Chapter 279: Robbery and Killing

Zu An galloped back to the Chu family, eager to inform them of the latest developments.

"What? No evidence of illegal salt?" Qin Wanru was about to erupt after hearing Zu An's report. However, she suddenly recalled how volatile he had been recently, easily provoked by even a minor comment. Fearing another uncontrollable outburst, she forced herself to suppress the urge to scold him.

She merely let out a disgruntled snort, secretly wondering, *Why am I afraid of this boy? Can he really defy me so utterly?*

The more she pondered, the more frustrated she became. While she still wanted to lash out, such situations often called for immediate action. Once the initial surge of anger had subsided, it was hard to rekindle it.

She ended up just casting a resentful glance at him, vowing to settle the score with him the next time a good opportunity arose.

Qin Wanru's Rage: 999…

Zu An was unaccustomed to seeing such a string of rage values in his system; women really did hold grudges.

"But if you're going to be angry, at least make it a significant amount. Honestly, I don't even care about these measly 9-point rage increments."

Chu Zhongtian cast a surprised glance at his wife, thinking to himself, *Her temper is remarkably good today. That's not like her at all.*

He simply attributed it to his wife's recent efforts in self-cultivation, which brought him a measure of relief.

Beside them, Chu Chuyan subtly smiled. She, more than anyone, understood her mother's thoughts, guessing that her mother was likely worried about another uncontrollable outburst similar to the last one.

"We can't blame Zu An for this," Chu Zhongtian said gravely. "At least we've confirmed the Zheng family's involvement with the illegal salt, and even the River Defense Camp is implicated. It's not easy to catch them red-handed."

Chu Chuyan's face was also filled with concern. "No wonder illegal salt has been so rampant and unstoppable in Brightmoon City for years," she said. "It turns out to be collusion between officials and merchants, working together from inside and out. How could we possibly have uncovered it?"

Zu An also voiced his concerns: "The biggest problem now is that while we know who's behind this, we have no concrete evidence. It will likely be very difficult for the County Lieutenant to get anything out of an interrogation."

"I'll go to the City Lord's Mansion and discuss this with Lord Xie," Chu Zhongtian said, rising from his seat.

For people of their standing, the outcome of an interrogation often hinged not on evidence, but on the exchange of interests behind the scenes.

If both parties reached an agreement, even something clearly innocent could be painted as guilty, let alone the Zheng family, who were genuinely in the wrong this time.

However, getting that old fox Xie Yi to fully side with the Chu family would likely prove difficult.

A flicker of worry crossed Chu Zhongtian's stern brows. He hoped the terms he was about to propose wouldn't be too excessive.

Just then, a servant rushed in, breathlessly reporting, "Master and Madam, Young Master Yucheng is in trouble!"

Everyone present froze, startled by the news.

Even Zu An was bewildered. What could possibly happen to that fat oaf Chu Yucheng?

His defenses were practically unparalleled among his peers, and he effortlessly crushed anyone weaker than himself.

Furthermore, he was with Wang Yuanlong, accompanied by a good number of the Wang family's capable guards.

Wait!

His expression suddenly shifted as a terrible thought dawned on him.

Moments later, Chu Yucheng, covered in blood, was carried in on a stretcher.

While a typical stretcher required only two people, he was so corpulent that it took four men to carry him.

"My son!"

Chu Tiesheng and his wife, Hu Lijing, had already rushed out after hearing the news. Chu Tiesheng managed to remain somewhat composed, but Hu Lijing had already collapsed onto her son, sobbing uncontrollably.

Zu An had been startled the first time he learned Chu Tiesheng's wife's name, and he carefully scrutinized her.

In terms of looks, she was indeed quite attractive, a woman with a refined air about her.

Despite being the same age as Qin Wanru, the passage of time had left much more noticeable marks on her.

Both her appearance and figure paled significantly in comparison to Qin Wanru's; she certainly didn't live up to the name "fox spirit."

*Huh, why am I subconsciously comparing her to Qin Wanru?*

*Ugh, how unlucky!*

At that moment, the guard who had followed them in explained, "Young Master Yucheng just ran back, covered in blood. He said he had important news to report, but he collapsed immediately after speaking. We quickly carried him inside."

Chu Zhongtian quickly moved to Chu Yucheng's side, placed his palm on his chest, and channeled a powerful surge of vital energy into him.

With a groan, Chu Yucheng slowly regained consciousness.

"Yucheng, what exactly happened?" Chu Zhongtian urgently questioned.

"I was escorting Wang Yuanlong back to the mansion," he gasped, "when Chen Xuan suddenly attacked us midway. After a fierce battle, all of the Wang family guards were killed, and Wang Yuanlong was captured. I barely managed to escape with my life." Despite his broken sentences, the meaning was clear.

"Chen Xuan!" Chu Tiesheng roared from the side. "That son of a bitch! I swear I'll never rest until you're dead!"

Chu Yucheng's face was etched with guilt. "I failed to protect Brother Wang, and the silver was lost as well," he stammered. "I was ashamed to return, but I knew I had to inform the family quickly so you could make plans. That's why..."

"Enough, say no more. This isn't your fault," Chu Zhongtian said, holding up a hand to stop him. "Someone, take Yucheng to rest and recover from his injuries."

Chu Tiesheng and Hu Lijing quickly followed, as he was their only son.

"My lord, what do we do now?" Qin Wanru asked, her voice heavy with concern as she approached him.

Chu Zhongtian let out a long sigh. "Troubles truly come in pairs," he lamented. "I had hoped to use this opportunity to improve our relationship with the Wang family, but it has only backfired."

Beside him, Chu Chuyan quickly gave orders for people to scour the city for any information.

Although her people had dispersed, her delicate brows remained furrowed; she knew the chances of finding anything significant were slim.

"Why is Chen Xuan operating so freely within the city?" Chu Chuyan couldn't help but voice her confusion. "Given his status, he should be keeping a low profile to avoid exposure, yet he seems completely fearless."

Chu Zhongtian also looked troubled. "That man is as slippery as an eel," he said. "We've tried to corner him several times, but he's always managed to evade us. There were even times we were absolutely sure we had him, yet he still escaped. I don't know how he does it."

"Could it be related to the Shi family?" Zu An suggested, then briefly explained the relationship between Chen Xuan, Mei Chaofeng, and Shi Kun. "He and Mei Chaofeng are blood brothers. Previously, Mei Chaofeng and the Shi family would tip him off. Could he be hiding among the old properties of the Plum Blossom Gang this time too?"

The others were startled. Qin Wanru, especially, was both annoyed and anxious. "Why didn't you tell us sooner?" she demanded.

"You didn't ask," Zu An replied, spreading his hands. He explained that he had simply been too preoccupied with other matters and had forgotten to mention it.

Qin Wanru was speechless.

Chu Zhongtian was speechless.

Chu Chuyan was speechless.

Qin Wanru's Rage: 233!

Just as she was about to erupt, another guard rushed in to report:

"Urgent report! The Head of the Wang family has brought people to our gates!"

"What!" Chu Zhongtian exclaimed, startled, and rushed towards the main entrance.

Chu Chuyan also hurried after him, but her body had not yet fully recovered. Standing for too long left her feeling weak, and as she walked, her head suddenly spun, causing her to sway unsteadily.

Zu An quickly moved to steady her. "Are you alright?" he asked.

"I'm fine," Chu Chuyan replied, shaking her head. "Help me go out and see what's happening."

"Alright!"

Watching her daughter leaning on Zu An as they walked towards the main gate, Qin Wanru blinked. When had their relationship become so intimate?

From childhood, her daughter had always been distant and frosty, keeping everyone at arm's length, let alone having any physical contact with a man.

Yet, recalling her daughter's earlier mention of the healing session, it seemed clothes had even been removed...

The thought that her beloved daughter might have been "taken advantage of" by that disagreeable fellow left Qin Wanru feeling utterly exhausted.

Zu An helped Chu Chuyan to the entrance, where they saw a crowd had gathered. While none of them carried actual weapons, many were armed with wooden sticks, carrying poles, and even spatulas.

It was clear they understood that armed conflict would be futile against the Chu family's trained guards; perhaps they intended to appear more pathetic to garner sympathy.

The person leading them was Wang Fu, the head of the Wang family, whom Zu An had seen before at the family competition.

He had been speaking with Chu Zhongtian, when his gaze suddenly landed on Zu An. Immediately, he bristled with rage and lunged forward.

"You, Zu! Give me back my son's life!"

Wang Fu's Rage: 999!