Chapter 267: First Volume, Chapter 267: A Visit to the Ministry of Personnel

First Volume, Chapter 267: A Visit to the Ministry of Personnel

Qin Feng simply waited, and after about one Envoy, Minister of Personnel Wu Mian arrived with a dark face. Upon seeing him, he barked loudly: "Qin Feng, what exactly do you want?"

What do I want?

That's the question I should be asking you!

Qin Feng still had his leg crossed, showing not the slightest sign of respect, and said indifferently: "Back then, when I and Wu Yong had our feud at Zui Xian Lou, if you were upset, you could've said so outright—we could've settled it face to face. But instead, you've always been sneaking behind my back to trip me up. What kind of thing is that? A Minister of Personnel, wasting your brainpower on a lowly County Magistrate like me—aren't you ashamed?"

Wu Mian snorted, flicking his sleeve: "How could a Minister like me possibly hold a grudge against a nobody like you? That's laughable!"

Indeed, officials' faces are thick indeed—they can lie without blushing.

Just moments ago, Qin Feng had nearly been tricked to death by Wu Mian; had he not reacted quickly and understood the Emperor's intentions, he would already have been pushed into the pit.

Now, though he escaped the Liang Emperor's wrath, he has angered the Ming Prince.

Sitting at home, disaster falls from the sky—what did he ever do to deserve this?

Seeing Wu Mian stubbornly deny everything, Qin Feng grinned: "Wu Senior, how about this: how much did Grand Commandant Gao Ming offer you? I'll give you double. Next time something like this happens, just let your nephew know in advance, how about it?"

At these words, Wu Mian's face darkened further, and he growled: "Are you accusing me of colluding with Grand Commandant Gao Ming? Do you have proof? If not, I'll take this matter straight to Qin Tianhu. In office, I'm ranks above you by countless levels; in kinship, I'm your elder. Publicly and privately, you have no right to come here causing trouble."

Qin Feng knew well—even if he put a knife to Wu Mian's throat, Wu would never admit to any collusion with Gao Ming.

Not only did Qin Feng have no proof, but even if he did, he couldn't touch Wu Mian.

After all, as one of the Six Ministries' Ministers, his position was as solid as Taishan—unless he committed a crime of heaven-shaking magnitude, he could hardly be shaken.

But being stabbed in the back by the Ministry of Personnel again and again was simply too infuriating.

Qin Feng resorted to his old tactic—after all, his title as "Noble Youth's Nemesis" couldn't go to waste.

Qin Feng grinned, making Wu Mian's spine chill: "I heard your son, Wu Yong, hasn't shown his face in Jingdu for some time. I sent people to inquire—they say he went to Lin Xian to visit relatives. The son of a Minister, surely wherever he goes, he's surrounded by flowers and splendor? I wonder if Young Master Wu has learned his lesson by now—if he dares pull another stunt like kidnapping a common girl, it won't end well."

Wu Mian, adept at navigating the Imperial Court, had always clashed with Qin Feng but never broken ties with Qin Tianhu—he was a clever man.

Hearing Qin Feng intend to target Wu Yong, Wu Mian's face darkened instantly: "Qin Feng, in the Imperial Court, the greatest sin is to make enemies. I urge you to think thrice before acting."

Qin Feng shrugged, not caring about Wu Mian's threat; instead, he signaled Qin Xiaofu with a wave, as if issuing a challenge: "Go keep an eye on Young Master Wu. If he runs short of money, draw some from the Tianji Camp's Imperial Treasury—he's a Noble Youth, after all; they must look out for each other."

Qin Xiaofu flashed a wicked grin and scampered off.

Qin Feng turned his gaze back to Wu Mian, adopting a harmless, innocent expression: "Today, during the court session, I learned a lesson I'd like to share with you, Wu Senior. When dogs fight each other, it's just entertainment—as long as they don't bite people, they live long. But if they bite a person, no matter how precious the dog, it's doomed."

The implication was crystal clear.

In this Shedynasty, there is only one person—the Liang Emperor. Everyone else are his lapdogs.

As long as you maintain your relationship with the Emperor and give Qin Feng someone to lean on, the rest—no matter how loudly they bark—can be ignored.

This principle may be cynical, but it is the foundation of Establishing a Foothold.

Qin Feng stood, walked toward the Door, and as he passed Wu Mian, he asked with deep meaning: "With National War imminent, everything must prioritize military readiness. Yet the war without smoke has already ignited between Shedynasty and Bei Di."

"Bei Di's plundering of my mother and Zhong Ling's death prove the Consumption War has already begun."

"At this critical juncture, who serves the Emperor's interests, and who opposes him? Wu Senior… tell me, which of us—the lowly Nine Rank County Magistrate—and you, the Minister—sits more securely?"

Qin Feng disliked sneaky backstabbing, disliked harming others for personal gain—but he disliked being targeted repeatedly even more.

If pushed to the edge, Qin Feng wouldn't mind whispering in the Emperor's ear, fully leveraging his status as a "favorite."

Wu Mian's expression flickered between dark and light.

Until now, he had thought Qin Feng clever, but with glaring weaknesses—he was too open and aboveboard.

But today, Qin Feng's words jolted Wu Mian awake.

Qin Feng wasn't incapable of playing dirty—he simply refused to stoop that low.

Recalling how Qin Feng had perfectly coordinated with the Liang Emperor in today's court session, Wu Mian felt a chill run down his spine. He clenched his fist tightly and growled: "The Ministry of Personnel has no intention of being drawn into factional strife, nor of becoming Qin Family's enemy."

"We are merely forced by circumstances, with no other choice."

"We will still follow Grand Commandant Gao Ming's orders. But if we anger him, the Ministry will tremble. Still, before each action, I will send word to you in advance."

Hearing this, Qin Feng paused slightly, turned slowly, clasped his hands, bowed deeply to Wu Mian, and spoke with utmost sincerity: "Your humble nephew thanks you."

Leaving the Ministry of Personnel, Qin Feng sighed inwardly—he had resolved matters with the Liang Emperor and the Ministry, but one more adversary remained: the Ming Prince, the most difficult of all.

Xiao Xiangxiang and Shu Feng, who accompanied him, noticed Qin Feng's gloomy expression and exchanged a glance, their eyes betraying shared concern.

Xiao Xiangxiang softly said: "Master, why not send someone to reconcile with the Ming Prince? The Qin Family has never had any grievance with him—he likely won't hold this against you."

Shu Feng nodded vigorously in agreement: "The Ming Prince was once a hero of Shedynasty, with a broad heart—he won't make trouble for you."

Qin Feng narrowed his eyes, flashed a carefree grin, and signaled the two women not to worry.

In truth, he sighed deeply inside.

This wasn't about whether he could—he was asking whether he dared.

The Liang Emperor and the Ming Prince had deep enmity; today in court, Qin Feng had unhesitatingly sided with the Liang Emperor. Now, to reconcile with the Ming Prince would be to betray the Liang Emperor.

The situation is clear: Qin Feng's foundation for Establishing a Foothold lies in his relationship with the Liang Emperor—so the Liang Emperor comes first; everyone else must wait.

The only silver lining: the Ming Prince cannot enter Jingdu without permission.

As for how the Ming Prince will retaliate—we'll take it one step at a time…