Conspiracy at the Xia Manor

Jizhou City.

A beggar in tattered clothes limped to the entrance of the Xia Manor, his face covered in blood and grime.

"What kind of stinking beggar are you? Get lost!"

The guard covered his nose, waving his cudgel with disgust.

"I am Yan Lingyun of the Yan Family from Qingcheng!" The beggar suddenly looked up, his hoarse voice laced with ferocity. "I want to see my sister, Yan Qingqing!"

"Hahaha."

The two guards at the gate were stunned at first, then burst into mocking laughter.

Another sneered, "If you're the Yan Family's eldest young master, then I'm the Yan Family patriarch."

"Everyone in Jizhou City knows our young master is infatuated with Miss Qingqing. How dare a stinking beggar like you try to get close to her."

"Hurry up and get lost, or we'll beat you to death."

"You..."

Yan Lingyun glared, but he was severely injured and his internal qi energy was depleted.

If it were any other day, he could have crushed these two snobbish guards with a single finger.

"I..."

"What's going on?"

Just as Yan Lingyun was about to say something else, a maid dressed in white, passing by the main gate, stopped.

"Oh my, Miss Haitang, are you going out?" The guards' expressions immediately changed to fawning when they saw her. Pointing at Yan Lingyun, they said, "It's nothing, just a stinking beggar refusing to leave the entrance. We'll drive him away right now."

"Haitang! It's me!"

Yan Lingyun suddenly lunged forward, his dirty hand grabbing Haitang's skirt hem.

"How dare you..."

"Let go..."

The guards shouted, raising their fists to teach the beggar a lesson.

"Stop."

Haitang heard the command and intervened.

She approached the beggar with a confused expression. Yan Lingyun messily pushed aside the tangled hair on his forehead, revealing a face that, though filthy, was still handsome.

"Ah!" Haitang couldn't help but exclaim when she saw his face clearly. "Young Master Lingyun, what happened to you?"

"Wuwu... Hurry and take me to my sister."

Seeing that Haitang recognized him, the hardships he had endured on his journey made him unable to hold back tears.

"Yes, Young Master Lingyun."

Saying this, Haitang quickly stepped forward, carefully helped Yan Lingyun up, and slowly walked into the Xia Manor.

"Young Master Lingyun, I was blind and didn't recognize you. I hope Young Master Lingyun will be magnanimous and spare my life."

As Yan Lingyun stepped into the Xia Manor, the two terrified guards finally snapped back to reality.

They scrambled to Yan Lingyun's side, knelt, and kowtowed frantically, begging for mercy.

Yan Lingyun snorted coldly, his eyes sharp. "Weren't you just about to be my father?"

"What? Are you looking for death? I will report this matter to my young lady," Haitang snorted coldly, supporting Yan Lingyun as she entered the Xia Manor.

Upon hearing this, the two guards' legs went weak, and they collapsed powerlessly to the ground.

"Crack..."

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

"Wei... Qing..."

These two words were squeezed from between her teeth, carrying a hatred that cut to the bone.

Her slender fingers slowly clenched, her nails digging deeply into the rosewood table, leaving a deep pit on its surface.

As she clenched her fist, the rosewood in her hand instantly turned to powder and dispersed into the air.

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

"Hmph, their actions are no different from moths flying into a flame, seeking their own death." Yan Qingqing's lips curled into a cold smile, and then her eyes turned sharp as she commanded, "Haitang, go quickly and invite Xia Shaogong here. I have important matters to discuss."

"Yes, Miss."

Haitang acknowledged and was about to turn to leave when she was interrupted by a sudden voice.

"Qingqing, I just heard from a servant that my sworn brother Lingyun has arrived."

Hearing this, the ferocious expression on Yan Qingqing's face instantly vanished like morning mist, replaced by a gentle and delicate demeanor.

Just then, Xia Shaoyuan entered the room.

Yan Qingqing's eyes quickly welled up with tears, and her voice carried a hint of grievance and sorrow, "Brother Shaoyuan, you must seek justice for me."

"What's wrong?" Xia Shaoyuan gently wiped away the tears from the corners of Yan Qingqing's eyes, his voice filled with malice. "Who has upset my beauty? Tell me, and I will skin him alive."

"It's those mad dogs from the Heavenly Realm Division! They actually annihilated my entire Yan Family."

"Now, only Yun and I are left alive in the whole Yan Family. Brother Shaoyuan, you must avenge my Yan Family's deep hatred."

As she spoke, her slender body trembled slightly, and she stumbled a few steps, almost falling as she threw herself at Xia Shaoyuan.

"The Heavenly Realm Division, they are truly audacious!" Xia Shaoyuan steadied Yan Qingqing, a flicker of surprise in his eyes. "Do you know why they were so ruthless?"

Yan Qingqing explained, "The Heavenly Realm Division said my Yan Family colluded with the evil Ghost Corpse Sect, but how is that possible?"

"My Yan Family has always operated honestly, how could we be involved with that evil sect? It must be the Heavenly Realm Division framing my Yan Family."

"Brother Shaoyuan, you will help me, won't you?"

With that, Yan Qingqing pouted her small lips and gazed at Xia Shaoyuan tenderly.

"Don't worry, your matters are my matters. The Heavenly Realm Division? Others may fear them, but my Xia Family does not."

"Wait a moment, I will go and ask my father for instructions, and we will set off for Qingcheng immediately."

Hearing this, Yan Qingqing's eyes lit up, and she then added, "Yun mentioned that they have already returned to the capital."

"The capital." Xia Shaoyuan's fingertips lingered on Yan Qingqing's lips as he let out a cold laugh. "As long as they are still within the Great Zhou's borders, they cannot escape my grasp."

"Mm."

"Someone, attend to Yun so he can wash up."

"Yes."

The butler who had accompanied him took the order and went to make arrangements.

After comforting Yan Qingqing for a while and learning the name Wei Qing, Xia Shaoyuan turned and headed towards the main building of the Xia mansion.

In the study.

"Father, that's what happened."

Xia Shaoyuan truthfully reported the Yan Family's situation to his father, Xia Wentian.

Xia Wentian looked up, his brows revealing an unspeakable heaviness, and slowly said, "What do you intend to do?"

A fierce glint flashed in Xia Shaoyuan's eyes. "Even if there is only a one-in-ten-thousand chance, that Garrison Commander named Wei Qing must be eliminated. Otherwise, our entire Xia Family will be doomed."

As he spoke, he made a swift, decisive gesture of slitting his throat.

Xia Wentian pondered for a moment before pressing a red button next to his desk.

Instantly, A stern-faced assassin dressed in black appeared silently in the room.

"You will lead the Shadow Squad and accompany the young master to the imperial city. All actions during this time are under the young master's command."

"Understood, Master."

With that, the man in black got up and stood behind Xia Shaoyuan.

"Go. If you encounter anything you cannot resolve, go directly to your aunt. She will help you."

"Yes, Father."

Within the entire Xia Family, the most powerful person was not Old Master Xia, but Consort Xia, who resided deep within the palace