Ashes to Crown

Chapter 96: Chapter 55: The Villain

This little knife was fine for playing with, but not for killing.

Besides, the child couldn’t even get close to Young Master Xie.

He had only just gotten up and taken two steps before servants from the Xie family and the Wei family blocked him. The young servant who had saved him earlier also lunged forward and held him tight.

The child screamed wildly, stabbing randomly with the small knife.

The young servant ignored the cuts on his body, arms, and face, holding on tightly. "This was all an accident. I will atone on the young master’s behalf. I’ll answer for the lives of your parents and fellow villagers."

The child couldn’t break free. He saw the blood on the young servant’s cut face and arms and remembered how this man had braved the flames to save him. The terror he felt upon waking was matched only by the reliance he now had on this person—

This man was just a servant. He had disobeyed his master’s orders to save the cargo, choosing to save people instead. For that, his master was displeased and wouldn’t even let his injuries be treated.

’He and I are both pitiful souls.’

The child stopped, threw his arms around the young servant, and burst into tears.

The onlookers also began to weep.

The young master, surrounded by his maids, wore a frosty expression and sneered. "How ridiculous. How can you blame me for this? You can only blame yourselves. Who told you to live on the road I was passing through?"

Although the crowd already knew how cruel this young, powerful nobleman was, his words still left them stunned.

"If you didn’t live here, there wouldn’t have been dry firewood and stalks, the fire wouldn’t have started, my cargo wouldn’t have been burned, and I wouldn’t have been so grievously injured!"

The young master’s face was as beautiful as a statue, and his heart was made of stone.

’No, a statue isn’t human. It doesn’t have a heart!’ The official was aghast. The anger that had long been worn down by the ways of the world flared up.

"Insolence!" he bellowed. "To twist right and wrong like this! I don’t care who you are! Men, men—"

The constables behind the official were already furious. Even the Han County Wei Family wasn’t this arrogant. This went beyond shamelessness. It was inhuman!

’Is this how all members of the Royal Family behave?’

Compared to this, the Wei Family seemed like great philanthropists.

They too had been seething with pent-up frustration. Hearing the official’s command, they responded in unison.

A group on horseback galloped over from the distance, shouting, "Wait, wait!"

The official turned and saw a tall man with an extraordinary air leading the group. He recognized him at once.

The Eldest Young Master of the Wei Family.

Mr. Wei was over fifty when he had this son. The boy was handsome and clever, the apple of the Wei family’s eye, and a figure no one in Han County dared to cross.

"Eldest Young Master!" the official immediately went to meet him, shouting in anger, "This scoundrel not only caused the destruction of the entire village, but he also struck a man from your family."

He pointed. That steward from the Wei family was still unconscious on the ground.

Seeing Eldest Young Master Wei arrive, the onlookers parted to make way. Perhaps it was because they had just seen a true villain, but now, upon seeing Eldest Young Master Wei, they felt a sense of hope and reliance.

And Eldest Young Master Wei did not disappoint them. He hadn’t come alone; he brought dozens of physicians with him, carrying medicine chests.

He ignored the official’s words and shouted to the people who came with him, "Quick, treat the injured."

He then gave orders to the Wei family servants.

"Take all the injured to the mountain villa to be settled."

"Extinguish the remaining flames and gather the villagers’ property."

"Collect the deceased and identify them."

As he gave one order after another, the people couldn’t help but weep with joy, crying out, "Eldest Young Master Wei!" "Eldest Young Master!"

After arranging these matters, Eldest Young Master Wei turned to the official with a grave expression. "Sir, you need not say more. This is all my fault. The Wei Family will take full responsibility for the blame, punishment, and aftermath."

’So the Wei Family is afraid of the Xie family too,’ the official thought. His expression was furious. "But, that scoundrel—"

Eldest Young Master Wei said, "I failed to properly host and accommodate them, which led to this disaster. Sir, if you must punish someone, punish me."

Of course, he wouldn’t dare punish him. The official looked helpless. "Eldest Young Master, this has nothing to do with you."

Eldest Young Master Wei shook his head, signaling for the official to wait, and walked toward Young Master Xie.

The Xie family’s servants all bowed. "Eldest Young Master."

But the young master remained perfectly still, his eyes scanning Eldest Young Master Wei from head to toe in an extremely insolent manner.

"Young Master Yanlai," Eldest Young Master Wei said, "this is all my fault. I didn’t come to welcome you in time. Your elder brother wrote to entrust me with—"

Before he could finish, the young master scoffed. "Since you’re late, what’s the point of saying anything? And since my elder brother entrusted you, then you can compensate for the Xie family’s lost cargo."

’That scoundrel!’ The official, standing behind them, wanted to hit him. But Eldest Young Master Wei simply smiled, as if looking at an unruly younger brother. "Of course. That’s only natural. Mr. Xie, please come to our warehouse in the city to replenish your stock."

The young master reached out and slapped him hard on the shoulder. "Many thanks! My third brother was right. He said if I passed through here and ran into any trouble, I should just find Eldest Young Master Wei."

The young man was surprisingly strong. Eldest Young Master Wei’s shoulder sagged from the blow, and he winced in pain. A servant beside him stepped forward, his expression hostile.

The young man retracted his hand after the slap, a bright smile appearing on his face. "When I see you, it’s like I’m seeing my third brother."

In Great Xia, the reputation of the Dongyang Xie Family was not much different from that of the Han County Wei Family. The only difference was that the Xies had produced a Crown Princess Consort, and that was just a stroke of luck for the Xie family. However, the fame of the Third Young Master Xie surpassed that of all the young masters of the Wei Family combined.

Eldest Young Master Wei smiled. "I wouldn’t dare compare myself to Third Young Master Xie."

The young man gave a half-smile. "Eldest Young Master, you don’t need to be so modest." With that, he held up his own arm. "My arm was injured too—"

Eldest Young Master Wei glanced at his arm. Amidst such horrific death and injury, he didn’t find the swelling ridiculous. He said with concern, "Come with me quickly. I’ve brought the best physicians from the city—"

But the young man pulled his arm back and said languidly, "What good physicians could you have in a backwater place like this? Eldest Young Master, just give me some of your family’s best medicines and mountain delicacies to help me recover."

The servant beside Eldest Young Master Wei looked displeased again.

Eldest Young Master Wei remained the affable elder brother, indulging his unruly junior. He nodded with a smile. "That’s only right." He instructed a servant, "Quickly escort Mr. Xie to the old residence in the city. Bring out our family’s mountain goods for the young master’s recovery."

The servants acknowledged the order. The young man didn’t linger either, pulling his maids along. "Let’s go, let’s go. We’ll find a new place to play."

The maids, all smiles, surrounded the young man and helped him into the carriage.

The Xie family servants looked mortified. They bowed to Eldest Young Master Wei. "Young Master Yanlai was poorly raised. We are ashamed."

Eldest Young Master Wei had clearly heard of this Young Master Yanlai’s background. He smiled. "It’s nothing, it’s nothing. Don’t worry about it."

The young master, walking away, turned back and cursed, "What are you all dawdling for? Are you waiting for your young master to die from his grave injuries here?"

’Truly shameful.’ The Xie family servants lowered their heads and hurried away.

Eldest Young Master Wei stood watching them leave. His servant frowned in displeasure. "This Mr. Xie is too rude. Is he naturally like this, or did Third Young Master Xie arrange this intentionally to humiliate you, Young Master?"

After speaking, he glanced to the side, where the kicked steward was still unconscious.

"He was too heavy-handed," they said, gritting their teeth in resentment.

That kid looked so frail, yet his kicks were so powerful. They then recalled the slap to Eldest Young Master Wei’s shoulder and asked with concern.

Eldest Young Master Wei gently pressed his arm and said it was nothing. "Rude or not, his surname isn’t Wei. It has nothing to do with us."

Just as the young master’s carriage was about to depart, the child, who had been pulled aside and held by the servant, leaped up again, struggling like a small animal.

"Don’t you go! Don’t you go!" he shrieked. "I’ll kill you! I’ll kill you!"

The carriage curtain was lifted, and the phoenix-eyed young man looked coldly at the child.

"You can’t kill me now. Wait until you’re grown up, then come and kill me," he said. "Remember, my name is Xie Yanlai."

With that, he dropped the curtain, blocking the view, but not the child’s enraged and grief-stricken screams.

"Xie Yanlai!"

"Xie Yanlai!"

"I’ll remember!"

"I will kill you!"

Inside the carriage, the maids sat quietly in the corners. They were completely different from how they had been outside, with no trace of laughter. They sat with their heads lowered as if they didn’t exist.

Xie Yanlai was also silent. As the carriage swayed, light and shadow flickered across his face. His phoenix eyes were like a deep, still pool, utterly lifeless.

’So this is what it’s like to be the villain?’

’Being the villain is the easiest thing in the world.’

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