Staying Will Be Miserable

In front of the Ren Family gate, although Ren Jie and the others had already left, Tie Ta was leading a squad of Guard Squad guards, diligently carrying out Ren Jie's orders.

"Eighteen... nineteen... twenty..."

"Slap... slap... slap..."

Tie Ta counted seriously, while the Guard Squad members struck down heavily, blow after blow. The four guys were beaten until their skin split and flesh tore, screaming repeatedly. Caning, if executed by a true expert, could kill you with one blow. If they didn't want to kill you, even a hundred blows would only result in flesh wounds.

Although Ren Jie hadn't given a direct order, these Guard Squad members knew very well that the Family Head definitely wasn't trying to kill anyone. However, they had long been fed up with these guys and naturally wouldn't hold back. At the very least, they would beat them half to death. With only ordinary potions available to them, they wouldn't be able to get out of bed for at least three months.

Right at the doorstep, other members of the family watched with trepidation, and there were quite a few people watching the spectacle from a distance.

However, everyone had different mindsets. Those watching from a distance weren't afraid of things getting bigger, while those in the Ren Family were all secretly worried, wondering if the Family Head's outburst would affect them.

Especially now that the Council of Elders was also in power, those who didn't listen to the Council of Elders would be dealt with. But if they listened to the Council of Elders and angered the Family Head, it was clear that the Family Head and the Council of Elders were already at odds.

After Tie Ta faithfully completed Ren Jie's orders, he led the squad of Guard Squad members to Ren Jie's residence. Ren Jie's residence was quite good, located in the most central part of the Ren Family, a full five kilometers behind the Great Council Hall. It also occupied the largest area in the Ren Family, as it was the residence of successive Family Heads, with numerous formations and Restrictions. When Tie Ta and the others arrived, they found Tong Qiang and all the Guard Squad members lined up and waiting in a small Martial Arts Arena.

This was a Martial Arts Arena inside the Family Head's residence, completely closed off to the outside. At this moment, Ren Jie was standing quietly on the platform, clearly waiting for them.

"Reporting to the Family Head, the caning family law has been executed." Tie Ta felt as if he was back in his father's military camp. He stepped forward, chest out and head held high, to report, and the Guard Squad members immediately returned to their ranks.

Ren Jie nodded, his gaze slowly sweeping over the Guard Squad, who were all present, looking at Tie Ta, Tong Qiang, and everyone else.

At this time, Fatty Gao Ren had been following closely behind Ren Jie. After Ren Jie returned, he had been waiting quietly here, which made Gao Ren's heart churn. He kept guessing in his mind, What exactly is this Meal Ticket Boss of mine going to do?

Inspection? This isn't the time for that. These people look somewhat decent, but it's impossible to rely on them to take down those few Elders.

Moreover, just before Tie Ta and the others returned, the Second Elder and the others had sent people over, clearly the first wave of counterattack regarding the previous events, notifying Ren Jie and Tong Qiang.

Since Tong Qiang and the others would no longer obey the Council of Elders and the family's command, and would only serve as the Family Head's personal Guard Squad, all future expenses of the Guard Squad would not be drawn from the family. Everything would have to be borne by the Family Head personally. Not only that, but the Family Head would also have to review and decide on a large number of matters. Just now, people had been sent to deliver various documents and accounts, amounting to several boxes, and the final decision-making power for these things was in the hands of the Council of Elders.

The excuse was to let the Family Head start learning before he came of age, and the Family Head had to complete his studies at the Jade Emperor Academy. If he had to repeat a year and couldn't graduate, even if he came of age, he couldn't officially take over family affairs. Therefore, the family's Council of Elders would regularly assess the Family Head's progress in academic and martial studies...

Listening to the various messages constantly sent by the Council of Elders, it was clear that these were decisions within the Council of Elders' authority and the family's rules. But even a blind person could see that this was a retaliation for Ren Jie's actions in front of the Ren Family gate earlier. Gao Ren felt a headache just listening from the side, but when he glanced over, he didn't see any sign of anger in Ren Jie, as if these matters had nothing to do with him at all.

"You all saw it today, right? I believe even an idiot knows what's going on with me, this Family Head, now. A bunch of Elders who were so suppressed by my Old Dad that they didn't even dare to fart, a bunch of Jade Capital City dignitaries who would hide whenever they saw my Old Dad, now all think I, this Family Head, am young and easy to bully."

"It's my business if I like to eat, drink, and play, if I like to fight and spend money, because I have a good father, because my father is awesome enough. But some people want to bully me because I'm young and treat me like an idiot, and that's absolutely not allowed. Yes, I'm not some damn peerless hero, a supreme genius, but I am Ren Tianxing's son, I am the Family Head of the Ren Family."

"Who are you?" Ren Jie suddenly looked at Tong Qiang and the group of Guard Squad members who had gone through countless life-and-death situations with Ren Tianxing, his voice suddenly rising: "You are my Old Dad Ren Tianxing's brothers who shared life and death, you are the Guard Squad that my father and I dare to entrust our backs to, the people we entrust our lives to. Precisely because of this, I, this Family Head, want to ask you today, without the delicious food and wine provided by the family, without the slave servants provided by the family, without sufficient resources and treatment, will you still stand behind me, this Family Head, and face everything together with me, regardless of any situation or change?"

"If you regret it now, it's still not too late, because my Old Dad may never come back, and you understand the situation inside and outside the family without me saying anything. I, this Family Head, can only guarantee that as long as I have something to eat, you won't go hungry. And once you stay, I will have new demands on you, because the Family Head's Guard Squad I heard about since I was a child wasn't like this, not wearing luxurious Armor for others to see, not a ceremonial guard for festivals and New Year. So I will retrain you, and at the same time, I will take you to fight to the death with anyone, no matter who they are."

"If you stay, you will be miserable, very miserable, because I can't stand the way you are now, because you are not the Guard Squad I want."

"If you stay, you will definitely die, perhaps during training, perhaps in a battle, because from now on, you will no longer have easy days."

"If you stay, you are destined to become enemies with the vast majority of people, because no one, whether inside or outside the family, wants to see me, this Family Head, actually do something, and you will be the first to suffer the most brutal blows."

"If you stay, it will be miserable, training will be miserable, treatment will be miserable, and life and death will be difficult to guarantee, because the Family Head you are following now needs others' permission to even spend money. Perhaps one day, I, this Family Head, might even take you to become Bandits or Robbers together."

"You have a choice..." Ren Jie pointed to the exit of the Martial Arts Arena: "Walk out from here, and I swear in the name of my father, Ren Tianxing, that I will not hold you accountable for anything, because you don't owe my father and me anything. Those who leave now will each receive a manor. These are properties under my name, and I have the authority to bestow them upon you. This is enough for you to live a life of comfort and plenty. If you sell the manor and move to a smaller place, you can even establish a small family. Consider this my final compensation as the Family Head. Now, those who want to leave, don't hesitate, don't look back, leave immediately from here."

Oh my god, what is this Meal Ticket Boss doing? If you say that, how will anyone stay? One must know that although Ren Jie didn't have much pocket money to spend, Ren Tianxing had given all the properties under his personal name to Ren Jie before he left. The manors and properties under Ren Jie's name were indeed countless, but now they all had to be managed by the Council of Elders. However, that was only for income and management. If he insisted on giving them to others, or rather, bestowing them, the Council of Elders had no right to stop him.

Even a small manor was worth several million taels of gold, and they all had a large number of servants and workers, with a certain amount of income each year.

Isn't this tempting these people to leave quickly?! If they leave, they will get things in one go that they can't enjoy in a lifetime, but if they stay, it will be miserable, training will be miserable, treatment will be miserable, and life and death will be difficult to guarantee. Isn't this forcing people to leave?! Gao Ren was behind Ren Jie, secretly pulling on the corner of Ren Jie's clothes, thinking to himself, How can anyone in this world talk like you? It would be strange if anyone stayed after saying that...

Boom! Just then, a sudden explosion rang out. The golden, imposing armor on Tong Qiang, who was standing at the very front, suddenly seemed as if it had been packed with explosives. It directly split apart and flew in all directions.

"Damn it, I've been sick of wearing this skin for a long time. Wearing this thing as a decoration has almost driven me crazy. Family Head, we only recognize you and the Old Family Head. We don't ask about right or wrong, or anything else. Just tell us what you want to do." That golden, imposing armor was just for making the Guard Squad look majestic and spectacular when they went out; it wasn't real armor. At this moment, the armor exploded and shattered. Inside the armor, a big man was revealed. Although not as exaggerated as Tie Ta, he was also tall and imposing. Most importantly, his bald head was shiny and could be used as a mirror in the sunlight.

Tong Qiang's appearance was definitely enough to give timid people nightmares. Especially now, moved by Ren Jie's words, the blood that had been dormant for many years boiled again, just like when he followed Ren Tianxing back then. He looked even more terrifyingly fierce.

Bang... Bang... Bang... The other members of the Guard Squad behind Tong Qiang didn't have Tong Qiang's Mana to directly explode their armor, but they immediately threw their armor aside. Each of them also seemed like they had been sealed for many years and were finally resurrected.

"Wearing this stuff for others to see, even a dog could do it."

"Living every day without any flavor, it was still more enjoyable fighting for life and death with the Old Family Head before."

"Family Head, we are the Guard Squad. As long as you say the word, if you say rob the Imperial Palace, we'll go immediately."

"Haha... Di Shu, you're good at stealing, but you can't rob. I have to do it."

"Xiao Niao, when have you ever been good at robbing?"

"Family Head, why don't we gather the Imperial Guard brothers and clean up the family first?"

Wearing those armors similar to an honor guard, these people were like emotionless robots. But when Ren Jie said those words and these people took off their armor, they immediately changed from mere decorations to a group of flesh-and-blood people.

To be precise, they returned to their true colors, each one incredibly fierce. For them, perhaps the previous days had good food, good housing, and good treatment, but they lived incredibly uncomfortably. They had better resources, but they couldn't cultivate and improve like before. With good food, good housing, and servants to wait on them, they felt completely ill at ease. When Ren Jie said these words, this group of people, led by Tong Qiang, all became energetic.

As for the rest, they could all go to hell.

Not a single person walked in the direction Ren Jie pointed for them to leave. Not even one person responded to Ren Jie's words. Whether it was the Imperial Palace or cleaning up the family internally, for them, they didn't care.

Holy crap, what kind of people are these! This is okay? Gao Ren had been sweating with anxiety, but at this moment, he wiped the sweat from his forehead with his hand, thinking to himself that he had truly seen something. He had seen plenty of scheming and deception, but this was the first time he had seen such a group of rough, bold, flesh-and-blood people. Ren Jie's words, and the reactions of these people at this moment, actually made Gao Ren's nose feel a little sore.