Chapter 355: Why mention outsiders at a time like this?

Following this, the stairs were trampled by a heavy object, emitting a creaking sound of unbearable strain. This pig actually knew how to climb stairs...

After just two breaths, the long-tusked pig climbed to the second floor, its hooves crushing several steps of the wooden staircase. Its small, rage-filled eyes immediately locked onto He Lingchuan, who had stood up.

The diners, peddlers, and waiters on the second floor fled like a gust of wind.

He Lingchuan had intervened to help the hunter not entirely because he couldn't stand seeing a monster hurt people in the street, or because he wanted to play the hero.

In his eyes, this wild boar was wreathed in black Qi, and there were actually several small ghosts clinging to its head! Yes, in broad daylight, these small ghosts actually dared to poke their heads out to look at him, glaring with rage and gnashing their teeth—though the sunlight did not shine directly upon them.

Just moments ago, the hunter's two yellow sheep were also targeted by them, which was why they had incited the long-tusked pig to snatch them.

No matter where such ghostly entities appeared, it was suspicious.

The small ghosts pointed at He Lingchuan, and the long-tusked pig lowered its head and charged.

The momentum was so fierce that it even smashed the floorboards.

He Lingchuan took two steps to the side, but the long-tusked pig was surprisingly agile; it braced its short legs and continued to charge toward him.

However, He Lingchuan's turning was more fluid; his footsteps almost grazed its body as he pivoted, his right hand instinctively gripping the hilt of the Floating Life Blade.

A cold glint flashed.

He Lingchuan jumped backward.

The long-tusked pig couldn't stop its momentum, falling and sliding sideways across the floor.

At the same time, its head and body were separated.

Hot, fishy pig blood splattered everywhere.

The small ghosts and black Qi attached to the long-tusked pig dissipated into smoke, leaving not a trace behind.

The waiter, crouching in the corner, pointed at the long-tusked pig's carcass and said with a trembling voice, "Sharp Tooth, guest, you killed Sharp Tooth!"

"This thing is called Sharp Tooth?" He Lingchuan picked up the pig's head and examined it carefully. "No thanks needed."

Come to think of it, after he threw the flying knife earlier, he seemed to have heard someone shout "Come back," but with the clamor of the crowd, he hadn't paid attention, and the long-tusked pig, blinded by pain, hadn't cared either, charging straight at him.

"That was Gan Sanye Gan's hunting pet!"

Gan Sanye Gan? He Lingchuan was startled. This ghostly thing had an owner?

At this moment, footsteps arose, and many people pushed through the hall and rushed up to the second floor.

It was the very group of people who had just paraded through the street in fine clothes and on spirited horses.

The leading youth saw the long-tusked pig's head and body separated, his pupils dilated, and he roared in anger, "How dare you kill my spirit pet!"

"This is your pet?" He Lingchuan threw the pig's head at his feet and took out a handkerchief to wipe the tip of his blade. "Walking a pet without a leash, who would know it was yours?"

The guards behind Gan Sanye Gan stepped forward at the right moment to scold, "The brat dares to run wild in Wu Ze? Do you know who you've provoked!"

The entourage swarmed forward, surrounding He Lingchuan in the middle.

Whether to fight or not was one thing, but suppressing others with sheer presence was important. Regarding this point, He Lingchuan had also understood it well in the past.

Gan Sanye Gan raised a hand to stop his men. "My Sharp Tooth was a spirit breed from the Demon Nest Swamp and had rendered great service in helping the county deal with monster infestations. I am not an unreasonable man; this account must be settled properly."

"Can clearing out a few monsters make up for the crime of murder?" He Lingchuan glanced out the window. "Allowing a pet to commit violence—if I hadn't intervened in time, you would have a human life on your conscience. How do you intend to thank me?"

The hunter staggered up from the ground to find his hunting dog. Several wounds on his body were bleeding, with the most severe injury on his leg, where a round hole had been gouged out. He had encountered wild boars while hunting in the mountains before, and just now, he had used all his strength to brace against the pig's tusks, struggling to prevent it from piercing his upper body.

But the hunting dog beside him hadn't been so lucky, lying on the ground, its legs twitching.

The hunter stroked it gently a few times; it let out two choked sounds and then stopped breathing.

"Sharp Tooth has lived in Wu Ze for six years; how would it easily kill someone? At most, it was just giving him a lesson." Gan Sanye Gan's face was as cold as frost. "Sharp Tooth hurt him, and I will pay compensation; you killed my spirit pet, how will you compensate?"

He Lingchuan asked a question he already knew the answer to: "Who are you?"

The guard behind Gan Sanye Gan chimed in, "You don't even recognize our Gan Sanye Gan, yet you dare to run wild in Wu Ze?"

He Lingchuan nodded. "Third Old Gan of the Gan Family Chamber of Commerce?"

Gan Sanye Gan lifted his chin.

"A mere merchant family, without a single official, yet you have the qualifications to be arrogant?" When Young Master He ran rampant in Black Water City, at least his backer was the local Prefect.

"It's enough to deal with you." Gan Sanye Gan's face darkened. "Tie him up and send him to the county government office."

The guards responded and stepped forward to make the arrest.

This little dandy actually wanted to send him to the authorities; he was quite law-abiding. Of course, whether the county government office would "enforce the law" was another story. He Lingchuan backhanded a guard on the nose; the latter fell to the ground, clutching his face and groaning in pain, only to open his eyes and see the wide-open pig's mouth facing him.

Another guard was pressed by the neck by He Lingchuan and forced to kowtow three times on the table.

Of course, it was on another table.

He Lingchuan's own table still had wine and food left; he couldn't smash that.

He smiled and said, "Then do you know who I am?"

The most troublesome thing about being a dandy is the tiny chance of running into a hard nail; he had deep experience with this.

The kind that is very hard and very long.

Attacking without figuring out the opponent's background—this kid's cultivation was truly poor.

Gan Sanye Gan was livid and about to reply when two servants ran up from downstairs and called out, "Gan Sanye!" Then they whispered a few words in his ear.

Gan Sanye Gan's expression changed drastically, and he waved his hand, saying, "Stop, everyone stop!"

The guards were more than happy to stop.

Gan Sanye Gan glared fiercely at He Lingchuan and dropped that popular line: "Brat, you just wait, I'll deal with you later!" After saying this, he led everyone downstairs in a hurry.

He Lingchuan walked to the window and looked down, seeing Gan Sanye Gan flip onto his horse and gallop toward home.

After this group left in a flurry, the waiter finally dared to come forward to tidy the table and pick up the bowls, whispering to He Lingchuan, "Guest, you should leave quickly; it won't be easy to handle once Gan Sanye Gan returns."

He Lingchuan pulled his flying knife back from the pig, wiped it clean, stored the pig's carcass in his storage ring, then walked back to the table, sat down, and poured a cup of wine. "What's the rush? I haven't finished eating."

Before long, the shopkeeper also came up and bowed deeply. "This guest, we won't take your money, please leave."

"So generous?" He Lingchuan was surprised, pointing at the surroundings. "The smashed bowls and plates, the customers scared away—you're bearing the losses yourself?"

"Then you, you..." You pay? Are you that generous? The shopkeeper simply spoke plainly. "Gan Sanye Gan is formidable; neither you nor we can afford to offend him. For safety's sake, you should leave."

"I still have to wait for someone." He Lingchuan placed two gold ingots on the table. "Don't panic. If the Gan family doesn't pay up this amount later, these two gold ingots will belong to you."

Seeing his calm and collected demeanor, the shopkeeper had a sigh stuck in his throat; he looked at the gold ingots and then at him, not daring to say more.

He Lingchuan asked him again, "Does that long-tusked pig always run wild in the street like this?"

"Gan Sanye Gan always brings it out to show off; it has hurt people several times, and the Gan family just pays money to settle it."

"Has it eaten anyone?"

"That, that hasn't happened, at least we haven't heard of it." The shopkeeper whispered, "In the past, this long-tusked pig was very fierce and couldn't be brought out; I heard two of the Gan family's servants were hurt by it. But a few months ago, Gan Sanye Gan tamed it well, making it obedient. A while ago, after the Emperor's Flowing Plasma passed, there was a monster disaster by the official road, and this long-tusked pig was even able to help the county clear out the monster infestation. Gan Sanye Gan boasted about this endlessly; everyone in the county knows it."

"Alright, bring me another pot of wine."

When going downstairs, the shopkeeper specifically instructed the waiter to remove all the tables and chairs nearby.

￥￥￥￥￥

The eyeball spider remained securely in Steward Zhao's waistband as he returned to the Gan mansion with him.

The He family's aesthetic had always been on point; He Lingchuan had stayed at home for a long time and hadn't felt his own home was anything special. But compared to the Gan mansion, the He residence was exquisite and elegant in every detail, low-key and luxurious without showing off, reflecting Lady Ying's high standards.

Simply put, it was about showing off in a subtle way.

As for the Gan family's architecture, furniture, and decorations, everything was opulent and grand, even the giant pillars were painted with gold, as if they were afraid people wouldn't know they were rich. Even the begonias in the garden had to be gathered into a sea of flowers; everything emphasized being round and full.

It was like a long scroll where every part had to be painted with heavy ink, yet there was no lightness or detachment; once painted, it was just a chaotic mess, unable to create any aesthetic beauty.

Now, this mansion, which lived up to its name as a luxury home, was shrouded in gloom, and even the servants were filled with confusion and unease.

The pillar of this family had just collapsed.

Steward Zhao had just returned to the Gan mansion when he was pulled aside by the old woman beside Old Madam Mao:

"Where did you go just now? The Old Madam just woke up and cried herself into a faint again!"

"Has the physician left?" When Steward Zhao had previously reported the bad news, Old Madam Mao had been stunned, then screamed "My son!" and rushed out to hit a pillar, moving so fast that no one could stop her.

But the Old Madam wasn't hurt because she had fainted before hitting the pillar; she was one step away and hadn't hit it.

"Not yet; seeing the Old Madam faint, he prescribed another medicine."

Immediately after, all sorts of trivial matters came pouring in, and Steward Zhao was so busy he didn't even have time to drink a sip of water. Chief Steward An Xing had disappeared along with Master Gan, and the Old Madam was unconscious in bed; it seemed he was the only one left who could arrange things.

Although Steward Zhao was busy, the feeling of issuing orders was quite good.

If the Gan family hadn't appointed Luo Xunyi as the Chief Steward, but had designated him instead...

He hadn't started letting his imagination run wild when the Old Madam's room door opened, and Second Master Gan walked out with red, swollen eyes.

"Second Master, please accept my condolences."

Second Master Gan gave a grunt and told a servant to fetch water.

Hearing the bad news about his eldest brother and seeing his mother unconscious, he had also shed many tears.

Steward Zhao hurriedly approached to ask for instructions: "Second Master, should we place the mourning hall in the White Deer Hall or in front of the ancestral shrine?"

"White Deer Hall, I suppose." Second Master Gan hesitated. "No, let's put it in front of the ancestral shrine."

"Alright."

"Wait, let me think... let's go with the White Deer Hall after all." Second Master Gan sighed. "I must hurry to paint a portrait of my eldest brother to place in the hall for people to pay their respects."

Steward Zhao asked again: "Since the eldest master met with misfortune in a foreign land, logically we should hold a soul-soothing ritual. Who do you think we should invite as a high-level expert?"

"..."

After much back and forth, he finally managed to settle these matters with Second Master Gan, then hesitantly added, "By the way, this time the caravan also brought back a person from the Demon Nest Swamp; he was entrusted by the Spider Queen to..."

Before he could finish, Second Master Gan grew impatient and raised his hand to interrupt: "Why mention outsiders at a time like this?"

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 356 =====