Chapter 844: A Shout That Scattered the Wind and Snow
The old elder expressionlessly nodded toward the outside of the ancestral hall.
Inside the hall, the mahjong game continued. Tang Thirty-Six, while drawing, playing, eating, and ponging tiles, kept talking nonstop.
Roughly every two or three casual remarks, there would be one instruction—an instruction for the entire Tang family.
His instructions were extremely clear and precise, so clear that even the dullest subordinate knew exactly what their task was, so precise that they specified which room, which table, and even which drawer at the target location.
As his voice echoed through the ancestral hall, the expressions of the other three at the table grew increasingly solemn, and the old elder's eyes narrowed. Neither the old elder, the other three at the mahjong table, nor the stewards waiting outside the hall had expected that Tang Thirty-Six, after being confined to the ancestral hall for half a year and cut off from the family business by the old master for three years, would still have such a clear grasp of the Tang family's internal affairs.
What surprised the old elder most was Tang Thirty-Six's deep understanding of the old master's methods for managing the Tang family, even the most secretive ones.
—The Cloud Group, the River Hall, the Maple Hall—these executive groups of the Tang family were one thing, but how did he know that Pine Thirteen Pharmacy was one of the old estate's law halls?
The old elder glanced at the three at the table and suddenly felt that today's matter was becoming troublesome.
It seemed Tang Thirty-Six had randomly picked three elders from different branches, but the old elder naturally understood the deeper meaning.
These three were not the people Tang Family's Second Master used to manage the family's affairs, but they played a more important role behind the scenes, as they were the means to check those managers.
The old master had sent the old elder to the ancestral hall to ensure that, during this hour, if the Second Branch felt pressured and started to fight back, they could only use indirect means and not resort to force against Tang Thirty-Six.
That way, Tang Thirty-Six could act freely.
The old elder suddenly realized that both the old master and himself seemed to have underestimated Tang Thirty-Six.
If Tang Thirty-Six were truly allowed to act without restraint, given the understanding of the Tang family he had just displayed, he might not even need an hour to sweep away the Second Branch's power.
And even if they couldn't find evidence of the Second Master's poisoning or collusion with the demons, what then?
"No killing," the old elder reminded Tang Thirty-Six. "That's the old master's instruction."
Tang Thirty-Six was holding a tile, about to throw it, but couldn't help shaking his head. "How unlucky. A coffin."
With a clatter, the mahjong tile landed on the glossy black table. It turned out to be the eight of circles.
Seventh Uncle forced a smile onto his face and said, "I win."
Tang Thirty-Six showed no frustration. Looking at the old elder, he said, "If we can't kill, can we at least use torture?"
At the word "torture," the faces of those around the table turned pale.
Seventh Uncle, who had been reaching for the eight of circles, froze mid-air, looking extremely awkward.
...
...
In the wind and snow, Wenshui City remained very quiet. All merchants and ordinary citizens, following the clan's orders, stayed hidden in their homes.
At some point, many men in Tang family steward uniforms began leaving the old estate, the pharmacies, and various other places, braving the wind and snow as they headed toward a certain location.
Bamboo Garden, Quiet Residence, Hefei, and even the Second Branch's manor by the Wenshui River were all surrounded. Countless account books were pulled from cabinets and chests, and dozens of stewards and managers were driven out into the wind and snow, their hands tied with thin straw ropes, awaiting interrogation or release.
These places under inspection were the Tang family's core assets, and over the past three years, they had been managed personally by the Second Master, who had replaced their personnel with stewards and managers loyal to him. These people held high status in Wenshui City and had never endured such treatment, so they naturally began to protest.
The most intense conflict occurred at the Second Branch's manor by the Wenshui River.
Even through the fierce wind and snow, the stewards and managers could see the figures peeking out from the opposite bank.
They must be from the First Branch.
Thinking that the First Branch was watching their humiliation today, the stewards and managers felt even more indignant and began cursing the inspectors without restraint.
Under normal circumstances, whether it was the Maple Group or the stewards from Pine Thirteen Pharmacy—which they had only just learned belonged to the old estate—none would dare to be so rude to them. At the very least, they would offer some explanation. But today, these people seemed to have changed faces, acting as if they didn't recognize them.
Less than two miles in a straight line from the raided miscellaneous study, there was a quieter study elsewhere in the manor.
The study's windows were made of the clearest glass, so even though winter hid the sun behind snow clouds, the room was still bright, with no sense of gloom.
Tang Family's Second Master stood by the window, watching the swirling snowflakes. Slowly, he opened his mouth and laughed silently.
The recent chaos had made all of Wenshui City tense and uneasy, let alone the people of the Second Branch. But he was calm. Because he had managed the Tang family for three years, he knew many things—including the two conversations at the old estate and the specifics of the agreement between his father and Chen Changsheng.
Poisoning? As long as they couldn't catch Su, there was no evidence. And the Eternal Sect's ten-thousand-year legacy had now dwindled to that one monster from the Yellow Springs Stream, who was hardly easy to capture. He knew his father was merely pressured by Chen Changsheng and the State Church into making a show of it.
The real trouble, instead, was that shout that pierced the wind and snow.
Me, colluding with the demons? Tang Family's Second Master's silent smile gradually turned cold. He thought, what a tremendous insult, but also a stain hard to wash away. The Li Mountain Sword Sect had even gotten involved in this matter. Qiu Shan Jun's shout was truly vicious to the extreme.
"You really raised a fine son," he said to the wind and snow outside the window.
It turned out someone had been in the study all along.
The Qiu Shan family head had secretly arrived in Wenshui City a few days ago and had been staying at the Second Branch's manor.
"To push you, Second Master, to this point, my son is certainly impressive."
He looked at Tang Family's Second Master's back, speaking with an undisguised, gratified smile, showing no shame or apology whatsoever.
Tang Family's Second Master didn't turn around, but his voice turned cold: "Handle your own family affairs properly."
The Qiu Shan family head stood up, smiling. "My Qiu Shan family is different from your Tang family. Though I'm the head, my son's words carry more weight than mine. Ah, I originally wanted to help him, but it seems I've only caused him more trouble. I'd better leave quickly."
With that, he actually left.
Watching the clear footprints in the snow outside the window, Tang Family's Second Master slowly narrowed his eyes.
He knew very well that with the Qiu Shan family head's departure, the so-called alliance of the four great families was now at an end.
What a sly old fox.
He wasn't afraid of sly old foxes; he had been dealing with all kinds of them since childhood.
The problem was, he had never encountered a shameless old fox like the Qiu Shan family head before.
A steward hurried into the study, reported the situation at the front of the manor, then hesitated and asked, "Should we hide the important things?"
Tang Family's Second Master said, "It seems my dear nephew hasn't wasted these three years. He's already grasped a lot. So how can we hide anything? Let them make a fuss. In the end, it's just a farce."
The steward was startled, then deeply puzzled.
In his view and that of many in the Tang family, even if Tang Thirty-Six's inspection ultimately yielded no evidence, the inspection itself had already revealed some very important issues.
The old master's trust in the Second Master had been shaken. Moreover, it was clear that even though the Second Master had managed the Tang family's affairs for three years and appeared to be the family's master, in truth, the old master only needed to say a word, and people from the old estate would come out, and this city of Wenshui, along with the entire Tang family, would still belong to the old master.
Tang Family's Second Master knew what the steward was thinking, knew what everyone was thinking.
But he didn't explain, and he couldn't be bothered to.
He just quietly watched the wind and snow outside the window, smiling silently.
That smile held an indescribable mockery.