At the Earl's command, the Earl's Manor dispatched dozens of groups to loudly announce Jin MuLan's marriage throughout the city. Wedding invitations were also sent far and wide, inviting Xuanwu City's prominent figures to attend that night's wedding.
In an instant, all of Xuanwu City boiled over. Countless outstanding young men beat their chests and stamped their feet, feeling as though life was no longer worth living.
She was the Earl's beloved daughter—of noble status, formidable in Martial Arts, devastatingly beautiful, with a devilish figure.
She was a true Goddess-level woman, even the number one Goddess of all Nujiang Prefecture, secretly adored by countless people.
Xu Qianqian, born into wealth, needed to build up her fame everywhere and cultivate herself into a celebrated lady of Nujiang Prefecture.
Yet Jin MuLan rarely showed herself in public. Being called a celebrated lady was praise for Xu Qianqian, but for Jin MuLan, it was outright humiliation.
She was the daughter of a great aristocratic house with a century of heritage. What celebrated lady? You're the celebrated lady. Your whole family is celebrated ladies.
Xu Qianqian had many suitors. Jin MuLan was even more beautiful, with an even more fiery figure, yet not a single young man in Xuanwu City dared pursue her.
They felt too lowly and crude! Everyone believed that a peerless beauty of Jin MuLan's status should at the very least marry into a Marquis's household.
Every man in Xuanwu City could only gaze at her from afar, beyond all hope of reaching her, and fantasize about her in his heart.
Who would have thought that Xuanwu City's Princess was actually getting married? It was truly terrible news.
We may be unworthy of reaching for a Goddess like her, but you can't get married either! It would be best if you never married for your entire life.
That day, countless young men in Xuanwu City drank themselves senseless and slashed wildly with their swords.
"Who is it? Which man is marrying my Princess? I'll kill him! Kill him!"
"Goddess, how could you do this? How could you get married? You've betrayed us!"
Yet those in Xuanwu City with even a little prestige and power caught the scent of something strange.
Who was the Earl's daughter, Jin MuLan, marrying? The invitation did not name the groom, and there had never been any word of it beforehand.
Even stranger, the wedding was being held that very night. It was far too rushed.
The weddings of such century-old aristocratic families were always grand and cumbersome. First, an important dignitary would lead a delegation to propose marriage. Only after both sides agreed would they become engaged.
After the engagement, the two families would exchange gifts several times, hold several great banquets, and go on several hunts. This was to let everyone in aristocratic circles know that the two families were about to form a marriage alliance.
Then, both sides would wait for the Monarch's blessing.
Under normal circumstances, the Monarch was always happy to add flowers to brocade. Not only would he send his blessings, he would also bestow gifts upon both sides.
After receiving the Monarch's blessing, they would ask sorcerers and astronomers to calculate an auspicious day suited to both families before finally holding the wedding ceremony.
After all that fuss, the grand wedding would not take place until at least half a year or a year later.
How could anyone announce a marriage and get married on the same day? It was utterly improper.
At that moment, everyone in the Earl's Manor was also preparing for that night's wedding.
Countless foods, fruits, and fine wines were being readied. The entire estate and castle were decorated with lanterns and colored banners. Every servant received a reward and a new set of clothes, while even all the horses and hunting hounds were given extra food.
Though it was rushed, and though they were taking in a Live-in Son-in-Law, the wedding had to be grand, because it was a performance for the Zhu Family to see.
Although Shen Lang was the male lead of this wedding, it was as though none of it had anything to do with him. In his guest room, he simply ate, slept, then ate again after waking.
Because the invitations did not name the groom, this wedding had nothing to do with Tian Heng either.
Though he was an underworld boss who ran rampant in one area, the Xuanwu Earl's Manor was beyond his reach. He had basically no chance of attending the wedding.
Of course, as the Militia Leader of Xuanwu City, he would certainly send a congratulatory gift. Whether the Earl's Manor would accept it, however, was another matter.
Tian Heng did not care much about that, because the person behind him was not in the same camp as the Xuanwu Earl.
He was actually quite grateful to Shen Lang. Originally, the Xu Family had only been willing to pay him one hundred gold coins, but after Shen Lang came up with that new formula for Golden Yellow Dye, everything changed, and he received more than a thousand gold coins.
Not only had the Xu Family paid him gold, but the Lin Family of Brocade Pavilion had also given him five hundred gold coins in gratitude.
That was because the Lin Family and Xu Family had joined forces. Whether it was Lin Mo's son's Martial Examination or his appointment after the examination, he would receive enormous benefits.
Therefore, the Lin Family also had to thank Tian Heng.
Shen Lang had created a new formula for Golden Yellow Dye. It was an enormous profit, and the three factions had joined hands to kill Shen Lang and then gorge themselves on the gains.
The dirty work that followed fell to Tian Heng!
After sending Tian Shisan to wipe out Shen Lang's entire family, Tian Heng never gave the matter another thought.
Shen Lang was nothing more than an ant. He was not worth Tian Heng's concern.
To demonstrate his position, Tian Shisan, an assassin from the Black Clothes Gang, brought over a dozen men to Maple Leaf Village and surrounded Shen Lang's dilapidated house from both front and back.
Looking at the crumbling earthen walls, Tian Shisan sighed inwardly. "Weakness is the original sin!"
Then he gave a light wave of his hand. "By order of the City Lord, Shen Wan's family concealed farmland and evaded taxes. Arrest them immediately. Any who resist shall be killed without mercy!"
"Move!"
At Tian Shisan's command, the Black Clothes Gang warriors, dressed in Xuanwu City Militia uniforms, drew their blades and charged into Shen Lang's home.
Although they were a gang, they were quite particular about how they did things. They would not simply rush inside and slaughter everyone. Instead, they would arrest the entire family under an official pretext. By then, Shen Lang would have no choice but to hand over the formulas for Purple Dye and Rainbow Color Dye.
Of course, even if Shen Lang was willing to hand them over, his family would still not escape disaster.
This underworld boss truly had an official identity. Every warrior under him held an identity as part of the Xuanwu City Militia, and Tian Shisan genuinely carried an arrest warrant in his hands. All of this was legal.
Bang! Bang...
Shen Lang's front door was too frail to withstand the assault and flew straight off.
But after they rushed through the door, the sight before them left Tian Shisan somewhat stunned.
There was no panic, no screaming.
Shen Lang's father lay on the bed, coughing while holding a firewood cleaver.
Shen Lang's mother stood before the bed with a kitchen knife in her hand, while Shen Lang's Younger Brother abruptly sat up, gripping a newly made crutch.
None of the three begged for mercy. They merely stared coldly at the Black Clothes Gang warriors.
Shen Lang was not home, so their weak point was absent. Instead, they seemed utterly fearless.
Seeing this, Tian Shisan paused slightly, then smiled. "Old sir, what are you doing?"
As he spoke, he drew an iron ruler and walked toward Shen Lang's father, the smile on his face still so warm and intimate.
Shen Lang was not home, but Tian Shisan did not care. As long as he captured this family, Shen Lang would certainly show himself. Even with wings, he would not be able to fly away.
Shen Lang's father said, "We're useless people anyway. It doesn't matter."
Tian Shisan said, "So you intend to resist arrest with a blade? That is tantamount to rebellion. Then I'm afraid this nephew can only act."
With that, his iron ruler lightly swung toward Shen Lang's father's arm.
If that strike landed, Shen Lang's father's arm would certainly be shattered and broken.
At the same time, Tian Shisan's warriors lunged toward Shen Lang's mother and Younger Brother.
Just then, Tian Shisan suddenly felt every hair on his back stand on end. He spun around sharply, only to discover a figure standing outside Shen Lang's door.
An utterly ordinary middle-aged man, not even holding a blade, yet the aura around him made Tian Shisan feel as though thorns were pricking his back.
This was an expert.
"By order of the City Lord, we are arresting those who concealed farmland and evaded taxes. All uninvolved parties, leave immediately!" Tian Shisan shouted.
The person outside Shen Lang's home was Jin Zhong, a retainer of the Earl's Manor. He had actually arrived long ago, but had deliberately waited until Tian Shisan broke through the door before appearing. This was the shrewdness with which he handled matters.
After hearing Tian Shisan's words, Jin Zhong said, "Oh, ordinarily we should not interfere with business conducted by the City Lord's Manor. However, my master has invited Mr. Shen's family to attend the wedding. If I fail to bring them back, I cannot answer to my master. Could you perhaps accommodate us?"
The moment those words were spoken, Tian Shisan sensed that something was wrong, because the other man was polite and composed.
He had seen too many people and killed too many people. He knew all too well that the more powerful someone's background, the calmer they were. Those without backing, on the other hand, loved to make fierce threats and put on a bold front.
Tian Shisan said, "May I ask who you are, sir?"
If the other party truly had a great background, he would need to consider matters carefully. But if the other party was nobody important, then Tian Shisan could not be blamed for being ruthless. After all, he was acting in the name of the authorities.
"Jin Zhong," the middle-aged man said.
The moment Tian Shisan heard that name, his expression changed.
He had heard of it! Naturally, Jin Zhong was not a great figure, nor was he particularly capable within the Xuanwu Earl's Manor. But in Tian Heng's dictionary, he was someone who absolutely could not be provoked, because he was the Earl's trusted personal servant.
Even more terrifying was the master behind him: Xuanwu Earl Jin Zhuo.
Tian Shisan felt his breathing grow heavier. Cold sweat seeped down his back in waves, and even his hairs stood upright one by one.
He forced himself to calm down and asked, "Your master invited Shen Lang's parents to attend the wedding?"
"Yes," Jin Zhong replied blandly.
Tian Shisan immediately recalled Shen Lang's handsome face. After they parted at dawn yesterday, Shen Lang had vanished.
Who would have thought that Shen Lang had actually latched onto the Earl's Manor? Things had gone terribly wrong.
Having spent years licking blood from the edge of a blade, Tian Shisan immediately sensed danger. He still did not know how close Shen Lang's relationship with the Earl's Manor was.
Please don't let it be too close. Otherwise, I'll be in enormous trouble.
Note: Brothers, I beg for recommendation votes! I'm working hard at writing.
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