"Does Han Tieshan only have one daughter?"

Jiang Feng couldn’t help but ask.

"A heroine among women in Dragon Capital, Director of Zhenbei Prison, Left General of the Wolf Slaughter Army—haven’t you heard of her?"

A young master from an aristocratic family replied.

Jiang Feng nodded silently, left the teahouse, and returned to Shuitang Alley.

The Emperor of the Great Tang taking Han Dong as his adopted daughter, and, under the pretense of a diplomatic marriage, marrying her off to the Turkic King—no matter how you look at it, this all seems very strange.

You have to know Han Dong is a meritorious official.

At White Tiger Mountain, she lured the rebel faction into a trap and helped the Court root out a group of traitors and spies.

Inside Nanfu City, she personally took the lead and cut down countless rebels; outside Jingzhou City, she fought bravely against wolves, assisting Xiao Zhan in driving them out. Even if her achievements are not legendary, she is at least deserving of recognition.

Even if the Emperor is heartless, he wouldn’t push a meritorious official into the fire pit, right? Besides, Han Tieshan is an Innate True Essence Realm powerhouse. Rumors say he is a trusted confidant of the Emperor, and he’s been living in the Imperial City lately.

Jiang Feng didn’t act impulsively. Han Dong’s feelings for him were very precious; he wouldn’t sit idly by, but he also wouldn’t act recklessly.

"Could it be that the Emperor of the Great Tang has some plan?"

"If Sister Dong really is being thrown into the fire pit, the one who should be the most frantic isn’t me, but that bootlicker Xiao Ran. Might as well go see how he reacts after receiving the news."

Night falls.

Jiang Feng sneaked into the Xiao Mansion.

He found Xiao Zhan was inside the mansion.

Xiao Ran was grounded and smashed everything in his room to bits. Once his rage passed, Xiao Zhan entered and, with a single warning to put the greater good first, turned and left.

"Aaargh!"

Once Xiao Zhan left, Xiao Ran howled in his room.

Afterwards, Jiang Feng saw Xiao Zhan leave the Imperial City overnight. Under Jiang Feng’s observation, he exited via the South City Gate—who knows if he’s heading to Jingzhou City or Nanfu City.

Jiang Feng’s brow furrowed even deeper.

Xiao Ran is truly anxious. It looks like the Emperor really did offer Han Dong to the Turkic King; it’s not just a rumor. But there must be some hidden agenda behind this.

Jiang Feng left the Xiao Mansion.

After some inquiries, he learned that Han Dong was living inside the Imperial City. The memory from last time was still fresh, so Jiang Feng didn’t go in. He returned to Shuitang Alley.

The next morning.

Jiang Feng checked his status screen.

Name: Jiang Feng

Fortune: 39877

Cultivation Technique: Yangchun Technique (Minor Achievement)

Skills: Three-legged Body Technique (Great Success), Flame Saber (Proficient), Wind Control (Proficient)

Realm: Qi Condensation (Second Layer)

Divine Power: Immortality

After several months, Jiang Feng’s Fortune Point had only increased by just over a thousand. Ever since leaving Zhenbei Prison and losing his position as Vice Commander, he’s faced fewer and fewer dangers. Staying in Shuitang Alley day to day, the danger and malice he encounters are almost negligible, so his Fortune Point only increases very slowly.

But Jiang Feng hasn’t neglected his cultivation.

Whenever he has time, he trains to deepen his mastery of Flame Saber and Wind Control, and to raise the level of Yangchun Technique.

But one thing has left Jiang Feng in despair.

He found that he seemed to have no talent for cultivation. No matter how hard he trained, neither Flame Saber nor Wind Control, not even Yangchun Technique, made any progress.

It’s as if some kind of force is restricting him.

His cultivation appears to only be able to improve through accumulating Fortune Point.

Actually, Jiang Feng had noticed this before.

It’s just that in the past the cultivation techniques and martial arts he practiced—whether it was Prison Guard Health Care Skill, Prison Guard Long Fist, or Tai Chi Longevity Skill—advanced very slowly anyway, requiring arduous cultivation over time to achieve results.

Plus, in Zhenbei Prison there was Fortune Point to be earned every day, so Jiang Feng never paid much attention to this issue. Now that he’s left Zhenbei Prison and lost that source of Fortune Point, he realizes how serious the problem is.

But Jiang Feng does not regret it.

Compared to improving his cultivation by earning Fortune Point, Jiang Feng prefers to live safely. With his current strength, as long as he doesn’t act recklessly, he isn’t in mortal danger. With his near-limitless time, he can steadily accumulate enough Fortune Point to enhance his strength again.

"Old Qin, off to cut firewood so early again?"

"Yeah, still owe the teahouse two bundles of firewood. The earlier I go, the more I can chop."

The straw mat vendor greeted Jiang Feng.

Jiang Feng left Shuitang Lane.

He first wandered near the Demon-Suppressing Martial Arts Hall, seeing if those two old cultivators had come out.

Unsurprisingly, Jiang Feng came up empty.

With nothing else to try, he could only head alone to Laojun Mountain. Disguised as a woodcutter, he carried a shoulder load of wood around the vicinity, while carefully scanning the area with his Spiritual Sense.

Hoping to catch sight of the so-called Cultivation Marketplace,

or perhaps encounter other cultivators coming to do business at the marketplace.

Unfortunately, after four or five consecutive days, although Jiang Feng saw plenty of people, they were all common folk. He even bumped into mountain bandits twice, but never encountered any cultivators, let alone the marketplace.

One day, Jiang Feng went from Shuitang Alley into the teahouse.

"The Turkic King’s daughter will arrive in Dragon Capital tomorrow. It’s said Uncle Wang is personally escorting her, and in a few days Han Dong will be taken away."

"Such a pity. No matter what, Han Dong is still a heroine of Dragon Capital. Who would have thought she’d have to marry that old fogy."

"Prince Xiao doesn’t care, so why are you so worked up?"

"Han Dong is now a princess; once she marries the Turkic King, she’ll be the Princess Consort of the Turks. Maybe she’ll become the Queen someday."

...

As the Turkic King’s wedding procession and escort drew closer to Dragon Capital, rumors of the Second Prince marrying the Turkic King’s daughter, and Han Dong being sent far away for marriage, spread like wildfire in Dragon Capital—practically everyone knew about it.

Jiang Feng said nothing.

No matter what motives the Emperor of the Great Tang may have, or even if this is just a transaction, Jiang Feng can’t take reckless action. With Han Dong waiting in her chambers inside the Imperial City, he cannot approach her right now.