Chapter 428: Where is Your Face?

"Striking at the root, what a brilliant idea. Brother Zeng, I am already a bit impatient, let's go!"

After circling slightly outside the teahouse, the two began to walk away with their arms around each other's shoulders; one could tell by their smiles that they were harboring no good intentions.

Shen Yu, standing nearby, heard every word they said clearly; in this day and age, one wonders why people don't hide away when plotting against others.

"Sigh, the world is declining, and human hearts are not what they used to be!" Shaking his head, Shen Yu knew there were too many similar things in this world, so many that he could never recover from them.

Bullying others by relying on one's power is a common occurrence in any dynasty. Where there is class, there will be inequality, and where there is inequality, such things will emerge endlessly.

He casually left a trace of power on the little maid who had left earlier, so that if she encountered danger, he could help her and make others wary.

As long as they touched this bit of power he left behind, any expert would know she was not to be trifled with once the aura leaked out. By then, let alone harming the little girl, they would likely have to treat her with reverence.

Shen Yu was not a nanny and could not keep an eye on them at all times; being able to leave some power to help out in passing was already quite decent.

Yet what he did not know was that Tao Xi, who had not left long ago, was soon found by people from the family and called back.

At this time, Cen Ji had already arrived at the Tao Family. Cen Ji had previously been ranked among the Eight Gentlemen of Dongming Prefecture, not just because of his family background, but because he was sufficiently clever himself.

It should be said that any scion of a noble family with a bit of brains, as long as they get serious, is a character not to be trifled with.

When dealing with ordinary people, Cen Ji was indeed somewhat bossy; this was a habit formed over a long time that could not be changed overnight. However, when facing someone with a bit of status, the shrewdness in him could be seen.

He knew how to endure, understood how to advance and retreat, and never let a grudge go overnight.

"Xiaoxi is here, come in quickly!"

When Tao Xi arrived at the Tao Family, the Tao Family Head, Tao Yi, had already been waiting for a long time, and Cen Ji, standing to the side, also gave Tao Xi a faint smile, completely devoid of the arrogance from when they had met before.

Upon seeing Cen Ji, Tao Xi's heart skipped a beat, and he had a rather bad premonition.

"Xiaoxi, this is Young Master Cen of the Cen Family. You two were once both ranked among the Eight Gentlemen of Dongming Prefecture!"

While introducing Cen Ji to Tao Xi, Tao Yi then spoke up, "Young Master Cen has taken a fancy to your maid, Xiaodie. Thinking of the friendly relations between the Tao Family and the Cen Family, I have taken the liberty of selling the Xiaodie by your side to Young Master Cen."

"From now on, Xiaodie is a person of the Cen Family!"

"What?" This news exploded in his ears like a thunderclap, causing Tao Xi's expression to change violently. "Xiaodie is my personal maid. Without my permission, what right do you have to sell her to someone else?"

"Tao Xi, what is your status, to dare to speak to the Family Head like this?"

"Hey, Xiaoxi was once the eldest young master of our Tao Family after all, he must have manners!"

The Tao Family Head, Tao Yi, waved his hand at the people beside him and then said with a smile, "Xiaodie is merely a servant of the Tao Family; she is not worth you getting angry over."

"You and I, uncle and nephew, are close relatives; do not let a mere little maid damage the affection between us."

While speaking, Tao Yi turned to Cen Ji beside him and said, "Young Master Cen, the person has arrived, you may take her away!"

"Then many thanks, Uncle Tao!" After bowing slightly to Tao Yi, Cen Ji walked to Tao Xi's side, leaned into his ear, and whispered, "I said that whatever I want, I will definitely get my hands on!"

"But you can rest assured, now that this little girl is with me, I will definitely treat her well."

"When I get tired of playing with her, how about I send her back to you?"

"I hope Young Master Tao won't mind the damaged goods by then."

"Hahaha!" Laughing loudly, Cen Ji reached out to pull the little maid beside him, but she dodged away in terror.

"Hmph!" Seeing that the little maid, who was already his own person, did not give him face, Cen Ji felt he was losing face and slapped her hard directly.

With a loud "slap," a palm print appeared on the little girl's fair face, and blood seeped from the corner of her mouth.

Stepping forward to pinch the little maid's face, distorting her delicate features, Cen Ji's smile was filled with a chilling coldness.

"You must remember clearly, you are now a member of my Cen Family, and your life and death are in my hands. From now on, if I tell you to go east, you must go east; if I tell you to go west, you can only go west!"

【Empty】

"If I tell you to serve in my bed at night, you must strip off your clothes and crawl onto the bed obediently, then serve this young master well, do you understand!"

Cen Ji's words made the little maid tremble with fear, and at this moment, Cen Ji also looked at Tao Xi beside him with some smugness.

These words of his were not meant for anyone but Tao Xi; it was clearly revenge for Tao Xi not giving him face earlier.

"Get away from me!" Pushing Cen Ji away, Tao Xi grabbed the little maid's hand and shouted to everyone around, "Xiaodie is the maid my mother left me; without my permission, no one can sell her!"

"Xiaodie, let's go!"

"Presumptuous!" As soon as Tao Xi's words fell, the remaining people of the Tao Family inevitably looked grim. "The Family Head has already sold this maid; it concerns the reputation of our Tao Family. Do you want to trap our Tao Family in unrighteousness!"

"Everyone, say less!" Suppressing the dissatisfied voices of the Tao family members, Tao Yi also appeared extremely embarrassed.

"Xiaoxi, if you had said earlier that this maid was so important to you, I certainly wouldn't have sold her. But now the wood is already carved into a boat; she is already a person of their Cen Family, and I have no way to fix it!"

"How about this, I will help you buy her back, how about that?"

While speaking, Tao Yi looked at Cen Ji beside him. "Young Master Cen, how about this, our Tao Family buys this little maid back from your hands? You name your price, and I will never haggle!"

"Not for sale! Uncle Tao, I like this little girl very much, so she is not for sale. When I don't like her one day, I will definitely sell her back to the Tao Family!"

"Oh my, this is difficult. Xiaoxi, the Cen Family won't sell, what can we do? How about I pick another maid for you to take care of you?"

"Let's do this, whichever maid in the family you take a fancy to, just take her away; consider it my compensation to you."

"Enough, Tao Yi, put away that hypocritical mask of yours. I said, I do not agree to the sale, so Xiaodie cannot be sold."

Pulling Xiaodie's hand, Tao Xi said loudly, "Xiaodie, let's go, I don't want to stay here for even a moment!"

"Stop him! The deal has been reached; what does it look like to just take away the Cen Family's maid like this!"

Slapping the table, Tao Yi said with a pained expression, "Xiaoxi, she is already a person of the Cen Family, we cannot deny this. I hope you don't blame me, your uncle; I am doing this for the sake of the Tao Family's reputation!"

Following Tao Yi's order, the experts of the Tao Family immediately surrounded Tao Xi. Judging by this posture, it seemed they would not give up until they kept the person.

"Those who block me die!" Holding Xiaodie's hand with one hand, Tao Xi looked at the Tao Family experts surrounding him, his face filled with murderous intent.

At this moment, the last bit of attachment he had for the Tao Family in his heart was completely severed. The Tao Family was no longer the Tao Family of the past, and certainly not the Tao Family of his childhood.

The many experts surrounding Tao Xi looked at him coldly. "Tao Xi, do you want to betray the family?"

"Betray? With you people, are you even worthy of mentioning the word betrayal? How my father died? You know best in your hearts!"

"Before my father's body was even cold, you turned to serve others; how do you have the nerve to stand before me!"

"Enough, Xiaoxi, we are all family; everyone is doing this for the prosperity of the Tao Family, why talk about serving or not serving!"

Tao Yi, in the position of Family Head, looked righteous and awe-inspiring; judging by his appearance alone, one could not see a hint of hypocrisy. Yet the words he spoke were so hypocritical that they made one want to vomit.

"Tao Yi!" Looking coldly at the person who had snatched away the position of Tao Family Head, the hatred in Tao Xi's heart kept surging.

"I already didn't want this Tao Family, so why must you force me, why must you take away even the last bit of my family affection?"

"If you are heartless, then don't blame me for being unrighteous. My heart for the Tao Family is dead; whoever dares to stop me, I will make all of you be buried with me!"

"Insolent, seize this person who has betrayed the family for me!"

Quietly stepping back two paces, Cen Ji added fuel to the fire without a trace, "Uncles, don't break my little maid; I still want him to attend to me in bed tonight!"

Tao Yi, in the position of Family Head, also looked over at this moment, his gaze meeting the one Cen Ji cast over; having confirmed the look, they were the same kind of people.

The Cen Family had truly produced a good son, kind-faced but black-hearted, capable of great things. The outburst just now directed at Tao Xi was not necessarily not an attempt to stir up infighting within their Tao Family.

However, wasn't he also taking advantage of this opportunity to clean out the people left behind by Tao Xi's father? Hmph, still too young.

As for Cen Ji, he let out a leisurely sigh; this newly appointed Tao Family Head was truly damn hypocritical, no wonder he was able to rise to power and snatch the position of Family Head.