Chapter 36: Xu Zhengyan Gets Angry

The words "catastrophe leading to clan annihilation" made the joyful Xu family members freeze.

Xu Zhengyan’s face darkened as he said, “Young Master Zhu, please watch your words!”

“My Xu family has always been law-abiding. How could a catastrophe of clan annihilation befall us?”

Zhu Jianshen, however, burst into laughter. His gaze swept around the Xu family members before settling on Lu Zheng.

“Why don’t you ask Lu Zheng if he sold Guizhou City’s patrol map to the Blood Bat Palace?”

What?

The Xu family members were greatly astonished.

The Blood Bat Palace?

That evil force hidden within the Qingyun Sect's territory?

After several failed attempts to suppress them, the Qingyun Sect issued a strict order, forbidding any person or faction from interacting with the Blood Bat Palace. Any interaction would be considered collusion with the Blood Bat Palace.

Violation of this order would result in the punishment of clan annihilation!

Xu Zhengyan was horrified. He pulled Lu Zheng out of the crowd and demanded, “Tell him, have you colluded with the Blood Bat Palace?”

At this moment,

Jiang Fan and Xu Youran exchanged a glance, both feeling a jolt in their hearts.

On that day, when Xu Youran was kidnapped by three members of the Blood Bat Palace on the mountain, they had mentioned that Lu Zheng owed them money.

It was clear that Lu Zheng had ties to the Blood Bat Palace.

Lu Zheng, sprawled on the ground, no longer had his previous air of confidence. His face was drenched in cold sweat, and he frantically shook his head, saying, “No, no, that’s just a rumor.”

Zhu Jianshen sneered, “The Qingyun Sect ambushed a Blood Bat Palace branch and captured several of its members.”

“They confessed and also produced the patrol map you gave them!”

“With both testimonies and physical evidence, any denial is useless!”

Wang Yingfeng scrambled to her feet and defended her nephew, “That’s impossible!”

“My Zheng’er is destined for great things. How could he possibly do such a thing?”

Zhu Jianshen scoffed playfully, “Would the Qingyun Sect go out of their way to falsely accuse some minor figure they don’t even know?”

“Lu Zheng, will you confess on your own, or shall I subject you to torture?”

Seeing that the truth was exposed, Lu Zheng’s face turned ashen. He quickly knelt before Wang Yingfeng, desperately pleading, “Aunt, I… I was forced!”

“I accidentally owed them money, and they said they’d kill me if I didn’t pay them back.”

“That’s why I followed their instructions and stole the patrol map to give to them.”

“Please save me, save me!”

The Xu family members gasped.

It was actually true!

Xu Zhengyan’s vision blurred, and he stumbled, almost falling.

Fortunately, Xu Youran stepped forward and supported him.

“Lu Zheng… you beast! How dare you collude with the Blood Bat Palace? And sell Guizhou City’s patrol map?”

The patrol map was the core secret of Guizhou City’s military patrols and defenses.

If the Blood Bat Palace obtained it, infiltrating Guizhou City and causing havoc would be effortless!

Wang Yingfeng was also terrified.

Even as a woman, she knew what the patrol map signified!

Lu Zheng hadn’t committed a minor error, but a monstrous crime!

Trembling, she pushed Lu Zheng away and silently retreated, as if he were a plague or a venomous insect.

How could she dare utter another word in his defense?

Zhu Jianshen said with a faint smile, “The Qingyun Sect has entrusted this matter to me.”

“In my opinion, this matter can be serious or trivial.”

“If I'm lenient, I can let it pass as if nothing happened. But if I investigate thoroughly, not a single one of your Xu family members will escape!”

He strode forward, extending a finger to lift Xu Youran’s chin, and teased, “You all understand what I want, don’t you?”

“Tonight, Xu Youran must come and serve me well!”

“The more comfortably she serves me, the happier I’ll be, and the more likely I am to spare your Xu family!”

“Otherwise…”

*Bang*—

Suddenly.

A teacup was thrown, striking Zhu Jianshen’s arm.

Zhu Jianshen winced, retracting his hand. Angrily, he glared at Jiang Fan, who had thrown the cup, and said sinisterly, “Let me tell you, you won’t escape either!”

Jiang Fan calmly replied, “Who gave you the authority to wipe out the entire Xu clan?”

“Lu Zheng’s surname is Lu. What does that have to do with the Xu family?”

At this point, the Xu family members finally recovered from their shock.

Xu Yining also suddenly snapped awake. Brandishing her sword, she shouted, “Zhu Jianshen! If you exterminate my Xu family, are you including me as well?”

“Don’t forget, I am an internal candidate for a true disciple of the Qingyun Sect. My future status will be far higher than yours!”

If Zhu Jianshen dared to abuse his power today to destroy the Xu family,

then in the future, Xu Yining would surely flatten the Zhu family!

Xu Zhengyan also regained his composure and quickly said, “Yes, yes, yes! Every wrong has its perpetrator, every debt its owner. If Lu Zheng colluded with the Blood Bat Palace, then go after Lu Zheng. What right do you have to implicate my Xu family?”

These successive retorts left Zhu Jianshen unable to respond.

Gritting his teeth, he argued illogically, “Lu Zheng grew up in your Xu family. If he commits a crime, your Xu family cannot escape responsibility!”

Jiang Fan picked up his pen and wrote, “By your logic, your Zhu family also wanted to marry into the Xu family, didn’t you? Does that mean you also intended to rebel? Why not exterminate both families at once then!”

Everyone’s eyes lit up.

It had to be admitted that although Jiang Fan was mute, he always managed to hit the nail on the head with his words.

Xu Zhengyan further announced on the spot, “From now on, Lu Zheng is expelled from the Xu family! He will no longer have any connection to us!”

“No, no, Aunt, please save me! Give me another chance!” Lu Zheng cried out, his face drained of color and tears streaming down.

Once expelled, he would surely face execution!

Wang Yingfeng felt a pang of reluctance; after all, he was her nephew.

She said to Xu Zhengyan, “Husband, why don’t we just marry Youran to Young Master Zhu? Wouldn’t that be the best of both worlds…?”

*Slap*—

Her response was a solid slap!

Xu Zhengyan, furious, slapped her across the face and roared, “At a time like this, you still want to protect your nephew?”

“You want to trade my daughter’s happiness for his worthless life?”

“For Lu Zheng, you cut down resources for the Xu family members, tolerated his rampant bullying in the manor, and even allowed Jiang Fan to use the betrothal gifts to pay off his debt to the Qin family head! All that was bad enough!”

“Now he has committed such a heinous crime, bringing about a catastrophe that could destroy the Xu family, and you still want to protect him?”

“Do you only stop when my Xu family is annihilated? Huh?!”

“Get out! You get out too!”

“With you in the Xu family, we are doomed sooner or later!”

Wang Yingfeng cowered backward in fear.

After decades together, this was the first time Xu Zhengyan had ever lost his temper with her like this.

The Xu family members, however, all showed expressions of satisfaction.

Wang Yingfeng truly deserved such a harsh lesson!

This woman, taking advantage of Xu Zhengyan’s leniency, had always forcefully and domineeringly interfered in Xu family affairs.

Now, her nephew had brought about a clan-annihilating disaster, yet she still showed no remorse!

Xu Zhengyan, still seething, roared, “Break that beast Lu Zheng’s legs and throw him out onto the street!”

Several servants who had been bullied by Lu Zheng immediately seized him and brutally broke his legs.

Lu Zheng screamed in agony.

Then, ignoring his pleas, they tossed him out.

Only then did Xu Zhengyan coldly look at Zhu Jianshen, saying, “As for the person who colluded with the Blood Bat Palace, my Xu family has already disciplined him for you.”

“From now on, whether you want to flay him alive or subject him to slow slicing, it has nothing to do with our Xu family!”

Zhu Jianshen, having failed to intimidate them, found himself in a difficult position.

He felt extremely ashamed and annoyed. It was no longer about whether he could have Xu Youran.

It was about saving face!

Suddenly, he looked back at the message on the paper crane.

After reading it, he couldn’t help but let out a sinister chuckle:

“You’re celebrating too soon.”

“The sect’s message also instructed me to do one more thing!”