GTB Chapter 18

Chapter 18 Where Did It Come From?

Chapter 18 Where Did It Come From?

Upon hearing this, the expressions of doubt on everyone’s faces slowly turned to surprise. It turned out that the Sect Leader had gathered them all to change the rules.

For a moment, the hall was silent as everyone listened to how the new Sect Leader would change the sect rules.

Song Fuge looked at the people below and slowly opened his mouth, “From today onwards, the Shadow Gate will only accept rescue missions, not assassinations.”

Seeing their astonished looks, he continued, “The people to be rescued do not include the extremely wicked, and assassinations are not accepted at all, unless I agree.”

“Sect Leader, if we do this, the Shadow Gate’s missions will be reduced by more than half.” The speaker was an older man.

“What? Can’t the Shadow Gate’s earnings over the past few years support the entire sect? Or is it… just unable to support you?” Song Fuge stared coldly at the man who spoke.

In order to make money from various sources, the previous Sect Leader had widely distributed personnel, resulting in these regional leaders, who were difficult to control due to the long reach.

His words made the other two people who wanted to speak swallow their words back.

They thought to themselves that the Sect Leader’s words clearly had a deeper meaning. Why should they confront him head-on? When the time comes, as long as they do it secretly, they can still take on a few jobs to earn money, and the Sect Leader will have no way of knowing.

Seeing that no one had an obvious reaction, Song Fuge continued, “Today is just a notification to you. Don’t forget your identities. Although you are branch leaders, you are all subordinates.”

“If anyone disobeys or fails to carry out orders… they will be killed without mercy.”

Song Fuge glanced coldly at the eight people sitting below and picked up the teacup beside him. “Since the rules have been changed, the Shadow Gate will henceforth be renamed ‘Hidden Trace Pavilion’.”

As soon as these words came out, everyone present was shocked, believing it was disrespectful to the old Sect Leader.

Seeing the crowd whispering, Song Fuge put down the teacup and took out the Sect Leader’s Token to play with in his hand.

“Since the rules have been changed, the name must also be changed. This is for the good of everyone in the sect. After all, when the old Sect Leader was alive, you accepted many people who should not have been killed and also rescued many people who should or should not have been rescued.”

“Changing the name is also a way to start anew. I believe… those who want good will naturally rejoice in my new rules, rejoice in the more humane Hidden Trace Pavilion, rather than being a knife that doesn’t know right from wrong under the sway of money.”

After these words were spoken, more than half of the people present stood up and cupped their fists in salute, “Yes, Sect Leader, we will definitely obey the Sect Leader’s orders.”

The other two or three people quickly followed suit, after all, they were currently in the Sect Leader’s territory, and if they had the slightest intention of disobedience, they might not be able to leave Kyoto City.

Song Fuge looked at the people who stood up, his eyes slightly shifting, “In this way, if anyone feels that their branch has no missions after this rule change, they can return to headquarters. I will naturally assign missions and can afford to support you.”

Upon hearing this, the eight people looked at each other. Those who were smart and loyal immediately cupped their hands again and said:

“This subordinate’s side originally didn’t have many missions. With this change, I’m afraid I won’t be able to receive any missions at all. This subordinate requests to return to headquarters. I hope the Sect Leader doesn’t mind.”

“Okay, then today’s meeting ends here. If you have anything else, please discuss it in detail with Leng Er.”

After Song Fuge finished speaking, he got up and left the council hall, leaving behind a group of leaders who had not yet recovered. After all, the Sect Leader’s actions today were too sudden for them. Although they had expressed their position, they were still shocked.

What everyone didn’t know was that Song Fuge had been planning this since the first day he took office as Sect Leader. However, the situation was unstable at that time. Although it was brought forward a lot now, it was still under control.

The Next Day

On this afternoon, the Jiang family’s kitchen began to get busy early, and Jiang Yuan and Jiang Jiuche ended their official duties early and returned to the mansion.

It was Jiang Yuan’s birthday, and he did not invite colleagues and friends, only his family surrounding a large table of delicacies, chatting and laughing warmly.

Halfway through the meal, Jiang Jiuchu couldn’t help but take out her birthday gift. She smiled and looked at Jiang Jiuche, “Brother, in the past, on Father and Mother’s birthdays, you were not convinced that the gifts I gave were better than yours, saying that parents were biased. Hehe, this year you will definitely lose convincingly.”

Upon hearing this, everyone stared at the brocade box in Jiang Jiuchu’s hand, casting curious glances.

They wondered what Jiuchu could give that she was so confident. They had never seen her like this in the past. Could it really be something good?

Each of them was estimating what kind of item would be contained in a brocade box of this size.

“Is that so! I think it’s you who will lose convincingly this time.” Jiang Jiuche looked as if he was sure to win, with a hint of joy hidden in his eyes.

Seeing her brother like that, Jiang Jiuchu generously said, “Then you take it out first and let me see.”

“Hey! You’ve already taken it out first, of course, you go first. Brother will let you. Quickly open it and take a look!”

“Alright! I’ll give it first. Later, I’m afraid you’ll be embarrassed to take it out.”

After Jiang Jiuchu finished speaking, under everyone’s gaze, she opened the brocade box with a smile in her eyes and handed it to Jiang Yuan, “Father, here you go. This is the birthday gift from your daughter. I wish Father happiness, longevity, and eternal youth.”

“Hey, you naughty girl, if I were to have eternal youth, I would either become a demon or an immortal.” Jiang Yuan took the brocade box and smiled, then took out the painting scroll from inside.

“Jiuchu, this time you’re not personally embroidering purses or boots? You’ve changed to personally creating calligraphy and paintings? Have you been too playful lately and didn’t have time to embroider?”

Jiang Jiuche teased as he looked at the painting scroll. His sister always gave him personally made birthday gifts, and no matter how expensive he bought, it couldn’t compare.

But this year! Hehe! He had to let his sister know what it means to be outdone.

Jiang Jiuchu ignored him and only stared at her father unfolding the scroll, waiting to see her father’s happy expression.

Shí Qingya couldn’t help but nudge Jiang Jiuche with her arm, signaling him with her eyes not to be smug.

Jiang Yuan spread out the scroll, and his gaze suddenly froze. The expression on his face became more and more serious, and then he looked at his daughter in disbelief.

“Jiuchu, this… where did this come from?” Heavens! This was a painting by Yun You Gong Zi! There was only one in the emperor’s possession, and the emperor was generous enough to take it out for them, the court officials, to appreciate.

He didn’t expect that he was now holding one in his hand, and he could be sure that it was genuine.

Jiang Jiuchu happily looked at her father’s shocked expression, but when she heard her father’s question, her smile faltered. She originally wanted to say that Brother Fu gave it to her, but the words were swallowed back down her throat.

“Father, one shouldn’t ask where gifts come from. It’s as inappropriate as asking how much silver someone bought it for! But Father, don’t worry, I didn’t steal or rob it, it’s just something I obtained by chance.”

Jiang Jiuchu, who couldn’t come up with a reason at the moment, had no choice but to say this. After all, she could keep things secret, but that didn’t mean she could come up with reasons!

She hadn’t really lied much since she was a child. Generally, if there was something she didn’t want to say, she just wouldn’t say it. Anyway, her parents always indulged her.

Seeing this, Jiang Jiuche curiously stood up and grabbed the painting scroll from Jiang Yuan’s hand.

“Hey, hey, hey, you brat, don’t break it for me.”

Hearing his daughter’s words, Jiang Yuan was surprised. The painting scroll in his hand was snatched away by his son.

He hurriedly exclaimed and supported the bottom of the painting scroll, stretching it out in front of Jiang Jiuche, for fear that his son would accidentally touch the food on the table and stain it with grease.

Jiang Jiuche looked at the painting in his hand, his face also showing shock. After all, Yun You Gong Zi’s paintings were few, but his reputation was not small.

Moreover, because the paintings were extremely rare, their value was higher than ordinary famous works.

“Where did it come from?”

He knew his sister’s small treasury, and she couldn’t afford this painting. Moreover, this painting was extremely rare, and sometimes, it couldn’t be bought even with silver.