0p0 Chapter 162 Mass Grave
Chapter 162 Mass Grave
Memorials impeaching Xie Bohuai indeed sprung up like mushrooms after rain, but Xie Bohuai did exactly as he was told.
When the town officials came one by one, no one dared to speak. Even those one or two who wanted to be a little tougher couldn't help but vomit at the sight of pig swill.
As for Xie Zhongyuan, he was so angered by Xie Bohuai that he fell ill and couldn't get up.
Immediately afterwards, Xie Boyuan was pulled from a long-standing case: someone had embezzled a portion of the disaster relief funds that Xie Boyuan had been in charge of.
The investigation led to Xie Boyuan, who was taken to the government office and imprisoned.
It was so obvious that the Xie family knew Xie Bohuai was behind it. Restless, Xie Boming went to his mother and said, "Xie Bohuai is trying to kill us! Mother, you can't stay in this little house anymore. Father is sick, you have to make a decision, or I'll be next. My eldest brother is in grave danger this time. If we can't deal with Xie Bohuai, the entire Xie family will be wiped out by him!"
A murderous glint flashed in Madam Peng's eyes. She regretted not killing Xie Bohuai before, so that she wouldn't be in this trouble now.
"Wipe away your tears, why are you crying? It's not your turn yet!" Madam Peng called over the nanny beside her. "Go and find Xie Bohuai. Didn't he want to collect his aunt's body? Tell him to come see me."
The nanny knew what her master wanted to do, and without hesitation, she went out to deliver the message.
Xie Boming didn't understand, "Mother, you mean..."
“Go to the mass grave in the east of the city and find any skeleton that’s been dead for a while. That slut Chun gave birth to a worthless son. I don’t believe Xie Bohuai would abandon his aunt’s remains.” As for the real remains, they’ve been lost for ages. When Chun died, Madam Peng had them thrown away. So many years have passed, how could they possibly be found?
Xie Boming understood his mother's meaning and saw hope. He immediately led people to find the remains.
That evening, Xie Bohuai once again stepped into the Xie family home. When the Xie family members saw that it was Xie Bohuai, they all scattered, and no one dared to approach.
When Xie Bohuai saw Madam Peng, he was filled with murderous intent. "How dare you?"
"What wouldn't I dare to do?" Madam Peng looked at Xie Bohuai, recalling how dirty he looked twenty years ago. "Xie Bohuai, you should be grateful that I showed you mercy, which is why you're still alive today. I know you hate me to the core, and likewise, I wish you were dead. In that case, let's make a deal."
"What if I don't?"
"Then your aunt will be buried with those filthy people forever, to be devoured and trampled by wild beasts, never to have a peaceful life again." Madam Peng said the cruelest words. "You know there's nothing I wouldn't do. If you spare the Xie family, all past grievances will be wiped clean, and we won't bother you again. As long as you agree, I will return your aunt's remains."
Otherwise, the Peng family has plenty of vicious methods.
She had endured so much for so many years, and now that there was no way out, she discussed it with Xie Bohuai. Otherwise, she would feel disgusted just seeing Xie Bohuai.
She used to be very proud, thinking herself a top-notch noblewoman, and secretly competing to find the best husband. Later, she met Xie Zhongyuan and thought he was the right person for her. However, all her devotion before marriage was just an act. After she became pregnant, Xie Zhongyuan immediately revealed his lecherous nature.
But what's done is done, and Peng couldn't get a divorce. She could only deal with the women and children around Xie Zhongyuan one by one. She wouldn't allow any other children to appear; seeing even one would remind her of Xie Zhongyuan's affectionate moments with someone else.
Peng admitted that she was jealous. At first, she was afraid, but later she realized that Xie Zhongyuan would not divorce her, so she became more and more unscrupulous.
Over the years, Xie Bohuai was the only exception.
"If you insist on the death of the entire Xie family, then I have no choice but to condemn your aunt to eternal damnation. Xie Bohuai, you know I'm a ruthless person, and I have no other way to blackmail you. Whether you agree or not is up to you." Madam Peng sat upright, still maintaining the airs of a matriarch of a prominent family even at this moment.
Xie Bohuai, indeed, could not refuse Peng's proposal.
He nodded and said okay, and Peng had someone take him to collect the remains.
Nearly twenty years have passed, and the remains are broken in some places, making it impossible to recognize their original appearance.
Xie Bohuai brought his aunt's remains back, but he didn't dare to look at them for long. After arriving home, he instructed Si Yan to prepare for the funeral. However, Si Yan said that the remains he brought back should belong to a male.
So many years have passed that it's impossible to recognize what the skeletons looked like when they were alive. However, there are still ways to distinguish between men and women, especially for people like Si Yan who have worked in the town government office and have seen countless dead bodies.
"A man?" Xie Bohuai's eyes turned cold. "So, the Peng family lied to me?"
Si Yan nodded and said, "Yes, sir, that should be the case." In Si Yan's opinion, Madam Peng hated Aunt Chun to the bone and would definitely not give her a proper burial. So many years have passed, and the mass burial site has changed many times. How could it be found? That's why he looked around more and unexpectedly found a problem.
As Xie Bohuai was the son, he naturally wouldn't pay special attention to certain places. His emotions overwhelmed his reason, and he didn't notice anything amiss at the time.
After listening to what Si Yan said, Xie Bohuai also realized what had happened. Hearing Ye Wanning's voice coming from outside, he took a deep breath and went out.
"I heard from Qingshan that you found your aunt's remains. Now that you've found them, you should give her a proper burial. I'll take care of the funeral arrangements." Ye Wanning felt that she and Xie Bohuai were family now, and she should step forward to help at such an important moment.
Xie Bohuai said no need, "I made a mistake. It's getting late, you should go back and rest. I won't be going back to sleep tonight."
Xie Bohuai led Qingshan out the door. An hour later, Qingshan dropped the sack in his hand. The people inside had already wet themselves in fear.
After removing the gag from Peng's mouth, Xie Bohuai asked, "Peng, do you know where this is?"
Upon hearing Xie Bohuai's voice, Madam Peng touched another bone and said tremblingly, "Xie Bohuai, I am a Lady of Imperial Decree, how dare you tie me up and bring me here?"
"What do I have to be afraid of?" Xie Bohuai sneered. "You knew this would happen from the moment you lied to me. From here on out, as long as you can find my aunt's remains, I'll let you go."
"This is a mass grave, how can you find me? Xie Bohuai, are you crazy?" Madam Peng didn't even have the strength to stand up. She thought she was dreaming, but her neck hurt terribly, so this was reality.
Xie Bohuai: "Actually, I should have done this a long time ago. You're wrong today; I was too kind. Now this is your retribution. You didn't care about the lecherous Xie Zhongyuan, but instead harmed so many women and children. Qingshan, put out the torches and see who comes looking for her to take her life."
As soon as the torches were extinguished, Peng felt a chill run down her spine. She couldn't remember how many people she had killed, but she was terrified, feeling as if something might pounce on her at any moment.
"Xie Bohuai, don't go! You can't leave me here. I'm your legal mother. You'll be punished for this!"
"Xie Bohuai, you deserve to die a horrible death! You and your wretched aunt both deserve to die!"
"Ah, don't touch me! Please, take me away from here!"
"I didn't kill you. You brought this on yourselves, so don't blame me. Get out of here, all of you, and don't come looking for me!"
...As screams echoed, Xie Bohuai listened from not far away.
Knowing he couldn't find his aunt's remains, he decided to have Peng Shi buried with her.
In the darkness, Madam Peng fell several times and even touched a cold corpse. She had never experienced anything like this before. In the past, the servants would do the drugging and disposal of corpses without her having to look at them. Now she was truly afraid, but she could not escape this darkness.
It wasn't until Peng was driven mad with fright and rolled down the hillside to her death, and Qingshan confirmed her death, that Xie Bohuai and Qingshan returned to the city.
Qingshan felt that Madam Peng deserved to die, but he was still a little worried. "Sir, Madam Peng was the mistress of the Xie family. She went missing and died in a mass grave. What if they find out about us?" With his limited mind, he couldn't think of a way to handle the aftermath.
Xie Bohai's gaze was cold. "A perfectly healthy person has disappeared from the Xie family. Do you think the Xie family would dare to make a fuss? Even if they find the body, it will be days later. Who saw us kidnap the person? And who would dare to testify against us?"
No.
not a single one.
If Xie Bohuai wants Peng Shi dead, then she must die.