After hearing all this, Xu Fei finally understood the general sequence of events, but there seemed to be one rather important matter still unclear.
“You’ve said so much, but you still haven’t told me what’s actually inside the treasure chest?”
Ma Sanlaizi froze, a fawning smile reappearing on his face.
“Sir, you’re making things difficult for me! Back then, I was young and foolish, only knowing it was a valuable treasure worth stealing. How could I know what’s inside?”
Xu Fei nodded, then took out the Dragon and Phoenix Treasure Chest again, glancing at Ma Sanlaizi before asking, “What are you planning to do, sir?”
“Nonsense! I just want to see what’s inside. Since you won’t tell me, I’ll open it myself!”
Seeing this, Ma Sanlaizi dropped to his knees with a thud, kowtowing repeatedly and begging Xu Fei.
“Please, sir, have mercy! I really can’t agree to this. Could you wait until I’ve taken the Dragon and Phoenix Treasure Chest back to report to our patriarch before opening it?”
For Ma Sanlaizi, this matter was more important than his life. The former Ma family patriarch, now deceased due to old age, had passed on his position with lingering regret, longing to see Ma Sanlaizi return with the Dragon and Phoenix Treasure Chest before his death.
Now that he was already at the gates of the Ma family mansion in Qingfeng Town, he wouldn’t give up easily.
Xu Fei wasn’t truly so heartless; he was merely testing him.
Xu Fei was wary that Ma Sanlaizi might be lying to deceive him again.
But after this test, Xu Fei realised that Ma Sanlaizi’s words were likely entirely true, and he also made a guess.
“If I’m not mistaken, the mysterious gambling den boss back then was from the Gong family, wasn’t he?”
Ma Sanlaizi was slightly taken aback, then nodded helplessly.
“You’re right, sir. I didn’t know at first, but later I realised it was all a scheme by the Gong family to trap me.”
“But by the time I knew the truth, I was already a broken man, and there was nothing I could do about it.”
Xu Fei gave a light chuckle, then stood before the Ma family mansion’s gate again and started pounding on the door.
“In that case, you’d better seize this opportunity. I’ll help you knock. When we get inside, you’d better explain yourself properly!”
After another round of Xu Fei’s banging, the gate of the Ma mansion opened.
The same person who had opened the door before stepped out, and upon seeing Ma Sanlaizi and Xu Fei standing there, he frowned, visibly annoyed.
“Are you two ever going to stop? Even beggars move from house to house. Are you just going to linger here? Get lost!”
Xu Fei, not being a member of the Ma family, had no patience for this. He raised his hand and slapped the man across the face.
*Smack!*
A sharp sound rang out, leaving a bright red handprint on the man’s face.
The servant touched his cheek, trembling in disbelief, and stammered, “You… you actually dared to hit me?”
“Why wouldn’t I dare? You’re just a lowly servant who needs to know your place. A gatekeeper is a gatekeeper. Hurry up and report to the Ma patriarch!”
With that, Xu Fei brandished the Dragon and Phoenix Treasure Chest, instantly stunning the servant.
“This… this is the Dragon and Phoenix Treasure Chest? I… I’ll go inside right now!”
