At the Xiao family residence.
“Mother, there’s news about Xiao Jinfeng!” Xiao Muhong walked into the room and asked.
“Oh? Where did he run off to?” Liu Xian asked indifferently.
“He went toward Tuqiu Village. He should have gone to seek refuge with Xiao Jingting,” Xiao Muhong said.
Liu Xian laughed mockingly, “Xiao Jinfeng must be desperate to seek medical help anywhere—he actually ran to Xiao Jingting’s place.”
Xiao Muhong nodded and said, “Exactly. Knowing what kind of person Xiao Jingting is, for Xiao Jinfeng to actually seek refuge with him, he’s truly at his wit’s end.”
“With Xiao Jinfeng in this state, there’s no need to drive him to complete destruction. Let them be,” Liu Xian said.
Xiao Muhong frowned and said, “Mother, that Xiao Jinfeng is vindictive. What if he…”
“No matter how capable he is, he’s only a fourth-level Qi Practitioner. Without family protection, it will be very difficult for him to advance further. This time he was poisoned and delayed treatment for so long—even if he recovers, there will be lasting effects. He’ll probably never hope to become a fifth-level Qi Practitioner in this lifetime. Your Second Uncle and Second Aunt just died. If Xiao Jinfeng dies now too, it would inevitably invite criticism.”
Xiao Muhong nodded and said, “Mother is right.”
“Your father is now at a crucial stage competing for family head. If we don’t handle your Second Uncle’s sons properly and let the other branches find fault, that would be bad,” Liu Xian advised.
“I understand, Mother. Right now, Father’s competition for clan leadership is most important. Speaking of which, that Xiao Jinfeng is quite capable—clearly someone who doesn’t understand romance, yet when he’s down and out, he still has a ger who stays loyally by his side…” He had carelessly let that ger take Xiao Jinfeng away.
Liu Xian narrowed her eyes and said, “Your Second Uncle’s branch can now be considered finished. Xiao Jinfeng has poor attributes and was expelled from the mercenary team. Xiao Jingting is skilled in eating, drinking, whoring, and gambling—lazy and useless. Mother has waited so many years and finally sees the day to rise.”
“Mother, you forgot—the second branch still has Xiao Qingyan! When Second Uncle and Second Aunt were alive, they valued this son most,” Xiao Muhong said.
Bifeng Academy was a holy land in many people’s hearts. Xiao Muhong had also wanted to enter, and Liu Xian had made efforts too. Unfortunately, Bifeng Academy’s entrance exam was extremely difficult. Even though Liu Xian had struggled to secure an examination opportunity for Xiao Muhong, he still failed. Xiao Muhong had always harbored deep jealousy toward Xiao Qingyan.
“Don’t worry about him anymore. He overestimated himself and actually pursued the marquis’s young lady—he got beaten up,” Liu Xian said with schadenfreude.
Xiao Muhong said somewhat surprised, “He got beaten up?”
Liu Xian was also quite wary of Xiao Qingyan. “Yes, Bifeng Academy is full of talented people. Some geniuses there reach the ninth layer of Qi Practice in their twenties. Although Xiao Qingyan has some talent, compared to those people, he’s nothing special.”
Xiao Muhong nodded and said, “I see.”
“Previously, Xiao Qingyan had his parents’ financial support and lived well at the academy. Now without backing, he’ll struggle sooner or later. We should focus more on your Third Uncle and Fourth Uncle now,” Liu Xian clenched her fists. Their branch was the eldest, yet they had been suppressed by the second branch everywhere. Now that the second branch was gone, the third and fourth branches had emerged.
Xiao Muhong nodded and said, “Mother is right.” Previously when the second branch existed, they had good relations with the third and fourth branches to resist the second branch. Now that the second branch was gone, everyone had become competitors.
“The Sun family sent word—they plan to have you pick a day to get engaged to Sun Miaomiao,” Liu Xian said with a smile.
A slight blush appeared on Xiao Muhong’s face. “I’ll let Mother decide everything.”
Liu Xian smiled with satisfaction and said, “My son is so handsome—no wonder that willful girl from the Sun family fell for you. Unlike that shameless Xiao Jingting who didn’t know his own worth yet dared pursue Miss Sun.”
Hearing this, Xiao Muhong showed some mockery, remembering how Xiao Jingting groveled before Sun Miaomiao—it was laughable.
“Mother, don’t you know Xiao Jingting’s character?” Xiao Muhong said disdainfully. “But Mother, when Xiao Jingting left, you gave him several mu of land, including quite a bit of premium farmland. You were too good to that wastrel.”
Liu Xian smiled and said, “Although Xiao Jingting is worthless, your grandfather treated him well. If we gave him nothing, people would talk. By giving him farmland, I gave him a livelihood guarantee. If he sells all the land, that’s his own worthlessness—it has nothing to do with us. Besides, that farmland isn’t anything good.”
Xiao Muhong said puzzledly, “How is farmland not good?”
“Those several mu of premium fields had already been fallow for half a month when I got the land deeds. Later, when I transferred the deeds to Xiao Jingting, he dragged his feet going there—it’s been over a month. The marquis’s regulation states that letting premium fields lie idle incurs financial penalties.”
“That idiot Xiao Jingting definitely doesn’t know about this regulation. When the marquis investigates, he won’t even know how he died. Maybe he’ll destroy himself before the marquis even investigates—without his parents’ protection, with Xiao Jingting’s wastrel ways, it’s hard for him not to cause trouble,” Liu Xian said, covering her mouth as she laughed.
“Mother is brilliant,” Xiao Muhong flattered.
Liu Xian looked at Xiao Muhong and said, “You need to think long-term. Xiao Jingting has already been driven from the Xiao family—he can’t cause much trouble. Your grandfather is about to emerge from seclusion. Find ways to win the old master’s favor—that’s what’s urgent.”
Xiao Muhong nodded spiritedly and said, “I understand, Mother.”
R note :
- Liu Xian is married to the eldest uncle who is competing to become family head
- The Xiao family has multiple branches competing for control:
- First branch: that uncle + Liu Xian + Xiao Muhong (current power holders)
- Second branch: parents + Xiao Qingyan + Xiao Jinfeng + Xiao Jingting (fallen from grace)
- Third and Fourth branches: Also competing for leadership
Awful people and they’re supposed to be family
seems there is some news delay about ML. hehehe…
if scheming is called wise then their whole family is the most wise.