After several days of travel, the carriage finally entered Xueling Province, the northernmost province of the Heaven Dou Empire. The temperature in the air had dropped significantly; although it was not yet autumn, one could feel frost on their breath at night, and the vegetation along the way had changed to plants common in the north.
The closer they got to Icefall City, the more complex their emotions became. There was excitement and anticipation of returning home, but also a barely concealed worry and tension.
Finally, a magnificent ice and snow city appeared on the horizon. The walls of Icefall City seemed to be built from huge blocks of ice, reflecting a dazzling light in the sunlight. A faint mist lingered above the city, making it appear mysterious and magnificent.
However, as the carriage entered the city, Yu Qing keenly sensed an unusual atmosphere. The streets were still bustling, but some shops that should have belonged to the Zi and Duan families seemed deserted, and some had even changed their signs. When passersby talked about these two families, they often revealed expressions of regret or schadenfreude.
"It seems… the situation is worse than we thought," Yu Qing said softly.
Duan Xin and Zi Ruyi's faces were both slightly pale. They had only been away from home for a little over half a year, but they never expected their family to have declined to this extent.
The carriage first headed towards the Zi Family mansion in the west of the city. Compared to the bustling scene of the Dragon Mansion in my memory, with its constant stream of visitors, the area in front of the Purple Mansion was much quieter now, and even the guards at the gate seemed somewhat listless.
Upon seeing Miss Da Young return, the guards were initially overjoyed and rushed in to report. However, when Zi Ruyi led Yu Qing and the other two into the mansion, they were met with a sense of oppression.
Zi Ruyi's father, Zi Yunfeng, the head of the Zi Family, quickly came out to greet them. This middle-aged man had some resemblance to Zi Ruyi in his features, but at this moment he was full of fatigue and anxiety, and his temples even had some gray.
"Ruyi! You're finally back!" Seeing his daughter, Zi Yunfeng's eyes flashed with excitement, but it was quickly covered by deep worry. "It's good that you're back, it's good that you're back... And who are these people?"
His gaze fell on Yu Qing and A Rou, sensing their unfathomable auras, especially the unintentional pressure emanating from A Rou, which startled him.
"Father, this is Yu Qing, my…husband." Zi Ruyi's face flushed slightly, but her voice was firm. "This is Sister A Rou, who is also Yu Qing's partner. This is Sister Duan Xin, whom you know."
"Husband?!" Zi Yunfeng was taken aback, looking Yu Qing up and down. Her daughter had been away from home for half a year, and she had actually brought back a husband?
Yu Qing stepped forward and bowed respectfully: "Uncle, greetings." Yu Qing.
"Okay, okay..." Zi Yunfeng was caught off guard and quickly returned the greeting. His mind was in turmoil, and he didn't have time to ask his daughter about the sudden marriage. He could only sigh and say, "Ruyi, you've come back at the wrong time... The family is now..."
Before he could finish speaking, a commotion suddenly broke out outside the door.
A steward-like man rushed in: "Master! Something terrible has happened! The Mo family is here again! This time they brought even more people, and they demand that we immediately hand over the management rights of those markets in the east of the city, or they will smash up the shops!"
Zi Yunfeng's face instantly turned ashen, his fists clenched, yet a sense of powerlessness lingered: "This is outrageous! The Mohist school, relying on their recent allegiance to that Spirit Saint, is becoming increasingly unscrupulous!"
Yu Qing raised an eyebrow, about to speak, when he saw A Rou gently tug at him.
A Rou stepped forward, a cold glint flashing in her pink eyes. She smiled slightly at Zi Yunfeng, but her voice carried an undeniable domineering tone: "Uncle, there's no need to worry. Now that A Qing and I are here, we won't stand by and watch Ruyi's family be bullied."
She turned to look at Yu Qing and blinked: "We agreed before that if anyone bullies them, I'll help them bully back. This time, let me do it."
Yu Qing smiled at her eager expression and gestured for her to proceed: "Alright, let's see the might of ' Pink Bandit '... oh no, I mean 'Pink Heroine'."
A Rou gave him a coquettish glare, then her figure flickered, like a streak of pink light, and she vanished from the living room in an instant.
Before Zi Yunfeng could react to what was happening, he heard a series of terrified screams and the sound of heavy objects falling to the ground outside the mansion gate, interspersed with an arrogant voice turning into a wail:
"Ah! Who?!"
"Your Majesty, spare me! Spare me!"
"We were wrong! We don't want the market anymore! We'll never do it again!"
"Run!"
The noise came quickly and went even faster; in just a few breaths, it became completely quiet outside.
Zi Yunfeng and several Elders from the Zi Family were dumbfounded and quickly walked to the gate of the mansion.
On the street, the dozen or so members of the Mo family who had been so arrogant just moments before were now lying on the ground, groaning with bruises and swelling. The leader of the Mo family steward had been beaten into a pig's head and was kowtowing and begging for mercy, tears streaming down his face. A Rou, meanwhile, was clapping his hands lightly, as if he were just casually brushing off some dust.
When she saw Zi Yunfeng come out, she smiled sweetly: "Uncle, the trouble is resolved. The Mo family should not dare to cause trouble again in the future."
Zi Yunfeng looked at the group of disheveled fellows on the ground, then at the pink-clad woman before him who appeared as if she were Heavenly Immortal but possessed terrifying strength. He opened his mouth, then asked Dao with difficulty, "...May I ask, Your Excellency, what is your cultivation level?"
A Rou tilted his head, deciding it was better to be direct. And so, yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black, black, black, red! Nine spirit rings quietly appeared, the vibrant hundred-thousand-year spirit ring radiating a chilling aura.
"Sealed... Titled Douluo?!" Zi Yunfeng and all the members of the Zi Family were instantly petrified, their minds going blank.
The Zi Family has unexpectedly welcomed a Titled Douluo?! And she's their daughter's... sister?!
After the initial shock came ecstasy! With Titled Douluo in charge, all of the Zi Family's crises would be easily resolved!
"Quickly! Quickly invite His Majesty and Young Master Yu inside! Serve the finest tea!" Zi Yunfeng's voice trembled with excitement.
At Yu Qing's signal, A Rou deactivated his spirit ring, and the group returned to the living room. At this moment, the Zi Family members looked at Yu Qing and A Rou with a gaze filled with awe and… fervor?
Just as Yu Qing was sipping tea, pondering how to help the Zi Family fully restore their business, the Duan Family also sent people over in a great hurry.
It was one of Duan Xin's uncles who arrived, his face full of anxiety: " Xiner! It's so good that you're back! Something terrible has happened at home! The royal envoy is making trouble, saying that he wants to re-examine our family's auction house Aptitude, which is obviously an attempt to revoke the license! Your father is about to collapse!"
Duan Xin's expression changed.
Just as Yu Qing was about to get up, A Rou pressed him down again. She seemed to be addicted to this kind of "chivalrous" activity, her pink eyes sparkling: "I'll be right back!"
Before the words were even finished, the person had vanished.
The next half day became a nightmare that many factions in Icefall City would never forget, while it was also a celebration for the Zi and Duan families.
The mysterious, stunningly beautiful woman in pink first appeared at the Duan Family auction house. With a "gentle" yet imposing presence befitting a Titled Douluo -level figure, she engaged in "friendly" negotiations with the royal envoy, successfully persuading him to "sincerely agree" to join the Duan Family. There is no problem with the attitude; the Royal Family will continue to support the Duan Family.
Next, she "visited" the families who had been most active recently and had been the most ruthless in stealing Zi Family's business. No one dared to describe the specific details, but it is known that the heads of those families were all helped out afterward, pale-faced and weak-kneed, and immediately sent people to return the property contracts they had swallowed to Zi Family intact, along with a huge "compensation."
Within half a day, the dark clouds hanging over the Zi and Duan families were swept away! All the pressure and conspiracies targeting the two families seemed so laughable and vulnerable in the face of absolute power.
That evening, the Zi Family mansion was brightly lit and decorated for a grand banquet. Zi Yunfeng and Duan Tianqing ( Duan Xin's father), the head of the Duan Family who had rushed over, treated Yu Qing and A Rou as honored guests with utmost respect, even showing a hint of trepidation.
After several rounds of drinks, the two family heads exchanged a glance, and finally Zi Yunfeng stood up and bowed deeply to Yu Qing and A Rou:
" Young Master, Your Majesty, we are deeply grateful! From this day forward, the entire Zi (Duan) family will follow your lead! We will obey any command you give us!"
They knew that Family's survival was entirely due to these two unfathomable young men. Especially Yu Qing; although he hadn't made a move, Zi Yunfeng could sense that the powerful pink-clad ruler completely relied on him as her core leader.
Yu Qing accepted the greeting readily, knowing it was a necessary gesture. He put down his wine glass and smiled, saying, "Uncles, there's no need for such formality. Xiner and Ruyi are my loved ones, and their family is naturally my family as well. If they encounter any trouble in the future, I certainly won't stand idly by."
His words were calm, yet carried a reassuring power. Upon hearing this, Zi Yunfeng and Duan Tianqing felt a great weight lifted from their hearts, and their faces revealed genuine, relaxed smiles that they hadn't seen in a long time.
The world of Icefall City changed completely overnight.
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