“Excuse me, does anyone need some tea? If not, I’ll head off first.”
Translated by: Zryuu
Edited by: Amelea, Juurensha
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“Fu Jian’s perverse way of doing things have angered both the heavens and the people. There are a lot who are resentful among the Di, Xianbei, and Xiongnu tribes……both of you, don’t whisper amongst yourselves below.” Feng Qianyi knocked a few times on the table with the ruler in his hand, “The Great Chanyu beyond the Great Wall has entered Chang’an and released a clear signal. Perhaps, before long, all the tribes within the city will unite to overthrow Fu Jian……”
When Chen Xing heard this, the corners of his mouth twitched, and he whispered to Feng Qianjun, “No matter how I look at it, the relationship between the two of them seems quite okay. Feng Dage, are you sure the source of this news is trustworthy?”
Feng Qianjun promptly motioned for him to raise his questions later. Feng Qianyi said to the crowd again, “Next, I’ll let my younger brother tell everyone about what he saw and heard on the road to the capital from Xiangyang.”
Feng Qianjun cleared his throat and began describing the hostility of the Hu people in the Central Plains towards Fu Jian. While Feng Qianjun spoke, Feng Qianyi added that Fu Jian had been in power for many years, and according to the plan made by w.a.n.g Meng, a famous official, he formulated the so-called “Respect Hans and Reject the Hus” national policy. However, not only did he fail to please the Han people, but he had also offended the Hus who were backing him. Now, the Five Barbarians were all openly voicing their discontent and had begun to oppose Fu Jian. The Great Qin may seem to have a strong military force like a sun at noon, but the truth was that after w.a.n.g Meng’s death, internal forces became very complicated and have been tottering on the verge of collapse a long time ago.
Everyone was in a great mood after listening to him, as if everyone in Chang’an — no matter if they were a Hu or Han — would rush straight into the imperial palace as soon as Feng Qianyu issued a call for action and hack Fu Jian, the incapable ruler, into pieces.
After Feng Qianjun elaborated upon the entire process, he didn’t offer any comments. Feng Qianyi, who presided over the meeting, waited for the hall to become quiet again before saying, “This is what the situation is like. After this, when everyone is moving around in the Central Plains, the South has already allocated a lot of funds to support our great undertaking of expelling the barbarians and rejuvenating the Han Dynasty. Next year will be a critical period, so we must not neglect……”
Perhaps it was because there was a guest today, or perhaps the theme of today’s conference was different, but Feng Qianyi didn’t really go into affairs related to the rebellion in detail. After he simply summarised the situation for this month and prospects for the year, the meeting was adjourned.
All the Jianghu martial experts stood up and took their leave one by one. They were very respectful and polite towards Feng Qianyi during their discourses but treated Feng Qianjun like they would anyone else and even seemed to look down on him a little. After everyone left, Feng Qianjun picked up his brother and placed him in a wooden wheelchair at the side. Only then did Chen Xing realise that Feng Qianyi’s legs were immobile, and that he needed to be cared for.
“Come, let’s go get dinner. You must be hungry.” Feng Qianjun took the huanshou knife and handed it to his elder brother. Feng Qianyi laid the knife on his knees and held it tightly.
Feng Qianjun said to Chen Xing, “There are still many things that I have to carefully clarify with you.”
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
The three of them left and moved along the hall corridor. Without waiting for Chen Xing to raise his questions, Feng Qianjun took the initiative to explain. Only then did Chen Xing know that he had actually intruded into the Songbai residence’s secret hall by accident.
“Tbe……sbe jii jgf……” Jtfc Wlcu mjra j vbeyaoei uijcmf ja Mfcu Hljcpec. Lf gfwfwyfgfv Wljcu Vte’r fnjiejalbc bo Mfcu Hljcpec, jcv regf fcbeut, atlr Aljcute njujybcv kjrc’a rlwqif.
“Un.” Feng Qianjun smiled, “Weixiong’s real ident.i.ty is that of the young manager of the Xifeng Bank. My older brother is the current head of the family. Songbai residence and Xifeng Headquarters are in the same place, and they’re both part of my family’s estate.”
Feng Qianyi kept silent and was in a daze the whole way down the dark corridor. Chen Xing surveyed his surroundings; after pa.s.sing through the corridor, they entered the courtyard again. This mysterious place had a lot of twists and turns; after turning around the back of the courtyard, they arrived at a group of inns that covered nearly 10 mu. Strangely-shaped pine trees stood outside the group of inns, as if they were spirits that guarded this place in the dark.
Jtfc Wlcu’r regqglrf tjv jigfjvs yffc ktfaafv ys atf fcnlgbcwfca bo Wlofcu Djcx. Pc jcs mjrf, la vlvc’a wjaafg ab tlw ktb atf Mfcu ojwlis ygbatfgr kfgf. Qtja wjaafgfv kjr atja atf 300-sfjg-biv gelcr bo Jtjcu’jc’r Szbgmlra Lfjvdejgafgr kjr ibmjafv tfgf, jcv ogbw atf ibbxr bo la, la tjv wbra ilxfis yffc gfwbvfiifv ys atf Mfcu ojwlis.
Feng Qianyi, who was sitting on the wheelchair, saw Cheng Xin’s expression and said calmly, “The Songbai residence will only receive Hans. The entrance is on the other side. Very few people will walk through this path at the back.”
Feng Qianjun glanced at the drawing in Chen Xing’s hand and seemed to realise something. After they pa.s.sed through the main hall of Songbai residence, they arrived in an eerie building. Feng Qianyi said politely to Chen Xing, “Since little brother stays with the Great Chanyu, Shulü Kong, now, I thought the two of you would come here together.”
“Un……he……I’m actually not that familiar with him.” Chen Xing thought to himself that he was just here to look for the old address of the Exorcist Headquarters, yet he ended up b.u.mping into this group of people discussing their rebellion by accident. How should he get out of this mess? Don’t tell me you want to drag me onto your pirate ship ba. He connected it to how Feng Qianyi didn’t let him get away, and it was obvious that he planned to make it more difficult for Chen Xing to extricate himself the more he knew about their plans, and instantly felt that this was a little perilous.
Chen Xing was usually quite a sanguine person. It was rare for him to be muddle headed, and he wasn’t the least bit foolish, so he continued, “I’m staying with Xiang Shu for now just because of a matter. Once it’s investigated thoroughly in a few days, I’ll have to leave. It’s not like anyone amongst that bunch of Hus would believe what I say anyway, and I have a lot of things to do.” The meaning behind his words was, “I have no time to care about your group’s affairs either, and it’s even less likely for me to inform against you, so there’s no need for you to silence me with death”.
“There’s no harm,” Feng Qianyi said, “I had intended for Qianjun to introduce me anyway. There’s no time like the present. For you to come today means that we’re fated.”
Chen Xing glanced at Feng Qianjun. Feng Qianyi continued, “I’ll go make some arrangements. Qianjun, accompany the Great Exorcist for dinner first.”
Chen Xing, “……”
Story translated by Chrysanthemum Garden.
As soon as Feng Qianjun closed the door, Chen Xing glanced at Feng Qianjun to signal that he wanted an explanation.
Feng Qianjun shrugged helplessly to indicate that he had nothing to say. He leaned down slightly to look at Chen Xing, while Chen Xing said in surprise, “How does your older brother know everything? How much did you tell him exactly?”
Feng Qianjun said, “Do you not know what this place is? What news in the world could be hidden from the head of the Songbai residence?”
Chen Xing, “What on earth do you guys do? It doesn’t seem like your family runs an inn.”
Feng Qianjun, “To tell you the truth, don’t be angry my dear brother, the main business of my family is to open a bank and lend money at usury.”
Chen Xing looked at how imposing the style of this building complex was and answered, “As expected, your family’s pretty rich ma.”
Chen Xing looked around and saw Cao Pi’s authentic works hanging on the wall, as well as an ink screen that stood in the room. A servant sent food boxes over, and Feng Qianjun sat down at one side. He held up a pot of boiling water that was on the stove to make tea and explained, “As for our side business ma, the Xifeng Bank has another role — that is, to obtain intelligence all over the world from the south to the north, both within and beyond the Great Wall; our intelligence ranges from major ones like the emperor’s family affairs, to small kinds like the common people’s eighteen generations of ancestors. As long as we’re paid, we’ll be able to find out anything. There’s no intelligence under the sun that the Feng family can’t obtain.”
He was actually the boss of an intelligence group in Chang’an City. Chen Xing just felt like he had really underestimated Feng Qianjun far too much on their journey here.
Feng Qianjun finished making tea and made a “please” gesture to Chen Xing. He smiled, “So on the first day of our arrival in the capital, Xifeng already knew that Xiang Shu’s real ident.i.ty was Shulü Kong, the youngest Great Chanyu in the history of the Ancient Chi Le Covenant……”
“……and also knew that we barged into the imperial palace at night.” Chen Xing said.
“Wu,” Feng Qianjun said, “And we also know that you’re the only son of Chen Zhe, a great scholar in Jinyang. During his youth, Yuwen Xin studied under your family before, it’s just worldly affairs……thieves don’t have the heavens in their eyes, honest and upright gentlemen are never rewarded for their virtue, while scoundrels who have done all sorts of crimes that even their death would not be able to atone for are always……”
Chen Xing sat down at one side and smiled, “It’s not right to say that. We conduct ourselves in an upright manner because we think it’s right, not because we want to be rewarded.”
Feng Qianjun was stunned at first, then smiled with relief, “Yes, yes. You’re much more broad-minded than Dage.” Then, with a probing look, he asked Chen Xing, “That Yuwen Xin……”
“Un?” Chen Xing was thinking about how to ask about looking for the ruins of the Exorcist Headquarters. It didn’t seem appropriate for him to rummage through boxes and knock cabinets down in other people’s homes. Yet Feng Qianjun observed Chen Xing’s expression and suddenly said, “Never mind, it’s nothing. Yunwei Xin flatters the strong and bullies the weak in Chang’an City, he’s not someone to be closely acquainted with. I just wanted to remind you.”
“I can tell.” Chen Xing said calmly.
Feng Qianjun gazed at Chen Xing quietly and looked as if he couldn’t bear something. Chen Xing didn’t notice his fleeting pity; after eating and drinking tea, he finally dove straight to the point and said to Feng Qianjun, “Feng Dage, to be honest, I suddenly came over today because I have a favour to ask of you. Do you still remember the Exorcist Headquarters we talked about on the way here?”
After he spoke, the paper door suddenly opened and Feng Qianyi said, “My younger brother has already told me everything in its entirety.” He steered his wheelchair into the hall.
Chen Xing said apprehensively, “This truly is a presumptuous request on my part……”
“No.” After Feng Qianyi entered the hall, Feng Qianjun immediately fell silent.
Feng Qianyi said to Chen Xing, “Tianchi, to tell you the truth, our Feng family was a family of exorcists three hundred years ago. We’re from the same profession.”
Chen Xing, “!!!”
Chen Xing stood up at once and stared at Feng Qianjun in shock. Feng Qianyi said lightly, “That’s the ‘fate’ I was talking about.”
Feng Qianyi drew out the huanshou knife on his knees. He clamped down on the blade with two fingers and handed it to Chen Xing, “This knife was left behind from the Han Dynasty; it’s a precious knife handed down from generation to generation since ancient times. Sen Luo Wan Xiang is sealed with the vital energy of verdant wood, and when it appears in the world——”
Chen Xing accepted the knife, “It can turn tens of thousands of plants within the Divine Land into soldiers, move verdant mountains, and level gorges.”
“You know?!” Feng Qianyi’s eyes lit up at once with surprise evident in his gaze.
Chen Xing had read about many magic weapons in ancient texts. When he first met Feng Qianjun, he had never paid close attention to his knife. Now, when he accepted it and held it in his hands, he only saw a row of zhonggu characters inscribed on the back of the knife: Sen Luo Wan Xiang.
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