Chapter 152 - 150: Conspiracy (Part 1)

"Young Master, retreat quickly!"Despite spitting blood, Overlord Saber still loyally reminded Xu Haoyin to retreat.

’Slap!’

No sooner had the words left his lips than Xu Haoyin was slapped several meters away.

Lou Yi didn’t even bother looking at him and continued walking toward Long San as if through an empty space.

All around, the Xu Family servants and retainers stared dumbfounded, none daring to step in and stop him.

Even two Full Cycle Martial Artists were dealt with like cutting melons or slicing vegetables. What would it be if they went up? Suicide?

Long San stood in place, his legs trembling violently.

He couldn’t even muster the strength to run before Lou Yi caught him like a chick and held him under his arm.

Then, Lou Yi swaggered out of Cyan Cloud Manor.

It was as if he had taken a casual stroll through the market.

The reason he wasn’t committing murder.

Was because he came to help the Zhan Family resolve a crisis, not bring them trouble.

After all, the Xu Family had a renowned martial artist, Old Master Xu, reputed to be the first in Tai City.

Without confidence in opposing the martial artist, there was no need to overly provoke the opponent.

After all, taking their heads was as easy as eating and drinking.

What harm was there in temporarily letting them keep their heads?

...

"Hurry up and search, damn it, find it quickly!"

"Two days, it’s been two days with no discovery, are you all useless?"

"Whoever discovers the traces of the silver first will be rewarded with ten thousand silver taels!"

Zhan Weicong, disheveled and red-eyed, shouted at the corner of the Red Forest, as if venting all his grievances.

As time passed, the Zhan Family’s chance of fully recovering the eighty thousand silver taels became increasingly slim.

The Xu Family wasn’t foolish enough to watch the Zhan Family conduct a carpet search here.

Even if they used human means to transfer the silver, a considerable amount could have been moved during these two days.

The Red Forest spanned an area of twenty to thirty miles, with countless hillocks and caves—hiding some boxes would be too simple.

Regret and self-blame gnawed at Zhan Weicong like a poison snake constantly biting at his heart.

If not for his foolishness, how could the Zhan Family fall into such a state?

He dared not return home.

Because the Zhan Mansion was already surrounded by various people coming to demand money!

Unlike the hysterical Zhan Weicong.

Zhan Weida silently searched the forest, contributing his meager strength to the search effort.

As for Zhan’s father, unable to stay long in the Red Forest, he had already returned to the mansion to manage the situation.

"Second Young Master, Lin Guard, Tong Guard, and a few others said they went to relieve themselves, but they’ve been gone for hours." A subordinate reported, making Zhan Weida’s expression turn somber.

Lin Guard, Tong Guard, individuals who had been with the Zhan Family for many years, were well treated by the Zhan Family.

Unexpectedly, they abandoned the family in this crisis, proving entirely unreliable.

He looked at the search team, noticing many with flickering eyes.

At this point, people’s hearts were unstable, most thinking it was difficult for the Zhan Family to recover.

Undoubtedly, more people would flee in the coming days.

Who would want to go down with a sinking ship?

Only the likes of Sixth Uncle and Guard Pan remained steadfastly loyal.

Even drenched in sweat, with vision growing dark, they still desperately searched for the silver’s whereabouts.

Yet, hope remained out of sight—could it be that the Zhan Family truly couldn’t escape this disaster?

Zhan Weida, at once feeling utterly despondent, thought of his father’s stooped back and was heartbroken beyond words.

At that moment.

’Bang!’

A young man wearing a Golden Silkworm Robe fell from the sky like a dead dog, thrown carelessly at Zhan Weida’s feet.

His arms dangled powerless, clearly dislocated.

His eyes were filled with terror, his pants soaked, the stench of urine overwhelming.


"This is..." Zhan Weida’s eyes lit up, staring intently at the man.

"Long San, also known as Young Master Long to you." Lou Yi said with a smile.

"How did you capture him?" Zhan Weida was utterly shocked.

Wasn’t he hiding in Cyan Cloud Manor, guarded by two renowned sabers!

Each renowned saber was a top martial artist, even the full power of the Zhan Family couldn’t handle them.

"Just went into the Xu Family’s manor and brought him out, didn’t I?" The more casually Lou Yi spoke, the harder it was for Zhan Weida to imagine the terrifying ordeal.

It must have been a situation where the slightest mistake would have resulted in death.

"Ah Yi, I really..." Zhan Weida’s eyes turned red, unable to express his gratitude.

If he were a woman, he would surely offer himself in gratitude.

"We’re brothers, why say such things?" Lou Yi interrupted the sentimental words Zhan Weida wanted to say, patting him on the shoulder, "With him captured, you should have a plan for what to do next?"

"Don’t worry, I have a hundred ways to make him reveal the location of the silver taels." There was a hint of ruthlessness in Zhan Weida’s eyes.

Though he usually appeared easy-going, almost like a fool.

He was, after all, a young master brought up by a prestigious family, familiar with sinister methods, only he usually chose not to use them.

"Uncle Pan, I’ll leave this Young Master Long from the Central Plains to you. Entertain him well, make him confess where the silver taels are hidden." Zhan Weida ordered.

"Got it!" The guard surnamed Pan looked at Lou Yi with surprise, then a sinister smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.

He produced a small two-inch-long silver knife from somewhere and then dragged Long San into the forest.

"Ah!!"

"Spare me, let me go... ah!!"

"I’ll talk, I’ll tell you everything, please give me a quick death!"

The sounds of torture were loud enough to alarm Zhan Weicong nearby.

Upon seeing Long San, his eyes turned red, and he rushed forward.

"You bastard, I’m going to skin you alive!"

"Ah!!!"

It didn’t take long for Long San to fully disclose the hiding place of the silver taels.

They were hidden in a cellar the Xu Family had set up long ago in the forest.

The location was remote, and a thick layer of leaves had been piled on top.

Even if given another year, the Zhan Family would likely struggle to uncover it.

Would they have to dig every inch over dozens of miles of land?

Opening the cellar, they found thirty or forty exquisite wooden boxes arranged inside.

Unfortunately, many of the boxes were already empty.

It seemed that in recent days, the Xu Family had taken away a lot of silver taels with them.

Zhan Weida and his brother checked, finding that there were still over four hundred thousand taels remaining.

The loss was substantial, but better to lose flesh than to perish altogether.

"How fortunate, how fortunate..." Zhan Weicong couldn’t help but cry, holding onto the wooden boxes.

Who knew how much pressure he’d been under these past two days, thoughts of suicide crossing his mind more than once.

"Who kept saying the brothers I bring in are no good, that they’re just country bumpkins?" Zhan Weida said with a cold smile.

"Indeed, I was blind..."

Zhan Weicong looked ashamed when he glanced at the expressionless Lou Yi beside him, feeling utterly embarrassed.

"And who said once we found the silver taels, they’d kowtow three times in gratitude?" Zhan Weida did not let Zhan Weicong off, wanting to stand up for Lou Yi and himself.

"You..." Zhan Weicong glared at Zhan Weicong, his face changing colors.

He pondered for several moments.

Then, gritting his teeth, he actually kneeled down towards where Lou Yi was standing.

"I’m sorry, I was so offensive earlier, please don’t hold it against me, Brother Liu!"

’Bang!’

His head struck the ground, making a thudding sound.

When he looked up again, Lou Yi was nowhere to be seen.

...

The Zhan Family.

"Pay up, pay us back!"

"Zhan Tianlin, when will you pay us this year’s debt for medicinal silver taels?"

"Everyone, listen to me, let’s charge into the Zhan Family, the silver is definitely hidden inside!"

An agitated crowd gathered at the entrance of the Zhan Mansion.

Some were urging for debts to be paid, some were just there to watch the show, while others were hoping to exploit the situation to harm the Zhan Family.

Many guards, holding swords, maintained a stern expression and held the entrance firmly.

However, a close look would reveal sweat droplets on their foreheads, indicating their hearts were not as calm as they appeared.

Inside the main hall, the Zhan Family Master looked worried, sighing, with a noblewoman beside him quietly weeping.

"Husband, if worse comes to worst, let’s run away."

"Run away, where can we run to?"

"To Jiang City, don’t you have many friends there?"

"That’s a woman’s view." Zhan Family Master said gruffly, "Do you think the Xu Family will just watch us run away?

Staying here, with the deterrence of the City Lord’s Mansion, they would think twice.

Once we’re on deserted roads, at that time no one will save us!"

"Then, what can we do?"

The noblewoman’s words left the Zhan Family Master silent, as he clearly had no solution to break the impasse.

Suddenly, the shouting at the door stopped abruptly.

The Zhan Family Master was puzzled.

Then he saw his two sons, Zhan Weida and Zhan Weicong, with faces flushed, followed by a group of guards closely guarding several carriages entering the mansion.

...