The Ning patriarch clearly understood what Zhou Sheng was trying to do and further helped him. 

He looked at Xie Chu and with a sigh coaxed, "Xie Chu, you should know how this master has treated you all these years. I have always tried to help you on the basis of the fact that your father died on the battlefield for me. But it's different for my sons, especially the younger ones." 

He got out of his seat and circled around his table to where Xie Chu was kneeling on the floor and continued, "What do you think a person who is in His Majesty's favour do to save his own skin when he realises that you and your master are trying to pull him down into hot water?" 

Xie Chu was rendered speechless at that question.

He hadn't thought that the boy his master had asked him to enquire about and keep an eye on would be so ruthless. 

Many times he had wondered and thought about what he would do if he was ever caught in the act of betraying the Ning Clan. 

  All the scenarios had ended at him being thrown out of the manor or at most, being killed. Find authorized novels in Webnovel，faster updates, better experience，Please click for visiting.

He had always been a.s.sured of the fact that even if he was to be killed, it would be a merciful death and the Ning Clan wouldn't push him or his family into a deep abyss.

After all, he  had been the recipient of mercy and generosity of the Ning Clan and he had been sure that the patriarch and the Unit Commander wouldn't be able to bring themselves to harm innocents. 

However, the patriarch's words brought to mind the fact that Zhou Sheng didn't have the same blood flowing through his veins.

In a situation where Zhou Sheng felt that his own interests were being threatened or could be put in jeopardy , he wouldn't think twice about eliminating anything or anyone that could endanger him or his prestige in front of the monarch. 

 When Xie Chu thought up to here, he felt his scalp going numb from fear and felt his trepidation rising for the first time since he had thought of betraying his master.

Trying to find a way out of this predicament, Xie Chu kowtowed to Old Master Ning and pleaded his innocence , "There must be some misunderstanding somewhere, Master. This servant would never dare to collude and work with outsiders." 

Ning Fu felt so incensed with Xie Chu's words that he took out the same dagger that he had hit the other body with earlier and placed the sharp end right at the jugular vein on the  Xie Chu's neck. 

The dagger still had some blood that had crusted over on its surface and the smell of the blood seemed to permeate the air in the study.

Ning Fu jeered, "Father, since this stubborn man won't cry until he sees the coffin, let us prepare a few more coffins for his wife and children as well." 

Xie Chu couldn't believe how wrong everything had gone in a scant few minutes and Ning Fu's words seemed to finally bend his overly-proud back. 

His face had  gone pale to the point of losing all its colour.

With a trembling voice, he implored , "Master, this has nothing to do with my wife and children , they are innocents. Just punish me to quench your anger but please, leave them out of it." 

However, Ning Fu didn't pay heed to his pleas and scolded, "And, pray do tell, what  does our family have to do with those outsiders? We clothe you, feed you, give you a roof over your head and  you repay our generosity by selling us to others? Why should the Ning Clan show mercy to you and yours when you don't think twice before betraying your original master?"

It was at this point that Xie Chu realised that things had really gone awry and that he could only turn back on his other master - even if not for himself, then for the pitiful lives of his young wife and small children. 

Truthfully, even though he wasn't reconciled to it and hated it, it was better  to bow down for now and think of another escape route later on. 

He repeatedly and heavily kowtowed to the Ning patriarch,  The kowtows were so heavy that blood had started flowing in rivulets from his forehead.

However, his actions were stopped short by Zhou Sheng, "Don't dirty the floor of father's study. You didn't think of the consequences when you decided to collude with others behind your masters back, so what's the point of doing all these pointless things now?" 

At his words, Ning Fu added more fuel to  the fire, and commented, "Only these little guts and he wanted to climb over our heads and help someone else? He should have taken a clear look in the mirror before thinking and doing things that are above his station." ." 

Then, he raised his voice for the subordinates standing outside and bellowed, "Bring Xie Chu's family here." 

With an affirmative answer, the subordinate standing outside left to complete the given task and a few minutes later a fairly beautiful woman and two children were brought inside the study. 

When Xie Chu saw  his family being handled so roughly by Ning Fu's subordinates, he keeled over  fell on his rump behind on the floor - unable to get up. 

"Xie Chu, why don't you have a look and see if all your family members are present here, hmm?" Ning Fu asked with a sneer. 

Xie Chu closed his eyes at the scene unfolding in front of his eyes and regret washed over him like a tidal wave.

 He didn't regret betraying his masters but  blamed himself for not sending his family away from this place before it had become too dangerous for them. 

From the look on Xie Chu's face, Zhou Sheng understood what thoughts were running inside his head.

 This man was someone who was h.e.l.l-bent upon destroying the Ning Clan - even if it meant he had to give up his own life to achieve his goal. 

Wondering about the reasons behind such a strong hatred, he questioned, "Why would you go to such lengths? Let alone that the Ning Clan has provided you with shelter and food all these years, even His Majesty has already decreed to make the lives of all slaves easier. Why would you do something that would bring harm to the one person who is trying his best to give  slaves and their future generations a good life?"