From a tuberculosis patient to a martial arts master

The anxiety abruptly ended.

"this?"

Upon seeing the sword held across Jiang Feng's neck, the Jiang family members were terrified. Their stances froze in mid-air, fists hanging limply, swords held high, completely at a loss. A chorus of questioning gazes anxiously turned to Jiang Cong, awaiting his instructions.

"You really are..."

Jiang Cong's face was so dark it could drip water.

Before he could speak up to negotiate, Zhu Hong preemptively declared, "If you make another move, this young man's life will be in danger." A slight sneer played on his lips as he slowly added, "No one can guarantee that."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Cong's temples bulged with veins, and he gritted his teeth, uttering each word slowly and deliberately:

"Stop it, all of you."

He dared not gamble.

This young man acts unpredictably and defies all logic, showing none of the restraint or hesitation typical of officials. If he can say it, he might actually do it. If he is truly provoked into killing Jiang Feng, the consequences are something he cannot bear.

There was no way to explain it to his elder brother.

Although the Jiang family members were filled with resentment and unwillingness, they could only slowly loosen their weapons, their faces extremely ugly.

"Lord Zhu, are you satisfied now?"

Jiang Cong then slowly turned around, his cold gaze falling on Zhu Hong.

His anger surged, almost uncontrollable, but he was currently at the mercy of others and could only force it down, squeezing out each word from his throat: "In my opinion, we should calm down and have a proper talk." His tone softened slightly, carrying a hint of forced restraint:

"The fighting has escalated to this tense situation."

I think……

This is not what we want to see.

Zhu Hong's eyes flickered slightly, and he looked at Jiang Cong with a half-smile, nodding slowly: "Since Second Master Jiang has said so, things are easier to handle. I didn't originally intend to make things too extreme."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Cong felt a slight sense of relief, and his expression softened somewhat.

He thought Zhu Hong was about to relent, and that there was room for the stalemate to be resolved. But before he could even finish his sentence, Zhu Hong suddenly changed his tone, speaking calmly but with a hint of mockery: "Then, I'll pretend that all that unpleasantness just now never happened."

He paused slightly, then lightly weighed Jiang Feng, whom he was carrying in his hand:

"I'll take the person with me first."

"We'll talk about the rest another day." With that, he turned and left, his clothes fluttering in the wind, intending to escort the man back to the yamen.

"??"

Jiang Cong stood there, stunned, unable to come to his senses for a moment.

His face turned pale, then red, then purple, and it took him a while to come to his senses in a mixture of shock and anger. A surge of anger rushed from his chest to the top of his head.

"stop!"

Jiang Cong's temples bulged with veins, and he roared angrily, his words devoid of any pretense: "Young man, I advise you to think carefully. There's no turning back once the arrow is released! You've taken my Jiang family's eldest son hostage. Don't act rashly. By the time you regret it, it will be too late."

Zhu Hong didn't even turn his head, only casually uttering a sentence:

"See you at the yamen."

Jiang Cong stared at the retreating figure, his heart filled with both anger and anxiety. But Wang Zhenshan and his group had already silently spread out to the side, forming a fan shape to protect Zhu Hong from behind, creating a barrier that offered no opportunity whatsoever.

He stared at the retreating figure for a few moments, then suddenly turned and roared at his trusted aide:

"What are you still standing there for?"

"Go to the ancestral hall immediately and invite the clan head!"

Before the words were finished, and before anyone could respond, the beaded curtain in the back hall rustled softly. A steady voice drifted out, neither too loud nor too soft:

"You all, wait!"

Zhu Hong slowly turned his head.

The newcomer was dressed in purple robes and a jade belt, with a cold and stern face. His features bore a striking resemblance to Jiang Feng, but he possessed the composed and dignified air of a noble patriarch. He stepped forward with his hands behind his back, his pace unhurried, as if the tense situation before him was nothing more than a trivial disturbance.

Beside him was an elderly man with white hair.

"Chieftain!"

"Offer sacrifices to the elders!"

Upon seeing the two, the Jiang clan members felt as if they had found their backbone. Their previous panic and dejection vanished, their backs straightened, and their confidence returned. Their gazes towards the constables became more forceful.

"Clan chief?"

Zhu Hong's eyes narrowed, and he thought to himself, "Is this Jiang Yannian?"

After observing him, his gaze immediately fell on the white-haired old man, and his heart sank slightly. The old man was thin but vigorous, with a pair of old eyes that shone with a restrained sharpness. His aura was as deep and stagnant as an ancient pool. He stood there unassuming, but the faint but powerful pressure he exuded was even more profound than that of Jiang Yannian.

Who is this person?

Just as I was pondering this, Wang Zhenshan's explanation came to my ears:

"Jiang Boyong, father of Jiang Yannian."

He had already reached the third level of martial arts in his early years, and his cultivation was even above Jiang Yannian's. When he said this, his expression was normal, but Zhu Hong clearly saw that his hand holding the knife tightened slightly, and there was a layer of solemnity in his eyes that was rarely seen on ordinary days.

Zhu Hong nodded slightly, his eyes meeting Wang Zhenshan's, and they understood each other perfectly.

"Father! Save me!"

Jiang Feng's shout was urgent and sharp, carrying a hint of lingering joy.

"Young man."

Jiang Yannian's gaze fell on Jiang Feng, his brows furrowing slightly, a barely perceptible hint of anger flashing in his eyes. He didn't reply, but slowly raised his eyes, shifting his gaze to Zhu Hong. His voice was calm, yet carried an inherent air of authority:

"The child in your hand is my son, Jiang Yannian's son."

Zhu Hong met Jiang Yannian's gaze without changing his expression: "I know."

Jiang Yannian looked at him and suddenly smiled.

The smile was so faint, almost imperceptible, yet it inexplicably sent a chill down one's spine: "Knowing it, you still dared to take it away?"

"The Prefect has ordered that the person be arrested according to the law."

Zhu Hong showed the golden token in his arms. The golden light flashed and gilded half of his face with a thin layer of gold. "Chief Jiang is in charge of the Jiang family. He must be more sensible and know what is important than others." Although his words were polite, he did not yield an inch.

Jiang Yannian was silent for a moment.

He first glanced at the golden token in Zhu Hong's hand, then looked at Zhu Hong himself, and finally his gaze fell on his son, who was in his grasp and unharmed.

"Light or heavy..."

Jiang Yannian repeated the two words in a low voice, as if he was savoring their meaning.

A short while later.

He nodded slowly, his tone still calm, yet carrying a hint of unfathomable meaning: "Alright, take him away."

"father?"

Jiang Feng was stunned and couldn't believe his ears.

Jiang Cong was also taken aback. In his haste, he was about to step forward, but Jiang Yannian glanced at him indifferently and he immediately froze in place.

Jiang Yannian looked at Zhu Hong with a deep gaze:

"But you must remember one thing."

He took a slow step, his steps light and leisurely, as if strolling in a garden. But as soon as he took that step, an invisible pressure suddenly spread out, like a mountain pressing down, rushing towards him.

Zhu Hong felt a tightness in his chest, and his blood and qi immediately stagnated.

Wang Zhenshan immediately stepped forward, silently shielding him from most of the pressure, his expression extremely solemn.

"Remember this well."

Jiang Yannian's voice was calm and seemingly gentle, but it was chillingly cold: "Today you took away my son, Jiang Yannian's son. In the future," he raised his eyes and glanced at them indifferently:

"You must personally escort him back."