Fourth Master Xiao gazed into the dark depths.

Not only had the Poison Maniac failed to arrive after so long, but his Xiao family’s elite guards hadn’t shown up either.

He had originally planned to incite the common people to attack, then have his own men blend in among them. Later, he could report it as “commoners rioting and harming the Crown Prince” – when the masses are involved, the law doesn’t punish everyone, so the Xiao family could stay out of it.

Who would have thought that before he could successfully stir up the people, his own household seemed to have problems instead.

Someone came running quickly. His gaze sharpened as he recognized one of the Xiao family stewards – the one responsible for managing the guards and daily security.

The steward whispered urgently in his ear: “Fourth Master, this is bad! The main residence is in chaos. The Old Madam wants you to return immediately!”

“What happened?”

“It’s Second Master and the others. They’re making a huge fuss, saying Fourth Master wants to kill his brothers and harm his sister-in-law, that you arranged for people to poison them. They’ve taken it to the Old Madam, and she sent someone to summon you…”

Fourth Master Xiao let out a laugh through his nose. “Petty tricks.”

He turned around, and a flash of contemptuous impatience crossed his face before transforming into humble gentleness as he spoke to the messenger: “Go back and tell the Old Madam I’ll come immediately. It’s just that the weather isn’t good today – tell her not to get too agitated and harm her health.”

After the messenger left, Fourth Master Xiao stood motionless. Seeing that he wouldn’t budge, his attendant asked in puzzlement: “Fourth Master… the Old Madam is waiting.”

Fourth Master Xiao said indifferently: “Luring the tiger away from the mountain. If a tiger can be lured away, it’s because the tiger is stupid.”

His follower dared not speak further.

Fourth Master Xiao continued: “In half an hour, send someone to tell the Old Madam that in my haste to rush back, I slipped on the wet roads – hurt my knee in the fall and can’t move.”

The follower acknowledged, then whispered: “What if the Old Madam worries about your injury and comes to see you personally, or sends someone?”

“At this hour, Mother should be sleeping. Rest assured, the nannies will make sure she retires on time.”

His follower lowered his head.

Fourth Master held complete control over the Xiao family’s main residence; the Old Madam was merely a caged bird.

Fourth Master Xiao frowned as he looked into the darkness – the guest warriors hired by the Xiao family hadn’t arrived yet. But again came the sound of hurried footsteps.

Someone came running and quickly whispered in his ear. Fourth Master Xiao listened, his eyebrows shooting up – this time he was truly both surprised and angry.

“What? Stolen? Impossible! How did they get in…”

The clatter of footsteps rang out as another person rushed over, calling urgently: “This is terrible! Eleventh Young Master has been kidnapped!”

“With the residence so heavily guarded, how could he be kidnapped!”

“Not from the residence – Miss Wenliu pulled Eleventh Young Master out to look for wood or something, then Eleventh Young Master was taken!”

“What about Miss Wenliu?”

“Miss Wenliu is fine, she came back by herself.”

Fourth Master Xiao ground his teeth tightly.

The opponent had malicious intentions and was a master of sowing discord. They had likely used Xiao Wenliu to lure out Xiao Jing. Though this affair started because of Xiao Wenliu, the other party deliberately spared her – Xiao Wenliu was unharmed while Xiao Jing was kidnapped. Xiao Jing was the most valued legitimate son of the fifth branch, the family’s great hope, so the fifth branch would inevitably resent the secondary branch because of this. Internal cracks would form within the family.

“What about the guest warriors? Send them to rescue…”

Before he could finish speaking, more footsteps thundered. Fourth Master Xiao’s composure cracked considerably as he spun around.

The newcomer ran up and said: “The West Garden is on fire! That’s where the guest warriors live – they’re all busy rescuing their own belongings and have no time for this side…”

Fourth Master Xiao suddenly turned to stare at Tie Ci and Feiyu.

Tie Ci smiled and nudged Feiyu’s arm, whispering: “Let me claim credit. Having people sneak into Fourth Master’s secret room to steal – I did that.”

“Using Xiao Wenliu to lure out Xiao Jing and kidnap him – I did that,” Feiyu said matter-of-factly.

“Targeting the Xiao family’s second branch, framing Fourth Master Xiao, and inciting them to make trouble – I did that.”

“Setting fire to the West Garden – I did that.”

The two smiled at Fourth Master Xiao simultaneously.

Fourth Master Xiao’s mask of calm elegance finally couldn’t hold, nearly slipping off to reveal some of his cold, fierce true nature. “Good, very good.”

Feiyu and Tie Ci both bowed slightly, one raising her left hand, the other her right, both making a “please” gesture in unison.

Go back and fight the fire – stop causing trouble here.

The Old Madam called you and you pretended to fall and wouldn’t return, but with your nephew kidnapped, your house on fire, and your secret room robbed, you’ll have to crawl back even if you must crawl.

Fourth Master Xiao stared at the two, slowly backing away. His gaze passed over their heads to meet that of the Harbor Office Director and Deputy Director standing on the other side.

When his eyes lifted, Tie Ci sensed something and turned to look, seeing that the Harbor Office Director, Deputy Director, and others had already left the embankment and gotten ashore, standing far away.

Now only she, Feiyu, and Gu Xiaoxiao stood on the sand embankment, with Fourth Master Xiao on the west sand embankment near the shore. Most of the common people stood on and below the stone embankment that had just begun construction.

Her heart jumped. Turning back, she saw Fourth Master Xiao had also retreated to the edge of the sand embankment. He suddenly swung his arm forcefully, then turned and walked briskly away, shouting as he went: “I said you two were sneaking around drilling out from under the sand embankment – what were you planning to do! To frame my Xiao family, you’ll stop at nothing! Everyone, run quickly—”

Tie Ci and Feiyu spun around to look at the hole they had emerged from earlier.

They vaguely saw a figure flash out of the hole, then turn and throw in a lit fire starter.

Without thinking, Tie Ci flashed away instantly.

But in that split second, Feiyu suddenly grabbed her hand.

When Tie Ci teleported, it was without warning – her form became ethereal. She hadn’t expected Feiyu to be able to grab her in this situation. Her heart stirred, but it was too late to shake off Feiyu.

The next instant, both appeared at the mouth of the hole. Tie Ci reached to catch the fire starter but was ultimately a step too slow. She watched the fire starter brush past her fingertips and fall toward a pile of objects in the hole.

In that instant, Tie Ci only had time to tackle Feiyu downward.

However, Feiyu was simultaneously lunging toward her. The two collided with a bang, their foreheads knocking together with a thud, each feeling their nose grow hot.

Then came a tremendous boom. For a moment, it seemed as if the earth had flipped upside down before their eyes. The massive shockwave, mixed with flying yellow sand and debris, pounded toward them like a giant pestle, striking head-on. Both were knocked flying in opposite directions. Their vision filled with black and yellow as things crashed down on them with crackling sounds, causing sharp pain. The next moment, they slammed into something behind them with a bang – like hitting a cold iron plate – and each crashed into the river water.

Both spat up blood simultaneously.

But it wasn’t over yet. Behind them, waves surged up like a wall, instantly pressing both of them under the water!

Author’s Note: It seems like tomorrow there will be a rather crucial plot development…

So, how about some votes to build excitement?