CHAPTER 297: CHAPTER 297; SEAL THIS COURTYARD

Xu Xie reached out, her slender fingers brushing her mother’s trembling hand with tenderness. "Mother, haven’t you taught me since I was small that the Xu family must stand with dignity, no matter the storm? If my brothers have made mistakes, then it’s I... your daughter, who must clean up after them. That is also a responsibility."

Her words were soft, but unyielding, and both parents felt the sting of guilt more deeply than any rebuke.

"Xie’er..." Master Xu finally spoke, his voice hoarse. "If what you suspect is true, then your brothers... may already be beyond our reach." His fists clenched, his expression lined with helplessness.

Xu Xie’s gaze did not falter. She lifted her chin slightly, the lantern light catching on the determination etched into her delicate features. "I will definitely find them, and drag them to account before Huo Ting Cheng myself."

The shadow guards standing at the edge of the courtyard exchanged quiet glances. None spoke, but the weight of her words carried enough force that even they instinctively acknowledged her presence.

"Go back inside, Father, Mother," Xu Xie said softly, her voice almost like a lullaby. "Leave everything for me to handle."

The silence stretched, heavy and unrelenting.

Master Xu’s jaw worked, as though he wanted to argue, but when his eyes met hers, he swallowed the words back.

His shoulders slumped with the weight of defeat. "Xie’er... I hope you will be fair.... As always."

Madam Xu pressed her trembling fingers against her lips, her tears glistening in the lantern light. "Xie’er....."

Xu Xie gave a faint smile, her lashes lowering as she whispered, "Don’t worry, I will handle it with fairness!"

Her mother’s tears slipped free at that, while Master Xu turned his head away, unable to mask the raw ache on his face.

Xu Xie turned then, her gaze sweeping to the servants who stood stiffly at the courtyard’s edge, uncertain whether to breathe or move under the shadow guards’ presence. Her voice carried clear, calm authority.

"See my parents back to their chambers. No one is to disturb them tonight. Whatever whispers spread through the estate, they end with you. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Young Miss," the servants bowed immediately, relief flooding their tense faces at finally having a command to act on.

The shadow guards lingered still, silent sentinels, their eyes flicking between Xu Xie and the Xu couple. Though they took orders only from Huo Ting Cheng, not one of them moved to contradict her. Something in her tone, soft, yet immovable, earned their quiet acknowledgment.

Xu Xie waited until her parents were gently guided back toward the inner hall, Madam Xu glancing back at her daughter with every step, as though unwilling to let go. Only when the doors finally closed behind them did Xu Xie exhale, the faintest tremor breaking through her composure.

She tilted her head slightly, her eyes settling on the nearest shadow guard. "Take me to the body," she said, her voice quiet but firm.

The man bowed his head. "Yes, Miss Xu."

Her gaze lifted to the dark sky above, the weight of her brothers’ shadow pressing heavily on her chest. Eldest Brother, Second Brother... no matter what you’ve done, you cannot drag us all into ruin. If you won’t stop, then I will stop you myself.

And with that, Xu Xie stepped deeper into the night, her delicate figure carrying the unbearable burden of a family she had guarded dearly and wouldn’t allow anyone to destroy it.

The servants’ lantern light faded behind her, leaving the courtyard hushed, swallowed by the weight of night.

The air was colder here, where the assassin’s body had been dragged aside, shrouded beneath a dark cloth. A faint metallic tang still lingered, the smell of blood, acrid gunpowder, and the heaviness of death.

Xu Xie’s steps were unhurried, but every movement carried purpose. Her silken hem brushed the stone tiles as she stopped before the covered corpse. The shadow guards bowed their heads slightly, awaiting her word.

"Uncover him," she ordered softly.

The fabric was pulled back with crisp precision, revealing once more the pale, lifeless face of the young man. His features were ordinary, almost forgettable, but Xu Xie’s sharp eyes lingered on the calluses along his hands, the hands of someone who had trained long with a rifle.

She crouched, her fingertips hovering just above the insignia that had been stripped from his pocket earlier, the leather crest of the Crimson Fangs. She didn’t touch it, but the symbol burned in her gaze.

So it wasn’t just reckless ambition. Her brothers had stepped into mercenary dealings... and against Huo Ting Cheng of all people.

She straightened slowly, her slender figure framed against the lantern light. "Do we know his name?"

One of the guards responded promptly. "Boss’s men checked his identification. No name, only an alias. He’s a low-tier Fang, likely hired muscle. Nothing to tie him directly to your family, Miss Xu."

Her lashes lowered, concealing the cold flicker in her eyes. "Nothing to tie him, on paper, but his presence in our estate tonight speaks louder than any document."

The guards exchanged brief glances but said nothing.

Xu Xie took a breath, her voice steady. "Seal this courtyard. No servants are to step beyond the inner gate until morning. Have your men patrol the perimeters, subtly. The Xu estate must not appear in chaos."

"Yes, Miss Xu."

"Some of you, come with me, there’s a place I know they will be at this moment." Xu Xie’s eyes narrowed, her voice steady but resolute. She didn’t need to think twice; she already knew where her brothers would be lurking. And tonight, she wasn’t leaving it unresolved.

The guards moved swiftly at her command, peeling away into silent efficiency.

Within moments, a sleek black car was brought to the front courtyard, its polished surface glinting faintly beneath the lantern light. The night was thick and still, only the crunch of gravel under boots breaking its quiet.

Xu Xie approached without hesitation, her movements composed. The door was opened for her, and she slipped inside, the dim interior swallowing her slender frame. The leather seat was cold, carrying the faint scent of steel and smoke.