Chapter 20

"Come, come, come, drink up, finish it all, anyone who dares to leave a drop, get the hell out of here, don't disgrace me here."

In a small tavern not far from the opposite of Jishi Fang, several burly, sharp-faced men gathered around a table, raising large bowls and pouring drink after drink into their bellies.

On a normal day, the tavern would have closed long ago. However, due to the recent Scholar's Gathering, the curfew in Tian Nan City was extended to midnight. The city also responded to the royal call by holding the annual Spring Lantern Festival in several areas, turning Tian Nan City into a city that never sleeps.

Although the southern part of the city belonged to the slums, the poor also knew how to enjoy themselves. With such a festive event, even at midnight, the streets and alleys were still bustling with people and vehicles, making for a lively scene.

Places like taverns and teahouses were even more crowded.

The four men occupied a large table, and no one dared to approach them. They shouted and yelled as they pleased, and from the wary looks of the surrounding people, it was clear that these four men were no ordinary folk.

The tall and robust man leading them was Xiao Yuanshan. What was peculiar was that the three men gathered around him looked like identical twins.

These three men were Xiao Yuanshan's best brothers, who had grown up with him and roamed the streets. They were now a force to be reckoned with in the southern part of the city.

The three men were named Zhao Jia, Zhao Yi, and Zhao Bing...

The three burly men tilted their heads back and drank from their bowls, each one excited. The leader, Zhao Jia, asked, "Brother Xiao, what do you say, how are we going to do it tonight?"

Xiao Yuanshan placed his bowl on the table, carefully looked around, then beckoned the three men closer and whispered, "Tonight, we don't fight, we just cause trouble."

"Trouble?" The three men were greatly puzzled.

Xiao Yuanshan leaned in and, in a very low voice, recounted in detail what had happened at Jishi Fang. Although the three men knew they were there for the sake of the Li family's grandfather and grandson, they had never imagined there were so many hidden intricacies.

The three men, who had grown up in the streets, had received no small amount of kindness from Li Yide. Upon hearing this, they were all enraged. Zhao Jia slammed his hand on the table, "Damn it, is there such a thing? We should raid the Xu family and give them a good beating."

"That's right, Old Li has helped us a lot. Last time, when the third brother was stabbed, it was Old Li who pulled him back from the brink of death. This favor cannot be left unrepaid," Zhao Yi said with great excitement.

Zhao Bing nodded, his face flushed from the alcohol. In terms of fighting, he was the only one among the three brothers who had reached the initial stage of martial arts and cultivated true qi, making him a formidable fighter.

Although in the Great Mystic Continent, the initial stage of martial arts was just the beginning, in the streets, he was still considered a rare tough character.

"Beat them, mess with them, finish them off, what about the Xu family? If they anger me, I'll burn their shops."

Xiao Yuanshan frowned and hissed, "Keep it down, do you want everyone to know?"

The three men were usually Xiao Yuanshan's confidants and always followed his lead. Seeing him angry, they all shut up.

Xiao Yuanshan said, "Now, we have a high-level expert guiding us in this matter, so we must not cause any trouble. The Xu family is a powerful clan, and we can't match them. This time, we'll just make them suffer a silent defeat. Once this matter is resolved, we'll find another opportunity to take revenge."

The three men looked at each other and nodded.

Zhao Jia asked, "Brother Xiao, just tell us, what should we do?"

Xiao Yuanshan said, "Here's the plan: we'll drink here, drink a lot, as much as we can, but stay sober. When someone runs out of Jishi Fang, start causing trouble. Try to draw the constables from the southern part of the city, then act accordingly."

"Why do we have to drink?" Zhao Yi, being a smart man, asked in confusion.

Xiao Yuanshan said, "Just drink when I tell you to. This is called drinking to boost one's courage. Don't ask too many questions, just remember, drinking will benefit you."

As Xiao Yuanshan spoke, he looked at the large bowl of wine that Zhao Bing had just filled for him, and couldn't help but think back to the morning when Feng Jueyu had shown him a mysterious skill, which had frightened him to the point of wetting his pants.

Although Feng Jueyu had not advocated drinking, the sight of the grayish-black aura and the terrifying aura that surpassed even the graveyard outside the city had made the usually bold Xiao Yuanshan break out in a cold sweat.

It felt as if he had truly entered the underworld.

After drinking the wine, Xiao Yuanshan picked up the wine jar and drank deeply. Half a jar down, the burning sensation in his throat eased the chill in his heart.

He glanced deeply at the direction of Jishi Fang and shuddered: "Damn, it's too scary, this is the power of the gods."

Zhao Yi, seeing Xiao Yuanshan speak vaguely and drink a whole jar of wine, was stunned. His big brother was someone who could face any danger without flinching, what could have frightened him so much?

...

Baiwei Tower, one of the largest taverns in Tian Nan City, was located in the city center.

At midnight, the three-day Spring Scholar's Gathering had just begun, and the streets and alleys of Tian Nan City were already bustling with activity.

Baiwei Tower was particularly lively. To welcome the scholars and jieyuan from all over, Baiwei Tower had been renovated three months ago. Now, the main hall could accommodate nearly a thousand people, and a large stage had been built in the center.

From time to time, beautiful courtesans would perform on the stage, or there would be music, dance, storytelling, opera, and fast-paced performances, making for a lively scene.

The five-story circular hall was packed with people, both upstairs and downstairs, with cups being raised and toasts being made by elegant young men.

There were also women in revealing clothing, exuding seductive smiles, fluttering like butterflies among the crowd.

On a platform on the fourth floor, several elegantly dressed young men were gathered, including the brothers Shangguan Ruowen and Shangguan Ruowu.

"Brother Ruowen, we haven't seen each other for half a month. It's really hard to get you to come out," said a young man in white, with a snow-white robe, a face like a jade crown, and a jade belt around his waist, the jade alone being as large as a fist, clearly a priceless treasure, indicating his immense wealth.

In fact, there were several other young men from noble families at the table, all dressed in luxurious attire, but this young man in white and the young man in green beside him stood out even more, surpassing even the Shangguan brothers.

To be able to sit at the same table and drink together, it was clear that their relationship was not ordinary. However, compared to the smiling faces of the young men in white and green, Shangguan Ruowen's expression was far from pleasant.

"Don't mention it, it's a headache. Brother Zixiong, it's not that I don't want to come, but I have my reasons. If it weren't for the first day of the Scholar's Gathering today, I probably wouldn't have been able to come out at all."

Shangguan Ruowen took a deep drink, his mood sour, and Shangguan Ruowu was also feeling down. Just thinking about the day when Shangguan Ruofan stabbed him in the buttocks, Shangguan Ruowen wanted to kill someone. Even now, he could only sit on one side of his buttocks.

This Zixiong was none other than the young master of Miaoshan Hall, who was now the most prominent figure in the Xu family, and the very person who had hit Feng Jueyu with a brick that day.

The young man in green was also no ordinary person, being the young master of Huichun Hall, the most powerful figure in the Chen family for three generations, Chen Hongjie.

There were three major medical and commercial families in Tian Nan, and these three were the representatives of those families.

Of course, Xu Zixiong and Chen Hongjie were well-deserved, while the Shangguan brothers, although the top male figures in their family, still had an older sister holding the reins of power in the Shangguan family, making it impossible to compare them to the two.

However, in private, the four were very close friends, often referred to as "fox friends and dog companions."

Xu Zixiong smiled, knowing what had happened to Shangguan Ruowen recently. He glanced at Chen Hongjie and didn't reveal the truth, preserving Shangguan Ruowen's dignity: "It seems that Brother Shangguan has not been having a good time lately? Is it still about the power in the Shangguan family?"

Shangguan Ruowen and Shangguan Ruowu exchanged glances and both shook their heads with a sigh.

Chen Hongjie smiled, "Brother Ruowen, I've said it before, it's not easy to take back what belongs to you from the Shangguan family's eldest daughter. Brother Zixiong's advice was brilliant, but you didn't listen. Now what? The power is still in her hands, and you are still a second-generation heir. Don't take it personally, but I have to say it."

Shangguan Ruowen didn't get angry, but he slammed his hand on the table in frustration, "Do you think I don't want to? I discussed it with my father, and I was directly chased out. It's difficult."

Shangguan Ruowu then asked, "Speaking of which, I want to ask, how is your progress?"

"Hmm? Ha ha." Xu Zixiong and Chen Hongjie exchanged glances and burst out laughing. Xu Zixiong said, "What do you think? Now I am the legitimate master of the Xu family, and I manage all the affairs of Miaoshan Hall. What do you think?"

"Really?" Shangguan Ruowen and Shangguan Ruowu's eyes lit up.

"Not yet," Xu Zixiong said, "But it's almost there. Monopolizing the market requires both kindness and authority. Those who cooperate will be given money and a decent living, but those who don't will get nothing and will have to leave."

Chen Hongjie added, "Brother Ruowen, Brother Ruowu, let me give you an example. Do you know the Jishi Fang in the southern part of the city?"

The two nodded.

"That family has only a grandfather and a grandson, with mediocre medical skills and no strength, yet they occupy a large house. When we asked them to move, they refused. So, Brother Zixiong came up with a plan." Chen Hongjie smiled sinisterly.

Then, Chen Hongjie recounted the scheme to frame Jishi Fang and pointed to Shangguan Ruowen, "This is the method. Now, Brother Zixiong has almost taken control of all the pharmacies in the southern part of the city. Soon, the entire southern part will be under his control. This way, it won't be difficult for him to rise to power."

"Really?"

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