Chapter 21
You People...
"Yeye? What's happening!?"
Tang Xiuhuan, his face pale, ran out from the reception room.
Along the way, he encountered dozens of officials in formal uniforms rushing around the house and searching everywhere.
The servants and caretakers startled at the sudden intrusion.
They did as the Black Hawk unit head said, though. They handled everything with gentle care and extreme caution to avoid damaging anything.
Tang Xiuhuan grew more puzzled as he thought about it. What could make the military dare to issue such a reckless order? Recently, aside from the two Grandmasters' duel that occurred on the mountain, there hadn't been any major incidents in the city.
Even if last night's event sparked the military's interest, they shouldn't be so hasty as to have the authority to search the Tang clan house like this.
What exactly were they looking for?
In the dining room, several officials came to search as well. When they first saw the beautiful, noble young woman sitting and sipping tea, they froze.
She was the most beautiful woman they'd ever seen.
Bai Fanxian merely glanced at them once. Two little children stood behind her, startled by the officials' sudden appearance. They stood holding hands, their other hands gripping the young woman's clothes tightly.
Tang Yeye, who had cried out in shock earlier, stopped crying after hiding behind Bai Fanxian. She felt extremely safe whenever she was near this big sister she called "my lady."
Tang Xinlan, the mother, quietly agreed. She allowed her daughter to stay away from herself, trusting that being near Grandmaster Bai would be safer.
"Yeye! Are you alright?"
Tang Xiuhuan opened the door and rushed in, looking at his daughter with worry. Seeing that his daughter was safe, gripping Grandmaster Bai's clothes tightly, he sighed in relief.
"Chief, we didn't find anything strange or any level 5 or higher treasures!"
In the reception room, after about ten minutes passed, one official rushed in to report to the Black Hawk unit head. He furrowed his brow slightly. The guests from the Ting, Yi, and Han clans were also surprised.
Even the military couldn't find it?
Could the Tang clan really not have that treasure?
"We sincerely apologize to the Tang clan for the disturbance. Tomorrow the military will send a gift to show our apology for this intrusion."
The military of this country operated this way: when they realized they had made a mistake, they were always ready to compensate the people. They understood that the people were their lifeblood, even when duty required them to take decisive action.
Especially with a clan that held medical power like the Tang clan.
Their compensation would certainly be substantial.
Tang Xiuhuan was even more surprised. The military seemed truly too hasty this time.
"Wait a moment, Chief."
Yi Fan stopped them with a sly smile before the Black Hawk unit could leave.
"Even though you didn't find it, it might be on someone in this house..."
The Black Hawk unit head thought about his words. The Tang clan grew even more displeased.
Didn't that mean they'd search everyone's bodies?
"Black Hawk unit head, can't you save the Tang clan some face?"
Tang Tianjie asked with a cold tone. The military's actions this time were severely crossing the line. If someone spread strange rumors, it would definitely affect the Tang clan's reputation.
The Black Hawk unit head seemed hesitant. They had already intruded on the Tang clan's house this time. Thinking of the orders from above, he gritted his teeth and gave the order.
"Search everyone in the house... I'll take responsibility."
He turned to face Tang Tianjie and spoke firmly.
"Tomorrow I'll personally come apologize to the Tang clan on behalf of the military! And I won't let any rumors spread that affect the Tang clan's reputation!"
He strode out of the room to search everyone in the house.
Only Tang Tianjie remained behind, sighing dejectedly.
The guests from the three clans thought they should go watch the fun outside. They walked out of the reception room.
"...It's fine, young master."
Uncle Huang, standing beside his master, consoled him gently.
"We truly don't have that treasure, so they won't find anything."
"Right. That treasure belongs to Grandmaster Bai..."
At this realization, the two servants, whose combined ages exceeded a hundred years, jumped in alarm like children.
"...Xiuhuan had someone take Grandmaster Bai to that back house, right?" Tang Tianjie asked Uncle Huang with a strained voice.
"...Let's hope so."
The two looked at each other.
Then Tang Tianjie rushed out from the reception room like the wind. Uncle Huang followed just as urgently!
.
.
.
The dining room had the most people because of its large, spacious size. It was also open, creating a comfortable atmosphere.
"We request permission to search everyone. Men, please come this way. Women, there will be female officials taking care of things in the next room, so don't worry."
One man from the Black Hawk unit stepped forward to explain to everyone in the room. He also gestured toward the door to the next room where a female official was already standing waiting at the room's entrance.
The Tang clan's caretakers and servants, though displeased, couldn't refuse. They submitted and lined up cooperatively.
"Hehe..."
Young Master Yi watched from the sidelines with satisfaction. Even though the Black Hawk unit head had guaranteed it, the more they tried to cover it up, the more interested people would be. The rumor that the Tang clan was searched and had people's bodies searched would definitely become a major issue.
And it would definitely affect the Tang clan's status.
For example, if he spread rumors that the Tang clan possessed illegal items, what would happen?
For the Yi clan that had been secretly fighting with the Tang clan, this was extremely beneficial!
"...Young Master Yi, isn't that the woman?"
Liang Zhongxin's eyes fell on Bai Fanxian's beautiful nobility. Many things were happening, yet she sat sipping tea calmly in one corner of the room.
Two Tang clan servants who had rushed into the room stood beside her with relief.
"Hmm?"
Yi Fan turned to look immediately. He confirmed it was the same woman he met yesterday. His eyes sparkled greedily.
"I didn't think she'd still be here... Really lucky."
Yi Fan licked his lips and stared at Bai Fanxian, wanting to devour her whole.
"What should we do?"
"The Tang clan people seem quite worried about that woman."
Liang Zhongxin commented.
"Wait... hold on."
Yi Fan suddenly noticed two small girls gripping her clothes. He had seen one yesterday. But the other one surprised him to see her here.
"Tang Yeye... why is that child here?"
On the other side, the Black Hawk unit head frowned deeply as he watched the situation. By now, the body searches had nearly finished. Even the clan head and young master of the Tang clan had gone through body searches.
They had some valuable treasures on them, but those weren't what they were looking for.
What they were looking for was what caused last night's phenomenon!
"We've searched almost everyone in the Tang clan. We didn't find any suspicious items related to last night's incident."
One of his subordinates came to report. Something in that report caught his attention.
"Almost everyone? Why not everyone?"
He asked in surprise. His subordinate showed some hesitation.
"Only the Tang clan's young miss refuses to be searched. And the woman and child that the Tang clan insists are just the Tang clan's guests."
"Take me to see."
The Black Hawk unit head ordered and followed his subordinate to one corner of the room where Tang clan members had gathered most densely.
"Excuse me for disturbing, but may I ask who this is?"
The Black Hawk unit head arrived and greeted the Tang clan young master before turning toward Bai Fanxian to show who he meant.
Tang Xiuhuan stepped forward.
"This is Lady Bai. She's a guest. The military wouldn't be so rude as to search her, would you?"
Tang Xiuhuan's words were extremely pointed. He was indirectly saying what the military did was truly rude to the Tang clan.
The Black Hawk unit head looked troubled. He looked at Bai Fanxian's beautiful face to ask for her opinion.
The young woman ignored him completely and didn't even look at his face.
His eye twitched slightly at her action. Han Xiaoyi walked in to watch the situation with interest.
She would see if she could seize any opportunity from this situation.
The moment she saw Bai Fanxian's face and appearance, Han Xiaoyi felt defeat forming in her heart.
Both the beautiful face and the demeanor full of power. She felt like this young woman before her was superior to herself in everything.
Han Xiaoyi bit her lip with displeasure. From birth she had never felt inferior to any woman, whether in looks or status. Being the only granddaughter of Grandmaster Han Junpo meant that no matter who they were, they all showed respect and gave her what she wanted.
She couldn't accept it.
The more she saw that indifferent attitude, the more displeased Han Xiaoyi felt.
"Search that woman too."
Han Xiaoyi entered the middle of the conversation presumptuously. The three bodyguards with Martial Master 1st stage cultivation power released pressure. People who weren't cultivators or had lower cultivation power had to step back, unable to resist.
"Why're you still sitting there? Take her to be searched."
Han Xiaoyi wanted Bai Fanxian to feel humiliated. She turned to urge the Black Hawk people beside her. Her three bodyguards' pressure increased even more. And it was aimed straight at where Bai Fanxian sat.
She wanted that woman to know whose presence she was before. She wanted to see fear and unwillingness come out from that plain face!
But just then, one Black Hawk person ran in to whisper some report beside the unit head's ear.
He frowned deeply when he finished listening.
"Lady Bai, there are reports that you were also in this house last night. Would you let us search you for a moment?"
While speaking, even though he was polite, the pressure released from Martial Master 5th stage was certainly no joke. Seeing that the Black Hawk unit was willing to do as she said, Han Xiaoyi couldn't help but smile with satisfaction.
The pressure from Martial Master level 5 and level 1 from three more people made the little children Hui'er and Tang Yeye hiding behind Bai Fanxian's chair tremble. Especially Tang Yeye, whose big round eyes were starting to have tears welling up slightly.
Bai Fanxian didn't need to turn around to know the situation of both little children from Heaven Sense. She glanced once at the Black Hawk unit head, the three bodyguards, Han Xiaoyi, and Yi Fan and Ting Kangming who were observing from the sidelines.
The young woman set down the teacup on the saucer properly. Uncle Huang, closest to her, suddenly felt the hair on his body rise for no reason.
"You people..."
At that moment, tremendous pressure came crashing down from above until the air shook.
Martial Master level pressure was like thin paper before it. It shattered in the blink of an eye when they clashed.
The Black Hawk unit head standing before Bai Fanxian felt like he was being stared at by a monster. His legs trembled before he knelt down helplessly.
Don't even ask about people weaker than him! Everyone behind him went down flat on the floor as if pressed by suddenly increased gravity. Even Han Xiaoyi went down flat, losing all her noble young miss appearance!
But strangely, not even one person fainted! As if forced to keep their eyes open to face the unavoidable fear!
"...So annoying."