Xie Ming

Chapter 68: Private Talk at Home
Xiao Jingchuan kept silent about the conditions, and pinpointed the vital point of the clan leader Xu Jialin who was eager to save his daughter. He trapped and killed him alone, and kept the situation firmly in his own hands.

Xu Jialin hesitated, struggling on the spot for a while, unable to utter a word.

"Oh, young master, you look so noble, but you look no more than twenty years old."

"As the old saying goes, a man without hair on his lips cannot do anything!"

"Although our Xu family is only a small family in this valley, you have trespassed into the clan's ancestral hall. If you have goods in your hands, it's fine. But if you come here for no reason and talk nonsense, you are just trying to scare people."

"Our Jiulong Town is not a place where you can come and go as you please!"

Seeing the clan leader in a dilemma, the third uncle who had just been confronted by Xu Jialu interrupted and said something, intending to block Xiao Lang's retreat and force him to reveal his intentions as soon as possible.

"Ah! Yes!"

"Third Grandpa, there's nothing wrong with what you said!"

"Where did you get four thousand taels from? Where is the money?"

"Don't say you don't have it. Even if you do, where did you get the money? We don't even know you, so why should we trust you?!"

"Go, go, go, get out of here quickly! This is not a place for a young outsider like you to barge in!"

As he was talking, Xu Jialu took advantage of the situation and reached out, intending to push and drag Xiao Jingchuan out to avoid causing chaos here.

But just when he raised his hand to touch Xiao Lang, Gu Changting, who was beside Xiao Jingchuan, reached out with lightning speed, grabbed Xu Jialu's wrist with a snap, and broke it easily.

"Ouch! Ah! You."

Xu Jialu was caught off guard and was almost dislocated and fractured by Changting's sudden attack. He cried out in pain.

Gu Changting pushed Xu Jialu back again, and Xu Jialu staggered a few steps and retreated to his seat, his eyes full of fear, not daring to step forward to provoke him again.

Everyone present was shocked again when they saw Chang Ting's skills!
Xiao Jingchuan watched from the side and had no choice but to speak again.

"Chang Ting, who told you to take action? What kind of situation is this? You don't know the seriousness of the situation. Go, wait for me outside the ancestral hall!"

"Yes!" Gu Changting obeyed the order and walked out of the hall without saying a word in front of everyone.

"Haha, I don't know the seriousness of the matter, please don't blame me!" Xiao Lang bowed politely to Xu Jialu.

"I'm new to your precious place, and I don't know you all. It's normal that you don't trust me!"

"Actually, I really don't have any other intentions. I just want to build a relationship with the clan leader by lending money."

"I am unfamiliar with this place, and I intend to stay here for a while and do some small business."

"But Jiulong Town is dominated by the Xu family. I am a person from another family and I have just arrived. Without the leniency of the head of the Xu family, how can I stay here?! Haha."

Having said this, Xiao Jingchuan paused intentionally, and glanced at Xu Jialin beside him.

After hearing this, the head of the Xu family could no longer hold back and finally spoke out.

"Oh! Never mind!"

"Mr. Xiao! I, Xu, am really in urgent need of money!"

"How about this, sir, please move on and follow me home. I'll ask my wife to prepare some wine and food, and we can talk in detail!"

Xu Jialin saw that Xiao Jingchuan was unwilling to talk more due to the presence of so many people, so he had no choice but to move the location to his home for further discussion.

After all, saving his daughter is urgent, and Patriarch Xu is unwilling to lose the four thousand taels of silver he got in vain. Perhaps this is also the last way for his daughter Xu Hongwen to survive!
After he finished speaking, the clan members present, especially some elders sitting on the left and right, wanted to stop him again, but Xu Jialin insisted on his own way and ignored them, raising his hand to lead the way.

Xiao Jingchuan was tactful and followed the head of the Xu family out of the palace with a smile.

Behind him, Qiu Zhizhong followed closely.

The clan leader Xu Jialin's home is in an alley not far from the ancestral hall. Coming out of the ancestral hall, it only takes a few steps to reach the gate of his own house.

In addition to the white walls and black tiles of Hui style architecture, the gatehouse in front of the house is also very exquisite.

According to its shape, it can be divided into several types: eight-shaped, archway-shaped, hanging flower-shaped and plaque-shaped.

The homes of general officials, gentry, and wealthy businessmen often use Ruyi doors or doors with plaques.

At present, Xu Jialin's house is in the form of a door with a plaque, also known as a lintel-style gatehouse.

From top to bottom, there are numerous components, including fish lips, waist ridges, tiles, drips, five-way eaves, door hairpins, relief crossbeams, plaques, lower beams, hangings, auxiliary heads, door rails, drum stones, etc., all of which are exquisite. Xiao Jingchuan and Qiu Zhizhong walked in to take a look and looked at each other.

"Haha, Patriarch Xu, it seems that your house has produced a high-ranking official in the court!"

"Such an exquisite design is rare, very rare!" Xiao Lang boasted politely.

"Oh, I am sorry to make you laugh!"

"I just heard that Master Xiao is from the capital. His view of me and other country folk is far from comparable."

"To be honest, my great grandfather was a third-rank official in the imperial court. He built this gate tower after returning home."

"Alas, it's all my fault that we, the descendants of the later generations, are useless and still have to rely on the protection of our ancestors!"

"Haha, gentlemen, please come in!"

As he spoke, Xu Jialin politely allowed Xiao Jingchuan and his three companions into the house.

After entering the courtyard, Xiao Lang ordered Gu Changting to guard the door and not to follow him. He and Qiu Zhizhong, under the guidance of the clan leader, walked into the main hall.

The house is a two-story wooden building, which is decorated very elegantly.

"Madam, madam?!"

"Come down quickly, a distinguished guest has arrived!" Xu Jialin took two steps to the left and shouted upstairs towards the winding staircase.

Not long after, a woman in her forties, dressed in plain clothes, came down the stairs in slow steps.

"Madam, a distinguished guest is coming. Go and prepare some wine and food so that I can discuss matters with Mr. Xiao."

Patriarch Xu gave instructions diligently.

But the mother, Xu Wang, was obviously not in such a mood at the moment, so she spoke in a reproachful manner.

"I told you to go to the ancestral temple to raise money, why are you back so soon?!"

"Empty-handed, I don't care! If anything happens to Hongwen, I, as her mother, will die!"

"I'm also preparing wine for you. What kind of wine and food are you preparing?"

"Don't act like a clan leader anymore. I'm here to treat you to a meal. Go and raise some money. Raise some money!" Xu Wangshi was relentless and spoke urgently and violently.

"Oh! What an ignorant woman!"

"This gentleman in front of me is willing to give four thousand taels to help me redeem my daughter!"

"You are so shameless in front of others!"

Patriarch Xu was also annoyed, but it was obvious that these two must be a harmonious couple on weekdays, and they always left room for each other when they spoke.

"Haha, there's no need to be like this, Patriarch. It's okay. It's not a big deal!"

"I've come a long way, so just ask for some tea!" Xiao Jingchuan interrupted.

"Oh? This?"

"Well, it's urgent. You are really negligent, negligent!"

As they were talking, Patriarch Xu led us to our seats.

When Mrs. Xu Wang heard the three words "four thousand two", she was also shocked. She wiped away her tears in a hurry and went to make tea for the guest herself.

Qiu Zhizhong, who was sitting next to him, did not follow the crowd. Instead, he stood behind Xiao Lang and played the role of an accountant, or a servant such as a book boy or a steward.

"That... Young Master Xiao!"

"There's no one around here, you can talk as much as you want!"

"If you have any conditions, feel free to tell me!" Xu Jialin was indeed anxious, so he got straight to the point as soon as he sat down.

"Haha, Chief Xu!"

"How many people are there in Jiulong Town? How many middle schools are there in the town? Is there a clinic?"

Xiao Lang suddenly asked three questions in a row, which confused Xu Jialin!
(End of this chapter)