Chapter 1116: Chapter 761: Rules_2
In the warehouse of the An Nan Marquis, a treasure was lost, and this treasure was not in his warehouse. There can be only one reason: someone under him had secretly kept these two treasures.
As for who it was, Yang Xiao already had an answer in his heart, as these two items were not something an ordinary person would dare to touch.
"Master, I have something to say, but I don’t know if I should say it." Seeing Yang Xiao fall silent, Ling Yanyu suddenly spoke.
"Go ahead, speak freely."
Ling Yanyu instinctively turned his head to glance at the door, then lowered his voice, "Master, Granny Jin has been dishonest on more than one occasion. We discovered it before, but lacking evidence, Ms. Han and I didn’t hold it against her. Now, she’s even daring enough to tamper with a task you’ve personally arranged. It’s truly insolent of her, defying principles. I suggest we punish her heavily."
"Now, with only our family left among the Four Major Families, if we deal with her harshly, it’s bound to feed gossip about us discarding people when they’ve outlived their usefulness." Yang Xiao naturally understood the stakes involved.
"And let her go again this time?" Granny Jin often ignored Ling Yanyu, not even being a mere envoy, due to her strength and seniority, which made Ling Yanyu quite resentful. He also hoped to find a chance to severely reprimand her.
"Master, even if we let her off this time, how do we explain it to the hotel?" Ling Yanyu raised an unavoidable question, as failing to deliver what the hotel wanted was paramount.
After a moment of contemplation, Yang Xiao made a decision, instructing Ling Yanyu to send someone to show the atlas given by the hotel to Granny Jin, and speak to her gently, asking her to investigate the envoys who accompanied her on the raid of An Nan Marquis’s residence.
"Tell her there’s no need to find out who it was, just retrieve the items." Yang Xiao advised.
"So we just let this matter slide?" Ling Yanyu knew that Yang Xiao usually treated his subordinates well, but indulgence would only make this group increasingly untamed, one day causing trouble.
"Apart from her dishonest hands and feet, did we confirm if Granny Jin had communicated with the other three families, selling them our information?" Yang Xiao inquired.
"No, not that." Although Ling Yanyu was dissatisfied with Granny Jin, he wasn’t one to fabricate lies and sling mud at her unjustly.
"How does she treat the brothers under her? Did she ever withhold benefits or act bossy?"
"This... no, she didn’t."
Yang Xiao nodded, leaning back in his chair, "So she’s a bit greedy, but not fundamentally bad, and she has a sense of loyalty towards me and the brothers."
"But..."
"Yanyu." Yang Xiao interrupted him, "A person should be tolerant. No one is perfect. When water is too clear, there are no fish. Why do you think these people joined us?"
Raising his hand, Yang Xiao pointed to the Resentful Eyes Atlas on the table, "If it weren’t for these things, for power, and for having a backing in Xiang Ma Town, would they have joined us?"
"Yanyu, you are different from them. Whether they understand this truth doesn’t matter, but you must understand it."
"As a competent leader, you need to know what the brothers under you want, what they’re thinking. I can tell you very clearly, the majority of these people aren’t necessarily loyal. The reason they’re willing to serve me is because I’m currently the best patron they can rely on."
"Do you believe, if it wasn’t Marquis Zhenbei who died last night but me, these people would have scattered long ago, taking all sorts of treasures and intelligence to join the other three families."
"Rather than saying they are loyal to me, it’s better to say they need me, they fear me, they fear me more than they respect me. What truly attracts them is my position as Pingxi Marquis, my powerful strength as an envoy."
"Talking about loyalty with them is too far-fetched. We need to attract them with benefits, let them know that by following us, they can get a foothold in town. Eat meat in large bites, drink wine in big bowls, share gold and silver by weight. As long as I have a bite to eat, I won’t forget them."
"However, what you said today is also right. With these desperadoes who live for today without knowing tomorrow, we need to set rules, set bottom lines. In my eyes, the bottom line is never negotiable. Whoever breaks the rules must be punished."
"Spread my order, tonight we hold a celebration banquet. All envoys must attend." Yang Xiao stood up, his eyes cold, "It’s time to set some rules for this group."
By evening, Ling Yanyu reported that the two missing Resentful Eyes were found. According to Granny Jin, they were left behind in a room by one of her envoys.
Yang Xiao smiled lightly at this. An envoy could forget anything but not the Resentful Eyes.
From the beginning, when Ling Yanyu pointed out the missing Resentful Eyes, Yang Xiao had actually already concluded that Granny Jin had hidden them, as those Resentful Eyes were perfectly suited for her.
The black robe either enhanced defense or had a similar effect to temporary invisibility, while the shoes were mostly related to movement speed. These two Magic Artifacts perfectly compensated for Granny Jin’s weaknesses.
Although Granny Jin was strong, she was aging. Once caught in a stalemate, her stamina, defense, and movement would all be inferior to envoys of the same grade.
As night fell, the courtyard was filled with a festive atmosphere. Yang Xiao sat at the head of the first table, with two other tables below, laden with wine and food.
Having plundered the houses of Marquis Zhengdong and An Nan Marquis, everyone was in high spirits, feeling that good days were ahead.
Few were qualified to sit at the same table with Yang Xiao, only five, with Tong Han and Ling Yanyu sitting on the left and right. Besides them, there were Granny Jin and another elder with top-tier Fierce Grade strength, named Tang Jinchuan. The envoys in town were accustomed to calling him Elder Tang. His strength was on par with Granny Jin, making him one of the town’s seasoned powerhouses.
According to rumors, this person had an unknown past with Granny Jin in their younger days, and it was due to Granny Jin’s invitation that he agreed to join their group.
The last of the five was a young woman. Although she was only at the Grudge Level of envoy strength, her position within the faction was not low.
"Xiao Yun, is the food to your liking today?" Yang Xiao picked up a napkin, wiped his mouth, and asked with a smile.
Guardian Yun, feeling a mix of fear and reverence, nodded like a pecking chick, "It’s delicious, all very good, thank you Marquis for your care."
"If it’s delicious, eat more. It seems like you’ve lost weight in just a few days we haven’t met." Yang Xiao said with a smile.
Displaying amiability in front of subordinates is also a key step in quickly shaping an image. Guardian Yun is a good example. Her strength might not be strong, but she is one of the senior members among the envoys, being one of the first to be recruited by Yang Xiao.
Treating old subordinates well also helps instill confidence in the new brothers. No matter the level of strength, being loyal in doing things can lead to a promising future.
Possibly due to being deprived of two Magic Artifacts, Granny Jin appeared slightly uneasy tonight, with a trace of fear in her eyes, drinking very little, and almost not daring to make eye contact with Yang Xiao.
As the drinks flowed and dishes were savored, the atmosphere could not have been better. Seeing the moment was right, Yang Xiao raised his glass, sharing heartfelt words Nalan Shuo once said at a banquet, moving many of the brothers below to tears.
Of course, whether they were truly moved or just pretending was unknown, but Yang Xiao didn’t care.
After saying what needed to be said, Yang Xiao shifted the conversation, seizing the moment when everyone was caught off guard, and ordered someone to bring a person forward.
Soon, a man, pale and plump, bound hand and foot, was escorted up. With a face full of fear, as soon as the rag was pulled from his mouth, he immediately cried and begged for mercy. His pitiful cries quickly shattered the previously joyous atmosphere.
"Qian Xiu, you traitor, secretly colluding with Marquis Zhenbei to harm us, you truly deserve to die!" Ling Yanyu aptly stood up, cursing Qian Xiu.
"Today, with all my brothers present, I remember saying once, as long as you enter my door, you must abide by two rules. Granny Jin, please help repeat what I said back then." Yang Xiao expelled a breath of wine, suddenly turning his head to look at Granny Jin.
Being suddenly called upon by Yang Xiao, Granny Jin looked up abruptly, her eyes filled with terror.
