Chapter 1087.1: Settling Scores - Part 1

A “this official” seemed to return everything to the starting point. The gentleness and small talk from before seemed to have been nothing more than a dream.

Fine beads of sweat appeared on Xie Qing’s forehead. He had always considered himself a man with a sharp and shrewd mind, but for some reason, in front of the young Lord Warden Commander before him, he felt as though he were completely naked. Those emotionless eyes of his seemed capable of seeing through the secrets in his heart with ease.

“The family head has been in seclusion for many years. I’m afraid it would be difficult for him to...”

Xie Qing spoke, but there was very little confidence in his voice, to the point that he could not even finish his sentence.

“A place filled with scholars everywhere, yet the family head happens to be a cultivator. That really is somewhat strange.”

Chen Chao tapped his fingers against the tabletop and said indifferently, “But even if he is in seclusion, now that this official has come, can’t he come out of seclusion?”

Chen Chao narrowed his eyes and looked at Xie Qing. “Don’t you know what kind of person this official is?”

Xie Qing swallowed. Of course he knew what kind of person Chen Chao was. At such a young age, he had already become the most powerful official in the Great Liang Dynasty. His authority was so great that not only was there no one in the present dynasty who could compare with him, even looking back through previous eras, there was likely no one who could stand shoulder to shoulder with him.

In the present Great Liang Dynasty, there were many times when Chen Chao’s words carried more weight than those of His Highness the Crown Prince. A figure like him might be able to determine the rise and fall, life and death, of an entire family with just a sentence or two.

Although the White Deer's Xie Clan had a vast family and considerable wealth, but...

Xie Qing said through gritted teeth, “Lord Warden Commander, I’ll go and ask the Family Head to come out of seclusion and meet you.”

He was not Third Master Xie. He had no way of carrying himself with pride in front of Chen Chao. Perhaps because he was young, he held Chen Chao in great awe.

Chen Chao shook his head. “There’s no need. He will come out, but probably not right now.”

Xie Qing was somewhat bewildered and was just about to speak when Chen Chao said, “Please go and invite Third Master Xie over.”

Hearing this, Xie Qing felt relieved, as though a great weight had been lifted from his shoulders. Although he did not know what Chen Chao intended to do, with Third Uncle here, he would feel much more at ease. He no longer wanted to face this Lord Warden Commander alone.

......

......

Before long, Third Master Xie arrived at the small courtyard. There was some anger in the depths of his eyes, but he concealed it so well that almost no one could see it.

“I truly apologize. Some trivial matters delayed me, and I hope Lord Warden Commander will forgive me.”

Third Master Xie entered the courtyard and spoke with a smile. Although he claimed to be apologizing, anyone could tell that it was merely a polite formality.

Chen Chao did not care. He simply stood beneath the eaves and glanced at the distant sky. Some dark clouds were gathering there, making it obvious that rain was about to fall.

Third Master Xie said something, but Chen Chao paid him no attention. This irritated him somewhat, but he still kept that trace of anger well suppressed. After all, the young man before him was no low-ranking official.

Chen Chao turned his head and looked at Third Master Xie before him, asking with a smile, “Third Master Xie, are you somewhat angry? After all, whether here in White Deer Prefecture or throughout the entire Great Liang, there probably aren’t many people who can treat Third Master Xie with such disregard.”

Third Master Xie was just about to speak when Chen Chao continued, “If someone else treats Third Master Xie with disrespect, you can be angry, and you can even do something about it. But if it is this official, Third Master Xie had better hold it in.”

“In this world today, apart from His Highness the Crown Prince, there is probably no one else who can avoid restraining themselves in front of this official.”

Chen Chao narrowed his eyes and said in a deep voice, “Not to mention that you are not the Xie Clan’s family head. Even if you were, you would still have to endure it.”

Third Master Xie had not expected Chen Chao to speak this way. He had given him almost no face at all. Even if he did not need to consider his status and position within the Xie Clan, he should at least have considered that Third Master Xie was an elder of Xie Nandu.

“Lord Warden Commander, when you came to the Xie Clan, the Xie Clan treated you as a guest. We felt that your relationship with Nandu was unusual, and that was why we treated you with such courtesy. But if you are going to behave like this, then you are no guest of the Xie Clan. The Xie Clan does not welcome you. Please leave the Xie Clan immediately!”

Third Master Xie spoke in a deep voice. After so many years in White Deer Prefecture, he had never bowed his head to anyone. He had never done so before, and he had no intention of doing so in the future.

Chen Chao smiled and said, “Just as this official thought. Third Master Xie has been an exalted figure for too long, and has come to think that you are an exalted figure in front of everyone.”

“Third Master Xie doesn’t welcome this official, so you think that means you can make this official leave? Or rather, when did the Xie Clan become yours, Xie Ting, to be its family head?!”

The moment Chen Chao said these words, a clap of thunder just happened to echo in the distance.

Xie Qing who was standing not far away shuddered in fright. His face turned pale as he raised his head and glanced at the sky, feeling that a heavy downpour would soon arrive.

"Chen Chao! What exactly do you want to do? If you want to flaunt your official authority, then you have come to the wrong place by coming to our Xie Clan!”

Third Master Xie looked at Chen Chao with fury written all over his face. As the acting family head of the Xie Clan, his expression was extraordinarily ugly.

While Xie Qing looked somewhat strangely at his Third Uncle, also finding this peculiar. His Third Uncle had always been steady and composed, and it was quite rare for him to lose his composure like this.

Chen Chao did not hurry to speak, leaving Third Master Xie hanging to one side once again.

Third Master Xie could actually do nothing about this. Saying that Chen Chao was unwelcome was one thing, but even if they wanted to drive Chen Chao away, they had to possess the ability to do so. By now, who did not know that this young martial artist before them was that rare Fuyun Realm martial artist of the present age? If he did not want to leave, then whether it was the Xie Clan’s guest retainers or any other powerhouses, even if they all joined forces, they would still not be enough.

After an unknown amount of time, the sky finally began to drizzle. The rain pattered softly against the blue tiles, making little sound.

There had always been a saying among the common people that a rainy day was a day for keeping guests. Since it had begun to rain, there was no way they could continue driving a guest away.

Chen Chao reached out and caught several drops of rain in his palm. He looked at them for a few moments, then smiled. “Still unwilling to come out?”

His voice was soft, and the question was completely inexplicable. Neither Xie Qing nor Third Master Xie could understand what he meant.

But after saying this, Chen Chao turned his head toward Third Master Xie and asked, “How do you want to die?”

The question came completely out of nowhere, as sudden as a stone being forcefully hurled into still water, or as a clap of thunder suddenly exploding through the sky.

Xie Qing said through gritted teeth, “Lord Warden Commander, why?”

Third Master Xie was stunned at first, then the corners of his mouth twitched, about to laugh.

But Chen Chao looked at him very seriously and shook his head. “If I were you, I wouldn’t laugh, because I’m not joking with you.”

Third Master Xie felt the weight behind Chen Chao’s words and sensed the undisguised killing intent within them. Thus, the corner of his mouth, which had begun to curl upward, stopped halfway and froze there.

This made his face look even more unpleasant.

Yet his hand still made an almost imperceptible movement.

"Why?"

After a long while, Third Master Xie spoke. He looked at Chen Chao in confusion and said, “Your reputation in the foreign lands is fearsome, but I imagine you aren’t the sort of person who kills someone simply because of a disagreement. What’s more, this Xie have no reason whatsoever to deserve death.”

Third Master Xie’s meaning was very clear. There always had to be a reason for killing someone. An unreasonable person might see someone on the road whom he disliked and simply kill him, but Chen Chao was not such a person. Even if he were, given his current status and position, he should not, and could not, act this way.

Some people were bound by many things.

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