73: Chapter 73 Undercurrents

Considering what happened during the day, Magistrate Tang Mu even suspected whether the other party had been planning this for a long time.

Even the deed to the medicinal garden was released on purpose.

But upon careful thought, he felt it was impossible.

The split in the Wang Family this time caused losses that were difficult to recover from.

To put it bluntly, even when the Wang Family was at its Peak, it might not have recovered in ten years.

Not to mention, the current Wang Family is far from the Wang Family of the past.

It was even willing to become an affiliate of the Pei Family just to survive.

Therefore, this could not possibly be a scheme; it was more likely a coincidence.

As for the Wang Family doing this, it must have been instigated by the Pei Family behind the scenes.

This gave Magistrate Tang Mu a bit of a headache.

At this moment, he even doubted whether his choice to participate in the conflict between the Pei and Li families was right or wrong.

...

Inside the Li Family compound.

After Patriarch Li Wu learned about this, he was also filled with anger.

He had originally intended to go to the government office to sue the Wang Family.

Unexpectedly, the Wang Family turned the tables and directly ruined the Li Family's reputation.

But after the anger subsided, Patriarch Li Wu calmed down.

It was true that he wanted to sue the Wang Family, but that was actually just to disgust the other party.

In a real sense, this was actually insignificant.

However, the Wang Family making such a fuss about the medicinal garden deed throughout the city gave him a vague sense of unease.

This matter spreading out did indeed damage the Li Family's reputation.

The Li Family had broken the rules between influential families.

But when it came down to it, it was just a dispute between two powers.

Would other powers really attack the Li Family with words or even besiege them for this reason?

This possibility was completely non-existent.

Perhaps going a step further, even if this matter were true.

Could the Wang Family really use public opinion to pressure the Li Family into returning the deed?

No matter how he thought about it, the Wang Family couldn't be this naive.

Not to mention, the Wang Family had likely learned the whereabouts of the deed from the rebels.

They didn't dare ask Magistrate Tang Mu for it, so they came to disgust the Li Family.

Aside from this reason, he couldn't find any other reason for the Wang Family to do this.

Patriarch Li Wu also admitted that he had been thoroughly disgusted by the Wang Family.

But so what? The Li Family was still the same Li Family.

Who would dare gossip to his face?

As for what happened behind his back, he, Patriarch Li Wu, couldn't control that.

But for some reason, he always felt that things were not that simple.

"Perhaps I am overthinking it; could the Wang Family really unite with the Pei Family to move against my Li Family?" Patriarch Li Wu shook his head, ruling out this possibility.

If the Pei Family and Wang Family came at them head-on, it would result in mutual destruction.

Furthermore, both families knew that the Li Family was colluding with Magistrate Tang Mu.

Regardless of whether from the perspective of interests or reality, he did not believe the other party would do this.

"Could it be that they are aiming for my Li Family's beast garden, thereby finding a legitimate reason?" The more he thought about it, the more Patriarch Li Wu felt this was a possibility.

If the Pei Family's main business was mines and the Wang Family's main business was medicinal gardens, then the Li Family's main business was the beast garden.

By raising a large number of exotic beasts, the Li Family naturally became the largest granary in Wuyang County.

It was precisely because of these two businesses that the Li Family could become one of the three great families of Wuyang County, and even firmly hold this position for hundreds of years.

Once the two families destroyed the beast garden, it would definitely be a huge blow to the Li Family.

Thinking of this, Patriarch Li Wu couldn't be bothered to eat dinner and rushed to the beast garden in a hurry.

After some inspection, he found that the beast garden had no abnormalities.

But he was still not at ease.

He planned to set up several more sentry posts a few miles away from the beast garden to avoid a surprise attack by the Pei and Wang families.

At the same time, he doubled the guards of the beast garden.

Besides this, Patriarch Li Wu also increased the number of scouts to closely monitor the actions of the two families.

Once the two families made any big moves, he would receive news immediately.

Compared to the Li Family being on edge.

The Pei and Wang families, on the contrary, quieted down.

...

Inside the Pei Family compound.

Pei Tianrong was processing Family administrative affairs.

On the other hand, scouts also reported the situation in the city to him.

Upon learning that the matter of the medicinal garden deed was known throughout the city.

Pei Tianrong was very happy.

The first step of the Pei Family's plan could be considered successfully completed.

The second step was to deploy troops.

Unlike dealing with the Wang Family, the Li Family had a Five-Viscera Martial Artist like Patriarch Li Wu present.

Unless they captured the ringleader first by removing Patriarch Li Wu.

In this way, the Li Family would naturally collapse.

But with Wang Yang as a cautionary tale, Patriarch Li Wu could not face the Pei Family alone.

In this way, the two sides instead became locked in positional warfare.

A Five-Viscera Martial Artist was indeed known for having an impenetrable defense, but that was based on small-scale combat.

Pei Qingyun knew very well that the Li Family must possess the imperial forbidden weapon, the heavy crossbow.

A heavy crossbow or two, a Five-Viscera Martial Artist might not fear.

But if there were some Five-Viscera Martial Artists pinning him down, and dozens of heavy crossbows fired simultaneously, even Pei Qingyun, who was at the Late Stage of Five Viscera, would not dare to withstand their edge.

Compared to this, the operation to wipe out the Wang Family rebels was much easier.

On one hand, it was because the strength of the Wang Family rebels was far inferior to the Li Family, and on the other hand, the Wang Family rebels did not have forbidden weapons in their hands.

At the same time, the two families launched a surprise attack, catching the opponent off guard.

Otherwise, the two families could not have taken down the Wang Family rebels with such low casualties.

After thinking for a moment, Pei Qingyun decided to first scout the distribution of the Li Family's troops, and then decide which position to use as the Breakthrough point for the Li Family.

Just as the Pei Family was acting to attack the Li Family, the Wang Family was also actively responding.

...

Seven days passed in a flash.

During this time, Wuyang County was peaceful, and even the public opinion regarding the medicinal garden matter gradually faded; there was peace in the city.

Only a few people knew that beneath the calm of Wuyang County, there were surging undercurrents.

Dozens of miles away, Nanling Town.

Yunlai Inn.

After seven days, Pei Qingyun had completed the final clearing of the Demons.

In these few days, Pei Qingyun did not gain much.

But fortunately, his luck was good, and he encountered another Tier 3 Demon.

This also made his demon spirit pearl count increase by one.

Besides this, Pei Qingyun also personally met with Chen Yuanba.

Regarding what happened in the city, Chen Yuanba did not mention a word.

He only thanked the Pei Family for their contribution in this Calamity of Demons operation.

And the relationship between the two also became closer following this Calamity of Demons operation.

But Pei Qingyun knew very well that it was impossible for Chen Yuanba not to have noticed the Pei Family's intentions.

Two Five-Viscera Martial Artists, and one of them was at the Late Stage of Five Viscera.

Furthermore, during this time, the Wang and Li families had been making constant small moves.

With the intelligence gathering capability of the Evil Suppression Bureau, how could they not have noticed?

Chen Yuanba not saying anything, on the contrary, showed a kind of attitude.

That was tacitly approving of the Pei Family's actions.

This surprised Pei Qingyun a little.

But upon thinking of the things that had happened during this time, he also realized it.

Chen Yuanba was intentionally trying to be on good terms with him.

Admittedly, this matter was not under the jurisdiction of the Evil Suppression Bureau.

But he still appreciated Chen Yuanba's good intentions.

"It is time to go back." Taking one last look at Yunlai Inn, Pei Qingyun also set off on his return journey.