To Love You Again

The night was long and dark.

The Tang building was still swarmed with many experts from the four families. In one of the private rooms, Linfeng was standing expressionlessly before the members of the legendary families.

With Old Lu and Old Xiong's absence, two elders from their respective second branches came to place their headmasters.

"The Lu family have already mobilized all manpower and resources to find our Head Master and our Young Master. What we need to discuss right now is why this building filled with many Tang experts was infiltrated by the enemy? The Tang family has pride in their military strength, yet they failed to protect our Headmaster and our Young Master! Even our Head Butler died in this place! Can the Tang family take responsibility for all of it?!" The elder from the Lu family bellowed angrily at Mistress Tang and Tang Yin.

If it was any other day, the two elders from the Lu family would not have any courage to yell or scorn at the Head of the Tang family. However, the matter today was truly dreadful for the Lu family.

"We might be a bit hard on this, but Mistress Tang, this happened right under your eyes and protection. What if something worst happened to our Headmaster and to our heir? The Lu family won't be able to take this loss and we will suffer greatly without someone leading the family and the empire."

The Lu family had the right to be angry at the Tang family. Two important figures from their family were kidnapped right before everyone's eyes. Their Head Butler even died as a casualty. With time passing like this, the fate of their Headmaster and their Young master was unknown, and the situation would just continue to get worst. If the word came out that their Head and the Heir were missing, the fate of the Lu Empire was doomed.

Mistress Tang accepted their blame. All this happened at the place that the Tang family supposedly protecting. They don't have any excuses. Thus, even though she felt some injustice from their words she could only speak humbly to them.

"The Tang family would take responsibility for what happened. It's our fault that the defenses we have are not enough to stop the intruders. We will do our utmost best to get the Lu Headmaster and Lu Yin Ze back." She then glanced at the silent Linfeng, "Including your Young Miss."

The first elder who spoke narrowed his eyes at Mistress Tang. He wasn't done yet in venting his grievances. "As Mistress Tang said, many Tang experts were guarding the building. But how do those people still manage to get in? Unless someone from your Tang family allowed them to get in. Seeing that none of your family was taken, you are all doing a lousy job on this."

His words irked the silent Tang Yin. 

Tang Yin who had her eyes red turned to the rude elder and spoke with gritted teeth, "Those experts did not only intrude to this place. They also took my elder sister. One of our butlers is even on the verge of death. And you still saying that we have a hand on this?"

Her words caused the people in the room to look at her in surprise. The matter of Tang Xinyang going missing and Jang Shin being in a critical condition was not known to everyone.

Mistress Tang held Tang Yin's hand. Right now, their family was at fault. Even they too were suffering grievances and had the most burnt of this matter, she could not allow themselves to be shaken by it. 

At least for the people in this room, she, the most responsible person for this, should be calm in this situation.

Mistress Tang spoke calmly, "We know our faults. Since you lose your Head Master and Young Master in this place, we will not run away from our responsibilities. If the elders want the Tang family to answer and take all the blame, we will. However, no matter what compensation we make, this will not surpass the life of your HeadMaster. That's why we will not hold back on rescuing them. If the elders are still not satisfied, then the Tang family will be responsible and be the shield for the Lu empire once the world learned of this news. I assure you, as the head of the Tang family, that we will help the Lu family carry the burden in the absence of your head."

When the two elders from the Lu family finally got a proper answer, their expressions finally lighten. This was their aim. With the absence of their head and without the heir, many hidden snakes would come out to attack the empire. Right now, the scariest part for them was the aftermath of this incident. That's why they need the word of the Tang family to be responsible for this.

Tang Yin just bit her lip. Their Tang family had already received a great blow in this attack. Their foundation and prestige were badly hurt. All the guests who came here would not only lose their trust in the Tang family but in the future, they would be looked down upon because of this matter.

And now, a lot of their resources might even be transferred to the families that were greatly affected in this situation as compensation.

Once the words got out that the Tang family failed to protect its own guest on its own territory, the whole world would scorn them. Their whole family would lose their prominence. They would be the subject of disdain. In the future, whenever the Tang family was mentioned, this incidence would first come to their mind.

Tang Yin began to dread the future of their Tang family. However, she could not dwell on it because the trepidation that her elder sister was still missing left fear and anxiety in her heart. How the world would look at them from now on seem frugal at the face of her sister missing.

Linfeng whose mind was somewhere else finally got his mind back to where he was. He looked at Tang Yin and asked,  "Tang Xinyang is taken?"

His question brought all attention to what Tang Yin said earlier.

Tang Yin nodded. She held back her tears, "Some of our reinforcement team had been called by Jang Shin. But they arrived too late. There were also intruders who used the same smoke bombs and attacked the building. They cruelly killed all the guards and employees alike. They took my sister. Jang Shin is unconscious and being treated right now."

Linfeng was only focused on getting back Xiong Zhi. So he did not notice that some members of the other families were also attacked by Ming Zhi Yi's people.

The silent Guan Xixin and the anxious elder by his side also turned to look at Tang Yin.  Guan Xixin finally expressed the matter that kept burdening on his mind, "My brother is also missing. My people can't find him anywhere. But unlike your sister's situation, there's no sign of fighting. However, since I can't contact my brother, I have an inkling that he too was kidnapped by these people. My brother had never missed any calls from me."

Guan Xixin had attended the event in place of his brother. Since the Guan family was still undergoing massive change, Guan Gu Ri spent all his time fixing the empire. Like Tang Xinyang, he chose to attend the matters in the company. 

Their words left the room in silence.

Their hearts were filled with tremors.

What's all this?

The Lu head Master, the Lu Heiress, the Xiong Heiress, the Tang Heiress were all taken. And even the Guan Head might be in the same boat as them.

Linfeng suddenly cursed under his breath.

He thought at first that Ming Zhi Yi attacked the hall for some revenge. The fate of Headmaster Lu might be one that results in death due to an old grudge. And if Ming Zhi Yi wants to escape, he would still let Xiong Zhi live as his leeway. 

However, with how all the heirs were specifically targeted, Linfeng had a foreboding feeling. 

He could not waste any more time in discussing unnecessary things with these people. He looked up at the remaining people in the room.

"Since those people target their heirs and the head specifically then the situation is direr than I thought. The enemy might not even contact us for negotiations. I need all your authority and permission to use all resources and manpower in your hands. I will see this matter personally."

Mistress Tang's heart turned tensed at Linfeng's words.

Right, they had been waiting here hoping that Ming Zhi Yi would call them to negotiate over the lives of the important figures he took. However, it never fully crossed their mind that the enemy would just kill them because of their anger.

Linfeng's words were like a snap that suddenly awaken their minds.

Mistress Tang knew Linfeng's capability. If someone like Linfeng was taking action personally, then she could hand her people to his hands. "I trust you." She then handed her own authority as a head to Linfeng's disposal. 

"Right now, our family has already collaborated with the government and military to survey all transportation and borders. May it be land, air, or sea, we have them under our eyes. Those people wouldn't be able to leave the country." Mistress Tang told their current progress. 

With Mistress Tang's handling the authority to Linfeng without hesitation, the others followed suit. The Xiong elder handed his authority to Linfeng without a squabble. The Xiong elder was just there as a formality. He doesn't have a say in this matter.

The Lu elders hesitated at first. However, with the head butler gone, and without the family head, they don't know how to face such a situation like this. They could only trust Linfeng.

Guan Xixin stood beside Linfeng. "I will join you. I only have my elder brother as my remaining family. I can't lose him too." 

Linfeng nodded. 

Tang Yin also volunteered to help. 

Linfeng did not waste time. After he got permission to use all manpower and the resources of all the families, he immediately drove into action.

With the added resources, the surveillance camera that was taken on the same day expanded. The investigation and research team became more organized under his hands.

He divided some work with Tang Yin and Guan Xixin. Tang Yin managed the surveillance team while Guan Xixin managed the teams that went all possible routes to find any tracks.

In the deep night of the city, many men in black suits filled the streets. Some stores and slumbering families were forced to cooperate.

As the night goes on as a sleepless one,  the allotted two hours that Linfeng gave to the two captive prisoners had finally passed.