Translator: Dj2203
Editor: Dj2203
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Madam Zhou was so shocked by Zhuang Li’s deduction that she almost screamed.
If it weren’t for her deeply ingrained good upbringing that prevented her from doing anything too outrageous, she might have grabbed Zhuang Li by the collar and started cursing him.
Without any evidence, how dare this person say such a thing! If these words were to spread outside, her already tarnished daughter would be ruined even more completely, and might not even have a chance to survive!
Madam Zhou stared intently at Zhuang Li, as if he were her mortal enemy.
Qi Wang, who was in the next private room, also looked surprised, then frowned deeply. He then began to worry about the boy’s safety.
The boy was too thin and frail, even weaker than the two maids brought by Madam Zhou; he might just be beaten. Thinking this, Qi Wang stood up and walked to the door, ready to rush to his aid at any moment.
While everyone was still in shock, Zhuang Li suddenly asked, “Who does your daughter usually listen to more, her father or you?”
“She listens to her father more,” Mrs. Zhou replied instinctively.
“What kind of person is her father? Is he strict or gentle? What kind of tone does he usually use when speaking to her? Does he guide her gently or command her forcefully?” Zhuang Li asked repeatedly.
“Her father was very strict with her and liked to speak to her in a commanding tone. She was very afraid of her father, and I loved her the most, so she liked to act spoiled in front of me. She wouldn’t listen to anything I said and always liked to contradict me.” As Mrs. Zhou spoke, tears welled up in her eyes.
Although she was rebuking her daughter, Madam Zhou’s face showed a look of longing. She had also been angry with her daughter for being disobedient, but now, thinking back, those feelings of anger and helplessness had become so beautiful.
Interrupted by Zhuang Li’s series of questions, Madam Zhou’s brewing anger seemed to have been stripped of all her bones. She slumped back into her chair with a thud, two lines of tears streaming down her face without her even realizing it.
She was utterly desperate! What was she going to do if her daughter’s madness really was related to that kind of sordid affair?
7480 said with a shudder, “Master, why do you keep asking about Miss Zhou’s father? Do you suspect that the person who bullied Miss Zhou is her biological father?”
This conjecture completely overturned 7480’s worldview.
Zhuang Li: “…System, did I ever say you were cute?”
7480 covered its flushed face, flattered and surprised, and asked, “Master, do you really think I’m cute?”
Zhuang Li said with certainty, “Yes, you’re adorably stupid.”
7480: “…”
Bah! It knew the Great Demon King wouldn’t say a kind word!
As Mrs. Zhou was overwhelmed by a sense of powerlessness, Zhuang Li walked up to Miss Zhou and stared straight into her eyes.
Zhuang Jiuge wanted to follow, but his brother’s stern gaze kept him rooted to the spot.
Miss Zhou was filled with fear of men, so when Zhuang Li approached, her struggles became more intense, her gaze became more unfocused, and her mutterings turned into earth-shattering screams.
“Ahhhhh! Evil spirit! Evil spirit! The evil spirit is here! Don’t come near me! Don’t come any closer! Ahhhhhh…” She screamed until she was hoarse and coughed up blood. Her face was covered with bulging blue veins like earthworms, and her face was as ferocious as a ghost.
Anyone with eyes could see the torment she was enduring. She was terrified, her soul almost leaving her body.
Madam Zhou quickly stood up, intending to pull Zhuang Li away, but heard him calmly say, “If you want her to be mentally unstable for the rest of her life, feel free to interrupt me. I’m not afraid to tell you the truth: in this world, the only person who can cure her is me.”
Madam Zhou was stunned by these words.
Her obsession with curing her daughter no matter what suppressed her protective instincts as a mother.
Zhuang Li walked up to Miss Zhou and stopped two meters away. He first said in a low voice, repeating, “Please be quiet, be quiet, okay?”
Miss Zhou was still screaming at the top of her lungs.
Zhuang Li suddenly raised his voice, drowning out her scream, his tone unusually authoritative and cold: “I told you to be quiet!”
The deafening sound pierced through the wall, making Qi Wang’s eardrums ring. Several guards who were also lying on the wall eavesdropping were almost startled and jumped up.
The young master was truly gentle when he was gentle, and truly dignified when he was dignified!
This explosive ban smashed through Ms. Zhou’s brain like a giant hammer, bringing a moment of clarity to her chaotic thoughts. Before she could even think, she instinctively shut her mouth.
The noisy private room instantly became quiet.
Qi Wang then rubbed his ear and smiled with interest. He finally understood why the young master had brought up Master Zhou.
Only by testing Miss Zhou’s temperament could he prescribe the right medicine.
Miss Zhou was used to obeying her father’s authoritative commands and couldn’t listen to gentle persuasion, which was why he spoke so harshly. This sudden roar must have reminded Miss Zhou of her own father, and a daughter could never truly defy her father.
Miss Zhou not only quieted down but also slumped into the chaise lounge with a thud.
Zhuang Li remained standing two meters away, authoritatively ordering, “Close your eyes and listen carefully to my instructions.”
Miss Zhou closed her eyes in a daze.
People with mental disorders were usually very difficult to hypnotize, but Zhuang Li seized on Ms. Zhou’s weakness, or more precisely, her pain point, and quickly put her into a hypnotic state.
When conducting hypnosis, psychologists could use two speaking styles: a nurturing, motherly approach or a stern, fatherly command. For individuals with an emotionally driven level of compliance, the nurturing approach was more effective; but for those with a physiologically driven level of compliance, only the stern, fatherly command could elicit obedience.
What was a physiologically compliant person?
People who, like soldiers, only know how to obey orders without ever questioning the reasons are physiologically obedient. For them, once an order is given, it must be carried out; this process is as natural as a physiological reaction.
In ancient societies where patriarchy reigned supreme, every child raised under the constraints of feudal ethics was a physiologically obedient individual. They faced their fathers like soldiers faced their generals, and they were more inclined to obey commands.
This kind of oppression based on social hierarchy was particularly severe for women.
So when Zhuang Li gave the order, Miss Zhou’s mind went blank.
Mr. Zhou had done this before. His roars would always silence his daughter, but after the silence came an even more violent outburst. Once Mr. Zhou left, Miss Zhou would be more agitated and terrified than before.
Master Zhou had no idea how to use his authority to untangle his daughter’s knot, but Zhuang Li did.
He continued in an authoritative tone, “Lie down, cover yourself with the blanket, and if you feel uncomfortable, you can adjust your sleeping position yourself.”
Miss Zhou lay down in the chaise lounge with her eyes closed, obediently covered herself with a thin blanket, and slightly moved her head to find a comfortable sleeping position.
Mrs. Zhou was stunned.
The two maids could not hide the shock on their faces.
They hadn’t seen Miss Zhou so obedient, so quiet, so normal in a long time.
Zhuang Jiuge, who had been holding his breath, finally exhaled and then squatted down in the corner with his knees drawn up to his chest, staring intently at his older brother.
“That’s amazing! How did my brother do that?” He was filled with questions.
Qi Wang raised his eyebrows, revealing a surprised expression.
The guards exchanged glances, then secretly marveled. This young man was truly skilled! Even the evil spirits that Master Xuan Zhenzi couldn’t handle were as obedient as children in his hands.
Just then, footsteps came from outside the door, and the faint sound of a waiter advising, “Sir, you can’t go up. This floor has been reserved by a distinguished guest. Please stop!”
“My wife is inside, get out of the way!” came an angry voice.
Qi Wang immediately guessed the visitor’s identity and quietly opened the door to personally stop him. The young master had finally managed to control Miss Zhou; he couldn’t let this person interrupt his magic.
The guards were completely taken aback by the prince’s actions and quickly chased after him.
Master Zhou had once been a trusted confidant of the Governor of Qin, rising to the rank of Commandant and having led troops in battle. So he was naturally familiar with Qi Wang, who came from a military background. Upon seeing the handsome face that had become much thinner, he was first slightly taken aback, then knelt down in fear and trepidation.
When he opened his mouth to greet him, Qi Wang raised his index finger to make a shushing gesture.
Master Zhou quickly shut his mouth.
“The young master is helping your daughter exorcise a ghost. I can let you in, but you must not disturb him, understand?” Qi Wang leaned down slightly and warned in a barely audible voice.
Master Zhou nodded, sweating profusely.
“Go in,” Qi Wang said, then stepped aside.
Master Zhou scrambled to his feet, his face always turned toward Qi Wang, then with a ninety-degree bow, he backed up to the door of his wife’s private room and gently knocked on the door knocker.
“Be careful when you go in,” Qi Wang warned solemnly before entering the private room next door.
As soon as he left, Master Zhou hurriedly wiped his sweat, but his bent back remained bent and he still had an expression of relief on his face.
Bazhou was the stronghold of Qi Wang. After the late emperor’s death, the several adult princes fought fiercely and even attempted to seize Qi Wang’s military power. In order to consolidate his power, Qi Wang repeatedly purged the Bazhou bureaucracy five or six times, killing many disloyal officials.
Master Zhou had personally led a team to help Qi Wang capture people before and had witnessed dozens of heads being chopped off by Qi Wang in one go, which was why he was so terrified. In fact, he had almost wet himself with fear just now.
Why would this King Yama hide here, and why would he protect a fortune teller? With his mind in a complete mess, Master Zhou was ushered inside by two maids.
Upon seeing her husband, Madam Zhou’s face turned deathly pale, and her body trembled uncontrollably. She thought she would be severely reprimanded and cruelly punished, and that her daughter would likely be tied up by her husband and immediately sent to a dilapidated temple in the countryside.
But none of the things she imagined happened.
Master Zhou tiptoed into the room, sat down obediently to the side, and gestured for Madam Zhou, who was dumbfounded, to be quiet.
Mrs. Zhou couldn’t keep her mouth shut. She strongly suspected that her husband was also possessed.
Zhuang Li merely glanced at Master Zhou before continuing to instruct Miss Zhou: “Lie down in the warm sunshine, stretch out your limbs as you please, and enjoy this tranquility. You have no worries and can sleep soundly without a care in the world.”
“Your eyelids have become very heavy, yet also very relaxed, and your body slowly becomes limp and powerless. Now, you can’t open your eyes; it’s as if your eyelids are stuck together by something.”
“You can try to open your eyes, but you can’t, because your eyes are sealed shut. You can only keep your eyes tightly closed and fall into a deep sleep.”
Following Zhuang Li’s guidance, Miss Zhou’s eyelids began to twitch, as if she were trying to open them, but she couldn’t. Her eyes were indeed sealed shut.
She quickly gave up struggling, her face became peaceful, and her breathing became long and even.
Seeing this, Mr. Zhou, who had firmly believed that Zhuang Li was a street swindler, was so surprised that his jaw almost dropped.
Madam Zhou watched this scene in disbelief, tears welling up uncontrollably in her eyes.
However, what Zhuang Li said next shocked them even more.
“Now, I will take you back to the past to find the source of the evil spirits and fight against their invasion together. You must believe that I will always be with you and protect you. With me here, no evil spirit can get close to you. When you encounter danger, just shout ‘Mr. Zhuang Li,’ and I will appear by your side immediately. So, you cannot run away.”
Zhuang Li paused for a moment, then commanded sternly, “I want you to see clearly what those evil spirits look like, to confront their harm, and to fight against your inner fear. I want you to catch them with your own hands!”
A fine layer of cold sweat appeared on Ms. Zhou’s forehead, but she did not wake up.
She had already submitted to Zhuang Li’s authority.
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