Chapter 57: The Bai Family's Backer
Outside the Bai Family's estate.
Several low-profile luxury cars slowly pulled to a stop.
A moment later, a car door opened, and a young man stepped out.
The cars were low-key, but the man was anything but.
He looked to be about twenty-three or twenty-four, tall and long-legged, but with average looks. He was covered from head to toe in luxury brands.
It was as if he desperately wanted everyone to know he was rich, with brand logos plastered all over his body.
Bai Shoucheng hurried out of the main gate. The moment he saw the visitor, a fawning smile spread across his face. "Young Master Yuan! You're finally here!"
Yuan Tianrui looked at him arrogantly, his eyes showing not a shred of respect for his future father-in-law. "I hear your Bai Family has run into some trouble?"
"Seeing as you're a loyal vassal of the Yuan Family, I came to take a look."
With that said, he strode through the Bai Family's gate without a backward glance.
As for Bai Shoucheng, even though he was the Patriarch of the Bai Family, he was nothing before the Yuan Family.
Bai Shoucheng didn't dare object in the slightest, immediately scurrying to catch up.
The Yuan Family was a family from Shanghai, after all.
Though they were only considered a second-rate family in Shanghai, they were a force no one in the entire Jiangnan region dared to provoke.
Yuan Tianrui looked around the villa in disgust. "How has your Bai Family fallen this far?"
"This decor, this style... It has absolutely no class."
The Bai Family of today was indeed a shadow of its former self.
To ensure the Bai Family's survival, Bai Shoucheng had not only donated all his liquid assets but had also sold off the family's antiques and artworks.
It was only because he had been so ruthless with his own assets that the Bai Family had managed to hang on until now.
Bai Shoucheng gave an awkward laugh. "Young Master Yuan, there are things you may not know. My Bai Family suffered a great disaster, but thankfully, things are much better now."
"The reason I asked you to come this time was to ask you to do our Bai Family a favor."
Since the Bai Family's assets had been given away and the Golden Saber returned, Bai Xue was no longer needed for that other matter. Thus, she naturally had to honor her marriage contract with the Yuan Family.
That was why Bai Shoucheng had asked Yuan Tianrui to come. He wanted everyone to know that even if the Bai Family had sold off its assets, they were not a family that just anyone could step on!
The Yuan Family was now his greatest backer!
Yuan Tianrui curled his lip. "Fine, spit it out. What do you need my help with?"
"Young Master Yuan, it's been so long since you and Bai Xue were engaged. Shouldn't we put the wedding on the agenda?"
"How about we hold an engagement ceremony here in Jiangcheng first?"
Bai Shoucheng suggested eagerly, wanting everyone to know that the Yuan Family, a second-rate family from Shanghai, was connected to the Bai Family by marriage.
Yuan Tianrui snorted. "Here? In this shithole? What do you take me for?"
"N-No, of course not!"
Bai Shoucheng wiped the sweat from his brow. 'I've heard this Yuan Tianrui has a terrible temper. I'd better tread carefully.'
"It's mainly because many people are eyeing the Bai Family like a tiger stalking its prey. After all, the Bai Family is related to the Yuan Family by marriage. How can we let them bully us?"
"You have a point," Yuan Tianrui said, crossing his legs. "Tell me, what exactly happened? I'd like to see who's got the nerve to make a move against the Bai Family!"
Bai Shoucheng gave a rough account of the events, omitting the existence of the Golden Saber. He only mentioned that he had violated an oath with Xiao Ye, which led to a backlash.
Yuan Tianrui sneered, his face filled with contempt. "A man like you can become a Patriarch? And you actually believe in so-called retribution and backlash."
"If retribution were real, I'd have been struck by lightning and killed long ago!"
Yuan Tianrui was no saint. He had always been ruthless in his methods to achieve his goals.
Bai Shoucheng cursed Yuan Tianrui internally. 'What an ignorant, arrogant fool.'
But since he still needed the man's help, he could only continue to flatter him carefully.
"Yes, Young Master Yuan's lecture is correct. I was indeed too useless. But now that things have come to this, I am powerless to reverse the situation, which is why I came to ask Young Master Yuan to uphold justice."
Yuan Tianrui snorted in contempt. "Useless trash. I, an outsider, have to be the one to get the Bai Family's things back for you!"
Suddenly, footsteps were heard from outside.
It was Ye Zude. His face was covered in gauze, and he was accompanied by a strong, foul stench.
Yuan Tianrui immediately covered his nose in disgust. "Who the fuck are you? Get the hell away from me!"
Ye Zude suppressed his anger. He looked at Yuan Tianrui as if he were his last hope. "I am from the Ye Family. We are family friends with the Bai Family."
"Young Master Yuan, I rushed over as soon as I heard you had arrived. I implore you to take care of that Xiao Ye!"
"Do you know how brutal he is? He had just arrived in Jiangcheng when he wiped out the entire Han Family! That was dozens of lives!"
"Oh, and he also cut off the heads of several Han Family members! It was terrifying!"
"Now he's targeting our two families! The Bai Family is in this state because of him, and my Ye Family is about to be finished too!"
With that, Ye Zude dropped to his knees and kowtowed repeatedly to Yuan Tianrui, his head thudding against the floor.
Yuan Tianrui sneered. "This Xiao Ye, what's his background?"
"Young Master Yuan, he's just some poor Daoist who came down from the mountains. He has no backing."
"Yes, yes, that's right! But he knows some strange, supernatural tricks. Otherwise, we wouldn't be in such a miserable state!"
Bai Shoucheng and Ye Zude twisted the truth, completely omitting the despicable things they had done and blaming everything on Xiao Ye.
"That arrogant?" Yuan Tianrui was actually getting interested. "Alright, then I'll go meet him in person!"
"If he dares to lay a finger on me, he's finished!"
Joy erupted in Ye Zude's eyes. "Young Master Yuan, a guy like him is barely fit to shine your shoes! He'll probably be so scared when he sees you that he'll drop to his knees and beg for mercy!"
Yuan Tianrui thoroughly enjoyed the flattery and immediately stood up. "Let's go. I'll get justice for you all today!"
The large group set off with great fanfare, heading for the Lin Family's estate.
When Lin Chuyue received the news, her face fell. Xiao Ye, however, was unconcerned. "Don't worry. Leave it to me. I'll handle it."
"How are you going to handle it? That's not a family from Jiangcheng, it's from Shanghai! The Yuan Family of Shanghai! They're a power we absolutely can't afford to provoke!"
Thinking about how Xiao Ye had caused all this trouble, Lin Chuyue couldn't help but get angry. "Considering you helped my Lin Family, this is the last time I'm helping you!"
"They're not here yet, so you should leave, quickly!"
"Trying to run? Too late!"
Ye Zude strode into the Lin Family's home, his gaze fixed on Xiao Ye, filled with sinister malice. "Brat, you'll regret everything you've done to the Ye Family!"
Xiao Ye's expression was calm as he looked at Yuan Tianrui, who was surrounded by his entourage like the moon by stars.
'So it's *this* Yuan Family.'
'An old acquaintance, even.'
Yuan Tianrui also looked at Xiao Ye, and their eyes met.
He immediately felt a sense of displeasure. 'I can't believe this stinking Daoist from the mountains is actually so handsome!'
"Brat, you're the one who dared to make a move against the Bai Family?"
Xiao Ye smiled faintly. "What if I am?"
Ye Zude eagerly jumped forward. "Insolent! Who gave you the right to speak to Young Master Yuan like that? Are you worthy!"
"Get on your knees and beg for mercy right now! Take back what you've done, or you won't even know how you died!"
"So noisy." Xiao Ye raised a hand, a small stone held between his fingers.
Ye Zude, who still had a lump on his head, was instantly terrified. He took a step back and hid behind Yuan Tianrui. "Don't you get cocky! You're about to be finished!"