Chapter 1726

Inside the car.

Pei Yinnian naturally offered a profuse apology.

"I've been swamped these days, got the date mixed up; tomorrow I'll stay with you and go nowhere… all right." Pei Yinnian pressed his lips to Jin Chen's, his breath unsteady, the skin beneath the undone outer shirt's buttons showing large patches of red marks.

"Had enough kissing?" Pei Yinnian pinched his cheek.

"All right."

Jin Chen chuckled happily, hugging Pei Yinnian and continuing to snuggle, "What exactly has you so busy, wife? You were never this busy before."

"Something's come up at the chamber of commerce lately."

Pei Yinnian hesitated a moment, not hiding it from Jin Chen, then finally sat up from his embrace, eyes rippling with gentle warmth, hooking his neck and said, "I'm only telling you this so you don't go running to the garrison hall again to provoke and beat people up—that lot isn't to be trifled with."

"Oh." Then I'll sneak off.

"Sneaking off won't do either."

Jin Chen: "……"

How annoying.

Let's go steal some explosives from Chu Wu's place and blow up those foreign devils.

Pei Yinnian brushed a strand of his hair behind his ear, kissed his cheek lightly, and said, "I care more about your safety—don't do something so dangerous, okay?"

Jin Chen's brows and eyes finally lit up with pleasure, he returned the kiss, and said, "Then I'll think of another way to help you."

"What method?" Pei Yinnian looked at him curiously, hopeful inside.

Though Jin Chen's ideas are wild, they always bring unexpected gains.

——

Lately Wei'er and Zao Liang Haidou have been puzzled.

Then Pei Yinnian seemed to have had a change of heart, not only accepting all their suggestions wholesale, but also not caring when they seized several vitally important shops, instead he began hosting feasts in all directions.

Until one day their people caught Pei Yinnian smoking opium in the car.

Instantly they understood, no longer surprised by his change—after all, anyone who takes up opium is like that, and they've seen plenty.

Moreover, a sense of contempt welled up in them—those who appeared so principled were still subdued by opium; even the top merchant of Beiping was no match for them.

Wei'er and Zao Liang Haidou seemed to have forgotten their earlier feud, reaching consensus once again: to seize all of Pei Yinnian's businesses, including the Pei Family.

They still held their previous view: such precious things are surely mishandled by the Chinese, better left to them to safeguard.

Little did they know, danger against them was already approaching silently.

Three days later.

Pei Yinnian banqueted many notables of Beiping, and the invitation finally reached the garrison hall that had long been awaiting it.

After all, Wei'er and Zao Liang Haidou were eager to act, hurrying to attend a banquet.

"Mr. Wei'er, Mr. Zao Liang Haidou, this way please—our host has been waiting a while."

A Si personally stood guard outside the Pei residence to invite them in, completely changing from the previous tension to a most obsequious demeanor, which pleased Wei'er greatly.

The two entered one after another, and both were startled.

This courtyard was indeed spacious and lively.

"Oh dear, finally you've come." Pei YiQing had just finished a sip of foreign liquor, eyes smiling as he gestured for A Si to close the courtyard gate, "Long time no see—come sit."

Mr. Wei'er: "……"

Oh no, what's this called in Chinese… a Hongmen banquet!

He looked back—his subordinates were gone, only he and Zao Liang Haidou remained.

"There's someone you haven't met in here, let me introduce."

Pei YiQing pointed and said, "The Fifth Lord of the Chu Family, and beside him is the Chu Family's Young Marshal Chu Jin—Mr. Wei'er, you've surely heard of him?"

Chu Jin gave a cold glance, nostrils snorting.

"Young Marshal…"

Zao Liang Haidou exclaimed in shock, "What are you doing in Beiping!"

Beiping also counts as part of the Chu warlord's influence, so they usually show respect to Chu Wu—yet now this person has shown up as well.

Moreover, they had no inkling of this, nor did they know how much had been secretly investigated.

Chu Jin said coolly, "If you have no guilty conscience, what are you afraid of?"

Boom boom boom!

Suddenly, from behind the stage opposite the banquet table, came a thunderous drumbeat that seemed to shake mountains and seas.

"Hearing the golden drum roar, it stirs my resolve to break the heavenly gate and soar—recalling those days on horseback amidst peach blossoms, mighty and valiant, enemy blood splashing on pomegranate skirts; as long as I live, I must fulfill my duty—how could any inch of land belong to another! What's a foreign king clown worth? With one sword I can hold back a million troops!"

On stage, Jin Chen's aura turned fierce, changing his steps to grip a long sword in his hand—Wei'er even felt a chill down his spine.

In an instant, his shoulders were pressed down; he turned in terror to see it was Pei Yinnian.

"Gentlemen, please sit."

Pei Yinnian pressed their shoulders down, his smile not reaching his eyes, and said, "I've prepared fine wine for you two to sample."

"No thanks…" "You must drink." Chu Jin set his pistol on the table.

Wei'er: "……"

Zao Liang Haidou, obviously lacking spine, picked up the little wine pot beside the footrest, but it was tightly sealed and couldn't be opened at all.

"Mr. Pei, this... uh, there's no tools?" Zailiang Haidou asked tremblingly.

"Of course there is." Pei Yinnian said.

In the next instant, a thin arrow flew from the stage, its tip whistling as it split the air, pointing straight at Zailiang Haidou's brow.

"Ahhh!"

Zailiang Haidou, frightened, lurched backward and fell from his chair; the thin arrow merely pierced the tightly sealed wine cap, shattering instantly and embedding itself in the pillar behind his seat.

Even so, Zao Liang Hai Dou was already frightened to the point of nearly fainting, and he suddenly took a deep gasp.

Wei'er's expression stiffened; anticipating something, he turned his stiff neck to look toward the stage, and saw Jin Chen curl his lips, just as he shot the second arrow.

Even though he had already seen a performance beforehand, but seeing that murderous arrowhead pointing straight at him still frightened him into not daring to move.

Not only were they surprised, but even Chu Jin, who had been called in to hold down the scene, hadn't expected there to be such a performance.

He looked surprised and thoughtful toward Jin Chen on the stage, with a hint of appreciation in his eyes.

Jin Chen noticed his gaze, tilted his head slightly, raised his eyebrows and looked back, full of sharp edge, his momentum not lacking at all, even faintly having a suppressing force.

Pei Yinnian's eyebrows twitched; he quickly gave a look to signal Jin Chen to restrain himself, appearing unintentionally to block in front of Chu Jin.

"The wine pot has already been opened; please, both of you."

Quite a show of intimidation!

"Yeah, hurry up and sit." Yun Cunxuan helped them steady the stools, saying with deep meaning, "There's still a good show to be performed."

Just thinking about it makes him excited! Pei Yinnian keeping Jin Chen by his side is simply the most correct decision.