TLDP: C048. Xu Family’s Att.i.tude
“Was this bracelet crafted by you? Did you really pour True Qi into this bracelet?” Xu Family’s head asked in disbelief and astonishment.
True Qi? What he referred to was the Yang energy. He asked this question; it couldn’t be that he wanted me to make a ma.s.s production for this thing, right? I hurriedly spoke, “I was indeed the one who crafted this bracelet. But from some reason, I cannot continue to craft any other things like this for a short while.”
Nangong Jinhao spoke to the Xu Family’s head, “Uncle, it seems that the play you have arranged is very successful. You have successfully seen his true feeling regarding younger sister Xu.”
Play? Nangong Jinhao was actually in a play right now! it seemed that he was also against this marriage. But if he rejected it directly, it would absolutely make the Xu Family’s head lose face greatly. Therefore, what he said as acting just now was also a play. Firstly, this was to give the Xu Family’s head face and secondly, it was to ease up the tense atmosphere between us. Thirdly, he also refused the arranged marriage for himself. Fourthly, it was to add fuel to my relationship between me and Xu Xiaoling. Giving me a good impression and at the same time fulfilling multiple purposes he had in mind. These prominent families’ juniors really could not be underestimated.
But since everybody was smart enough to understand this matter, of course, I would never be so stupid to expose this.
Xu Xiaoling’s eyes were looking at me with some hidden meaning, as I then gave a look and hinted at her to feel relaxed.
Xu Family’s head put the bracelet on the tea table and spoke to Nangong Jinhao, “Shi nephew, you come with me.” Then, he walked toward the second floor.
As they entered the room on the second floor, Xu Xiaoling’s eyes shed two lines of tears, saying, “You are too reckless. Do you know what this place is? Do you think that you can nonchalantly enter and leave without any consequences?”
“But…”
Before I finished my words, Xu Xiaoling ran into a room. I thought that she hid and was crying. I didn’t expect that she took out a first aid kit and sat next to me, as she then carefully took care and bandaged my wounds.
The table was reflecting the bracelet which was still emanating a faint halo. But she didn’t even look at it even once as she wholeheartedly took care of my wound and gave it a disinfectant. Her eyes were also swelling up, making me feel the urge to hug her tightly. However, since this place was the Xu Family’s, I quickly held the urge back.
From the fight just now, I got two punctured holes on my chest and three on my arms. The deepest one was on my chest as my blood-stained a big area of my white vest.
After a while, Nangong Jinhao walked downstairs, and at the same time three middle-aged people entered the room from outside. Xu Xiaoling called them second uncle, third uncle, and fourth uncle. That third uncle was Xiaolei’s father, the middle-aged man who fought with me earlier.
The three middle-aged man then went upstairs as Nangong Jinhao quickly sat on the sofa and took a long breath before speaking, “Younger sister Xu, we finally escaped this tribulation.”
“What did my father say?” Xu Xiaoling asked.
“We don’t need to marry anymore.” Then, he cupped his hands to me and saying, “I congratulate you, my friend.”
I was choked a bit, this guy… was it because I pretended to be someone from the Phantasm Rain Pavilion, so he took the initiative to show me good will? What is this Phantasm Rain Pavilion? It even has so much influence? I glanced at the wound that had been bandaged by Xu Xiaoling and coughed twice before I turned my head to Nangong Jinhao, “Brother Nangong also opposes this arranged marriage?”
Nangong Jinhao quickly whispered, “Of course, I was born in this prominent family. I cannot freely marry the person I like. This is a sad but true sorrow. But fortunately, the heaven sends you and you went into battle out of nowhere to steal younger sister Xu. There is no other youth from the eight great families who could be like me. It seems like I finally can be free. Hahaha…”
I also laughed, saying, “Big brother Nangong really has clear eyes and intelligence, to have a friend like you is sure to be very good.”
“Clear eyes and intelligent? Ah, this remarks feels so good. Oh well, younger brother Xiaolong really has a pure heart and spirit. Befriending someone like you is certainly an honorable thing that has happened to me.” Nangong Jinhao returned back the sentence at me while loudly laughing.
Even Xu Xiaoling started to have a loud laughter. Nangong Jinhao really gave a bright and comfortable impression at first sight. However, as the saying goes, the paper wraps eventually doesn’t know the fire. Should he know sooner or later that I was not from the Phantasm Rain Pavilion, maybe his heart would change. It seemed that after I left this place, I must quickly think about some countermeasures. Otherwise, my fate would be even more tragic by a hundred times worse compared to the present situation.
Jiannan was proudly bragging outside at this time as a group of people were surrounding him. However, each one of them pinched their nose because Jiannan ‘Great Durian Foul Breath’ technique was indeed too powerful, so everyone really had to fully guard their defense. Jiannan said with his saliva spraying out to the front, “Yes, I know that he is more handsome than my big brother, and I know that he is also richer than my big brother. But, can he lick his nose with his tongue like this? Can he?”
Everyone’s complexion almost looked that they were going to faint, and I really thought they barely held the urge to kick Jiannan to death. The previously infatuated woman said, “But, this absolutely cannot be compared you know.” Her meaning was that licking the nose and having so much money really didn’t have any aspect to be compared with.
However, Jiannan actually nodded his head in a serious manner, saying, “Yes, Nangong Jinhao cannot lick his nose with his tongue. Humph… besides his tall and handsome looking traits, having more money, where could he be compared to my big brother?!!”
Everyone finally couldn’t stand it anymore as they rushed and kicked Jiannan and knocked him down to the floor. What a valiant idiot! The words spoken by this stupid-idiotic-exotic goods were really good for torturing people… Ah… even if we were brothers… I really cannot help you this time…
In the room, I was chatting with Nangong Jinhao as he said, “Brother Xiaolong, I think that the attack you did outside a while ago was like a Sword Qi shot out from your Qi. However, I think that it was not the same since Sword Qi cannot trigger such a powerful explosion. Did you really launch that attack with your Qi?”
The Sword Qi shot out from the body? True Qi? I secretly mused, he had mentioned about this ‘True Qi’ for several times. And judging from his words and expression mine was neither True Qi nor Yang Qi, but another kind of energy. It was very possible that this trait was only a talented person from the Phantasm Rain Pavilion has so I calmly nodded, replying, “Yes.”
“Really… then I’ll take the liberty to ask once more. How old is brother Xiaolong this year?”
“I’m just 18 years old.” I truthfully replied.
“You have reached True Qi level at the age of 18? Younger Brother Xiaolong really has a G.o.dly talent.”
I know that all this guy’s words are only pleasantries for the sake of courtesy. No one amongst these prominent families’ juniors were simple. Chen Haotian and Chen Haozhe were not at all simple. Xu Xiaoling had a meticulous and exquisite way of thinking and outstanding intelligence. Miss Jiang was very proficient in Feng Shui, sealing techniques, and making herself invisible. Zhang Zixuan’s medical skill was very deep and was a superb doctor. This Nangong Jinhao seemed to have a deep bank of knowledge about diplomacy, was well-informed, and looking at his physique, he should also be practicing his family’s martial arts.
After chatting for awhile with him, finally, the Xu Family’s head and several others walked downstairs, saying, “We are all smart people. I have something to say, and frankly, this marriage was mainly to improve the relationship between the Xu and Nangong families. Although my daughter and Nangong nephew are reluctant to this arrangement, however, since they are born in these aristocratic families, they also have some obligations to the family. In the past that year, I was also… Xiaolong, I really didn’t know that you are someone from the Phantasm Rain Pavilion, therefore for the matters I had done to you couple days ago, I deeply apologized. As for the matter of this arranged marriage, Nangong nephew proposes to cancel the marriage, and certainly, my Xu Family would give you some compensation. And Ningrou, anywhere you want to go or anything you want after, I will never intervene with your liberty again.”
“Really?” Xu Xiaoling was so overjoyed that she spontaneously asked.
“Well, you lead Xiaolong and Nangong nephew to the guest room to have some rest…”
The Xu Family’s head att.i.tude with me had changed 180 degrees! It seemed that my disguised status as someone from the Phantasm Rain Pavilion was the correct move in this chess game. But I also realized that this was only temporarily. After knowing the truth, my trouble would perhaps be very huge. These Eight Prominent Families were untouchables for me. So I only had two paths to tread on later. First, I must become a real member of the Phantasm Rain Pavilion. Secondly, I had to practice wholeheartedly. If I were able to master martial arts like Chen Haotian, or freely manipulate the Innate Force like the old swindler, I could use the Thumb Sword Qi infinitely and I would never fear anything anymore.
When we arrived outside, I saw Yang Jiannan was lying on the gra.s.s. His gothic western-style clothes were fully printed with footprints. And it was very obvious that he had been beaten, so I quickly walked over him, “Hey? Jiannan, how come you look like deep-fried oilcake after being kicked by them?”
Jiannan crawled and flew himself to embrace me while tears were almost falling from his eyes like raindrops on a pear blossom. He raised his head, sobbing while complaining at the same time. An intense durian smell pa.s.sed over and quickly suffocated me. I quickly patted Jiannan’s back to comfort him, saying, “Jiannan, who was the one who beat you? Tell me, I will back you up.”
Jiannan put his right hand on his waist as his left hand stretched his point finger and started to point out several people, “He, he, and the five of them. Over there, seven people, more than a dozen at that rockery, plus that janitor uncle and guard. These guys had beaten me. Big brother, you must help avenge me!”
Wasn’t it equal to everybody here? I know absolutely that this idiot must have done something annoying, so I quickly comforted him, saying, “This… Ah, Jiannan, I will take you to rest first, later you can slowly settle back your account with them.”
“Big brother, then your meaning, could it be that you don’t want to help me get revenge?”
“Jiannan, the so-called gentleman revenge, even ten years would never be late, much less there are many durians in the guest room…”
“There are durians there? What are you waiting for? Let’s go quickly, Big brother!!!” Jiannan hearing this ‘durian’ word immediately become excited…
The Xu’s guest room was very luxurious and was almost comparable to a five-star hotel suite with one bathroom, a double bedroom, one living room, and a kitchen. Jianann was sitting near the tea table eating durians as I sat cross-legged in the guest room and sat motionlessly in meditation. But I could not calm my mind because the pressure was really huge. If this matter gets exposed, I would definitely be attacked with a devastating blow. And this was not a joke since my family would be implicated. But even though it would be this big a pressure, still, I could never let Big sis Xiaoling be robbed by others.
I had to discuss this with Miss Daiyu. She had been a ghost for more than a millennium and should have a deep knowledge. She perhaps knew about this Phantasm Rain Pavilion.
And I could also try to contact the old swindler for help at the most critical time. His strength—if words can describe it, was too wonderful and was the most powerful in all the history of the Niu School.
Tomorrow I must leave this place and quickly discuss this matter with Miss Daiyu, and the most important things was to immerse myself in practicing.
I didn’t know much about many things in this world, such as True Qi, the Eight Prominent Families, and the Phantasm Rain Pavilion. I really had never heard about these powerful forces before.
Had this matter, once brought to light, the Xu and Nangon Family would never let me off, and that would also implicate Yang Jiannan. Which meant that he would be in grave danger also. Moreover, he hadn’t started cultivating and was unable to withstand these two powerful families. So, it would be best that he not get involved because he would only become an innocent sacrifice. I cannot harm him like this, and after we got back, I will give him his monthly salary and send him home.
~~~~~~~~~~End of Chapter 48~~~~~~~~~~