Chapter Forty: The Rebel

“Haha, it’s just forming an alliance, there’s no need to make such a fuss. Let’s hurry and set out now. If we keep the Fan family waiting, that would be most unfortunate!”

Shi Tianhe was not someone who could be easily swayed or have his plans changed on a whim. Without further ado, he prepared to lead his clan to the Fan residence to seal the alliance.

However, before they could even set foot outside the courtyard, a rhythmic, powerful march echoed from beyond the walls. A group of men, clad in guards’ uniforms—whom neither Shi Tianhe nor any of the Shi family members recognized—suddenly appeared at the gates.

Amidst the astonished and bewildered gazes of everyone present, these strangers entered the courtyard, swiftly surrounding the entire group.

There were a little more than thirty of them—not a vast number, but each one clearly bore arms. Their disciplined, silent formation exuded a suffocating pressure, making the atmosphere instantly oppressive and tense.

“Who are you people? Why have you forced your way into the Shi family estate?” Though a flicker of fear crept into his heart, as the patriarch, Shi Tianhe could not afford to show any sign of weakness, lest chaos break out among his ranks. He stared at the man before him, his voice sharp but betraying his anxiety.

Shi Tianhe bitterly regretted his earlier decision: in order to secure the alliance with the Fan family, he had dispatched many of the Shi clan members to patrol and stand guard along the route, leaving the estate itself nearly defenseless.

Now, with the family’s inner quarters practically deserted, there was no one left to protect them.

Yet the uniformed strangers gave no answer to Shi Tianhe’s demand. They simply stood, silent and unmoving, blocking all routes of escape.

Just as Shi Tianhe racked his brains for a solution, or tried to find a way to persuade these men to leave, a shocking development unfolded. Much to everyone’s alarm, Shi Chengren, who had been standing among his kin, suddenly broke away and crossed over to join the ranks of these unknown interlopers.

“Chengren, what are you doing? What is your connection to these people?” At such a moment, if one still failed to sense that something was amiss, it would be a mark of foolishness indeed.

Shi Chengren’s demeanor changed completely—gone was the respectful, polite manner he had shown Shi Tianhe moments earlier. His eyes now brimmed with disdain and unfettered arrogance.

“Heh, Patriarch, you ask what I’m doing? Isn’t it obvious? I’ve already told you—an alliance with the Fan family is not the best course for our clan. It would only drag us into a quagmire from which we could never escape!”

“But you refused to listen, so for the sake of our family’s future, I had no choice but to act myself and prevent this from happening!”

“Believe me, one day the family will look back on this decision and feel nothing but gratitude!”

Shi Chengren spoke shamelessly, as though every deed he committed was for the good of the clan.

Shi Tianhe immediately rebuked him: “Utter nonsense! Have you forgotten who is the true master of the Shi family?”

“Of course I haven’t,” Shi Chengren sneered. “That’s why I must resort to rather special measures to accomplish my goal. Just wait. I have no wish to harm anyone here.”

“When you may leave depends entirely on when another matter is resolved.”

“There’s more? What else are you up to?” Shi Tianhe suddenly realized that his once-trusted right-hand man was now an enigma, his motives and actions wholly inscrutable.

That uncertainty, the fear of the unknown, began to permeate the entire courtyard. Some of the more timid members of the Shi family—especially the women—were so frightened by the unfolding scene that they fainted dead away into the arms of those beside them.

The situation devolved into a tense standoff. Meanwhile, at the home of Yan Yuanqing and Shi Yurou, another group of unexpected visitors was rapidly approaching. Compared to the black-clad intruders from the previous night, these newcomers arrived even more swiftly—and radiated an even greater sense of menace.