Chapter 9: A Council Within the Estate

Manager Pei Hao's voice spread through the parlor, instantly freezing the atmosphere; no one had expected that this person, who had always been rather amiable toward Li Luo, could now utter such vicious words.

Although Li Luo's complexion was indeed deathly pale and he didn't look well, it wasn't so bad as to warrant cursing him with only a few years to live, was it?

The three pavilion masters under Manager Pei Hao looked slightly embarrassed, but said nothing, merely staring at the floor with flickering gazes, as if the patterns on the floorboards were extraordinarily fascinating.

The other six pavilion masters, on the other hand, wore looks of anger.

"Bang!"

A sharp sound suddenly rang out. Startled, everyone looked over and saw Jiang Jiang Qinge's jade-like hand slam onto the table, her exquisite features covered in frost.

But before Jiang Jiang Qinge could speak, Manager Pei Hao hurriedly slapped his own mouth and laughed, "My apologies, my apologies, my mouth really is too unbridled."

"I hope Young Luo won't take offense."

Li Luo stared at Manager Pei Hao, sizing the latter up carefully, then smiled. Although over these years he had grown accustomed to faces that changed before and behind one's back, those people were after all outsiders to the estate, whereas this Manager Pei Hao—if one were to say his parents had saved his life and shown him the grace of rebirth, that would be no exaggeration at all.

Without Li Taixuan and Dantai Lan, Manager Pei Hao would long ago have had his four limbs broken by his enemies and been left in a stinking ditch to die—how could he possibly enjoy the glory he has today?

Yet now, what Manager Pei Hao revealed clearly showed not a shred of gratitude toward his parents, but rather deep-seated resentment.

This made Li Luo sigh a little. His parents, for all their wisdom over so many years, had still misjudged once.

"Manager Pei Hao's words are merely his true nature showing; what's there to take offense at? And honestly, even if I did take offense, what could I do about it? So let's skip this kind of useless talk." Li Luo shook his head, then sat down in the empty seat of honor.

Manager Pei Hao wore a smile, casually twisting a thumb ring on his finger, and did not show anger at the sarcasm contained in Li Luo's words, because there was simply no need. Just as Li Luo had said, even if he wanted to take offense, what could he do about it?

The current House Luolan Estate is no longer what it once was.

Without those two great mountains pressing down, within this House Luolan Estate, he, Manager Pei Hao, fears no one.

A young estate master with no future is nothing but a puppet. If Jiang Jiang Qinge weren't still around, Manager Pei Hao would probably have already taken complete control of House Luolan Estate.

"Since the young estate master has arrived, can the council begin?" Manager Pei Hao's gaze shifted to Jiang Jiang Qinge.

Jiang Jiang Qinge's face was expressionless as she said coolly, "Then tell us first why, of the three pavilions under your jurisdiction, not a single Heavenly Quantity Gold has been paid into the estate treasury this year."

Manager Pei Hao sighed lightly and said, "My three pavilions had an extremely bad situation this year. Junior Sister should have heard about it already—the three pavilions' storehouse suddenly burned down. I suspect forces coveting House Luolan Estate were behind it, and I conducted a thorough investigation, but there have been no results yet, so this year there is temporarily no tribute money to pay."

Li Luo simply listened quietly. Although he knew Manager Pei Hao's excuse was laughably absurd, he did not interject again, because he understood that his current voice within House Luolan Estate carried little weight. The so-called young estate master, in the eyes of the various figures within the estate, was perhaps nothing more than a decorative mascot.

Since that was the case, there was naturally no need to speak up and invite humiliation.

Jiang Jiang Qinge looked deeply at Manager Pei Hao and said, "Manager Pei Hao, is that your reason?"

Manager Pei Hao smiled faintly and said, "Since Junior Sister wants a reason, I can only give you one off the top of my head. Some things, why must they be asked about so clearly?"

"Very well. Since things have already been said to this point, let me also explain things clearly to Junior Sister and the young estate master—not only will the three pavilions not pay tribute money this year, from now on, they will not pay it ever again." Though Manager Pei Hao's voice was soft, in the ears of everyone in the parlor, it was like a thunderclap.

The cold air emanating from Jiang Jiang Qinge's entire body seemed as if it would freeze the very air solid. Her voice was icy as she said, "It seems you're planning to set up your own household?"

Manager Pei Hao smiled and said, "I can't bear to leave House Luolan Estate. It's just that House Luolan Estate currently has no true estate master after all. These tribute payments go up and no one knows into whose hands they fall. Rather than that, it's better to wait until a truly convincing estate master appears in the future, and then I'll pay them up. It won't be too late."

The atmosphere in the parlor was oppressive. The other six estate masters also looked somewhat grim. If Manager Pei Hao were truly allowed to do this, then House Luolan Estate would likely become the laughingstock of the other four great estates.

Because Manager Pei Hao's move already amounted to amassing troops and defying authority, with the intent to split House Luolan Estate.

"Manager Pei Hao, are you trying to ruin House Luolan Estate? If House Luolan Estate falls, how much benefit do you think you'll get?" a middle-aged man on the right said in a deep voice. This man was named Lei Zhang, one of the pavilion masters who supported Jiang Jiang Qinge.

Manager Pei Hao shook his head: "I've said it before, I don't want House Luolan Estate to fall."

He seemed to fall silent for a few breaths, then his gaze shifted to the silent Li Luo, and he smiled: "Actually, if you want me to follow the rules and faithfully pay the tribute money from now on, that's not impossible—of course, the prerequisite is that I hope the young estate master can agree to one condition of mine."

Everyone in the parlor was startled, clearly not having expected Manager Pei Hao to suddenly drag the topic onto Li Luo.

Li Luo emerged from his state of gazing at his nose and contemplating his heart, stared at Manager Pei Hao, and said with some curiosity: "I'm also curious—what condition could Manager Pei Hao possibly have?"

Manager Pei Hao's gaze shifted from Li Luo to Jiang Jiang Qinge. Gazing at her exquisite, icy features and graceful figure, deep within his eyes, a flash of burning greed swept past.

"I hope the young estate master can dissolve his engagement with Junior Sister."

The moment these words were spoken, the atmosphere in the parlor instantly plummeted to freezing.

Although Li Luo did not fly into a rage, his expression did become blank. Although he had previously discussed with Jiang Jiang Qinge the matter of returning the engagement, and had even reached an agreement with her regarding it.

But the engagement was a matter between him and Jiang Jiang Qinge; the two of them could freely say or do whatever they wished about it.

And who exactly was this Manager Pei Hao?

"Boom!"

Just as the chilling intent was surging in Li Luo's heart, a powerful surge of energy suddenly erupted directly within the parlor.

That energy was resplendent as light; the light swept across, obscuring all the illumination in the parlor.

Then, Li Luo vaguely saw Jiang Jiang Qinge's figure, seated to one side, shoot out like a startled swan.

Aimed straight at where Manager Pei Hao was.

The sudden attack also caused Manager Pei Hao's eyes to narrow. In the next instant, sharp golden light erupted from within his body.

The sword-shaped earring hanging from his right earlobe swiftly dropped off, swelling violently in the wind, and transformed into a golden longsword.

On the longsword, sharp golden phase force surged, in and out, like countless golden rainbows.

Clang!

The sound of metal colliding rang out. A violent energy shockwave erupted, instantly shattering all the tables and chairs in the parlor to pieces.

The nine pavilion masters hurriedly acted to dissipate the energy aftershock, then fixed their eyes on the scene.

They saw two figures facing off there, sword tips against each other—it was Jiang Jiang Qinge and Manager Pei Hao.

Jiang Jiang Qinge held A Heavy Blade, its body flowing with resplendent light. That light was extremely dazzling; merely gazing at it made one's eyes sting with pain.

Moreover, that pure, sacred, burning sensation also made their hearts jolt.

What overbearing light phase force!

Facing Jiang Jiang Qinge, Manager Pei Hao held a golden longsword. The golden phase force surging from within him appeared exceptionally sharp and fierce.

That was the power of the Gold phase.

The two swords collided, phase forces clashed, causing even the floor to gradually crack.

Manager Pei Hao narrowed his eyes and smiled: "A ninth-grade Light phase truly lives up to its reputation. Junior Sister is clearly only at the early Earth Sha General stage, yet the sheer overbearing might of her phase force is actually not much inferior to my late Earth Sha General stage."

"Your Gold phase should have already risen to seventh grade, I suppose? It seems you've been privately skimming House Luolan Estate's tribute money quite a bit in the past." Jiang Jiang Qinge said coldly.

Previously, Manager Pei Hao's Affinity was Sixth Rank, but after this clash, Jiang Jiang Qinge also sensed that his Affinity power had become far more sharp; for a Sixth Rank Affinity to reach Seventh Rank, the amount of Spirit Water and Strange Light required was no small sum.

Manager Pei Hao gave no answer; the next moment, he and Jiang Jiang Qinge almost simultaneously erupted with the Affinity power within their bodies, their sword tips clashing fiercely.

Clang!

The sound of metal carried an energy shockwave, and both figures retreated several steps.

"Manager Pei Hao, how dare you!" At this moment, Lei Zhang and several other Pavilion Masters immediately appeared behind Jiang Jiang Qinge, their faces iron-green as they shouted.

However, three other Pavilion Masters also appeared behind Manager Pei Hao, their expressions wary.

Outside the living room, the commotion spread, causing some chaos within the old manor; two groups of people surged out from various places like a tide and faced off.

"Little Junior Sister, are you planning to let the entire Great Xia Kingdom know that the Luo An Manor is experiencing internal strife?" Manager Pei Hao asked with a faint smile.

Jiang Jiang Qinge's face was ice-cold, and killing intent swirled in her beautiful eyes: "Manager Pei Hao, if you do not wish to die, swallow those words back into your belly; you have no right to interfere in our affairs."

Manager Pei Hao fell silent for a few breaths, then frowned and said, "Little Junior Sister, why must you be so? That marriage contract is likely nothing but a burden to you, isn't it? I know you are grateful to Master and Mistress, but there is no need to give yourself to Li Luo; he truly is not worthy."

"A person with a wolf's heart and dog's lungs naturally does not understand what gratitude is," Jiang Jiang Qinge said calmly.

Manager Pei Hao shook his head, then turned his gaze to Li Luo and said, "Li Luo, you are actually quite smart, so you should know what it means to be punished for possessing a treasure; the Luo An Manor is a beautiful treasure to you, and a heaven-born prodigy like Little Junior Sister is even more of an unattainable object."

"Believe me, if you try to imprison her using Little Junior Sister's gratitude toward Master and Mistress, it will only bring you a disaster in the end."

Li Luo said calmly, "Then according to your meaning, I must give up both the Luo An Manor and Sister Jiang Qinge?"

"If you are smart enough, that is exactly what you should do," Manager Pei Hao nodded, saying with some pity, "I am doing this for your own good; if you lack the ability, you must curb your greed, and only then might you become a wealthy idle person."

Li Luo smiled and said, "Manager Pei Hao, are you truly not worried that one day, my father and mother might suddenly return?"

Manager Pei Hao's pupils contracted slightly, and the three Pavilion Masters behind him also had expressions that shifted.

Finally, Manager Pei Hao shook his head gently and said, "Li Luo, do not hold onto such a pathetic and childish hope; from the information I have obtained, Master and Mistress are likely unable to return."

He looked at Li Luo and sighed with a look of sympathy.

"So, your greatest backing is gone."

"You now, what difference is there between you and me back then? No... perhaps you now are not even as good as I was at that time..."

"After all, back then, although I had no background and was at the end of my road, at the very least, I still had some potential."

"And you have nothing left."

(End of this chapter)