Rather Kill the Wrong One Than Let One Go

Before Xia Manor, Jizhou City

A ragged beggar limped to a stop before the gates of Xia Manor, his face smeared with blood.

"Filthy beggar, get the hell out of here!"

The gatekeeper covered his nose, his staff already raised high.

"I am Yan Lingyun of the Yan Family in Qingcheng!" The beggar suddenly raised his head, his hoarse voice brimming with ferocity. "I want to see my sister, Yan Qingqing!"

"Hahaha—"

The two gatekeepers froze at first, then laughed so hard they doubled over.

The other sneered, "If you really are Young Master Yan, then I'm the head of the Yan Family!"

"Who in Jizhou City doesn't know, who doesn't know how our young master feels about Miss Qingqing? With the likes of you, you dare reach above your station for Miss Qingqing?"

"If you don't scram, I'll break your legs!" The gatekeeper raised his staff high.

"You..." Yan Lingyun's eyes were split wide with rage, but his severe injuries left him powerless, without even the strength to raise a hand.

Under normal circumstances, he could have crushed vermin like these with a flick of his finger.

"What is going on?"

Haitang, dressed in white, happened to be passing by. She stopped with a frown.

"Oh, Miss Haitang!" The gatekeeper instantly piled on a fawning smile and pointed at Yan Lingyun. "Just a filthy beggar refusing to leave. This lowly one will drive him away right now."

"Haitang! It's me!"

Yan Lingyun suddenly lunged forward, his blood-stained hand clutching the hem of her snow-white skirt. Haitang recoiled half a step in fright.

"How dare you..."

"Let go..."

The gatekeepers shouted and raised their fists, ready to teach the beggar before them a lesson.

"Stop."

Haitang spoke up to stop them.

Lifting her skirt, she hurried forward. Yan Lingyun frantically swept aside the tangled hair hanging over his forehead, revealing a face that remained handsome despite the grime.

"Ah!" Upon recognizing that filthy face, Haitang's pupils abruptly contracted, and she cried out, "Young Master Lingyun, what happened to you?"

"Wuu... Take me to see my sister..."

Yan Lingyun trembled all over, blood and tears mingling together.

That sob was steeped in all the terror and grievance of his journey of flight.

"Young Master Lingyun, careful..."

Haitang hurried forward and carefully helped him over the vermilion threshold.

"Young Master Lingyun, spare us!"

Only then did the two gatekeepers awaken as if from a dream. They scrambled and crawled forward, knocking their foreheads against the bluestone pavement with loud thuds.

"This lowly one was blind as a dog and failed to recognize you. I beg Young Master Lingyun, in your great magnanimity, spare this dog's life."

Yan Lingyun gave a cold laugh, a trace of viciousness surfacing on his pale face. "Weren't you just going to be Yan's father?"

"What?" Haitang's willow brows shot up as she shouted furiously, "You dogs have some nerve! You dared mock the head of my Yan Family and humiliate my young master."

"I will truthfully report this matter to my lady."

With that, without waiting for the gatekeepers to react, she supported Yan Lingyun into Xia Manor.

The two gatekeepers went pale as earth and collapsed limply to the ground like mud.

Crash...

After hearing Yan Lingyun's account, the celadon teacup slipped from Yan Qingqing's fingers and shattered to pieces on the bluestone floor.

"Wei... Qing..."

Those two words were squeezed through her clenched teeth, carrying bone-deep hatred.

Her slender fingers slowly tightened. The redwood desk creaked as five finger marks were gouged into it.

True Essence surged from her palm, and the redwood in her hand instantly turned to powder, scattering through the air.

"Sister, Wei Qing and the others have already left Qingcheng for the Imperial City. We..."

"Hmph, the monk may run, but the temple remains." Yan Qingqing's lips curled into a cold smile as she ordered, "Haitang, go invite Xia Shaogong at once. Tell him I have urgent matters to discuss."

"Yes, Miss."

Haitang answered and was about to turn and leave when a sudden voice interrupted her.

"Qingqing, I heard worthy brother Lingyun has arrived?"

Xia Shaoyuan's warm voice suddenly rang out. The hostility around Yan Qingqing instantly dispersed, replaced by a gentle, fragile demeanor.

At that very moment, Xia Shaoyuan entered the room.

Tears swiftly gathered in Yan Qingqing's eyes, and her voice carried a touch of grievance and sorrow. "Brother Shaoyuan, you must stand up for me."

"What happened?" Xia Shaoyuan gently wiped away the tears at the corners of her eyes, though a trace of sinister darkness flashed through his own. "Who dared bully my Qingqing? Tell me, and I will make him beg for life but be unable to die!"

"Those mad dogs from the Heavenly Realm Division. They actually slaughtered my entire Yan Family."

"Now, only Lingyun and I remain of the Yan Family, barely surviving in this world. Brother Shaoyuan, you must avenge this sea of blood and deep hatred for my Yan Family."

As she spoke, her slender body trembled slightly. She staggered a few steps and threw herself toward Xia Shaoyuan as though about to fall.

"The Heavenly Realm Division, how utterly lawless!" Xia Shaoyuan steadied Yan Qingqing, a strange glint flashing in his eyes. "Do you know why they dealt such a ruthless hand?"

"The Heavenly Realm Division claimed that my Yan Family colluded with the evil Ghost Corpse Sect. But my Yan Family has been upright and innocent for generations. How could we possibly collude with an evil sect?"

Yan Qingqing clutched Xia Shaoyuan's lapels, her tearful eyes shimmering:

"They must have framed us..."

She suddenly raised her delicate face and lightly bit her crimson lips. "Brother Shaoyuan will help Qingqing, won't you?"

"Of course!"

Xia Shaoyuan's fingertips brushed across her lips as he sneered. "What is the Heavenly Realm Division? How could my Xia Family possibly put them in our eyes?" He abruptly rose to his feet. "I will report this to Father at once and set out for Qingcheng immediately."

"But Lingyun said..." Yan Qingqing hesitated, seeming to want to speak but stopping herself. "They have already returned to the capital..."

"The capital?" Xia Shaoyuan suddenly gripped her chin, cold light flickering in his eyes. "As long as he remains within Great Zhou, he can forget about escaping this young master's grasp!"

He turned and barked, "Someone! Take Young Master Yun to bathe and change!"

As the steward bowed to accept the order, thunder exploded beyond the eaves, illuminating the fleeting venom in Yan Qingqing's eyes.

After comforting Yan Qingqing, Xia Shaoyuan learned Wei Qing's name from her and headed straight for his father's study.

Inside the study.

"Father, that is what happened."

After hearing his son's report, Xia Wentian's brows drew together gravely. "What do you intend to do?"

Cold light flickered in Xia Shaoyuan's eyes as he made a throat-slitting gesture. "Rather kill the wrong one than let one go."

"Even if there is only a one-in-ten-thousand chance, that Guardian Envoy named Wei Qing must be eliminated. Otherwise, our entire Xia Family will be doomed beyond redemption."

After pondering briefly, Xia Wentian pressed a black button beside the desk.

Whoosh—

A black shadow appeared like a ghost, dropping to one knee.

"Ah Jiu, lead the Shadow Squad and accompany the young master to the Imperial City. Throughout this journey, all actions will follow the young master's command."

"By your command, Master."

With that, the black-clothed man rose and stood behind Xia Shaoyuan.

Xia Wentian rubbed the rim of his celadon cup with his fingertips. "Go. Should you encounter any obstacles... your aunt will naturally lend her aid."

"Your son understands."

As Xia Shaoyuan bowed and withdrew, a cold, sinister curve formed at the corner of his lips.

In this enormous Xia Family, the one who truly held the power of life and death was not the aged grandfather, but Consort Xia, secluded deep within Phoenix Palace.