptical looks appeared in the room. Lu Hong stayed close to Lu Jingyun and though highly trusted, inevitably drew jealousy, which led to whispered conversations.
"What Xu Xiangbei said seems logical. Lu Hong is the closest to the old man, really had a chance to act."
"Impossible. He’s the old man’s favorite nephew, treated so well, with no benefit from the old man’s death. Why would he kill him?"
These whispered conversations reached Lu Hong’s ears, putting immense pressure on him, causing his hand holding the gun to tremble uncontrollably.
Seeing that some people began to believe his words, Xu Xiangbei’s face showed a smug smile: "Do you want to know who the killer is? Give me an hour, and I guarantee you a clear answer, and also clear my name."
Lu Mingliang frowned slightly and said calmly: "Brother Lu Hong, lower your gun. Speak calmly. Whoever the murderer is, it will be revealed. Don’t be anxious."
Lu Hong put away the gun, causing Jenny to breathe a sigh of relief. She glared at Xu Xiangbei, wondering why, facing such a threat, Xu Xiangbei remained composed, not fearing he might get shot.
Xu Xiangbei had long been prepared, holding the bottle high in one hand and gripping an Iron Ball with the other. If Lu Hong even attempted to pull the trigger, his Iron Ball would strike first.
Lu Hong gently kneeled before Lu Jingyun’s coffin, tears streaming down his face: "Uncle, I’m useless. The person who murdered you stands in your funeral hall, yet I couldn’t avenge you. I’m truly useless; Uncle, Lu Hong let you down, failing to protect you, allowing you to fall by a villain’s hand. Xu Xiangbei, I’ll give you an hour to prove your innocence. After an hour, it will be our moment to perish together."
Xu Xiangbei looked at Lu Hong with disdain: "A grown man crying bitterly, truly useless."
Lu Mingliang stood with his arms crossed before Xu Xiangbei, speaking with unwavering determination: "Since you said one hour, I’ll wait here to see how you prove your innocence. If you can help us catch the killer, I, Lu Mingliang, will owe you a favor; otherwise, we’ll be mortal enemies."
Xu Xiangbei smiled lightly; Lu Mingliang was calm and composed, quite capable, much stronger than the impulsive Lu Hong.
Xu Xiangbei glanced at his watch, looked towards the manor’s entrance, and murmured: "She should be here now. This drama can’t be performed by me alone."
Jenny, standing next to Xu Xiangbei, had been worrying anxiously, not understanding what trick Xu Xiangbei had up his sleeve, asked confusedly: "What drama? What do you mean? Are you deceiving them?"
The crisp sound of high heels echoed outside the funeral hall. A beautiful woman wearing a black leather jacket, with a ponytail and tattoos adorned on her neck and wrists, walked in.
Xu Xiangbei laughed: "My lovely Wind Chime sister, you finally came. If you didn’t show up today, I might have been entombed with him. Look, they’re all surrounding me."
Seeing Wind Chime walk into the funeral hall, Lu Hong looked puzzled. He recognized her as a service crew on the ship; usually, in uniform, it didn’t reveal that Wind Chime was a beautiful woman, nor did it show the tattoos on her fair neck.
Wind Chime smiled lightly: "You really are troublesome. No matter how much I wish not to see you, I have no choice but to. Can’t you settle down for once?"
A hint of jealousy flashed in Jenny’s eyes as she extended her hand towards Wind Chime: "Hello, I’m Jenny."
Wind Chime, somewhat reluctantly, gently shook Jenny’s hand, knowing that Jenny was a police officer, and a killer feels no fondness towards the police.
