Chapter 182: Chapter 182: Zhao Ting: Sister-in-law? Where Did a Sister-in-law Come From?
Zhao Ting received a secret message from his subordinates, his expression unchanged, but inside he was a bit bewildered.
Though he had heard from Xiong Da that he had a younger brother in Qingzhou Prefecture, he had never actively sought the man out.
When he returned to the Heaven and Earth Sect, he was covered in injuries. Despite this, he was interrogated by the sect’s dedicated team for days, his wounds became infected, and he was on the brink of death before the sect’s protectors barely believed that he had escaped with difficulty. As for his wife and child, he could only plan for them later.
Being able to fool the people of the Heaven and Earth Sect didn’t mean he could fool Xiong Da’s brother.
But now that the message had been delivered, he had no choice but to go.
The problem was, Zhao Ting didn’t know where Xiong Er lived.
Zhao Ting thought for a moment; he could only try his luck.
He called for someone, "Bring over the person who took me to my brother’s house last time, I have something to discuss."
"Well, the person who took you down the mountain last time was someone from Protector Xu’s side, so..."
Xiong Da was originally the trusted confidant of one of the Right Protectors, Xu Yueming, but after this incident, it was Xu Yueming’s wife and daughter who got caught up in it, so Xu Yueming naturally held a grudge against Xiong Da.
Coincidentally, there were other protectors in the sect who were at odds with Xu Yueming, and since Xu Yueming had indeed given Zhao Ting a hard time on purpose,
thus, Zhao Ting took the opportunity to get close to other protectors, effectively breaking with Xu Yueming.
"Stop talking nonsense, just call the person as I instructed. I’ll take responsibility for anything," Zhao Ting said harshly.
After speaking, he cursed a couple more times, basically saying that he didn’t betray Protector Xu, and there were people who believed in him even if Protector Xu didn’t.
After all, he’s an elder in the sect, and not able to manage a simple errand?
The attendant didn’t dare say more and hurried to find someone.
Such actions did not escape the attention of Protector Xu’s side, and knowing someone was going down the mountain, they rather appeased by allowing them to leave easily.
"Take me to my brother’s house, and bring these things along," Zhao Ting said impatiently. "Remember, these things are what I earned. Every item is recorded in the sect; I’m taking them to my brother now. Don’t pull anything funny on me later!"
"If anyone tries to make an issue of these things later, don’t blame me for going to the Sect Hierarch to argue." Zhao Ting glared at the person sent by Protector Xu’s side, "Don’t think I don’t know what you’re all plotting. Go back and tell Protector Xu that I am also sorry about what happened to his wife and daughter, but if it weren’t for the Protector’s wrong judgment, we wouldn’t have taken such a big fall!"
"We wouldn’t do that!" The person from Protector Xu’s side said with a forced smile.
This is like gods fighting while little demons suffer.
Originally, Xiong Da was Protector Xu’s most capable confidant, who would have thought things would end up like this?
"Alright, bring the sedan chair over," Zhao Ting grumbled angrily, "Call some strong folks, I can’t put weight on this leg yet."
"Brother Xiong, don’t worry, we’ll make sure you aren’t jostled."
"You lead the way," Zhao Ting pointed to the sect member who had gone to Xiong Er’s house with Xiong Da before.
He usually had pretty good luck, and sure enough, someone actually knew where Xiong Da’s brother lived.
Deal with problems as they arise, and if necessary, subdue the people.
The sedan chair was carried steadily, through the dense forest, past a daoist temple, in from the back door of the temple, then out through the main gate, and down the stone steps of the mountain.
Then the group carried Zhao Ting toward Qingzhou Prefecture.
Indeed, the Heaven and Earth Sect was on a mountain ten miles from Qingzhou Prefecture, where there was a daoist temple which Zhao Ting now knew was under the control of the Heaven and Earth Sect.
If one went further inside the temple, they would reach the old nest of the Heaven and Earth Sect’s Qingzhou branch.
The dense forest was not randomly planted; it was arranged under the guidance of a master, with each tree planted in a specific location to form a formation.
Even those in the sect wouldn’t notice the world behind the dense forest.
As you can see, Heaven and Earth Sect includes people from all walks of life.
They carried Zhao Ting in the sedan chair to Xiong Er’s doorstep.
"Brother Xiong, we’re here. Do you want us to go in with you, or...?" The guide asked cautiously.
"What kind of nonsense is that?" Zhao Ting shot a fierce look.
"Alright, alright, got it. Just send word when you want to leave, and we’ll be right there." The sect members said hurriedly.
Zhao Ting waved them off, and those well-trained people withdrew.
Zhao Ting took a couple of steps forward with a cane, raising a hand to knock on the door.
A little bean-like creature peeked out of his sleeve.
Zhao Ting subtly pushed it back in, and it rubbed itself against his hand, Zhao Ting understood—that was someone familiar’s scent?
Who could it be?
The door opened, and Xiong Er’s face, with a seven-to eight-tenths resemblance to Xiong Da, appeared before Zhao Ting.
"Big brother, you’re here? What happened? Why are you using a cane?" Xiong Er exclaimed.
"Just a little accident, don’t ask," Zhao Ting said sternly.
Xiong Er went to support Xiong Da, muttering continuously, "Yes, yes, I won’t ask. Brother said so, I can’t ask about things you don’t tell. But you clearly seem seriously injured; I am your brother! Our parents are gone, it’s just us siblings; if something happens to you, it’ll just be me left."
"I can’t put weight on this leg, support me properly," Zhao Ting instructed. "And what do you mean you’ll be left alone—you have a wife. Just live well with her!"
Saying this invigorated Xiong Er. If he couldn’t ask about this or that while his brother is doing great things, fine, he won’t ask.
But about the wife, surely he could inquire?
Someone had already come looking for him!
"Big brother, you’ve lost quite a bit of weight?" Xiong Er observed, "You look much slimmer."
"Injured for quite a few days, was unconscious for a while, how could I not lose weight?" Zhao Ting replied calmly. "If it weren’t for you saying there was something urgent, did you think I would come?"
Being injured and unconscious for a few days, so the woman didn’t know?
So the woman wasn’t lying?
Xiong Er suddenly felt happy; if big brother also got married, their parents could rest in peace in the afterlife.
"Ah, so it turns out! It was purely a misunderstanding! Brother, it’s good to clear things up!" Xiong Er felt quite pleased, the only flaw was that the woman was previously married, while his brother was marrying for the first time.
However, since brother is willing, as a younger brother, he has no right to say much.
Zhao Ting was completely puzzled, what misunderstanding? Clear things up about what? With whom?
Could it be, Xiong Da and Xiong Er had a secret of their own?
Xiong Er’s wife heard the commotion and came out to meet them, seeing her brother-in-law looking pale and using a cane, she quickly expressed concern.
"It’s nothing serious," Zhao Ting said. "You have a weak body, just sit and rest, and take these things."
Xiong Er’s wife opened the bundle, seeing several vases, some jewelry, and a few ingots of silver.
"Big brother, these things..." Xiong Er’s wife held the items awkwardly.
Xiong Er snatched the bundle from his wife’s hands, "Big brother, these are your things, we can’t take them."
It used to be fine for brother to give things to them, but that was without a sister-in-law. Now that someone’s here, if they took the things and sister-in-law found out, wouldn’t she be displeased?
"Yeah, yeah, these should be for sister-in-law!" said Xiong Er’s wife.
Zhao Ting: Sister-in-law? Where’s the sister-in-law coming from?