A Clash of Gods - Chapter 114

Chapter 114 Being Triumphant
When Yang Ning and his people returned to the capital, it had become quite cold. The atmosphere there was also very cold.

The gates of the capital had been closed, and the guards of the city had put on white helmets and white armor. Before entering the city, Yang Ning felt the severe atmosphere in the capital.

People were forbidden to enter or exit the capital. Only a small door was opened, and Yang Ning showed his identity. Even so, they also experienced the inspection before entering the city.

The streets and alleys in the city were all white. When Qi Jing, the Marquis of Honor, died before, several streets were wrapped in white. At this time, when the emperor of the Chu Country passed away, the whole city was in white. There were white flags floating in front of every house. Few people were in the streets, which looked cold and lonely.

Yang Ning only felt rather unlucky. This was the second time he had entered the capital. When he first came here, he encountered the funeral of the Marquis of Honor. This time he encountered the funeral of the emperor of the Chu Country.

This time they travelled day and night to return to the capital, without delay.

In Jiangling, Gu Qinghan made some arrangements for the old house. She had found someone to treat the old chief steward Qi Cheng and asked Mao Wentao to take care of the old house temporarily. After she came back to the mansion, she would send people to take care of the old house.

The origin of the ugly man with the black cloak was unknown. Although it was easy for the Gu family to raise a person, Yang Ning still took him to the capital because he had saved Gu Qinghan. There were so many people in the mansion of the Marquis of Honor, so it was no big deal for them to let one more person eat there.

When they came to the mansion of the Marquis of Honor, the gate of the mansion closed tightly, and a white banner was hung up in front of the gate. When the emperor passed away, the whole country should feel sorrowful.

Qi Feng got off his horse and knocked on the door. After a short while, someone opened the door. When he saw Qi Feng, he was stunned. When he looked up and saw Yang Ning, who was getting off the horse, he got delighted and his voice was trembling with excitement, “Your Excellency, you, you are all back?”

Qi Feng saw that his facial expression was strange. He frowned and asked, “What’s the matter? You look strange? Why did it take so long to open the door?”

The man lowered his head and said, “You, you will know after you go inside and take a look.”

At the moment, Yang Ning had already opened the carriage door and helped Gu Qinghan get out of it. After he walked to the door and saw the man who looked strange, he knew something had happened, and took the lead in entering the door.

Before reaching the main hall, he heard the miserable screams. Yang Ning frowned and accelerated. From a distance, he saw a person being pushed down to the ground. Another person beside him was holding a stick as thick as an arm and hit the former’s ass and shouted, “You only know how to eat with a tongue? Don’t you f**king know calling him respectfully?”

Yang Ning felt very weird. There were no other people around except these people in the yard, which seemed so desolate.

He walked over slowly. Before he got even closer, those people suddenly noticed that Yang Ning appeared out of nowhere and were all stunned. The stick held by the man stopped in the air as if the man’s acupoint was attacked.

Those people looked at each other. The man who held the stick had already thrown the stick on the ground and turned around to leave. Yang Ning said coldly, “Stop!”

The man dared not disobey. He stopped, turned around, and smiled with embarrassment, “Your Excellency, you, you are back?”

“Why did run away when you saw me?” Yang Ning said coldly.

“I didn’t…” The man smiled, “There is something wrong with my eyes. I didn’t see you. You…”

“Are you blind?” Yang Ning glanced forward with a sneer. He found the door of the main hall not far ahead off the latch and vaguely saw figures moving from the crack in the door. He asked in a low voice, “What is your name?”

“Your Excellency, my name is Tian Rong.” That man said, “I will report to them now that you are back.” He turned around and wanted to leave. But Yang Ning had reached out and put his hand on his shoulder. He said coldly, “Tell me, why did you hit him?”

Tian Rong looked embarrassed, and said, “Well… well…I was only ordered to do so.”

“Ordered?” A voice sounded behind Yang Ning, “Whose order? Who asked you to hit him here?” It was just Gu Qinghan who came over.

The person who was beaten had already raised his head. When he saw Yang Ning and Gu Qinghan, he was so excited and said with a trembling voice, “Your Excellency… Third Lady… You are finally back. If you don’t come back, I will be beaten to death…” Speaking of this, he actually cried.

Yang Ning realized there must be some accidents that had happened in the mansion. He signaled everyone not to say anything. He walked lightly close to the door, and saw a large group of people kneeling in the house through the crack of the door. Lady Qiong was actually sitting in the main seat at this time. On the left, Qi Yu looked arrogant with his hands on her back. On the right was Steward Qiu.

Yang Ning didn’t enter the door. He stood outside with his hands on his back, and clearly heard the voice of Lady Qiong, “…I want you to learn. Anyone who calls him Young Master will have the same punishment as the person outside. Many of you are bought by the mansion. You are no different from cows and horses. I will treat you well if you follow my order. If not, you will know the result.”

Steward Qiu said aside, “Are you clear? The Third Lady is outside, so for the time being, Madam Qiong is in charge of everything in the mansion. Remember, there is no Young Master or Lady Qiong in the mansion, only master and madam. If anyone still makes mistakes, being beaten is the lightest punishment. When your tongues are cut, you will never make mistakes.”

The maids and servants just knelt on the ground, and they dared not say anything.

“Also, when Gu Qinghan was here, you were all impudent. Some of you even brushed me off with her being here.” Lady Qiong said in a sharp voice, “This is not Gu family’s mansion. Qi Yu is your master. What he says is the law of the mansion. Are you clear?”

Everyone murmured “Hmm”. Lady Qiong screamed, “You are all dumb? Are you clear or not?”

Everyone said together, “Yes.”

“It turns out you still have the strength to speak.” Lady Qiong sneered, “Then why didn’t you have the strength to answer just now? Good. Steward Qiu. They don’t have to eat dinner tonight.”

Steward Qiu coughed and said loudly, “Have you heard it? When Madam asks questions, you must answer loudly. If anyone has no strength to answer loudly, there’s no need to eat.” He paused and then said, “Also, half of the salary of this month will be deducted, which is the punishment for you.”

As soon as he said that, one person said, “Steward Qiu, this…is not appropriate? Our whole family rely on the silver to live. If you deduct half of it…”

“What, dissatisfied?” Qi Yu, who kept silent, finally said, “It’s hard to find six-legged toads, but two-legged servants are everywhere. If you are not satisfied, leave now.” He sneered, “Duan Canghai is more powerful than you, right? He had worked in the mansion for so many years, but still left when I asked him to leave. Are you better than him? If you don’t want to work here, stand up now, and go away as far as possible.”

Everyone looked at each other, but no one dared to resist.

“Indeed. Someone really should go away as far as possible.” At this moment, everyone in the room heard a “crunch” sound and the door had been kicked open. One person with his hands on his back stood in front of the door, with a sneer on his face. Even though he was not big and burly, he had a cold and solemn vigor.

Lady Qiong and others almost looked up at the same time. They saw Yang Ning standing in front of the door and all got shocked. The maids and servants who were kneeling on the ground turned around and saw Yang Ning. Many of them already looked delighted. Some even yelled, “It’s…His Excellency. He is back!”

Steward Qiu was also shocked. His facial expression changed slightly, but soon he smiled and quickly stepped forward, and said respectfully, “Your Excellency, you are finally back.”

Yang Ning glanced at him and said coldly, “It seems that someone doesn’t want me to come back.” He walked forward, and everyone kneeling in the hall moved aside. Yang Ning walked to the main seat without looking at Qi Yu. He stared at Lady Qiong, who tried her best to calm herself down. Her eyes were full of resentment, and she was also looking at Yang Ning.

“What do you want to do?” Seeing Yang Ning staring at herself, full of overwhelming chill, Lady Qiong felt a little guilty.

Yang Ning said indifferently, “You are already an adult. Can’t you understand? Stand up and get out. Can a lady sit in this seat?”

“You…” Lady Qiong was angry, “Qi Ning, dare you speak to me like this? I… I am an elder after all. Don’t you know the manners?”

“This is also what I want to say to you. Do you know the manners?” Yang Ning said coldly, “When is it your turn to be in charge of the mansion of the Marquis of Honor? Get out.”

“I don’t want to live anymore…” Lady Qiong shouted, “Let’s find someone to judge. You unfilial guy. How dare you…”

“Since you don’t want to live, how do you want to die?” Yang Ning interrupted without waiting for her to finish, “Do you want to hang yourself? Or cut your throat? Or jump off the building?” Yang Ning slowly said, “If you hang yourself, I will get the rope for you. If you cut your throat, I will get the knife for you. If you jump off the building, I will have someone find a ladder for you. What do you want to choose?”

Qi Yu kept clenching his fists, but at this time he finally said angrily, “Qi Ning, don’t go too far.”

“Go too far?” Yang Ning sneered, “During my absence here, I think you two must have done it better than me.” He raised his hand and pointed to the servants who were kneeling in the house, “What mistakes did they make? How could you have the right to ask them to kneel down? What’s your reason for the deduction? You said that some of them were cows and horses. It’s just because they are poor and want to make a living. They are persons, not cows or horses!” He turned around and said, “You all get up.”

Yang Ning’s words immediately made everyone cheerful. They only felt that the heir was unprecedentedly big and tall. When hearing his order, everyone got up and said, “Thank you!”

Lady Qiong was anxious and angry when she saw it. She said, “They are just servants and don’t know the rules. Don’t I even have the right to teach them?”

“No!” Yang Ning said directly, “Except for your son, you have no right to teach anyone or any horse in the mansion. His eyes were like a knife, and he said indifferently, “Are you clear?”