Chapter 146: Qi Yu Restores His Identity

The next day, as the lanterns were lit.

The gates of the Fu Family Manor were thrown open. After presenting their invitations, guests walked through the spacious and bright corridor into the banquet hall. The murals inside the circular dome were exquisitely beautiful, and the embedded crystals refracted dazzling rays of light, creating a sense of decadent luxury...

It was also a stage for social interaction and power struggles.

Fu Zichen stood at the entrance of the banquet hall, shaking hands and greeting the heads of the noble families as they followed him in, while the old butler Chen stood quietly by his side.

Ling Wu and Xi Huaizhi were both dressed in crisp suits, sitting on the sofa in the banquet hall, holding wine glasses and observing the entire hall through the act of drinking.

Ling Wu was wearing a Human Skin Mask as usual. After the Fu Family had been in seclusion for many years, they were holding this heir-return banquet for the entire Beidu City. In such a high-profile occasion, it was impossible for Jin Liangjin not to show up. If a fight broke out, hiding one's appearance would obviously make things easier to handle.

Xi Huaizhi was not wearing a mask.

He was a Federation citizen by origin, and his whereabouts were mysterious. There were not many people in the entire Federation who knew his true identity, let alone in the Empire. Since the Human Skin Mask from yesterday was already ruined, he simply came in with his real face.

Xi Huaizhi: "Aren't we a bit early?"

Ling Wu didn't pay attention to what he said; his eyes caught something, and his expression instantly turned serious: "Don't speak for now."

?

Xi Huaizhi was suspicious. He followed Ling Wu's gaze and looked over. At the entrance of the banquet hall, Jin Liangjin had sharp facial features and wore his spotless suit with a stern and indifferent air. Standing to his left, Yin Shuyi was wearing a formal Zhongshan suit, and the glasses on his high-bridged nose made him look elegant and easygoing.

The two of them were laughing and talking with Fu Zichen.

Both were doing their best to play the role of chatting and laughing on the surface of the vanity fair, while being at daggers drawn in secret.

"Tsk, the troublesome ones have arrived." Xi Huaizhi was too far away from them to determine what they were saying from their lip movements. He paused the motion of swirling his red wine glass: "Don't you think they're tired of acting like this? They clearly want to kill each other, yet they still have to pretend to be harmonious and friendly."

Ling Wu spoke up: "This is the survival rule of high society."

"Hypocritical." Xi Huaizhi rested his head on one hand: "It seems this banquet won't end without some bloodshed."

Ling Wu took a few photos out of his suit jacket pocket. When he lowered his head, his bangs covered his eyes. He handed a few to Xi Huaizhi: "When the banquet starts, help me keep an eye on the movements of these people."

Xi Huaizhi: "What for?"

He took the photos, used his fingertips to fan them out to reveal the faces of those people, and after a rough glance, returned the photos to Ling Wu: "Fine, I've got it. I'll keep an eye on them for you."

Ling Wu: "Mm."

He tucked the photos back into his pocket.

Xi Huaizhi turned his body to the side: "So what is it actually for?"

"Haven't you seen Jin Liangjin and Yin Shuyi? They came to the Fu Family's banquet hall, of course, to probe the Fu Family's true strength. I guess that once Qi Yu appears before the media reports, they won't be able to resist making a move." Ling Wu's hand touched the portable pistol tucked into his suit trousers. His gaze passed through the crowd and landed on Jin Liangjin. He said: "I'll fish in troubled waters and kill a few people before leaving."

Xi Huaizhi understood: "Enemies?"

"Mm."

"Shall I help you?"

Ling Wu shook his head: "Whose grudge it is, they should be the one to settle it."

The people in the banquet hall had arrived one after another. Qi Yu was wearing a brand-new dark suit with a crisp tie and a ruby tie clip, making him look well-dressed and elegant. His tall and upright figure was perfectly wrapped by the suit, his legs were long, and his leather shoes stepped on the beautifully patterned marble floor as he walked toward the crowd with a calm gait.

Yu Shixue had his hands in his trouser pockets, his eyes deep.

Some people had seen this face of Qi Yu on the Sike Academy forum, but they never expected that the heir the Fu Family had just found was actually Qi Yu from the Slums?

This news was like a thunderclap on flat ground, stirring up a thousand waves!

"What's going on?"

"It's actually him? Are you sure there's no mistake?"

"Isn't Qi Yu from the Slums? How is he a member of the Fu Family?"

"This must be fake..."

"It's too unbelievable."

【That's right! Our villain is just that awesome! He has an even more awesome identity—the Imperial Crown Prince, a true blue-blooded aristocrat and relative of the Emperor!】

【Tremble!】

【You looked down on our villain in the early stages, but in the later stages, you won't even be able to reach the threshold to see him.】

【It feels so good. Seeing these arrogant nobles looking so incredulous, I'm laughing my head off.】

【Villain, you don't need to feel inferior now; you and our second male lead are a perfect match!】

【Awesome!】

【Your Highness, Your Highness, I worship you!】

【Try calling him a 'commoner' one more time? The status you're so proud of isn't even fit to polish our villain's shoes. If it were twenty years earlier, you wouldn't even have the qualifications to enter the royal palace!】

Fu Zichen stood beside Qi Yu and spoke into the media's microphones: "Thank you all for your interviews. Thanks to the grace of heaven, our Fu Family has found our lost heir..."

Jin Liangjin and Yin Shuyi had, of course, met the Emperor, Chu Yu. Seeing the face of Qi Yu, which was 70% similar to Chu Yu's, they immediately recognized him as the Crown Prince who had escaped back then.

Thinking back to the recent civilian riots, the answer as to who was the mastermind behind them was obvious.

Yin Shuyi said: "Chu Yu's son actually hasn't died yet."

"What? You want to kill him?" The aura on Jin Liangjin was somewhat terrifying: "I advise you to give up that thought. It is a troubled time right now, and the civilian riots haven't been suppressed yet. If you let them know that there is a Crown Prince standing in opposition to the noble families, what do you think will happen?"

"The Fu and Fu families were able to participate in the competition of the Four Great Families back then; they are unfathomable. Even if there were changes, you know better than I do that a centipede dies but never stiffens."

Yin Shuyi instantly suppressed his thoughts.

"Let's test their depth first."