Chapter 25 Revenge
After the voting was over, San Gong began to count the votes, one, two... only about ten or twenty votes, and the results came out very quickly.

Comparing the opposing and affirmative sides, the vote ratio is quite disparate.

"Grandpa, how is it?"

Someone was anxious and asked first.

Lord Nong was able to remain calm, his expression did not change much, and after exchanging a glance with Lord Fu and Lord Hai, he said, "We will make a unified announcement tomorrow, so you can go back now."

Ugh?
Isn’t this a very sudden turn?
"Why not now..."

Before any doubts could be raised, Lord Hai took a step forward and stood in front of Lord Nong.

He was born strong and powerful, with a dignified and gloomy face. As one of the most influential people in the Tang family, Lord Hai always intimidated his subordinates with his toughness and intolerance.

Therefore, few people in the tribe dared to confront him head-on.

"Don't bother!"

After the tribesmen left with a look of suspicion on their faces, Lord Fu finally let go of his tense expression. He walked forward and tore up the voting results in a few strokes.

Then, he showed a desolate and mocking smile: "Although my Tang family is said to be rich and unkind, most of our descendants are loyal to the emperor and patriotic!"

Looking at the number of votes, nine out of ten are unwilling to collude with the rebels and are determined to keep a clean name in the world.

After hearing the result, Maomao swept the hair on his neck with his beak, spread his wings, and flew out from the corner.

"The results are out, but what should we do now?" Mr. Nong shook his head helplessly.

This time, Lord Hai was straightforward. He said with a sullen face, "We asked them to make the decision. What else can we do now for these unworthy descendants? Just sacrifice your life!"

Mr. Nong was stunned: "Are you really willing to exchange ten years of your life for Xu Shanshan? But what if she is lying, and she has no way to solve our problem, then..."

At this time, Lord Fu sighed and said, "That would just be a return to the current situation. If she is lying, then the life span is also false. If it is true... in the end, no one has taken advantage of anyone."

After hearing what he said, Mr. Nong finally understood what was going on.

They didn't know what to do next, and now they were just transferring this important responsibility to Xu Shanshan, hoping that she could give them a correct answer.

But if I was really wrong, the consequences would be... unimaginable.

-

The three-day deadline arrived, and Prince Chen came to the Tang family again. He was confident.

He didn't think the Tang family would dare to reject a prince like him.

However, the result was far beyond his expectations.

"Your Majesty's kindness and promotion, please forgive us for not daring to accept it. We are just businessmen who want to live an honest life. We dare not interfere in the disputes of the bigwigs, and we don't have the ability to interfere. Please let the Tang family go."

Although Sangong was so old, he still had a hunched back. He knelt on the ground respectfully and kowtowed to King Chen to beg for mercy.

But if someone had a compassionate heart, he would not be King Chen.

Although he was clearly furious at the disobedience, King Chen was still smiling.

His eyes were like two bottomless pools, cold and sharp: "So... your Tang family is rejecting me?"

They were even more terrified: "Please forgive me, Your Majesty. There are hundreds of people in the Tang family. We... can't afford to take this risk."

"I have said before that your Tang family only has two options." The sinister voice was filled with a final warning.

Sangong's face turned pale and his palms were sweaty, but he maintained a tough attitude and refused to change his words.

"Okay, okay. Since you, the Tang family, are so ungrateful, I won't waste my words. I just hope you can take care of yourself in the future."

King Chen led his guards and left in a huff. Panting heavily, the three officials were sweating profusely. King Chen's royal aura was so fierce that it was really not something that ordinary people could bear.

"Is this really the right choice for us? Living a miserable life is definitely better than getting in trouble with King Chen, right?" Mr. Nong suddenly felt a little regretful.

Hai Gong was a man who would stick to his path until the end. He gritted his teeth and said, "Our Tang family has been doing business in Jiuzhou for so many years. We are not soft persimmons. Even if we fight hard, we will not be vulnerable!"

The Tang family is more than just a group of merchants.

The Tang family won over many officials every year, cultivated scholars in the name of charity, and also trained followers privately, accumulating a huge force for the Tang family from the top warriors, top writers, and top merchants.

Duke Fu also showed his arrogance: "That's right, Prince Chen should not underestimate my Tang family!"

-

That day, night fell.

The night is dark and windy.

"Something happened, Lord Fu. A group of assassins in black broke into Wangxian Valley! They killed the Tang family guards and are heading towards the Tang family's old house!"

After crossing the towering mountain ridge, you will reach Wangxian Valley. However, the entrance to the valley is not by road or stairs, but by a series of winding plank roads that zigzag. When people walk on them, they can only see a strip of sky when they look up.

Lord Fu's eyes widened in panic: "How did they break through the city walls and sentries?"

Kuiwu, who was reporting, had an unpleasant expression on his face: "I'm afraid... they are not from outside, but have been lurking in Shangqiu for a long time. It is King Chen... who has been in and out several times, and has secretly left behind men and hidden weapons."

"Didn't you guys notice this?!"

How dare they search Prince Chen's entourage? It can only be said that Prince Chen is a very cunning man who has planned everything in advance and is cautious at every step. Compared with his shrewdness, the Tang family is simply too naive.

"How many more people are there?"

"The incident happened suddenly. My subordinates sent a message to mobilize the surrounding Kuiwu to gather urgently, but I'm afraid it's... too late."

"Then quickly notify the people in the house and take emergency shelter!"

In order to highlight its uniqueness and noble status, the Tang family's old house was specially built at the highest point in Shangqiu, far away from the town. Now, if anyone is in danger, I am afraid that even if they cry out to heaven and earth, they will not be able to wait for rescue.

Two rows of lit lights meandered into the distance, and people were surging among the lights. Suddenly, in the dead of night, there seemed to be something uneasy stirring up the surroundings, swaying in the wind.

When the Tang family got the news, they immediately hid in the official ancestral hall.

Kuiwu dispersed the crowd and led the black-clad killers outside to search everywhere.

King Chen appeared surrounded by his guards. Under the glow of the torches, his elegant and kind face was unusually dark and distorted. "Since you are unwilling to be used by me, then there is no need for you to exist."

"Your Majesty, the people of the Tang family are hiding. Do you want to use fire to force them to show up?"

"No need. The anxiety and fear before death is far more torturous than killing them with a knife. How can we let the Tang family die so easily?"

-

In the dim ancestral hall, Mr. Fu stood in front of the tablets of the Tang family's ancestors, his face full of self-blame, guilt and regret.

"Brother, we trusted the wrong Xu Shanshan. We agreed that as long as we rejected King Chen, our Tang family would be safe. But now that damn King Chen is about to wipe out our Tang family!" Duke Hai said angrily.

Nong Gong was about to faint: "Where are our people? Why haven't they arrived yet?"

"How can we be so late? This King Chen is really insidious and cunning, no, he is really cruel and merciless. Those who obey him will prosper, and those who disobey him will perish. He has already ambushed people in Shangqiu in advance!"

"How dare he!"

How would he explain such a bold move of raising troops if the imperial court got to know about it?
"I suspect... Prince Chen is planning to rebel openly tomorrow. He doesn't care if others know what he has done. He is certain that no one will stand up for the Tang family."

(End of this chapter)