Chapter Ninety-Six
In the main hall of the Jiang Mansion, the silence was so profound that a needle could be heard dropping. The remaining seven branch hall masters seated below stared blankly at Pei Lianxue, who held a sword.
Drip~~
A drop of bright red blood fell from the tip of the spirit sword to her feet.
Pei Lianxue looked at Hua Qinyu, who was in the main seat with her eyes rolled back. She immediately raised her spirit sword again, preparing to stab her two more times before hurrying to chase the man in black who had just escaped.
However, Ye Anping spoke up and interrupted, “Madam, there’s no need.”
“Um… oh.”
Pei Lianxue hesitated, nodded, and forcefully swung the spirit sword in her hand to her side.
Swish——
All the blood remaining on the sword was flung off, and then the spirit sword transformed into a beam of spiritual light and flew back into her storage bag.
Ye Anping walked to his junior sister’s side, took out a handkerchief, and helped her wipe the bloodied hand. He then glanced at Hua Qinyu’s condition. With her heart meridians severed by a sword, there was no possibility of survival.
Strictly speaking, it would have been best to deliver a finishing blow, but the fundamental purpose of letting his junior sister attack Hua Qinyu was not to kill her, but rather to establish his authority among the other hall masters of the Dragon Slaying Society as a “new official with three fires.”
Originally, Ye Anping had planned, if Hua Qinyu survived the sword strike from his junior sister, to say, “Given that you have followed my father for several decades, this young master will spare your life.”
Unfortunately, his junior sister was too powerful, and Hua Qinyu was truly too foolish.
Ye Anping turned to look at the humanoid backdoor his “Brother Liang” had created in the wall, sighed, and then turned to face the seven remaining hall masters in the main hall, cupping his hands in a salute.
“Hall Master Chen, Hall Master Xu… My father’s undertaking was cut short before its completion, and the powers in Du Chun City are now mixed. For the Dragon Slaying Society to continue, we must be united. Rewards and punishments should be fair and consistent. Following my father’s will, I have returned to the Jiang Mansion today. I fear I may not be able to fulfill his trust, and I request your guidance and assistance!!”
After speaking, Ye Anping bowed deeply, lowering his head in a salute.
At this moment, the seven people in the hall finally recovered their senses. They looked at Ye Anping, as if relieved of a great burden, and all nodded in response.
The man who looked like a scholar stood up and took the lead in cupping his hands in a salute to Ye Anping.
“We have followed Brother Jiang for decades, and we recognize the character ‘Jiang.’ Young Master, you are too modest.”
“Thank you, Hall Master Xu.”
Immediately, the others also stood up one after another, cupping their hands in salutes.
“This old woman Hua is treacherous. Today, let it be her blood sacrifice to Brother Jiang’s spirit in heaven.”
“Thank you, Hall Master Chen.”
“To be honest, Young Master Jiang, before you returned, I was constantly worried whether you could bear the burden of being the Young Master of the Dragon Slaying Society. But now it seems I was worrying needlessly. From now on, I will recognize you as the master of the Dragon Slaying Society.”
“Thank you, Hall Master Liu.”
“Young Master, I am clumsy with words, but I recognize you as the Young Master. Please accept my bow!!”
“Thank you…”
After thanking each of the hall masters, Ye Anping also put on a show of relief, letting out a long breath. He then gently took Pei Lianxue’s hand and said, “Allow me to introduce everyone, this young lady is Pei Lianxue. I met her while cultivating in the forest at the age of ten. I took the liberty of promising her a lifelong commitment. I had intended to bring her back to meet my father after reaching Foundation Establishment, but alas, my father left too suddenly… Sigh—”
Hall Master Xu nodded, then cupped his hands in a salute to Pei Lianxue. “Indeed, you are a match made in heaven. I deeply admire the sword skill you displayed earlier, Miss Pei…”
Hearing him say that he and his junior brother were a match made in heaven, Pei Lianxue’s eyes immediately lit up, and she quickly nodded in thanks.
“Mhmm…”
“Enough pleasantries,” Ye Anping interrupted. “When I returned, I did inquire, but I haven’t been home for seven or eight years, so I am not very familiar with the affairs in Du Chun City. Therefore, the work of the Dragon Slaying Society will temporarily remain as it is, maintained by all of you hall masters.”
He turned to look at Hua Qinyu, who lay on the main seat. After some thought, he said, “As for the herbs managed by the Seven Fragrance Hall, which was under Aunt Hua’s charge, it will be temporarily taken over by Hall Master Xu’s Spring Breeze Hall. Are there any objections?”
Everyone lowered their heads in silence, tacitly agreeing.
After waiting for a moment, Ye Anping nodded and gently waved his sleeve. “Then, everyone may return for now. I will invite all hall masters to the Jiang Mansion in a few days to discuss future matters.”
Everyone cupped their hands in agreement. Then, one of them glared at Hua Qinyu behind Ye Anping before leaving the main hall one after another.
After everyone had left, Ye Anping also loudly summoned several servants from the Jiang Mansion.
“You few, please bury Aunt Hua properly in the mass grave outside Du Chun City. Afterward, take some men to the Seven Fragrance Hall and move all the spirit stones from within the Seven Fragrance Hall back to the Jiang Mansion.”
Bury her properly in the mass grave?
The servants were stunned for a moment, not understanding how to bury her properly.
“…”
Ye Anping paid them no mind and continued, “Also, send someone to inform Aunt Hua’s maids and servants. If they wish to stay, they may. If they do not wish to stay, they will be given three hundred spirit stones and can leave. The Jiang Mansion will not trouble them.”
“Yes!”
Watching them carry Aunt Hua out of the main hall, Ye Anping finally breathed a heavy sigh of relief.
He couldn’t help but sigh:
Handling these “internal affairs” related to human relationships and social etiquette was truly troublesome and exhausting.
Logically speaking, such matters in a great family were usually handled by the wife.
It was no wonder that disciples of great families in this world would immediately marry a wife after reaching adulthood.
With a wife to share these matters, the husband could truly devote his heart and soul to the family business.
“Alas—”
Ye Anping sighed and suddenly wished to quickly marry a cultivation partner.
However, he couldn’t.
Let alone the fact that Hantian Kingdom was hundreds of thousands of li away and fraught with danger.
And if it were according to the game’s timeline, “Xiyue” should only be six and a half years old by now?
“…”
Seeing him sigh, Pei Lianxue pursed her lips and stepped forward, asking, “Husband, are you tired?”
“No, I just had a sudden burst of emotion,” Ye Anping said, looking at Pei Lianxue with a helpless smile. He then took her hand. “Let’s go, junior sister, we’ll go see our accommodations for tonight.”
Hearing this, Pei Lianxue was slightly stunned and frowned, retorting, “Aren’t we cultivation partners? What junior sister? You should call me Madam.”
Ye Anping was taken aback. This girl was really getting into character. He chuckled, “…There’s no one else listening right now. I called you Madam a few times earlier, but I found it more natural to call you junior sister.”
Pei Lianxue immediately became unhappy, raising her voice slightly to argue, “Madam!”
“Alright, Madam.”
“Mhmm, Husband.”
“How old are you? Still playing house.”
Pei Lianxue averted her gaze, pouted again, but then immediately smiled with pursed lips. “…I just like it, and you were the one who suggested it.”
“Fine, then your husband will play with you.”
Ye Anping shook his head and pulled her out of the main hall.
Ye Anping intended to explore the backyard of the Jiang Mansion and, at the same time, ask the servants and accountants of the Jiang Mansion if it would be necessary to sell the Jiang Mansion for spirit stones after the Chi Long Mansion incident.
However, as soon as he left the main hall and walked about thirty steps towards the backyard, he saw a man in black with a livid face standing by the lotus pond in the Jiang Mansion’s backyard.
His clothes were torn in several places, and it seemed that the “fake fall” earlier had been quite convincing.
Ye Anping was momentarily stunned and a little confused. He walked over with Pei Lianxue and proactively cupped his hands in greeting. “Brother Liang, you haven’t left yet?”
Hearing this greeting, Liang Zhu’s left eye twitched as if it were jumping.
Hummingmingming——
“…”
