Tian Heng and Xu Family Head Panicked; Xu Qianqian Attended the Wedding

"Since it is the Earl's Manor asking for them, I naturally would not dare obstruct them. I will report this to the City Lord at once," Tian Shisan said.

Jin Zhong remained expressionless, yet his manner was still polite. "Thank you for the trouble."

"Men, carry Master Shen, Madam Shen, and Second Young Master Shen into the sedans," Jin Zhong ordered.

Only then did over a dozen warriors emerge from behind him. They carried no blades, but stretchers.

The Earl was deeply displeased with Shen Lang, but he held great respect for Shen Lang's parents. He had personally given these instructions.

Over a dozen warriors from the Earl's Manor carefully lifted Shen Lang's parents and younger brother onto the stretchers, then placed them inside the enormous sedans.

The sedans were so large that a person could even lie down inside.

Then six warriors carried the three sedans as though walking on level ground, the weight in their hands seeming as light as nothing. Without a word, they departed.

"Farewell," Jin Zhong said.

"Take care," Tian Shisan said with a bow.

From beginning to end, Jin Zhong had not uttered a single threat, because Tian Shisan's arrest had been entirely lawful in terms of procedure. He even had an arrest warrant from the City Lord's Manor.

Shen Lang's father had indeed reclaimed barren mountain land, and he had indeed failed to pay taxes.

But countless farmers throughout Xuanwu City had done the same, yet the City Lord's Manor had never pursued the matter. If officials did not bring charges, the people were not held accountable.

Moreover, Jin Zhong was only responsible for protecting Shen Lang's family. The Earl had given him no other orders.

After Jin Zhong and all the Earl's Manor warriors had left, Tian Shisan staggered. A warrior beside him stepped forward and asked, "Master Thirteen, what is wrong? We just let that family of three go. Gang Leader Tian will surely fly into a rage."

"Do you know who those people were just now?" Tian Shisan asked.

The Black Clothes Gang warrior shook his head. "I do not."

"Jin Zhong of the Xuanwu Earl's Manor, the Earl's trusted attendant," Tian Shisan said.

The surrounding warriors' expressions changed at once.

"Which person in the Earl's Manor did that pretty-boy Shen Lang hook up with?" the warrior asked.

"We can only pray that Shen Lang's connection to the Earl's Manor does not run too deep," Tian Shisan said. "Best case, he merely hooked up with some servant from the Earl's Manor and is using a chicken feather as an imperial decree. Otherwise..."

"Otherwise what, Master Thirteen?" the warrior asked uneasily.

"Otherwise, all of us should go home and properly bid farewell to our parents, wives, and children," Tian Shisan said.

"We will be arrested?" the warrior asked.

"We will die!" Tian Shisan said.

Scenes from his brief dealings with Shen Lang surfaced in his mind. That handsome face had always been calm and composed, even wearing a smile.

But now, to Tian Shisan, that smile seemed filled with danger.

"Go, report back to Foster Father. If something major is about to happen, we must prepare a way out. We work for those people. They cannot possibly stand by and watch us die!" Tian Shisan said.

Without another word, he swung himself onto his horse and galloped madly toward the Black Clothes Gang.

If he wanted to save himself, he had to move quickly. Otherwise, if Shen Lang truly latched onto the Earl's Manor, it would be too late by the time Shen Lang made his move.

Shen Lang was an exceedingly sinister man. Tian Shisan had already sensed it after barely a day of contact.

Tian Shisan spared no effort in driving his horse, racing at full speed. In less than two hours, he reached the Black Clothes Gang.

The Black Clothes Gang was not within Xuanwu City, but more than twenty li outside the city, where it had a small fortress of its own.

Of course, the fortress bore the banner of the Xuanwu City Militia Thousand Commander's Camp, and housed several hundred men.

Because of the New Policy, local officials were desperately drawing every force they could into their camp to oppose the traditional aristocratic powers. Thus, a gang like Tian Heng's could openly fly the banner of a local military camp.

Tian Shisan charged into the fortress.

Under normal circumstances, he would certainly have exchanged pleasantries with the brothers inside the fortress. Tian Heng had many Adopted Sons under his command, and it was not easy to rise above the rest and seize the greatest authority. He had to curry favor with his Foster Father while also winning over people below.

But Tian Shisan had no mind for any of that now. He rushed into the fortress and, without even reporting his arrival, barged straight into his Foster Father Tian Heng's room.

Tian Heng instinctively grabbed a cup and was about to hurl it at him. When he saw that it was his highly valued thirteenth Adopted Son, he stopped and said coldly, "If you do not have a good enough reason, I will dig out one of your eyes."

Tian Shisan dropped to his knees. "Forgive me, Foster Father. Your son failed his assignment and could not wipe out Shen Lang's entire family."

Tian Heng's gaze turned icy. Even his highly valued Adopted Son could not handle such a trivial matter? He had already taken the money—fifteen hundred gold coins in full.

"Jin Zhong from the Earl's Manor took more than a dozen warriors and brought Shen Lang's parents and younger brother away," Tian Shisan said. "He said they were going to attend a wedding at the Earl's Manor. They carried them away in three large sedans."

Tian Heng abruptly rose to his feet, his expression changing drastically!

"Ah..." The woman let out a miserable cry. Blood spilled from the corner of her lips as she said pitifully, "Master."

"Get out!" Tian Heng roared.

The woman hurriedly scrambled and crawled out.

Men were all big pig trotters. When things were good, they called you their darling treasure; when things turned bad, they kicked you aside and told you to get out.

"Foster Father, who is getting married at the Earl's Manor?" Tian Shisan asked. "Is the Young Lord taking a concubine? Could Shen Lang have latched onto the Young Lord? I heard the Young Lord is also a good-for-nothing. Two useless fools, birds of a feather."

"Do you think Shen Lang is useless?" Tian Heng asked.

Tian Shisan thought for a moment, then firmly shook his head.

"The Xuanwu Earl's Manor is not holding a wedding because the Young Lord is taking a concubine," Tian Heng said. "It is taking in a Live-in Son-in-Law!"

Tian Shisan's expression changed violently at those words. He shook his head. "No, that is absolutely impossible."

"I think so too," Tian Heng said.

"What is Shen Lang?" Tian Shisan said. "A poor country brat, someone not even worth a blade of wild grass. And what is Miss Jin? In Martial Arts, Military Strategy, appearance, and figure, she is peerless in every regard. She is the daughter of a great clan with a hundred-year legacy. Even if Shen Lang's ancestors had accumulated virtue for eight generations, he would not be worthy of half a finger of Miss Jin MuLan's. Even a wealthy merchant family like the Xu Family looked down on Shen Lang—how could the lofty Xuanwu Earl's Manor possibly accept him?"

Tian Heng nodded as well. Even the wildest imagination could not connect Shen Lang with Miss Jin MuLan. The two were as far apart as clouds and mud. Even if the sun rose in the west, they would have no connection whatsoever.

Yet Jin Zhong of the Earl's Manor had gone to fetch Shen Lang's family for the wedding. There was something profoundly strange about that.

Tian Heng stood and paced back and forth, a trace of unease in his eyes.

"I am going into the city. We must prepare for a rainy day over this matter," Tian Heng said.

More than an hour later!

Xu Family Head, Lin Family Head, and Tian Heng—the three minor magnates of Xuanwu City—gathered in a secret chamber.

After hearing Tian Heng's words, the two wealthy men said in unison, "Impossible, absolutely impossible!"

Xu Family Head in particular was utterly shocked.

"Not long after Shen Lang left Brocade Pavilion yesterday, he was injured when cavalry from the Earl's Manor ran into him, and then he was taken to the Earl's Manor," Tian Heng said. "Today, news came of the Earl's Manor daughter's wedding, and Jin Zhong personally led men to fetch Shen Lang's parents and younger brother to attend the ceremony."

"If that useless Shen Lang had ingratiated himself with the Young Lord of the Earl's Manor, that would still be possible—after all, they are both useless," Xu Guangyun said. "But Miss Jin MuLan is such an extraordinary figure. How could she possibly take a liking to Shen Lang? Besides, I just threw Shen Lang out of my home. A Live-in Son-in-Law who has been cast out—even a village widow might not be willing to marry him, much less the daughter of a great clan with a hundred-year legacy."

Lin Mo, owner of Brocade Pavilion, said, "Brother Xu, Shen Lang may not be useless. If he truly were, I fear he could not have devised the new formula for Golden Yellow Dye."

"Brother Lin, you have truly gone down the wrong path of thought," Xu Guangyun said. "A new dye formula requires luck on the one hand, and on the other, it really takes the foolish and simple-minded sort to invent and create such things."

Lin Mo considered it. It did seem to make sense. Yet in their brief exchange yesterday, Shen Lang had not seemed like a fool at all.

"The most crucial point is that when I threw that useless Shen Lang out, he was framed for theft and molestation," Xu Guangyun said. "Would the Earl's Manor not care about its reputation if it accepted such a notorious man?"

Those words truly put all three of them at ease.

Many people in Xuanwu City could afford to lose face, but the Xuanwu Earl's Manor cherished its reputation and dignity above all else.

"Xu Family Head, the Earl suddenly sent out wedding invitations everywhere today," Tian Heng said. "Did he mention who the groom is?"

Xu Guangyun shook his head. "He did not. But it absolutely cannot be Shen Lang. Even if the sun rose in the west, it could not be him."

"Even if it is not Shen Lang, we should still find out," Lin Mo said. "How about sending someone to attend the Earl's Manor wedding tonight?"

The three looked at one another, because none of them had received an invitation from the Earl's Manor.

The Xuanwu Earl's Manor had sent out quite a few invitations—to military officers in Xuanwu City, official government officials, scholars with academic credentials, local notables, and the like.

Though the three men present possessed power and influence, two were merchants and one was an underworld boss.

"I will attend the wedding," Tian Heng suddenly said.

Attending the Earl's Manor wedding without an invitation would not get him thrown out. The Xuanwu Earl was not so harsh and petty. Still, it took courage.

"Thank you, Gang Leader Tian," Lin Mo said. "As for the congratulatory gift, I will handle it."

"The Xuanwu Earl is, after all, the master of Xuanwu City," Xu Guangyun said. "Even if we do not attend the wedding, we should still prepare a generous gift. My Xu Family does not lack such money."

"Then it is settled," Tian Heng said. "You two prepare the gifts quickly. I will leave for the Earl's Manor immediately."

"Then I will go make preparations at once," Lin Mo of Brocade Pavilion said.

He then entered the storehouse to select rare treasures. As he did, every moment he had spent with Shen Lang kept replaying in his mind. It would have been better not to remember; the more he recalled, the colder his entire body became.

Not only had he betrayed Shen Lang, he had also said many utterly heartless things.

For instance: "A worm like you, Shen Lang, has no self-awareness. If you do not die, who will?" If Heaven truly lost its sight and allowed Shen Lang to become the Earl's Manor's son-in-law, then... then it would be fatal.

He could only pray to Heaven that this did not become reality.

But thinking it through rationally, such a thing could never happen. How could the dignified Xuanwu Earl's Manor take in someone as lowly as Shen Lang as its son-in-law? Besides, he had just been abandoned and thrown out by a mere merchant household like the Xu Family.

He was absolutely just scaring himself!

In barely more than an hour, the three factions had prepared three cartloads of gifts.

Tian Heng rode in a carriage toward the Earl's Manor, brazenly going to attend Jin MuLan's wedding that night despite having no invitation.

It must not be Shen Lang. It must not be Shen Lang! At the same time, Shen Lang's former wife, Xu Qianqian, was openly heading to the Earl's Manor for the wedding, because her fiancé Zhang Jin was the Prefect's son and also the commander defending Xuanwu City. He had received an invitation from the Earl's Manor.

"Brother Zhang, the Earl's Manor is being so mysterious," Xu Qianqian asked Zhang Jin. "Who do you think tonight's groom will be? What son of a powerful family or great talent from some region could possibly marry Jin MuLan?"

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