As an old saying went, a powerful dragon cannot crush a snake in its old haunts (which means that a regional force is not subject to a superior power). And the current status was even harsher for the Tiezhan Empire, as Wu Jinhun and Xu Wenchuan were literally two dragons instead of snakes in their old haunt — the Qingyun Empire. If the Tianbao Mansion had caused offence to them, it's foothold here would have stood no longer. In that case, a chief source of income for the Tiezhan Empire would have ended here and today. That was by no means a small matter that Master Pi could deal with.
"Childe Xu, please don't get us wrong. The Tianbao Mansion had been operating with a all-time-clean slate. We have never been against the Qingyun laws and regulations, let alone bribery," Master Pi had no option but to justify Wang Tianbiao on seeing the latter being scared to death.
Wang Tianbiao finally came back to himself and figured out that Wandong was determined to bring him to justice. He hastened to make a self-justification, "That's right! Childe Xu, I swear that I have never accepted any money from the Tianbao Mansion. Never ever…"
"Fine! You said you are free from the Tianbao Mansion's bribery. But you still abet them to such a revolting amount to bully the Qingyun people, you must be a spy of the Tiezhan Empire!" Wandong continued with his irrefutable analysis.
"Ah!" Wang Tianbiao almost burst into tears. He didn't expect he would be accused of fatal crime right after he managed to rid himself of a stigma.
Albeit a crime, bribery was not severe enough to incur death penalty. However, once Wang Tianbiao was found guilty of treason, his crime would even implicate his family.
It also went beyond Master Pi that Wandong was so quick-witted that he seemed to have choreographed an terrifyingly-well-organized scheme to trap them.
Master Pi and Wang Tianbiao were about to say something before Wandong exclaimed, "Wu Yang, what is the consequence for a traitor according to the Qingyun constitution?"
Appearing poised and grim, Wu Yang made a gesture of decapitation and responded in a cold tone,
"Killed!"
"Then what's the wait? Let me end him within one move!" Leng Yuecui hastened to volunteer. She almost passed away out of indignance on hearing that Wang Tianbiao was going to present her to Master Pi. Blazed with anger, she rushed headlong toward Wang Tianbiao with her sword pointing at his chest.
"Hang on!" A female popped up to stop Leng Yuecui. Landing on the ground gracefully, a pretty young lady turned up with captivating fragrance, getting in the way of Leng Yuecui. She patted on the sword gently, which swerved aside forthwith.
"Duan Lengyan!" Wandong thought to himself, narrowing his eyes, looking confrontative.
"Who are you?" Leng Yuecui asked, staring at the pretty girl with bewilderment. The latter was roughly about the same age as Leng Yuecui, but she was much superior in martial competence. Leng Yuecui felt rather displeased.
On seeing her, Master Pi hastened to come up, cap in hand, "Your high…Miss three (which indicated that the girl was ranked the third among her siblings in terms of birthdays), I'm dreadfully sorry about disrupting you."
It was conceivable that Duan Lengyan was rather distinguished.
She waved her hand at Master Pi, signalling him to shut up. Then she looked back at Leng Yuecui with a smile, "Heh…Being a young lady, it's not advisable for you to kill randomly."
Already displeased by Duan Lengyan, Leng Yuecui went more furious on hearing her unsolicited dictation and yelled, "None of your goddamned business! You think you can dictate to me? F**k off!"
"Behave yourself! How dare you offend Miss Three?!" Master Pi changed his attitude abruptly and told off Leng Yuecui, regardless of Wandong and Wu Yang. He glared at her rampantly as if he had been going to kill her himself.
"What the hell! You arrogant bastard!" Wandong let out a furious cry and blocked Leng Yuecui with his body, glaring back at Master Pi.
Being an apple of everyone's eyes, Leng Yuecui had never been reprimanded by anyone since her childhood. On seeing Wandong standing in front to defend her, Leng Yuecui's grievance got dissolved through and through by him. She looked at Wandong's lofty figure with strong affection, feeling protected to the full.
"Childe Xu, you can by all means suit yourself and do anything to me as you see fit. However, I won't allow anyone to offend Miss Three at the cost of my life!" Master Pi said with stress on each syllable, looking Wandong in his eyes. It seemed that he had had cast away his fear of Wandong.