As they reached the second floor, Yan Ge had not yet knocked when Yan Shi's voice came from inside.
"Is that Han Li and Yan Ge?"
"Yes, Fourth Master's wife!" Yan Ge halted immediately and replied respectfully.
"Yan Ge, you may leave. Let Han Li enter alone," Yan Shi's voice said coolly. The detached tone made Han Li's heart stir.
"As you command." Yan Ge clearly held Yan Shi in great respect, obeying her orders without hesitation. He smiled at Han Li, then quietly descended the stairs, leaving Han Li standing alone outside the door.
Han Li stared coldly at the door. Instead of pushing it open immediately, he extended his spiritual sense to probe the situation inside. He had no intention of walking into an ambush and being cut down by hidden guards. Caution was paramount.
The room was very quiet. There were few people inside—only the breathing and heartbeats of Yan Shi and a few others. No one unexpected was present, which eased Han Li's concerns.
He stepped forward and knocked twice, then pushed the door open and peered inside, preparing to enter. The scene within made his expression change drastically, and his advancing foot froze in midair.
The room was the same one he had visited the night before. The furniture and decorations were identical. The only difference was the attire of the women present. Yan Shi and the other beautiful women were all dressed in white mourning clothes, sitting solemnly in their chairs and staring at him with cold, unblinking eyes.
Han Li's face paled slightly, not from fear, but from anger at the deceased Doctor Mo.
It was clear he had been outwitted by the old fox once again. The letter he had delivered must have contained a hidden message, just as he had suspected. These tigresses had learned of Doctor Mo's death from it, and were now waiting for his murderer to walk right into their trap.
Han Li took a deep breath, and his composure returned. He then strode into the room, and without any courtesy, found an empty chair and sat down squarely opposite the women. He stared at them without a word, waiting to see how they intended to handle him.
Han Li's brazen, confrontational behavior clearly caught Yan Shi and the others off guard. They were thrown into disarray, each showing a different reaction.
Second Madam Li's face turned livid with rage. She was incensed that this junior, who had addressed them as "Master's wife" just yesterday, now dared to stare at them so openly. She came from a scholarly family and placed great importance on hierarchy and respect. To encounter someone like Han Li, who showed no deference to his elders, was infuriating.
Third Madam Liu, however, was quite different. She did not appear angry at all. Instead, she regarded Han Li with considerable interest. Yet, her extraordinary charm made Han Li feel uneasy, and he dared not look at her for long, letting his gaze slide quickly past.
Yan Shi's reaction was similar to the cold and beautiful Fifth Madam Wang. She remained impassive, her icy stare fixed on Han Li, her eyes filled with a chilling frost that could freeze everything.
"You have considerable nerve, my husband's final disciple!" After a silent standoff that lasted the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, Yan Shi finally spoke. The sarcasm in her voice was unmistakable.
"Fourth Master's wife, if you have something to ask or say, please do so directly. I have no interest in empty words, nor will I speak any," Han Li replied, his expression unreadable.
Han Li knew well that the only thing worse than arguing with one woman was arguing with several at once. Rather than waste effort on roundabout explanations, he preferred to cut straight to the heart of the matter. Since none of them had hidden assassins ready to attack, it was clear they did not intend to harm him immediately. They either had reservations or needed something from him. If so, there was no need for excessive politeness. Doctor Mo's death was his own fault; Han Li had nothing to be ashamed of.
"You..." Even someone like Yan Shi, who had faced countless situations, was momentarily speechless at Han Li's blunt tone.
"Very well, I will ask you! Was my husband killed by you, this rebellious disciple?" Second Madam Li could no longer contain herself. Her beautiful eyes seemed to shoot fire, the scholarly air about her completely gone, replaced by a look of pure resentment.
"Second Sister!" Yan Shi frowned and called out softly, attempting to stop the Second Madam from asking a question that would lead to an immediate rupture.
"This Second Madam Li is certainly direct, putting the most crucial issue right on the table," Han Li thought to himself with a cold laugh.
"He could be said to have died by my hand, or he could be said to have committed suicide," Han Li replied coolly.
This answer stunned the women, including Yan Shi. They had expected either a flat denial or a brazen confession. Instead, they received a cryptic, ambiguous statement.
Second Madam Li was taken aback for a moment, then flew into a rage, clearly believing Han Li was mocking them.
"What nonsense! You clearly killed him!" she exclaimed, her body trembling with fury.
"How can you be so certain I killed him? Did you see it with your own eyes?" Han Li retorted without hesitation. He knew the letter had been written before Doctor Mo's death, so it could not definitively state that he was the killer. The letter likely contained only speculation, which allowed Han Li to refute the accusation without hesitation.
"If you say that, then tell us, the womenfolk, the circumstances of my husband's death. If you truly had nothing to do with it, we will not wrongfully accuse you," Fifth Madam Wang, who had been silent and cold until now, suddenly spoke up.