Xiao Jingxi stood in place for a moment before turning around, while Mu Hu remained frozen in place, staring wide-eyed at the gate of the Ren Family.
As Xiao Jingxi walked over to him, he said, "Since you want to keep watch here, then keep watching."
Mu Hu stiffly and slowly turned his neck, pointing toward the gate of the Ren residence with a horrified expression. "Y-young master, sh-she, sh-she, sh-she, sh-she... isn't Hongying?"
Xiao Jingxi raised an eyebrow, continuing forward as he patiently explained to his subordinate, "She is Nan Xing, Hongying's older sister. Didn't you know Hongying has a sister?"
Mu Hu followed closely behind, drifting along like a lost soul. "I’d heard Hongying had a sister, but I’d never seen her, and I didn’t know they looked exactly alike... No wonder every time I called her Hongying, she’d beat me up. I thought that was just her way of showing affection..."
Xiao Jingxi looked surprised. "You actually enjoy being beaten up?" He paused, offering a sympathetic consolation to his subordinate. "Jinglin knows quite a few skilled women. I’ll have her keep an eye out for you."
Mu Hu suddenly looked up, shaking his head like a rattle drum, his expression resolute as he declared, "No one else will do. I only want her!"
Xiao Jingxi smiled. "Oh? And by 'her,' do you mean Hongying or Nan Xing?"
Mu Hu’s expression of unwavering loyalty, like that of a chaste martyr, instantly crumbled. With a strange cry of "Aow—", he covered his head and squatted down in the middle of the road.
Xiao Jingxi watched his capable subordinate squatting there without a care for his image, looking like an abandoned dog, and couldn’t help but twitch the corner of his eye.
Thus, long after Xiao Jingxi had left, Mu Hu remained squatting alone in the middle of the road, looking as sorrowful as if the sky had fallen. Fortunately, due to the presence of soldiers, the alley was nearly empty, so Mu Hu didn’t completely disgrace the reputation of the Yanbei Army.
No sooner had Xiao Jingxi returned to the Yanbei Prince's Mansion than Xiao Shun came to request an audience.
Originally, since the person had already been handed over to Xiao Shun, he was free to deal with him however he wished.
Unlike his elder brother Xiao Hua, who was a former shadow guard with an unremarkable appearance, Xiao Shun was of average height and had an exceptionally delicate face. His complexion was perpetually pale and unhealthy, making him appear somewhat frail. As a youth, he was often teased for looking like a girl.
Yet no one could have expected that Xiao Shun, who looked like a girl, was more ruthless and cruel than anyone else. While most people would feel uneasy at the sight of a bloody, hellish torture scene, Xiao Shun could face it without batting an eye—or even with enjoyment. Though he never personally carried out the torture, many of the infamous punishments in the Yanbei Prince's Mansion’s secret prison were his inventions.
Despite his somewhat unspeakable dark hobbies, Xiao Shun was a clever and dutiful subordinate, which was why he had become Xiao Jingxi’s trusted confidant. Therefore, when Lu Dexin was delivered into his hands, he didn’t immediately resort to torture. After all, Lu Dexin’s identity was special, and he hadn’t heard of any personal grudge between his master and this eunuch. Thus, he needed to seek Xiao Jingxi’s guidance on how far to go.Hearing that Xiao Shun had come regarding Lu Dexin's matter, Xiao Jingxi, who was reviewing official documents in the study, did not even lift his head. "Handle it as it should be handled. I never interfere with anyone handed over to you."
Xiao Shun paused for a moment, then cautiously asked, "May I ask, Young Master, what is his charge?"
In truth, the real meaning behind Xiao Shun's question was: Does Lu Dexin's life still need to be spared? Sparing him would require one approach, while not sparing him would require another.
Xiao Jingxi lightly tapped his slender fingers on the desk, narrowing his eyes slightly. His tone remained calm and indifferent as he spoke. "Deceiving the emperor and defying authority."
Upon hearing this, Xiao Shun breathed a sigh of relief. A faint, almost imperceptible excitement flickered in his cold and gloomy eyes. "Deceiving the emperor and defying authority" was a capital offense, implying that he could do as he pleased with Lu Dexin.
In reality, since Xiao Jingxi had captured Lu Dexin, he would never allow him the chance to return alive to the capital. Xiao Jingxi never gave his enemies an opportunity to turn the tables and strike back.
However, before Lu Dexin died, there was still a score to settle with him.
Just before Xiao Shun withdrew, Xiao Jingxi added softly, almost in a whisper, "I don’t know which hand it was... In that case, neither of his hands should remain."
Xiao Shun was momentarily taken aback but immediately turned and acknowledged the order with a respectful "Yes."
Though he was curious about how Lu Dexin had managed to offend his master—after all, Xiao Jingxi had never taken pleasure in tormenting prisoners—he did not let it show on his face.
Nevertheless, since his master had given the order, he would carry it out meticulously.
Ren Yaoqi had no idea that the person she had most despised and hated in her previous life had been handed over to Xiao Shun by Xiao Jingxi for "proper discipline." She was even more unaware that the suffering Lu Dexin had once inflicted upon her would be repaid with pain dozens, if not hundreds, of times greater.
To the outside world, Lu Dexin had long been considered dead due to the charge of "deceiving the emperor and defying authority." Those who had accompanied him were luckier; though they too would ultimately meet their end, at least they would not suffer as he did.
Thus, Xiao Jingxi was never a kind or gentle man. He was a qualified leader who, when necessary, could be colder and more ruthless than anyone. He was also a seasoned politician; offending him would lead to death, yet he could tolerate some provocation when the timing was not right, waiting to settle the score later.
Until his death, Lu Dexin never realized that the reason he could not even die peacefully was because he had once attempted to harass Second Young Master Xiao's beloved—and failed at that.
Meanwhile, as Xiao Jingxi discreetly dealt with Lu Dexin, Ren Yaoqi’s situation remained unsettled.
After returning, Nan Xing reported everything that had happened outside to Ren Yaoqi in detail.
Upon hearing that Lu Dexin had been taken away by Xiao Jingxi, Ren Yaoqi was momentarily stunned, and her feelings inevitably grew complicated.
She understood perfectly well that since Xiao Jingxi had charged Lu Dexin with "deceiving the emperor and defying authority," he would not spare his life. With her enemy facing death, Ren Yaoqi, no saint herself, naturally felt a sense of satisfaction. She simply hadn’t expected Xiao Jingxi to act so swiftly and decisively.
"That token..."
Ren Yaoqi found it highly suspicious that Lu Dexin’s token had inexplicably shattered, and Xiao Jingxi’s timely appearance seemed almost as if he had anticipated the entire scene.Therefore, no matter how gentle and affectionate Xiao Jingxi appeared before Ren Yaoqi, in her eyes, he was never a gentleman or a kind-hearted person. Their relationship began with Xiao Jingxi repeatedly snatching people from her, so Second Young Master Xiao still had a long way to go if he wanted to leave a positive impression on the one he loved.
Nan Xing paused briefly and said tactfully, "The young master has many skilled experts by his side." So, it would be a simple matter to make Lu Dexin go easy without him realizing it.
Ren Yaoqi understood the implication and nodded knowingly. It seemed Lu Dexin had been set up. In fact, she should have known earlier that Xiao Jingxi’s reason for sending people to guard this place couldn’t be so simple. Xiao Jingxi was not someone accustomed to being passive.
Then, remembering the final words her master had entrusted her with, Nan Xing began to relay them meticulously: "My master asked me to tell you two things: 'Don’t worry' and 'Wait for me.'"
Ren Yaoqi was momentarily stunned before she processed Nan Xing’s words. Her face suddenly flushed, and she silently cursed Xiao Jingxi in her heart.
Even so, Ren Yaoqi didn’t feel truly angry. Despite her steady temperament, she disliked having matters between her and Xiao Jingxi exposed in front of others.
While Ren Yaoqi was preoccupied with embarrassment and annoyance, she was unaware that another consequence of Xiao Jingxi sending people to surround her family’s gate would soon emerge.
After dismissing Nan Xing, Ren Yaoqi was about to go to the main room to see Madam Li when she heard a commotion outside the Inner Gate as soon as she stepped out of her side chamber. The noise was quite loud.
Ren Yaoqi frowned and stopped in her tracks. She was about to send Pingguo out to see what was happening when Nanny Zhou, who had also heard the disturbance, hurried over. Seeing Ren Yaoqi, she quickly said, "I’ll go see what’s going on. Fifth Miss, please go to the main room and stay with Madam."
Ren Yaoqi nodded and was about to give Nanny Zhou a few more instructions when the gatekeeper woman who had come in earlier rushed in again. Seeing Ren Yaoqi and Nanny Zhou standing under the eaves, she hurried over, panting as she bowed and said, "Miss, it’s... it’s not good. The Ren Family has sent people."
Nanny Zhou frowned. "Why is it not good that the Ren Family sent people?" Weren’t they all part of the Ren Family? The gatekeeper woman acted as if wolves and tigers had arrived.
Unexpectedly, the woman quickly added, "It’s Old Master Ren and Old Madam Ren who sent people. They say the Ren Family is going to expel Third Master’s branch from the clan!"
"What!" Nanny Zhou exclaimed in shock.
At that moment, Ren Shimin also emerged from the main room and happened to hear the gatekeeper woman’s words.
"Old Master and Old Madam want to expel me from the clan?"
Third Master Ren was also stunned and somewhat bewildered. In fact, since he had obtained an official position, his status in the Ren Family had risen significantly. Even though the Ren Family was now far less prosperous than before, the allowance they provided him had not only remained the same but had doubled.
Ren Yaoqi, however, was not overly surprised. After a brief moment of contemplation, she understood what was happening. After all, she knew the true nature of the Ren Family’s elders all too well."Reporting to the master, that is what the visitor said. Because there are government soldiers guarding the entrance of our mansion, those people from the Ren Family old residence cannot enter, so they are listing... listing your faults at the gate. They also said that from now on, our branch will have no ties with the main clan of the Ren Family, and even you have been expelled from the clan." Although these words were truly unpleasant to hear, the gatekeeper woman knew the matter was of great importance and dared not conceal it.
Third Master Ren's face turned somewhat pale. Even if he paid little attention to affairs, he understood what being expelled from the family meant.
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