We Delayed You

"The Fierce Tiger Gang is backed by the Xu Manor?" Wu Yuan frowned slightly.

This matter, from the very beginning, reeked of conspiracy. The Fierce Tiger Gang had inexplicably raised their 'tribute,' and it just so happened to be five thousand taels?

Too coincidental.

However, when Wu Yuan stormed the Fierce Tiger Gang, killing relentlessly, piercing the gang leader Yang Long with a single spear thrust, and then battling that mysterious expert, he was heavily depleted and had no extra energy to investigate the cause and effect of this matter.

"Clan Leader, do you have proof?" Wu Yuan asked softly.

"It was the Fierce Tiger Gang's second-in-command, 'Li Ye,' who told me himself," Clan Leader Wu Qiming said, a cold glint in his eyes. "He said that if our Wu Clan immediately returned the five thousand taels of silver, there would be no trouble."

"'But since we don't know how to behave, then we'll teach you to be sensible.'"

"'Li Ye?'" Wu Yuan recalled the battle that night. Was it the short, stout man he'd killed with a Flying Dagger?

His memory wasn't very clear.

"This General guarding the city is going too far," Wu Yuan feigned anger on his face. "We've done what we were supposed to, and yet they're still forcing us like this, even letting the Fierce Tiger Gang destroy our village? Aren't you afraid our Wu Clan will report this to the Sect?"

"'Report to the Sect?'"

Wu Qiming shook his head slightly. "Firstly, we have no evidence. The grand competition that day was witnessed by many. Secondly, in the end, Xu Yuanhan lost, and he only went to Nanmeng Martial Academy."

Wu Yuan pretended to listen attentively.

"However, I've thought about this matter carefully," Wu Qiming continued. "It doesn't seem like General Xu's doing. Although General Xu acts domineeringly, he always keeps his word. Even if the matter wasn't successful, we did our best. At his status and position, there's no need for him to fall out with us over 'five thousand taels of silver.'"

"Even if he really wanted the five thousand taels back, with General Xu's personality, he would have directly summoned us and used his power to pressure us. Why go through such a roundabout way?" Wu Qiming shook his head, puzzled.

"But this matter is known to very few people," Wu Yuan frowned. "Could it be the Dean? He wants to bring down General Xu?"

The participants in this matter, besides the Wu Clan, were the Xu Manor.

Only Dean Zhang Da of the Martial Arts Academy.

"He wouldn't do it either."

Wu Qiming shook his head directly. "Once this matter is exposed, the Sect will first punish the Dean of Prefectural Sect Martial Academy. He is the primary responsible person."

Wu Yuan listened, finding some logic in it.

"Could it be the eldest son of the Xu Manor?" Wu Qiming suddenly thought. "Thinking about it carefully, it seems like his style."

"'The eldest son of the Xu Manor?'" Wu Yuan showed a hint of doubt.

"You were at the Martial Arts Academy before, so it's normal you haven't heard of him," Wu Qiming looked at Wu Yuan. "General Xu has six sons. Apart from the sixth son, Xu Yuanhan, the rest are mediocre in martial arts. His eldest son, named 'Xu Yuanjie,' as the legitimate son born to the main wife and being the eldest, is highly valued. He controls a large amount of resources in the Xu Manor, and some miscellaneous affairs are handled by him. He is quite famous in the upper-class society of Li City."

"Perhaps because when he was young, General Xu had not yet risen, he suffered a lot. In many aspects, he lacks the demeanor of a wealthy family," Wu Qiming said.

Obviously, Wu Qiming knew this 'Xu Yuanjie' very well.

"'Demeanor of a wealthy family?'" Wu Yuan pondered these four words.

"Simply put, he's stingy," Wu Qiming said slowly from his bed. "This Xu Yuanjie, knowing the hardships of the family's rise, therefore places great importance on petty gains, is reluctant to part with money, and rarely has a grand perspective."

"But how can the actions of a great clan be compared to those of a small household?"

"Some things must be sacrificed. Even if it pains you, you must sacrifice them at critical moments," Wu Qiming said solemnly. "Otherwise, you lose the big for the small."

"Wu Yuan."

Wu Qiming looked at Wu Yuan and sighed. "In this regard, you actually think more clearly than I do."

He recalled Wu Yuan's decision to directly agree to General Xu's request to 'give up the grand competition' back then.

It was a model of 'willingness to sacrifice.'

If it were himself, he admitted he might not have been so decisive.

"Clan Leader flatters me," Wu Yuan smiled.

Decisive? When he agreed to General Xu's request back then, he was secretly overjoyed.

If not for those five thousand taels of silver, his progress wouldn't have been so rapid.

"According to what the Clan Leader said, the Fierce Tiger Gang is backed by the Xu Manor, so it really could be that Xu Yuanjie's doing," Wu Yuan said. "Since he controls a large portion of the Xu Manor's power, he naturally can influence the Fierce Tiger Gang."

In their conversation, they had outlined a complete thread of events.

"Wu Yuan, regardless of whether Xu Yuanjie was the instigator, the main culprit is the Xu Manor," Wu Qiming said solemnly to Wu Yuan. "Although the Fierce Tiger Gang has been scattered, the lives of our eight clansmen, I hope you won't forget."

"I understand," Wu Yuan nodded.

The reason he had directly attacked the Fierce Tiger Gang before, striking ruthlessly without mercy, was largely because he had personally seen the bodies of their clansmen.

He hadn't known about the Xu Manor then.

Now that he understood the cause, the revenge would have to be sought when the opportunity arose!

"Of course, don't rush. The Xu Manor is powerful, and it's not something we can provoke right now," Wu Qiming said. "I originally didn't want to tell you, but your Uncle Long and Uncle Dongyao said that you already have the strength of a Martial Master?"

"Yes," Wu Yuan nodded.

"You are already a Martial Master at the age of fourteen. It will be easy for you to become a Proficient Expert in the future, and you even have hope of becoming a Second-class Expert or even a First-class Expert," Wu Qiming said, looking at Wu Yuan with anticipation.

"When that time comes, you'll be a high-ranking member of the Sect, and that will be the time for revenge."

"For now, this matter is between just you and me. Don't tell anyone else," Wu Qiming said.

"Clan Leader, rest assured, I understand," Wu Yuan nodded. "I won't act recklessly without sufficient strength."

Wu Qiming nodded.

He was at ease with Wu Yuan; he was very steady.

Telling Wu Yuan this matter was also after careful consideration, hoping it would become a driving force for Wu Yuan's cultivation.

Without motivation, one would slack off.

"Clan Leader."

Wu Yuan asked, "Just now, why did Meng Qiang, the captain of the Prefectural Governor's guards, come to our Wu Manor? Logically, even if they were investigating the Fierce Tiger Gang, it shouldn't have been him who came."

Meng Qiang was a Second-class Expert.

With his powerful strength, even the Prefectural Chancellor and Prefectural Commandant didn't dare to slight him, and the Prefectural Governor would show him immense respect.

He wouldn't be dispatched for anything less than a critical matter.

"Heh heh, Meng Qiang came on behalf of the Prefectural Governor," Wu Qiming said, a hint of mockery in his expression. "He wants us to act as witnesses and report General Xu to the Sect for abusing his power and rigging the Martial Academy Grand Competition for you."

"Will the Sect believe it?" Wu Yuan frowned.

"In just over three months, your displayed strength has grown from a novice Martial Disciple to nearly a Martial Master. This news has already spread, and you also won first place in the previous Martial Academy Minor Competition," Wu Qiming explained. "Even if the Sect doesn't believe it, they won't ignore it. They will definitely send people to investigate. Even if they can't find anything, it will be enough to make General Xu extremely flustered."

"And this is likely just one part of the Prefectural Governor's plan."

"With the Fierce Tiger Gang scattered and General Xu losing an arm, the Prefectural Governor probably wants to use this momentum to crush him in one fell swoop," Wu Qiming said.

Wu Yuan listened.

He didn't fully understand these power plays and schemes, but he could grasp the underlying logic.

"Did the Clan Leader agree?" Wu Yuan asked.

"No, I didn't agree," Wu Qiming shook his head. "Let alone the fact that we don't have concrete evidence, even if we did, what good would it do?"

"If it's proven that General Xu manipulated the Martial Academy Grand Competition, our Wu Clan would also be 'atoning for past sins.' Would we even get any benefits?"

"Meng Qiang promised that the Prefectural Governor would protect us, but if it really comes to that, whether he protects us or not is entirely up to the Prefectural Governor's whim."

"Moreover, what if we fail to completely crush General Xu?"

"Can we withstand General Xu's revenge?"

"If we refuse the Prefectural Governor and deny everything, he'll likely only suspect that the competition was rigged and won't desperately target us. At most, he'll be displeased with us."

"Between the two, it's better to choose the lesser of two evils."

"Our Wu Clan is currently weak. We can't afford to offend either side. When you become powerful, Wu Yuan, and our Wu Clan becomes powerful, it will be time to seek justice."

"Remember, you did not cheat in the Martial Academy Grand Competition," Wu Qiming said, seeing through everything clearly and explaining it in detail to Wu Yuan.

"I understand. In the Martial Academy Grand Competition, I simply wasn't skilled enough and lost to Liu Ruyan," Wu Yuan replied.

Let the past be the past.

Trying to overturn it would only bring trouble upon himself.

"Your rapid progress in strength and astonishing talent are a result of our Wu Clan holding you back. Otherwise, if you had joined Cloud Martial Hall earlier, your strength would have improved even more rapidly," Wu Qiming said with regret, looking at Wu Yuan.

"Clan Leader, the clan has treated me well enough," Wu Yuan said.

"No!"

Wu Qiming shook his head. "Treating you well enough doesn't mean truly well. We've held you back. I'm prepared to have Sixth Master write to the Main Sect. Soon, the Main Sect will send someone to Li City to pick you up."

"The Main Sect?" Wu Yuan was taken aback.

The Wu Clan in Li City was merely a branch of the Nanmeng Wu Clan.

And it was a relatively weak branch.

"Although our Wu Clan isn't a major clan in Nanmeng, we are still a bit stronger than that Luo Family. Once you go to Nanmeng Prefecture, with the full support of the Main Sect, your growth will be faster, and your chances of entering Cloud Martial Hall next year and winning 'Number One of the Four Prefectures' will be greater," Wu Qiming said, looking at Wu Yuan and sighing. "Your genealogy will also be directly entered into the Main Sect's records."

"Clan Leader!"

Wu Yuan frowned and said in a low voice, "I will only stay in Li City. My genealogy will only remain with the Li City Wu Clan. I'm not going anywhere."