Chapter 13: Xiahou’s Fury
Watching the direction in which Lu Xin disappeared, Lu Yun was unable to calm down for a long time.
He had originally thought that he would have to exhaust his words to possibly convince Lu Xin. For this, he had even carefully prepared a series of arguments, such as ‘Father has the grace of nurturing toward me, I absolutely will not harm Father, nor will I harm the Lu Family,’ ‘Father is full of talent, yet only because he is from the Lu Clan collateral lineage, he has never had a stage to display it. This time utilizing Xiahou Lei, he will certainly soar to the skies!’ and the like, yet he had not expected it to turn out like this…
After confirming his determination, Lu Xin had proactively changed his attitude, not giving him a chance to use those shameful arguments at all.
But what Lu Yun knew very clearly was that this was absolutely not Lu Xin’s original intention! It was a change made for his sake… How could Lu Xin not know that this decision would put him and his family at great risk? Yet he had still made the change without hesitation…
What emotion was driving this calm and wise man to make such a decision? Loyalty or love? Lu Yun could not say clearly.
But one thing was certain: Lu Xin was truly treating him as his own son and doting on him selflessly!
And he himself had only debts owed to him…
.
Not just the Lu Family father and son. This night, many people were destined to go sleepless.
The bustling Wulin Gate street during the day was now empty, with all the shops along the street having put up their door panels, and the Sihai Pawnshop at the end of the street was no exception.
However, the inner rooms of the pawnshop were already in chaos.
The shopkeeper was directing his subordinates to pack and transfer the confidential archives, burning those that could not be taken away, looking like a catastrophe was imminent.
Several leaders sat scattered dejectedly, watching this scene of the tree falling and the monkeys scattering. Someone said indignantly: “I told you we shouldn’t have been greedy for this money! Now look, we’ve been used as a pawn and poked a hornet’s nest!”
“Sigh…” Not only the previous opponents, but even the supporters at the time were now desperately trying to distance themselves: “The higher-ups repeatedly ordered not to act rashly at this critical juncture, but the shopkeeper just wouldn’t listen…”
The shopkeeper’s face was ashen, pretending not to hear as he continued to destroy the confidential documents in his hands.
“And Shankou!” The crowd turned their spears toward the dark-faced man, giving him a ‘are you an idiot?’ look: “Couldn’t you use your brain a bit? They dig a pit and you jump right in? Didn’t it occur to you that with all those Yellow Rank guards on that ship, who else could the real target be?”
“Bullshit!” Shankou was already full of pent-up anger and flew into a rage upon hearing this: “The blade was already at my neck then, how could I think of that much? Speak without pain while standing!”
“Fine, not talking about that!” The other side also went tit for tat: “Those four Yellow Rank brothers who died, have you disposed of bodies? Can you ensure they won’t follow the vine to find us? ‘Destroy Evidence’ is the White Ape Society’s iron rule, did you follow it?!”
“I’m so pissed!” Shankou was at a loss for words; when he saw Xiahou Lei’s figure at the time, his soul had flown away, how could he have cared about disposing of bodies? Just this one point was enough to drag him into the abyss!
Seeing that these guys not only wouldn’t pull him out but were desperately pushing him into the fire pit, Shankou’s anger rose from his heart, and he jumped up to hit someone!
“All of you shut up!” The shopkeeper finally couldn’t hold back and slapped the table heavily.
The shopkeeper’s remaining prestige was still there, and the crowd finally all quieted down. Then they heard him snort coldly: “I have already written the report, you can all rest assured, I will bear this matter alone and will not implicate you!” Saying this, he sighed hoarsely: “Once things here are handled, I will go to their door to plead guilty, whether to kill or shave, it’s up to Xiahou Lei.”
“Shopkeeper…” The crowd felt greatly relieved upon hearing this, and only then did they have the leisure to care about others. “Those few dead brothers had no markings on their bodies, we don’t need to send ourselves to the door, right?”
“Yes, shopkeeper, no need to throw ourselves into the net…” The others also hypocritically advised.
“You underestimate the Xiahou Clan too much…” The shopkeeper shook his head bitterly: “They will definitely seek frenzied revenge, no evidence needed at all…”
Before the words had finished, the pawnbroker on duty outside stumbled in, tremblingly shouting: “Bad news, we’re surrounded outside!”
“What?!” The crowd jumped up in shock.
“So fast? Or were we still one step late…” The shopkeeper’s face paled, but he quickly calmed down. He looked at the stack of papers in his hand, which were the Wu Commandery branch of the White Ape Society’s business records for the year.
On every sheet of paper was a departed soul who had lost their life at the hands of the White Ape Society, including no lack of officials and rich merchants. But the government never dared to interfere, because even the prefect lord did not want to face the White Ape Society’s relentless assassinations, and could only turn a blind eye.
But this White Ape Society, infamous enough to stop a child’s crying, had no power to resist in front of the Xiahou Clan…
The shopkeeper gave a self-mocking smile and threw the papers in his hand into the fire basin, where they were instantly swallowed by the leaping flames. The shopkeeper seemed to see his own end as well…
Seeing the shopkeeper with no reaction, the crowd wanted to flee separately, but in an instant they were shot back by strong bows and crossbows!
Arrows flew like locusts onto the pawnshop’s door panels, accompanied by a sharp shout exploding on the long street: “Xiahou Clan business, unnecessary people clear out immediately!”
Hearing this shout, the nearby patrolling official soldiers turned and left, not daring to approach.
Everyone in the pawnshop also seemed to have their courage drained, dropping their weapons one after another and being taken into custody by the rushing Xiahou Clan warriors!
Once the situation was under control, several Xiahou Clan warriors holding torches escorted a man draped in a black hooded cloak inside.
After entering the room, the man slowly removed his hood, revealing a face full of sickly pallor. He covered his mouth and coughed a few times, glanced at the pawnshop crowd with axes at their necks, then locked his gaze on the shopkeeper and slowly said: “I’ll ask just one question: was it you who did it?”
“Replying to Lord Xiahou…” Upon seeing the man, the shopkeeper’s legs trembled uncontrollably. To avoid getting burned, important figures from each noble clan had portraits in the White Ape Society. So the shopkeeper immediately recognized that the man was actually Xiahou Bupo, one of the Xiahou Four Heroes!
He absolutely had not expected this great figure to come to Yuhang as well! Even more unexpectedly, it was he who personally led the team to the door!
It must be known that unlike his three brothers who were renowned for martial arts, Xiahou Bupo had chronic illness and a frail body, so he rarely showed his face. At this moment, this Xiahou Clan prodigy renowned for wisdom was appearing late at night. One could imagine the extent of the Xiahou Clan’s anger!
Now, the last shred of luck was completely gone. The shopkeeper’s knees gave way, and he knelt before Xiahou Bupo: “Even if given ten times the guts, the White Ape Society wouldn’t dare touch the Xiahou Clan’s people. We were really framed!” He then explained in detail: “The day before yesterday, someone commissioned our society to assassinate a Gusu merchant named Fu Yan. We didn’t know it was a plot and accepted the commission. Who would have thought they would borrow a knife to kill, leading our people into conflict with your clan…”
“Who framed you?” Xiahou Bupo sized up the shopkeeper, his eyes seeming to pierce the heart.
“This…” Sweat beaded on the shopkeeper’s forehead as he said with difficulty: “Our society’s rules: as long as the customer pays in full first, they don’t need to reveal their identity…”
“Do you think such an explanation can get past this?” Xiahou Bupo brushed the dust off his cloak and asked faintly.
“Of course not!” The shopkeeper looked up and gritted his teeth: “No matter what, this lowly one deserves death! Naturally at the Xiahou Clan’s disposal!” Pausing, he begged again: “This matter was all my arbitrary decision, unrelated to others. Please, Lord Xiahou, show mercy and spare them…”
“Yes, we know nothing…” The pawnshop crowd hurriedly shouted: “Lord Xiahou, we are innocent!”
“Who personally acted today?” Xiahou Bupo looked at the crowd expressionlessly.
“It was him!” The crowd hurriedly pointed at Shankou.
“That’s right, it was me!” Shankou disdainfully glanced at the crowd: “Don’t worry, I won’t implicate you!”
“Take those two away.” Xiahou Bupo instructed his subordinates to drag the shopkeeper and Shankou out. Just as the pawnshop crowd thought they had finally escaped disaster, they heard Xiahou Bupo say faintly: “Kill the rest.”
“Ah!” The pawnshop crowd’s souls flew in terror, hurriedly begging Xiahou Bupo for their lives: “Lord Xiahou, we are innocent!”
“Yes, Lord Xiahou, wrongs have heads and debts have owners, we haven’t offended the Xiahou Clan!”
“Haha, a bunch of blood-debt-laden executioners actually claiming to be innocent!” Xiahou Bupo laughed as if hearing the biggest joke, laughed twice, then coughed violently again. Once calmed, he said word by word like knives: “If we don’t kill you, how can the Xiahou Clan stand?!”
With that, Xiahou Bupo turned and left, and behind him rose waves of screams!
After the Xiahou Clan’s team withdrew, a big fire burned the Sihai Pawnshop to ashes. Half the shops on Wulin Gate street were also affected and burned down.
The government posted a notice saying it was an accidental fire with no casualties.
