23: Chapter 23 The Black Tiger Gang Invades!

"A bunch of scoundrels! Truly a bunch of scoundrels!"

Xiao Feng gripped the letter in his hand, his face ashen as a wave of desolation surged within his heart.

Reflecting on the past, when the ancestor of the Xiao Family was still alive, whether it was the friendly officials in the imperial court or that so-called close friend in Hongyan Prefecture, all of them had curried favor and flattered the Xiao Family to the utmost.

But ever since the ancestor offered a remonstrance with his death, advising the emperor not to embark on massive construction projects or recklessly build wonders, he had enraged the emperor and incurred the emperor's disgust.

Afterwards, those officials who used to cozy up to power and trim their sails according to the wind successively distanced themselves from the Xiao Family.

Only a few officials who cared for the common people and were loyal to the country understood the ancestor's painstaking efforts for the country and its people, and they still remembered their friendship.

After the ancestor passed away, only they still maintained contact with the Xiao Family.

Although the Xiao Family had lost power in the court, they still had a Foundation in commerce, and thus they frequently prepared generous gifts to interact with them.

In the past when they accepted gifts, their words sounded pleasant, but now when Xiao Feng truly needed help, not a single person was willing to lend a helping hand!

Looking at it now, it turned out they never cared about the country or the people at all!

Instead, they had taken a fancy to the commercial wealth of the Xiao Family, and that was why they used the ancestor's name to connect with the Xiao Family!

As for that young "close friend" who served as the Prefect in Hongyan Prefecture, Xiao Feng had originally thought their friendship was profound, but looking at it now, it was merely coveting the wealth of the Xiao Family.

Back then, this friend's Family background was impoverished with no books to read, and it was Xiao Feng who proactively lent books to him.

The travel expenses for this friend to go to the capital for the imperial examinations were also sponsored by the Xiao Family.

Who would have thought that when Xiao Feng asked him for help, he decisively drew a clear line between himself and him!

The reason was simply because among the spectators killed at Baiyun Martial Arts Hall, one of them was the grandson of the Commandant of Hongyan Prefecture!

That Commandant of Hongyan Prefecture was extremely profligate; he had married seven concubines alone, and his descendants were even more numerous.

Non-illegitimate children alone numbered as many as nine.

As for the Commandant's grandchildren, they were no less than thirty in number!

That grandson of the Commandant killed at Baiyun Martial Arts Hall was utterly unloved in the Family; otherwise, he wouldn't have left the main city of Hongyan Prefecture to come to a place like Qinghua County.

Yet this Prefect friend decisively chose to sever ties with Xiao Feng simply because of a tiny risk of a conflict with the Commandant!

This person was utterly heartless and ungrateful, completely unworthy of being a human!

A collateral relative of the Xiao Family saw Xiao Feng looking like this and knew that the close friend Prefect upon whom he had placed high hopes now held no hope whatsoever.

That collateral relative asked with a face full of worry:

"Clan Chief, what... what should we do now?!"

As this collateral relative spoke, the other collateral relatives also began to speak up one after another.

"A group of ungrateful wretches, all standing by with folded arms... Our Xiao Family... is probably powerless to help either."

"Clan Chief, we all know that Brother Qin saved the Young Master's life, but now to help him alone, the Family has already mobilized numerous connections. We have truly done all we humanly can, and it is hard to accomplish anything more. In this old man's view... why not just let Brother Qin be and leave it to fate!"

"Clan Chief, please discern clearly. Although Qin Muyuan has a grace of kindness toward the Xiao Family, the situation has reached this point, and we are utterly helpless. If we continue to forcibly protect him, I am afraid it will backfire and bring disaster upon the entire Family! The only way is to... temporarily wrong him."

Everyone in the Xiao Family sighed. That Qin Muyuan was simply too unbridled; not only had he slaughtered his way through the illustrious Baiyun Martial Arts Hall in Huoyun Country, but he had also killed the spectators inside the colosseum together.

This action was simply too extreme!

Even if the commoners outside were spreading rumors that Qin Muyuan was a great hero, saying that he held his sword with righteousness and his heroic spirit reached the heavens, but... heroic spirit couldn't be eaten as a meal!

A righteous and unrestrained person is a great hero, but great heroes don't live long!

Their Xiao Family ancestor had cared for the common people and offered a remonstrance with his death for the country, yet incurred the emperor's disgust, which was why the Xiao Family's status plummeted overnight.

The Xiao Family no longer wanted to repeat the same mistakes.

However, listening to the admonitions of everyone in the Xiao Family, Xiao Feng merely said with desolation:

"If we push Little Brother Qin out at this moment, then how are we of the Xiao Family any different from those sail-trimming, deception-practicing scoundrels in the imperial court?"

As soon as these words were spoken, everyone in the Xiao Family was instantly startled, successively lowering their heads in guilt, with not a single person daring to raise their heads.

When all was said and done, the ancestor of the Xiao Family dared to remonstrate directly with his death. Inspired by the ancestor and inheriting the ancestor's Bloodline, how could they, the younger generations of the Xiao Family, be people who busied themselves with petty, base gains?

"Father, let me go negotiate with Brother Qin."

Just at this moment, Xiao Chang's voice came out from the main hall.

Then he was seen taking a step forward, bowing toward Xiao Feng, and saying:

"Our Xiao Family has already done all we humanly can. Since we cannot provide shelter for Brother Qin, let us prepare silver and carriages so that Brother Qin can hide temporarily and flee for his life."

"Externally, our Xiao Family will claim that we have severed ties with Brother Qin and attempt to capture Brother Qin to give Baiyun Martial Arts Hall and that Commandant an explanation. It's just that Brother Qin's strength is too great, and with no other choice, we can only let him escape out of the Xiao Mansion."

"Things have come to this..." Hearing this, Xiao Feng sighed long again and said, "... That is the only way."

Seeing Xiao Feng agree, Xiao Chang bowed solemnly toward Xiao Feng once more.

Xiao Chang knew clearly in his heart that the Family had already tried its utmost, yet they were single-handed and weak, ultimately unable to turn the tide.

In the current situation, only he, the legitimate son of the Xiao Family who had once been rescued by Brother Qin, could personally go face Brother Qin and make things clear.

Even if he henceforth bore the infamy of "driving away a benefactor," Xiao Chang must "drive" Brother Qin out of the Xiao Mansion for the sake of the Family's survival.

"Rumble—!!"

However, before Xiao Chang could withdraw from the main hall and go to the side room to find Qin Muyuan,

he heard a sound like thunder explode within the Xiao Mansion.

And the direction was precisely where Qin Muyuan's side room was located!

After realizing this, the expressions of everyone inside the main hall of the Xiao Mansion changed, and they quickly rallied the guards within the Xiao Mansion, hurrying toward the side room where Qin Muyuan was.

...

Rustle!

A figure leaped over the high walls of the Xiao Mansion, brushing past the backs of the patrolling guards of the Xiao Mansion, and descended like a shadow into the courtyard of the side room where Qin Muyuan was.

This figure strolled leisurely in the courtyard, just like taking a spring outing in the suburbs, slowly walking toward the side room with its door tightly shut.

"Awooo!!!"

Before this figure could draw close, a low, whimpering roar suddenly came from within the side room.

This burst of low roaring instantly made the figure outside, who thought they hadn't been detected, pause in their steps.

"Humph! Where did some stray dog come from!"

With a cold snort, this figure no longer strolled leisurely, but instead raised a foot and directly kicked open the door of the side room.

The locked door was abruptly smashed open, slamming against the back wall with a bang!

This figure immediately burst into the side room, their gaze sweeping past Wangcai the wolf demon inside the side room, as well as Qin Muyuan, who had just exited the time acceleration state.

"Work is here?"

Qin Muyuan slowly opened his eyes and saw an old man only five feet tall, with a thief's eyebrows and rat's eyes, and a body as thin as a bamboo pole standing in front of his door.

"Qin Muyuan?" The old man's gaze carried coldness as he said coldly:

"You are the one who killed the hall master of our Black Tiger Gang?"