"Second brother... you've finally come back..."
"Yes, big brother, I'm back."
The moment Su Mulan saw Zhang Su, her fury flared even higher. She shrieked, "Su Zhenzhen, didn't you say that an outsider like me had no right to meddle in the Su Family's affairs?"
"Then what is he supposed to be?"
"Zhang Su—a worthless nobody who bought his way into becoming an Outer Sect disciple of the Guiyuan Sect. All he knows is how to mooch off my Su Family, yet now he dares swagger into the Council Hall. Isn't he an outsider too?"
Su Zhenzhen's expression changed.
She knew exactly what position Zhang Su held in her husband's heart.
How could she allow Su Mulan to accuse him?
Slap.
Su Zhenzhen slapped Su Mulan across the face.
Su Mulan was completely stunned.
She trembled with rage. "Su Zhenzhen, you actually hit me over the useless younger brother of a worthless live-in son-in-law?"
"I hit you because you deserved it! This is Second Brother's first visit to my Su Family, which makes him an honored guest of the Su Family. Is this how my Su Family taught you to treat guests?"
"You..."
Su Mulan's eyes reddened.
She stared fixedly at Su Zhenzhen.
Su Zhenzhen had never indulged Su Mulan.
Ever since childhood, she had been the treasured jewel of the Su Family's First Branch, showered with boundless affection. How could she possibly fail to handle Su Mulan?
"Second Brother, please don't take offense..."
Su Zhenzhen turned around, a gentle smile appearing on her face.
Clang.
But in the next instant, the crisp sound of a sword being drawn reached everyone's ears.
Without the slightest warning, Zhang Su drew his sword in an instant.
"Second Miss, watch out..."
There were guards in the Council Hall.
One of the Third Branch's guards had a drastic change in expression.
His reaction had already been swift.
Yet he was still one step too late.
The razor-sharp blade swept across Su Mulan's forehead in an instant.
Su Mulan could even feel the icy touch of the sword's edge.
Sshk.
A soft sound rang out.
A lock of hair was severed by the sword and drifted down to the floor.
Clack.
Zhang Su sheathed his sword.
The entire Council Hall immediately fell silent as a graveyard.
No one had expected that someone would actually dare draw a sword in the Su Family's Council Hall.
"You..."
Su Mulan's entire body was trembling.
Her gaze toward Zhang Su was filled with terror.
Just moments ago, she had truly sensed the breath of death.
That sword had made her understand that Zhang Su before her seemed to truly dare kill her!
Zhang Su's expression remained calm as he said mildly, "At the city gate, your carriage charged about recklessly without the slightest regard for the fact that I was standing there. That was the first time you insulted me."
"Before the Su Family's gates, your words were insolent. That was the second time you insulted me."
"Just now in the Council Hall, you insulted me for the third time."
"Trouble never comes thrice. Consider this a lesson. If there is a next time, my sword will draw blood!"
Zhang Su's words shocked many people.
But what shocked them even more was that sword strike from earlier.
Outsiders watched the spectacle; experts saw the craft.
There were quite a few Su Family guards in the Council Hall.
They appeared to be resting with their eyes closed or standing off to one side.
But in truth, they were extremely vigilant.
The instant Zhang Su drew his sword, they had already sensed it.
Yet none of them had been able to stop him.
It was not that they had not tried to stop him, but that they simply could not.
It had been too fast.
So fast that even if they had faced that sword themselves, they likely would have met with more ill fortune than good.
Several guards exchanged glances, their expressions exceedingly tense.
They immediately shielded their young misses and young masters behind them, their eyes locked tightly onto Zhang Su for fear that he would attack again.
As for his elder brother, Zhang Chen, he had been badly startled.
Only when he saw that Zhang Su had merely cut off a lock of Su Mulan's hair did he finally let out a breath of relief.
Still, he keenly sensed that this "second brother" before him seemed somewhat different.
A year ago, his second brother had had a fierce quarrel with him and unilaterally declared that they were cutting off all ties.
Yet one year later, after returning from the Guiyuan Sect, his second brother had already gained a trace of the bearing of a disciple from a great sect.
Su Zhenzhen was also somewhat surprised.
She had not expected this "second brother," who looked as gentle as jade, to be so unyielding.
He acted without a word.
And even the Su Family's guards had not been able to stop him in time.
That was anything but ordinary.
She knew very well that Zhang Su had relied on the Su Family's connections and silver to "buy" himself a spot as an Outer Sect disciple of the Guiyuan Sect.
She had thought that he would merely while away his days in the Guiyuan Sect's Outer Sect.
Yet unexpectedly, he seemed to have truly made something of himself.
"All right. The Zhenyuan Escort Agency should return around tomorrow. We can discuss everything then."
Su Zhenzhen also knew that they would not be able to settle anything today.
"Husband, Second Brother, let's go back first."
Zhang Chen nodded.
Smiling, he said, "Second Brother, it seems you've improved quite a bit this past year. Come, let's head back and have a proper talk."
A sincere smile appeared on Zhang Chen's face.
The people of the First Branch soon left completely.
Only the Third Branch's people remained in the Council Hall.
Su Mulan's face still carried a trace of pallor.
Even now, her emotions had yet to settle.
Su Qianhe immediately rebuked him, "Uncle Qiao, what kind of guard are you? Aren't you the renowned Iron Pen Judge of the martial world? How could you fail to stop even an ordinary Guiyuan Sect disciple from drawing his sword?"
Uncle Qiao was the guard who had stood behind Su Qianhe earlier and attempted to stop Zhang Su from drawing his sword.
His real name was Fang Qiao, and he was also a renowned figure in the martial world.
Hearing Su Qianhe's rebuke, Fang Qiao let out a long sigh. "Young Master, you do not understand. When Zhang Su drew his sword just now, I had indeed been prepared to stop him, but I couldn't..."
"Though this Zhang Su is an Outer Sect disciple of the Guiyuan Sect, I dare guarantee that he is no ordinary disciple. He is likely one of the foremost among the Outer Sect disciples."
"He might even be qualified to rank among the Top Ten Outer Sect Disciples! If Young Master does not believe me, ask every guard here—when facing Zhang Su's sword strike just now, who could have stopped it?"
Su Qianhe furrowed his brow, his suspicious gaze sweeping over every guard in the Council Hall.
Yet wherever his gaze fell, the guards lowered their heads.
Clearly, they truly had no confidence in being able to stop Zhang Su's sword strike from earlier.
"I have heard of this Zhang Su as well. He had a fierce quarrel with Zhang Chen before, and Zhang Chen even had to spend silver to buy him a place before sending him to the Guiyuan Sect."
"Could he really have learned something worthwhile in the Guiyuan Sect?"
Su Qianhe found it somewhat unbelievable.
The Zhang Family had already fallen so far as to become live-in sons-in-law of the Su Family.
How were they becoming stronger one after another?
There was no need to mention Zhang Chen.
At first, they had thought Zhang Chen was a weak and cowardly live-in son-in-law.
Yet after Zhang Chen married into the Su Family, he had instead taken charge of the Su Family's business.
In just one year, Zhang Chen had managed the Su Family's business in perfect order, showing greater skill than anyone in the Su Family.
And now there was Zhang Chen's younger brother.
He had even needed to spend money to buy a place in the Guiyuan Sect.
Yet now, he apparently had truly succeeded in martial training?
Were all the Zhang Family's people really this bizarre?
Su Mulan gritted her teeth and said bitterly, "Zhang Su has only trained in martial arts for a year, and he was already over the age limit when he entered the Guiyuan Sect. No matter how strong he is, how strong could he possibly be?"
"He actually dared draw his sword at me today. Tomorrow, I'll bring Brother Cheng here and let everyone in the Su Family see what a true genius looks like!"
After Su Mulan's words fell, no one in the Council Hall answered.
Jiang Cheng?
He was indeed a genius, a genius whose name was known throughout Qingquan Prefecture.
And he came from a martial arts family.
He lacked neither family background, resources, cultivation methods, nor anything else.
"Mulan, you haven't married Jiang Cheng yet. If you rashly bring someone from the Jiang Family into the Su Family, I'm afraid the First Branch will raise objections..."
Su Qianhe said carefully.
"Objections? I can't care about that now. That Zhang Su and the First Branch have bullied me so badly—can't I even seek Brother Cheng out to pour out my grievances?"
"Besides, if the Zhenyuan Escort Agency loses the goods tomorrow, we will have to make trouble for the First Branch. Zhang Su has some ability, and even Uncle Qiao seems to be no match for him. If we don't have someone who can suppress him, how can we make trouble for the First Branch?"
Su Mulan's words plunged Su Qianhe into thought.
Though her words were mixed with Su Mulan's personal emotions.
The First Branch suddenly having an extra Zhang Su was indeed a variable.
Bringing in the Jiang Family ahead of time seemed to be imperative as well!
"Fine. Let's go back and report this to Father."
Thus, Su Qianhe led his people and swiftly left the Council Hall as well.
Before you continue