Fate? Ingratitude?

The four generations of the Kuang family and their followers were completely confused. What was this all about?

“Hey, don’t look at me with those questioning eyes, Lord Kuang. Let me ask you, the reason you were able to get promoted to Minister of Works is because the former Minister of Works, Gu Tongfan, resigned and went back to his hometown, right?” Hong Xiaoduo asked Kuang Qingzhi with a smile.

Upon hearing this, Kuang Qingzhi nodded. Indeed, that was the case; otherwise, how could it have been his turn?

"Does Lord Kuang know why Minister Gu Tongfan, who was doing so well, suddenly resigned and returned to his hometown?" Hong Xiaoduo continued to ask with a smile.

Kuang Qingzhi was also quite puzzled by this question. Minister Gu had risen through the ranks steadily, so why did he suddenly resign and return to his hometown?

He had asked the person who delivered the official appointment document to him that day, but the person said that if Lord Kuang wanted to know the inside story, he would find out after he went to the capital.

Therefore, Kuang Qingzhi wondered if Minister Gu had done something too outrageous and displeased the emperor.

Or perhaps someone found something to use against him, forcing him to resign and return to his hometown.

“Don’t tell me that Minister Gu resigned because he offended you,” Kuang Zicheng blurted out.

The next moment, Hong Xiaoduo looked at him and nodded in satisfaction, saying, "More or less." Gu Tongfan's actions that day—his conflict with Lord Wei and his questioning of her bloodline identification technique—were the cause, and his subsequent fate was the effect.

In truth, it's not entirely wrong for Lord Kuang's son to say that Gu Tongfan resigned because he offended her.

"Don't believe me? No problem. Now you have three choices, Lord Kuang. First, believe what I just said. Your mother insulted me, and my men punished her slightly. Then our unpleasantness will end here."

The second option is to disbelieve me and let your servants and guards "teach" us a lesson. If we lose, we'll be at Lord Kuang's mercy, while if you lose, at most it will just delay your arrival in the capital to take up your posts.

After all, the reason for our conflict is mainly that your mother and family members are bullying others. It's because you are of bad character, but you are not heinous people. If we really fight, we won't take your lives. At most, you'll just get a broken bone or something.

The last option is for Lord Kuang to temporarily believe what I said earlier, and then verify its truth after arriving in the capital. If he finds that what I said was false, then Lord Kuang, as a second-rank minister, has no choice but to order someone to find us and retaliate against us, without any delay.

"So, Lord Kuang, please discuss this with your family first. I'll eat a few more bites while the food is still hot, and then we'll continue later." After saying this, Hong Xiaoduo turned around and returned to her seat without waiting for a response, picking up her chopsticks and continuing to eat.

"Mother, if they choose the second option later, can we go?" Tianquan asked, mustering his courage after receiving hints from his three older brothers.

Because he was the youngest among the boys, and his mother wouldn't get angry if he was a little immature sometimes, his three older brothers quickly came up with this idea after overhearing her conversation with the other party.

“Sure.” Hong Xiaoduo agreed without hesitation. The other party was just a servant in the mansion, unlike those vicious bandits. Besides, with her and Brother Quan watching over them, the little ones wouldn’t be in danger.

Huh, they really agreed? The kids were overjoyed and quickly ate their meat, hoping to have the energy to get back to work.

Looking at his excited disciples, and then at Hong Xiaoduo who seemed completely unaffected, Quan Jinghuai once again looked at the group with sympathy.

The old woman was scolding Lord Kuang, and the woman standing beside her was trying to comfort her with great difficulty. Then the old woman turned around and scolded the woman.

The son of Lord Kuang said something and was reprimanded. The boy, seeing his father being scolded, dared not utter a sound.

"Qingzhi, your father and I raised you with great difficulty, and it wasn't easy for us to help you pass the imperial examinations. Now, you've been promoted to a second-rank minister, but I've been insulted and beaten like this. And you, on the other hand, are so calm and calculating, afraid that if what she said is true, it will affect your official position. You really are my good son!" Madam Chai pushed her daughter-in-law aside and, disregarding all decorum, loudly scolded her son.

"Acheng, help your mother get your grandmother into the car," Kuang Qingzhi said with a headache.

Upon hearing this, Kuang Zicheng had no choice but to help the old woman, who was covered in snot, tears, and blood from her lips, towards the carriage with his mother on each side. It was more like forcibly carrying her than helping her.

Chai struggled to resist, angrily and urgently cursing her daughter-in-law and grandson for being unfilial, but due to her advanced age, she could not break free.

Seeing this, the attendants all breathed a sigh of relief. They were relieved that they wouldn't lose their lives.

The fact that someone could knock out two of the old lady's front teeth with fried peanuts shows that the opponent was a master with great internal strength.

As for myself, I do know martial arts, but I can only deal with ordinary people. If I were to encounter someone with real skills, I would definitely be no match for them.

Especially now, someone who dares to lay a hand on an adult's mother even knowing the adult's identity is absolutely ruthless!

"Xiao Duo, that person seems to have something to say to you." Fei Yan was sitting right in front of Lord Kuang when he took two steps in their direction and stood there.

Feiyan's reminder wasn't out of pity or fear of the other person's identity; she genuinely felt that the person should finish speaking and leave as soon as possible, as being watched while eating was never a comfortable experience.

Upon hearing this, Hong Xiaoduo turned around, put down her bowl and chopsticks, got up, and walked over.

"Dare to state your name? Otherwise, how will I find you later?" Kuang Qingzhi asked coldly.

"I will not change my name or surname, Hong Xiaoduo. Hong is the 'Hong' of 'wild goose,' Xiao is the 'Xiao' of 'small,' and Duo is the 'duo' of 'flower,'" Hong Xiaoduo readily replied.

Hmph, Kuang Qingzhi flicked his sleeves and walked towards his carriage, feeling quite annoyed. How could he, at his age, have listened to this young woman?

Seeing the group of people hurriedly drive away, Hong Xiaoduo pouted and shook her head.

"What? You feel regretful that you didn't get to fight? You're the one who made them choose you." Quan Jinghuai asked curiously.

"It's nothing, I'm just curious who recommended this guy surnamed Kuang to the emperor? The previous Minister Gu wasn't a good person, and it seems like the other one isn't much better."

"The Ministry of Works is a very important department. How can you put someone like this in charge?" Hong Xiaoduo said, then shook her head again as she watched the departing carriage procession.

Having met the emperor and finding him to be a decent person, I couldn't help but worry about the fate of his empire.

“Maybe they just have that ability,” Quan Jinghuai said casually.

"Come on, even though it was just a brief encounter, just look at what kind of person his mother is, and what kind of character his son and grandson are. That's enough to see his true nature," Hong Xiaoduo said with certainty.

"Mother, don't you know the Emperor? Write him a letter and tell him that this new Minister of Works is no good," Yao Guang immediately suggested...