NOVEL SIMPLE Chapter 54: The Martial Family Seeking Death
“Place the money on the table,” came the stern command. Light rain filled the sky, casting doubt on the sunrise. Pedestrians hurried through the rain, but two figures moved leisurely, untouched by a single raindrop. It was as if the heavens diverted their course to avoid the duo.
Turning a corner, Wu Ping finally reached the courtyard etched in his memory. From a distance, he observed people seeking refuge under the eaves, massaging their calves, eyes fixed on the horizon, faces expressing pain. Wu Ping struggled to articulate his current emotions, a strange mix of envy and an indescribable sentiment.
Silently advancing, he approached a person sitting under the eaves, who observed his arrival in the rain with a slightly unnatural expression. Subsequently, a look of surrender and decadence overcame the figure as if resigning to something. The courtyard door creaked open, and Wu Hualin angrily spoke, “Give it to you, give it to you, what else do you want?”
The reddening man gazed at the figure in the rain, the one he had yearned for incessantly. Trembling lips betrayed his disbelief, “Wu… Is it my son Wu Ping?”
Wu Ping kept his head bowed, unable to confront such overwhelming emotions. “Father, it’s me.”
Father Wu rose slowly, his balance precarious. Wu Ping hurriedly stepped forward to assist. “Just come back, just come back, safe and sound. Your mother has been talking about you since the day you left. Today she went to the street early, so she’s not here. Have you eaten yet?”
In a softer tone, Father Wu added, “My son Wu Ping, when did you meet the three emperors?” The atmosphere thickened, but Wu Ping sidestepped the question, inquiring about his father’s injured leg instead.
The man’s face stiffened, recalling the words of the three emperors. Steward Wu coveted their storefront, and when refused, conflict ensued. Reporting to the authorities, he conspired with his master, resulting in torture and a crippled leg. The three emperors intervened, rescuing him from prison and providing secret medicine to aid recovery.
“Then the official matter, how was it resolved?” Wu Ping inquired.
“I was taken away by the three emperors, leaving a message you will understand. He is always waiting.”
Wu Ping shook his head, doubting the involvement of the three emperors in his father’s affairs. It seemed unnecessary. As nervous as he was today, his mood remained upbeat. Seated next to Father Wu, they began a conversation—familiar yet strangely unfamiliar.
Wu Ping chose not to hide anything, sharing the events of his time away. He wanted his father to comprehend his newfound strength rather than be burdened with fear. Wu Ping despised the idea of people fearing for him.
Simultaneously, within the confines of a grand courtyard featuring a vermilion door:
“This Wu Ping is truly inhuman. He was first killed within his direct bloodline, and now his actions have repercussions on my bloodline. The worship quota in His Royal Highness’s place has been halved. It’s a calamity!”
“Absolutely, we should summon the patriarch as a witness and expel Wu Ping from the branch!”
“You’ve got the brains of a pig, haven’t you? Wu Ping is currently the most esteemed figure in the Blood Rain Sect, and Wu Qi is known as the double star of demons and evil. Do you think the patriarch would banish such a genius?”
“However, you, the second in command, had a confrontation with Wu Ping’s father before, breaking one of his father’s legs. Wu Ping is now a celebrated figure in the Bloody Rain Sect, known for his brutal nature and numerous killings. If he discovers these facts, your life is likely in jeopardy…”
These murmurs reached the ears of the second steward, causing his legs to give way, and he knelt on the ground with a thud. “Esteemed masters, kind masters, this was all done at the behest of your masters. It’s not my doing. I’ve heard the name Wu Ping countless times in recent days. I can’t eat or sleep well. Please help me, please help me.”
“Wu Ping is a demonic figure capable of gruesome acts. Peel and cramp, dig out his heart and lungs!” The steward cried, terrified.
He was genuinely afraid. The surrounding faces remained cold.
“Stop your nonsense. You were just instructed to teach your father a lesson. When were you told to break someone’s leg? It was your own initiative, and now you want us to save you? How is that even possible?”
“No… dear masters, I’ve dedicated decades to the branch, working diligently for the martial family without acknowledgement. I don’t want to die. I really don’t want to die…”
“Enough!” Came the collective response. All eyes turned to a woman in Chinese attire entering from outside, her face livid.
Everyone rose and greeted her, “Ninth Princess.”
“Hmm,” the woman responded, taking her seat. “What are you afraid of? It’s just Wu Ping. He killed my young child. Why hesitate to eliminate the murderer’s parents? Instead, you let Wu Hualin and his wife live until the return of that evil beast!”
“In response to the Ninth Princess, it’s not that we don’t want to, but we truly don’t dare. We can’t do it!”
“The third prince dispatched guards to protect the Wu Hualin couple, and with Wu Ping’s current standing, acting against him might not be wise on the family head’s side.”
“If it’s truly due to his parents’ actions, severing ties with the Martial King’s Mansion would mean our demise. I fear our heads and skins wouldn’t be enough for the patriarch’s wrath.”
The woman gave a cold glance and remarked, “Alright, alright, now you’ve learned to use ‘lord’ to suppress me. You people are quite something. Regardless of how impressive Wu Ping may be, the Wu King’s House ultimately belongs to the ‘lord’!”
“Humph, I never mistook it for your Wu Wangfu!” A cold snort reverberated in anger, causing everyone’s hearts to tighten, and they immediately knelt on the ground.