Chapter Seventy-Nine: Comparing Displays of Power?

“What? Brother Hao has brought people to find us?!”

At the neighbor’s warning, the faces of the Jiang family changed dramatically, all of them struck with terror.

Just moments before, they had been discussing the fearsome Zhao Yinghao, debating whether to send Qin Mu—the root of all their troubles—to apologize in hopes of keeping calamity from their own doorstep.

Yet now, Zhao Yinghao had arrived with his men to settle scores.

And not just with a handful, but with over a thousand followers! Clearly, he would not rest until the sky was torn asunder.

“It’s all your fault, you wretched dog! Brother Hao is on our very doorstep because of you!”

“There’s still time—go out now, hand Jiang Zhen over to Brother Hao, then kneel and apologize! Maybe then he’ll spare your life!”

Jiang Tao led the chorus of shouts, his eyes brimming with vindictive satisfaction and malice.

Serves you right, you little bastard, for being so arrogant before! You dared to vie with Brother Hao for a woman? Now you see the disaster you’ve brought upon us all!

Old Master Jiang ordered everyone to stay far from Qin Mu, lest they be dragged into his mess.

“Brother,” Jiang Zhen clung to Qin Mu’s hand, fear in her eyes.

She had heard of Zhao Yinghao’s reputation; the thousand men he brought were surely no ordinary rabble, but hardened brutes, perhaps with blood on their hands.

“Don’t be afraid. Zhao Yinghao is nothing but an ant,” Qin Mu said calmly, offering reassurance.

Luo Shui, who had intended to call for reinforcements, caught sight of Qin Mu’s tranquil expression and inexplicably felt her worries ease.

Jiang Haishan and Qiu Shuxia were invited to sit by Qin Mu’s side, a silent signal that all would be well—he would shoulder everything.

At Qin Mu’s words, Jiang Tao and the others sneered, lips curling in contempt.

Fine, keep talking tough. When Brother Hao arrives, I’ll watch you grovel and beg for mercy!

As these words hung in the air—

“Brother Hao is here!”

A lackey’s loud proclamation announced Zhao Yinghao’s arrival, as if heralding the coming of a local warlord, displaying his status to the Jiang family and the whole Wanglong Village.

A man strode in, tigerish and imposing, eyes gleaming with menace, face proud and arrogant.

“Brother Hao, your presence in our humble village brings us immense honor!” Jiang Hongzhi was the first to greet him, feigning delight with oily flattery.

“Welcome, Brother Hao!”

“To what do we owe the pleasure of your visit?” Jiang Yao asked, though she already knew the answer.

“Your Jiang family’s place is a real backwater. Walking here nearly wore me out,” Zhao Yinghao sneered.

“Thank you for going to such trouble on our behalf, Brother Hao.”

Jiang Tao hurried forward to welcome Zhao Yinghao, leading him to the seat of honor.

Even Old Master Jiang had to give up his place for Zhao Yinghao, making it seem as if he were the true master of the ancestral home.

No sooner had Zhao Yinghao sat than his eyes were drawn to something else, his anger momentarily forgotten.

“Well, it seems your family does have a few treasures,” he remarked.

Everyone followed his gaze to see him eyeing the green jade pendant in Grandma Jiang’s hand.

“If you like it, Brother Hao, please, it’s yours,” Jiang Yao offered with a sycophantic smile, instantly grasping his intent.

“But, but, this was a gift from Mu…” Grandma Jiang, kind-hearted as she was, hesitated—after all, Qin Mu had given her the pendant, and she was reluctant to part with it.

Without hesitation, Jiang Yao lunged forward, snatched the pendant from Grandma Jiang’s hand, and presented it to Zhao Yinghao with obsequious reverence.

Zhao Yinghao laughed heartily, reaching for the jade pendant—

“Try it if you dare.”

Qin Mu’s voice was not loud, but it rang out like a death sentence, freezing Zhao Yinghao’s hand in midair, unable to move.

At Qin Mu’s words, the Jiang family’s anger flared—was he trying to pour oil on the fire?

“Brother Hao hasn’t even dealt with you yet, and you dare to make threats?” Jiang Yao spat, astonished at his recklessness.

“Very well, very good. Your Jiang family has certainly raised an extraordinary character!”

Zhao Yinghao’s face darkened. He seized a teacup from the table and smashed it violently to the floor.

Crash!

The sharp sound echoed. Immediately, outside the door, countless heads could be seen. The heavy tread of rough boots, coarse curses, and lewd laughter filled the air, the men making vulgar comments about the women of the Jiang family.

More than a thousand filled the village road, weapons glinting in their hands, cigarettes dangling from their lips, exuding menace. The villagers hastily snatched up their children and locked their doors, huddling inside in silence.

Several dozen of Zhao Yinghao’s close cronies pushed inside, filling the hallway, hemming the Jiang family in so tightly that breathing became difficult.

From among them, a man squeezed forward, grinning maliciously at Qin Mu.

“You wretched dog, didn’t expect this day, did you? I heard you offended Brother Hao, so I pulled some strings and brought hundreds more just to repay you properly!”

It was Liang Feng, the man thrown out of Luo Cheng’s house by Wu Mu, strutting in with Liang Yue by his side, her face alight with petty triumph.

“You little bastard, you’re nothing but a curse!” Old Master Jiang spat in hatred, silently cursing himself for not casting out this illegitimate child sooner.

“This stray was taken in by Jiang Haishan’s branch. He wandered outside for ten years; he has nothing to do with our Jiang family.”