Zhao Manor.
The heavily guarded Zhao Manor welcomed a guest, a close friend of the previous Zhao Clan Chieftain.
The reception was grand. Every major direct-line member of the Zhao clan was present. There were only two kinds of people who could receive such courtesy from the invisible local emperor of Jiangnan: great aristocratic clans, or masters possessed of extraordinary skills.
The guest was an old man clad in coarse hemp garments, with a straw rope tied around his waist and straw sandals on his feet. He seemed utterly out of place amid the luxurious attire of Zhao Manor.
Some younger Zhao disciples revealed contempt at the sight of his rough clothes and straw sandals, enraging the old clan chieftain. He beat those ill-mannered playboys half to death, secretly hating how his Household had produced so many ignorant fools.
The old Zhao Clan Chieftain respectfully invited the old man inside and seated him in the place of honor.
A maid served tea.
The old man surveyed Zhao Manor, and his expression darkened. He could see that although the Zhao family flourished, it faced a crisis of heaven-shaking proportions. The matter was deeply entangled; one wrong move could bring a backlash, and anyone caught up in it might face eternal damnation.
"If I had known, I would not have come."
He shook his head. The matter was exceedingly grave.
"Sir, the Zhao family has encountered an unprecedented crisis. I beg you, sir, save my Zhao family..."
The old clan chieftain knelt directly before the old gentleman who looked like a countryside elder and knocked his head loudly against the ground. He offered neither excessive words nor pointless nonsense. He knew clearly that the more nonsense one spoke to a master, the more it provoked their disgust. It was best to state