Scheming

"Qin Jishi, what are you still standing there for? Hurry out and apologize."

"Qin Jishi~"

"Qin Jishi~"

No matter how Tang Xiulan screamed and berated him, Qin Jishi remained unmoved.

"Useless trash~"

"Ungrateful wretch~"

Tang Xiulan dared not hesitate. "Shiqing, quick... quick... go beg Liu Kai... I believe... I believe he'll spare your father for your sake."

The Zhang Family could do without her, Tang Xiulan, but it could not do without Zhang Jinhua. If anything happened to Zhang Jinhua, the entire Zhang Family would be finished.

"Shiqing... Shiqing..." Tang Xiulan was nearly hysterical. "What are you still standing there for? That is your father. Consider it your mother begging you."

"Shiqing!"

Tang Xiulan truly panicked. As she spoke, she was about to kneel. "Mother is begging you. Just agree to the Liu Family's demands. Mother has wronged you."

"Mother!" Zhang Shiqing caught her at once. "What are you doing?"

"Father will be fine. He absolutely will be fine." Zhang Shiqing comforted her. "As long as I'm here, no matter how grave the danger, I won't let anything happen to Father."

"Shiqing, Mother has wronged you." In Tang Xiulan's eyes, the only way Zhang Shiqing could save Zhang Jinhua was to compromise with the Liu Family and marry Liu Kai.

Liu Kai was now incapable as a man. If Zhang Shiqing married him, she would be guarding a living widowhood.

But what else could they do? If Zhang Shiqing refused to compromise, Zhang Jinhua's life would be in danger. Weighing the scales, they could only wrong her.

"Mother, don't say that. As your daughter, it is only right that I protect you both."

As she spoke, Zhang Shiqing turned her head. "You don't intend to act?"

Qin Jishi merely shrugged without saying a word.

This immediately drew Tang Xiulan's displeasure once more. "Useless trash, once this is over, our Zhang Family absolutely cannot keep you..."

"Qin Jishi!" Zhang Shiqing said in a low voice. "I want to see just how long you can keep enduring."

After saying that, Zhang Shiqing looked ahead. "Stop right there."

Her voice was so cold it made people shudder. The crowd automatically parted, exposing Zhang Shiqing before everyone's eyes.

The moment Zhang Shiqing entered Sun Baitan's sight, a glint suddenly flashed through his previously gloomy eyes, radiating a wolfish light.

"A fine Cultivation Cauldron!"

Sun Baitan cultivated fire-attributed techniques. Because Fire Toxin had accumulated in his body over the years, he would suffer agonizing pain at regular intervals. He had to find women with cold constitutions to ease that pain.

Though Sun Baitan could not see through Zhang Shiqing's constitution, he could sense the icy aura emanating from her. Coupled with that breathtaking face, she was simply an unrivaled beauty of the world.

"Shiqing, you..." Zhang Jinhua tried to stop Zhang Shiqing as she walked before him.

"Father, nothing will happen." Zhang Shiqing gave him a reassuring look.

Everyone stared at Zhang Shiqing, blinking hard, their faces filled with deep confusion.

What did this mean?

Did she think she could stop Black Eagle Prefecture from applying pressure?

Bitch!

Liu Kai clenched his fists, cruelty plainly visible in his eyes.

If Zhang Shiqing truly fell into Liu Kai's hands, she would surely be tortured until she was black and blue all over.

After a brief silence, Zhang Shiqing stepped forward, her voice cool. "Elder Sun, is it? The Black Eagle Prefecture's reputation is thunderous in our ears. I heard the Black Eagle Prefecture Lord distinguished clearly between gratitude and grudges. Here, may I ask a few questions?"

"Oh..." Sun Baitan said with great interest. "You are the Zhang Family's young miss? No wonder Liu Kai was willing to go to such lengths to obtain you even after becoming incapable as a man."

"Hehe!"

Sun Baitan paused, then smiled. "Judging by your appearance, you intend to speak up for everyone. Very well, let me hear what you wish to ask."

"Shiqing!" Zhang Jinhua wanted to stop her, but Zhang Shiqing halted him with a subtle motion of the hand behind her back.

"Fine!" Zhang Shiqing nodded, turning her gaze to Liu Qiang. "Patriarch Liu, I believe you can answer a few questions concerning this matter."

Without waiting for Liu Qiang to respond, Zhang Shiqing began asking on her own. "First question: from beginning to end, did our Zhang Family ever agree to a marriage alliance with you?"

"Zhang Shiqing!" Liu Kai immediately shouted in fury. "What right do you have to make my father answer your questions?"

"I have no right?" Zhang Shiqing smiled without quite smiling. "Elder Sun has already agreed. Do you think you can make decisions for Elder Sun, or does Elder Sun need to obey your orders?"

"You..." Liu Kai was rendered speechless for a moment.

Although Liu Kai's aunt was the Black Eagle Prefecture Lord's concubine, Sun Baitan, as an elder of Black Eagle Prefecture, likewise held a position of tremendous importance. How could Liu Kai dare act presumptuously before him?

What deep scheming!

If Liu Kai were provoked into saying anything outrageous, he might well incur Sun Baitan's displeasure.

"Kai'er!" Liu Qiang stopped him in time, then said darkly, "Your Zhang Family indeed never agreed from beginning to end, but neither did you refuse. Therefore, there was naturally nothing wrong with me coming to your Zhang Family to propose marriage."

Liu Qiang's explanation was flawless. After all, such matters depended on mutual willingness.

"Fine!" Zhang Shiqing nodded and continued, "What Patriarch Liu said is indeed correct. Since it depends on mutual willingness, my second question happens to concern this matter."

Zhang Shiqing narrowed her eyes. "When your Liu Family came to our Zhang Family to propose marriage, our Zhang Family likewise had the right to refuse. Patriarch Liu, when Jishi and I married, did you come and provoke us with words?"

The moment those words left her mouth, Liu Qiang's expression shifted slightly.

Zhang Shiqing's scheming was truly profound. Even Liu Qiang, who had navigated the world for many years, felt a chill in his heart.

Creak!

Liu Qiang secretly gritted his teeth, then regained his composure and gave a soft laugh.

"Provocation with words? That is sheer nonsense. Then let me ask you, do you have any proof?"

"Many of those present attended our wedding."

Liu Qiang looked at the onlookers. "Patriarch Bu, did you see me provoke them with words?"

"I did not... I did not..." Patriarch Bu hurriedly shook his head.

"And you, did you see it?"

"No..."

"What about you?"

"..."

Every one of those factions denied it outright. What a joke. Even a fool could see that the scales of victory were tilting toward the Liu Family. How could they not know which side to choose?

"Zhang Shiqing, no one saw it. Who can testify for you?"

As though she had long expected Liu Qiang to do this, Zhang Shiqing merely smiled.

"Patriarch Liu, then let me ask my third question. How was Liu Kai crippled?"

Contempt appeared on Zhang Shiqing's face. "Liu Kai keeps calling Jishi useless trash. Is it merely because Jishi is an ordinary man? If so, since he was crippled by Jishi, does that not mean he is not even as good as useless trash?"

"Ah~"

As she spoke, Zhang Shiqing shook her head and sighed. "A Mystic Spirit Realm warrior had his Yang Vein severed by an ordinary man, yet he still shamelessly calls himself a genius. How utterly laughable."

"Shut your mouth!" As if his pain had been stabbed, Liu Kai's hysterical roar echoed out. "How could I be inferior to that useless trash? If I hadn't underestimated him and given him an opening, that wedding day would have been his funeral!"

"Kai'er... shut up..." Liu Qiang's face darkened. By the time he tried to rebuke him, it was already too late.

That rebuke struck like five bolts of thunder crashing down. Only then did Liu Kai realize that everything Zhang Shiqing had done was meant to make him lose his reason in anger.