Hill knew An Pengfei was explaining how the An Family had made such a mistake: they took matters involving Hill seriously, but not seriously enough to expect something on this scale.
In their minds, an Archmage who had only just arrived in the Dragonborn Empire would never become someone else's way of striking at the An Family.
When people knew nothing about an Archmage's abilities, most chose to wait and see.
An Ran had explained that they had informed Benevolent Harmony City's major factions of Hill's identity the next morning. They simply hadn't expected the enemy to act so quickly, or the young master of the Bo Clan to be so stupid.
Even the spoiled heirs familiar to the great families checked a person's background before picking a fight. Who could have known that fool from the Bo Clan would believe an outsider's word?
Someone else might have thought the An Family was shirking responsibility, but Hill found the explanation entirely reasonable.
If the Zhentarim had a chance to make trouble for Hill, they would spare no effort. Going all out would be only natural, never mind spending some gold and jewels.
The gangs of the Dwarf Empire were famously poor. To make money, even their high-ranking warriors and ninjas went to sea to fish or underground to mine.
But Hill also knew that although this affair had begun with him, he was not its true target.
It was perfectly normal for the Zhentarim's allies to drag Hill into a dirty job, even make him the scapegoat for an upheaval. No one minded earning a little extra money.
But the dirty job's real purpose was clearly to drive a wedge between the great families and the Dragonborn Imperial Family.
The An Family must have some major plan that would greatly