You Think This Young Lady Was Scared Into Submission!

"You think this young lady was scared into submission!"

Xia Yiran let out a cold snort, not putting Jun Wushang in her eyes at all.

The Xia Family was an imperial relative.

In their eyes, the Heavenly Mirror Division was merely a loyal hound raised by the Great Zhou Imperial Family.

Given how favored Consort Xia and the Third Prince were,

if the Third Prince succeeded to the throne in the future,

the Xia Family would become one of Great Zhou's top noble clans.

Therefore, the younger generation of the Xia Family could be said to have completely disregarded the Heavenly Mirror Division.

"Whether I'm trying to scare Miss Xia or not, you can give it a try."

Wei Qing stepped forward at that moment, his eyes coldly fixed on Xia Yiran.

Xia Yiran was instantly startled by his icy gaze.

"How dare you! You actually dare to treat our young lady..."

With her master backing her, the servant immediately puffed himself up, raising his hand and loudly berating Wei Qing.

Swish...

A cold gleam flashed, and Wei Qing returned his blade to its sheath.

The servant's right palm, which had been pointing at Wei Qing, was severed with a snap and fell to the ground.

"Ah... my hand!"

The servant who had berated Wei Qing clutched his bleeding wound, rolling on the ground and wailing.

Another servant who had wanted to step forward was so frightened that he froze on the spot.

He looked at Wei Qing as though he were looking at a demon.

"Young man, you're in trouble. Hurry and run."

"That's right. The Xia Family isn't someone you can afford to offend. Be careful, or you'll lose your life."

"Benefactor, thank you for speaking up for justice, but you'd better leave quickly."

The onlookers and Su Lie felt relieved at this sight.

But for the three people before them, this was a calamity of the highest order. One wrong move, and they could lose their lives.

"Run?" Xia Yiran sneered after coming to herself. "In all of Great Zhou, where do you think you can run to?"

"Brat, you dared to touch my people. I'll make you..."

Xia Yiran still wanted to say more, but the long saber shining coldly against her collar instantly forced the rest of her words back down her throat.

"The Heavenly Mirror Division is loyal only to His Majesty and to the Great Zhou Law. The Heavenly Mirror Division has the authority to arrest anyone who dares trample the law.

"Members of the Imperial Family are no exception. This is a law personally established by the High Ancestor."

"Could it be that your Xia Family stands above our dynasty's High Ancestor, and can trample the laws he established?"

Wei Qing spoke slowly.

"Don't talk nonsense." Xia Yiran's face went deathly pale as she hurriedly defended herself. "When have I ever said that? Be careful, or I'll report you to the Ministry of Justice for slander."

To disregard the founding High Ancestor.

To trample the laws established by the High Ancestor.

With those two towering accusations pressed down on her,

wouldn't all nine branches of her Xia Family be wiped out?

"You threatened and intimidated a Garrison Commander of the Heavenly Mirror Division, and you still say you didn't?"

"You forcibly abducted people in the street, and you still say you didn't?"

"You relied on your imperial-relative status to oppress commoners, and you still say you didn't?"

Wei Qing's voice rose higher with each sentence.

Faced with his questioning,

Xia Yiran staggered backward several steps before losing her footing and falling to the ground.

Her gaze toward Wei Qing was filled with terror.

If his words reached Emperor Mingxing's ears, even her own aunt, Consort Xia, would be unable to save her.

It might even implicate the entire Xia Family, as well as Consort Xia and the Third Prince.

"Your words are somewhat exaggerated, sir. Our young lady had no intention of showing any disrespect toward the High Ancestor."

"It was merely a minor altercation with this young man. We'll pay the twenty taels of silver."

Just then, an old man in gray robes slowly walked out of the crowd and approached Su Lie.

He took out a hundred taels of silver and placed them in Su Lie's hand. "The extra silver shall count as our young lady's apology. I hope you won't take it to heart, young man."

"I can't accept this silver."

Su Lie refused outright, pushing the money back.

"As long as Miss Xia doesn't make things difficult for my benefactor in the future, that will be enough."

"Hmm."

The old man was slightly taken aback, and a trace of admiration appeared in his eyes as he looked at Su Lie.

He had not expected that this young man, despite his tender age, could not only resist the temptation of money but also understand the meaning of repaying kindness.

"You're quite impressive. Since I told you to accept the silver, accept it. There has never been any reason for the Xia Family to take back something it has given away."

With that, he forcibly stuffed the silver into Su Lie's arms.

"As for Lord Wei, you needn't worry. My young lady will never make trouble for him."

"You know me?"

Wei Qing looked at the old man before him, confirming that he had indeed never met him.

The gray-robed old man smiled. "Hehe, of course. You're Lord Wei Yuan's only son, the one who slew a sixth-rank demonic beast and pacified the demonic beast calamity in Qingcheng. Lord Wei's name is as thunderous to my ears."

"Not just this old man—who in the Imperial City doesn't know Lord Wei's great reputation now?"

"Hmm."

Wei Qing frowned slightly.

The matter of killing the Spirit Rhinoceros Demonic Cat had only been mentioned in the intelligence report he sent to the Heavenly Mirror Division.

Why had it become known throughout the city now?

Suddenly, he felt as if a huge net were descending over him.

It seemed that

his return to the capital would be far more exciting than he had imagined.

He simply did not know who the spy within the Heavenly Mirror Division was.

"Today's matter was my Xia Family's fault to begin with. On behalf of the young lady, I sincerely apologize to you and Commander Jun."

"I hope that, for the sake of Consort Xia and the Third Prince, the two of you can turn a major matter into a minor one and a minor matter into nothing. What do you say?"

Jun Wushang stood to one side without speaking.

"May I ask your name, senior?"

Wei Qing did not answer. Instead, he asked a question in return.

"This old man is the Xia Family Steward, Wen Liang."

The old man answered truthfully.

"Since Steward Wen has put it that way, if we still refused, wouldn't that make us seem too narrow-minded?"

From the moment the other man had appeared, Wei Qing had known that the matter could not be allowed to escalate.

The faint pressure coming from Wen Liang represented strength absolutely superior to his own.

Yet Wen Liang had kept his posture extremely humble.

On top of that, he had invoked Consort Xia and the Third Prince. If Wei Qing continued to cling to the matter,

it would make them seem overly petty.

Wen Liang cupped his fists. "In that case, on behalf of the young lady, I thank you, Lord Wei. If you have the time in the future, please visit the Xia Family. We will certainly sweep our couches clean in welcome."

"After returning to the capital, we still have to report to the Heavenly Mirror Division. If we have the time, we'll certainly trouble you with a visit. I hope the Xia Family won't turn us away when that time comes."

As Wei Qing spoke, he glanced at Xia Yiran.

"Lord Wei, rest assured. The matter you're worried about will never happen."

As he spoke, he waved his right hand. Two maids entered from outside the crowd, helped the frightened Xia Yiran to her feet, and slowly led her away.

As she turned, a vicious glint flashed through her eyes.

Unexpectedly, it fell right into Wei Qing's eyes, which had been fixed on her the whole time.

"Now that the matter is settled, Lord Wei, let us meet again in the Imperial City someday."

Wen Liang cupped his fists.

"Very well, Steward Wen. Until we meet again."

Wei Qing returned the salute with clasped fists.

Watching Wen Liang and the others disappear into the distance, Jun Wushang stepped forward. "Why do I feel like what you said just now was strange?"

Given Xia Yiran's background, Wei Qing's choice to bury the hatchet with a smile had been the right one!

But as his sworn brother, he still had a strange feeling.

"What was strange about it?" Wei Qing gave a mysterious smile and sheathed his saber. "It was just a normal invitation."

"That's all..."