Chapter 586 — The Zhao Family Head
The Blossom Guardian · Page 2 of 3
Such ventures existed only to earn a little money for the clan. The material needs of these families were not great, and with the wealth accumulated over generations, they could live on comfortably even without running companies on the outside.
Running those companies abroad was simply a way of avoiding the fate of eating through one's mountain of stored grain—using the profits earned to maintain the household, while leaving the ancestral foundations untouched wherever possible. Only thus could a family remain prosperous across the generations.
Above all, the several great hidden clans had long ago reached an understanding among themselves not to involve themselves lightly in the affairs of the mundane world. Otherwise, if all the martial experts of the world poured into that realm, the rules would be thrown into chaos—if they all came out, how would the other great families survive?
Besides, what they sought was the highest pinnacle of martial arts; their desires were for the summit and for eternal life. The glittering world outside held little interest for them.
"Father, Xiaobing has had both his legs crippled, and Mr. Zhu has been gravely wounded..." With such a calamity befalling the family, Zhao Guangyin naturally had to report it to the old master.
"Oh?" Old master Zhao's gaze sharpened. "Little Zhu is an expert of the early Mystic rank, is he not? How could he be beaten so badly? In the mundane world, apart from the Yu family's branch, whose house still has such an expert?"
Old master Zhao's words woke Zhao Guangyin as if from a dream. It struck him all at once—was not his wife's natal family the Yu family? Could it be that she had learned of his illegitimate son and hired someone to deal with Zhao Qibing?
At that thought, Zhao Guangyin's expression changed, and he grew somewhat tense. "Could it be the Yu family? Has Yu Xiaojin learned about Xiaobing?"
Yu Xiaojin was Zhao Guangyin's wife, a daughter of the Yu family—the youngest daughter, doted on by Old Master Yu. If it was Yu Xiaojin who had made the move, then it was indeed quite possible!
"Xiaojin has known about Xiaobing for a long time. The reason she never made a scene with you is that she is a woman of principle. So long as you did not bring Zhao Qibing home, she would turn a blind eye. As for hiring someone to deal with Xiaobing—that is impossible," Old master Zhao said. "Unless Xiaobing threatened her son's standing—that is, your youngest son."
"So it was not the Yu family after all?" Zhao Guangyin was taken aback. He had not expected his wife to have known about Zhao Qibing's affair long ago, while he himself had assumed she was ignorant of it. At that thought he could not help but smile bitterly. The women of the Yu family were truly no simple matter.
It had plainly been a marriage of convenience, yet all these years she had remained gentle and refined, cultured and sensible, tending to his daily needs without fail. It was hard to imagine that she had once been the cherished young mistress of the Yu family.
"I did not say that. Old man Yu is not one to swallow a loss, and Xiao Jin is his favorite. It is quite possible that he sent men after Xiaobing on Xiao Jin's account." The old master Zhao shook his head. "Do not place too much hope in that boy Xiaobing. I am not optimistic about him; he is nothing but a spoiled young master. Of course, the Zhao family is not to be bullied at will either. I have heard this matter now. Spread the word and put out a wanted notice for this man among the various hidden families. If some other family speaks up, we will take that into consideration. If no one speaks, then it means this man does not come from any hidden family!"