The Truth Comes to Light: Hanyu Is a Member of the Main Family

Yukinoshita Saori sat to one side and said calmly, “I’m the daughter of a criminal. I was sent here as punishment. My grandfather was originally one of the clan’s experts, but he betrayed his people, so he and my father were executed.”

“I see.”

Xu Mu nodded inwardly. “As someone from the main branch, do many people come looking for you?”

“Quite a few, I suppose. But I only accompany guests with drinks and play music. I don’t do anything else.”

At this point, Yukinoshita Saori added, “Of course, the matter with Yukiyama Ken is an exception.”

“So that kind of fetish really exists? I thought it was only something from legends.”

Chen Xuan laughed from the side.

“I wouldn’t know. Anyway, he likes women to wear armor while he gets whipped. Maybe he’s simply had too easy a life as the young master.”

Yukinoshita Saori shook her head.

“You really don’t provide full service here?” Chen Xuan asked with a sly grin. Although he wasn’t particularly interested in such things, he was still curious about it.

“No! It’s a matter of our clan’s reputation. No one wants people to mention our race and immediately think that all the women here do that kind of work.”

Yukinoshita Saori explained, “But there’s no denying that this industry makes money among the different races. At least one-fifth of the spirit stones in our clan come from taxes collected from this business.”

“Really? I don’t believe you.”

Xu Mu swept his perception across the surroundings and discovered that, indeed, no one in the nearby rooms was going all the way.

Instead, they were merely dancing and exchanging instruction by word of mouth.

“Some people do go out with others after their shifts, of course, but that’s their private business and has nothing to do with our establishment,” Yukinoshita Saori said blandly.

“Do the people here plan to stay here for the rest of their lives?” Xu Mu asked.

“How could that be? You don’t really think everyone here enjoys this line of work, do you?”

Yukinoshita Saori pointed at herself. “Take me, for example. My goal is to repay my debt. Once I’ve paid the clan enough spirit stones, I’ll be free again.”

Xu Mu nodded inwardly.

“I don’t want to be restricted for the rest of my life, either. Originally, I only played music and accompanied guests with drinks, but at this rate, it would take me at least forty years to repay the debt. That’s why I agreed to Yukiyama Ken’s strange request.”

“After all, he is the young master, and we grew up together. He gives me a lot of spirit stones.”

“It’s just like having a mortgage,” Chen Xuan joked from the side.

While they were talking, Yukiyama Ken arrived at the room with a man in a black robe.

Yukiyama Ken said to Xu Mu, “Come with me!”

Xu Mu and Chen Xuan rose together and followed him down the passageway on the third floor toward another room in the distance.

Once they entered, the man in the black robe removed his hood.

He appeared to be a middle-aged man in his fifties or sixties, with a neatly groomed mustache. His hair was slicked back, and his cheeks were extremely gaunt.

Xu Mu used his Divine Eye to examine the man. He had to confirm his identity before speaking—what if the man had brought along an impostor?

Name: Xue Yingsi

Role: Snow Woman clan chief

Favorability: 0

Fate Level: 4 (Maximum Level: 10)

After confirming that his identity was genuine, Xu Mu cupped his hands slightly. “Greetings, Senior.”

Xue Yingsi nodded, then casually glanced at Yukiyama Ken. “You may leave.”

“Yes!”

Although Yukiyama Ken was very curious about what had happened, his father had already spoken, so he had no choice but to leave.

Afterward, he closed the door behind him.

“Go on, then. Why did you ask me to come here? What exactly is this matter that could affect our entire clan?”

Xue Yingsi sat in a nearby chair and asked calmly.

“It’s a long story. You should know about the Hanyu family, Senior, right?”

“I do. The Hanyu family dared to cooperate with your Dragon Kingdom’s Environmental Sanitation Office without permission. That was an act of treason, so they were punished. I’ve already appointed a new family head.”

Xue Yingsi spoke without the slightest change in expression.

“Heh. I don’t think things are that simple.”

At this point, Xu Mu patted Chen Xuan on the shoulder. “Old Chen, you summarize it.”

“Sure.”

Chen Xuan nodded. “Our people were captured before. Brother Mu came to rescue us, only to discover that the ones who had taken us were members of the Tenyu Clan.”

At those words, Xue Yingsi’s gaze gradually sharpened.

“That is strange. If the main family of the Snow Woman clan is truly so loyal, then after learning of the Hanyu family’s betrayal, they immediately killed the family head. By all rights, the matter should have ended there.”

Chen Xuan smiled at Xue Yingsi. “Then why did the Tenyu Clan impersonate your people, intercept us on the way, and capture us?”

“What do you think?”

Xue Yingsi’s tone remained calm.

“Let’s assume we were captured as well. I think our side would definitely send experts to rescue us.”

Xu Mu pointed at Xue Yingsi. “Our experts would come to you and demand that you hand us over. But you never captured us in the first place, so you’d obviously deny it. What would our experts do?”

“They would assume we were lying and attack us.”

Xue Yingsi answered without hesitation.

Xu Mu was someone with limitless potential. The Environmental Sanitation Office would certainly do everything in its power to save him.

In the end, the situation might even escalate into the complete destruction of their entire clan.

“Exactly.”

Xu Mu smiled. “That’s what we find so puzzling. Your clan is as loyal as a dog, so why would the Tenyu Clan still want to destroy you?”

“Hahaha!”

Xue Yingsi suddenly threw his head back and laughed. “If only my son were as clever as you two, the Snow Woman clan would have nothing to worry about!”

Xu Mu and Chen Xuan remained silent, waiting for him to continue.

“Your doubts are easy to resolve. The Hanyu family’s cooperation with you was authorized by me.”

Xue Yingsi smiled as he spoke.

“What?”

Xu Mu and Chen Xuan were both stunned.

“The head of the Hanyu family is my man. Rather than saying that they were cooperating with you, it would be more accurate to say that I was the one cooperating with you.”

Xue Yingsi clenched his fists tightly. “How could I possibly be loyal to the Tenyu Clan?”

“Damn, I finally understand.”

Xu Mu remembered that Waidō Kazuya had once mentioned that after the Hanyu family’s betrayal was exposed, the clan and the family had never actually fought a major battle.

Yet the head of the Hanyu family had disappeared, and a new family head had been appointed afterward.

Now it seemed that the former head had merely gone into hiding. After all, he was a third-tier expert.

“It couldn’t be helped. The bloodlines within the Snow Woman clan are too mixed, and we’re incapable of uniting as one. If the main family openly rebelled, the Tenyu Clan would definitely take action and remove me from power.”

Xue Yingsi paused before continuing, “For example, outsiders all believe that the Izayoi branch family is the most loyal to our main family. In reality, they belong to the Tenyu Clan.”

“No wonder it was members of the Izayoi family who dealt with us on the outside.”

Chen Xuan muttered to himself.

“Still, your information is indeed important. I had no idea that the Tianyu clan had made a move against you.”

Xue Yingsi’s tone was icy. “It seems the Tianyu clan has more or less figured out my relationship with the Hanyu family and plans to use us against each other.”

“Then what are you going to do? If they’re coming after you, it should be easy for them, right?” Xu Mu asked.

“What else can I do? Kill them.”

Xue Yingsi rose to his feet. “They want Izayoi to become the Snow Women’s king, so I’ll kill Izayoi. Can I ask for your help? That woman won’t be easy to deal with.”

“Of course. Brother Mu is best at dealing with women.”

Chen Xuan said with a laugh.