Chapter 48: First Meeting with Feng Bangning

Late autumn days are short; once the Hour of the Rooster arrived, the sky turned completely black.

Located on Wealth Street, Yilan Pavilion was already bright with magnificent lanterns and filled with fragrant mist, yet unlike its usual prosperity and clamor, Yilan Pavilion appeared somewhat desolate today.

In a private room upstairs, Xu Jue sat opposite a man.

The man appeared to be about twenty-six or twenty-seven, tall and burly, his face covered in rolls of fat and dark as oil; although he wore fine silk robes, he could not hide the ferocity and hooliganism in his bearing.

He was none other than Feng Bao's nephew, Feng Bangning.

He was a bad seed who fawned on the powerful, a festering sore from head to toe, a rotten pile of maggots and filth.

Relying on Feng Bao's influence, he bullied men and oppressed women in the capital, wreaking havoc on the common people.

Ordinarily, hindered by Feng Bao's prestige, the people of the capital dared not say much.

As a result, his arrogant and despotic nature only grew, which led to the incident of beating the government runners; that spectacle had truly given him a fright.

Several times, he thought he was done for, but he never expected his uncle to pull some strings in the end.

He was safe and sound again, and could even go to the banks of the Qinhuai River to admire flowers and chant poetry.

After this incident, he also understood a principle—to turn one's hands for clouds and cover them for rain; as long as one held power, it was as easy as flipping one's palm.

To thank Zhang Yunxiu, he had Zhang Fu extend invitations several times, but Zhang Yunxiu never came once, which made him lose a great deal of face.

Today, Xu Jue hosted a banquet, and he shamelessly tagged along just to build a connection.

"Young Master, don't bring up that mess in Wanping later, lest Zhang Yunxiu hears it and gets annoyed." Xu Jue could not refuse this young master, so he offered a fawning smile and reminded him again.

"I know, I know." Feng Bangning waved his hand impatiently and muttered, "You've said it eight hundred times already. Now it's him begging us, not us begging him; you're making it look like we're some little concubine."

Xu Jue gave an awkward smile and said no more.

While they were waiting, a hurried sound suddenly came from downstairs; Xu Jue stood up and trotted to the window to look down.

It was indeed Zhang Yunxiu leading Zhang Fu and Han San to attend the banquet.

"Young Master Zhang is here." Xu Jue turned his head to shout at Feng Bangning, urging, "Let's go and welcome him."

As he spoke, Xu Jue stepped toward the outside of the private room, but Feng Bangning remained unmoved, just drinking wine at the table.

Who does he think he is? I have to go welcome him?

So what if your family is the Senior Grand Secretary? My uncle is the Inner Prime Minister.

Seeing Feng Bangning's attitude, Xu Jue did not force the issue; he turned around and went thumping down the stairs.

Meeting Zhang Yunxiu at the bottom of the stairs, Xu Jue first bowed with cupped hands and said with some apology: "Oh, Young Master Zhang, I'm sorry. I've been so busy these past few days I haven't had a moment to breathe; only today did I have time... I'm truly sorry, truly sorry."

Cursing the old fox under his breath, Zhang Yunxiu smiled and replied: "Not at all. What kind of person is Eunuch Feng? With so many things to handle, you as the steward are naturally exhausted, unlike a loafer like me who just wanders around this capital when I have nothing better to do."

"Who dares call you a loafer?" Xu Jue raised an eyebrow and said with a hint of anger, "Who doesn't know you are handling errands for the Emperor? The most tiring thing in this world is handling errands for the Emperor."

Better know it.

Zhang Yunxiu nodded. Zhang Fu, standing to the side, saw Xu Jue acting like a dog fawning over its master and couldn't help but tease: "Old Brother Xu, our Young Master came here on an empty stomach. Could this be your way of treating guests?"

"Oh, look at my memory." Xu Jue slapped his forehead, and while calling for the dishes, he led the three of them thumping up to the pavilion.

Before they had even walked in, a bull-like roar sounded from inside the pavilion: "Brother Zhang, you finally let us invite you. It's harder to see you than to see the Emperor!"

Zhang Yunxiu frowned, and then he saw a dark-faced man walk out of the private room.

"This is our master's nephew, Feng Bangning; Young Master Zhang should be aware of him." Xu Jue pointed at Feng Bangning and said, then pointed at Zhang Yunxiu, "Young Master, this is the Zhang Yunxiu Gongzi I told you about."

"I recognize him." Feng Bangning's rolls of fat bunched together; he familiarly hooked his arm around Zhang Yunxiu's shoulder and said, half-complaining and half-teasing, "Brother Zhang, I've always wanted to find a chance to thank you properly, but you're such a busy man, you never gave me the chance." "Don't worry about anything today; your brother will arrange everything for you perfectly, I guarantee you'll be satisfied."

Zhang Yunxiu looked displeased, but thinking he still had requests for Feng Bao, he could only suppress his disgust and walk into the private room with him.

Zhang Yunxiu sat facing south, while Feng Bao and Xu Jue sat on the opposite side.

Zhang Fu and Han San stood on either side of their master like two door gods.

After a few simple pleasantries, Zhang Yunxiu went straight to the point: "By the end of this month at the latest, the Emperor must see the cash. Steward Xu, it's only twenty days or so left, we must hurry."

"It's really not that I'm shirking, but these merchants won't release the hawk until they see the rabbit; I can't exactly go and rob them, can I?" Xu Jue smiled and played tai chi.

"It's not robbing, it's selling." Zhang Yunxiu corrected him solemnly.

"Regardless, when commoners buy and sell things, they emphasize paying with one hand and delivering with the other. You this..." At the end, Xu Jue's words came to an abrupt halt.

Although he could bite the bullet and help Zhang Yunxiu raise the funds, he was in no hurry to commit.

For one, he hadn't seen his own benefits yet.

For another, the master had given instructions to properly whet this young master's appetite and deflate his arrogance.

Seeing Xu Jue acting like a different person, Zhang Fu frowned and couldn't help complaining: "Old Brother Xu, this isn't right of you. Last time we drank together, you patted your chest and promised it."

"How can words spoken after drinking be taken seriously?" Xu Jue said with a thick skin.

"You drank today, too." Zhang Yunxiu narrowed his eyes and teased with a smile.

"Young Master Zhang, I didn't say I wouldn't help, it's just that there are indeed some difficulties here." Xu Jue picked up the wine pot to pour a cup for Zhang Yunxiu, staring into his eyes as he said, "I want to know, what's in it for me?"

"A favor from me." Zhang Yunxiu said without joy or sorrow.

"Young Master Zhang, for this matter where you just touch your upper lip to your lower lip, I have to exert myself, shout my lungs out, and even shell out real gold and silver. Isn't this a bit, um?" Xu Jue brought the wine cup toward himself.

"Old Brother Xu, speaking like this is meaningless." Zhang Fu widened his eyes and interrupted, "What kind of person is our Young Master? Don't you know? If he is willing to owe you this favor, will you be short of benefits in the future?"

Han San also nodded and said: "I am a crude man, but I know the Young Master's character; he will never treat his friends unfairly."

"Hahaha!" Xu Jue laughed out loud, handed the wine cup to Zhang Yunxiu, and said: "I was just joking with you all. Even if Young Master Zhang didn't give any benefits, I would still have to help with this favor."

"Then, many thanks, Steward Xu." Zhang Yunxiu smiled as he took the cup and drained it in one gulp.

At this moment, Feng Bangning, who had not spoken until now, gave a thumbs-up to Zhang Yunxiu and laughed: "Brother Zhang truly has a massive capacity for liquor. Come, come, eat the food; if you don't eat, it will get cold."

After three rounds of wine and five flavors of food.

"The moonlight is perfect tonight; your brother will take you to a good place." Feng Bangning raised an eyebrow and gave a wicked smile.

"What place?" Out of respect for Feng Bao, Zhang Yunxiu asked.

"You'll know when you get there."

As the moon rose over the pavilion, the group headed out of Yilan Pavilion under the bright moon; Feng Bangning let out a wine-filled burp, just about to speak.

Suddenly, a black shadow flashed out from the side, pulled a dagger from their hand, and thrust it straight at Feng Bangning.

Feng Bangning was startled, dodged to the side, grabbed the assailant's wrist, and snatched away the dagger.

Han San was quick-handed and sharp-eyed; he kicked the assassin in the calf, the assassin let out an "Ah," and then knelt down on both knees to the ground.

"Let go of this young master, let go of this young master, this young master is going to kill you!"

(End of this chapter)