Chapter 147 Demands Xiao Xuance Pay with His Life
Just as Xiao Xuance was lost in thought with his eyes downcast, a hand suddenly landed on his shoulder.
"You were cleaning a fish just now and accidentally stepped in some blood, right? Be careful next time, stepping in fish blood will make you smell like fish."
Xiao Xuance suddenly looked up at her in disbelief, a glint of light flashing in his dark eyes. So she didn't suspect him after all, and even said she believed him and would help him clear his name.
He nodded. "Yes, it was fish blood I got on it by accident."
Xiao Mingshu shouted to the crowd, "Did you hear that? My third brother didn't kill anyone. This is fish blood, not human blood!"
Madam Shen shook her head and retorted, "I don't believe it. If he didn't kill her, then where is my Yan'er?"
Seeing that no one spoke, Madam Shen picked up a sharp stone from the ground and charged at Xiao Xuance, shouting, "A life for a life! I'm going to kill you to make my son pay with his life! Die!"
Shen Yichun also gripped a knife tightly. Shen Yan was his only son. If he really died, he would have no descendants. He would risk his old life to perish together with the Xiao family.
Xiao Xuanwu and the rest of the Xiao family stopped them.
"If you want to mess with our third brother, you'll have to get past us first."
"And us too!"
Xiao Mingshu and Yang Shi both held firewood sticks in their hands. Having fought with several other families so many times, they had long since learned that when fighting, grabbing a weapon first is the best way to avoid hurting your hands and feet.
Madam Shen angrily threw stones at them, shouting, "I want your whole family to be buried with me at the banquet!"
Xiao Xuance and Yun Zhaoxue were quick, pulling the three of them back to avoid the stone's attack.
Madam Shen squatted down again to pick up stones and throw them at them.
Suddenly someone in the crowd shouted, "The police! The police are here!"
Old Liao roared, "What's happened now?"
Yun Zhaoxue said, "Master Liao, you've come at the right time. Shen Yan is missing. I suspect he's escaped, and the Shen family is actually blaming us for this."
Madam Shen rushed over, grabbed Old Liao's arm, and shook it. "Master Liao, Master Liao, he's the one who killed my son! His shoes still have my son's blood on them! Who can kill him and Yun Zhaoxue to avenge my Yan'er? When we get to Xuzhou, I will offer you a thousand taels of gold!"
Someone gasped, "A thousand taels of gold?"
In the past, a thousand taels of gold wouldn't have been much for them, enough to feed and clothe them on their journey to exile, and to allow them to buy land, build houses, and settle down in their place of exile.
If they were skilled, they would have done it themselves.
"I heard that Madam Shen's brother is the governor of Xuzhou. The governor's wife's family are wealthy merchants in Jiangnan. They have no shortage of money. A thousand taels of gold is just a drop in the ocean for them."
The guards' eyes lit up when they heard about the thousand taels of gold. Ten thousand taels! They couldn't earn that much money even if they worked themselves to the bone their whole lives as guards.
"This much silver is not comparable to a bowl of fish."
"The Xiao family is going to be in big trouble this time."
"That's not necessarily true. The Xiao family has offended so many households and still managed to gain the upper hand. They're not people to be trifled with."
“Xuzhou is the territory of the Xu family, the maternal family of Madam Shen. No matter how powerful the Xiao family is, can they stand up to a governor of a prefecture? I bet the Shen family will win.”
"I also think it's the Shen family."
"The Xiao family went too far. They cut out people's tongues and even killed them for saying a few wrong words. It's too cruel."
Some people wanted to curry favor with the Shen family, hoping to gain some benefits in Xuzhou, and to belittle the Xiao family.
Xiao Xuanwu retorted angrily, "Don't forget who saved you in Qingfeng Village. Without my third brother and sister-in-law, you would have been dead long ago! You bunch of ingrates!"
"We are the same without them."
"That's right, those bandits are brave but reckless. We've wanted to kill them while they're drunk for a long time. You just made your move too soon."
The faces of Yang and the others were full of worry.
The Shen family has concluded that Xiao Xuance killed Shen Yan and will not let them off easily.
Yun Zhaoxue wasn't afraid at all. If the opponent was too weak, it wouldn't be interesting. "Master Liao, the price of a thousand taels of gold really tempted me. Everyone looks out for themselves. If you use this to accuse us of murder, then we have nothing to say."
Hearing her words, Master Liao was so angry he wanted to curse. He glared at her and said, "Bullshit! Do you think I'm the kind of person who's greedy for money?"
Did they think he didn't know, and deliberately flattered him to prevent him from bowing down for a thousand taels of gold?
Yun Zhaoxue raised an eyebrow and smiled, "I knew Mr. Liao wasn't like that! I was just joking. Don't mind him, Mr. Liao. You are self-disciplined, honest, and upright."
"Brother Liao..." the other escorts said anxiously.
They also received a share of the thousand taels of gold.
Xiao Xuance just cut off Shen Yan's tongue, and today the man has disappeared. There is blood on the soles of his feet, so even if he didn't kill him, he must have. Killing him will get him a thousand taels of gold.
Such an easy way to make money, anyone who doesn't take it is a fool.
Old Liao sneered, "I may be short of money, but if I earn it by going against my conscience, I'm afraid I might earn it but not live to spend it."
Do they think the Xiao family are lambs to the slaughter, to be killed at will?
Madam Shen said to the restless guards, "Go and kill him for me. I will give each of you a hundred taels of gold. Whoever can take his head and avenge my son will receive a thousand taels of gold!"
Led by Yan Wanshan, the escorts were getting restless.
With a single glance from him, several guards behind him drew their swords and stepped forward.
Yan Wanshan bypassed Lao Liao and made the decision directly: "A life for a life! If you die, your whole family can live; otherwise, none of them will escape!"
Xiao Xuanwu tried to defend himself, "My third brother didn't kill anyone. You're all so greedy that you didn't even investigate before convicting him. I don't accept this! You have no respect for the law."
"Stop talking nonsense, all of you, charge! Kill him!"
Old Liao strode forward, grabbed the men by the collar, and threw them behind him, yelling, "Stop it, all of you!"
"A bunch of money-grubbing bastards!"
Shen Yichun said, "Old Liao, what benefits did the Xiao family give you to help them in every way? Whatever they gave you, we'll give you double! No matter what method we use, someone from the Xiao family must pay for my son's life today!"
"Yes! Give him double! Anyone who lays a hand on him, I'll give him two hundred taels of gold. Kill him now!" Madam Shen and her son Shen Yan were of one mind. Her right eyelid had been twitching all day, and she felt as if a hand was clenching her heart.
A mother's heart is connected to her son's; she seems to no longer be able to sense Shen Yan's presence.
Poor Yan'er!!!
Upon hearing that there were two hundred taels of gold, the escorts couldn't wait to draw their swords and charge forward.
It aimed straight at Xiao Xuance's face.
Xiao Xuance stepped back, pushing Yun Zhaoxue away at the same time.
He fought the three guards bare-handed, but was hampered by the lack of weapons.
Yun Zhaoxue pulled a knife from the car and threw it at him, saying, "Catch it."
Xiao Xuance held the knife in one hand and mixed the three knives together.
With a single, slanted slash, he skillfully locked all three weapons in place. Then, with a flick of his wrist, two sharp sounds rang out as two swords were knocked away, one embedded in the ground and the other stuck in a nearby tree.
The knife in the middle was actually cut in half.
"Clang!—"
In just one round, the three escorts, clutching their numb and painful hands, retreated in fright.
Xiao Xuance looked at the hand holding the knife with disbelief, as if his inner strength had been restored.
"Rebellion! Rebellion! A convict is hiding a knife! They must be trying to kill the guards and escape! Men, get him!" Yan Wanshan was unwilling to give up, so he drew his knife and continued to charge with two guards.
"Stop it, all of you!" Old Liao and his men blocked their way, creating a standoff.
"Old Liao, what benefits did they give you to make you defend them so much?"
Old Liao cursed, "Bullshit! Stop crying wolf! That kid's right. Convicting someone without even investigating is unconvincing. If you have evidence that he killed someone, he's yours to deal with!"
"The blood on the soles of his feet is the evidence!"
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