To hand over two young people unrelated to herself, in exchange for the current stable situation, and still be able to protect her own descendants.
Such conditions were obvious to any fool.
Long Feicheng said angrily, "It's over, it's all over. We just contradicted Senior Shen so rudely, Senior Shen must not have a good impression of us and will definitely hand us over to appease them!"
Yan Shouyi glared at Long Feicheng and said, "Senior Shen hasn't spoken yet, don't jump to conclusions."
"I'm just regretting it!" Long Feicheng said pitifully, "Brother Yan, we should respect the old and love the young more from now on."
"Get out of the way!"
Yan Shouyi hit Long Feicheng with his arm.
After being hit, Long Feicheng poked Xu Qian with his elbow: "Xu Qian, you know Senior Shen, tell me, will she hand us over?"
"I… I'm not sure."
To be honest, Xu Qian was also uncertain about this matter.
Because he was not sure who was more important in Shen Shuzhen's heart, the peaceful and stable environment or Yan Shouyi and the others.
"Do you really think this choice is only about the lives of a few outsiders like us?" Yan Shouyi sighed, "This choice is about the fate of Xu Qian, Cui Yu, and the others."
Xu Qian was stunned: "Why does it involve us?"
"Senior Shen has endured humiliation for many years, but deep down she has always had a seed of resistance. However, due to something that happened years ago, she couldn't afford to gamble again. But this time is different, the Ghost King families are aggressive and pressing step by step, she has no room to retreat. If she continues to endure, all that awaits will be destruction! Therefore... whether to hand them over or not is actually a choice between continuing to endure or starting to resist."
Yan Shouyi said solemnly, "So, let's see what choice Senior Shen makes later. Even if she chooses to hide us, it doesn't mean the matter is over. Instead, it signifies the opening of the path of resistance, and a great battle could erupt at any moment."
Xu Qian was surprised. He was a local of Qiantang and understood Shen Shuzhen thoroughly, yet he hadn't grasped the current situation as clearly as an outsider like Yan Shouyi.
Indeed, "the bystander sees clearly what the player misses"!
However, Yan Shouyi's analysis also made Xu Qian understand that this outsider was very formidable and should not be underestimated.
Time passed second by second, but Shen Shuzhen did not give an answer.
Zhou Yuhu was already getting impatient.
He picked a rather beautiful young girl and forcibly dragged her in front of him, saying with a lecherous laugh, "Before, all you sent to our mansion were dead people. It's been a long time since I tasted a living person, especially a beautiful little one like you..."
The girl looked about the same age as Cui Yu, and was likely a descendant of some lineage. At this moment, she was so frightened that her pretty face turned pale, and she dared not speak.
Seeing this, Cui Yu couldn't hold back: "Your Excellencies, those who killed your descendants..."
"We don't know those people!"
Shen Shuzhen suddenly interrupted.
Her eyes were firm, and her tone was like a sharp sword, as if intending to cut something.
Then, Shen Shuzhen stepped forward personally, snatched the girl from Zhou Yuhu's hand, and said while comforting her, "Those people are indeed unrelated to us, and Xu Qian hasn't come to see me for a long time. This Qiantang is your territory after all. It should be easy for the five Ghost King families to find people. Go and find them yourselves, and deal with them as you see fit. Whether it's Xu Qian or those outsiders, they have nothing to do with us!"
"Very good."
Yu Jinhong narrowed his eyes, seeming to detect a subtle meaning in Shen Shuzhen's answer.
"In that case, we have troubled you today." Yu Jinhong flicked his sleeve and transformed into a cloud of ghostly energy, returning to his sedan chair in the blink of an eye: "The night is still long, we will not disturb you further! Zhou Yuhu, let's go!"
Zhou Yuhu sniffed his nose, as if still savoring the scent of the living girl.
This scene made Cui Yu extremely angry, but he suppressed his emotions and remained silent.
Amidst Zhou Yuhu's rampant laughter, the two Ghost Kings finally withdrew their troops, leaving behind scattered paper money.
Long Feicheng, who was inside the house, let out a sigh of relief: "It seems we're safe now."
However, Yan Shouyi and Xu Qian's expressions became even more serious. Yan Shouyi said, "Little Long, have you not taken in anything I said just now?"
"Huh? Did you say anything just now?" Long Feicheng asked in confusion.
Yan Shouyi could do nothing about Long Feicheng, so he could only communicate with Xu Qian.
He said to Xu Qian, "Your grievances with the Ghost King families are long-standing, but after all, we were the catalyst, so I will not stand by and do nothing about this matter."
"Thank you." Xu Qian was speechless, only able to say thanks.
Meanwhile, outside, Cui Yu quickly ran to Senior Shen's side and asked the girl who had been threatened by Zhou Yuhu with concern, "Qianqian, are you alright?"
The girl shook her head, but there were still a few crystal-clear tears in her eyes.
Seeing this, Cui Yu couldn't help but get angry: "It's all the fault of those outsiders! Grandma, why didn't you hand them over, but instead caused Qianqian to be implicated!"
Qianqian's expression changed: "How can you speak ill of Grandma Shen..."
"I..."
Cui Yu turned around and saw his great-grandmother's face looking unusually grim. He realized he might have said something wrong.
But what was wrong with what he had just said? They were just a few outsiders!
Shen Shuzhen suddenly reached out, grabbed Cui Yu's ear, and said sternly, "Come inside with me!"
"Grandma, it hurts so much!" Cui Yu cried out in pain, wondering what he had done wrong today to be beaten everywhere.
Moreover, his great-grandmother had never treated him like this since he was little!
The others also wanted to follow Shen Shuzhen, but were pushed back by her.
Yan Shouyi and the others stood in the house, witnessing Cui Yu being dragged back to the office by his ear and the door being shut heavily.
Ying Jiu and Duan Mu quickly stepped forward to comfort her: "Grandma Shen, please calm your anger!"
Shen Shuzhen released her hand, kicked Cui Yu, and said coldly, "Kneel!"
"Grandma..."
"Kneel! How many times do I have to tell you?!"
Cui Yu, frightened, knelt down with a thud.
Shen Shuzhen said with a cold face, "I was wrong before, so wrong. Now I finally realize that for so many years, I thought I was protecting everyone, but in reality, I was pushing everyone into an abyss of despair!"
Ying Jiu quickly said, "Grandma Shen, how can you think that? If it weren't for you, we would have been eliminated by the Ghost King families long ago!"
"But look at Xiao Yu now!"
Shen Shuzhen said angrily, "Facing Yu Jinhong and Zhou Yuhu, Xiao Yu only knows how to yield! The Ghost Kings' threats and temptations are taken for granted in his eyes. Selling out colleagues is considered clever and knowing when to yield! Today Zhou Yuhu wanted Qianqian, and Xiao Yu could hand over Yan Shouyi and the others without any conditions. But what if tomorrow they want Qianqian, or me, or all of your lives?"
"At that time, Xiao Yu will probably not have the courage and resolve to resist, and will only bow down to them, becoming a puppet of the Ghost King families!!"
"This is not the outcome I want!"