“What are you looking at? Disperse!” Xue Zige’s voice was like a winter frost descending. “And all the guards today, return to the Xue Residence to receive twenty planks, and your monthly salary will be withheld; all the maids today will have their monthly salary halved!”
The guards failed to block, allowing people to trespass as if entering an unmanned territory, so they deserved punishment. As for the maids, not only did none of them report it, but they also had the leisure to watch the commotion. Not firing all of them was already Xue Zige showing leniency.
Ning Yue watched the Xue Family’s legitimate daughter conduct herself, fair in rewards and punishments, calm in her words. Even when chastising her subordinates, her every action was still pleasing to the eye.
He couldn’t help but praise, “If Little Sister were a man, there might not be any business for rough men like us in the army.”
“Pfft!” Xue Zige, who had been sternly scolding her subordinates, finally couldn’t hold back her laughter.
She waved her hand, had the door closed again, then pulled Ning Yue’s sleeve, and sat back down. Only then did she slowly say, “Little Sister’s skills are merely for show, I don’t deserve such praise from Brother Yue. Today, I must thank Brother for his righteous protection.”
“It’s a trivial matter, not worth mentioning,” Ning Yue waved his hand.
Xue Zige, however, said seriously, “Little Sister knows that in that situation, not everyone would dare to defy the powerful to protect me. Perhaps Brother Yue is repaying a favor to my elder brother by helping me.
But for Zige, we keep things separate!”
After Xue Zige finished speaking, she furrowed her brow, pondered for a moment, then suddenly looked up, as if she had thought of something, and said to Ning Yue, “I heard my elder brother also gave you a two-courtyard residence?”
Ning Yue said, “That’s true, but I’ve been busy today and haven’t had a chance to check it out yet.”
Xue Zige pursed her lips and chuckled, “Brother Yue’s military duties are indeed numerous, but Little Sister has plenty of free time. How about leaving the small tasks of furnishing and arranging the courtyard, as well as selecting attendants and maids, to me?”
Ning Yue was delighted but also a little hesitant.
Now that he had a simplified version of a luxurious mansion, with the Xue Family’s sister’s taste, the maids would naturally not be of ordinary appearance.
Earlier, he had fantasized about a life with a luxurious mansion and beautiful maids, and now, in a daze, it seemed to have already been achieved?!
However, furnishing a home and selecting servants was not only tedious but also quite expensive. Although Ning Yue was skilled at taking advantage of situations, he didn’t want to simply take such a big favor from someone.
One must know that gold and silver are easy to obtain, but favors are hard to repay!
Who knew, this Xue Zige, understanding his thoughts, said, “Don’t worry, Brother Yue, you are a military man and dislike bothersome things. Little Sister will keep everything simple and certainly won’t disturb your peace.”
Ning Yue found it increasingly difficult to resist the Xue Family’s sugar-coated bullets. Each ‘Brother’ made his head spin, and he could only vaguely agree.
......
Inside the City Lord’s Residence, in the main hall.
The midday sun was bright, and the spacious hall, comparable to a training ground, was now filled with brilliant light.
Zhao City Lord held a letter, scrutinizing it intently, his expression changing, his face growing increasingly grim. “I never thought that with the great enemy of the demon race at our doorstep, so many people would be so unmotivated, unconcerned with their country, and intent on undermining Great Yuan.”
The letter contained a long list of names, all of whom were more or less involved in the recent robbery of military supplies.
Among them, there were quite a few scions of various noble families, with over a hundred families, big and small, involved to some degree.
Zhao Xingwu stood by, smiling as he interjected, “It’s all because you, Father, have guarded Gu City too well, which has bred so many fat and white woodworms .”
“If you ask me, every single one of them is well-fed and bored. They should be thrown into the northern desert to face the sand and wind, to clear their heads!”
Zhao Zhige said with hatred, “Foreign tribes are eyeing us covetously, yet we, our own people, are only concerned with petty internal strife. It’s truly damnable! This time, we absolutely cannot tolerate these people!”
Zhao City Lord said, “Zhige is right. Without severe measures, there will be no respect! Some people’s hands have stretched too far; it’s good to cut some off, lest their seats become crooked as well.”
With the matter decided, Zhao Xingwu summoned the messenger and arranged everything one by one.
A few thin pieces of paper kept all of Gu City awake through the night.
Ning Yue also didn't expect that his day off, which had just begun in the evening, would require him to work overtime.
There's no labor law in the military, so Ning Yue's work this time was unpaid labor, a huge loss! Poor him, he hadn't even had a chance to see his new house.
However, as soon as he heard it was a house-raiding job, his eyes immediately lit up again.
The night was deep, and banners waved.
Ning Yue, with his Whispering Blade slung across his back, slowly paced in the training ground, waiting for the troops to gather.
Although he currently held no Zongqi title, he had already begun to exercise the authority of a Zongqi. The hundred or so soldiers under Xue Ren were at his command.
And the events of yesterday were vivid in everyone’s minds. How could the Xiaoqi officers present dare to utter a single complaint? One must know that Xiao Wenjie, who was among the top hundred in the Zongqi Grand Competition, had been defeated by this murderous god before them. Figures like Feng Hai were even less worth mentioning.
They were still in prison, taking lashes.
Xue Youwei stared blankly at Ning Yue on the platform, feeling that Ning Yue was becoming more and more like his cousin, not in appearance, but in demeanor, in the composure and authority in his every move!
Before long, the training ground was bustling with noise, and messengers moved through the crowd, relaying their superiors’ orders one by one.
When a large flag waved on the high platform, the horses and men moved in unison.
Iron hooves broke through the boundless night, following the city’s main roads, which were already under curfew, like a hundred rivers flowing into the sea, each rushing to its destination.
Before long, the sounds of smashing, looting, and shouting faintly drifted over.
How could Ning Yue be left behind? His swift horse galloped, its four hooves flying. If not for considering the brothers behind him and holding back his speed, many traitors would probably have already met their demise.
Tonight’s mission was arduous. Ning Yue’s team needed to raid five minor noble families, and the hundred or so junior officials were all cheering themselves on.
Finish this night, and get rich for the whole year!
“Bang!” The main gate of the Chen Family, the first target, was rammed open.
The noble families of Gu City had a custom of raising private soldiers and hiring advisors and guards. Seeing the government soldiers breaking in, they didn’t flee.
Three to five Lian Rou Realm strongmen, with sabers drawn, stood defiantly at the gate, intending to die for their master.
And the Xiaoqi officers on Ning Yue’s side also wasted no words, their eyes gleaming with avarice, and they swung their blades!
The night in Gu City suddenly became tumultuous.
Ning Yue, while arranging for Wei Xian and others to go straight to the inner courtyard to seal off the ‘retreat path’ and clear the battlefield, also scanned the battlefield, not letting any fish slip through the net.
However, six Xiaoqi officers fighting five Lian Rou Realm martial artists actually caused the battle to stalemate, with a hundred or so men being firmly blocked in the front courtyard, unable to advance.
“Swish!” The Whispering Blade’s light flashed, the moonlight dimmed, and the starlight vanished.
The hazy blade shadow sent shivers down everyone’s spines.
A buzzing, wailing sound rose, disturbing people’s hearts and scattering their gazes.
The blade light only appeared for an instant, and five headless corpses, spraying blood, had already fallen to the ground, lifeless.
The rolling heads wore expressions of bewilderment, not even having time to react before being separated from their bodies!
“Finish it quickly, do not delay!” Ning Yue’s cold voice timely roused everyone!
The shouts of battle immediately resumed. Without strong resistance, the Chen Family was crushed by the government soldiers.
Ning Yue, without stopping, left a few guards to watch over the place and led everyone straight to the Li Residence!