Chapter 358: Brotherly Friendship, Younger Brother's Respect

Yang Qin, whose heart had been torn out by a killer, felt the fire of anger and despair in his chest intertwine into a frenzy of malignant energy, supporting him as he struggled from the ground to lift his head and, with all his remaining strength, roared: "Chen Yan, you have committed many injustices; retribution will find you!"

Yang Qin never imagined that he had been completely toyed with, and also completely exploited.....

He had actually been made by Chen Yan into a weapon in Yuwen Hu's hand!

It caused the subordinate Liang Wai, who had pledged allegiance to them, to die unjustly, and also cleared Yuwen Hu's doors!

Chen Yan listened to this poison‑like yet impotent fury of curses, his smile unchanged, and instead raised his hand slowly to brush his sleeve, as if shooing away irrelevant dust, kindly advising: "General Yang, don't be so agitated!"

He bent down, his gaze level with the Yang Qin lying on the ground, his tone thick with unshakable amusement: "You will soon be underground, reunited with Yang Gong....."

"He must miss his father a lot, too!"

The work of heart‑execution, Chen is a professional.

Reuniting father and son is yet another merit!

"Chen Yan!"

Yang Qin snapped his head up, the resentment and poison in his eyes nearly solidifying, and with his last ounce of strength roared: "You will never meet a good death!"

"What a pity....."

Chen Yan slowly shook his head, his tone carrying a feigned sigh of regret: "My own end, you will not see!"

He paused, as if suddenly recalling something important, raised an eyebrow, the amusement in his voice vanished, leaving only Yin Zhi: "I could personally oversee the beheading of your Yang clan's nine families!"

Chen Yan has always been timid; the 'execution of nine families' package must be given wholeheartedly......

Sending the whole clan neatly on their way, reunited in the underworld, with no worry of loneliness or cold; who could consider General Yang's affairs more thoroughly than he does?

Completely swept into the piles of old history.

Yang Qin trembled as he raised his hand, his fingertips futilely flickering in the air, his throat as if blocked, only able to emit a broken sound: "You...."

"You...."

"Pfft!"

His throat went sweet, and he suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood.

It splashed onto the bricks before him, like a flower that blooms suddenly then withers instantly.

Immediately after, his head tilted, no longer able to stay upright.

The whole body fell heavily forward, his forehead striking the hard Blue Bricks with a muffled "thud".

He fainted to death.

Chen Yan's gaze did not linger on Yang Qin; his bottomless eyes shifted and fell again on Zhao Qian, the corner of his mouth curling into a meaning‑laden smile.

He slowly turned his head, gave a slight chin lift toward You Xian behind him, his voice calm and even, ordering: "Send for the two legitimate grandsons of the venerable Pillar of State Zhao, our old acquaintances, and bring them here!"

The three words "old acquaintance" were enunciated heavily.

"Yes."

You Xian bowed and replied, a flash of understanding gleaming in his eyes.

He knew this was his overseer's revenge.....

Now that it has come to this, the past deeds must also be settled.

Immediately, You Xian ordered several embroidered‑clad envoys to handle it.

Zhao Qian stared at Chen Yan's utterly expressionless face, his chest feeling as if a massive stone pressed down, each breath heavy with pain, and angrily said: "Chen Yan, what more do you intend to do!"

"Venerable Pillar of State, keep calm and do not be impatient!"

Chen Yan lifted his hand in a feigned press, the smile at the corner of his mouth deepening, spreading to his eyes, and he said with conviction: "I, as an overseer, am a man of keeping promises, so I must fulfill my pledge....."

Zhao Qian furrowed his brows, his inner unease rising like tide—such a ruthless wolf to suddenly speak of 'keeping promises' could only bode ill.

Moreover, whose trust does he claim to value, and whose promise does he intend to keep?

After a moment, heavy footsteps echoed from outside the hall, accompanied by the rustle of fabric against the floor.

"Overseer, bring Zhao Qingshi and Zhao Tishou!"

Two embroidered envoys entered, one after the other; the silver threads on their dark robes glimmered coldly in the candlelight, each dragging a young man whose appearance resembled Zhao Qian's.

At this moment their eyes were tightly shut, faces as pale as paper, lips slightly violet, clearly afflicted by a bewildering smoke.

They were being dragged by the envoys, heads drooping weakly, hair buns disheveled, their once‑neat Brothel now dust‑stained, looking lifeless, only the faint rise and fall of chests proving they were still alive.

"Wake these two up!"

Chen Yan didn't even lift an eyelid, merely raised his hand casually and waved, ordering.

"As you command!"

As soon as the words fell, the two envoys responded and stepped back.

After a moment, each carried a wooden bucket and returned.

The cold water in the buckets rippled, reflecting the candle's speckled light; even before approaching, one could feel a bone‑chilling cold.

The embroidered envoy, expressionless, walked to the two and raised his arm.

The two buckets of cold water splashed with a "whoosh", pouring over their heads without warning.

The cold water instantly soaked their Brothels, streaming down their hair tips and cheeks, forming a small puddle on the Blue Bricks.

"Cough cough!"

The previously unconscious two shivered violently, brows furrowing in pain, throats emitting vague moans, eyelashes trembling wetly, clearly awakened by the cold.

"My head feels so dizzy!"

"Where is this?"

Zhao Qingshi looked around blankly, murmuring.

"Why does it feel like I want to vomit....." Zhao Tishou covered his chest.

Chen Yan walked slowly to the two, looking down from above at their trembling, his mouth corner curling a playful smile, leaning slightly forward, warmly greeting: "Dear two Zhao Young Masters, we meet again....."

He paused, then teased: "Your charisma remains unchanged!"

"Hm?!"

Zhao Qingshi had been drowsy and his consciousness vague, but when that voice pierced his ear, his body felt as if scalded, jolting sharply, his teeth chattering uncontrollably, and he exclaimed in surprise, "That voice… is Chen Yan?!"

It's not cold.

It's from fright.

He snapped to full awareness in an instant, and Zhao Tishou did the same.

When he saw Chen Yan's face clearly, the last hint of color drained from him with a swish, his lips trembled, and his shoulders shook violently, "You've dragged me back into the Mingjing Office again?!"

"I haven't done anything wrong!"

Zhao Tishou felt a chill surge from his soles straight up to the Heavenly Spirit Cover.

Even the blood in his body seemed frozen.

It was a terror that rose from the depths of his soul!

After all, he truly had entered the Mingjing Office before…

"Supervisor, please, do not resort to torture!"

"Whatever ransom is needed, my grandfather will provide it!"

"I will cooperate with anything!"

Zhao Qingshi's mental defenses collapsed first; he could no longer hold on, his voice trembling off‑key, pleading with a sobbing tone.

Immediately after, with a splash, he knelt in the cold water stain.

His knees struck the bricks, producing a muffled thud that he barely noticed.

Zhao Qingshi had never endured the Mingjing Office's tortures, yet having been there and seen those prisoners suffer, each recollection filled him with dread.

Chen Yan looked at the two heartless toys with interest and reminded, "This isn't my Mingjing Office!"

Having said that, he raised his hand, pointed to the other side, and laughed, "Take a look at who's over there…"

Zhao Qingshi and Zhao Tishou followed his pointing, and an aged, iron‑blue face came straight into view, both exclaiming in unison, "Grand…grandfather?!"

"How come you're also here?!"

The brothers' first reaction was that their own grandfather had also been captured…

Zhao Qian watched helplessly as his two grandsons begged before Chen Yan, their tear‑streaked, spineless faces cutting his heart like a dull blade, and a hoarse, thunderous roar rose from his throat, "Useless wretches!"

He stared fiercely at the cowering figures on the ground, his fingers trembling with anger, "How could I have given birth to such scum!"

They're all third‑generation grandchildren; ours are disgraceful, begging, completely spineless…

In contrast, Chen Hu's legitimate eldest grandson is strategic, both civil and martial, decisive and bold!

Without comparison there is no injury.

Zhao Xingjian let out a light snort, his gaze sweeping over the two disheveled illegitimate younger brothers on the ground, then landing on the trembling Zhao Qian, a mocking curl at the corner of his mouth, his voice low yet crystal clear, "Grandfather, you truly have a discerning eye for talent!"

He deliberately paused, his eyes circling the tear‑streaked faces of the two legitimate grandsons, his sarcasm unabashed, "Handing our Zhao clan over to them will probably see its end in no time…"

Even as heads of the family, even without the hawk‑eyed Grand Overseer and Chen the Supervisor…

It would probably be over in just two or three years!

What a keen eye!

"Zhao Xingjian?"

"Why are you also here?!"

Zhao Qingshi instantly recognized who spoke, staring blankly at Zhao Xingjian, at a loss for words.

He never imagined that this elder half‑brother, whom he never paid attention to, would appear in such a place and utter such cutting words to his grandfather.

Zhao Tishou snapped his head up, the anger suppressed by fear suddenly surging back; he stared hard at Zhao Xingjian, forgetting fear, his voice tightening with rage, "How the hell do you talk to Grandfather like that!"

Zhao Xingjian's smile vanished in an instant; deep within his seemingly gentle eyes flashed a cold, murderous glint, swift as a blade slicing through night. He ignored Zhao Tishou and replied directly to Zhao Qingshi, "Because I intend to make next year's day your sacrificial day!"

"Take it!"

Chen Yan, seeing this, curled his mouth into a smile, drew the pendant sword of the embroidered‑clad envoy from his right side, and tossed it straight to Zhao Xingjian.

"What does that mean?!"

The scene fell upon Zhao Qingshi and Zhao Tishou's eyes like a bolt of thunder striking overhead.

Their pupils contracted sharply as they stared at the cold‑glinting blade in Zhao Xingjian's hand, as if all the blood in their bodies had solidified.

The two clung tightly together, feeling a chill surge from all directions, uncontrollably shrinking backward.

"What are you trying to do with that knife?!"

"Don't come any closer!"

Zhao Tishou's voice trembled off‑key, the sound of his chattering teeth clear, the terror in his eyes nearly spilling over.

"Zhao Tishou, tell me…"

"What does legitimate versus illegitimate mean!"

"What does hierarchy mean!"

Zhao Xingjian gripped the hilt, his knuckles tightening slightly, the ruthless resolve unmistakable in his eyes.

His wrist snapped upward, a flash of cold light, and the short sword descended with a sharp whoosh.

Ah—!

A mournful scream rang out suddenly.

Zhao Tishou's left arm was slashed by the blade, a deep wound exposing bone, and fresh blood gushed out instantly.

It stained his soaked sleeve crimson, dripping from his fingertips onto the Blue Bricks, mingling with the water stains on the ground in a shocking sight.

The agony surged over his body like a tide; Zhao Tishou convulsed in pain, tears mixing with cold sweat streaming down, his lips clenched, yet he could not stop a gut‑wrenching howl, "Grandfather, save me!"

"Zhao Xingjian has gone mad; he really intends to kill the grandson!"

Zhao Qian, seeing this, his eyes bulging, let out a hysterical roar, "Zhao Xingjian, what are you doing!"

"Zhao Tishou is your own younger brother!"

But because of Soft Sinew Powder's effect, it cannot at all stop the rescue.....

All one can do is watch, eyes wide open, as those in the same room clash.

"Yes, younger brother!"

"Stirring the fire with embellishment, what a truly skillful younger brother!"

Zhao Xingjian heard the words, recalled that scene from that day, and couldn't help but sneer.

Then, gripping his knife tightly, he swung it toward the space between Zhao Tishou's legs.

"Ah—!"

A heart‑rending, gut‑wrenching scream rang out again.

Zhao Tishou collapsed on the ground in excruciating pain.

"Don't come over!"

"Older brother, half‑brother, don't come over!"

Zhao Qingshi, seeing Zhao Tishou become a rootless man, watched Zhao Xingjian draw nearer step by step, fear coiling around his heart like vines, and begged.

Zhao Xingjian turned a deaf ear, his gaze fixed on Zhao Qingshi's right arm, a ferocious grin suddenly spreading at the corner of his mouth, and he asked, "Zhao Qingshi, that day you used this hand to whip me, didn't you?"

"No… it's not…"

Zhao Qingshi stared at the increasingly approaching Zhao Xingjian, growing more terrified, trembling incessantly like a sieve shaking chaff.

Before the words finished, Zhao Xingjian gripped the knife hilt hard, raised his arm high, and the blood‑stained blade traced a fierce arc in the air, its sharp cut through the wind, slashing straight toward Zhao Qingshi's right arm—

"Ah!!!"

——

PS: Everyone, I'm asking for a tiny five‑star review to boost the rating; I think it can still surge upward? (.???. )?