Chapter 22: Tian Heng, the head of the Xu family, panicked, and Xu Qianqian went to get married

"Since it's an order from the Earl's manor, I naturally dare not obstruct. I will report to the city lord immediately," Tian Sange said.

Jin Zhong showed no expression, but still politely said, "Thank you."

"Men, carry Mr. Shen, Mrs. Shen, and young Master Shen into the sedan," Jin Zhong ordered.

Then, about a dozen warriors emerged behind him, not carrying knives but stretchers.

The Earl was displeased with Shen Lang, but he held great respect for Shen Lang's parents, and all of this was ordered by him.

A dozen warriors from the Earl's manor carefully lifted Shen Lang's parents and brother onto the stretchers, then placed them in the huge sedan.

The sedan was so large that it could accommodate a person lying down.

After that, six warriors effortlessly lifted the three sedans and left without a word.

"Farewell," Jin Zhong said.

"Safe travels," Tian Sange bid farewell respectfully.

Throughout the whole encounter, Jin Zhong didn't make any threats because Tian Sange came to arrest someone with proper authorization, even with the arrest documents from the city lord's mansion.

Shen Lang's father did indeed develop uncultivated land and didn't pay taxes. However, countless farmers in Xuanwu City did the same, and the city lord's mansion didn't pursue them. There was a saying that officials didn't investigate the people's affairs.

Furthermore, Jin Zhong's duty was only to protect Shen Lang's family, with no other instructions from the Earl.

...

After Jin Zhong and the Earl's manor's warriors had all departed, Tian Sange staggered for a moment.

A warrior next to him stepped forward and asked, "Sange, what's wrong? We let that family go; the master might be furious."

Tian Sange said, "Do you know who those people were just now?"

The warrior in black from the gang shook his head and said, "I don't know."

"Jin Zhong from the Xuanwu Earl's manor, the Earl's trusted attendant," Tian Sange said.

Suddenly, the faces of the surrounding warriors changed.

"Which one in the Shen Lang's family has managed to entangle with the Earl's manor?" the warrior asked.

Tian Sange said, "Let's hope that Shen Lang's relationship with the Earl's manor doesn't get too deep. It would be best if it's someone from the Earl's manor, using a feather as an arrow. Otherwise..."

"Otherwise what? Sange..." the warrior asked uneasily.

"Otherwise, everyone should go home and bid farewell to their parents and family," Tian Sange said.

"Will we be captured?" the warrior asked.

"We will die!" Tian Sange said.

In his mind, he couldn't help but recall the little moments he had spent with Shen Lang. That beautiful face was always calm, even smiling. But now, to Tian Sange, that smile seemed dangerous.

"Let's go back and report to my foster father. In case something big happens, we need to prepare our retreat. We are just doing the bidding for those people. They couldn't just stand idly by!" Tian Sange said.

Then, without another word, he mounted his horse and raced towards the gang in black.

To save himself, he had to be fast; otherwise, if Shen Lang had truly formed a close relationship with the Earl's manor, it would all be too late to act.

Tian Sange didn't hesitate to use all his horse's speed. In less than an hour, he arrived at the gang in black.

...

The black gang was not inside Xuanwu City, but about twenty miles outside, in a small fortress.

If it were business as usual, he would definitely chat and socialize with the brothers inside the fortress. With many of Tian Heng's followers, it wasn't easy to stand out and gain the most power. They not only had to please their foster father but also win the support of the followers.

But now Tian Sange didn't care at all about any of this. He raced into the fortress, even without reporting, and directly into his foster father Tian Heng's room.

Tian Heng instinctively grabbed a cup and was about to throw it. When he saw it was his highly valued thirteenth foster son, he paused, speaking coldly, "If you don't have a good enough reason, I will gouge out one of your eyes."

Tian Sange knelt down immediately and said, "Forgive me, foster father, I failed in my task. I couldn't eliminate Shen Lang's entire family."

Tian Heng's gaze turned cold. His highly valued foster son couldn't even handle such a small matter? He had received a whole 1,500 gold coins.

Tian San said, "Jin Zhong from the Count's mansion took Shen Lang's parents and brother away with a dozen warriors, claiming to attend the Count's wedding and used three large sedan chairs to carry them off."

Suddenly, Tian Heng stood up abruptly, his face turning pale.

"Ah..." The woman let out a miserable cry, blood spilling from her mouth, and said in a heart-wrenching tone, "Master."

"Get out!" Tian Heng roared.

The woman hurriedly scrambled and fled.

Men could be such brutes; they could be so endearing one moment and then kick someone out the next.

Tian San said, "Adoptive father, who is having a wedding at the Count's mansion? Is it the heir taking a concubine? Could Shen Lang have formed a relationship with the heir? I heard the heir is also a useless person, the two of them must get along due to their similar nature."

Tian Heng said, "Do you think Shen Lang is useless?"

Tian San thought for a moment and decisively shook his head.

Tian Heng said, "The Marquis of Xuanwu Mansion is not wedded to the heir; it's a marriage for a son-in-law."

At this, Tian San's expression changed dramatically, and he shook his head, saying, "No way, absolutely impossible."

Tian Heng said, "I also think it's impossible."

Tian San said, "Who is Shen Lang? A poor boy from the countryside, lower than a blade of grass. And who is Miss Jin? Exceptional in martial arts, military strategies, appearance, and figure, a rare gem of a lady from a noble family. Even the Xu family, a wealthy merchant household, wouldn't look at Shen Lang, let alone the lofty Marquis of Xuanwu Mansion."

Tian Heng nodded in agreement. Even a whimsical person would not link Shen Lang and Miss Jin together. The two were as different as night and day, never having any connection, even if the sun were to rise from the west.

But it was indeed strange that Jin Zhong from the Count's mansion went to take Shen Lang's family to the wedding, revealing the peculiarity of the matter.

Tian Heng paced back and forth, a hint of unease in his eyes. "I'm going into the city; we need to prepare for this matter," he said.

...

Over half an hour later!

The head of the Xu family, the head of the Lin family, and Tian Heng, the three bigwigs of Xuanwu City, convened in a secret chamber.

Upon hearing Tian Heng's words, the two wealthy gentlemen echoed in unison, "Impossible, absolutely impossible!"

The head of the Xu family was particularly shocked.

Tian Heng said, "Shortly after Shen Lang left the Embroidered Pavilion yesterday, he was hit by the Count's mansion's cavalry and was taken to the mansion. Today, news of the Count's mansion's young lady's wedding came, with Jin Zhong personally taking Shen Lang's family to the mansion to attend."

Xu Guangyun said, "It's possible that Shen Lang, this useless person, has courted the son of the Count's mansion, given that both are useless. But Miss Jin, such an exceptional figure, how could she ever look at Shen Lang? Besides, I just drove Shen Lang out of my house. A son-in-law who has been scorned wouldn't even be accepted by a widowed woman in the countryside, let alone a lady from a noble family."

Lin Mo, the owner of the Embroidered Pavilion, said, "Brother Xu, Shen Lang may not be useless; after all, only a person with his wits could invent a new formula for a golden dye."

Xu Guangyun said, "Brother Lin, you're off the mark. Such a dye formula is a matter of luck, but it also requires someone who is simple-minded and naive to create it."

Lin Mo paused and realized that was indeed the case. However, in their brief exchange yesterday, Shen Lang did not seem like a fool at all.

Xu Guangyun said, "Most importantly, when I drove that useless Shen Lang out, he was framed for theft and harassment. How could the Count's mansion afford to lose face and reputation by taking in such a notorious person?"

With that, the three of them felt relieved.

In Xuanwu City, many people were shameless, but the Marquis of Xuanwu Mansion cherished his reputation and dignity the most.

Tian Heng said, "Mr. Xu, has the Marquis sent out wedding invitations indicating the groom's identity?"

Xu Guangyun shook his head and said, "No, but it can't possibly be Shen Lang. Not even if the sun were to rise from the west."

Lin Mo said, "Even if it's not Shen Lang, we should still find out. We can send someone to attend the Count's mansion's wedding tonight."

At this, the three exchanged glances, knowing that none of them had received an invitation from the Count's mansion.

Although the three of them were influential and powerful, two were businessmen, and one was a leader of the underworld.

Tian Heng suddenly said, "I will go to the wedding."

To attend the Count's mansion's wedding without an invitation meant that one would not be expelled, or the Marquis of Xuanwu would not be so unkind. Nevertheless, it still required courage.

Lin Mo said, "Thank you, Master Tian. As for the wedding gift, let me handle it."

Xu Guangyun said, "The Viscount Xuanwu is after all the master of Xuanwu City. Even if we don't attend the wedding, we should still prepare a generous gift. My Xu family is not lacking in wealth."

Tian Hong said, "Then it's settled. You both prepare the gifts as soon as possible, and I will leave for the Viscount's mansion immediately."

At the Embroidered Pavilion, Lin Mo said, "I'll get to work on that right away."

Then, he went into the warehouse to select rare items, while constantly recalling every moment he spent with Shen Lang. Bringing back these memories made him feel cold all over.

Not only did he betray Shen Lang, but he also said many decisive words. For example, "A lowly ant like you, Shen Lang, has no self-awareness. If you don't die, who will?" If by some misfortune Shen Lang were to become the son-in-law of the Viscount's mansion, that would be truly disastrous.

He could only pray to the heavens that such a thing would not come true.

But thinking with his head, such a thing could never happen. How could the noble Viscount's mansion possibly take in such a lowly person as Shen Lang, especially after he had just been rejected and driven out by the Xu family, a mere merchant family?

He was just scaring himself!

After just half an hour and a bit, the three powers had prepared gifts for three carriages.

Tian Hong rode in one carriage to the Viscount's mansion, shamelessly going to attend tonight's wedding of Jin Mulan, despite not receiving an invitation.

Please, don't let it be Shen Lang. Please, don't let it be Shen Lang!

Meanwhile, Shen Lang's ex-wife, Xu Qianqian, openly went to the Viscount's mansion to attend the wedding because her fiancé, Zhang Jin, was the son of the prefect and also the city garrison commander. He had received an invitation from the Viscount's mansion.

Xu Qianqian asked Zhang Jin, "Zhang, the Viscount's mansion is being so mysterious about this. Who do you think tonight's groom will be? Which influential son or remarkable talent could marry Jin Mulan?"

...

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