The corners of Qin Yining’s lips curved up in a meaningful smile as she turned to look at Jingzhe.

Jingzhe immediately understood and led the other three scouts to guard the stairway entrance on the second floor.

Qin Yining continued watching downstairs and saw Madam Lu, dressed in purple finery, step down from her carriage with the support of a maid. With a grim expression, she led twenty to thirty subordinates charging into Drunken Immortal Tower.

The shopkeeper and waiters were all frightened and hurried out to inquire about the situation, only to be pushed aside by the guards accompanying Madam Lu.

“Don’t get in the way! Can you afford to interfere with what the Lu family wants to do!”

Madam Lu’s voice contained furious emotion, her willow eyebrows standing upright, her gaze fierce and ruthless, as if she could order someone’s life taken on the spot if they dared block her path!

Upon hearing they were from the Lu family, the shopkeeper no longer dared obstruct them.

Seeing the shopkeeper’s fearful expression, Madam Lu said, “Is anyone surnamed Qin here today? Are they upstairs?”

In her anger, Madam Lu didn’t wait for the shopkeeper’s answer and commanded her subordinates, “Go upstairs. When you see anyone handling transfer procedures to sell a residence to the Qin family, beat them to death on the spot! There will be rich rewards for killing them! You needn’t be afraid—if anything happens, the Lu family will take responsibility!”

“Yes!” The servants roared like thunder, each carrying clubs and staffs as they climbed the steps with menacing momentum, making the wooden stairs creak under their weight.

The diners in the first-floor hall had all retreated to one side, craning their necks and whispering as they watched the excitement upstairs. Some, considering themselves unable to offend the Lu family, hurriedly settled their bills and left this place of trouble.

Madam Lu pursed her lips and let out a cold laugh.

If the tiger doesn’t show its might, does the Qin family think she’s a sick cat?

That Lu Dehan doesn’t know what’s good for him—does the Qin family also not know what’s good for them?

No, that dead girl from the Qin family just doesn’t know what’s good for her!

Today she must make her understand who really has the final say in this territory of the capital!

“Who are you people!”

At this moment, Jingzhe, Xiaoman, Xiaoxue, and Dahan blocked the stairway entrance.

The Lu family’s thugs charging up were all aggressive. Seeing four ordinary-looking servants blocking their path, they didn’t take them seriously at all and shoved them aside, saying, “Stay out of this!”

Someone else turned back to ask Madam Lu, “Madam, which floor should we go to?”

Madam Lu looked coldly at the shopkeeper. “The Qin family arranged to meet someone—which floor is it on?”

The shopkeeper thought about it: the second floor was reserved by a young lady, the third floor by the Qin family. He really wanted not to answer, as he was also afraid of offending the Qin family, but Drunken Immortal Tower was only so big—even if he didn’t say, the Lu family would quickly find the people, and he would still offend such a large family.

Thinking of this, the shopkeeper decided a wise man doesn’t fight when the odds are against him, and slowly said, “On, on the third floor.”

Getting her answer, Madam Lu said, “Third floor. Go up there and when you catch that Qin family slut, beat her mercilessly!”

“Yes!”

The thugs pushed past Jingzhe and the others, who didn’t really obstruct them much, climbing unimpeded up the stairs from the second to third floor. Madam Lu also stepped forward, walking at the rear, arriving at the second floor.

Just then, a magnetic and refined male voice suddenly came from the third floor.

“Second Master Lu, what is the meaning of this? Are these all your Lu family’s thugs, deliberately coming to make things difficult for this old man?”

Second Master Lu?

Madam Lu stood in place in surprise, her expression uncertain, her mind somewhat confused for a moment.

But those thugs had already charged up to the third floor regardless, shouting loudly, “Our madam has ordered—you surnamed Qin, come and meet your death!”

“Daring to compete with our madam for property—you surnamed Qin don’t want to survive in the capital!”

…

The servants, wanting to please Madam Lu, naturally used every means possible. Many in the group hadn’t figured out the situation clearly and only knew Madam Lu had ordered them to beat a Miss Qin, so they all joined in the cursing.

Qin Huaiyuan said with a face dark as water, “It seems today’s appointment, Second Master Lu came prepared.”

Lu Heng replied with an ashen face, “Minister Qin, please don’t misunderstand. I’m also unclear where these people came from.”

At this time, Madam Lu heard Lu Heng’s voice and finally understood what was happening.

She vaguely felt she had fallen into a trap and hurriedly rushed toward the third floor.

“Second Cousin, it’s me!”

Lu Heng stood at the top of the third-floor stairs looking down and saw Madam Lu’s face full of embarrassed smiles.

“What on earth is going on! Today I arranged to meet Minister Qin here for drinks, yet you bring so many people here shouting about fighting and killing. What are you trying to do? Do you actually want to commit violence in broad daylight!”

“Second Cousin, I…” Madam Lu was so anxious that sweat appeared on her forehead. “It’s not that, Second Cousin, don’t misunderstand. How could I commit violence in broad daylight? I just heard, I heard…”

She wanted to say she had come here specifically to oppose Qin Yining and sabotage Qin Yining’s house purchase.

But halfway through speaking, she realized that this Minister Qin meeting with her second cousin was exactly the father of that slut Qin Yining!

What was going on? She had clearly heard that Qin Yining was on the third floor discussing residence matters with someone. How had it suddenly become her own second cousin having a small gathering with Minister Qin?

Madam Lu realized she had been deceived.

She stood there awkwardly, not knowing what to do for a moment.

Lu Heng rarely showed his emotions, but today he was so angry he almost cursed on the spot.

Qin Huaiyuan stood with his hands behind his back, his face dark as water. “It seems that associating with the Lu family would be beyond this old man’s station.”

“Not at all, Minister Qin, please calm your anger. Please don’t lower yourself to the level of a mere woman.”

“Is this woman not a member of the Lu family? For me not to lower myself to her level, at least she shouldn’t be full of hostility toward my family, right?”

Qin Huaiyuan looked at Lu Heng. “I wonder if Second Master Lu has heard about someone from the Lu family threatening to make it impossible for our Qin family to survive in the capital? Today this Madam Lu can bring thugs to provoke trouble—in the future, wouldn’t she dare to kill people in broad daylight?”

His sharp gaze swept over the pale-faced Madam Lu as Qin Huaiyuan sneered coldly. “It seems we really must be more careful. However, I cannot agree with the Lu family’s methods of educating their women.”

Lu Heng’s face flushed red, and he felt like cutting Madam Lu to pieces.

He had originally wanted to use today’s opportunity to make His Majesty think the Lu family was on good terms with the Qin family, thus creating some distance in the relationship between His Majesty and the Great Yan surrendered officials.

At least making His Majesty not trust the Qin family so much would be most beneficial for the established families like theirs.

Who would have thought such a thing would happen—the close friendship between the Lu and Qin families had turned into provocation and vengeance!

What would His Majesty think if this reached his ears!

At the very least, his plan was completely ruined!

But Lu Heng felt that no matter how foolish Madam Lu was, she wouldn’t bring people to charge up and cause trouble after hearing he was meeting someone here.

There must be something suspicious about this!

Just as the situation reached a stalemate, Qin Yining walked slowly to behind Madam Lu with her maids and guards, chuckled softly, and said, “Sister from the Lu family, what drama are you performing here?”