Chapter 41: Everyone Must Be on Guard

  Back in the room, Tang Dynasty picked up the cup of unfinished tea on the bedside table and drank it all in one gulp. Then he poured the tea leaves from the cup into his mouth, chewed them up and swallowed them.

  That loud scolding just now had already made Tang Chao feel like his throat was about to emit smoke. At the same time, it also made Tang Chao lose all sleepiness at this moment.

  He took off his shoes and climbed onto the bed with Tang Dynasty's military coat still on his shoulders, then slipped under the covers.

  The quilt didn't have the warmth of the Tang Dynasty as imagined. When he placed his hand on Lan Xin's body, he felt that she was cool to the touch, and her jade-like hands were also icy cold. Her two big, shiny eyes would occasionally steal glances at him, seemingly with a hint of fear flashing across her face.

  Tang Chao pulled Lan Xin into his arms and hugged her, lovingly stroking her face. "Were you just standing by the window watching me scold someone?"

  "Hmm." Lan Xin nodded slightly, "Xin Hua, Mu Jia's young master was just scolded by you until he was covered in dog blood, I reckon it's the first time since birth that someone has scolded him like that."

  "This guy, once he's pleased with himself, he forgets his place." Tang sighed and said: "If you don't knock him down a peg or two, he'll just slide further and further down the wrong path."

  "Aren't you worried he harbors resentment?" Lan asked cautiously.

  "It's normal to have ideas, it's abnormal not to have any." Tang Chao's heart stirred, but his face remained calm and collected, as he said indifferently: "I'd love for him to reveal all his true thoughts right now. Hehe, in this day and age, four-legged frogs are hard to find, but two-legged humans are everywhere. The Mu family is nothing more than a dispensable servant household to me. If they can show sufficient loyalty to me, I can turn the Mu family into a powerful clan that dominates the world. On the other hand, I can send them plummeting to the depths of hell at any moment."

  "Xinhua, don't you still believe in Mu's family?" Lan asked in surprise.

  "I don't trust anyone, of course, you're an exception." Tang Dynasty gently pinched Lan Xin's smooth face and smiled, her eyes narrowing slightly, her gaze gradually becoming deep and distant. "In this chaotic world where human life is as cheap as grass, to use people without suspicion, and to suspect those who are not used, is a luxury for me. Human hearts are treacherous, and human nature is complex and changeable, so whether it's towards people or things, I always have to keep a hand on guard."

  "Xin Hua, you will be very tired if you continue like this." Lan Xin reached out to stroke Tang Chao's right cheek, her eyes filled with concern.

  "Hehe, living in a chaotic world is tiring from the start. Only when you're dead and your eyes are closed can you be completely free." Tang's smile looked quite bitter as he patted Lan Xin's back with his right hand and sighed, "Alright, let's not talk about this anymore. This topic is too heavy. Go to sleep, I still have to go out for a bit."

  "You come back early, I'll wait for you."

  "Goodbye, I don't know when I'll be back. You're still recovering from your illness, so take good care of yourself and rest well, okay?"

  After finishing, Tang Dynasty lifted a corner of the quilt, got out of bed, and then covered Lan Xin with the quilt again. He leaned down and kissed her forehead, "Close your eyes and sleep. If I come back and you're still not asleep, I'll be angry!"

  "Uh-huh, I'm listening." Lan's beautiful big eyes closed obediently, but the two rows of long, curled and trembling eyelashes had already betrayed her.

  Tang walked over to the sofa and put on his military coat, opened the secret passage door, and slipped inside.

  "Boss, it's so late, haven't you rested yet?" The cat's voice without any emotion echoed in the empty corridor.

  "Who made me a laborer!" Tang Chao replied impatiently: "Xiao Mao, open the base's internal surveillance, I want to know Mu Hailin's current location and the movements of the Mu family."

  "Boss, go to the third floor control room."

  Five minutes later, Tang Dynasty appeared in the core control room on the third floor of the base.

  This core control room was actually converted from the interstellar spaceship repair compartment left by the alien Fei Er to the Tang Dynasty, and all the most critical things of the base are installed here.

  The south wall is a large screen wall composed of blocks of LCD screens, on which not only can every corner of the Tang family's house be observed, but also every inch of space inside the base.

  Lan Xing's previous words reminded Tang Chao that Mu Hailin was indeed sincere in asking for punishment, and Tang Chao would know immediately.

  The scene on the screen changed rapidly and soon locked onto a hall in Beibao.

  Bei Bao is where the Mu family currently resides. Old Master Mu and Old Madam Mu live here in peace.

  At this moment, it should be the time when everyone has fallen asleep, but the people in this room did not show a bit of fatigue, on the contrary, many people were somewhat emotionally excited.

  Mu Hailin sat in a high-backed chair against the east wall with his hands wrapped in white gauze, expressionless.

  At the northern end of the first row, two armchairs were occupied by Mu Lao Ye Zi Mu Changqing and Mu Lao Tai Tai Bai Xiuzhen, who sat with dignity and calmness.

  Between the two was a red sandalwood carved Eight Immortals table, on which were arranged four-color offerings and a Xuande stove, with three unlit aloeswood incense sticks inserted in it. On the wall above where the wooden table leaned against hung two ancestral portraits of the Mu family.

  Across from Mu Haolin was Mu Haiwei, the second son of the Mu family who was now in charge of guarding the two city gates at Duanhun Gorge.

  Zhang Dengke, the son-in-law of the Mu family, and his wife Mu Haixia sat on the right side of Mu Haiwei.

  The six people present can be said to represent the most core leadership members of the Mu family in this generation.

  The Tang Dynasty let a little cat cut out a scene and replay all the audio and video of these people gathering from the beginning to now.

  This video is not long, only two minutes and forty-seven seconds.

  The conversation was fairly normal and moderate, with occasional extreme remarks that could be understood.

  The main focus is on Mu Haixia and Mu Haiwei's incomprehension of Mu Hailin's public apology to the Tang Dynasty, which they felt was a great loss of face for the Mu family and also damaged Mu Hailin's prestige.

  Mu Changqing and Bai Xiuzhen had nothing to say all along.

  "Hailing, it's not that I'm saying you're wrong, but what you did was indeed a bit too impulsive and inconsiderate." Mu Haixia started speaking again, her tone heavy with dissatisfaction. "Besides, isn't Tang doing this being a bit too inhumane? If our Mu family hadn't moved to Tangjia Fort, this place would still be as dull as a graveyard..."

  "Shut up!" Mu Hailin's right palm slapped heavily on the tea table beside him, causing the cups on it to fall over. "Mu Haixia, you're too presumptuous! You actually dare to speak out of turn and be disrespectful to the boss! If you dare say another word, believe me, I'll drive you out of the Mu family!"

  "Dad, mom, you see Hai Lin just likes to show off in front of family members, I'm doing this for his own good..." Mu Haixia said discontentedly, seeking help from Mu Changqing and Bai Xiujuan.

  "Hai Xia, don't say that, your words are indeed a bit excessive." Bai Xiu Zhen interrupted her daughter's explanation without changing her expression, "Mr. Tang's actions are not something we women can comment on."

  "Big brother, did Niu Fumin really get killed? Is it as serious as the boss said?" Mu Haiwei asked somewhat puzzled: "In the land of Yuqiang, who doesn't know that our Mu family and their Niu family are sworn enemies for generations? Nowadays, this world is already not very peaceful, with many families being exterminated. I think maybe the boss is overthinking things."

  "Rubbish!" Mu Changqing slammed his ebony cane on the ground, his eyes fixed intently on Mu Haiwei as he said in a deep voice: "Niu Baichu is an officially appointed magistrate of the Governor's Office. In the old Qing dynasty, he would have been the county magistrate. Only the Governor's Office has the authority to kill him. Anyone from the Niu family can be killed, but Niu Baichu cannot be easily touched! Killing an official is equivalent to rebellion, and Mr. Tang's concerns are not unfounded at all. The current Grand Governor of Xinjiang is absolutely a ruthless and cunning tyrant who won't tolerate even a speck of dust in his eyes. Since the Xinhai Revolution, how many self-proclaimed heroes have died at his hands in both North and South Xinjiang? Haven't you taken the time to carefully count?"

  "We've always been in touch with Yang Qianhui, haven't we? At worst, we can join forces with the Revolutionary Party..."

  "Shut up!" Mu Hailin stretched out his hand, picked up a teacup and threw it at his second brother. Mu Haiwei was so frightened that he dodged hastily, the cup flew past his ear and smashed against the wall with a loud "crash".