I Can See Your Combat Power
Chapter 1196 - Chapter 1196 Chapter Four Hundred and Eighty-Nine Accident

Chapter 1196: Chapter Four Hundred and Eighty-Nine: Accident Chapter 1196: Chapter Four Hundred and Eighty-Nine: Accident The affection between Tang Luo and Yun Xiu here was intense, and yet unbeknownst to them, the sudden rise of the South City agency had turned the worlds of many upside down.

In a city like Chaochang, the event of someone making a fortune was something that no one could keep a secret.

The so-called lure of wealth captivates hearts; once a family prospered, countless pairs of covetous eyes would begin to watch closely.

To Tang Luo and Yun Xiu, the Du Shi Agency seemed to be a business that was just starting out, but in the eyes of others, it was already a huge and delicious cake.

And the most regretful of all were those shareholders who had sold their stake in the agency.

What they had considered prudent action now seemed like loud slaps in the face; those who were more open-minded had no choice but to admit they lacked foresight and had missed out on a good opportunity, but there were those less forthcoming who were scheming how to redeem the shares they had sold.

With the entrance of the twelve tycoons into the Cloud Summit Council, the pattern of Chaochang’s one-family dominance was finally beginning to change.

Those who took seats in the Cloud Summit Council were not puppet relatives of the Yun Family; they had introduced new policies incessantly since their rise to power.

These individuals collected ample evidence of the Xiang Family’s inaction and began a major shuffle of power within Chaochang.

After several rounds of jockeying, the Xiang Family, in order to maintain its dominant position, reluctantly gave up parts of its authority over security, supervision, and market shares.

Ordered by the family patriarch, Xiang Longteng could only resign himself to handing over the captaincy of the guards and staying idle at home.

And the mind of a woman is most sensitive; when her husband was once the General of Defense, all South City businesses would present shares as gifts to their residence before they commenced.

But now that her husband had stepped down, those sycophants who used to flatter them had changed their tune entirely. Before, they would clamor to give them a cut, but now, when she just wanted to redeem the shares she had sold, she had been refused twice, leaving Madam Liu feeling deeply wronged.

“Husband, you must stand up for me!”

The beautifully dressed lady clutched a square handkerchief, weeping and wailing as she spoke to her husband.

“Speak of the matter at hand; what’s with all this weeping and wailing?”

Xiang Longteng, already frustrated, became even more irritated at his wife’s behavior and spoke harshly.

“Woo woo… It’s all because that Luo Rouguan from South City went too far.”

Madam Liu sobbed even harder: “Some days ago, when we were rebuilding the residence, funds were tight, so I pawned the Du Shi Agency shares to Luo Rouguan. I planned to redeem the shares once our situation improved, but Luo Rouguan turned his back on me. I sent Chunjiao to speak with him twice, and both times she was driven out. That scoundrel is showing no respect for you at all, bullying me, woo woo woo.”

In the ways of the world, it’s all about flip-flopping; clearly driven by greed, yet Madam Liu played her part convincingly.

Xiang Longteng watched his heartbroken wife, yet his face showed no emotion as he said coldly, “Do you really think I’m oblivious to what’s going on?”

As he spoke, he grabbed his wife’s tear-streaked face and pulled it close: “It’s just a small share in the agency, yet you come here spinning lies and trying to deceive me. Wench, you deserve to die!”

“Husband, please spare me.”

Madam Liu had never seen Xiang Longteng this angry since marrying into the Xiang Residence, and knowing her lie had been exposed, she immediately begged for mercy: “I was just misguided, but I never intended to deceive you.”

“Ever since you resigned your post as General of Defense, those powers in Chaochang have all turned away. The customary tribute hasn’t come in three months, and I was just trying to earn some more for you, so I resorted to this strategy…”

“Hmph.” He pried open what felt like steel talons, and with a single motion tore the woman’s gauzy skirt and pressed her onto the table.

After a bout of passionate lovemaking, Xiang Longteng climbed off the limp, mud-like body of the woman, straightened his collar, sat down and swallowed the now cool tea in one gulp, “This time, I’ll spare you.”

“Thank you, my lord, for your magnanimity.”

Liu Clan’s lady, struggling with the soreness below, propped herself up from the table, picked up her clothes to cover her vital parts, and turned to Xiang Longteng with a look of hope, “Then, this agency…”

“Womanly thoughts,” Xiang Longteng frowned, “Agency businesses haven’t been thriving for years, everyone else is scrambling to sell shares, yet you’re eager to buy them back. What sense does that make?”

“My lord, you are discerning.”

Madam Liu who had gotten off the table now knelt in front of Xiang Longteng, explaining, “I cannot resign myself to this; these shares were sold just a few months ago, and now they’ve turned into Chaochang’s reputable agency with tens of thousands in daily revenue. I cannot resign myself to that.”

“That is indeed the truth,” nodded Xiang Longteng. He lifted the woman up and embraced her, asking detachedly, “Which agency is it?”

…

Longzhou Calendar, 1786

The first day of the twelfth lunar month

Like always, the frail young master Tang Luo rest at home for recuperation, while the capable Miss Yun Xiu disguised as a man to take care of external affairs at the agency.

Based on past experiences, the mistress would typically settle all matters of the agency by the morning, then gather some intelligence from various Wind Media hubs before ultimately returning home.

She would either share some daily amusing incidents with him or the two would discuss their views on important pieces of intelligence, leading a satisfying life.

If such peaceful days could continue indefinitely, that would indeed be desirable; however, the wheel of the world turns, and it cannot always follow everyone’s will.

Accidents, often happen in the surest of situations, such as Tang Luo had considered scenarios like Yun Xiu’s identity being revealed, their courtyard being surrounded, or even being trapped by a grandmaster from Xiang Family at their doorstep.

For this reason, he had spared no effort to bring in warriors from Marshal Star Pavilion, all to prepare for these potential mishaps.

With Du Sha guarding Yun Xiu in the agency, and himself at home, it seemed like an ironclad situation.

Yet, despite these meticulous arrangements, an inexplicable accident occurred; who could have predicted that the opposition would bypass Yun Xiu and come directly for him?

When the door of the South City courtyard was kicked open, Tang Luo’s face was expressionless, but inside, his desire for revenge was already boiling.

However, the one kicking in the door could not feel Tang Luo’s inner theater; the martial artist who had kicked the door open was now obsequiously explaining to a gaudily made-up matron.

“Madam, this is the Luo Rouguan’s residence,” he said.

The matron held a handkerchief to her nose and mouth, as though there was an unpleasant smell in the courtyard, and in a nasal voice said, “Hou San, when the master gives you a task to do something, why come here instead of going to the agency?”

The man referred to as Hou San, the one who kicked the door, was a patrol officer of this street. In his thirties, not yet reaching the pinnacle of shedding the mortal coil, with his weasel-like face looking more rodent than human, upon figuring out Luo Rouguan’s background, Xiang Longteng had delegated this task to his former subordinate. And Hou San’s means were as despicable as his appearance.

Though foul, they were highly effective: “Madam, you may not know, but this Luo Rouguan grew up in Chaochang since childhood, peddling meatballs for a living – no relatives from the countryside. Now that he’s made it, he hasn’t married. And look at this boy, with his pretty face and delicate figure, always staying at home. Can’t you see what’s going on?”