Chapter 497 - 31: Ma Gulan

Qian Shiyao knelt on the ground, her face pale. Her body trembled with a mixture of nervousness and fear.

And the object of her fear was also a woman.

Zhou Ruxuan!

Her delicate features were bare of makeup, and her taut skin had the translucent glow of youth.

Her expression, which should have been joyous and cheerful, was now sullen as her beautiful eyes stared daggers at Qian Shiyao.

She spoke in a strange, passive-aggressive tone:

"Brother Zhu is truly a connoisseur of delicate beauties, going to such great lengths to rescue the young miss of the Qian Family."

"Qian Shiyao has been clever since she was a child and was involved in the Qian Family’s business from a young age. She is particularly knowledgeable about the Cloth Workshop," Zhu Ju said unhurriedly.

"Zhu’s Cloth Workshop needs someone to manage the accounts and oversee affairs, and she is a perfect fit."

"Besides..."

"We’ve known each other since we were children and have a bit of a rapport. It wouldn’t be right to see her in danger and do nothing."

This was the Zhu Mansion.

Only a few people were in the main hall. Qian Shiyao and Qian Hu knelt on the floor, not daring to make a sound.

Both had escaped disaster thanks to Zhu Ju, and in their hearts, they were willing to rely on the Zhu Family to survive.

Of course,

it seemed this matter required the approval of the ’lady of the house’.

"Hmph!" A pretty woman in the room with a heroic and imposing air frowned and asked:

"Zhu, are you just interested in her business talent, or are you planning on keeping a new mistress in a gilded cage?"

"Ru Xuan, all men are lechers! You can’t trust them!"

"Miss Nie," Zhu Ju began slowly.

"This seems to be my private affair. It’s not your place as an outsider to interfere."

SLAM! Nie Leyao’s cold brows shot up as she slapped the table and rose to her feet.

"Zhu! If it weren’t for Ru Xuan, your Zhu Family wouldn’t be where it is today. Don’t take what you want and then play innocent."

"You’re the man Ru Xuan has her eye on, so you’d better know your place and stop getting unnecessary ideas."

"Le Yao." Zhou Ruxuan placed a hand on the back of her friend’s, shaking her head gently. She looked at Zhu Ju with a complex expression.

"Since Brother Zhu wants to take her in, then let him. I just hope she can actually be of some help."

"Ru Xuan..." Nie Leyao was shocked, looking at her best friend with an expression of utter disbelief.

"How can you give in on something like this?"

Zhu Ju had risen by attaching himself to the Zhou Family and was known as Zhou Ruxuan’s nominal fiancé. This was known throughout the entire city.

Everyone knew.

Zhu Ju was the Zhou Family’s future son-in-law, Zhou Ruxuan’s future husband.

With a relationship like that, how could he be allowed to keep a vixen who looked untrustworthy at first glance by his side?

"Forget it."

Zhou Ruxuan shook her head gently.

"Brother Zhu has his own reasons for doing things. Le Yao... come home with me."

"Alright." Seeing the unwillingness to speak further on her friend’s face, Nie Leyao hurried over to support her. At the same time, she didn’t forget to shoot an angry glare at Zhu Ju, as if blaming him for breaking Zhou Ruxuan’s heart.

The two women left the Zhu Mansion and boarded a carriage.

"Ru Xuan."

Nie Leyao still looked indignant, speaking up for her friend.

"Are you really not going to do anything about this?"

"You’re not even married yet, and Zhu is already this brazen. What will he be like in the future?"

"Without the Zhou Family, the Zhu Mansion wouldn’t be where it is today. You should make him understand that."

"Forget it." Zhou Ruxuan shook her head and spoke slowly.

"My ambition lies in Martial Arts. Brother Zhu promised me he wouldn’t bring up the wedding before I turn thirty. If I can reach the Sixth Grade before then, the wedding is off. If I haven’t reached it by thirty..."

"I will have held him back for so many years by then, so it wouldn’t be a big deal even if he keeps another woman by his side."

"Huh?" Nie Leyao raised an eyebrow, her expression complex.

"Thirty years old..."

"You two are really strange!"

*

*

*

After the two women left, the tense atmosphere in the hall dissipated.

"Zhu... Young Master."

Qian Shiyao raised her head cautiously and spoke in a low voice.

"Thank you for saving me."

Compared to the fat, ugly, stupid, and vicious Li Liang, she was, of course, far more willing to follow Zhu Ju.

At the very least, Zhu Ju was handsome; just looking at him was easy on the eyes.

Besides, Zhu Ju had saved her, while the Li Family siblings had tried to harm her with a knockout drug.

"If you want to thank someone, thank Qian Hu. He’s the one who sent me to find you." Zhu Ju stretched his limbs.

"From today on, you will work with the Steward to handle the Cloth Workshop’s business. Your monthly salary will be five taels of silver. Do a good job, and it will be raised."

"Qian Hu can study Martial Arts with Nursing Director Zhang. His living expenses will be deducted from your monthly salary."

"Any problem with that?"

"No problem," Qian Shiyao said, hastily lowering her head.

"Thank you, Young Master."

She was a smart woman.

Although they had once been of equal status, she now naturally placed herself in the position of a subordinate.

At the same time, she didn’t forget to tug on her dazed brother who was standing beside her.

"Oh!"

"Thank you, Brother Zhu." Qian Hu snapped back to his senses and kowtowed hastily.

"Thank you, Brother Zhu, for saving my sister."

Zhu Ju smiled, his gaze lingering on him for a moment.

When he had rescued Qian Hu, he found that once Qian Hu regained consciousness, the boy had forgotten everything he had done.

Even the Demon Race bloodline within his body had gone dormant, to the point that even Zhu Ju struggled to detect it.

Zhu Ju was very interested in Half-Demons, and in the Demon Race bloodline within Qian Hu. This was the real reason he had saved the Qian siblings.

...

Several months had passed since the destruction of the Qingyi Gang, and Zhu Ju’s Cultivation and strength were increasing at a rapid pace.

Although he hadn’t yet reached the upper level of the Ninth Grade, he was not far from it.

He figured he could reach it within the year.

CLANG!

The heavy door of the Quiet Chamber swung shut, plunging the room into sudden darkness. Zhu Ju took out a flint and lit an oil lamp.

SCRATCH...

The flame flickered to life.

He suddenly froze.

In a corner of the room, a figure stood with arms crossed, watching him coldly. It was impossible to know when they had gotten there.

’To infiltrate the Zhu Mansion so silently, this person’s strength can’t be ordinary.’

"Who are you?"

Zhu Ju narrowed his eyes, scrutinizing the figure.

"A woman..."

"Zhu Ju." The figure stepped out of the darkness, their icy Stern Slaughter Intent as wild as a raging fire.

"Have you pledged your life to that little bitch Zhou Ruxuan?"

"You’re looking for Miss Zhou?" Zhu Ju’s eyes flickered.

"You’re Ma Gulan!"

Ma Gulan!

One of the three Vice Gang Leaders of the Qingyi Gang, an expert with an Upper Seventh Grade Cultivation who had a chance of reaching the Sixth Grade.

It was said that she was also Hong Qingyi’s mistress.

She was tall and graceful, but a scar running from her brow to her lip marred what would have otherwise been beautiful features, making her look ferocious and terrifying.

No one could have imagined that she, having already fled the city, would return to Taiyuan Prefecture and infiltrate the Zhu Mansion.

"That’s me."

Ma Gulan approached slowly.

"Kid, the Zhu Family only has what it has today because of the Qingyi Gang’s support. I won’t ask you to avenge the Gang. Just lure that bitch Zhou Ruxuan out alone, and the debt the Zhu Family owes the Qingyi Gang will be wiped clean."

"Zhou Ruxuan..." Zhu Ju frowned.

"What do you want with her?"

"She killed my brother." A vicious look filled Ma Gulan’s eyes.

"I can’t destroy the Zhou Family, but I can kill her as a sacrifice to my brother Ma Yuanzhi’s spirit in the heavens."

Back when Ma Yuanzhi had died, he had been in the middle of a plot against Zhou Ruxuan, so Ma Gulan naturally assumed she was the killer.

"Hmm..."

Zhu Ju rested his chin on his hand, looking her up and down.

"You’re injured, and not lightly. Instead of recuperating properly, you dare to sneak back into Taiyuan Prefecture."

"Such audacity!"

"Hmph!" Ma Gulan snorted coldly.

"It’s more than enough to deal with one daughter of the Zhou Family. Or are you saying... you’re not willing to help?"

Before the words had even left her mouth, her expression gradually darkened.

It was because she realized that from the very beginning, Zhu Ju had shown no trace of fear.

This shouldn’t be!

SWOOSH!

Her figure flashed, and she suddenly thrust out a palm.

Fiery Sun Palm!