Chapter 80 - 79: What Kind of Young Man Isn’t Arrogant?
Sun Tiancheng and the other three felt they had already made a huge compromise.
When had they ever been so proactive and courteous to a new Guardian Envoy?
In all these years, only Chen Yuan had received such treatment.
But in Chen Yuan’s eyes, these four families were utterly clueless.
They acted like local tyrants, relying on the fact that past Guardian Envoys had always sought stability and were never assertive. They thought they ran Linyuan City.
’And they expect me to play by their rules? As if they’re worthy!’
Seeing the "precious" gifts swept to the floor, the most hot-tempered of the four, Patriarch Wei Jisheng of the Wei Family, exploded with rage.
He was tall and sturdy, a full eight feet in height, with a fierce face and a thick, wiry beard. He looked less like a Patriarch and more like a mountain bandit.
"Chen Tian, what is the meaning of this!? We came in good faith. Don’t be so shameless!"
Chen Yuan watched Wei Jisheng with a smirk. "And if I choose to be shameless? Is Patriarch Wei planning to kill me and replace me with another Guardian Envoy? My, you’re truly impressive. More impressive than Lord Feng of the White Tiger Hall, more impressive even than the Grand Commandant of the Zhenwu Hall!"
Sun Tiancheng stood up, holding Wei Jisheng back. He stared at Chen Yuan. "Lord Chen, we can discuss anything peacefully. If you don’t want to follow our rules, then what is it that you want?"
"It’s not about what I want. It’s that you will all follow *my* rules. As long as I am in Linyuan City, I am the only one who calls the shots here."
Chen Yuan pointed to himself and said flatly, "I don’t care what businesses you run in the shadows. But my men will be stationed within your four families to audit your books. All profits will be split seventy-thirty."
Sun Tiancheng was so angry he laughed. "Lord Chen, you have quite an appetite! How could we possibly open our family business ledgers to you?
And you do nothing, yet demand thirty percent right off the bat. By what right? Aren’t you afraid you’ll choke on your own greed?"
Chen Yuan shook his head gently. "First, it’s not that I do nothing. As long as I don’t interfere, your businesses can grow even larger.
Also, you’ve misunderstood one thing. I take seventy percent. You keep thirty."
At these words, Sun Tiancheng was so furious he could only laugh.
He considered himself a man of great composure, but Chen Yuan’s sheer arrogance still managed to infuriate him.
"Fine, fine! Since Lord Chen is so insatiably greedy, there’s nothing more to discuss."
Sun Tiancheng flicked his sleeve and turned to leave.
Seeing this, Yang Lin and Qiao Haiduan immediately followed Sun Tiancheng out.
Wei Jisheng looked at Chen Yuan, a cold sneer on his lips. "So young, yet you don’t know the immensity of heaven and earth. Do you really think just because the Zhenwu Hall made you Guardian Envoy, you get to call the shots in Linyuan City?
When the Court ruled Linyuan City, the rules here were set by our four families.
Now that the Zhenwu Hall is in charge of Linyuan City, the rules here are *still* set by our four families.
If you can keep your position as Guardian Envoy for a full month, I, Wei Jisheng, will take your surname!"
With that, Wei Jisheng also flicked his sleeve and stormed out.
As for the gifts Chen Yuan had swept to the ground, no one bothered to pick them up.
Their families weren’t short on such things. The gifts were merely a way to express their stance.
After the four had left, Chen Yuan tapped his fingers lightly on the table, a cold glint in his eyes.
He had intended for today’s meeting to be a test of the four families’ attitudes.
’It seems they’re quite confident.’
’I just don’t know if it’s true arrogance or if they have something else to back it up.’
The business of these four families was actually quite simple to understand: smuggling goods to the Grassland.
If a newly risen Sect like Qingyang Palace could get involved in smuggling, it was even more certain for the four great families of Linyuan City.
Chen Yuan didn’t mind this kind of business in the slightest.
What he minded was that the business wasn’t under his control.
Just then, Lu Wenxing cautiously pushed the door open. Seeing the scene inside, he couldn’t help but think that things had gone poorly.
’Did the negotiations fall apart?’
Chen Yuan beckoned for Lu Wenxing to come over.
"Old Lu, have the four families of Linyuan City always been this arrogant? To the point of claiming they can decide whether a Guardian Envoy stays or goes?"
Lu Wenxing chose his words carefully. "They are arrogant, yes, but most of the time, they are willing to make money peacefully. The premise, however, is that the Guardian Envoy must cooperate with them. If so, they’ll pay their taxes on time, and everyone can maintain appearances.
But if the Guardian Envoy doesn’t cooperate, the four families will unite against the Garrison Mansion and refuse to pay taxes.
Between them, the four families have at least four Martial Artists at the Sea of Reincarnation Realm. The Garrison Mansion can’t win if it comes to a direct confrontation.
And that’s just what’s on the surface. Secretly, they first bribe the Inspector, then use the Inspector’s connections to bribe the Hall Master and slander the Guardian Envoy.
The Hall Master... well, you know the Hall Master’s way of doing things, my lord.
When that happens, the Guardian Envoy can’t collect taxes, Linyuan City falls into chaos, and the Hall Master will surely punish the envoy severely and have them transferred away from Linyuan City.
Then, the new Guardian Envoy, having learned from their predecessor’s lesson, naturally wouldn’t dare to be forceful with the four families and would have no choice but to play by their rules."
Chen Yuan nodded in understanding.
’These families aren’t completely brainless. Instead of open confrontation, they use underhanded methods to solve the problem from the very top.’
’But I can’t be bothered to play their underhanded games.’
’Schemes and plots are only for those who lack strength.’
’When one has enough strength, the fastest way to solve a problem is always to cut it down with a single strike, shattering every obstacle in your path!’
"Old Lu, if we were to make a move on these four families, can the White Tiger Guards in the Garrison Mansion be trusted?"
Lu Wenxing was startled, then replied, "Most of them can be trusted. The White Tiger Guards are on a rotation system, so most of them aren’t locals.
Among the Captains, none of us have accepted anything from the four families—of course, that’s also because they look down on us. Only Huo Tianying was on good terms with them."
"Gather the White Tiger Guards you trust. Tonight, we surround and annihilate the Wei Family in the south of the city!"
Wei Jisheng had said he wouldn’t last a month as Guardian Envoy, but Chen Yuan was in no mood to dally with him for that long.
Since he was the most outrageous, he would be the one made an example of tonight.
"Yes, my lord!"
Lu Wenxing hurried out to make the arrangements.
At the same time, he thought to himself, ’This lord’s killing intent is truly heavy.’
’He had just taken office and he’d already wiped out Qingyang Palace. Now he’s targeting the Wei Family.’
’The four families are trying to fight Lord Chen with their old tricks. I’m afraid they’ve picked the wrong target.’
’When this man strikes, it’s like a sharp blade—always direct, cutting through every obstacle.’
Meanwhile, after leaving the Garrison Mansion, Sun Tiancheng and the other three went directly back to the Sun Family estate.
Among the four great families of Linyuan City, the Sun Family had always been the leader.
The old master of the Sun Family was over a hundred years old. The last time a Guardian Envoy was driven away, it had been the old master’s personal doing.
His prestige was undeniable, so the other three families naturally deferred to his leadership.
At this moment, the Sun Family residence was bustling with activity. Servants were cleaning everywhere, hanging gold-and-red streamers, glazed lanterns, and other decorations.
In two days, it would be the Sun Family’s Ancestor’s 106th birthday. It was a very auspicious date, so the Sun Family was preparing a grand celebration.
Inside the Sun Family’s main hall, the family’s Ancestor, Sun Shaoqiu, was fiddling with a string of Prayer Beads as he listened to Sun Tiancheng and two of the other patriarchs report on the day’s meeting.
Sun Shaoqiu’s hair and beard were completely white, but his face was ruddy and his posture was not stooped, giving him the hale appearance of a much younger man.
After Sun Tiancheng finished, Wei Jisheng added with a huff, "That snot-nosed brat! He really thinks wiping out Qingyang Palace gives him the right to be arrogant in front of us. And now he wants to meddle in our four families’ business? He truly doesn’t know life from death!
Ancestor, you must give the order this time. We have to get rid of this kid, or what will become of our four families’ reputation?"
Sun Shaoqiu chuckled. "If a young man isn’t full of vigor and arrogance, can he still be called a young man?
He became the Guardian Envoy of a city in his twenties, and he even Slew a Reincarnation Sea expert while at the Qi Casting Realm. A character like that would be considered a prodigy anywhere in the Jianghu.
What were you and I doing in our twenties? Could we compare to him? If this old man had his cultivation and status in my twenties, I would have been even more arrogant than him, believe it or not."
Wei Jisheng said, dissatisfied, "Ancestor, why are you praising him and deflating our own morale? Are you saying we should just tolerate this?"
"Of course we can’t tolerate it. For our four families, this is about more than just business. How could we let the Zhenwu Hall send someone to ’inspect’ us?"
Sun Shaoqiu said calmly, "Let the young man be arrogant. He’ll only learn and grow after suffering a loss, wouldn’t you say?
However, for someone so young to become a Guardian Envoy, it’s likely not just due to his formidable strength. He probably has some backing. It’s best not to make a mortal enemy of him.
I heard he killed Huo Tianying as soon as he took office. In that case, take some money to Qi Yuanming. Have the Inspector put in some effort with the Hall Master to get this one transferred away. Tell him our four families will cover all expenses.
Let’s not use the tax-resistance trick for now. If we make too big of a scene, it’ll be ugly for everyone. It’s better to just have him ’invited’ to leave."
Everyone present nodded, feeling that Sun Shaoqiu was indeed wise and prudent.
Although they were also furious at Chen Yuan’s arrogance, Ning Province was, after all, Zhenwu Hall’s territory. Making too much of a fuss was never a good idea.
Wei Jisheng snorted coldly twice. "That brat is getting off easy!"
Sun Shaoqiu chuckled. "Xiaowei, you’re a Patriarch now. Don’t be as hot-headed as you were in your youth.
When you were young, you ventured out and made many friends in the Jianghu, but how many of them are still alive today?
The battles of the Jianghu are brutal, but as the head of a family, you must prioritize stability in all things.
Alright, in two days it will be my birthday. Everyone come and have a good time. This is just a small setback; don’t take it to heart."
Wei Jisheng smiled and cupped his hands. "Rest assured, Ancestor. I’ve had your gift prepared for a long time. I guarantee you’ll have a very happy birthday!"
The group chatted and laughed, none of them taking the matter too seriously.
The previous Guardian Envoy had been even more arrogant than Chen Yuan. And what happened to him? Didn’t he just slink away in defeat?
Sun Shaoqiu had them stay for a meal, after which everyone went their separate ways.