Volume Two: Inheriting the Legacy, Brocade Robes Stained with Blood Chapter 119: Returning to Its Rightful Master

The Third Great-Uncle seemed caught off guard by Yang Ning’s resolve. He froze, and a deathly silence fell over the hall; everyone present was stunned.

After a long moment, the Third Great-Uncle’s mouth twitched. "Do you truly have the authority to make such a decision?" he sneered. "I advise you to consult the Grand Matriarch first."

"No need to ask," a voice echoed from outside. The crowd, having been focused entirely on Yang Ning, turned their heads in unison toward the entrance.

A graceful Gu Qinghan appeared, supporting a figure entering the hall. The person was short with a severe hunchback and a head of white hair, appearing at first glance like a dwarf. Yet, the moment the crowd saw her, every expression shifted to one of reverence. Those standing immediately straightened their postures, and the elder family members seated in chairs rose to their feet.

The Grand Matriarch of the Jinyi Marquis Estate had come out in person.

Seeing the Grand Matriarch, who seemed to have shrunk into a ball, Yang Ning felt an inexplicable chill crawl down his spine. After a moment of hesitation, he stepped forward and bowed respectfully. "Grandmother!"

The Grand Matriarch merely nodded slightly. Blind and unable to see, she allowed Gu Qinghan to guide her to the seat of honor, where she turned and sat down. Her frail and diminutive frame looked utterly out of place, even comical, in that chair, yet everyone present regarded her with profound awe.

"Grand Matriarch..." The Third Great-Uncle, previously so overbearing, now spoke with a remarkably softened tone. "This child, Qi Ning, is becoming increasingly unruly. I had only said a few words, and look at him... Sigh, Grand Matriarch, he is even clamoring to sever his ties with the Qi clan!"

Many in the hall, who had been feeling anxious, breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing the Third Great-Uncle’s change in tone. They thought that if the Heir of the Jinyi Marquis were truly expelled from the clan, the Qi family would lose its greatest pillar of support—a dire prospect for everyone involved. Though the Heir was young and perhaps arrogant, the title of Jinyi Marquis was a prestigious imperial honor, a golden signet for the Qi family that made their affairs much easier to manage. Losing it would surely damage everyone’s interests. However, as the head of the clan, the Third Great-Uncle held immense power, and no one dared to offend him for Yang Ning’s sake.

With the Grand Matriarch’s appearance, a turning point seemed to have arrived, and many looked on with renewed hope.

The Grand Matriarch lifted her head slightly and finally spoke: "Since Jing’er passed away, Qi Ning has been the Heir of the Jinyi Marquis. I am but a useless old woman, with no energy left to oversee the affairs of the estate. I have come out today only to tell everyone that from this day forward, all matters concerning the Marquis Estate shall be decided by Qi Ning. His decisions are the decisions of the estate."

The crowd, filled with expectation, was stunned by her words. Yang Ning, who had feared that the old woman’s sudden appearance would ruin everything, was greatly surprised to find her shielding him in front of everyone.

"I am already aware of the matter regarding the expulsion of Qi Yu. Since it is Qi Ning’s decision, Qi Yu shall leave the estate tonight," she said, her voice aged and slow, yet carrying an unquestionable authority. "Since the Qi clan wishes to expel Qi Ning, then from now on, there shall be no further ties between you."

The Third Great-Uncle’s expression shifted, and he gasped, "Grand Matriarch...!"

The Grand Matriarch continued slowly, "What happened today is the Qi clan abandoning Qi Ning, not Qi Ning severing ties with the clan. You are all here and know the cause of this; let every man weigh the right and wrong of it in his own heart."

Qi Yu rushed forward and knelt on the ground. "Grandmother, Qi Ning is your grandson, but am I not?"

The Grand Matriarch reached out with a withered hand and gestured. Qi Yu crawled closer on his knees. Never imagining he would truly be cast out of the estate, he was filled with both rage and fear, hoping the Grand Matriarch would intervene to keep him.

She gently stroked Qi Yu’s face with her shriveled hand and whispered, "I am an old woman, and I cannot oppose your brother’s decision. You must remember: he is the Heir of the Jinyi Marquis, and he shall inherit the mantle. You have done wrong, and there must be consequences. He has cast you out today; if you can reform yourself in the future, it is not impossible for you to return to this house. Everything depends on your own efforts. Do you understand?"

Tears streamed down Qi Yu’s face; he clenched his fists and trembled uncontrollably.

The Grand Matriarch patted his cheek lightly, rose to her feet, and said, "Qinghan, help me back to the Buddhist hall."

Gu Qinghan hastily supported her, and under the watchful eyes of all, the Grand Matriarch soon disappeared from sight.

After a long silence in the hall, Yang Ning surveyed the room. "Does anyone else have business here? From now on, we shall go our separate ways. I will no longer burden you, and naturally, if you have any troubles, the doors of the Jinyi Marquis Estate will be closed to you as well."

The Third Great-Uncle, face flushed with fury, flicked his sleeves and turned to leave. Seeing this, Qi Yu rushed up to grab his sleeve, crying out in panic, "Third Great-Uncle, are you... are you going to do nothing?"

"Qi Ning is no longer a member of the Qi family; I have no power over him," the Third Great-Uncle said bitterly. "Everyone, let us go. Since we are no longer welcome, we shall never cross paths again." He glared at Yang Ning. "You better watch yourself, boy, and pray you do not bring ruin upon the Jinyi Marquis Estate."

Some shook their heads or sighed as they followed him out. Just as the Third Great-Uncle was about to leave, Yang Ning said coldly, "Don't be in such a hurry, Third Great-Uncle. It seems you have forgotten something."

The Third Great-Uncle frowned and turned back. "What is it?"

"The money," Yang Ning repeated. "The tax revenue!"

The Third Great-Uncle’s body shook. Yang Ning continued calmly, "Since we are no longer related, the tax revenue of the Marquis Estate can no longer be kept at your home. Shall I send men to collect it, or will you send it over yourselves? I intend to audit the accounts carefully; if even a single copper is missing, it will not do."

The Sixth Master of the Qi family sneered from the side, "If we hand the tax revenue to you, wouldn't you squander it all? It was precisely because we feared your recklessness that we kept it there."

"How the Marquis Estate manages its own tax revenue is our business, not for outsiders to meddle in," Yang Ning replied with a smile. "As far as I know, your Third Branch has been receiving the taxes from five hundred households annually. From this day forward, that will, of course, cease."

"How dare you!" The Third Great-Uncle’s face darkened. "This was a rule set by the Old Marquis. Not even your father had the authority to rescind it, let alone you."

Many had already left, but a few remained in the room, lingering to watch the spectacle. Hearing that Yang Ning intended to reclaim the Third Branch’s tax revenue, some even looked on with schadenfreude.

The Qi clan had several dozen households of direct and collateral lines in the capital, most of which relied on the prestige of the Jinyi Marquis to conduct their affairs. The Marquis Estate itself was frugal, and most of these relatives received little direct benefit, save for the Third Branch, which had been granted the taxes of five hundred households during the Old Marquis’s lifetime—primarily because the branch was large and had high expenses in the capital. While they were all of one clan, the other branches were inevitably jealous of this privilege, and many felt a sense of satisfaction seeing Yang Ning move to reclaim it.

Yang Ning said, "When the Old Marquis granted your Third Branch those five hundred households, he could not have known that one day you would expel me from the clan. Since I am no longer a part of your Qi clan, there is no reason for me to continue providing for your livelihood. Do not forget: these three thousand households of the fiefdom were granted to the Jinyi Marquis Estate. The tax revenue belongs to the estate to manage. My grandmother just stated that I am now the master of the estate, and that revenue shall be under my control. It is only right that I reclaim those five hundred households."

To have five hundred households’ worth of taxes taken away was like having a knife carving at their hearts. Qi Song, the Sixth Master, could not bear it and roared, "Qi Ning, we may not be able to control your recklessness, but if you try to snatch what is ours, we will fight you to the death!"

"Have you no shame?" Yang Ning sneered. "What is yours? When did the Marquis Estate’s tax revenue become your property?" He sat down on a chair and continued, "The fiefdom was granted by the Imperial Court. If there are those who wish to forcibly seize the fief’s revenue, I wonder what the Court would decide? You hold no official titles, you are but commoners, yet you dare to bully the Jinyi Marquis Estate? The Court will naturally see justice served."

The Third Great-Uncle’s face turned deathly pale. He struggled to catch his breath before saying, "Qi Ning, are you truly going to burn every bridge?"

"Burn every bridge?" Yang Ning’s expression turned icy. "I call you 'Third Great-Uncle' one last time. Who is it that has truly burned the bridges? Have you seen Qiu Yi? Do you know where he is now? I will tell you: he is locked in the woodshed. And what of Zhao Yuan from Jiangling and that fake Qi Cheng? Do you recognize them? Oh, and the Zhongling Villa—I was nearly assassinated there. Why would the assassins be so familiar with the villa? What kind of scheme is behind all of this?"

His gaze, sharp as a blade, fixed upon the Third Great-Uncle’s eyes.

The Third Great-Uncle’s body convulsed. He opened his mouth, but only incoherent gasps came out. His jaw locked, and he collapsed backward. Fortunately, Qi Song reacted quickly, catching him. Seeing the Third Great-Uncle’s eyes rolling back, Qi Song shrieked, "Father! Father, what is wrong with you?" He yelled, "Someone, help me take my father to a doctor! Father, don't scare me like this...!"

Several people rushed over, clumsily lifting the Third Great-Uncle and hurrying away. The others, realizing there was nothing left to gain, followed suit. In a matter of moments, the main hall was empty and silent.

Having vented the frustration that had been building for days, Yang Ning felt an indescribable sense of relief. Turning to find Qi Yu gone, he knew the boy had taken advantage of the chaos to flee. "Qi Feng!" he called out.

Qi Feng, who had been nearby, trotted over with a grin. "Young Master, I am here." He gave a thumbs-up. "Young Master, that was truly satisfying! They have always been meddling in the estate’s affairs, trying to take advantage of us. Now, taking back those five hundred households...!" He laughed heartily, feeling equally gratified.

"Two things," Yang Ning commanded. "First, by midnight, drive that mother and son out of the estate. Second, gather the men. Tomorrow at dawn, we go to collect the tax revenue. Remember, this time, it is the tax revenue for three thousand households!"