Chapter 177: Brother
Translator: Transn Editor: Transn
Meng Mingshi and Shangguan Yushi were actually lovers. This fact was extremely shocking.
Gu Shenwei was shocked. Many doubts were finally resolved. He felt that he was really dense as he could not figure out their relationship earlier. However, it wasn't Gu Shenwei's fault as he hadn't been in such a relationship before so he couldn't understand such a subtle feeling.
Meng Mingshi and Shangguan Ru were like water and fire as they would quarrel whenever they met. However, Meng Mingshi was always courteous to Shangguan Yushi. Fifth Young Master Meng liked Master Yu ever since their first meeting. Thus, he would assist her discreetly. This was why Shangguan Yushi dared to kill the machetemen from the Horned Dragon Society without fear of revenge.
The lives of the machetemen were insignificant to the nobles in North City. It would be all worthwhile if they could make a beautiful woman smile.
As for the death of Marquis Gao, Gu Shenwei finally understood the reason behind it. The poor Marquis had known about their relationship, so he used that fact to extort money. Even though Shangguan Yushi gave him the money, the money didn't belong to her. Instead, it belonged to the Mengs. Hence, Marquis Gao was killed when he extorted money for the second time.
Shangguan Ru didn't think so much. She held onto her saber. Her face was red and her black pupils dilated. She paused for a long time and finally said, "You're lying."
Meng Mingshi fished out a jade pendant and showed it to Shangguan Ru.
The pendant was carved into a shape of a deer. Apart from its green eyes, the pendant was white in color. However, it didn't seem particularly precious.
Shangguan Ru flinched as though she was struck by a sledgehammer. She stared at the pendant for a long time before taking out her own pendent.
The two jade pendants appeared to be almost exactly the same.
For a moment, tears welled up in her eyes and she was about to cry. Then, she withdrew her emotions, kept the pendant, raised her saber and said, "Impossible. You must have stolen it. If not, you must have made one. Master Yu couldn't ..."
Meng Mingshi dropped his arms and stared at Shangguan Yushi's corpse. His deep emotions could even be felt by the most ruthless killer.
"Nothing is impossible. All of you, who lived in the Stone Castle, always thought that she should be Tenth Young Master's follower since her birth. However, she was much smarter than you and was more qualified to be the Young Master. We had set up a perfect plan and we almost succeeded."
"Plan?" Shangguan Ru repeated and her hand, which held her saber, started to tremble.
"Horned Dragon Society was established because of her, so that we could play a realistic game with you. Meanwhile, we can get rid of those whom we disliked such as Slave Huan. Then, we would think of a way to send you back to Stone Castle. I will control Horned Dragon Society and she will control Kun Society. Both of us will start our career. By then, no one will claim that I'm a useless wastrel and she has a lowly status..."
"Shut up!" Shangguan Ru shouted. Her tears dropped uncontrollably. She said, "Master Yu won't betray me."
"She certainly won't betray you. She needs you but she feels that you are still too young and not suitable for the job. Hence, she wants to expand the society on your behalf. She'll return a powerful Kun society, which could terrorize the Western Region back to you when she got married into the Meng family."
Shangguan Ru couldn't believe his words and her mind was in a whirl. She was reminded of Master Yu's sweet nothings, "She said that she didn't want to get married."
Meng Mingshi looked at the lifeless face of Shangguan Yushi with affection and replied, "She said she regretted making such an oath."
Shangguan Ru stumbled back into a chair and sat down powerlessly. She dropped her saber and curled up, behaving as though she was a little girl who was abandoned by her parents. She mumbled, "Impossible." Suddenly, she jumped up and shouted, "If it isn't you, then who killed Master Yu?"
Meng Mingshi seemed to have just thought about this issue. His eyes looked hesitant. He then pointed at Slave Huan and said, "It is him. It must have been his doing."
Shangguan Ru was totally confused. She asked without much thinking, "Is it you? Did you kill her because of the deep hatred between both of you?"
"It's not me. I can't command that many machetemen."
Gu Shen could already guess who was the mastermind but he didn't have the power to reveal the truth.
Shangguan Ru finally realized that Meng Mingshi's allegations were too far-fetched. As there was no way an ordinary killer would be able to command dozens of machetemen, she said, "Those machetemen were from the Horned Dragon Society."
"I can't figure it out. There is a chance that they're members of the society, but I hadn't given out any order and no macheteman had admitted to it. I have sent some men to check it out and there hasn't been any news as of now. If I can't find out what has happened, I'll kill all of them."
Meng Mingshi was not a qualified master. When Shangguan Yushi died, he would only drink to his sorrow and didn't formulate a plan for revenge.
Both of them were deep in thought and were thinking hard about this matter.
Shangguan Ru knew nothing so it was acceptable if she couldn't understand. However, Meng Mingshi had plenty of clues. Gu Shenwei wanted to crack open his skull and put the idea straight into his brain.
"I get it," Meng Mingshi said as he had finally gotten rid of the influence of drunkenness and sadness. Meng Mingshi finally understood what was going on. He exclaimed, "It's your brother. Shangguan Fei's order!"
Shangguan Ru stared at Meng Mingshi like a fool. Just when she was about to rebut, Tuo Nengya's voice was heard from outside, "Who are you?"
"Golden Roc Fort," a cold voice replied.
Tuo Nengya must have believed his claims. Hence, instead of blocking off all outsiders as per Shangguan Ru's order, he pushed the door open and allowed dozens of men in black clothing to come in.
They were indeed Golden Roc killers. They were dressed in black and each of them wore a red belt. They weren't inexperienced youths, but rather, they were experienced strong man. After entering the house, they immediately dispersed to every corner of the house.
No one could act rashly.
Meng Mingshi did not know what those people were up to and was trembling in fear. Shangguan Ru was stunned and asked, "Who do these rude killers belong to?"
A short man, who was dressed in black, was standing by the door. He lifted his hood and answered, "Sister, you have blown this matter up. Stone Castle had to send their men here to clear up the mess."
It was Shangguan Fei.
Shangguan Ru looked at her brother in surprise. Both Shangguan Ru and Meng Mingshi asked almost at the same time, "Have you sent someone to kill her?"
Shangguan Fei didn't answer the question. He had waited for this moment for a long time, but he was willing to wait for a little while longer. He moved a few steps forward, grabbed onto Fifth Young Master Meng and said, "Fifth Young Master, you have suffered a lot. Come and send Fifth Young Master back home."
Two black killers grabbed onto Meng Mingshi and brought him out of the house. Meng Mingshi was grief-stricken and furious. He didn't have the strength to do anything and was easily manipulated. Upon reaching the door, he straightened his body and accused, "You. It must have been you. How could I ..."
The killers didn't hesitate. They grabbed onto Fifth Young Master Meng and quickly departed.
Shangguan Fei smiled as he watched Meng Mingshi leave. Now, both the Mengs and Horned Dragon Society had owed him a big favor. Next, he would deal with Kun Society.
In a swift action, Shangguan Ru swung her saber and held it in front of Shangguan Fei's chest. Shangguan Ru was like an angry cat. She arched her back and her pupil became dilated.
"Why?"
A killer came over to save his master but Shangguan Fei sent him off with a shake of his hand. He previously cried in fear because of his sister's saber, but not anymore. He replied, "Do you want to kill me again? Sister, you always forget that I'm not your slave."
"Because of this? You killed Master Yu just because you hated me?" Shangguan Ru couldn't believe that the youth standing in front of her was her twin brother. Her hand, which was holding onto the saber, started trembling again.
"I don't hate you. I admire you," Shangguan Fei replied. He was extremely calm and he didn't seem as incompetent and weak as people thought he would be. He said, "Both mother and father like you. Father treats you far better than all of your brothers. But I hate Shangguan Yushi. Who is she? How could she be so disrespectful towards me?"
Shangguan Fei became angry. His eyes were burning with anger as he leaned forward. Shangguan Ru unconsciously moved back while moving her saber away from her brother's chest. He shouted, "I am the son of the Supreme King! She is just a poor relative that comes from nowhere. Her status is only slightly higher than that of a slave. Why should I endure her wrath?"
"She didn't... We didn't..." Shangguan Ru cried. She couldn't control her emotions. She couldn't handle all of the many unexpected events that had occurred.
"Oh. Indeed, all of you didn't bully me. What do you treat me as? Followers and slaves. Sometimes, I feel like I am worse than a slave. How does teasing constitute to 'bullying' as you give face to slaves by teasing them. Do you know that? Sister, I feel that all slaves hate their master."
Shangguan Fei looked at Shangguan Yushi's corpse and sneered, "Master Yu is rather ambitious. She wants to take your position by removing you so that she can control Kun Society all by herself. Look, sister. This is your best friend. She found herself a man. Then, she betrays you faster than a slave betraying his master."
"Shut up!"
Shangguan Ru placed her saber at her brother's chest as she was no longer trembling.
"Come on. Haven't you ever placed your saber at my neck in order to save the two slaves? Now that Master Yu is dead, come and take your revenge. It's a tradition of Stone Castle for family members to kill each other. I have killed Big Brother, and you can kill me, your elder brother. Father will like you more."
Shangguan Fei was slightly deranged. No killer in the house dared to step forward to dissuade him.
The saber in Shangguan Ru's hand felt heavy as she couldn't decide whether she should stab her brother or retract her saber back.
Shangguan Fei took over the saber and tossed it on the floor. He said coldly, "Is it so difficult to kill someone? You weren't like this when you were killing machetemen from the Horned Dragon Society two nights ago. Could you remember? You were composed and nonchalant as if they were just ants. Don't they have siblings? Don't they have someone they love? No, everyone has. Sister, do you understand the rules of Stone Castle? If you're unable to kill your older brother, how will you be able to kill the person you loved, respected and hated?"
Shangguan Fei looked at his sister cruelly as his cheeks flushed with excitement. This current moment of revenge was even better than what he imagined. If he could, he wanted to stay at this moment forever.
Shangguan Ru stood still in a dazed manner. Her small body resembled a baby leopard which had just left its mother. She looked confused and guarded against everyone who was in the house. She said, "You're not my brother. Both of you and she had betrayed me."
"You have never once treated me like an older brother," Shangguan Fei said, as he held onto a blade. He was piercing his blade into Shangguan Ru's body. Instead of piercing her in a quick motion, he slowly sliced her skin, cut her flesh up and stirred her internal organs.
Loud noises could be heard from the outside as though a fierce fight was taking place there. Shangguan Fei let out a smile and looked at Slave Huan, who was standing at the side. While delivering his final stab, he said, "Sister. Open your eyes. Everyone around you is betraying you."
Gu Shenwei was shocked. He had been interacting with the masters of Stone Castle cautiously, but he still underestimated the capability of the Ninth Young Master. Although he was prepared to betray, he had not thought of how to deal with Shangguan Ru's grief and indignation.
(Seeking for collection and recommendation)