In the palace, the imperial study, the emperor was reviewing reports.
"His Majesty, the Ren Family Head has sent an invitation." When reading the reports, the emperor didn't like to be easily disturbed, only Head Butler An could judge matters by the order of priority and urgency and convey them to him. As it involved the family head of one of the five big family clans, Head Butler An, who had served the emperor for more than 20 years but still looked to be in his twenties even though he was close to his fifties, entered and said softly.
"Read it out." The emperor didn't even look up.
"The Ren Family Head will be taking in disciples tonight. His Majesty is invited to come forth and be a witness." After Head Butler An read this very casual, conversational sentence, he was at a loss of whether to laugh or to cry. When he looked up, he realized that the emperor had stopped reviewing the reports and was looking up at him.
Head Butler An said powerlessly, "His Majesty, that's all that is written."
"Taking in disciples, him?" The emperor found it exceptionally funny. He was still studying in Jade Imperial Academy himself, if nothing unexpected happened, he would be the first lineal descendant of the Ren family to repeat a year. Yet, he still had the cheek to take in disciples and make it so high-profile.
"The person who delivered it was Tong Qiang. After bringing this invitation to the palace, he went to the Wens, Gaos, and Fangs as well." Head Butler An was close to his fifties but had soft skin and tender flesh, even his eyebrows were meticulously trimmed. In the palace, this head butler had a great deal of power and influence. Even in Jade Capital, he was a prominent figure. However, in front of the emperor, he was forever the little eunuch, cautious at all times, not saying much, only what ought to be said, and not mixing in his personal thoughts and feelings easily.
"Interesting…" The emperor seemed to be tired from reviewing the reports. He stood up and circled the room. Head Butler An immediately served warm tea.
"Send my order. Prince Anyang's son, Li Yan, is to represent the Li family going to the Ren family and witnessing the Ren Family Head taking in disciples." After making a circle, a hint of a smile appeared at the corner of the emperor's lips. It was as if he had thought of something really pleasing. Following that, he sat down and continued working on the reports.
"Yes." Head Butler An responded softly. He took several steps back, only turning around and leaving when he retreated to the door. After leaving the imperial study, Head Butler An then ordered someone to deliver the order to Li Yan. It was impossible to trouble the head butler with such matters. Head Butler An's slender and beautiful fingers lightly lifted a few strands of his hair that seemed to have casually fallen, a smile appearing on his face. His Majesty actually sent Li Yan who had been terribly beaten up by Zhan Tianlong and others at the Hall of Supreme Harmony to the Rens, this had deep significance.
In the Hall of Supreme Harmony, it wasn't convenient for His Majesty to say anything, but this was definitely a clear signal. His Majesty was using this chance to tell everyone: Li Yan is a royal descendant, and I already have other thoughts about the Ren family. Although he couldn't express it directly, this was also considered an experimental move by His Majesty. Very soon, it would set off a storm throughout the Clear Jade Dynasty.
As for this invitation, Head Butler An knew that no one took it to heart, because this wasn't the first time it had happened. As far back as a year ago, Ren Jie, who'd just taken over the position of family head, wanted to copy his father and hold a family head banquet. When Ren Tianxing held banquets, even the emperor would personally attend, and it was even as the family head of the Li family. Whereas, at the banquet that Ren Jie first held, he invited the family heads of the five big family clans. In the end, each family clan only sent the juniors. Moreover, this time, he was giving such a last-minute notification. Did he think all the family heads were idle like him?
"Absurd. Who sends an invitation to a banquet at the same night? Nevermind. Zihao, you'll make a trip there." Wen Yong looked at this ridiculous invitation and really had no words.
"Haha… sure. I'm quite curious as to what disciples he can take in. A person in the Body Refinement Realm accepting disciples, it must be very interesting." Wen Zihao happily agreed. To him, he would be delighted as long as he didn't have to be locked at home and made to study.
In the Gao residence, Gao Zhanyuan took the invitation and directly threw it aside.
"Hmph, who does he think he is. He really thought that with the label of Ren Family Head, he is really a family head." Because of Gao Peng's incident, Gao Zhanyuan now hated Ren Jie to the core. Hence, this time, he decided to simply ignore it.
"We'll go. Why wouldn't we? Of course, I have to get back the humiliation that Ren Jie gave me a hundred, a thousand times more. Why would I fear to face a dandy young master like him because of that incident? Besides, his recent actions have been abnormal. The Fang family's move to drive all the family clans to help them target the Ren family is also ongoing. At such a time, we get to see what this Ren Jie can pull. I also want to see if he's truly a dandy or simply playing the fool," Gao Peng said and walked over to pick up the invitation that Gao Zhanyuan threw aside.
Seeing Gao Zhanyuan's worried gaze directed at him, Gao Peng calmly and confidently gave him a smile and a small nod.
By the time Tong Qiang finally sent the invitation to the Fang residence, the sky was darkening. Fang Tianen almost cursed out loud when he read the invitation. How the hell was this an invitation? He thinks he's the emperor and this is a royal decree.
Fang Tianen naturally wouldn't rush over personally either, and Fang Qi still could not leave the house. If he sent the other juniors, he was afraid they wouldn't handle it well. Finally, he urgently informed Fang Yan to rush over as a representative of the Fang family.
In the Ren's Conference Hall.
"What, he invited the family heads of the five other family clans? Why weren't we informed of this?"
"Tonight? Are you kidding me?"
"Taking in disciples, he… he must be mad."
"Isn't this embarrassing the Ren family. That incident just happened at the court assembly this morning, and it was all because of him. Right now, many subsidiary forces of the Ren family are all unstable. We have to find ways to appease these families, then look at him."
Ren Junyang, Ren Hanlin and Ren Wenxu were angry the moment they heard about it. Today's issue had bogged them down. Although those slightly stronger ones, for example, followers like Zhan Tianlong didn't have any reaction, the incident at the morning court assembly and the information that the Fang family spread to fan the flames still worried most of their other subsidiary forces. People ceaselessly came to pay a visit to the elders the entire day, wanting to find out what exactly was happening.
They worked from morning to night. In the end, they were informed that the Wens had arrived for the banquet, and the members of the other family clans were here for the banquet as well. Only then did they find out that Ren Jie was going to take in disciples.
Ludicrous, the biggest joke in the world. A person in the Body Refinement Realm taking in disciples and even inviting the other family clans to witness it. Wasn't this making a fool of himself?
Although they totally hated to see Ren Jie, Ren Junyang still rushed to Ren Jie's quarters with Ren Hanlin and Ren Wenxu.
"Jade Capital War Horse Gang, Gang Leader Zhan Sihai has arrived."
"President of the Jade Capital Apothecary Association, Apothecary Huang Yun has arrived."
"Jade Capital Thunderbolt Hall, Hall Leader Lei Shi has arrived."
By the time the three elders rushed to Ren Jie's quarters, they then realized that Ren Jie hadn't invited only people from the five big family clans. He'd actually also invited the gangs in the capital. Although these gang leaders were usually also exceptionally formidable figures, in the eyes of Ren Junyang and the other elders, they were merely uncultivated people. Controlling them to handle affairs made sense, but how could the family head of the Ren family invite them?
"Stop right there." The trio was about to enter when they were stopped by Tong Qiang, who was guarding outside with his men.
"How dare you, Tong Qiang. You're becoming increasingly audacious. You dare to stop anyone now." Seeing that Tong Qiang actually dared to stop them, Ren Hanlin was instantly infuriated.
"On Family Head's orders, people without an invitation are not allowed to enter. If the Elders want to enter, please show your invitation." Tong Qiang's bald head was bright with the aid of the moonlight. He totally wasn't swayed by the three elders and stood unmoving in their way.
"Invitation? What a joke…" Ren Wenxu fumingly pointed at the members of the gangs who were entering at the side and said, "This is the Ren Mansion. Even an uncultivated bunch of gang members can enter, why would we, the Elders of the Ren Family, need some invitation? Step aside immediately."
Ren Wenxu was truly incensed now. He was about to strike as he lifted his hand. After all, he was an elder of the Ren family, he was much stronger than Tong Qiang.
"Form up." Seeing that Ren Wenxu wanted to forcibly push through, Tong Qiang ordered without hesitation. In the next moment, more than sixty personal guards rushed out and surrounded the three elders. As they formed an array formation, each of their gazes was filled with killing intent, just like a volcano that was about to erupt, ready to set off at a touch.
After this period of special training, not only had they found their old selves, but everyone had also gained some form of advancement. One of them had even broken through to the Divine Power Realm, and the number of people in the True Qi Realm amongst them also increased greatly. Forming up a huge array formation right now, even Ren Junyang, Ren Hanlin and Ren Wenxu, who were in the Divine Power Realm, were also shocked by their imposing manner.
"Tong Qiang, do you know what you are doing?" Fire was about to shoot out of Ren Junyang's eyes as he asked in an extremely low voice.
Tong Qiang did not respond to him, because he didn't need to give Ren Junyang any explanations. He just had to follow Family Head's orders. However, his attitude was clear. If Ren Junyang, Ren Hanlin and Ren Wenxu, any one of them took a step forward now, he would strike.
Ren Hanlin was so irate that his hands were shaking. A mere team leader actually dared to give orders to strike against three elders.
"I will summon people immediately to take all of them down." Through divine sense, Ren Wenxu quickly communicated with Ren Junyang and Ren Hanlin. He was prepared to notify the Ren family's internal guards.
"No!" Ren Junyang said in a low voice. "Quite a lot of guests have arrived. If we continue making a din, it would cause the turbulent situation outside to become even more unstable. Such a thing mustn't happen before the Elders' Conference. Moreover, this is the Family Head's quarters, after all…"
Ren Junyang also believed that they were being too rash. After all, this was the family head's quarters. If they ordered people to take down the family head's guards, that would really start an internal conflict."
"Get Ren Jie to come out and see us, have him explain…" Midway through, Ren Hanlin stopped talking. After the previous occasions, it was evident that Ren Jie wouldn't give a hoot about them.
"Let's go. We'll see how far he can mess around. He has truly embarrassed the Ren family thoroughly." Ren Junyang once again felt that they'd done their best. Since this dandy family head wanted to fool around and embarrass them, finding that things weren't chaotic enough, that the Ren family didn't have enough trouble or that he wasn't embarrassing enough, they would let him be.
He had become increasingly absurd. Alright then, they'd wait till the Elders' Conference to bring everything to an end. Someone like him was no longer qualified to be the family head of the Rens.
After communicating through the divine sense, Ren Junyang angrily left with Ren Hanlin and Ren Wenxu. The Elders' Conference wasn't far away, he didn't want to leave any chance for Ren Jie. Since he wouldn't grab the chance that they'd given him, forget it.
Meanwhile, in the main hall of Ren Jie's mansion, the leader of Jade Capital's ten biggest gangs had all rushed over. On the other side, leading them was Li Yan, who had to almost be carried in, followed by Gao Peng, Fang Yan and Wen Zihao.
Li Yan could manage to sit with an effort with the support of the servants. After being left half-dead from the beating in the morning, even if he had taken lots of medication, he couldn't recover in a short time. He didn't expect to receive the royal decree at night. However, thought Li Yan's body was in terrible pain, he was happy at heart. Ren Jie and the Ren family, your good days are coming to an end.
Fang Yan and Gao Peng, on the other hand, stared oddly at the people from the top ten gangs opposite them. Those people were very careful and cautious. If their eyes met, they would immediately nod respectfully.
The top ten gangs were also very impressive in Jade Capital. They all had some power behind them, but they absolutely wouldn't dare to be direct enemies of the five big family clans. Some were already controlled by the respective family clans, only they couldn't compare to the members of the four other family clans. With Ren Jie's invitation, they didn't dare to not attend.