After saving the Empress, I became the top scholar in the imperial examination.

The study of the eldest master of the Ning family mansion is located to the left of the main hall in the backyard. The environment is secluded, tranquil, and elegant.

The courtyard outside the study is filled with a variety of rare and exotic flowers and plants, yet they blend together seamlessly and are arranged in a harmonious and orderly manner, showcasing the owner's ingenuity in every detail.

Bright, gentle moonlight spilled across the courtyard, turning the tiles white and making the roof ornaments gleam like glass. Accompanied by the chirping of insects, the flowers and plants rustled in the night breeze.

The study was also brightly lit, with the dim light casting several shadows on the window frame.

In the quiet of the night, these tall, dark figures appeared unusually silent and menacing.

A surprised, hoarse, and desolate voice came from the study.

"Bei Yue... what's wrong?" Ning Changling asked.

Kneeling before Bei Yue... The old man stared blankly at the Ning family head opposite him. Long-sealed memories were pried open and flowed out like water.

Given the eldest son's humble and cautious nature, how could he possibly force the Ning family of the capital, who had done his family a great favor, to kneel down?

"Oh,"

Third Master Ning Guangshao sneered, straightened his back, and took out a dagger from his sleeve.

"What's wrong with Beiyue? Go ask him yourself after you die!"

"Third brother!" Ning Guangxian frowned and shouted from the side.

"Second brother, at a time like this, stop with the pretense and this act." The third brother mocked, brandishing the gleaming dagger in his hand.

Ning Guangxian frowned, then sighed softly and lowered his head in silence.

The third brother is right. At this point, there's no room for maneuver.

Hearing his two younger brothers' words, Ning Guangtiao remained silent.

The old man in the chair was pale and had a dazed look in his eyes.

Hearing the name of his eldest son, who had passed away many years ago, must have been a bittersweet experience for the elderly man.

Ning Guangtiao sighed inwardly.

The pain of losing a child must be unbearable. Ning Changling, who was originally as fierce as a tiger, visibly lost his spirit after the death of his nephew Bei Yue. If he hadn't remarried and had Bei Zhi, he probably wouldn't have been able to get through these past twenty years.

If Xiao's womb had been more fertile and given birth to a son, perhaps things wouldn't have come to this. However, since she didn't, and since the other party was childless, then it must be fate.

Yes, it's fate.

After a brief silence in the study, Ning Guangshao looked at the tall man in black robes and said, "Hey—, you surnamed Jin, what are you waiting for?! Make your move."

At this moment, Ning Guangtiao took a step back.

Make room for the man in black.

Thump, thump, thump, the tall man in black robes walked very lightly.

He slowly walked up to Ning Changling.

"Marquis Jingbei—" the black-robed man said in a hoarse voice, "We respect you as a hero. More than twenty years ago, you crossed the Yangtze River and even the Huai River. We had high hopes for you... but it's a pity..." The black-robed man sighed, "Marquis Jingbei... you're old... and there's no longer any possibility of you crossing the river..."

Immediately, the man in black slowly extended his right hand, spread his five fingers, and reached his slender fingers toward Ning Changling's forehead. The skin on the back of his hand was wrinkled like a piece of tree bark.

Snapped!

Ning Changling remained expressionless, his five fingers forming a claw, and with a swift, swift motion, he grabbed the black-clad man's right wrist.

Ok?

The man in black frowned. "You didn't drink the toast they offered you..."

The last word, "wine," was not uttered.

The black-robed man's voice suddenly turned into a shrill scream!

"Ahhh—ahhh—"

Ning Changling tightened his fingers, and the black-robed man's wrist visibly collapsed. The old man twisted it again, and the black-robed man's body tilted to the side, followed by a chilling creaking sound.

"Ah ...

The wrist bone was fractured! The black-clad man's scream suddenly pierced the sky!

"You old bastard!!!" The black-clad man's voice changed from aged to youthful, and his eyes seemed to be filled with tears.

Ning Guangtiao and the other two were shocked!

Like a waning tiger lying in the mountains, it suddenly stood up, its tiger eyes sweeping over the three of them.

The tiger arched its back and assumed a charging posture, and its imposing presence suddenly transformed into a tangible wind that chilled people to the bone!

If we only consider the number of people killed, even the most ferocious tiger in the world has not killed as many people as the old man in front of us.

Once covered in blood, believing that the early death of his eldest son was God's retribution, Ning Changling's eyes were calm and his back was still hunched. But the murderous aura emanating from the old man at this time finally reminded Ning Guangtiao and the other two that the usually kind old man had never shown this other side of himself to his family.

"Damn it! You old bastard! Die!"

Ning Guangshao's eyes flashed, and he charged at the old man with a thud, dagger raised in his hand!

Ning Changling released his grip on the black-robed man's wrist, and the man immediately collapsed to the ground, the excruciating pain causing him to bang his head against the ground repeatedly! His facial features and body contorted and groaned.

Facing Ning Changshao's dagger, Ning Changling didn't even look at it, raised his leg and kicked, bang! The whip kick hit the opponent's shin.

As the other party cried out "Ah!", Ning Changling reached out with his right hand and grabbed the other party's left neck. When the Third Master's eyes narrowed, he suddenly pressed down and twisted to the right, turning the Third Master's body half a circle to the right and lifting him up in his hand like a chick.

The dagger was still swinging in the air, but the Third Master, who was sitting halfway on the ground, could no longer stab anyone.

The old man pressed his thumb against his throat, and he couldn't speak. His eyes rolled back, his face turned purple, and the pain of suffocation made his legs twitch on the ground.

Second Master Ning Guangxian stared in astonishment at his third brother, who was almost dead. His legs trembled, and he even forgot to run away.

Ning Changling stared at the head of the Ning family from the capital opposite him, his expression as indifferent as if he were looking at someone from the Northern Dynasty. He spoke again, "I'll ask you one more time... You just said that you knelt before Bei Yue... What does that mean?"

Ning Guangtiao's face turned pale, but at this moment, a ruthless glint appeared in his eyes that was not usually seen.

"Ning Nan is in our hands," he said coldly. "As long as he investigates what happened back then, he will inevitably return to Li Family Village. Zhiyuan personally led his men and laid an ambush in Li Family Village long ago. As long as he finds something that Zhiyuan doesn't want him to investigate, Zhiyuan will lead his men to take him down."

Ning Guangtiao's voice was fast and urgent, but the more he spoke, the more composed his voice became.

"Even if he manages to return from Lijia Village, he'll inevitably go to the county government office to wait and see Li Erlai sentenced to death... Mr. Xue and his men are lying in ambush outside the county government office. As soon as he comes out, Mr. Xue will follow and seize him... Brother Changling,"

Ning Guangchao's eyes hardened as he said, "You have no choice... Ning Nan is the last bloodline of your branch. If he dies, your lineage will be extinct, completely wiped out!"

"Fuck you!"

Just then, a rough, cursing voice rang out from outside.

As the insults subsided...

boom!

The study door was kicked open by someone!

The second master, who was standing at the door, was startled.

Ning Guangxian hurriedly turned around to look.

Under the moonlight, a young man covered in blood stood at the door, his sleeves rolled up, revealing two dark, blood-stained arms.

The young man was also carrying a dark object in his right hand.

Whoosh! He flicked his arm and threw the dark object in his hand at his older brother.

The thing traced a long arc in the air.

Ning Guangxian stared blankly, recognizing the object in the air... a human head.

A human head

He felt a chill run down his spine!

This was a head he recognized!

The head of Mr. Xue Yan, the chief advisor of the Ning family in the capital, fell precisely into Ning Guangtiao's arms.