The Comeback of the Cannon-Fodder Supporting Actress-Chapter 1009 - 986: Prestige Amidst Chaos 54

Marquis Guangning’s sons all came over to try and persuade him: "Father, things have come to this point, there is no other choice, please don’t blame sister."

"Yes, sister died so tragically. Now, whenever I think about it, I can’t get over it. I want to avenge her, I want to slay that traitorous concubine myself."

"If you, Father, want to be loyal to the court, go ahead. Anyway, your son has no loyalty to spare."

Xiao Ling seized the opportunity and said, "Father-in-law, brothers-in-law, my Third Brother would like to invite you to come out of retirement to help him take over the entire Nanyi Prefecture. He hopes you can assist him in governing the people there. Are you willing?"

The sons of the Yuan Family looked at each other, then smiled at Xiao Ling and said, "Sure." 𝑓𝘳𝘦𝑒𝑤𝑒𝘣𝘯ℴ𝘷𝘦𝓁.𝑐𝑜𝑚

Marquis Guangning’s face turned livid with anger, but seeing his children had all agreed to help Xiao Yuan, he found himself speechless.

Thinking of his tragically deceased eldest daughter made his heart ache terribly. Remembering all he had seen on the journey from the Capital to Southern Yi, he bowed his head in defeat: "Fine, fine, my old life was saved by the Xiao Family. I will risk everything to help you."

Xiao Ling was overjoyed and pulled Madam Yuan down to kneel and kowtow to Marquis Guangning: "Thank you, father-in-law, for understanding the greater good."

With Xiao Ling convincing everyone at Marquis Guangning’s Mansion, over on the other side, Xiao Jin took people back to Jingtian Village to fetch the Old Master and Old Madam but ran into some complications.

The Old Master and Old Madam refused to go to Prefecture City.

This was instigated by the Eldest’s household.

The Old Master said to Xiao Jin, "What skills does your Third Brother have? He merely stumbled upon good fortune; can he govern Prefecture City? Can he stabilize the country on horseback or restore peace with a brush? How could you follow him into something that will get the entire family exterminated."

Xiao Jin let out a cold laugh: "Father, you must be confused. Our family has long since been ruined."

This comment made the Old Master quite uncomfortable.

After thinking it over, he said, "Go back and tell Third to let your Eldest Brother take over. Your Eldest Brother knows more and is more capable. If he manages Prefecture City, he’d certainly do better than Third."

The Old Madam chimed in: "Yes, indeed, your Eldest Brother has more experience and would definitely do better than Third. Moreover, since it’s your Eldest Brother, if he takes over Nanyi Prefecture, it certainly wouldn’t be against your interests."

Xiao Jin really wanted to open up the Old Master and Old Madam’s heads to see if they had gone mad.

How could they utter such nonsense?

Ha! Just Xiao Jue, that trifling fool, giving him Nanyi Prefecture is only waiting for the whole family to end up with no remains.

Not to mention the surrounding vigilant guards of Prefecture City, just the people of Nanyi Prefecture could tear Xiao Jue to pieces.

If Xiao Yuan weren’t there to keep the army in check, those war-hardened soldiers who have stained eyes with pirate blood would easily dismember him, the phony noble, at the first disagreement.

These two really can’t see that Xiao Jue is but a waste, yet they expect Xiao Yuan to hand over hard-earned territory to Xiao Jue on a platter?

Xiao Jin was laughing in exasperation: "Back when the Qian Dynasty established its reign, why didn’t the Grand Ancestor hand over the empire to his Eldest Brother? You should know, the Grand Ancestor was only the fourth son in his family. Father, you are truly muddleheaded. Letting Eldest Brother take control of Nanyi Prefecture, does he have money or military strength? Who could he protect? You’ve had too good a time, desperate to leave for the afterlife, right?"

The Old Master, furious and iron-faced, threw a teacup at Xiao Jin: "Get out! Get out! If you want to take us to Prefecture City, have Third come and fetch us himself, or your mother and I simply won’t go."

The Old Madam added coldly: "Unless Third hands over Prefecture City to your Eldest Brother to manage, I’m not going."

"Heh."

Xiao Jin was truly irritated: "As you please, but let me tell you this, my Third Brother and I, along with Lao Liu, will be permanently residing in Prefecture City soon. We won’t be around to manage Jingtian Village anymore. If by any chance there’s trouble, say pirates or rioters, and something happens to you, we won’t be able to help. Clearly, Father and Mother don’t care about anything for Eldest Brother’s sake. We and Third Brother will no longer take responsibility, care for our lives, or act out of tender love."

After speaking, he turned and left.

These words, however, frightened the Old Master and Old Madam.

Just now they had only cared about quarreling, not thinking about this.

Thinking it over, it indeed made sense.

With the Xiao Family settling in Prefecture City and unable to manage the county, the world in chaos, residing in the village felt unsafe.

Moreover, everyone knew they were Xiao Yuan’s parents. If by some chance, enemies of Xiao Yuan captured and used them as leverage, knowing Xiao Yuan’s nature, he might ignore them. By then, unable to choose death, they’d endure unending torment.

Thinking this way nearly brought them to tears in fright.

"Old man, what should we do?"

The Old Madam asked the Old Master.

The Old Master, also pale in fright, said: "Why not go with Lao Si? Once in Prefecture City, when seeing Third, perhaps we can negotiate peacefully."

The Old Madam nodded: "You’re right. Let’s pack and leave."

Xiao Jin hadn’t yet walked out the door when the Old Madam called someone to bring him back.

"We’re packing and leaving with you,"

The Old Madam said with displeasure.

Xiao Jin nodded: "We’re leaving tomorrow."

He genuinely didn’t want to deal with these two, so he left quickly after speaking.

Xiao Jin was filled with anger. He’d really had enough of the Eldest’s sect. If these weren’t his real parents, who would care about their fate?

He also knew that Xiao Yuan sent him to fetch them, primarily because they were his real parents, and he didn’t want anything to happen to them.

Xiao Yuan had concerns too.

Many people knew the Old Master was in Jingtian Village. If his enemies seized the chance to take these two, would he save or not?

Furthermore, with him residing in Prefecture City, there was no reason for leaving his parents to suffer in the countryside. Rather than being slandered by the Eldest’s family, it was better to have these two close by in Prefecture City. Watched closely, they couldn’t cause trouble.

Xiao Yuan and Anning discussed settling the elders, bringing up the Liu family once more.

"Do you want to bring over the Liu family?"

Xiao Yuan asked Anning.

Anning shook her head: "No need. The Liu family didn’t show up when we were exiled last year. Why should I care for them now? Besides, my real father is gone. It’s my stepmother and half-brother in charge now. They have no bonds with me, so why should I care about their fate?"

Speaking of which, Anning’s stepmother was quite an unpleasant character, and her brothers weren’t any better. Anning couldn’t care less about their fate.

If Imperial Censor Liu were still alive, Anning might consider bringing him over to avoid court persecution. But since Imperial Censor Liu was long dead, and those remaining had never been kind to Anning, she decided not to trouble herself.

"Thus, it saves a lot of trouble."

Just after Xiao Yuan said this, someone reported that the Old Master and Old Madam had arrived.

Xiao Yuan and Anning quickly tidied their clothes and went to greet them.

The Old Master and Old Madam arrived in a carriage. When the carriage stopped at the gate, they alighted and looked at the nicely built residence, smiling slightly for the first time.

When they saw Xiao Yuan and Anning, they almost didn’t recognize them at first glance.

Xiao Yuan and Anning had changed significantly.

In the village, they hadn’t paid much attention, nor often seen each other, so they hadn’t noticed. But seeing them today, they realized Xiao Yuan was no longer timid, and Anning no longer invisible as she was in the Duke Ping Mansion.

This couple now exuded a strong aura, making one feel that they were certainly extraordinary individuals.

The Old Master, somewhat bewildered, looked for a long time before saying: "Alright, let’s go inside."

Xiao Yuan smiled and led the Old Master and Old Madam in, saying as they walked, "In Prefecture City, I’ve prepared a courtyard for Eldest Brother and his family. You two elders can stay here with us if you wish, or go live with Eldest Brother as you please."

Hearing there was also a house ready for the Eldest, the Old Master’s expression softened: "You’ve been considerate."

The Old Madam tugged at the Old Master’s sleeve, then added, "We’ll stay with your Eldest Brother, how much monthly salary will you give?"

Xiao Yuan stopped in his tracks, and turned back with a wounded look: "Old Madam, are you saying you want me to support Eldest Brother’s family?"

The Old Madam nodded: "Isn’t that only right?"