Young Song: The Hidden Sword God, Han Yi and Her Child Arrive at the Door.

"Whoa—"

Accompanied by a series of synchronized reins, more than a dozen carriages loaded with heavy wooden crates slowly came to a stop in the spacious square in front of Changqing Tower.

The wheels rolled over the bluestone slabs, making a dull thud, as if telling how precious the contents of the box were.

Tang Lian dismounted, her black clothes neat but unable to conceal the weariness and loneliness between her brows.

Behind him, dozens of Tang Clan elders and core disciples stood with their hands at their sides, heads bowed, not daring to look at the curious, mocking, or gloating gazes around them.

Once upon a time, how powerful was the Tang Clan?

The Tang Clan of Sichuan is the best at using hidden weapons!

Even when they arrive in Tianqi City, they are treated as honored guests!

But now, with the old master dead and their elite troops gone, they have no choice but to come to this little tavern they once regarded as ants, bowing their heads in apology and begging for forgiveness, like stray dogs.

"Tang Lian, along with the remnants of the Tang Clan, has come to apologize to Mr. Su!"

Tang Lian took a deep breath, her voice, though not loud, carried a resolute air.

He clasped his hands together, knelt on one knee, and slammed his knee heavily onto the hard ground with a dull thud.

"kneel!"

At his command, the dozens of Tang Clan elders and disciples behind him, though unwilling, had no choice but to kneel down in humiliation.

It was a dark, dense mass, a scene that was both spectacular and desolate.

The noisy sounds inside the tavern vanished instantly.

All the diners stopped eating, craning their necks and staring wide-eyed at the scene.

"My God! The Tang Sect really came to apologize?"

"This is the Tang Clan! The incredibly arrogant Tang Clan! They're actually kneeling in front of a tavern?"

"Just how much influence does this Mr. Su have? He's practically rubbing the Tang Clan's face in the dirt!"

Just as everyone was discussing it.

Su Changqing finally strolled downstairs at a leisurely pace.

He was still holding Xiao Nuomi in his arms, and had half a piece of osmanthus cake in his hand. He looked so relaxed that he didn't seem to care about the dozens of people kneeling outside.

"Oh, isn't this Young Master Tang?"

Su Changqing walked to the door, leaned against the door frame, and fed his daughter cake while looking at Tang Lian with a half-smile. "What? Are you here to eat? You have to queue for food, and even acquaintances can't cut in line."

"Mr. Su is joking."

Tang Lian gave a bitter smile, pulled out a thick list of gifts from her bosom, and held it high above her head. "The Tang Clan has offended us greatly in the past, almost causing a great disaster. Today, Tang Lian has prepared these small gifts, firstly to apologize for the Tang Clan's past actions, and secondly... to implore Mr. Su to be lenient and spare the Tang Clan's life!"

"Read it," Su Changqing said calmly.

"yes!"

Tang Lian opened the gift list and read it aloud:

"One hundred thousand taels of gold!"

boom!

These words caused an uproar in the room!

One hundred thousand taels of gold!

That's a whole million taels of silver!

In an era when one or two taels of silver could sustain an ordinary family for a month, this was an astronomical sum! Enough to buy half of Snowmoon City!

"My goodness! One hundred thousand taels of gold? Has the Tang Clan emptied their coffers?"

"That's outrageous! This isn't an apology, it's throwing money around!"

Even Xiao Se, who was doing the accounting, dropped his abacus with a "clatter" to the ground. Although he was a prince and had seen the world, the sight of 100,000 taels of gold in front of him still made him feel suffocated.

"The Tang Clan... they really know how to give things away," Xiao Se muttered to himself.

But this is just the beginning.

Tang Lian's voice continued, each word striking the hearts of everyone like a heavy hammer.

"The Tang Clan's Inner Chamber Hidden Weapon Manual, 108 Volumes!"

"The Tang Clan's exclusive poison formula, seventy-two kinds!"

"These include... 'The Illustrated Manual of Pear Blossom Needles in a Rainstorm,' 'Detailed Explanation of Making the Buddha's Wrathful Lotus,' and 'The Heart Method of Guanyin's Tears'..."

Quiet.

This time, there was a truly deathly silence.

If gold only makes people envious, then these secret manuals will drive people crazy!

This is the very foundation upon which the Tang Clan stands!

It is a core secret passed down through the Tang Clan for hundreds of years!

Any one of these copies, once it gets out, would be enough to stir up a bloodbath in the martial arts world!

Now, Tang Lian has actually packed them all up and given them to Su Changqing?

This isn't an apology; it's practically handing over the Tang Clan's lifeline!

"Senior Brother! You mustn't!"

Finally, one of the Tang Clan elders kneeling behind him couldn't hold back any longer and cried out, "We can give you the money, but this manual is the legacy left by our ancestors. If we hand it over, how will the Tang Clan ever be able to stand in the martial world again? We will be the eternal sinners of the Tang Clan!"

"Shut up!"

Tang Lian whirled around, her eyes sharp as knives. "If you don't hand it over, the Tang Clan is gone! Do you want to be a sinner for all time, or a dead man?"

The elder was rendered speechless by the rebuttal and could only collapse to the ground, closing his eyes in despair.

Tang Lian turned her head and looked at Su Changqing again, her eyes full of pleading.

"Mr. Su, this is all the sincerity the Tang Clan has offered. We only beg you to spare our lives, considering the preciousness of the Tang Clan's legacy!"

He knew that although these things were precious, they might be worthless in Su Changqing's eyes. But he was betting on Su Changqing's magnanimity, betting that he wouldn't go to such lengths to wipe them out.

Su Changqing looked at Tang Lian kneeling on the ground, then at the dozen or so carts of valuables, and finally his gaze fell on the mahogany box filled with secret manuals.

His expression remained calm, revealing neither joy nor sorrow.

"Desolate."

After a long silence, Su Changqing finally spoke.

"Yes." Xiao Se quickly ran over.

"Take the money and put it in the vault. We're planning to build a playground in the backyard anyway, this amount should be enough," Su Changqing said casually.

"puff--"

Those around him nearly vomited blood upon hearing this.

100,000 taels of gold! You're using that to build an amusement park? Is your amusement park made of gold?

Xiao Se's lips twitched, but he still dutifully directed people to move the boxes full of gold inside.

"As for these..."

Su Changqing walked up to the box containing the secret manual and casually opened the lid.

The room was filled with all sorts of antique books and scrolls, each one exuding a sense of the vicissitudes of time.

Tang Lian's heart was in her throat.

He is waiting.

Awaiting Su Changqing's verdict. To accept, or to refuse? Or perhaps... to mock?

Su Changqing reached inside and rummaged through the books, finally pulling out a booklet with a yellowed cover and exquisite illustrations.

"Illustrations of Pear Blossom Needles in a Rainstorm"

This is the blueprint for the legendary hidden weapon that almost killed Xiao Nuomi!

Su Changqing picked up the atlas, casually flipped through a few pages, and his brows gradually furrowed.

"This thing..."