Chapter 4 Compulsion (1)

  Xu Ruying had never been so angry as she was today. What she thought would be an easy task had turned into a situation where she was at the mercy of others. She was so furious that she smashed all the makeup containers on her dresser to pieces, but this didn't alleviate her anger. She picked up a Qinghua porcelain vase and slammed it onto the floor, creating a huge noise that startled all the servants in the mansion. The little maid, Xiaoru, who had been the one to invite Zhu Yinglong and his friends back to the mansion, was the closest to Xu Ruying's chambers and rushed over as soon as she heard the loud crash.

  Seeing the young lady's door wide open, the room was in disarray, and the young lady sat at the table with a pale face, her eyes red and frightening. She had never seen the young lady so angry before. Originally, she thought that Shen Creek uncle and nephew were staying in the mansion happily, thinking that everything was going smoothly, so she didn't ask much. Now it seems that her thoughts were wrong, the young lady being so angry must have something to do with Shen Creek uncle and nephew.

  "Miss, what's wrong with you?" asked Xiaoru as she walked in and showed concern for Xu Ruyin.

  After venting a bit, Xu Ruyin's mood improved slightly. She waved her hand at Xiao Ru and said, "I'm fine, have someone clean up this place."

  "Yes." Xiao Ru responded and turned around to call someone, but was pulled back by Xu Ruyin's "Wait!"

  Xiao Ru is her personal maid, and she knows her mistress's temperament like the back of her hand. Seeing herself in this situation, without asking about the circumstances, Xiao Ru obediently listened to her orders, which didn't seem like her usual personality at all. So, she hastily called her back and sternly ordered: "Pass down the order, no one is allowed to move the four people in the west wing house without my command, not even you!"

  Xiao Ru was seen through by Miss, and said unjustly: "But miss, they..."

  "Xiao Ru, are you no longer listening to me?" Xu Ruying asked in a stern voice, exuding the dignity of a mistress.

  Xiao Ru had never seen Miss so severe before, and hastily replied: "I don't dare!"

  West Wing House, Xu Ruyin arranged for Zhu Yinglong and the other three to live here, and also sent someone to guard them closely. Now all four are gathered in Zhu Yinglong's room. In order to prevent eavesdropping, when discussing secrets, the four of them would write on the table with water to communicate.

  Xiong and Lu understood the situation, then Xiong Tingbi dipped his finger in water and wrote on the table: "Prince Wang, do you really plan to subdue this White Lotus Holy Maiden?"

  Zhu Yinglong nodded slowly.

  "This woman has a heart of a wolf, Your Highness mustn't believe her!"

  Zhu Yinglong looked at Shen Xi with gratitude, knowing that he had suffered greatly at the hands of Xu Hongru. Thinking this way wasn't bad either, so he also used his finger to write in water: "Even if she is a jackal now, I can turn her into a sheep."

  "The prince's body weighs a thousand pounds, but we only have four people. Two fists are hard to defeat four hands, safety first." Lu Haotian also wrote with a worried face.

  Xiong Tingbi also nodded in deep agreement.

  "Even if we back down now, she won't let us off the hook. Don't forget that we're in Shandong now," Zhu Yinglong reminded the three of them in writing, "Moreover, it's not just this girl who has her sights set on us."

  Shen Creek is indeed a wise man in the business world, immediately grasping the meaning and writing: "Bo Gu Zhai".

  Zhu Yinglong nodded with a smile, the exorbitant profits of Bogu Zhai's glassware and exquisite crafts had already caught the attention of many people, and those who had ideas about the Shen family were not in the minority. However, they didn't know that the Shen family was just working for someone else, and the real mastermind behind the scenes was this King Xing. This made it impossible for them to take action. Now that the head of the Shen family had suddenly appeared, he naturally became the target of attention from all sides. Xu Ruyin was just the first to make a move.

  "By subjugating Xu Ruyin, we will have many benefits. Firstly, those with less power than the White Lotus Sect will not dare to provoke us again. Secondly, I need a hidden force, and most of the White Lotus Sect's followers are poor people. Helping them is equivalent to helping myself, so why not do this good deed?" Zhu Yinglong analyzed at the table.

  "The White Lotus Sect has always been considered a heretical sect by the imperial court. If Master Wang gets involved with her, wouldn't it tarnish his reputation?" Xiong Tingyi acknowledged that Zhu Yinglong was right, but since it concerned Master Wang's future reputation, he, as an orthodox official born into a noble family, still had some worries.

  Lu Haitian and Shen Xi also nodded in agreement with Xiong Tingxu's opinion.

  "The imperial court uses its officials to educate the people, if I can make the White Lotus Sect's followers change their evil ways and return to righteousness, what harm will it do to my reputation?" Zhu Yinglong wrote with a faint smile.

  "The king's heart is with the people of the world, and I am ashamed to be unable to bear it!" Xiong Tingbi wrote on the table.

  "General Bear's praise is too excessive, and I am also ashamed to accept it. In fact, my wish is very small, just hoping to live a little better myself. To live a little better for myself, from my height, only if the common people are living well can I live well. Isn't there a saying that goes 'If one doesn't work for oneself, heaven and earth will be destroyed'?" Zhu Yinglong wrote on the table.

  "Prince Wang's insight is truly unique!" Shen Xi wrote with a face full of admiration.

  Four of you looked at me, I looked at you, and burst out laughing. Just then, Xu Ruyin smashed the Qinghua porcelain vase, making a huge noise that suddenly stopped the four people's laughter, but they immediately laughed again with understanding.

  This night is destined to be an unquiet one!

  The next morning, Zhu Yinglong saw a haggard Xu Ruyin in the Buddhist hall where he had been the night before. Her originally radiant face suddenly lost its luster. He steeled himself and asked, "Miss Ruyin, after a night of consideration, can you give Shen an answer?"

  "Shen Gongzi's conditions are really too harsh, can't we discuss it again?" Xu Ruying said tactfully, her life was now in someone else's hands, how could she still be tough?

  Zhu Yinglong smiled and said: "My Shen family has been doing business for generations, this deal has always been negotiated, since Miss Ruan has spoken, naturally there is no problem."

  Xu Ruyin's face showed a happy expression as she said, "Thank you, Young Master Shen. As for me, the White Lotus Sect surrendering to you, isn't this making things a bit too difficult? Even if I were to agree, it's not certain that all the brothers in the sect would agree."

  Doing business is all about asking for the sky and settling on the ground, which is nothing to argue about. Zhu Yinglong thought for a moment to play his role as the future master of the Shen family well, and chuckled: "This condition is a bit difficult for Miss, how about this? Instead of the White Lotus Sect surrendering to me, why don't you, Miss Jing, just surrender to me alone? This condition isn't too harsh, is it?"

  Xu Ruyin's seven orifices were filled with smoke, she obediently followed the other party and the White Lotus Sect obediently followed the other party, what was the difference? She is now the highest leader of the White Lotus Sect, if the leader has become someone else's person, then aren't those under her also someone else's? This is clearly self-deception! A person who can become a leader is not one who easily acts on impulse. At this moment, Xu Ruyin suppressed the anger in her heart and coldly said: "Shen Gongzi has no sincerity, how can I compromise with you while disregarding the lives of many brothers and sisters in the sect?"

  Just then, Xiao Ru hastily ran to Xu Ruyin's ear and whispered a few words, causing Xu Ruyin's face to change suddenly, looking extremely ugly. It must be that something big had happened within the White Lotus Sect, otherwise it wouldn't have turned out like this.

  Xu Ruying's face gradually turned cold after hearing Xiao Ru's report, and she said to Zhu Yinglong: "Shen Gongzi, relying solely on the strength of your four uncles and nephews, you want me to surrender the tens of thousands of White Lotus followers to you? You're overestimating yourself."

  "Like Miss Ying, don't forget that you've been poisoned by the Shen family's exclusive and deadly poison." Zhu Yinglong coldly reminded.

  "What does it matter, even if I die from poisoning, the White Lotus Sect will still be the White Lotus Sect and will absolutely not surrender to anyone." Xu Ruyin said suddenly in a sharp tone.

  What on earth made this girl suddenly change her attitude so quickly, Zhu Yinglong was shocked in his heart. Xu Ruyin was too self-conceited, and he himself was too confident. It can be said that these two personalities are consistent at the root.

  Xiong Tingbi and Lu Haotian immediately became tense, preparing to deal with the possible impending battle. Zhu Yinglong's hand also slowly reached for the gun at his waist, coldly looking at Xu Ruyin: "Good, Miss Ruyin is indeed a heroine among women, but although you have been through countless battles, saving your life may not be possible!"