chapter 12 Commander-in-Chief of the Five Parties

Ellison Jiang had a helpless look on his face.
Camellia Tang then said, "Please fetch the dress from my closet. There's an important dinner tonight."
Ellison Jiang got up and walked towards the closet, asking, "Which one, dear?"
"The white one with the V-neck."
"That won't do; it's too revealing for an event like this. This will do." Ellison Jiang picked up a black high-neck dress and handed it to Camellia Tang. He asked, "By the way, what's the event?"
Camellia Tang replied, "It's a auction dinner hosted by the Xiao family, organized by Cara Xiao. There are some valuable items up for auction, and it's attended by some influential people. It's also a good opportunity for me to expand my social network."
Upon hearing this, Ellison Jiang was slightly surprised but didn't say much. Instead, he asked, "Do you need me to drive you there?"
"I'll take a taxi."
"Alright."
After Camellia Tang changed into the dress, she left the house.
Following her departure, Ellison Jiang also found an excuse to leave.
At the Xiao family villa, the last property left of the Xiao family after their other assets had been liquidated, including real estate.
Inside the villa, several dozen people had gathered, with a middle-aged man in military uniform leading the group.
He was Olav Xiao, the fourth son of Midas Xiao.
Olav Xiao served in the Western Frontier Army.
When his father, Midas Xiao, died, he was away on a mission and couldn't make it back in time. By the time he returned, his father had already passed away.
However, the person responsible for the murder had left clues behind, pointing to the remnants of the Jiang family from ten years ago. So, Olav Xiao rushed back to the capital overnight to find the person who ordered the destruction of the Jiang family and seized the painting "Dwelling in the Mount Huayue". He wanted to gather information.
Unfortunately, he didn't get any substantial results, but he did uncover one piece of information: the reason for Camellia Tang's disfigurement was from rescuing someone from the Jiang family villa's fire ten years ago. She got burned during the rescue!
The important person had given orders to find out who Camellia Tang had saved.
After getting this information, he left the capital and returned to Jiang Zhong.
But when he returned to the Xiao family, he found out that the family had gone bankrupt, and this was closely related to his investigation of Camellia Tang.
Sitting beside him was a beautiful woman with flawless skin who seemed ageless, and she was Cara Xiao.
Cara Xiao spoke, "Fourth Brother, we don't have a clear lead on who killed Dad, but our family's bankruptcy is all because of Camellia Tang. Trivon has already said it: everything is Camellia Tang's doing. She made a call to Luby Ye, and that's how our family was ruined."
Olav Xiao, sitting at the head of the table, had a resolute expression and clenched his fist. He said, "No matter who is against the Xiao family, they will not have a good ending. Even Luby Ye won't be spared. I want the world to know that the Xiao family isn't an easy target to mess with. Tonight will be the day of the Tang family's downfall!"
​​At the Jiang Zhong Grand Hotel, the venue for the Xiao family's auction dinner, luxury cars were parked outside, and many prominent figures from Jiang Zhong were coming.
These were all people who had received invitations from Cara Xiao.
Despite the Xiao family's bankruptcy, no one in Jiang Zhong wanted to miss this auction dinner because Olav Xiao had returned.
Olav Xiao's contributions were essential for the Xiao family to become the leading among the four major families.
He was a high-ranking officer in the Western Frontier Army.
Outside the Jiang Zhong Grand Hotel, two men in black trench coats were walking on foot.
Seeing the soldiers stationed outside the hotel, Lucas raised an eyebrow and said, "Brother Jiang, these are soldiers from the Western Frontier Army. Could it be that Olav Xiao from the Xiao family has returned? Olav Xiao seems to be a trusted subordinate of the Western Frontier Carefree King, with a pretty high military rank, like a deputy general."
"Carefree King?" Ellison Jiang sneered. "Even if the Carefree King himself is here today, if he dares to stop me, I'll make him kneel."
In the Great Xia Empire, there were five supreme commanders: Black Dragon in the Southern Wilderness, Centurion in the Northern Wilderness, Carefree King in the Western Frontier, Barbarian King in the Eastern Territories, and the Emperor in the Imperial Capital.
In terms of power, the Emperor in the Imperial Capital was the strongest.
However, the Black Dragon, despite having the shortest time as a commander, was the most powerful. Even if the other four supreme commanders joined forces, they might not be a match for the Black Dragon.
Moreover, the Black Dragon had another identity: he was the Divine Healer!
His medical skills were unparalleled, capable of bringing back the dead and even snatching people from the clutches of Hades.
So, even if the other four supreme commanders were present, Ellison Jiang might not give them much regard, let alone a subordinate of the Western Frontier Carefree King.
"Brother Jiang, are we going to kill someone tonight?"
"Tonight's main mission is to retrieve the painting "Dwelling in the Mount Huayue". Whether someone lives or dies depends on the situation."
"When should we go in?"
"No rush, we'll wait until the banquet starts."
"Understood."
The two of them remained outside the hotel without rushing in.
As for the prominent figures from Jiang Zhong attending the banquet, when they saw soldiers guarding the hotel, they couldn't help but shiver.
Olav Xiao from the Xiao family had indeed returned!
With Midas Xiao's death and the Xiao family's bankruptcy, Olav Xiao's return would undoubtedly stir up a storm in Jiang Zhong.
On the top floor of the hotel, many prominent figures from Jiang Zhong had gathered, including Camellia Tang.
She wore a black dress that accentuated her slender figure, her long hair tied up, and exuded an air of nobility and elegance. She graciously greeted many prominent figures from Jiang Zhong, expanding her social circle.
At that moment, two staff members approached, carrying a painting. When they arrived behind Camellia Tang, they suddenly dropped it on the ground.
Crash!
The painting hit the ground, and the crystal glass frame shattered instantly, with glass shards piercing the painting right where Camellia Tang was standing.
"What are you doing?"
One of the staff members looked at the shattered painting on the ground, then at Camellia Tang, and exclaimed, "Why did you bump into me?"
"I... I didn't." Camellia Tang was bewildered.
She hadn't bumped into anyone.
"I didn't. Are you mistaken?" she protested.
"How is that possible? It was you who bumped into me and caused the painting to break! Do you know what this painting is? It's a famous artwork from over two thousand years ago. It's the painting "Dwelling in the Mount Huayue", worth 1.8 billion!"
Another staff member accused Camellia Tang, saying, "It's you, Camellia Tang, it was definitely you who bumped into it!"
The commotion drew the attention of many people.
A middle-aged man in military attire with an upright posture walked over and sternly asked, "What's going on here? Why are you making such a fuss? Have you no manners?"
"Mr. Xiao, we were carrying the properly wrapped painting "Dwelling in the Mount Huayue" to the back work area when Camellia Tang bumped into us. The painting... "Dwelling in the Mount Huayue" is ruined."
Olav Xiao squatted down, his face changing as he looked at the landscape painting with a scratch from the broken glass. "The painting "Dwelling in the Mount Huayue"... it's ruined! It's worth 1.8 billion!"
"It wasn't me, it wasn't me!" Hearing the value of 1.8 billion, Camellia Tang panicked instantly and quickly stepped back.
She couldn't afford such a loss, even if it meant putting her entire Tang family on the line.
Olav Xiao stood up, gazing at Camellia Tang with an icy expression. "I, Olav Xiao, will never wrong anyone. There are security cameras here. If it's you, we'll find out by checking the surveillance footage. Someone, retrieve the surveillance recordings!"
A few minutes later, someone brought the surveillance footage.
In front of the gathered crowd of prominent figures from Jiang Zhong, Olav Xiao personally played the surveillance video.
In the video, two staff members were carrying the painting frame, but it was bumped by Camellia Tang, causing it to fall and break.
Seeing this scene, Olav Xiao said coldly, "Camellia Tang, 1.8 billion. Someone, apprehend Camellia Tang and take her to the Tang family. Demand the 1.8 billion. If they don't have the money, bring all the Tang family members back to me."
Camellia Tang saw the approaching soldiers and was so frightened that her complexion turned pale. She started crying, "It wasn't me, General Xiao. I really didn't do it. I'm innocent! I didn't bump into anything!"
Surrounding onlookers remained mostly silent, quietly pitying Camellia Tang.
"What a pity, the Tang family was just getting started, and now it's all over."
"Yeah, 1.8 billion, the Tang family is likely to go bankrupt. I wonder if they can sell off all their assets to come up with that amount."
"Camellia Tang had some bad luck; she wasn't careful at all."
Amidst the discussions, as they watched the fully armed soldiers approach, Camellia Tang was overcome with fear. Her complexion turned ashen, and she kept retreating. Two fully armed soldiers with their weapons pointed at her advanced towards her.
Olav Xiao ordered, "Take her to the back room!"
In her state of despair and helplessness, Camellia Tang was forcibly taken away by the two fully armed individuals.
Olav Xiao's actions shocked many people, but there was little sympathy for Camellia Tang; in fact, some seemed to take pleasure in her misfortune.
This minor incident didn't interrupt the auction. At this moment, Cara Xiao from the Xiao family appeared and began hosting the auction.

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