Chapter 103: Chapter 95: A Rare Chance to Go Wild

Fugui Building.

The second-largest restaurant in the Imperial City.

Inside a private room in the sixth-floor elegant pavilion.

A lavishly dressed man quietly watched the street below, taking in all the commotion.

Several people stood beside him.

"Your Highness, from his recent actions, it’s clear this Marquis Zhonglie has no regard for the Daqian Royal Family."

They had watched with their own eyes as the Zheng Family’s household, acting as if no one else existed, had their carriage block the road and pass unimpeded all the way to the prison. They watched right up to the moment the Marquis Zhonglie dramatically draped a snow-white mink cape over his shoulders.

It had to be said, the gesture was truly grand, befitting a tycoon.

For some reason, Fugui Building was closed to the public today, shutting its doors for the day.

Yet, the Eldest Prince was seated here.

A table was laden with a sumptuous spread of side dishes and fine wine, but judging by the arrangement of the food, it was clear that none of them had touched their chopsticks.

"Sigh."

The Eldest Prince let out a soft sigh. "I originally thought that Marquis Zhonglie, born into the Loyal and Brave Family, would know how to read the situation. Having been a merchant for many years, I expected him to be slick and tactful. I never imagined he would be such an untamable, fierce horse."

"On the surface, he merely sent someone to request a special pardon from my Father Emperor, allowing him to leave the prison for three days while still under sentence. But in reality, this move by Marquis Zhonglie carries a deeper meaning. It’s a remote political chess match against us."

"First, Father Emperor decided to name the crown prince on the third day of the third month, and he must have his reasons. Marquis Zhonglie, however, is using this to test Father Emperor’s attitude. Whether Father Emperor approves his request or not makes a world of difference."

"Second, he is telling us that the Minister of the Ministry of Justice, like him, is unwilling to get involved in the struggle for succession among us of the Royal Family’s bloodline, and intends to remain neutral."

"As for the third reason," the Eldest Prince smiled faintly, clutching a starkly black-and-white game piece in his palm. "He seems to be saying that as long as Father Emperor doesn’t stop him, as for the three of us Princes... hah. He can leave Heaven-Gazing Prison whenever he pleases. None of us can cage this Fierce Tiger."

Hearing this, the men behind the Eldest Prince looked indignant. "But why does the Holy Emperor favor him so much? Could it be that even the Holy Emperor fears the hidden Path Technique Master of the Zheng Family?"

The Eldest Prince smiled and glanced back at his subordinate.

The subordinate’s heart pounded as he realized his mistake. He fell to his knees in terror and slapped his own face repeatedly. SLAP! SLAP! "This subordinate deserves death for speculating on the Holy Emperor’s intentions."

"It’s fine. There are no outsiders here. But if we were outside, even a single word of gossip about Father Emperor would be an inescapable capital offense."

The Eldest Prince nodded, then said himself, "The Emperor’s heart is difficult to fathom. Father Emperor seems to hold Marquis Zhonglie in high regard, but with the common folk singing praises of General Zheng’s past achievements these days, isn’t it getting a bit..." The Eldest Prince’s smile widened. "...like his accomplishments are overshadowing his master’s?"

...

Hundred Treasures Building.

The third-largest restaurant in the Imperial City.

The Second Prince stood on the edge of a balcony, watching from afar as the Zheng Family joyfully welcomed Marquis Zhonglie on the bustling main street.

The surrounding commoners cheered and shouted their approval.

The Second Prince watched, grinding his teeth, his eyes wide with fury. "Marquis Zhonglie, do you really think the Imperial Family is so kind-hearted? You underestimate my Father Emperor and my cunning Elder Imperial Brother!"

"Marquis Zhonglie, oh, Marquis Zhonglie! To actually mobilize public opinion, to make the world remember Zheng Haoran’s glorious name again! You’re playing with fire and you’re going to get burned!"

"Do you truly believe my Father Emperor is such a soft-hearted and merciful man?"

"If my Father Emperor were truly soft-hearted and merciful, this whole affair of naming a crown prince on the third day of the third month would never have happened!"

"You thought that helping no one would benefit the Zheng Family the most, but you are not of the Royal Family! You do not understand the mind of the royal bloodline! Those who cannot be used must be eliminated! You are setting yourself up to be the enemy of us three brothers!"

The Second Prince muttered to himself, unable to conceal the viciousness in his eyes.

...

In the crowd.

A short young man, wrapped in a gray robe and hiding in the crowd, watched the young, extravagantly wealthy master in the mink cape, his eyes sparkling.

’Hehe... that’s Marquis Zhonglie for you! My two dear older brothers must be absolutely fuming right now!’

’He’s secretly asking Father Emperor whether he should intervene in our struggle for succession.’

’But, while the Zheng Family is powerful, my eldest and second brothers also hold strong hands. In the end, we’ll see who has the most patience!’

No one knew.

The three Princes, on the verge of a bloodless, life-or-death struggle, had all been secretly watching the developments here.

Each had their own thoughts.

Zheng Xiu’s release from prison seemed like a simple, unremarkable case of special pardon. But with the ancestral worship ceremony only a short three months away, it became a signal of the Zheng Family’s stance, stirring the thoughts of many, both overtly and covertly.

Besides the three Princes, many others who learned of Marquis Zhonglie’s special pardon and temporary release were also watching from the shadows.

"CAW—"

The cries of crows echoed from high above.

The flock of Ravens circling freely in the sky suddenly parted, creating a wide, open path.

The road before Zheng Xiu stretched forward, and the sky above it was swept clean, leaving only the vast, fine snow. Not a single Raven remained in flight!

A tall figure, cradling a trembling orange cat in their arms, walked toward them through the snow.

The sudden change of events had put Qing Shisan and the others on alert, but upon seeing who it was, they all breathed a sigh of relief.

It was just Feng Bei.

Nothing to worry about, then!

Who didn’t know by now that Feng Bei was close with him and the Zheng Family?

No, perhaps some people still didn’t know.

But after today, who could possibly not know?

Feng Bei walked forward step by step. Snowflakes landed on her shoulders, but she seemed completely unaware, merely hugging the orange cat in her arms tighter.

She didn’t seem to notice, however, that the tighter she hugged it, the more the orange cat trembled, the more scared it became, its heart filled with terror.

"Ye Weiyang, Upper Three, Feng Bei." Feng Bei calmly lifted her head. "Entrusted by another..."

"Alright, alright!" Qing Shisan waved enthusiastically at Feng Bei. "Miss Feng Bei, we’re all family here! Don’t be such a stranger every time we meet, it’s not good to let people get the wrong idea! Come on, come on! Our master has been waiting for you, let’s go together!"

This sudden burst of enthusiasm left Feng Bei somewhat at a loss.

She hadn’t finished speaking.

She had wanted to make it clear that the purpose of her visit was not because of Marquis Zheng, but because she had been entrusted by an old acquaintance. 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

But unexpectedly, everyone in the Zheng Family was already treating Feng Bei as one of their own. After speaking, Qing Shisan paid her no more mind.

Zheng Xiu stepped forward with his head slightly bowed and cupped his fist to Feng Bei. He wasn’t sure if Feng Bei even recognized him, so he could only say vaguely, "Ahem, thank you. I am endlessly grateful. Some things are best left unsaid."

Feng Bei nodded, paying it no mind.

In fact, ever since she learned that Zheng Shan was Zheng Haoran’s brother, she had been secretly keeping an eye on the Zheng Family.

After she became a member of Ye Weiyang, she had investigated the Zheng Clan. She later discovered that Zheng Haoran’s orphaned descendant seemed unaware of Zheng Shan’s existence, so she had to drop it. After that, she had no further contact with the Zheng Family.

It wasn’t until later, when the child who bore a striking resemblance to Zheng Shan appeared, that the Zheng Family re-entered Feng Bei’s line of sight.

As Zheng Xiu turned his head, Feng Bei caught an unintentional glimpse of Tycoon Zheng’s features, and her brow furrowed.

Zheng Xiu’s face reminded her of Zheng Shan.

’Do all the men of the Zheng Family look this similar?’

Feng Bei thought to herself, but her face showed no change. She quietly kept her distance from the Zheng Family’s party, following at the very end.

"Let’s go! Home!"

Seeing Feng Bei was like taking a calming pill for Zheng Xiu.

Outside the prison, he couldn’t use any of his abilities, but Feng Bei’s ominous hands were practically invincible, destroying all who stood in their way. With Feng Bei here, Zheng Xiu could remain perfectly calm no matter what unexpected events occurred.

At the same time, Feng Bei’s appearance sent a signal to all those who coveted what the Zheng Family had and viewed them with hostility!

Feng Bei and the Zheng Family were very close!

Extraordinarily close!

Based on Zheng Xiu’s understanding of Feng Bei, whether this was true or not, Feng Bei couldn’t be bothered to explain herself.

As long as Feng Bei didn’t go out of her way to refute it, the lie would become the truth!

Even if he turned around and told people that Feng Bei often visited his Zheng Family home at night, if Feng Bei didn’t deny it, who would dare not believe him?

Indeed, just as Zheng Xiu had predicted.

The three Princes hiding in the shadows, who witnessed all of this, along with the various officials, and even the members of Ye Weiyang hidden in the crowd, were all utterly shocked the moment they saw Feng Bei deliberately appear at this time to join Zheng Xiu’s escort.

The loner Feng Bei, who never associated with anyone, had actually taken the initiative to escort Zheng Xiu from prison today!

That Feng Bei shared a deep friendship with Zheng Xiu!

Zheng Xiu, draped in his expensive mink cape and surrounded by the crowd, walked toward the Zheng Family estate.

One by one, common townsfolk—people of various identities who worked for and were paid by the Zheng Clan—emerged from the crowd, greeted Zheng Xiu, and joined the procession.

It started with dozens, then grew to a hundred, then several hundred, until finally the entire street was packed with people who worked for the Zheng Family!

"Hey, Old Zhang, you’re looking well today!"

"Old Xu, long time no see! Your grandson’s Birth is coming up soon, isn’t it?"

"Eh? Xiaolizi, not working today? Why come all the way here to greet me for such a small thing? It’s just a simple release from prison! Don’t worry, don’t worry, I am doing great, eating well and living well!"

"Ah, Xiaodeng, is this your wife? You’re a lucky man! I wish you an early and healthy son!"

"Old He, don’t you be in a hurry to leave. You have to help me gut the pig and slaughter the sheep at my place tonight!"

Zheng Xiu had thought the butterfly effect would have caused earth-shattering changes to the face of the Zheng Family.

But today, on the day of his release, the familiar faces of the common people emerging from the crowd made him understand that no matter how the world changed, his Zheng Family was still the same Zheng Family.

"Young Master, we..." Qing Shisan sidled up to Zheng Xiu, furtively glancing toward Feng Bei. "You see how hyped up the atmosphere is. Should we be low-key like usual, or...?"

"Low-key?" Zheng Xiu looked at Qing Pi with bitter disappointment. "Qing Pi, oh, Qing Pi, you’ve changed! When have I ever been low-key? Hold on." Zheng Xiu pulled Qing Shisan close and whispered, "Qing Pi, oh, Qing Pi, we’ve known each other for years, our bond is deep. Tell me, this time, should we be low-key, or high-key?"

"Hooo..." Qing Shisan squinted, a grin spreading across his face. He took a long drag from the long-stemmed pipe held between two fingers, exhaling a perfect smoke ring before finally chuckling. "Master, you were wrongfully imprisoned, and all our people have been feeling pent up. It’s good to stir things up a bit now, drive away the chill. Besides..." Qing Shisan glanced back at the silent Feng Bei not far away and nodded with a smile. "The timing, the place, and the people are all right. Master, right now, everything is perfect."

Zheng Xiu nodded and snapped his fingers. "Then let’s get wild."

At his words, all the "little commoners" behind him who made their living under his patronage broke into happy smiles.

They’d been pent up for too long. So, it was time to get wild!

Chef He drew his cleaver.

Zizi rubbed his hands together.

Qing Shisan puffed on his pipe.

Ji Hong’ou dusted her face with fragrant powder.

Pei Gaoya chanted something under her breath.

Old Zhang took out the rolling pin from his waist.

Within the crowd, a group of people, like shadows, silently pulled up their hoods and softly chanted the oath of the Brotherhood.

Bobo played his Long Flute, its melody unchanged.

Lily sang out "Loyalty to the Nation."

Yan Jiji, the number one Skillful Hands, held a nail between his teeth, wanting to hammer something. But then he remembered how conspicuous his workshop was and reluctantly lowered his hammer.

Yue Yan stealthily flew in from behind, pretending not to be from Ye Weiyang, but was immediately spotted by Feng Bei. Yue Yan gave an awkward smile and slipped away again.

In an instant, the Zheng Family’s Geisha, Actor, facial massage artists, Wandering performers, Beating Man, and Skillful Hands following behind Zheng Xiu—like a motley crew—all began their own actions, following their own "rules." It seemed chaotic and disorganized, each performing their own Miracle Technique.

But in that same instant, Feng Bei’s expression changed. She looked up at the sky in surprise.

CAW! CAW! CAW!—

In the Imperial City, the Ravens—tens of thousands of them, who should have been scared away by Feng Bei’s aura—suddenly went berserk. They began colliding with each other; some dropped from the sky, some fled in panic, and some foamed at the beak.

Every Raven in the city was in turmoil!