Transmigrated Genius: Fragile Heiress Reigns Supreme-Chapter 696 - 697: Eerie (1)

"Fourth Brother."

Xiao Yancheng held a cup of tea, his expression languid and leisurely. He took a sip of tea, set the cup down, and naturally dusted off the empty sleeve of his left arm. He stood up with one hand behind his back and locked eyes with Fourth Master Xiao across the hall. He chuckled lightly, "You’re not sitting, which makes me seem like an inhospitable host!"

Fourth Master Xiao didn’t glance at him, swung his robe, and sat down on a chair to the side, replying coldly, "Here, it’s not your place to call the shots!"

"Oh, really." Xiao Yancheng walked over, stopped in front of Fourth Master Xiao, and bent slightly as if speaking to a child, looking down at Fourth Master Xiao, raising an eyebrow playfully, "Without realizing it, Fourth Brother has indeed grown up and matured quite a bit!"

Fourth Master Xiao’s eyes, sharp as arrows, lifted to look at Xiao Yancheng, his gaze cold as ice, "Spare the words, state your purpose directly!"

Xiao Yancheng sighed softly, straightened up, exchanged a glance with Third Madam, and teased, "Fourth Brother is still Fourth Brother, never wasting words in public."

Third Madam giggled, her fiery short skirt conspicuously enchanting. She covered her face and looked at Fourth Master Xiao, asking, "Never waste words in public, what about in private?" She paused and looked curious again, "I wonder what it’s like when with Fourth Sister-in-law, could it be just as hard to get along with? Tsk tsk... Fourth Sister-in-law, such a beautiful blossom. I wonder how she can endure Fourth Brother’s temperament, truly a pity."

Her tone was mocking, pausing then looking as if she suddenly realized something, "Oh right, I remember now, Fourth Sister-in-law must not endure it, now meeting her childhood sweetheart cousin with a big belly every day. That cousin is truly a romantic. Lost memory, but still remembers only Fourth Sister-in-law... There’s a saying in the Central Plains...deep love engraves the bones..."

Before she finished speaking, the teacup beside Fourth Master Xiao had already flown towards Third Madam at lightning speed, so fast like a flash...

Third Madam’s gaze froze, not having time to draw the whip from her waist, the teacup already struck her chest, bounced off, and shattered on the ground.

Instantly, her chest felt like boiling hot water, Third Madam only felt a sweetness in her throat, and blood had already seeped from the corner of her mouth, Fourth Master Xiao’s icy voice echoed in her ears, "Shut up!"

Xiao Yancheng’s expression paused, he squinted at Fourth Master Xiao, not getting angry as expected, nor did he worry about Third Madam. He swayed as he sat across from Fourth Master Xiao, crossing his legs and said, "Fourth Brother, how dare you raise hands against a woman, that’s not the conduct of a gentleman!"

"So what!" Fourth Master Xiao’s expression was stern, not once did he look at Third Madam.

Third Madam wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth, stood up with a whoosh, tea stains soaking her clothes, tea leaves clinging all over her, she didn’t care, drew the whip from her waist and lashed it out, the whistling sound slicing through the air was sharp and ear-piercing.

Fourth Master Xiao didn’t move, but Xiao Yancheng’s eyes narrowed. He shouted, "Stop!" He stood up, full of anger, looking at Third Madam, "Get down!"

"You!" Third Madam was furious, looking at Xiao Yancheng in disbelief, "How dare you be fierce to me!" She finished, yet still swung the whip towards Fourth Master Xiao. Just as the whip was about to fall, Xiao Yancheng took a few steps and grabbed the tip of the whip, angrily saying, "Are you not listening to what I said, go down!" Saying this, he gave Third Madam a meaningful look.

Third Madam was stunned, retracted the whip, wrapped it around her hand, stomped her foot, and turned her head to dash out the door.

"She’s always been like this, Fourth Brother, don’t take it to heart." Turning back, Xiao Yancheng consoled Fourth Master Xiao, "She’s straightforward, not much scheming."

Fourth Master Xiao’s lips curled faintly, replying coldly, "As the daughter of the Xianglan Village Chief, she naturally needs no schemes or tactics." Xianglan Village is the largest village among the Yunnan and Hunan Miao people.

Xiao Yancheng was taken aback, his expression changed slightly, looking coldly at Fourth Master Xiao as he said, through his teeth, "Haven’t seen each other in years, Fourth Brother’s tactics have indeed improved." Saying this, he suddenly smiled again, looking at Fourth Master Xiao, "Isn’t it a bit late to find out only now?"

Fourth Master Xiao raised an eyebrow at him, and Xiao Yancheng smiled, saying, "I believe Fourth Brother has already seen the contract. Given how smart you are, you should know my demands. As long as Fourth Brother agrees, you’ll surely have a nobler rank than Marquis Xuanning in the future, and the grievances between us will be written off."

Fourth Master Xiao showed little reaction, and Xiao Yancheng furrowed his brows again, "If Fourth Brother doesn’t agree, I won’t need to say the result. In less than half a month, half of Great Zhou will be in my hands. Even if you retaliate now, it’s too late."

"Where do you get such confidence?" Fourth Master Xiao looked at him, a mocking expression in his eyes.

Xiao Yancheng was indifferent, smiling lightly, "Shandong is closest to the capital. In just three days, Lord Xu will lay siege. Neither Qin Mu nor Chen Huaide will be fast enough. Han Cheng hasn’t reached Henan Road, and the three provinces will fall. Don’t think I’m unaware your troops mobilized from Yingtian, but what of it? Whether it’s Zhangde Prefecture or Wei Hui Prefecture, sieging cities won’t be easy... But..." He stared at Fourth Master Xiao, "These aren’t important, what matters is Zhenyuan..."

Xiao Yancheng stood up, with his hands behind his back, eyes on the courtyard, his voice leisurely but confident, "Half a month, just half a month!"

"Is this your plan?" Fourth Master Xiao glanced at him sideways, showing disdain, "Is this all you’ve accomplished after two years of meticulous planning?"

Xiao Yancheng was momentarily stunned. He had spent years developing Xianglan’s power, setting up contact points all over the Central Plains, getting close to Prince Rong in Chengde, securing salt mines in Liaodong, drawing him in step-by-step, even getting the Empress Dowager to trust him. Whether it was the Min Family or the Liu Family, even Xu Wei had been calculated. Otherwise, how would he have exposed the salt mine matter during the floods and snow disasters in Wei Hui Prefecture, leaving Prince Rong with no escape, capturing such favorable conditions, and simultaneously igniting fires everywhere, leaving the Great Zhou court overwhelmed?!

So many things, and in his eyes, they amounted to just this?

Xiao Yancheng sneered and questioned, "What, does Fourth Brother have a better one?"

Fourth Master Xiao, with a wave of his robe, got up, now impatient, "Is this all you have to say?" Xiao Yancheng was startled as Fourth Master Xiao already stood to leave, and he focused his gaze, calling out, "Have you no regard for Mother’s and Second Brother’s lives?" Saying this, he saw Fourth Master Xiao’s steps indeed halt; he smiled again and said, "The contract in my hand was personally signed by Second Brother. Think about it, if the Emperor sees this contract, what would he think? No matter what deeds you’ve done now, they can’t outweigh this black and white document, can they?"

Fourth Master Xiao turned back, looking at him, "Then, by all means, present it to the Emperor and give it a try." Pausing, he continued, "As for Mother and Second Brother, you better ensure their safety, or don’t blame me for disregarding ties."