He felt a slight chill in his heart.

But what did that have to do with him?

He was merely a patriarch of a Celestial Human Family; managing his own household was already challenging enough. Why should he care what machinations the Yin Sha Sect had?

"Once the matter is settled, this young master will conveniently eliminate the Ping’an Wang Family for you," said the young man in white lightly, as if dealing with the Ping’an Wang Family was as simple as exterminating a nest of ants.

Huangfu Jinhuan’s heart blazed with excitement. As long as the ancestor’s injuries could be suppressed, and with the young master’s assistance, how could the Ping’an Wang Family not perish?

He immediately cupped his hands and said, "Jinhuan will first arrange accommodation for the young master. I will make sure to arrange everything promptly for the young master; I absolutely won’t delay your major affairs."

...

Every day at Changning Guard, various events took place, but those that could truly be brought to light and remembered by people were few.

In the coming period, there were only two notable events worth remembering in Changning Guard.

The first was that the City Guard Xiahou Hongde’s term had ended, and he was reassigned to assume duties in a prosperous Guardian City in the interior. As the local governor was leaving, Wang Shouzhe, of course, personally saw him off.

However, although Xiahou Hongde’s term had ended, the wine business between the two was ongoing, and their relationship naturally had to be maintained.

Subsequently, the newly appointed City Guard, Wei Wenxun, also took office and arrived at Changning Guard.

As a representative of the Eighth-Grade Noble Family, Wang Shouzhe naturally participated in the welcoming ceremony, but was cautious in forming close ties. Wei Wenxun was a newly promoted Celestial Human Realm cultivator, and his temperament had yet to be assessed; hasty connections were inadvisable.

The saying goes, a new official applies three fires.

Upon taking office, Wei Wenxun began to rectify Changning Guard’s public security, taxation, and city defenses. Consequently, many of Changning Guard’s small semi-legal forces were swept away like fallen leaves in autumn.

Afterward, he led the Patrol Camp across various noble family territories, re-registering fields, industries, and population records, displaying quite a formidable presence.

Unfortunately, such authority could only intimidate the ordinary Eighth and Ninth-Grade families.

In private, Wang Shouzhe discreetly showed Wei Wenxun his Purple Mansion Academy direct disciple token, while also hinting that he had three sisters, all direct disciples of the Purple Mansion Ascendant.

This immediately caused Wei Wenxun to restrain his activities significantly, allowing the major inspections in Ping’an Town to quickly pass over as a formality.

This was not because Wang Shouzhe didn’t want to pay taxes according to regulations, but because there were too many secret industries on the Wang Family’s land that they didn’t wish to disclose, along with many confidential research projects.

If Wei Wenxun was allowed to investigate freely, wouldn’t the Ping’an Wang Family be completely exposed?

The City Guard indeed held a high position, deployed by the Daqian Imperial Court to maintain peace in one area, but the powerful local forces were not to be trifled with. Mutual counterbalance has always been the way of coexistence.

After suppressing Wei Wenxun’s momentum, Wang Shouzhe personally visited him in secret, engaging in some friendly exchange, further "deepening" their relationship.

Besides.

The second major event was Beichen Ancestor of the Changning Xu Family, after years of seclusion, honing both cultivation and state of mind, finally attempted to breach the Celestial Human Realm and succeeded, summoning Celestial Thunder, achieving a breakthrough into the Celestial Human Realm.

This successful advancement by Beichen Ancestor naturally injected a shot of strength into their marriage allies, simultaneously altering the balance within Changning Guard from two Seventh-Grade Celestial Human Families standing independently to a tripartite equilibrium.

Currently, although the Changning Xu Family could not yet compete side by side with the Lei Family, their momentum had already surpassed the declining Celestial Person Huangfu Family.

Unless Ancestor Hua Ye of the Celestial Person Huangfu Family recovered and once again ruled over Changning Guard, the status of the Huangfu Family would only continue to decline, much like the decades-long ordeal experienced by the Wang Family in the past.

...

Outside Changning Guard City suburb.

A luxurious carriage embossed with the Huangfu Family emblem slowly stopped outside a modest manor, whereupon the carriage curtains were lifted, and Huangfu Jinhuan, the patriarch of the Changning Huangfu Family, supported by his household generals, alighted from the carriage.

"Patriarch, the manor’s steward has been informed and there should soon be a response," the household general, supporting Huangfu Jinhuan to stand firmly, reported in a low voice. 𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶

"Hmm, let’s wait and see~"

Huangfu Jinhuan nodded and then looked up at the manor in front of him.

Among many manors, this one was once his favorite. Secretly purchased and meticulously managed for years, although unassuming on the outside, its interior was quite luxurious and exquisite, exceptionally comfortable to reside in. Over the years, many significant decisions concerning the Huangfu Family were made here.

Once.

To maintain confidentiality, this manor was registered under the name of an out-of-town wealthy merchant. Later, as it became entangled with the Yin Sha Sect, it was seized and confiscated by the City Guardian’s Mansion.

Eventually, it was Lady Jii, who had stayed there for a period, grew fond of this manor, and acquired it from the City Guardian’s Mansion, renaming it "Plucking Plum Garden."

But why did Lady Jii choose such a peculiar name?

Huangfu Jinhuan was somewhat puzzled, as he clearly remembered there were no plum blossoms planted in the manor.

Simultaneously, he couldn’t help but feel waves of emotion and nostalgia.

Back then, how high-spirited the Celestial Person Huangfu Family was, easily influencing the state of Changning Guard.