chapter 23 family meeting

"Garfield, you dare to come back. Hurry up and lay low for a while. Uncle has been looking for you for a long time." The girl saw Garfield and hurriedly said, with an anxious look on her face. "Aubrey, what's wrong?" Garfield frowned slightly. The person who came was Garfield's cousin, the daughter of his second uncle Salim Quickley, Aubrey Quickley. In the Quickley family, the second uncle was the only one who was relatively nice to Grace and Garfield, and Aubrey was very friendly towards him. When they were young, Adrian and Odell often bullied Garfield, and it was Aubrey who helped him out each time, making Garfield feel a little more at ease in the Quickley family. At this moment, Aubrey's face showed a trace of anxious reproach as she said, "What's wrong with you? A few days ago, did you go to the Hall of Artifacts?" "Yes." Garfield was slightly stunned, then said in a cold voice, "Is it because Yanto, that guy, has come to the Quickley family to demand justice?" A hint of anger flashed in his eyes. Although he had Yanto refine the Heavenly pulse needle, he also removed the charm poison from Yanto. He not only didn't hold a grudge against him but instead showed kindness. If this guy came to the Quickley family to demand justice, could he still be kind to him? "You really offended Master Yanto." Listening to Garfield's words, Aubrey widened her eyes, looking incredulous. "What did he say?" "Master Yanto didn't come, but Odell said you offended Master Yanto in the Hall of Artifacts, which led to him being beaten and scolded, and even the loss of the Black Flame Pluton for crafting weapons. I didn't believe it at first, but it turned out to be true. You... sigh, I don't even know what to say about you." Aubrey looked furious, with an expression of hating iron for not becoming steel: "Uncle is looking for you everywhere now. He said as long as you go back, he will immediately take you in for questioning. You better go and lay low for a while." Although Aubrey was furious, deep down she was worried about Garfield." So it was that guy Odell, what does it have to do with me if he lost the Black Flame Pluton?" Garfield sneered, then suddenly, his expression changed. "How's my mother?" "Don't worry, aunt is fine, but you..." Before Aubrey could finish speaking, two teams of guards suddenly rushed out from the side, holding sharp weapons, and came to Garfield's side. The leader of the black-armored guards, who was close to forty years old, with a strong aura, coldly said, "Mr. Garfield, the head of the family is calling for a family meeting. Come with us." The two teams of guards surrounded Garfield on both sides, obviously to prevent him from escaping. After seeing this, Aubrey immediately said angrily, "Griffin, what are you doing?" Griffin was the leader of the guards in the Quickley family, a powerful celestial-level expert. His ancestors were servants of the Quickley family, so they were given the name of Quickley. He respectfully said to Aubrey, "Miss Aubrey, this is the order by the head of the family. We are just following orders." Aubrey wanted to say something else but was gently stopped by Garfield. He looked coldly at Griffin and calmly said, "What about my mother?" "Miss is already in the council chamber." Griffin felt a sting from Garfield's gaze and involuntarily lowered his head, shocked by his behavior. "Lead the way ahead." Garfield said lightly, but inwardly he sneered. It seemed that the Quickley family was well prepared. He had just returned and hadn't taken a few steps when Griffin appeared, and his mother had already been brought to the council chamber. Were they planning to make a move against him while they had the chance? "Mr. Garfield, please come this way." The group quickly led Garfield toward the council chamber. Aubrey stomped her foot fiercely and anxiously followed. In the largest council chamber of the Quickley family, a crowd of people gathered, hundreds of them assembled, creating a suffocating and oppressive atmosphere. Eddie Quickley sat in the position of the family head, high and mighty. Beside him were many elders of the Quickley family, managers, and outstanding members of the direct line. Odell stood beside Cora, his expression indifferent, his eyes flashing with a cold light. After being driven out of the Hall of Artifacts that day, he immediately returned home and complained to his mother, Cora, about his grievances. Upon knowing that his son had been scolded and reprimanded by Yanto in the Hall of Artifacts because of Garfield, Cora was furious and immediately went to Eddie to complain, saying she wanted to drive Garfield, this little beast, out of the family, causing chaos in the Quickley mansion. Although Eddie was extremely annoyed by Cora's behavior, upon hearing that the Black Flame Pluton he had just auctioned had been damaged, he couldn't help but feel angry. However, he was well aware of his son's character and immediately sent someone to the Hall of Artifacts to visit Master Yanto, wanting to find out the truth. Unexpectedly, upon learning that it was someone from the Quickley family, Yanto refused to see them, even sending people to drive them out directly. When the news came back, Cora immediately seized the opportunity, thinking she had the upper hand, and began to demand that Garfield be expelled from the family. At such a young age, Garfield had offended Master Yanto and brought such trouble to the family. If he wasn't expelled, how could the family survive in the capital from now on? Although Yanto is a weapon master in the Hall of Artifacts, with a noble status, many high-ranking parties in the capital city seek to flatter him, but no matter what, he's just a weapon master. Laird Quickley, the old master of the Quickley family is the honored Prince Caspian, commanding a total of 500,000 troops at the border of Quewyn, with illustrious military achievements and a renowned reputation throughout Quewyn. It's not like offending a weapon master would make the Quickley family unable to survive in the capital city. Moreover, the Hall of Artifacts doesn't only have Yanto as a weapon master. Offending Yanto doesn't necessarily mean that the Quickley family can't befriend other weapon masters. But in Cora's eyes, this is a good opportunity to drive out the mother and son from the Quickley family. How could she not take advantage of it? Drawing on her 20-plus years of overseeing the Quickley family and the shrewdness of the family matriarch, she persuaded some senior family members to approach Eddie directly, applying pressure and arranging a family meeting. Eddie was furious, but in the end, he accepted the proposal of the elders. Offending a master of the Hall of Artifacts and bringing trouble to the Quickley family, this reason is not entirely unjustifiable. Although it's not as honorable as being expelled by the Skybert Academy, at least there's a reason to present to the old master, preventing a completely passive situation. Considering these factors, Eddie tacitly approves Cora's actions, leading to the scene today. At this moment, Cora sits in the front of the great hall, a cold smile on her lips, staring coldly at Grace below, hoping to see a hint of panic in her eyes. She's been displeased with Grace for quite some time. This woman always appears so noble and elegant in front of her, even when she's causing her trouble, she maintains that composed expression, which stirs resentment in Cora. "Just a modest woman, why does she have the audacity to act noble in front of me!" Cora thought to herself. ----------