Chapter 313: Xiuxiu's Visit
After speaking, Yang Lin turned and entered the mansion. Housekeeper Huang, smiling, addressed the group, "Everyone, did you clearly hear the words of the Family Head of our Yang family? We don't have many rules, but if you do anything, you must be prepared to bear the consequences. The bottom line of the Yang family is simple: betrayal is a death sentence, it is unforgivable."
"Alright, since you have passed the Family Head's test, you are now part of the Yang family. Follow me, and I will arrange your accommodations."
Under Housekeeper Huang's guidance, Lu Hong and the twelve others were first assigned their independent courtyards, and then given a tour of the interior of the Yang family's mansion by Housekeeper Huang.
Nearly half of the Yang family grounds were a restricted area for these guests, particularly the inner quarters, where the Yang family's elders and young relatives resided.
After the tour, the entire Yang family estate appeared like a gigantic imperial palace, with the inner quarters at the center. Lu Hong could move around freely, much like the outer perimeter of an imperial city.
Nevertheless, it was still immense. Although the Yang family's mansion wasn't as terrifyingly vast as those in the Tianwu World, it was still not small. A significant portion of the realm, at least one percent, was enclosed. Within the mansion, there were various training areas with everything one might need, allowing one to experience travel adventures without leaving the estate.
"This Yang family is wealthy indeed," Lu Hong sighed as he returned to his allocated courtyard.
"It's still lacking compared to my Tianwu," Tian Shengwu disagreed, voicing his opposition.
"Let's stay here for the time being. I noticed there are Magic detection devices set up all around the Yang estate. Don't move around carelessly, be careful not to be detected by them."
Hearing Lu Hong's reminder, Tian Shengwu nodded, "Understood."
After testing the guests, Yang Lin quickly returned to the inner courtyard through the Teleportation Gate and walked into the loft where his wife was.
He was greeted by his daughter's chatter.
"Mom, among the guests I brought back this time, two are very formidable. I believe they can definitely bring support to the Yang family and might even help us seize this time's ruling power."
"Good, good, you've really thought this through, little girl. But sneaking out without your father's... "
"Cough, cough!" Yang Lin immediately faked a cough, interrupting his wife's words. Luckily, he arrived in time, otherwise his old face might have been quite embarrassed.
Upon hearing Yang Lin's voice, his wife refrained from speaking further, patting her daughter's hand gently, "Go see your father."
"Oh!" Yang Xiuxiu timidly walked up to Yang Lin, "Dad."
"Hmm." Yang Lin nodded sternly and then sat down, "You just mentioned that you picked two talents for the Yang family this time?"
"Yes," Yang Xiuxiu eagerly replied, "Those two elder brothers have very strong abilities. I feel they could match second brother if they teamed up."
"Oh?" Yang Lin raised an eyebrow; he knew well his second son's capabilities. For someone to match Yang Qing in a team-up indicated potential: "Have you seen them in action?"
"No, I directly recruited them."
Hearing this, Yang Lin's face, which had just eased, darkened again, "You didn't even make the most basic inquiries?"
"I watched them while they were training; Brother Lu is simply... "
"Enough!" Yang Lin cut her off, not even wanting to hear more: "What Brother Lu, do you have the skills to judge people just by looking? This person even has the last name Lu, haven't you considered he could be a spy from the Lu family?!"
"Ah? I don't think so?" Yang Xiuxiu was startled and quickly hid behind Yang's wife, peering at Yang Lin cautiously.
Yang's wife laughed and pulled Yang Xiuxiu out, "What's there to hide? Your father is speaking to you."
"I… I'm just scared, Dad's so fierce," Yang Xiuxiu nestled into her mother's arms, "Mom, you must protect me."
Yang Lin's mouth twitched at Yang Xiuxiu's clingy behavior, leaving him somewhat speechless.
After a moment, Yang Lin calmed himself and said, "Tell me, how did you come into contact with those two?"
"I took the initiative to find them. Previously, the Young Master of Pifu World, Dongban Huasan, came to disrupt the arena and was driven away by second brother. At the time, second brother looked at those two a few times, and Housekeeper Huang noted the incident. I figured that those who caught second brother's attention must have some ability, so I had Housekeeper Huang interact with them more to gather information. When the timing was right, I personally recruited them."
Yang Xiuxiu successfully attributed Housekeeper Huang's assertive moves to her foresight and planning.
After listening to Yang Xiuxiu's words, Yang Lin clearly didn't fully believe her, but he didn't intend to pursue it further. No matter what Lu Hong and Wu Sheng were, once they entered the Yang estate, their choices became limited.
"Enough, you've been out for a few days, find some time to accompany your mother," Yang Lin said, ending the conversation.
After waiting for a while, when Yang Xiuxiu saw her father had no intention of leaving, she was about to speak but was preempted by Yang Lin, "Why are you still sitting here?"
"Huh? Aren't you supposed to leave? Dad!" Yang Xiuxiu hadn't expected her father to be the one urging her to leave.
"Me, leave? Ha!" Yang Lin chuckled coldly, "Have you forgotten that this is your mother's and my private chamber?"
"Oh," Yang Xiuxiu, with her head lowered, addressed her mother, "Mom... Dad is chasing me out."
"Then you should go." Yang's wife smiled and motioned for Yang Xiuxiu to leave quickly.
It was evident that even her mother could be so unyielding, making Yang Xiuxiu stomp her foot in annoyance, "Fine, I'll go. Once I'm gone, you won't have this adorable daughter anymore!"
"Get out!"
With Yang Lin's loud bellow, Yang Xiuxiu leaped three feet high like a startled rabbit and hopped out of the courtyard.
Upon leaving her courtyard, Yang Xiuxiu mused about how her eldest brother was now advancing to the Heavenly God rank and certainly off in Lin'an World on an adventure. Her second brother, in a critical stage of advancement, probably had no time for her. As for friends from the side branches of the Yang family, Yang Xiuxiu thought for a moment but gave up. During this round of competitive battles, her friends were driven back by their elders, forced to train, and weren't seen even before she left. Her return wouldn't change that.
"Then I'll go see Brother Lu and the others!"
Yang Xiuxiu walked to the teleportation point, "I want to go to the guest area."
"Certainly, miss."
With the help of the Teleportation Gate attendant, the teleportation point opened, and Yang Xiuxiu instantly arrived in the special area where Lu Hong and others resided.
This place was one of the Yang family's three most heavily guarded areas, a unified residential area for those of different surnames in the Yang family.
Yang Xiuxiu directly went to the small courtyard of the area's manager, "Uncle Mo, can you help me find out where Lu Hong lives?"
"Miss? How did you end up here?" Yang Mo was very surprised to see Yang Xiuxiu. In all these years, this was the first time he had seen her in the guest residential area.
He immediately remembered hearing that a new batch of guests had been admitted today, supposedly recruited by Miss Yang herself?
"I just want to check on the talents I recruited. Tomorrow, my father will definitely test their strength on the training grounds, and I'm not reassured, so I came to have a look."
"Alright then." Yang Mo flipped open the record book and quickly found the latest arrivals' list, "The Lu Hong you are looking for is now residing in the third courtyard of the Southern Courtyard."
With that, Yang Mo summoned two Yang family soldiers, "Take Miss to the Southern Courtyard."
"Yes, sir!"
"Miss, this way, please!"
Following the two soldiers, Yang Xiuxiu knocked on the gate of Lu Hong's courtyard.
Tian Shengwu opened the gate and saw Yang Xiuxiu smiling brightly. He then bowed slightly and greeted, "Greetings, Miss Yang."
"Oh, but didn't I say before to just call me Xiuxiu?"
"That's not appropriate," Tian Shengwu shook his head, joking, "We are now subjects of the Yang family, and there's no such casual addressing when meeting the master. If others hear it, we might lose our heads."
"Alright then."
The two soldiers initially intended to enter the courtyard with Yang Xiuxiu but were stopped by her, "You all can go back."
"This... " The soldiers naturally dared not. They were responsible for guarding the guest area and knew these outsiders were most prone to causing issues. The third young lady of the Yang family was of noble status, so if someone harbored ill intentions...
"Miss, we'll wait at the door for you," the soldiers said tactfully, negotiating a middle ground.
"Okay," Yang Xiuxiu agreed, turning to enter the courtyard.
"Thank you, both." Without paying heed to the soldiers' cold stares, Tian Shengwu closed the courtyard gate with a thud.