"!" Yuan Heng turned to look at the closed door. Uncle Shan continued, "The young master was a bit timid and didn't dare to fight back. He wanted to tell the city lord and let the city lord decide, but he was afraid of causing trouble for the city lord..."
"Even when I, this old man, took charge and told the city lord once, they talked their way out of it with clever words... Later, the young master resigned himself to fate. He often hid from the servants in the pavilion, living in constant fear, even though he was the master... I could usually cook for the young master or prepare bathwater for him. I often thought, if I were gone, what would happen to the young master... Now it's good that he can do this... At least from now on he can suppress these ger who bully the weak and fear the strong."
"..." Yuan Heng's heart felt as if pressed by a huge rock, squeezing him so hard he could barely breathe...
His little ger was so good... These people deserved death...
Yuan Heng's light-colored pupils gradually deepened, a violent aura rising in his eyes.
He clenched his fists, took large strides forward, his presence like a death god coming to claim lives. Uncle Shan, intimidated, couldn't stop trembling. Seeing Yuan Heng about to open the door, Uncle Shan mustered his courage and pulled Yuan Heng back.
"Young... Young Master Yuan... what... what are you doing?"
"Helping my little ger teach them a lesson."
The man said "teach a lesson," but his whole body was filled with murderous intent.
Uncle Shan regretted his loose tongue for a moment. He hurriedly said, "The... the young master said he wanted to handle it himself..."
Yuan Heng's steps halted. Uncle Shan said, "Since the young master asked you to come out, it means he doesn't want you to interfere. Why don't you try trusting him?"
"..." The man's knuckles were clenched so tight they turned white. Finally, they trembled and loosened... The loosened fingertips were stained with red marks...
"The little ger hasn't eaten breakfast yet. I'll go heat up the breakfast prepared earlier for him." Yuan Heng turned and left the courtyard.
He was afraid that if he stayed any longer, he wouldn't be able to control himself from going in and killing those people...
The person he cherished most in Danmu tribe, placed at the tip of his heart... was bullied to such an extent in this very pavilion in Ning'an City in the past... Just thinking about it made him unable to control his fury.
Not long after Yuan Heng left, the door of the room opened. Xiao Xiao, covered in wounds, was pushed out.
"Since you say it's Zhao Xiang, then go find him and tell him to bring the account books. Otherwise, it means you embezzled the silver and can't produce the accounts. I can't cover up embezzlement, I can only tell my brother. What the punishment for embezzling the master's silver in Ning'an City is, I think you know better than I do."
Wang Jin sat in the middle of the room and said to Xiao Xiao, who was kneeling and crawling outside. His aura, though not as sharp as a beastman's, was imposing enough to make people not dare to underestimate him.
Xiao Xiao hugged his painfully wounded body, tears streaming down his face. "Xiao... Xiao Xiao understands..."
He said in a trembling voice, then scrambled away crawling on his hands and knees, a far cry from his former domineering manner.
Zhao Xiang was currently drinking tea and eating exquisite pastries with Pan Shulin when suddenly an attendant whispered something in his ear. His expression changed greatly, and he hurriedly stood up. "Shulin, I have an urgent matter to handle. I must leave first."
Pan Shulin found it strange. A figure vaguely flashed in his mind. He stood up as well and asked, "Is it about Xi Yao?"
Zhao Xiang nodded. "That Xi Yao has gone mad for some reason. He actually beat up Xiao Xiao and Xiao He, and even said he wants to take over the accounts room from me? Since when do I manage any accounts room for him? Xiao Xiao came to me covered in injuries. I need to go to the pavilion to see."
"...Xiao Xiao came to find you?" Pan Shulin's eyes flickered. He hurriedly grabbed the about-to-leave Zhao Xiang by the arm and said, "If that's the case, you must not go."
"?" Zhao Xiang looked at Pan Shulin in confusion.
Pan Shulin lowered his eyes in thought for a moment, a flash of shrewdness in his eyes, and said frankly, "Although you just said the pavilion's accounts room has nothing to do with you, I know the person behind the pavilion's accounts room is actually you. You've always been taking the silver from the pavilion."
Zhao Xiang's fingers twitched, his eyes darting around, full of guilt. "What are you talking about? Do you have evidence?"
Pan Shulin's eyes held a trace of mockery. "Xiang'er, don't hide it from me. My father is the head of the Incense Hall. The matters in his hands are now managed by me, meaning the silver for the city lord's mansion, the various halls, and the ger's pavilions and courtyards in this city are all managed by me. I naturally noticed something wrong with the silver in Xi Yao's pavilion."
"..." Zhao Xiang's face darkened. "When did you notice?"
"A long time ago." Pan Shulin wore a smile on his lips. Zhao Xiang's expression grew even uglier.
Pan Shulin quickly said, "Don't be nervous. I knew before and didn't interfere. Now that I know, I naturally won't stand up for that Xi Yao either."
Zhao Xiang frowned. "Then you?"
"You and I... actually both dislike that Xi Yao. You know, most of the time when we meet, we discuss this Xi Yao..."
With Pan Shulin's hint, Zhao Xiang remembered that they did indeed discuss Xi Yao whenever they met, or more precisely, badmouthed that Xi Yao. Xi Yao was the city lord's brother. They usually didn't dare to say anything in front of him, but behind his back they would always get together to talk about him, otherwise they would burst from pent-up frustration...
Their friendship was based merely on this...
"So, are you going to help me now?" Zhao Xiang looked suspicious.
Pan Shulin laughed. "How could I have such great ability... I just want to remind you, Xiao Xiao coming to you covered in injuries means Xiao Xiao and Xiao He have already been subdued by that Xi Yao. Him coming to you now must be on Xi Yao's orders. If I remember correctly, you previously made a show of avoiding suspicion to conveniently take the pavilion's silver..."
"You've always stated publicly, even promised in front of the city lord, that you help take care of Xi Yao but everything in the pavilion has nothing to do with you... If everything in the pavilion has nothing to do with you, then what does Xi Yao disciplining Xiao Xiao and wanting to take over the accounts room have to do with you? Why are you so anxious to go to the pavilion?"
"..." Zhao Xiang was stunned.
Pan Shulin said, "The more anxious you are to go now, the more it proves the accounts room is deeply connected to you."
"Then... what should I do?" Zhao Xiang asked with a frown.
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