Chapter 9: If one does not fly, then one will not soar; if one flies, one will soar to the sky

Only in this way will the other party's actions become less cautious, allowing him to take advantage of the situation and gradually help his father understand what kind of person his elder brother truly is, slowly correcting the dangerous trends within the family.

Do you mean ... ...

Xia Tianya blinked and then gasped in disbelief: "Is it possible? That little brat could have such cunning? Zhou Bo, it's not that I don't believe you, but the content of your speculation is too bizarre. If that kid is really as shrewd as you think, then why has he sullied himself so much over the years? It can't be that everyone in the family despises him like a fly; what good would that do him?"

Although the ring that had led to the annihilation of his family in the previous life was now worn on his hand, seemingly unable to become the catalyst again, Xia Fan would never naively believe that the Xia family could thus avoid that calamity

Seeing that the old butler seemed about to ask something, Xia Fan directly waved his hand to stop him and continued, "I know you have many questions in your mind, but please allow me to explain them to you slowly later. Furthermore, regarding everything you have seen and heard today that does not align with my previous image, I hope you can keep it confidential for me. Apart from my father, please do not let anyone else know."

The old butler's originally murky eyes slightly narrowed, and he then shook his head helplessly

If he were truly a hopelessly reckless spendthrift at heart... how could he possibly exude such an air of grandeur in his demeanor

Otherwise, given the circumstances of Xia Tianya at that time, with two elder brothers above him, he would not be able to assume the position of the head of the family under any circumstances

Listening to Xia Tianya's inquiry, the old butler could not help but recall the carefree figure of Xia Fan as he left just moments ago

The old steward bowed slightly and spoke

Governing a great nation is akin to cooking a small fish; managing a large family is no different

Thus, whether it be nobles and aristocrats, cultured scholars, or the common folk and merchants, as long as Xia Fan is willing, he can vividly embody any of them.

After leaving the courtyard, Xia Fan continued to walk with his hands clasped behind his back, bending slightly at the waist, taking a step with a swaying gait that resembled a figure eight.

Head of the family, we are all aware that the accounts of the Beast Park are the most chaotic among the family assets, as this is the only property belonging to the second young master. Naturally, it is filled with all sorts of messy things. Perhaps... the second young master's stubborn insistence on creating such a Beast Park was, in itself, a bait

Another crucial matter is that he must quickly enhance his own strength. The past twenty years of his career as an assassin have made him acutely aware that, in this land, a fist is always more powerful than reason

The old steward slightly bowed, paused for a moment, and then spoke in a measured tone: "In the clan, there is a great bird that has remained in the courtyard for over a decade, neither flying nor singing. Therefore, when it does not sing, it is already astonishing; when it does not fly, it soars to great heights."

At this moment, in the main house of the Xia family, Xia Tianya was slowly pacing back and forth with his hands clasped behind his back, his face furrowed in deep thought, as if he were contemplating something

The old butler, who had previously been somewhat puzzled and confused, was now gradually organizing a rather clear line of thought in his mind through his exchanges with Xia Tianya.

Zhou Bo, have you noticed that Er Er seems somewhat different today compared to usual

... ...

It is as if they are two completely different people compared to when they were in the yard and the house before

Otherwise, there would not be so many people who believe in fate

This is not a difficult task for Xia Fan; as the most outstanding assassin in the underworld organization, he can effortlessly disguise himself as any specific persona at any time

A simple remark led Xia Tianya's father to make a decision without hesitation at the moment of his passing

It is primarily because he is acutely aware of how discerning the family's chief steward's eye truly is

Master, just now while I was waiting in the courtyard, I arranged for several servants to inquire about what the Second Young Master had been doing before coming here. The feedback received was that the Second Young Master passed by the Beast Park before arriving here, and then... he directly ordered the dismantling of the Beast Park, instructing Liu Mingda, who has been in charge of the Beast Park, to completely dismantle the park today and to bring all the accounts related to the Beast Park from these past years to reconcile with him tomorrow

The old butler stared blankly, momentarily lost in thought

Xia Tianya was instantly taken aback, never expecting to hear such an evaluation from the old butler's mouth

Xia Tianya raised an eyebrow and said in a deep voice, "What does he want to do?"

The occurrence of many events often carries an inevitability that is difficult to comprehend

Xia Tianya immediately furrowed his brows again; he certainly understood the old butler's meaning, but he would never believe the old butler's judgment.

Yes, master of the house

However, at the same time, Xia Fan must ensure that he gains the absolute trust of his father during this process; otherwise, it would be impossible to discuss exposing Xia Jun Kai's true nature. This is why he displays his sharpness when facing the old butler and his father

Xia Tianya hesitated for a moment before speaking

The old butler stood quietly to the side, like a silent shadow

As Xia Fan silently contemplated in his heart, he maintained that kind of infuriating smile on his face, perfectly performing in his true colors based on the memory of his own reckless demeanor from back then

Upon returning to the courtyard, Xia Fan immediately walked up to the old butler who had been waiting outside. Looking at the old butler with a respectful demeanor, he smiled and said: "Regarding the injuries within your body, I need some rare medicinal materials to concoct a pill. However, the process of alchemy can only commence once I reach the level of a martial artist. During this time, what you need to do is patiently wait; this period should not exceed three days"

Over the years, Xia Tianya has always shown great respect towards the old butler, who has consistently adhered to the principles of a servant and has never engaged in any behavior that could be deemed overstepping.

For him at present, the appearance of a mischievous and wasteful son would serve as an excellent disguise, allowing his hypocritical elder brother and many in the family who support that brother to continue to look down on him and underestimate him

The old butler said calmly

The entire Xia family, including direct and collateral relatives, as well as various servants and family warriors, totals more than 1,000 individuals. Among these people, those who can receive a positive evaluation from the old steward are definitely few and far between

After speaking, Xia Fan smiled brightly and then walked directly out of the courtyard, his departing figure exuding a sense of carefree elegance

Inside the house, the voice of Xia Tianya calling him just happened to be heard

Therefore, he currently has some urgent matters to attend to, such as clarifying the specific year he is in, so that he can confirm the recent circumstances of his family through the memories in his mind, especially...! ... how much time remains until that tragic massacre of his family!

After a moment of contemplation, Xia Tianya finally made a decision

After a long while, Xia Tianya finally came to a stop, turned his head to look at the old steward in the corner, and asked.

The old butler, who believed he had seen through the truth of the matter, said with a wry smile: "I think, for the second young master, perhaps being able to live peacefully and safely until now is the greatest benefit."

Zhou Bo, is this evaluation... a bit too high? We have all witnessed just how reckless that young man has been over the years. In this Qingyang City, if he were to claim second place in terms of being a wastrel, no one would dare to claim the first. This... it really doesn't seem like an act, does it?

Even the fact that he, Xia Tianya, was able to succeed to the position of head of the Xia family was entirely because the old steward, among the few qualified heirs of the Xia family at that time, deemed him to be the only one worthy of cultivation

Despite the fact that his own son was evaluated in such a manner by the old steward, which brought him great joy, he ultimately had to confront those realities

Xia Fan, oh Xia Fan... you have deceived everyone...

Jun Kai is not that kind of person, and this matter need not be mentioned again. However, since the second one has shown positive changes, regardless of the reasons, it is worth encouraging. How about this, Zhou Bo, select two blood servants for him to accompany him at all times; after all, he is of sufficient age. I will speak to the Elder Council about this. If he can, through his own abilities, earn the genuine loyalty of the two blood servants, only then will I believe that this young man truly has hidden depths.

Twenty years of a career as a killer have honed Xia Fan's ability to conceal himself to a certain extreme. True concealment does not lie in complete disappearance, but in blending in with the crowd

Once again, the old butler deeply gazed at the figure of Xia Fan, which was about to disappear at the gate, before he hunched his back and slowly stepped back into the house

It must be so