Chapter 5: Forced Retreat

  Chang Qing listened to this, not saying a word, coldly staring at the woman. The imperial court is full of killings, and the winner becomes the king. How can a young girl like you understand? Thinking that a small jade pendant can be used to block knives for the Xie family, it's like a mantis trying to stop a chariot, overestimating one's own abilities!

  But being so calm at this time is quite interesting...

  He narrowed his eyes and looked at Xie Yan, in the flickering firelight, that girl was just an ordinary rich miss, these greenhouse flowers usually thought they were superior, once they encountered real cruelty, they would be crushed to pieces... went mad, died, sold themselves, or even debased themselves... He had seen too many of them!

  I wonder when this flower will wither? A cold, cruel smile floated at the corner of his mouth. He was born in a humble and poor family, suffered from bullying since childhood, and relied on great opportunities and hard work to climb to his current position. Now, his greatest pleasure is watching those high-ranking nobles being crushed into dust...

  Xie Yan originally wanted to extract some useful information, but unexpectedly the man was not even willing to answer her questions, standing brightly in the shadows with a cold sneer at the corner of his mouth, secretly thinking that something was off...

  The other party had no weaknesses except for that jade pendant...

  How long can this jade pendant last?...

  No one knows, but Xie Yun understands that if she gives in a little, it's like letting the wolf into the flock, and behind her are her sister, the old lady, and all her relatives...

  "Empress Dowager..." Xie Xian did not turn around, but loudly called out.

  "Is... is... young lady..." The old woman's maid, Wang, hesitated for a few steps before finally walking forward. She was already in her fifties or sixties, with gray hair and wrinkled features, not the kind of person to stir up any romantic thoughts in these men.

  "Go, move a stool and bring a needle." Xie Yan looked coldly at this group of men staring at her with fierce eyes. It was extremely rude for a noble lady to be stared at like this, but what else could she do now?

  The old woman Wang stood there in a daze for half a day, not knowing what the young lady wanted to do. Suddenly, she heard Old Lady Xie's hoarse voice shouting: "Big sister ordered you to do something, just do it, why don't you hurry up?"

  The old woman suddenly came to her senses, nodded hastily and said: "Yes, yes, I'll go right away..." She turned around and entered the side room inside the main hall. The main hall was where the Xie family received imperial edicts, made sacrifices to their ancestors, and entertained guests. The side room was a resting place for male and female guests, so it had all sorts of things like chairs and sewing kits. Before long, Wang Nai Nai carried out a chair and a sewing kit, only to see Xie Ling walking over to take the chair from her, saying in a low voice: "Nai Nai, let me help you..."

  The old woman was already frightened out of her wits, she had been afraid to go to the door and face those fierce men, seeing the second young lady volunteer, how could she refuse, she hastily nodded, and also handed over the needlework pouch.

  Xie Ling gazed at her sister's back standing at the door, and then looked at the cold and handsome guy not far away. Although she was afraid, she couldn't put down that thought in her heart. She bit her lip, moved a chair to the door, and said to Xie Xian: "Sis...the chair is here."

  Xie Yan originally called Wang Ayi, didn't expect to walk over and see her younger sister, turned back in shock, saw that her sister wasn't looking at her, but was sideways looking at Chang Qing not far away, cold sweat flowed down her spine.

  This tense and awkward moment...

  This group of men was stimulated by their sister's absolute beauty...

  Victory is ruined by a single mistake!

  She took a deep breath and quickly whispered: "Ling'er, no matter what happens, never come to the door again, I beg of you..." As she spoke, she took over the needlework pouch and pushed Xie Ling away with a shove: "Hurry back, hurry!"

  Xie Ling was taken aback, and only then did she move her gaze away from Chang Qing. She widened her eyes and said, "Why? Didn't sister have that jade pendant?" As she spoke, she glanced around at the group of men, where several had already stood up, their faces twisted in scowls, their eyes fixed on her as if they wanted to devour her. Only then did she feel a little afraid, taking two steps back and saying, "Sister... I understand, I..."

  "Go back." Xie Yan didn't need to turn her head to know what had happened, biting her lip, she said word by word: "Fast!" By the time she said the last word, she finally revealed a tremble, because that heavy breathing sound was getting closer and closer...

  Xie Ling hastily turned around and returned to the hall, walking in front of Xie's mother, helplessly grasping Xie's mother's hand, trembling with voice: "Old lady... what can be done about this?..."

  She never thought that Xie Ling would dare to go to the door, and in a moment of carelessness, she let her slip away. Seeing those men step by step approaching Da Ya Tou, she secretly cursed in her heart, fiercely glaring at Xie Ling with no way out. All she could do was clench her Buddhist beads and chant Buddha's name, hoping that heaven would have mercy, the Buddha would bless, and Da Ya Tou could...

  "Three Honorable Riders" Xie Yan's eyes saw Pang Qi and the others staring intently at Xie Lingyuan's departing figure, their eyes flashing with a fierce glow. With a loud "clang", she slammed the chair to the ground, blocking the three people in front of her, and said in a low voice: "You gentlemen have a bright future ahead of you, don't ruin your own prospects!"

  "The four words 'self-destructing future' were extremely loud, yet carried a subtle tone of persuasion and compromise, finally awakening the three men. They turned their heads to glare at her with fierce eyes, while Xie Xian also looked up to meet their gaze - between the hungry wolf and the lamb, there was only a delicate jade pendant separating them, one that would shatter into pieces if dropped."

  The surroundings were quiet and still...

  Everyone held their breath...

  The hourglass slowly trickled down...

  Xie Yan had never felt that time could be so long, so long that she almost collapsed. She was the young lady of the Xie family who rarely went out, although she was experienced in schemes and plans, but as for women's disputes, this kind of scene, this kind of situation, it was truly something she had never heard or seen before...

  But what can be done?

  She couldn't retreat, her loved ones were right behind her! Xie Yan took a deep breath, stood quietly and gazed at the three men...

  "Lao Pang, anxious to eat hot tofu, you guys wait patiently for a while, fool, see how long this girl can hold on?" After a long time, Ma Fang suddenly spoke up from behind.

  Pang Qi saw Xie Yan's unyielding expression and finally let out a "hmmph" before turning around to leave. The other two men, seeing Pang Qi retreat, could only follow suit. However, the big man being forced back by a young girl was unbearable, and one of them, named Li Yi, suddenly turned around and slapped his palm towards the chair. With a loud "crack", the chair split into two pieces, causing the people in the hall to let out a collective gasp...

  "Hmph, little girl, just you wait and see!" Li Yi said with a scowl.

  "Old lady, bring me a stool." Xie Yan pushed away three men, stood with her hands on her hips and shouted loudly.

  Xie Mu saw Xie Yan this time and instructed her directly, understanding the meaning. She glared at Xie Ling and said, "Don't come over and interfere." As she spoke, she shook off the hands of several maids and personally moved a stool from the offering table to the door, placing it behind Xie Yan and calling out, "Big sister, sit..."

  Looking up, I saw that the small figure was already drenched to the collar, thinking of her young age, because of losing her relatives in the mansion and suffering those grievances. Now she's only sixteen or seventeen years old, but has to deal with these wolf-like men for the sake of the Xie family. Tears poured down, and I choked back a sob: "Da Ya Tou..."