Chapter 436: I’m Here to Take Someone
Zhuang Laotou’s response made Yu Luo’s heart tighten.
Even though she knew that Luo City’s sudden emergence would quickly attract the court’s attention, she hadn’t expected it to happen so soon.
But wasn’t the imperial court being a little too quiet? Why had they not taken any action yet? Were they simply waiting for Luo City to develop before reaping the benefits without effort?
Yu Luo didn’t say anything more and prepared to take her leave.
“Wait.”
Just as she turned around, Old Man Zhuang called out to her. She turned back, looking at him in confusion.
“Senior, do you have more to say?”
Zhuang Laotou glanced at the supplies piled up at the entrance, then let out a deep sigh.
“Thank you for bringing these supplies. To those living in this desolate land, your Luo City is truly a blessing. Your goods are affordable, and you’ve taken in many wanderers, including criminals. Without Luo City, most exiles wouldn’t survive more than a few months.
But have you considered that many of these criminals were exiled for good reason? Are you sure you’re not raising hidden dangers? Or perhaps… being too merciful?”
Yu Luo had indeed thought about this issue before.
But when Luo City was first built, they had desperately needed population growth. She and her parents had been too focused on developing the city to scrutinize every individual’s past crimes.
As long as someone came, they simply confirmed their origins and reasons for being there. What crimes they had committed before—that was something they had no real way of investigating.
“Thank you for the advice, Senior.”
Zhuang Laotou waved dismissively.
“I’m not giving advice. I’m just telling you—these criminals were sent here as punishment. Do you think the court will tolerate you sheltering them?”
Yu Luo nodded slightly, her mind already weighing the risks.
“Go back now. I’ve said all I need to say. You should know how to prepare for what’s coming.”
Upon returning to Luo City, Yu Luo informed her parents that Yu Zhengqing and the rest had returned to the capital.
Hearing this, her parents’ expressions were priceless.
“Hmph! That Yu Zhengqing is a hypocrite!” Ye Jiamei sneered. “Before, he acted so friendly, constantly talking about family and brotherhood. But when it came to something as big as the Yu family’s pardon, he didn’t even bother to inform us! The trueborns of the Yu family are all the same—selfish to the core!”
Yu Haojie nodded in agreement.
He had never truly considered Yu Zhengqing a brother, so there was no reason to defend him.
Still, after all the times Yu Zhengqing had helped him, this outcome did feel a little unexpected.
“Father, Mother, don’t be upset,” Yu Luo reassured them. “They never cared about us to begin with. After all the conflicts we’ve had, it’s understandable that they left without telling us.
But this is a good thing, isn’t it? We’re free now! We can go wherever we want!”
Thinking about it, Yu Luo actually felt happy!
She wasn’t angry at all that the trueborn Yu family had left them behind. In fact, she was relieved. She never wanted to live with them anyway.
“Xiao Luo is right,” Yu Haojie agreed. “They can go wherever they want. But since we’re free now, do we need to report to the authorities to get legal travel passes?”
His question stumped both Yu Luo and Ye Jiamei.
None of them were actually from this time period—they had no idea what the procedure was.
“I’ll have someone look into it.”
Just as Yu Luo finished speaking, a servant rushed in, looking panicked.
“City Lord! B-Bad news!”
Seeing his flustered expression, the three of them instantly tensed.
“What’s wrong?!” Ye Jiamei demanded. “Don’t tell me… Feng City’s forces are attacking?!”
Clutching her visibly pregnant belly, she shot the servant a sharp glare.
“N-No, it’s… it’s the people from Baiting Sect!“
The servant stammered so much that Yu Luo and her father needed a moment to process his words.
“Wait—what?! Those women again?!”
Ye Jiamei’s face darkened, and she sprang up from her seat, furious.
Yu Haojie quickly stepped forward to support her.
Meanwhile, Yu Luo and her father finally remembered who Baiting Sect was.
“Mother, stay here. Father and I will handle this.”
Before leaving, Yu Luo called for Yu Xiangxiang and instructed her to escort Ye Jiamei to the back courtyard.
“Xiangxiang, go find Ayan. Have him accompany Xiao Luo. If those Baiting Sect people cause trouble, it’s best to have Ayan there for backup.”
“Understood, I’ll go immediately!”
After settling her mother, Yu Xiangxiang hurried off to find Ayan.
Confronting Baiting Sect
When Yu Luo and Yu Haojie arrived in the front courtyard, they were shocked.
A huge group of women—at least a hundred—stood there in an imposing formation.
This was clearly a provocation!
What were they trying to do? Tear down the City Lord’s mansion?!
“Inform the brothers to get into position,” Yu Luo whispered to a nearby servant. “A fight is definitely going to break out.”
The servant nodded and swiftly slipped away.
Meanwhile, father and daughter strode into the reception hall, walking past the hundred-plus women standing outside.
Yu Haojie smiled warmly as he greeted their guests.
“Ladies, what an honor! My apologies for not welcoming you sooner!”
Six women were already seated inside the reception hall, led by an older woman in her fifties with a cold, stern face.
Just looking at her, Yu Luo and her father were instantly reminded of the infamous “Miejue Shitai”—the ruthless abbess from The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber.
This woman had the exact same demeanor.
As Yu Haojie and Yu Luo entered, the women stood up, and one of them gestured toward the older woman.
“This is the Sect Master of Baiting Sect.”
Sect Master?!
Yu Luo and her father exchanged glances.
Then they looked at the old woman again, flashing her polite smiles.
“Well, well! The esteemed Sect Master of Baiting Sect has graced us with her presence. What an honor!”
“No need for formalities,” the old woman said icily. “I’m here to take someone back.”
As soon as she spoke, her killing intent seeped into the air.
Her left hand gripped a long sword, the sharp blade reflecting her formidable presence.
Despite this, Yu Haojie and Yu Luo remained completely unfazed.
They took their seats at the head of the room, their smiles unchanged.
“Oh?” Yu Luo tilted her head innocently. “Dear Madam, what do you mean? I’m afraid I don’t understand.”
Her exaggerated confusion almost made the Sect Master spit blood in anger.
“Impudent!”
Before the old woman could respond, another woman beside her snapped.
“You dare speak to our Sect Master like that?!”
Yu Luo glanced at her father, then turned back to the woman, her face full of mock innocence.
“Huh? What did I say? How was I impudent?”
(End of Chapter 436)
