Chapter 114 - 113: Trumped-Up Charges
Yang Zhicai had guessed correctly; Chen Yuan was indeed making a show of force.
Qi Yuanming had controlled Kaiping Prefecture for a long time, and Chen Yuan already held a grudge against him. As a newcomer, there would inevitably be those who refused to accept his authority.
Of course, Chen Yuan didn’t need their willing submission. He only needed their obedience.
But if they couldn’t even manage to be obedient, then death was their only option.
Spurred on by the public execution, the White Tiger Guards of Kaiping Prefecture assembled with incredible speed.
Those below the Blood Movement Realm were ordered by Chen Yuan to remain in Kaiping Prefecture, while the several hundred at or above the Blood Movement Realm made straight for the Flying Horse Pavilion.
Meanwhile, Chen Yuan had also instructed the Guan Family to take action.
The Guan father and son, along with a hundred of their Guests, were already waiting halfway. Only after the two forces converged did the Kaiping Prefecture Captains have a startling realization: the Guan Family was allied with them.
If that Captain had known the Guan Family would side with Zhenwu Hall, he might not have spoken out. Now, he had died for nothing.
Still, it was common knowledge that he was close to the Xu Family, so it seemed Lord Chen hadn’t wronged him by executing him.
The Guan Family’s Celestial Star Ranch was located near the Grassland. The Xu Family’s Flying Horse Pavilion, however, did not raise its own horses and was situated closer to Kaiping Prefecture—a massive manor built just outside the city walls.
Inside the manor, Xu Yuanshao and his son were hosting a banquet for an elderly, white-robed man in his sixties.
Had Chen Yuan been present, he would have instantly recognized the man. The white-robed elder was none other than Uncle Wu, the one who had rescued Zuo Feiyu from him before.
Uncle Wu’s true name was Wu Youqing, and his moniker was the ’Celestial Flame Sword’.
He had been an Honored Guest Elder back when the Nine Swords Alliance was still known as Cyan Blade Manor. He was also a good friend of Zuo Tianyuan and an elder who had watched Zuo Feiyu grow up. As such, his standing within the Nine Swords Alliance was exceptionally high.
The Nine Swords Alliance took the Xu Family’s plan to annex the Guan Family very seriously, which was why they had specifically sent Uncle Wu to oversee matters.
"Elder Wu, are those Ghost Owl Thieves truly reliable? Can they eliminate Guan Yingxing?"
Xu Yuanshao poured Wu Youqing a cup of wine, his heart still fraught with anxiety.
He had been plotting to take over the Celestial Star Ranch for a long time, but now that the plan was finally in motion, he couldn’t help but feel a lingering sense of unease.
If the plan succeeded, all would be well. But if it failed, his reputation in the Jianghu of Ning Province would be in tatters.
Besides, after a complete falling-out with the Guan Family, where else could he procure so many high-quality warhorses?
Without horses, could the Flying Horse Pavilion even call itself the Flying Horse Pavilion anymore?
Wu Youqing offered a faint, unreadable smile. "What’s this? Is Pavilion Master Xu having second thoughts?"
Xu Yuanshao shook his head. "Of course not. The Guan Family holds the Celestial Star Ranch, yet they’re stubborn, conservative, and lack ambition. They’re incapable of greatness."
"Leaving such a foundation in their hands is a waste. As the saying goes, ’He who spurns a gift from heaven will instead be cursed by it.’"
"’I even threw my own daughter into that fiery pit. How could I possibly have regrets?’"
"’It’s just... now that the moment is upon us, a little anxiety is inevitable.’"
"’Rest assured, Pavilion Master Xu. I chose the Ghost Owl Thieves myself. They may be a cruel and vicious band of brigands, but they are certainly capable.’"
"’That Sha Tianwei is quite skilled. His Saber Technique is superb; in an army, he would be a valiant commander.’"
"’As long as your intelligence is accurate, Pavilion Master Xu, Guan Yingxing and his men are as good as dead!’"
Xu Yuanshao let out a long sigh of relief and raised his cup to Wu Youqing. "Your words have put my mind at ease, Elder Wu."
"As long as the Nine Swords Alliance helps my family absorb the Celestial Star Ranch, then when Alliance Leader Zuo issues a call to arms in the future, the Xu Family will be the first to join the Nine Swords Alliance and rally to his cause!"
Wu Youqing also raised his cup, a smile spreading across his face.
The Guan and Xu Families were both well-known throughout Ning Province, and the warhorse trade between the Celestial Star Ranch and the Flying Horse Pavilion was a veritable gold mine.
The Guan Family, however, was far too timid and cautious, utterly lacking ambition. They had completely shunned the Nine Swords Alliance’s friendly overtures.
As it happened, their own young master was good friends with Xu Tianxing of the Xu Family, so of course the Nine Swords Alliance would help them swallow the Guan Family.
Once the two families were merged into one and joined the alliance, the Nine Swords Alliance’s own power and influence would skyrocket.
Just as the two were about to touch glasses, a Xu Family servant burst in, shouting, "Pavilion Master, this is bad! The Guan father and son, along with men from Kaiping Prefecture’s Zhenwu Hall, have surrounded the Flying Horse Pavilion!"
Xu Yuanshao’s hand trembled. He lost control of his strength, and the wine cup in his grasp shattered into powder.
Wu Youqing’s expression shifted.
’How could something that was a sure thing go so wrong?’
’And why is Zhenwu Hall involved?’
Wu Youqing took a deep breath and said to Xu Yuanshao, "Don’t panic, Pavilion Master Xu. I hired the Ghost Owl Thieves through an intermediary. Even if they capture every last one of them alive, they won’t be able to get anything out of them."
"’The fact that Zhenwu Hall is at our gates is strange. Let’s go out and assess the situation first.’"
Outside the Flying Horse Pavilion, hundreds of Kaiping Prefecture’s White Tiger Guards and Celestial Star Ranch’s Guests had surrounded the Xu estate, sealing it off completely.
Xu Yuanshao and his son went out first with their men, while Wu Youqing remained hidden inside the manor for the time being.
He was, after all, a member of the Nine Swords Alliance. It wouldn’t do to reveal himself until the situation became clear.
"Brother Guan, what is the meaning of this? Why have you joined forces with Zhenwu Hall to surround my Flying Horse Pavilion?"
"’If we have a disagreement, can’t we discuss it privately amongst ourselves? Why must you air our dirty laundry for outsiders to laugh at?’"
Xu Yuanshao, who had been panicked just moments before, composed himself the instant he stepped outside. He looked at Guan Zhenshan, his face a mask of bewilderment and grievance.
Guan Zhenshan, in contrast, stared fixedly at Xu Yuanshao.
Their families had been allies for generations. He and Xu Yuanshao were sworn brothers; they had practically grown up together.
He had never been as quick-witted as Xu Yuanshao, even as a child. When they used to sneak things from their family homes, it was always Xu Yuanshao giving the orders.
As an adult, he took over the Celestial Star Ranch and focused on raising horses, harboring no great ambitions.
He even knew that Xu Yuanshao was making astonishing profits selling horses to the Central Plains. And though he only received a small fraction of it, he never made an issue of it with him.
After all, it was Xu Yuanshao who had established the trade routes. The Flying Horse Pavilion’s ability to sell horses at such high prices was a testament to their skill, and he had no reason to be envious.
He just couldn’t understand. He had been so accommodating, so why was Xu Yuanshao still trying to annihilate him?
"’Amongst ourselves?’"
Guan Zhenshan sneered. "I wouldn’t dare call the Xu Family my own. Do that, and it’s only a matter of time before you devour us whole!"
"’You’re disappointed to see Yingxing alive, aren’t you?’"
Xu Yuanshao frowned. "What about Yingxing? He’s my son-in-law. Why would I ever wish for him to die?"
Guan Zhenshan’s voice was grim. "Don’t bother with the excuses. Your daughter has already taken her own life with poison."
"’Xu Yuanshao, Xu Yuanshao... you truly are a ruthless man.’"
"’To seize my Celestial Star Ranch, you sent your own daughter into my home to plot against my family.’"
"’You must have known what would happen to her if she was discovered. You really are cruel enough to sacrifice your own family.’"
Upon hearing that his daughter was dead, the look of aggrieved confusion on Xu Yuanshao’s face vanished completely.
’My daughter is dead. That means the Xu Family’s plot has been completely exposed. There’s no point in pretending anymore.’
Xu Yuanshao didn’t even have a moment to grieve for his daughter.
’He was merely puzzled. For so many years, the Guan Family had never found a single clue.’
’Guan Yingxing had even begun to suspect that his own inability to produce an heir was his fault. Why was everything suddenly exposed today?’
Xu Yuanshao abruptly shifted his gaze to Chen Yuan and said in a low voice, "You must be the new Inspector of Kaiping Prefecture, Lord Chen?"
"’It’s natural for the Guan Family to seek revenge, but when has my Flying Horse Pavilion ever offended you, Lord Chen, or the Zhenwu Hall?’"
"’If the Guan Family hired you, whatever they’re offering, the Xu Family will double it!’"
Xu Yuanshao had completely dropped the pretense. A falling-out with the Guan Family was one thing, but with the addition of so many of Zhenwu Hall’s White Tiger Guards, his family was facing a genuine risk of annihilation.
He believed he had never done anything to provoke Zhenwu Hall, so he assumed Guan Zhenshan must have paid a hefty price to hire Chen Yuan’s help.
"Xu Yuanshao, you have some nerve, trying to bribe me in public!"
Chen Yuan sneered. "Your Flying Horse Pavilion openly smuggles contraband to the Grassland, a grave offense against Zhenwu Hall. If I don’t destroy the Flying Horse Pavilion today, what will become of Zhenwu Hall’s authority?"
Xu Yuanshao hadn’t shown anger when he learned of his daughter’s death, but Chen Yuan’s accusation truly enraged him.
"A trumped-up charge! Utter nonsense!"
Xu Yuanshao roared, "My Flying Horse Pavilion rakes in a fortune daily! Why would we need to resort to smuggling?"
The Flying Horse Pavilion sells horses from the Celestial Star Ranch to the Central Plains, flipping them for as much as ten times the price!
With profits like that, why would he need to smuggle? Chen Yuan’s words were a direct insult to the Flying Horse Pavilion.
Chen Yuan said coolly, "No one ever has too much money. Xu Yuanshao, you’re a man who would devour the livelihood of his own sworn brother. A man that depraved—is there anything you wouldn’t do?"
"’And you can call out the man from the Nine Swords Alliance now. No more hiding in the shadows.’"
At the mention of the Nine Swords Alliance, Xu Yuanshao’s expression changed instantly.
Seeing that his presence was known, Wu Youqing stopped hiding and strode out from the manor.
Wu Youqing stared at Chen Yuan and let out a long breath. "I never imagined it would be you who would ruin the Nine Swords Alliance’s grand plans today!"
"’Back then, I should have pursued you and used every means at my disposal to kill you!’"
At that moment, Wu Youqing’s heart was filled with boundless regret.
He could never have imagined that the Independent Martial Artist Zuo Feiyu had been hunting would now be a Zhenwu Hall Inspector, in command of an entire prefecture!
Within Zhenwu Hall, an Inspector was considered a key figure, a pillar of the organization. With a thousand Guards under his command, his power was considerable.
Offending an Independent Martial Artist was a trivial matter, but offending a Zhenwu Hall Inspector was a major problem.
But who could have predicted that in just a few short months, this Chen Tian could rise from a mere Independent Martial Artist to an Inspector of Zhenwu Hall?
’Since when were promotions within Zhenwu Hall so rapid?’
Chen Yuan, for his part, hadn’t expected the Nine Swords Alliance to send such an old acquaintance.
"It wasn’t that you didn’t want to kill me," Chen Yuan said. "You just didn’t dare."
Wu Youqing fell silent.
He had been forced to retreat by the aura of the Corpse Tower Forest that Chen Yuan had unleashed. He truly hadn’t dared to press the pursuit.
Back then, Chen Yuan was just an Independent Martial Artist, while he was a Condensing Truth Realm master of the Nine Swords Alliance. A life-or-death battle with him simply wasn’t worth the risk, especially with Zuo Feiyu so gravely injured.
Taking a deep breath, Wu Youqing said in a low voice, "The young master misjudged you back then, as did I."
"’For a mere Independent Martial Artist to become an Inspector of Zhenwu Hall... you are truly no ordinary man.’"
"’Let’s negotiate. What will it take for you to spare the Xu Family?’"