"What is this?" Ma Tengkong asked, curiously taking the phone from his son’s hands.
After he finished watching the video of the Ming Family framing Ye Xiu, his head buzzed as if it had been slammed in a door.
"It seems Ye Xiu didn’t come seeking asylum; he was testing you," said Ma Tengkong’s wife.
"Brother..." Ma Tengkong got up and bolted out the door to chase after Ye Xiu, shouting, "Brother, wait! I was only joking with you..."
However, by the time he got outside, there was no sign of Ye Xiu.
「At Ye Xiu’s home.」
Qin Fugui, along with the other Qin Family members, toured Ye Xiu’s residence as if they were country bumpkins visiting the city for the first time.
"Is this entire island Ye Xiu’s?" Qin Fugui asked.
"Yes," Qin Qing nodded, barely hiding her impatience. Her mind was entirely focused on Ye Xiu’s safety, and she was bewildered by her family’s sudden visit.
"In that case, there’s more than enough for each of our families to have a villa." Qin Fugui was already pondering how to divide the villas on the island.
"Grandpa, let’s take a look inside," Qin Anruo suggested.
"Alright!" Qin Fugui nodded and led the way into the villa where Ye Xiu and Qin Qing lived.
As soon as they entered, the Qin Family was shocked. They had never seen the interior of such a luxurious mansion; it was practically an imperial palace.
"Grandpa, what brings you all here so late at night?" Qin Qing asked.
Qin Fugui didn’t answer. He picked up a purple clay teapot, examined it, and asked, "How much is this?"
"3,500,000," Qin Qing replied.
"Nice. I really like it." Qin Fugui casually slipped it into his pocket.
Qin Qing frowned slightly. "Grandpa, these are all part of Ye Xiu’s treasured collection. If you like it, I can buy you another one..."
She was worried Ye Xiu would be upset if her grandfather took it.
"No need. I’ll just take this one," Qin Fugui interrupted her.
"Wow, this jewelry box is gorgeous," Qin Anruo said, her eyes fixed on a particular box.
Qin Qing explained, "That’s an antique with black lacquer and gold trim. It’s worth 1,800,000."
"I like it!" Qin Anruo clutched it and refused to put it back.
Qin Qing’s brows furrowed.
"Is this porcelain vase also an antique?" Qin Junyi asked.
"Yes," Qin Qing nodded.
"I’ll take it!" Qin Junyi declared, hugging it to his chest.
Qin Qing’s expression grew grim.
"What a huge pearl."
"I’ll take the painting on the wall!"
The Qin Family began to loot the place like bandits. Qin Anruo even found several large bags and started stuffing items into them.
"Enough!" Qin Qing could no longer hold back her anger. "What do you think you’re doing?"
"What do *you* mean?" Qin Fugui retorted, displeased. "We’re family. What’s wrong with us taking a few of your things?"
"Exactly, Cousin. You’re being too distant. You have so many nice things here, so what’s wrong with us taking a few?" Qin Junyi muttered.
Qin Qing took a deep breath, suppressing her rage. "These are all from Ye Xiu’s collection. I don’t have the right to dispose of them."
"Ye Xiu is about to be driven out of Jin Ye City. It’s not like he can take all these fine things with him," Qin Fugui stated.
Now Qin Qing understood. Her family had seen the flyers and, assuming Ye Xiu was being forced to leave Jin Ye City, had come as a group to rob him.
"Don’t you think you’re going too far?" Qin Qing exclaimed angrily. "Ye Xiu is my husband, and he’s your family too. Now that he’s in trouble, you don’t even think to help him through this. Instead, you seize the opportunity to loot his possessions? Is that right?"
The Qin Family members ignored her, all of them busy stuffing things into their pockets and bags.
As Qin Anruo packed a bag, she said, "Sister, honestly, we can’t wait for Ye Xiu to be driven out of Jin Ye City. That way, the Zhulu Group and everything on this island will belong to our Qin Family."
"You..." Qin Qing was seething with fury.
Just then, a clamor erupted from outside.
Chloe ran in and announced, "Young Madam, a large group of thugs and riffraff is outside."
"What?" Qin Qing’s expression changed instantly, and she hurriedly followed Chloe out the door.
The Qin Family grew frantic.
"Quick, quick! Find some big bags! Let’s pack up these valuables and get them in the car. If those people outside rush in and start smashing things, everything will be ruined," Qin Fugui urged anxiously.
The Qin Family immediately sped up their plundering.
Meanwhile, a group of thugs armed with clubs was heading toward the small island where Ye Xiu’s home was located. As they reached the bridge, a young woman blocked their path.
Zhu Xiaowen!
"Who are you people? What are you doing here?" Zhu Xiaowen asked coldly, holding a kitchen knife.
She had only learned that Ye Xiu lived on the island next to hers when she saw the flyers. Knowing his address had been exposed, she was sure trouble would come, so she had grabbed a kitchen knife and rushed over. Standing alone on the bridge, she looked like a lone hero holding a pass against ten thousand enemies.
"Who we are is none of your damn business. Get out of the way!" the lead thug said with utter insolence.
"I am Zhu Xiaowen, the young lady of the Zhu Family," she declared domineeringly. "I’m standing right here today. Go ahead and make trouble at Ye Xiu’s home, if you’re not afraid of the Zhu Family’s retaliation."
Hearing her identity, the thugs wavered. The Zhu Family was a prominent household, not people they could afford to provoke.
However, the lead thug was fearless; he had the Mo Family backing him. He shouted, "Brothers, we’re here to settle a score with Ye Xiu, not to offend the Zhu Family! Besides, it’s pitch dark, and there are so many of us. I don’t believe for a second the Zhu Family will be able to find us."
With that, the thugs surged forward, pushing Zhu Xiaowen aside.
In truth, of the several hundred thugs, only a small portion had been brought by Mo Qingxuan; most were there to take advantage of the chaos. When they learned that Ye Xiu lived in Tu Mountain Manor, they knew their chance to get rich had arrived. To them, robbing Ye Xiu’s home was simply a way of venting the public’s frustration. Besides, with so many of them, they could just grab some valuables and leave. Even the Patrol Officers wouldn’t be able to find them.
"Stop!"
Just as the army of thugs was about to storm the bridgehead, Qin Qing arrived with twenty servants.
"Ye Xiu gave one order regarding this island," Qin Qing’s voice was cold as she brandished her sword. "Anyone who enters without permission—Sha Wushe!"
"Oho, aren’t you arrogant," the lead thug laughed.
The other thugs laughed along with him. They paid no attention to Qin Qing and her twenty servants. Just a group of women—how could they possibly stop several hundred men? Forget twenty-one women; even twenty-one men would be powerless!
"Brothers, let’s charge in together! Smash up Ye Xiu’s house and drag him out for a beating!" the leader shouted.
WHOOSH!
In an instant, hundreds of thugs swarmed onto the island.
"Kill!" Qin Qing gave the order decisively.
Chloe and the other nineteen servants, who had long been poised to strike, drew their weapons in unison.
SWISH!
With a single, casual stroke of her sword, Chloe felled the lead thug, who collapsed in a pool of blood.
"Th-this..."
Seeing this, the hundreds of thugs who had just rushed onto the island to loot froze where they stood. They watched, stunned and terrified, as the twenty women began their merciless slaughter.