Chapter 292: "Preparing for the New Year" (Part 1) [Requesting Monthly Tickets]

The Zhang family patriarch's expression changed drastically.

He abandoned his previous feigned poverty, revealing a terrifyingly fierce expression, his eyes blazing with intense killing intent as he stared intently at Shen Tang's beautiful face. Each word he uttered was as sinister as if coated with snake venom: "Shen Jun, do you know what you're saying?"

In the eyes of the Zhang family patriarch, Shen Tang was already a dead man.

Shen Tang smiled faintly: "May I ask the Zhang family patriarch, was there a single word I said just now fabricated? Three acres of inferior land can support one person, while your Zhang family has over a hundred acres of fertile land. And that's just the number that can be found. How much more is untraceable? Only you know. With such a fortune, you pay hundreds of liters of taxes every few years! Can you really erase all of this with just a few words at a funeral?"

Upon hearing this, even the younger brother of the family head, who had been staring intently at Shen Tang, snapped out of his daze. He immediately let out a disdainful snort, his fleshy face twitching slightly as he threatened, "So, Lord Shen is here to cause trouble? All that talk about looking for someone or borrowing grain is just a pretense?"

"If you were a guest, I would naturally welcome you with open arms, but unfortunately you are not!" The head of the Zhang family tapped the table with his finger, and a dozen servants rushed in from outside, drawing their swords with a few swift movements.

He made a gesture to usher the guest out: "Mr. Shen, please!"

The blade gleamed coldly.

The atmosphere inside the room had almost dropped to freezing point.

This is no longer just about turning away customers.

It's a preparation to send the guest to the underworld.

Facing the murderous gazes of the two men and the pointed blades of more than a dozen, Shen Tang remained calm and composed, even laughing instead of showing fear. Looking at the dozen or so people, she said meaningfully, "Of course I'm not here to cause trouble. How can you say such unpleasant things? It's true that I'm looking for someone, but that person has been persecuted by the Zhang family; it's also true that I'm borrowing grain, but I don't intend to repay it."

It's not just about borrowing grain...

They also plan to move the land where crops are growing.

The Zhang family patriarch was so angry that his anger rose several feet higher. He had previously planned to kick Shen Tang out of the Zhang family's gate and find an opportunity to "cause an accident" for Shen Tang in a few days, just like those previous governors of Heyin. But now that he had said this, if Shen Tang walked out of the Zhang family's territory upright, the Zhang family would no longer have a place in Heyin!

"You brat!"

The Zhang family patriarch slammed his hand down on the low table made of precious wood, and a murky, scarlet aura swept over them—it was the patriarch's younger brother! Gong Shuwu stood motionless, secretly using his aura to suppress the dozen or so servants.

Shen Tang unleashed a cold, sharp sword light.

With a single strike, it shattered the roof, and the remaining sword energy tore through the roof!

In the darkness, a flash of light disappeared.

"Why the rush?" Shen Tang smiled, a sharp sword in her hand. She'd seen people courting death, but never anyone eager to drink the Meng Po soup. As soon as she finished speaking, wisps of light poured down from the broken roof above—not the color of the bright moon!

However, the head of the Zhang family was unaware of the subtle differences.

He was burning with rage, his reason nearly destroyed.

Although the Zhang family of He Yin wasn't among the most elite in He Yin, they had never been looked at so closely in all these years, especially not on their own territory. Shen Tang's drawing of his sword was tantamount to slapping the Zhang family across the face!

He said, "Do it! Kill them!"

At that moment, Shen Tang glanced at the top of her head out of the corner of her eye.

"Yes, it's time to make a move."

As for who was killed?

It wasn't up to him to decide!

In the darkness, a barrier of spiritual energy, almost blending into the night, rose more than ten zhang high above the Zhang clan's territory, then converged and closed above it.

It forms a closed, irregularly shaped enclosure, isolating the inside from the outside.

Looking from the outside in, you'll find that this place is no different from usual, with candles lit everywhere, a scene of tranquility and peace.

No one reported anything unusual.

But what is the reality?

Hundreds of strangers clad in armor emerged from all directions.

They can work in pairs or in groups of five.

He was surrounded by an aura of refinement.

The patrolling guards came over upon hearing this, only to be brutally attacked by the "bandits" who had been lying in ambush. These bandits specifically targeted their groin area; once struck by the sharp protrusions on their legs, the excruciating pain would render them incapable of fighting.

Terrified screams and the stench of blood gradually filled the air.

They were extremely familiar with the terrain of Zhang's territory and quickly occupied various passes. When they encountered ordinary people, they would beat them up. If they did not resist, it would be fine, but if they did resist, they would break their hands or feet. When they encountered martial arts masters or scholars, they would cooperate to retreat, call on the people nearby to gather, and then rush up in a swarm.

Most of Zhang's elite troops were wiped out at the military camp.

The rest weren't staying home all day; some were out inspecting properties and collecting debts... In short, Shen Tang's arrival was perfectly timed. The He Yin Zhang family only numbered seventy or eighty, with over six hundred maids, servants, and guards. Faced with eight hundred "bandits" who would draw their knives at the slightest provocation, they were unable to mount an effective counterattack.

Of course, the most important reason is the lack of a leader.

Where is their backbone?

hehe--

Shen Tang dislocated the jawbone of the family head's younger brother with one hand.

And the head of the Zhang family—

Shen Tang frowned in disapproval, took out a handkerchief, carefully wiped each finger, and called out, "Half-Step, are you done yet?"

"My lord, we've brought him back."

The Zhang family patriarch was being held by the neck like a chicken by Gong Shuwu, who was clad in martial armor. His expression was a mixture of rage and terror, as if he hadn't yet recovered from the attack. It was understandable; who could have imagined that Gong Shuwu would directly transform into martial armor, forcefully break through the literary energy barrier he had erected, walk up to him, and slap him across the face?

Snap!

The sound was really loud.

The large palm-sized fan stunned him.

Half of his face was red, swollen, and the skin was broken.

My gums are loose, and the taste of fresh blood and a metallic smell fills my mouth.

"How should we handle this?"

He was thrown at Shen Tang's feet like trash.

His clothes were disheveled, and his hair ornament was askew. Where was the arrogant family head who had looked down on Shen Tang not long ago?

_(:з」∠)_

I'm taking a short break on the first day of the Lunar New Year.

I'll add it tomorrow.

P.S.: Last month (that is, yesterday), I was only 40 votes away from 7000 monthly votes, sob sob.

P.S.: Please, please vote for me this month! Let's celebrate with a 10,000-word update later, okay?

(End of this chapter)