Chapter 106

The Zheng family’s birthday banquet was a great success; just from Gao Youyao’s introductions, Lu Fang had met nearly every prominent merchant and noble in Beicheng.

During the banquet, Old Master Zheng and County Magistrate Zheng appeared only briefly before moving to other courtyards to entertain guests.

Those in this courtyard were mostly the younger generation, all greeted by Zheng Youqing as he circulated among them.

Just before the banquet ended, Zheng Youqing walked up to the table where Lu Fang and the others sat, ignored Lu Fang entirely, and stared fixedly at Gao Youyao: “Miss Gao, shall we move somewhere else to talk?”

“Alright,” Gao Youyao replied, giving Wu Feng a glance; Wu Feng nodded slightly, rose, and followed behind her.

Zheng Youqing chuckled softly: “What? Don’t you trust my character, Miss Gao?”

Gao Youyao shook her head: “Not at all—I’m just worried about gossip. Would it be alright if Master Wu came with me?”

Before Zheng Youqing could answer, Lu Fang smiled and stood up: “I’m coming too.”

Gao Youyao hesitated, then nodded.

Zheng Youqing smiled broadly—it was even better they all came; he wouldn’t have to devise a way to lure the scholar away.

“This way, please.”

The group headed toward a side courtyard of the county magistrate’s residence.

The wealthy merchants and nobles still drinking at the banquet noticed this and began whispering among themselves.

“Looks like there’s going to be a show.”

“Surely not—today is Old Master Zheng’s seventieth birthday. Wouldn’t it be inappropriate if something happened now?”

“Pfft, what’s inappropriate? You know what kind of man Zheng Youqing is.”

“I feel sorry for that foolish scholar—he’s been dragged into this for no reason. He probably won’t even know how he died.”

On the other side.

Zheng Youqing led them to a secluded two-story pavilion and smiled sweetly: “Miss Gao, let’s go inside and talk.”

Gao Youyao had expected this; her hand, hidden in her sleeve, tightened around the Shadow-Recording Talisman. She smiled: “After you, Young Master Zheng.”

Wu Feng said to Gao Youyao: “If anything happens, call out—I’ll burst in immediately.”

Zheng Youqing smiled, unconcerned, and stepped into the room.

Gao Youyao whispered in a low voice: “When I succeed, I’ll smash a cup or bowl—then I’ll need your help.”

She glanced at Lu Fang and frowned: “I shouldn’t have brought you. Stay sharp and don’t provoke Zheng Youqing.”

“Got it, got it.”

Lu Fang replied indifferently.

He’d pieced together most of what was going on—he’d insisted on coming to protect her from harm, but figuring out how to resolve this cleanly was proving difficult.

After all, the Zheng family were officials—could he really use force?

But if he did, it would be unjustified, and what then?

…

As Gao Youyao entered the room, Zheng Youqing shut the door and leered up and down at her: “Miss Gao, why is this? What do I lack compared to that fool of a scholar?”

Gao Youyao kept her distance and replied coldly:

“Young Master Zheng, show some respect. Didn’t you say you knew who poisoned my father? I want to know who did it.”

Zheng Youqing laughed, unhurried, and sat calmly at the table, pouring himself a cup of wine: “Miss Gao, you didn’t eat enough, did you? I’ve had a special banquet prepared—let’s eat and talk.”

Gao Youyao stood firm: “If you don’t know, then I’m leaving.”

Zheng Youqing instantly rose and blocked the door, his smile twisting into a snarl: “You bitch! You want me to beg you? You’re refusing my kindness? You’ll drink this today—even if I have to force it down your throat!”

Gao Youyao stumbled back two steps: “What are you planning? Is this all your scheme? Did you poison my father to seize the Gao family’s fortune?”

Zheng Youqing nodded, brazenly: “Yes, I ordered it. What else? That old fool refused my family’s marriage proposal.”

“Be sensible. Don’t force me to do something cruel.”

“Or do you think I won’t wipe out your entire Gao family?”

Gao Youyao, furious, snapped: “So it was you! You dare commit such a shameless act—don’t you fear retribution?”

Zheng Youqing grinned: “Retribution? I’ve already claimed your family. Do you think I don’t know you used a Shadow-Recording Talisman to trap my words? So what?”

CRACK!

Gao Youyao seized a wine cup from the table and smashed it hard against the floor—her goal was achieved; now she must leave.

Zheng Youqing calmly raised his cup, drained it, and laughed: “Go ahead and smash—let’s see if your martial artist can even get in now, hahaha…”

BANG! The door was kicked open.

Wu Feng frowned at Gao Youyao: “Are you alright?”

Gao Youyao shook her head: “I’m fine, Master. Let’s go.”

Lu Fang, who had entered behind them, glanced at Zheng Youqing’s frozen smile and chuckled: “Oh? Young Master Zheng, what’s wrong? You’re smiling worse than crying.”

“You!” Zheng Youqing’s face flushed with rage. Seeing Gao Youyao and the others leave without any intervention from Ruan Gongfeng, he exploded:

“Ruan Gongfeng! What’s going on?!”

From the shadows stepped a middle-aged Confucian scholar, his face long like a donkey’s, with a goatee. His voice was sharp: “Young Master Zheng, I didn’t act for a reason.”

Zheng Youqing pressed urgently: “Didn’t we agree you’d subdue that high-rank martial artist? Are you not his match?”

Ruan Gongfeng shook his head: “The martial artist you described is Sixth Rank, First Tier. I’m Sixth Rank, Second Tier—a Confucian scholar. I could easily defeat him, and I’m confident I’d subdue him within ten moves.”

Zheng Youqing frowned: “Then why didn’t you act?”

Ruan Gongfeng sighed: “Just as I was about to sneak in and strike, I suddenly felt a weight of a thousand jin pressing down on me—I couldn’t move a muscle. Someone powerful was watching.”

At this, Zheng Youqing’s face turned deathly pale.

Someone stronger than Ruan Gongfeng? Without even appearing, they’d paralyzed him—clearly, the hidden high-level cultivator was immensely powerful.

Did Gao Youyao hire a high-level cultivator?

It’s over.

Zheng Youqing remembered his reckless words—if Gao Youyao had recorded everything with the Shadow-Recording Talisman and took it to the authorities, everything was finished.

Ruan Gongfeng read his thoughts and said solemnly: “At this point, we must tell Old Master Zheng everything. Neither you nor I can handle this alone.”

“Grandfather will scold me.”

Zheng Youqing panicked—he couldn’t fathom why a minor family like the Gaos could afford to hire a high-level cultivator to protect them.