Chapter 213: A Moonless, Windy Night, When the Tough Guy Comes Calling (3K)

Tianfu Teahouse.

Shi Guangyin was happily admiring the wealth he had earned through his hard work.

"Hard work does not betray those with a heart!"

"After working so hard for so long, I have finally succeeded, hahaha."

After dismissing the others, Shi Guangyin sat alone in the teahouse, pouring and drinking by himself.

He wanted to enjoy this unforgettable moment alone.

Shi Guangyin's status within the Shi Family was also a rather special existence.

He was born of a concubine.

Moreover, he was a posthumous child born after the previous Patriarch had a drunken encounter with a servant.

Logically speaking, with such a lowly background, it was basically impossible for Shi Guangyin to have much real power in a great family like the Shi Family.

Furthermore, the overall strength of the Hua Family was still slightly weaker.

The fickleness of the world and the coldness of human relationships are nothing more than this.

The Shi Family had some awe for imperial power, but truly not much.

But unfortunately, Heaven does not always grant one's wishes.

Shi Enguang wanted to see whether Li Yiyi could afford to lose face, or if the Li Family could afford to lose this face!

It was a crisis that was fundamentally impossible to accept.

Fortunately, they were of the same clan after all, so the Shi Family did not take things too far; they did not directly expel him from the family, but instead left him some dignity.

The current Shi Family Patriarch, Shi Enguang, had been married to his legal wife for many years, yet they had only given birth to one legitimate daughter, Shi Xiaoxiao, and had no legitimate son.

Just like that, while enduring in gloom, he finally waited for an opportunity.

If possible, there was no need to worry about an auspicious date; it would be even better to get married as soon as possible.

He was unwilling to accept this!

I have contributed so much to the family, yet I ended up with such an outcome in the end; on what grounds?

Is it just because I was born of a concubine?

Perfect in every way.

Shi Guangyin had originally thought that as time passed, he would calm down and honestly be a wealthy man.

Although there were some twists and turns, it had at least returned to the right track of Shi Enguang's plan.

Even if things changed in the future and Li Yiyi returned to Wentian, Shi Enguang would not be worried.

In such an era, there was an insurmountable limitation of the times.

But when Ran Guifei lost power and Li Lingling and her younger brother were forced to leave Wentian, Shi Enguang finally seized this rare opportunity.

Tonight was the time agreed upon with the other party, and Shi Guangyin was waiting for them to arrive quietly to discuss future plans.

Outsiders did not know the reason, but Shi Guangyin knew the inside story.

If the two of them really succeeded, then it would be a matter of marrying off a daughter, rather than having Li Yiyi marry into the family.

As for Shi Xiaoxiao's wishes, that was not even within the scope of Shi Enguang's considerations.

It was as if ants were crawling around in his heart, biting everywhere.

Under these circumstances, he, a child born of a concubine, was also begrudgingly accepted.

Exclusionary.

Unable to produce offspring.

By that time, the raw rice would have long been cooked into porridge; could Li Yiyi still come to snatch the bride?

Although Li Yiyi and Shi Xiaoxiao had always been on good terms, Shi Enguang did not actually like him in his heart.

From the very beginning, nothing had unfolded according to Shi Enguang's script.

After forcefully stripping him of the real power in his hands, he was sent off to manage the shops on Heavenly Street.

For so many years, the great worry in Shi Enguang's heart was his inability to have a qualified heir.

For unimportant positions, they would assign servants, but for industries related to the survival of the family, they would only trust their own kin.

But Shi Guangyin knew that although Shi Xiaoxiao had chosen to compromise on the surface, she was still struggling to resist, only she had moved the resistance from the open to the underground.

When they needed him, others would respectfully call him "Fifth Master."

But for Shi Guangyin, the future benefits she promised could not compare to what he could truly hold in his hands in the short term.

Just like that, this posthumous child, who would have been secretly executed at birth, grew up safely in the Shi Family.

It was not that he did not want to have more children, but that he truly lacked the ability.

Without the status of the Shi Family, his former enemies would not let go of this opportunity to beat a drowning dog.

It was not because Shi Enguang loved his legitimate daughter, but because he had suffered a severe injury to his crotch while out hunting in his early years, completely losing his ability...

This choice of Shi Xiaoxiao's was actually not too wrong.

He had no ambition to resist.

But...

That was the period of time he missed the most, and also the time when he had the most ambition.

But as luck would have it, in his generation, the Shi Family faced a rather awkward situation.

And after Shi Xiaoxiao resisted for a week, only to find it meaningless, she suddenly stopped this self-destructive behavior.

This amount looked like a lot, but for a family that had been operating for many years and needed to be passed down, it was pitifully small.

Coupled with the fact that the legitimate peers of the Shi Family began to show promise and gave birth to many children.

Facing such treatment, after thinking for a long time, Shi Guangyin chose to acquiesce.

Shi Xiaoxiao would never understand why Shi Guangyin would choose to cling to the Hua Family.

As the next generation gradually began to flourish, he, being born of a concubine, gradually lost the power in his hands.

It was just that, hindered by the other party's status, it could not be pointed out.

But unexpectedly, after enduring for a few years, his heart was not only not calmed, but instead became increasingly restless.

Attempting to have Shi Guangyin, a marginal figure who had long been kicked out of the Shi Family's power center, help him pass information to the outside world.

No one expected that this gentle-natured young lady would have such a fierce true personality.

After recovering for a few days, Shi Xiaoxiao displayed astonishing charm, making that group of Hua Family disciples circle around her in a frenzy, even coming to blows with each other.

The attitude of the Shi Family's direct line was very clear:

You have worked hard for the Shi Family for so many years; even if there is no credit, there is still hard work.

When there is no use for him, he is just that Shi Fifth Master born of a concubine.

An unremarkable direct descendant of the Hua Family, who can neither lose face nor be easily controlled.

One is just an ordinary member of the masses, with nothing special about them.

Because he ranked fifth in age among his generation in the Shi Family, outsiders would also call him "Shi Fifth Master".

Although this was a bit strange, outsiders were not too surprised.

The Shi Family and the Hua Family have been on good terms for generations; although they have drifted apart somewhat in recent years due to various reasons, they still have a deep friendship.

Gradually, the title of Shi Fifth Master became grating to Shi Guangyin's ears.

She secretly contacted this clan uncle, Shi Guangyin.

Don't you say... it really is just this reason.

But as time passes and they gradually grow up, they will slowly recognize the facts.

First forbidding her from going out to socialize, then immediately inviting the Hua Family to stay at the Shi Family.

Staying over is just an excuse; the considerations of the two family heads are very simple: they want to use this opportunity to let the younger generation get to know each other more and grow closer.

Fearing that things might change, Shi Enguang controlled Shi Xiaoxiao at the first opportunity.

It seemed as if heavy, ragged breathing was constantly drawing closer...

The Hua Family and the Shi Family are of comparable size and are both scholarly families, which can be considered a match in social status.

According to that development, if Shi Guangyin had outstanding ability, he would gradually shed his status as a concubine's son and truly occupy a place in the Shi Family.

Compared to a future prince with a high status, he would rather Shi Xiaoxiao find a live-in son-in-law who could be easily controlled.

People always have such an illusion.

It is simply all benefits and no harm!

If possible, he wants to decide on this candidate for a live-in son-in-law in the shortest possible time to resolve his long-standing worry.

Now that you are no longer needed, I will give you a place to retire; although the days won't be very luxurious, at least you won't be treated too poorly.

Feeling that one is special, that one has unique abilities and a brilliant destiny.

Would she dare to resist?

What kind of accident could happen?

Parental orders and matchmaker's words—the control of feudal ethics is beyond the imagination of many modern people.

The family line is withering.

For a noble family gathered by blood, compared to outsiders, they are still more willing to use their own clansmen.

By that time, tsk tsk tsk, his days will truly be miserable.

She walked out of the room, finally resigned to her fate, and turned back into that well-behaved eldest young lady of the Shi Family.

There is also competition among the direct line, and Shi Enguang's position cannot necessarily be sat upon steadily forever.

"Hmm?"

He married one wife after another, but just couldn't produce any children.

If you are sensible, just honestly enjoy your old age.

The biggest purpose of Shi Enguang's move is to find a live-in son-in-law.

He even let him have a small moment of glory in the first few decades of his life.

Although Shi Guangyin's ability is not considered too bad, it is not as good as he himself imagines.

And after agreeing on the surface, Shi Guangyin secretly hooked up with people from the Hua Family.

An accident, it really did happen.

Shi Xiaoxiao, this eldest young lady who usually wouldn't even speak loudly, displayed an unexpected side.

Because in their cognition, the bond of blood is firmer than any other relationship.

Even if an outsider's ability is outstanding, it is not as reassuring as having a relative with low ability in charge.

Among the same generation, even counting those born of concubines, there are actually fewer than twenty people!

Shi Xiaoxiao kept watch without sleep or rest; once someone approached, she would bleed on the spot... her own blood.

Outsiders might not be clear about the ins and outs of this, but Shi Guangyin, as a member of the Shi Family, understands the deeper secrets behind this very well.

Some time ago, when Wentian City was in a precarious situation, the Hua Family arrived.

Unexpectedly, the Hua Family did not go to their own ancestral home, but instead stayed at the Shi Family.

If possible, it would be best to make the relationship even closer through marriage and settle a few marital alliances.

Locking herself in her room, not communicating with anyone, not eating anything, and not even drinking a drop of water.

How can a swan know the ambition of a sparrow?

However, she miscalculated one point.

And precisely because Shi Guangyin knew the answer in his heart and understood that this could not be changed, he became even more depressed.

Shi Guangyin waited, and suddenly, he heard some strange sounds.

Marriage alliances are truly the most normal of occurrences among the great families.

The Hua Family!

Bang!

Without giving him time to be alert, the main gate was kicked open directly.

Amidst the shocked gaze of Shi Guangyin, a figure draped in moonlight stood panting, staring fixedly at him from the darkness.

A half-naked man was staring straight at him with bloodshot eyes!

???

Who!!?