The Mourning Gathering

1,024 words

Just as he reached the second floor and before Yan Ge could knock, Yan Shi’s voice came from inside the room.

“Is that Han Li and Yan Ge?”

“Yes, Fourth Mistress!” Yan Ge stopped immediately and answered respectfully.

“Yan Ge, you may leave first. Han Li may enter alone.” Yan Shi’s voice was calm, carrying a cool detachment that stirred a flicker of unease in Han Li’s heart.

“As you command.” Yan Ge clearly held great respect for Yan Shi. Without a trace of hesitation, he smiled at Han Li and quietly retreated down the stairs, leaving Han Li alone on the second floor, standing outside the door.

Han Li stared coldly at the door. He did not push it open immediately. Instead, he released his spiritual sense to probe the room within. He had no intention of walking into a trap and being cut down by a room full of hidden assassins. Caution was the better part of survival.

The room was quiet. There were few people inside. He could only detect the breathing and heartbeats of Yan Shi and a handful of others. It seemed those who should not be present were absent. This put him slightly more at ease.

He stepped forward and knocked twice. Then he pushed the door open, glanced inside, and prepared to enter. But the scene within caused his expression to shift dramatically, and his advancing foot froze mid-air.

The room was the same one he had entered the previous night. The furniture, the decorations—all unchanged. The only difference was the attire of the women within. Yan Shi and the other ladies were all dressed in white, plain mourning robes. They sat upright on several chairs, their eyes fixed coldly on him.

Han Li’s face paled slightly. It was not fear, but anger—directed at the dead Doctor Mo.

He had been played for a fool by that old fox again. That letter… just as he had suspected, it held hidden depths. These she-tigers had already learned of Doctor Mo’s death from it. They were clearly waiting here for the murderer of their husband to walk right into their den.

Han Li took a deep breath. His expression returned to normal. He strode into the room, unceremoniously found a single chair, and sat down directly across from the women. Then he watched them in silence, waiting to see how these women would handle him.

His blatant disregard for decorum, his clear intention to tear off all pretenses, caught Yan Shi and the others completely off guard. They had not expected this. Their composure cracked, and each woman reacted differently.

Second Mistress Li’s face was ashen. She was clearly enraged that this junior, who only yesterday had addressed them as “Mistress,” now dared to stare at them openly and without a shred of deference. She came from a scholarly family, where the hierarchy of age and status was paramount. Encountering someone like Han Li, who showed no respect for his teachers or elders, made her tremble with fury.

Third Mistress Liu was a different story entirely. Instead of anger, she returned Han Li’s gaze with open interest. But her captivating charm was such that Han Li dared not look at her directly. His eyes merely swept past her face.

Yan Shi and the aloof Fifth Mistress Wang reacted similarly. They remained expressionless, their cold eyes fixed on Han Li, their gazes filled with a chilling intent.

“You have quite the nerve, my husband’s personal disciple.” After a long silence, Yan Shi finally spoke. The sarcasm in her voice was unmistakable.

“Ladies, whatever you want to know, or whatever you want to say, say it directly. I have no interest in hearing pleasantries or wasting words on nonsense.” Han Li’s face was a mask of indifference.

He knew well that the only thing worse than arguing with one woman was arguing with several at once. Rather than waste energy on a war of words, it was better to cut straight to the heart of the matter. That was his reasoning.

Furthermore, the fact that there were no hidden blades or ambushes in the room meant these women had no immediate intention of attacking him. Either they had some reservation, or they needed something from him. Since that was the case, there was no need to be too polite. Doctor Mo’s death was his own doing. Han Li had nothing to feel ashamed about.

“You…!” Even a veteran of countless confrontations like Yan Shi was choked by his blunt tone.

“Fine! I’ll ask you this! Did you kill my husband, you unfilial wretch?!” Second Mistress could no longer hold back. Her beautiful eyes blazed with fury. The scholarly aura that had clung to her was gone, replaced by raw hatred.

“Second Sister.” Yan Shi frowned, calling out as if to stop Second Mistress from asking a question that would force an immediate confrontation.

‘This woman is straightforward enough,’ Han Li thought with a cold inner sneer. ‘She went straight for the most crucial point.’

“You could say he died by my hand. You could also say he committed suicide.” Han Li’s voice was flat.

This statement stunned the women, including Yan Shi. They had expected a flat denial, or perhaps a brazen confession. They had not expected such a puzzling answer.

Second Mistress Li was taken aback, but then her fury exploded. She clearly thought Han Li was mocking them.

“Nonsense! You murdered him!” Li’s voice trembled with rage.

“How do you know I killed him? Did you see it happen?” Han Li countered without courtesy. He knew full well that the letter had been written before Doctor Mo had been killed. It could not have confirmed that Han Li was the one who had killed him. The letter likely only contained Doctor Mo’s suspicions. This gave Han Li the room to refute her claim without restraint.

“Since you say so, why don’t you tell us, a few helpless women, what happened? If it truly has nothing to do with you, we will not deliberately wrong you.” The Fifth Mistress, Wang, who had remained silent and aloof until now, suddenly spoke.

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Reading Guide Decoding

The Political Inquisition of Divine Hand Valley

Cultural / Xianxia Notes

The Social Tribulation: A Different Kind of Danger – This chapter is a textbook example of a “Social Tribulation.” In many xianxia stories, the protagonist’s primary challenge is fighting monsters or evil villains. In RMJI, the protagonist must navigate complex human relationships and political hierarchies with the same cold calculation as a physical battle. Han Li doesn’t draw a sword here; he uses information asymmetry, social bluffing, and an intimidating persona to control the pace of the interrogation. He knows that a war of words with four furious women is a losing battle, so he dictates the terms of engagement, forcing them into a defensive posture.

The ‘Family’ as a Political Entity – In ancient Chinese society, especially within powerful households or sects, the family was not merely a unit of sentiment; it was a political and economic entity. The wives of a dead patriarch like Doctor Mo are not just grieving widows; they are administrators of his remaining assets (the sect resources in Divine Hand Valley) and protectors of their own and their daughters’ futures. Their “interrogation” of Han Li is not just about justice; it’s about figuring out what this dangerous young man knows and what he wants, in order to secure their own position. Han Li recognizes this instantly, which is why he treats the confrontation as a negotiation, not a plea for forgiveness.

Social Tribulation

A type of conflict in the Mortal Stream where the protagonist must navigate complex human relationships and political hierarchies with the same cold calculation as a physical battle.

Social Bluffing

A core survival tactic in the Mortal Stream, where a protagonist uses ambiguous information and an opponent's own guilt to force a favorable outcome without physical violence.

Chapter Overview

Alright, buckle up, fellow Daoists, because the gloves are officially off. Chapter 115 throws us straight into the ultimate face-off: Han Li versus the widows of the late Doctor Mo. And trust me, it’s not the tearful, dramatic confrontation you might expect. Our favorite pragmatic cultivator walks into the lion’s den, finds the ladies dressed in full mourning regalia, and immediately shifts from “respectful disciple” to “cold-eyed negotiator.” The chapter is a masterclass in the Mortal Stream’s brand of psychological warfare. Forget flashy spells or flying swords—this is a battle fought with words, silences, and the sheer audacity to sit down in a room full of people who want you dead and stare them down.

Key Plot Points

Yan Shi dismisses Yan Ge, ordering Han Li to enter alone, a clear signal that a private confrontation is at hand.
Han Li uses his spiritual sense to scan the room before entering, confirming no hidden assassins await him, a perfect example of his survival-first paranoia.
He enters to find the women dressed in white mourning robes, confirming his suspicion that Doctor Mo’s letter revealed the truth of his death.
Han Li’s momentary shock quickly gives way to cold calculation; he unceremoniously takes a seat and forces the women to make the first move.
The chapter reveals the distinct personalities of the four wives through their reactions: Li’s righteous fury, Liu’s curious interest, Yan Shi’s chilling control, and Wang’s sudden, piercing question.
Han Li refuses to be drawn into a war of words, bluntly stating he doesn’t want to hear “pleasantries.”
Second Mistress Li directly accuses him of murder, but Han Li gives an ambiguous answer: “You could say he died by my hand, or you could say he committed suicide.”
Fifth Mistress Wang, previously silent, interrupts with a request for a full account of Doctor Mo’s death, offering a seemingly fair middle ground.

Reading Guide

Get ready for one of the most tense and satisfying dialogue-driven scenes in the early novel. The key here is to watch Han Li’s strategy. He walks in expecting an ambush, finds a political trial, and instantly adapts. Note how he uses his body language—the uninvited seat, the direct stare—to assert dominance without saying a word. His answer to Li’s accusation (“died by my hand or committed suicide”) is a brilliant piece of social jiu-jitsu. It’s not a lie, but it’s deeply ambiguous, and it puts the burden of proof back on the women. Ask yourself: is Han Li trying to hide the truth, or is he trying to control how the truth is revealed? His final goal here isn’t to be proven innocent; it’s to become someone they need to bargain with rather than someone they can simply execute.

Deep Dive: The Art of Social Bluffing

This chapter is a textbook demonstration of “Social Bluffing,” a core survival tactic in the Mortal Stream. It’s not about lying outright, but about using ambiguous information and an opponent’s own guilt to force a favorable outcome. Han Li has no army and no proof. His only weapon is the fear and uncertainty in the room. By acting unafraid and in control, he makes himself a problem that cannot be solved with a simple accusation. He forces his opponents to consider the possibility that a violent confrontation might be more costly than a negotiation. For new readers, this is a key shift: in this world, the smartest fighter isn’t the one with the biggest sword; it’s the one who controls the flow of information in the room.