Watching Nie Qingkong's retreating back disappear around the corner, the elder from the Tang family knew he had been abandoned. Gritting his teeth, he cursed, "Shameless wretch! If you hadn't been so careless, how could this slip-up have happened? If I'd known you were so useless, I wouldn't have cooperated with you in the first place!"
Hearing the Tang family elder's words, the Wen family head's eyes turned cold, and he immediately signaled his subordinate.
Nodding, the subordinate dashed off in the direction Nie Qingkong had vanished.
Seeing that someone was already in pursuit, the Wen family head then gave the order, "Tang family members, please cooperate."
As the Wen family head's voice fell, his men completely surrounded the Tang family.
Sensing danger, the Tang family members looked ready to fight to the death.
"A friendly reminder," Xia Qingtian did not want these fools to cause any trouble that might affect innocent bystanders. "A nationwide manhunt is no joke. If I were you, I'd surrender obediently and cooperate with the investigation, lest you implicate your entire family."
Hearing Xia Qingtian's words, the faces of those Tang family members immediately turned ugly. But in the end, they exchanged glances and honestly went with the Wen family head's men.
Meanwhile, the person who had gone to chase Nie Qingkong returned and shook his head at the Wen family head.
He had clearly seen the kid not far in front of him. With just two quick steps and a reach, he could have touched the kid's shoulder. But after a single turn at the corner, the kid vanished!
It was as if he had evaporated!
He had no idea what had happened. After searching for a long time, he could only return empty-handed.
The Wen family head clenched his fist by his side. He had initially thought it was just a small fry, but could it be that he had really let a big fish slip away?
After the Tang family members were taken away, Xia Qingtian wasn't idle either. She immediately said to Da Ya, "Da... Tang family's head, hurry back to the Tang family with Professor Tang and the others. Don't let certain people have a chance to tip them off and alert the enemy."
"Mhm," Tang Youxi naturally knew that this opportunity must not be missed.
Tonight, the Tang family had to undergo a thorough cleansing from top to bottom, completely rectifying things.
"Ahem," the Wen family head coughed lightly, reminding in a low voice, "Don't go too far."
He didn't want to interfere too much with the Tang family's affairs, but if it reached a point where he had to, he wouldn't hold back.
"Did you hear that~?" Xia Qingtian said with a smile, deliberately drawing out her words. "Patriarch Wen has spoken. As long as you don't go too far, he'll clean up the mess. Truly worthy of being the Nation's War God, so reliable!"
"I..." The Wen family head choked. When had he ever said that!
"Then thank you in advance, Patriarch Wen," Tang Youxi seized the opportunity, not giving the Wen family head a chance to explain or deny, and immediately responded before preparing to leave with Professor Tang and the others.
"Do you need my help?" Professor Miao asked Professor Tang.
"The Tang family will handle their own affairs," Professor Tang replied to Professor Miao. "Tomorrow morning at nine, meet us at the usual place."
After saying this, Professor Tang immediately turned and followed in Tang Youxi's footsteps.
Halfway down the stairs, Tang Youxi suddenly seemed to remember something. She turned around and shouted loudly to Xia Qingtian, "Thank you, Qing Tian, for helping me photograph the treasure map today. Name your price, the Tang family will pay!"
After saying this, Tang Youxi smiled at Xia Qingtian before turning and walking away briskly.
Xia Qingtian also curved her lips. She knew that Da Ya was showing her stance, formally bringing the entire Tang family to her side.
Xia Qingtian inwardly thanked her for this trust and unconditional support.
Seeing the Tang family leave, Professor Miao also straightened his suit and prepared to depart.
"Uncle," Miao Tong asked as Professor Miao was also about to leave, "Where are you going?"
"It's time to settle the accounts from back then," Professor Miao said. "I'm returning to the Miao family to purge traitors."
Back then, the massacre of the Lu family was not only orchestrated by traitors from the Tang family, but people from the Miao family were also involved. Otherwise, it would not have led to the two families harboring resentment towards each other for so many years.
Since that was the case, if the Tang family was to be thoroughly purged, the Miao family could not fall behind and continue to harbor corruption.
"You..." Just as the Wen family head was about to remind Professor Miao not to go too far, he was interrupted by Professor Miao.
"I know," Professor Miao said to the Wen family head. "You'll clean up the aftermath." With that, he left.
I didn't! I didn't! Stop talking nonsense!
The Wen family head watched Professor Miao's retreating back, almost shouting out.
Was it not enough to have him clean up after the Tang family, now even the Miao family was extorting him?
"Oh my~ Patriarch Wen, you truly are a capable person who shoulders much responsibility~" Xia Qingtian said with a smile. "Dominant! Majestic! Magnanimous! Awesome!"
"Get lost!" The Wen family head glared at Xia Qingtian irritably. It was this person who stirred up trouble for him!
"Alrighty~" Xia Qingtian obediently took a step back, then turned to Er Ya, who had been impatiently waiting, and said, "Go find my Uncle."
Upon receiving Xia Qingtian's order, Er Ya immediately charged like a wild boar towards the dazed Xia. Jin Cai Bai. Shang.
After pouncing, Er Ya hugged Xia Shang's arm and refused to let go, her round, smiling face rubbing incessantly against Xia Shang's chest, as if she had already taken all of Xia Shang's liberties.
Although Xia Shang felt a bit uncomfortable, he knew that Er Ya had endured enough already. He could only patiently indulge her wild behavior.
The other members of the Miao family watched this scene with complex emotions.
After all, although it had not yet been publicly announced, almost everyone tacitly agreed that Miao Sang would be the next head of the Miao family.
The future head of their Miao family was being taken advantage of in broad daylight by the Tang family's hidden matriarch...
This was disastrous...
"Let's... go back to the hall and continue the auction," Miao Tong said in a low voice, too embarrassed to bear it any longer.
The Miao family members nodded in unison.
Father Miao pulled Miao Sang, Miao Sang had Er Ya clinging to him, Miao Tong followed behind them, and they all walked inside.
Mother Miao, however, stood by the railing, looking in the direction of Xiang Xueyuan and Xi Fu, her gaze deep and somber.
The person she had been looking for had actually come today.
What a coincidence.
"Auntie?" Xia Qingtian noticed Mother Miao's unusual demeanor and stepped forward to ask, "What's wrong?"
"It's nothing, I just saw an acquaintance," Mother Miao replied with a shallow smile. "I won't go easy on you during the auction later, don't blame me."
After all, these were the possessions of the Lu, Miao, and Tang families. Even if there was a private friendship, she couldn't just hand them over so easily. It would be too unfair to the massacred Lu family.
"It's alright, everyone for themselves in this," Xia Qingtian said with a smile. "I'll find you to catch up in the next two days."
Mother Miao smiled charmingly at Xia Qingtian before turning and returning to the hall.
The Wen family head also glared at Xia Qingtian indignantly before taking his people and leaving.
The auction for the treasure map continued.