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Chapter259
After they set up the memorial hall, the four security guards looked puzzled. Still, they opened the door and stepped out, reprimanding, "What are you doing? Do you know where this is? A word of advice: leave while you can."
As soon as someone emerged, the woman inside the tent began to wail and shout profanities, quickly alerting those within the villa.
Everyone stopped what they were doing, and Su Ting'er, in pajamas, rushed down exclaiming, "Trouble's here, the Zhu family is at our doorstep!"
"Let them come. I'd like to have a word with the Zhu family and see how they raise their children. If they seek revenge, let them come for me, Wan Jianzong's young leader." Cheng Yuran said righteously, adding that if not for Shao Qi acting swiftly, he would've dealt with that foul-mouthed man himself.
Miao Miao stood up and said, "I'll go check."
Zhou You took a seat next to Shao Qi and inquired, "You better let us in on your plan in advance, so we don't end up like last time in Jiangnan base, where we were kept in the dark until the last moment, missing out on the action."
Shao Qi replied with a grin, "Take a guess."
Zhou You, fighting the urge to wipe that smirk off Shao Qi's face, pondered for a moment before asking, "Did you know the identity of that man in advance? His intervention seemed spontaneous, and you couldn’t have predicted our clash. The killing must've been a spur-of-the-moment decision. You aren’t one to act rashly, so there must be more to this."
"I knew he was from the Zhu family. Go on," Shao Qi encouraged.
"Isn’t it obvious? If you knew he was from the Zhu family and still acted, it means you are gearing up for a confrontation with Major General Zhu. How he crossed you, I'm not certain. Is there an issue with the military in Yang City?"
"Every military force has its flaws. Why should I bother patching them up? What does their issue have to do with me?"
"It might. You always poke your nose into others' business. Maybe Major General Zhu did something outrageous, and you're once again playing the hero."
Surprisingly, most present nodded in agreement with Zhou You's words. They looked at Shao Qi with a mix of admiration and respect, even though he typically appeared nonchalant.
Before long, Miao Miao returned, fuming, "The nerve of the Zhu family, setting up a memorial hall right outside our home! As soon as I stepped out, the deceased’s mother started wailing at me, demanding our leader compensate with his life."
Zhou You continued, "Legally speaking, what they're doing isn’t out of line. I suspect authorities will be knocking at our door by dawn. What will you do then?"
"Right, the Zhu family has reported the incident. No police have been dispatched yet due to some mediation, but it won’t be long now."
Li Yunxi quickly browsed the news online and, as expected, found reports on the incident. It had become a trending topic with images of the corpse being carried away. The headlines seemed orchestrated, hinting at a coordinated smear campaign.
"The public, unaware of the details, sees Shao Qi as a murderer who killed someone connected to the military. They overwhelmingly call for an official investigation and the arrest of the murderer."
Zhou You scrolled through recent comments on his phone. The overwhelming majority were negative towards Shao Qi, likely influenced by some agenda-pushers.
"I thought this handsome guy was a hero. Turns out he's a murderer."
"How dare these outsiders commit murder in our Yang City base! They must be severely punished!"
"Capital punishment, I say! The victim was a martial artist who once defended Yang City. His uncle, even more impressive, is a military major general. Such a revered figure being murdered demands severe punishment."
"Looks can be deceiving. The more handsome they are, the more dangerous."
"I've always had a bad feeling about him. Mentioned once that he’s arrogant and was attacked by his brainless fans. Now, I wonder where they stand and if they still adore him."
"This incident occurred at Qianji Hall during the birthday banquet of Young Master Wang from Qianji Hall. This murderer must've ruined it, right?"
Wang Mang, of course, sided with Shao Qi. It was just a killing. Many present had blood on their hands; it just so happened that the victim had some connections.
Yet, Young Master Wang was furious. The limelight of his birthday banquet was completely stolen, and not even the significant event of him taking over the Yuzhou branch caught anyone’s attention. Everyone spent the evening engrossed in conversations with that group, as if they were the real protagonists.
Seeing the online criticisms of Shao Qi, Young Master Wang discreetly fanned the flames, intent on causing them harm even if it didn’t mean their demise.
Song Jin'an shared this sentiment. He hadn't anticipated the rapid escalation of the issue and used his connections to further stir the pot. If he could resolve the problem involving Shao Qi and his group, he would have no further worries.
After speaking, Miao Miao asked Shao Qi, "How should we deal with the group outside?"
Shao Qi replied calmly, "Let them be for now. Notify me when Zhu Rongwei or Xu Jingyi arrives."
Unexpectedly, neither of them showed up. Instead, it was Lord Xu who arrived at the Litchi Villa by dawn.
Chapter 132: Lord Xu
Xu Yintian took the black coffee that Su Tinger prepared for him, expressing his thanks with a complicated expression. Hearing the lively drumming outside the mansion, he chuckled, "I was wondering why you'd suddenly sell this estate. So, the creditors are here. Aren't you going to do something about the people outside?"
"How can a mere steward like me make such decisions? We await the orders of the household. However, since you are here, perhaps you'd like to handle it?"
"Hmph! Do they expect me to lend a hand without even meeting the marshal first? It was my relative who died, and my brother-in-law called me personally last night."
"Marshal Zhu? I assumed he would at least send his wife." A steady voice came from the staircase. Xu Yintian turned to see Shao Qi, dressed casually, descending the stairs with a stoic face, making it hard to discern if he was upset.