When they received the news from the Bai family and the Zhao family, informing them to meet at Shiyan Studio, they understood that the two families had decided to compromise with the Yan family.
Otherwise, why not meet at Jinhong Tower, but at Shiyan Studio?
That was Yan family’s territory, holding a meeting there meant everything was transparent to the Yan family.
Since the two families had made their decision, they could only accept this fate as well.
Otherwise, the fate of the Xue family today might be theirs tomorrow.
Carriages stopped at the entrance of Shiyan Studio, and stepping out were the prominent figures of Changting Town, most of whom were visiting Shiyan Studio for the first time.
Clan Leader Ma entered Shiyan Studio with an exhausted body, having not rested the entire night. Knowing of the fate of the Xue family, he spent the night in fear and anxiety until dawn.
He was weighing the pros and cons, wondering if truly aligning with the Yan family would bring better prospects in the future.
If they didn’t align with the Yan family, how could they protect their family’s interests?
Thinking until dawn, he still couldn’t figure out any clues.
As soon as he walked into Shiyan Studio, he saw that the entire first floor was almost full of people.
"Business is so good?" Ma Chen glanced around, a few people sat together chatting, with a pot of tea, and quite a few snacks on the table, their faces all smiling.
Many familiar faces were there, some nobles from Changting Town.
People he often interacted with.
A closer look, he recognized a familiar face at a single table.
Sun Yueru from the Sun family.
The only female patriarch in Changting Town, she was currently drinking tea, staring intently at the storyteller on stage, her eyes red, apparently having just cried.
Could it be that she couldn’t accept the Sun family also being annexed, and cried all night?
"Yueru, why are you still here? Weren’t we supposed to discuss things?" Ma Chen went over curiously and asked.
"Not everyone is here yet, so I’m listening to some stories downstairs." Sun Yueru wiped her eyes and said, "The stories here are so good, I’ve never heard them before, come, have a listen!"
"Are they really that good?" Ma Chen looked in surprise at the storyteller on stage. He had heard that Shiyan Studio had someone telling all sorts of new stories, but Ma Chen didn’t care, thinking stories were all the same, what could be new?
But if Sun Yueru was so moved, it might be interesting.
With curiosity, Ma Chen sat down, watching the storyteller hold a wooden clapper, vividly telling a story, everyone listening intently, like students in a classroom.
"So good, so good." Sun Yueru said, "Today’s story is called ’Imperial Consort Yang With Warm Wine Beheads Hua Xiong’, it’s amazing."
"Oh?"
Ma Chen sat down out of curiosity.
Imperial Consort Yang?
Could it be about the royal family? But which kingdom?
"That Imperial Consort Yang was a concubine of a dynasty’s Emperor." Sun Yueru, with tears in her eyes, began telling Ma Chen this story.
"In the story, there’s a very perverse person named Cao Cao."
"This Cao Cao is the Emperor of this dynasty, but he has a quirk, he only likes married women."
Hearing this, Ma Chen fell silent, how does that make him perverse?
Such naivety.
Not noticing Ma Chen’s change in expression, Sun Yueru continued vividly narrating.
"He and this Imperial Consort Yang, also known as Yang Yuhuan, fell in love, and he eventually married Yang Yuhuan as his consort, but to satisfy his quirk, he actually had Yang Yuhuan marry a gatekeeping General, Hua Xiong. In the royal palace, Yang Yuhuan, powerless, was forced to marry Hua Xiong."
"Yang Yuhuan washed her face with tears daily, but Hua Xiong was a gentle and good man, staying by Yang Yuhuan’s side, never touching her, until one day, Yang Yuhuan felt Hua Xiong’s love for her, and they fell passionately in love, even having a son named Hua Tuo."
"Years later, Cao Cao felt the time was right and wanted Yang Yuhuan back, but she refused, determined to live and die with General Hua Xiong, as after years together, she had long fallen for Hua Xiong, forgetting her past feelings with Cao Cao."
"But who knew the ruthless Cao Cao actually threatened with the lives of the common people."
"He brought royal martial arts experts, and their skills were at the level of earthly immortals. Cao Cao actually demanded Yang Yuhuan to personally behead Hua Xiong, or he would have the immortal expert unleash a tidal wave, flooding Chentang Pass, burying thousands of people."
Ma Chen listened, taken aback, the story quite gripping.
Sun Yueru was already teary-eyed.
"General Hua Xiong, for the sake of thousands, smiled and asked Yang Yuhuan to kill him, even saying, ’Who since ancient times is free of death, preserving a loyal heart for Chentang!’"
"Yang Yuhuan, internally devastated, couldn’t bring herself to do it, but Cao Cao prepared a cup of hot wine, telling Yang Yuhuan, if it cools, everyone in Chentang Pass would die!"
"Finally, for the people, Yang Yuhuan could only tearfully behead Hua Xiong, wu wu wu..."
Sun Yueru was already crying like a tearful mess.
"Hua Xiong was indeed a great man!" Ma Chen sighed lightly, "Who since ancient times is free of death, preserving a loyal heart for Chentang, well said!"
At this moment, the story was also drawing to a close.