Protect Our Patriarch

From a distance, Huangfu Jinhuan saw everything that had transpired, his eyes darkening a few shades.

With a disdainful snort, he sat down at his seat, his eyes half-closed as if he was contemplating something.

Suddenly.

The hearty laughter of Leiyang Yu came from the side: "Brother Jinhuan, you look quite well~"

"Hmph!" Huangfu Jinhuan opened his eyes, his face gloomy, "Leiyang Yu, what are you trying to say?"

"Sorry, I was just curious." Leiyang Yu chuckled, "Your family branch has caused such a big trouble, are you here today to bid for the assets of the former Huangfu's Clan?"

Huangfu Jinhuan's eyelids twitched twice, and he replied with a cold laugh: "Leiyang Yu, what does our Huangfu's Clan affairs have to do with you? Do you think I would just stand by and watch the assets of our branch fall into the hands of others?"

"Hahaha~" Leiyang Yu burst into laughter, "I just heard a huge joke. Your Celestial Huangfu's Clan has already ruined the former Huangfu's Clan, not only making them take the blame but also killing witnesses to protect yourselves, and now you want to swallow their assets. What a strategy, truly a great strategy!"

Leiyang Yu's voice was loud, and even the surrounding crowd heard it. Everyone's faces revealed a standard expression of enjoying the drama, and whispers began to circulate.

The heads of the eighth and ninth rank clans, however, had more complex expressions.

As clans, their information channels were far beyond those of the common people and individual cultivators.

Everyone knew that the Celestial Huangfu's Clan and the former Huangfu's Clan were so close that they were almost inseparable, and the latter had always looked up to the former.

The former Huangfu's Clan colluded with the Yinsha Sect to betray the country, how could the Celestial Huangfu's Clan possibly be innocent and completely unaware?

Moreover, the news of the banquet that night had already spread. After the plot was exposed, the venerable Huaye even killed the most important witness, Huangfu Deyun.

Even a fool could see that it was a cover-up.

It's just that the Celestial Huangfu's Clan was cautious and left no concrete evidence. But in the eyes of all the clans, the Celestial Huangfu's Clan was definitely involved in the matter with the Yinsha Sect.

It's possible that the Celestial Huangfu's Clan was the one who colluded with the Yinsha Sect, and the former Huangfu's Clan was just scapegoated.

Everyone just didn't say it in public, but there had been discussions in private.

They were all chilled by the actions of the Huangfu's Clan, feeling quite disgusted. At least they wanted to keep their distance from the Huangfu's Clan and didn't want to have any involvement.

Because you never know when the Celestial Huangfu's Clan might betray you for some reason.

Now that Leiyang Yu had lifted the lid on this, it naturally stirred up waves in everyone's hearts. On one hand, they felt it was unfair for the former Huangfu's Clan, on the other hand, there was a sense of sorrow for the misfortune of others.

However, although they understood the situation, the eighth and ninth rank clans, due to their dignity and taboos, remained silent at their seats, drinking tea and eating snacks as if they hadn't heard Leiyang Yu's words.

But the common people and individual cultivators had no such concerns.

A large number of so-called insiders suddenly appeared, vividly recounting the events of that day.

The Celestial Huangfu's Clan secretly colluded with the Yinsha Sect to betray the country, but let the former Huangfu's Clan take the blame and cleaned themselves up... A series of events were described by them in a thrilling and detailed manner, as if they had witnessed it with their own eyes.

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It turns out that the former Huangfu's Clan was just a scapegoat, and the real mastermind behind the scenes, the Celestial Huangfu's Clan, not only got away with it, but also planned to seize and swallow the assets of the former Huangfu's Clan!

The spectators were immediately outraged after hearing this.

Of course, there were also those who were purely enjoying the drama, because the news was too stimulating, they also joined in the chaos and started spreading it.

In short, the rumors spread like a plague.

As for evidence, only the Daqian government needs to talk about evidence. The common people are just happily enjoying the drama, as long as it's exciting, who needs evidence?

For a moment, Leiyang Yu's words stirred up a thousand waves, directly causing a commotion in more than half of the square.

Huangfu Jinhuan sat in the main seat, his face extremely ugly. Under the gaze and scrutiny of so many people, he felt as if he was in a furnace, restless.

This move was too ruthless, as if it hit the Huangfu's Clan's Achilles heel. Thinking back to Leiyang Yu's whispering with Wang Shouzhe just now, how could Huangfu Jinhuan not realize that Wang Shouzhe was the one giving advice behind the scenes?

Immediately, Huangfu Jinhuan's gaze fixed on Wang Shouzhe like a blade.

And Wang Shouzhe also looked back from afar, giving Huangfu Jinhuan a salute and a toothy smile.

As if to tell him: Yes, I'm the one who gave the advice, what can you do about it?

Huangfu Jinhuan was so angry that he almost vomited blood, a hint of hatred flashed in his gloomy eyes.

Fortunately, at this time, the city lord Xiahou Hongde arrived with his personal guards.

He walked with the stride of a dragon and the stance of a tiger, his face stern, his tiger-like eyes scanning the surroundings, and the scene immediately fell silent.

Even the bustling crowd of common people and individual cultivators became silent.

"Everyone is here, let's start the auction."

Xiahou Hongde was actually in a good mood. Although the former Huangfu's Clan had such a scandal, as the city lord, he not only personally handled the case but also wiped out a group of evil people from the Yinsha Sect, which could be considered a merit.

He always handled things swiftly and decisively, disliking unnecessary formalities.

Immediately, an official came forward with a purple sandalwood tray, piled with a stack of thick papers, including property deeds and contracts for servants and slaves.

The official stepped forward and announced loudly: "The auction of the former Ma Town's assets officially begins. The first lot, a main house covering three hundred acres, estimated price forty thousand Top Gold."

"The second lot, Tianhong Ranch, with eight hundred farming households, thirty thousand acres of pasture, over five thousand cattle, thirty thousand sheep, a thousand horses, eighty acres of lower-grade spiritual fields, and ten spiritual horned yaks. Total estimated price, one hundred and seventy thousand Top Gold."

"The third auction item, the former Ma Farm, has five hundred tenant farmers, twenty thousand acres of bean fields, seventy acres of inferior spiritual fields, and countless livestock. The total estimated price is eighty thousand Top Gold."

"The fourth auction item, the prosperous pasture, has five hundred pastoral farmers, forty thousand acres of pasture, one hundred acres of inferior spiritual fields, and countless livestock. The total estimated price is ninety thousand Top Gold."

Subsequently, there were some small estates that produced food crops, houses and shops in the Changning Guard City, all of which were long-term fixed assets.

The main industry of the former Ma Huangfu's Clan was those four large farms, with a total estimated value of several hundred thousand.

If you want to take all the assets of the former Ma Huangfu's Clan, including the main house, I'm afraid it will cost at least several hundred thousand Top Gold.

This is just their fixed assets. Some liquid funds, easily movable property resources, or antiques and famous paintings, etc., are estimated to have been confiscated long ago.

After all, they are an eighth-rank noble family, and their foundation is still very solid.

At the same time, Wang Shouzhe also heard something strange from the report. The three giant pastures and farms of the former Ma, most of the output is the materials needed for the pasture and breeding farms, and the number of cattle and sheep raised by the former Ma Huangfu's Clan is not particularly large.

It is very obvious that most of the output in the pasture has been supplied to the Huangfu's Clan.

This simple industrial chain is common among noble families. The silk farm of the Wang's Clan has always been providing raw silk materials for the Changning Xu's Clan. It is normal for the former Ma Huangfu's Clan to undertake feed cultivation, and it is not exploitative.

But what if these feed production bases fall into the hands of outsiders or enemies? Then the Huangfu's Clan will be uncomfortable. For a while, they will find it difficult to find alternatives.

Wang Shouzhe had already grasped this information, and naturally came prepared today, ready to wrestle with the Huangfu's Clan.

"The auction officially begins." The official sang loudly, "The first auction item is..."

"Wait!"

Wang Shouzhe raised his hand and interrupted directly, "Sir, I have a suggestion."

The official's expression stagnated, seeming a bit displeased. But when he saw that it was Wang Shouzhe, the head of the eighth-rank chief family, who interrupted him, he put on a kind smile and said, "It turns out to be the head of the Wang's Clan, may I ask what suggestion the head of Shouzhe has?"

If it were the head of a ninth-rank noble family, he would have scolded him long ago. Even if it was an ordinary eighth-rank noble family, he would not be so pleasant.

But the Wang's Clan not only sat on the top of the eighth rank, but also had an unstoppable momentum, even daring to confront the Huangfu's Clan. Such a character, he can't afford to offend.

"Everyone's time is very precious, and it's a waste of time to auction one by one." Wang Shouzhe suggested with a salute, "Why not auction in a package, and the highest bidder wins."

Package auction?

The official was taken aback. The former Ma Huangfu's Clan was a prestigious eighth-rank, and the total number of clan properties was very large. Even after a discount, the total package price would be 540,000!

This is an astronomical figure.

540,000!

Even if you buy a sixth-rank "Ascension Pill", it is more than enough, and there is still a lot of surplus.

You know, the "Ascension Pill" is a treasure pill used by the peak cultivators in the late stage of the Spiritual Platform Realm to assist in breaking through to the Heavenly Man Realm. It is not only rare but also extremely expensive.

How many Spiritual Platform Realm cultivators dream of an Ascension Pill in their lifetime. But in fact, most of the Spiritual Platform Realm cultivators in this world will not even have the chance to smell it before they die.

From this, it can be seen.

How much weight is 540,000 Top Gold. Most of the Heavenly Man Clans can't come up with so much cash at once.

"This..." The official dared not make a decision, and immediately looked at the city guard Xiahou Hongde, "City guard, what do you think?"

Xiahou Hongde was also looking sideways, looking up and down at Wang Shouzhe from a distance. This kid's ability and ambition far exceeded his imagination.

He actually wants to swallow all the fixed assets of the former Ma Huangfu's Clan in one go?

"City Guard Xiahou." Huangfu Jinhuan quickly stood up and said, "This is not in compliance, it is still more reasonable to follow the original rules and auction one by one."

This disaster came too hastily, even if he wanted to take all the assets of the former Ma Huangfu's Clan, he was powerless. He worked hard to borrow from multiple places, but he hurriedly raised 400,000 Top Gold, preparing to take down the three most important pastures, at least two of them.

If it is a package auction, the money he prepared is far from enough.

"Rules?" Wang Shouzhe laughed lightly, "Clan Leader Jinhuan really knows how to joke, which law in the Daqian law states that when auctioning the property of a criminal, it must be auctioned one by one?"

"That's right, Clan Leader Shouzhe is right, everyone's time is very precious." Lei Yangyu of the Lei's Clan echoed, "What must be auctioned one by one, haha~ why don't you auction one cow at a time. If you can't afford to auction, just sit aside and watch the excitement."

"Lei Yangyu!" Huangfu Jinhuan shouted angrily, "You and I are both heads of the Heavenly Man Clan, do you really want to oppose me?"

"Oh my, you are so domineering, it scares me." Lei Yangyu laughed in a strange yin and yang tone, "Could it be that our Changning Guard is your Huangfu's Clan's world? Our Heavenly Man Lei's Clan doesn't even have the right to speak fair words?"

This Lei Yangyu is obviously not afraid of making things big, especially now when it is the time when the Huangfu's Clan is in trouble, if not take the opportunity to beat the dog in the water, then when?

The heads of the two Heavenly Man Clans clashed.

Naturally, it made the onlookers excited and excited.

"Everyone, shut up." Xiahou Hongde felt a headache. This matter was obviously prepared by Wang Shouzhe, trying to catch the Huangfu's Clan off guard. He didn't know whether he really wanted to take all the assets of the former Ma Huangfu's Clan, or just wanted to raise the price and purely disgust Huangfu Jinhuan?

What is this kid planning? Could it be that he really wants to tear his face with the Huangfu's Clan?

However, Xiahou Hongde owed Wang Shouzhe a favor after all. As the saying goes, he is soft when he takes someone's hand. Under the circumstances of legality and compliance, he naturally has to favor him.Immediately, Xiahou Hongde said somewhat "impatiently", "Daqian has no rules on how to auction, and it just so happens that I, the city lord, have important matters to attend to later, so let's auction it all in one go."

As he finished speaking, a ridiculous thought arose in Xiahou Hongde's heart. Wang Shouzhe had done him a big favor a few days ago, could he have calculated today's auction in advance?

If so, this kid's scheming is a bit deep. No wonder, the Huangfu's Clan of the Celestials fell so hard in his hands. I'm afraid, they will fall again today.

With Xiahou Hongde speaking up.

This matter was naturally settled.

The official respectfully took the order, and then announced, "The auction officially begins, all assets of the former Huangfu's Clan are auctioned in one go, with a starting price of 540,000 Top Gold."

"540,000." Wang Shouzhe raised his hand.

"You..." Huangfu Jinhuan almost spat out a mouthful of blood, his murderous gaze fixed on Wang Shouzhe, "Wang Shouzhe, do you really want to oppose our Huangfu's Clan?"

"Hehe~ What the head of the Yangyu family said is correct." Wang Shouzhe said indifferently, "You Huangfu's Clan really think that Changningwei is your own world, it's just a normal auction bidding, can't afford it and still threatening? I'm really scared."

He and Lei Yangyu had the same plan, which was to take advantage of the Huangfu family's current predicament and throw a few stones down when the opportunity arises. Although it won't kill them, it can make the reputation and prestige of the Huangfu's Clan of the Celestials plummet.

As the onlookers laughed unabashedly, the eyes of the heads of the eighth and ninth rank families on the stage also showed contempt and ridicule.

This prestigious Huangfu's Clan of the Celestials, is so useless, not only preparing to swallow the wealth of the branch, but also can't win an auction against an eighth rank family.

The wind in Changningwei seems to have changed a bit.

Everyone looked at Wang Shouzhe, feeling as if they were looking at a rising star.

The auction official, obviously also a person who knows how to guess people's thoughts. From the city lord Xiahou's agreement to Wang Shouzhe's suggestion, it is clear that the city lord is leaning towards the Wang's Clan.

Immediately, his face also slightly darkened and said, "Master Huangfu, this is a serious auction. If you want to bid, bid, if not, give up. I warn you, don't randomly bid. If you can't afford it within three days, our city lord's patrol camp is not vegetarian."

"550,000!" Huangfu Jinhuan shouted a price with a cold face, with such a gap of 150,000, he could think of a way to make it up within three days.

"Petty." Wang Shouzhe shook his head, "600,000."

"You..." Huangfu Jinhuan shouted angrily, "Wang Shouzhe, do you really want to take those ranches? Your Wang's Clan doesn't raise livestock, what use is a ranch?"

"I don't care, I'm just joining in the fun." Wang Shouzhe said with a smile, "Just bid a few times casually, if Master Huangfu bids high, I will withdraw, just as a contribution to the Changningwei's common fund. If the master can't afford it, I will take it as an investment, and after operating it for a few years, I will find an opportunity to slowly sell it without losing. Master, you can continue..."

Continue, continue your soul.

Huangfu Jinhuan wanted to curse directly, 600,000? How many celestial families can afford 600,000 at once?

"Fine, fine, fine!"

Huangfu Jinhuan's face turned red and white, "Wang Shouzhe, you are ruthless, let's wait and see."

"City Lord." Wang Shouzhe saluted Xiahou Hongde, "I report the Huangfu's Clan, they are threatening me. If something happens to me recently, it must be the Huangfu's Clan's doing. Based on the threat, I apply to the city lord to deploy a patrol camp to protect me."

"Huangfu Jinhuan, give me some peace, don't provoke me." Xiahou Hongde was extremely dissatisfied with the Huangfu's Clan recently. If it weren't for Wang Shouzhe and the others killing the people of the Yinsha Sect, perhaps, a big event would happen before his transfer.

"City Lord Xiahou, I was just a little angry because I failed in the bidding." Huangfu Jinhuan saluted, "Our Huangfu's Clan is a law-abiding family, and we will never violate the laws of Daqian."

"And you, Master Shouzhe." Xiahou Hongde glared, "The patrol camp of my city lord's mansion has the duty to protect the city and the people, and cannot be your personal bodyguard."

After a pause, he frowned and took out an object, "This is a Cloud Piercing Cannon, a military distress signal. As long as you are not more than a hundred miles away from the city lord's mansion, the city lord's mansion can receive the distress signal. It can only be used once, don't mess around."

What a pleasant surprise.

Wang Shouzhe was just casually slandering Huangfu Jinhuan, he actually knew that the Huangfu family was preparing a big move, and they would definitely not send Ancestor Huaye to assassinate him directly.

However, after casually taking over the fixed assets of the former Huangfu's Clan, and getting the distress signal treasure Cloud Piercing Cannon, he was naturally even more happy.

It's just a pity that Huangfu Jinhuan could never dream of how useful those ranches would be if they fell into his hands, Wang Shouzhe. If he knew, he would probably break his arms and legs to win the bid.

......