Chapter 258: Fu Is Not Dead? (Seeking Monthly Tickets)

Chapter 258: Fu... Not Dead? (Please Vote for the Monthly Ticket)

In A Su Tai’s mind, there was no grand strategy, no concern for the "eggshell plan."

He had yet to determine whether Zeng Zhi Feng was backed by others.

All he possessed was the savage strength of his tribe and the hatred burning in his chest for the slaughter of his own people.

His sole aim was Zeng Zhi Feng himself.

"Revenge—I, I will take my revenge!"

"He—he’s a dog!"

With a guttural roar, A Su Tai’s fist slammed into Zeng Zhi Feng’s body again.

His eyes, wild as a beast’s, fixed on Chen Yi.

Ferocious, bloodthirsty, with a flicker of desperate hope, he burneded to kill Zeng Zhi Feng.

Chen Yi raised a hand, signaling him to quiet down. He smiled and said, "I can help you, but understand—this is a transaction."

A Su Tai nodded vigorously: "I—I understand. A transaction."

"Like burning those grains—also a transaction."

Chen Yi arched an eyebrow, pointing to the other side where Luo Jiu Nan stood. "The one you’re trading with—is he your partner?"

A Su Tai glanced in that direction, his face a mix of youth and maturity, showing confusion. He shook his head: "No, him."

Chen Yi thought for a moment, then described the features of Ge Mu Xiao.

A Su Tai still shook his head: "Yes, Fu Du... a friend."

"Fu Du? A friend?"

"Yes, he was outside the cage, telling me that if I burned the grain, I could escape."

"Do you remember his appearance? Height? Age?"

"Tall, thin, white robes, very gentle..."

A Su Tai gestured vaguely, stumbling over his description of the man’s features.

Not particularly clear, but Chen Yi could still make out a rough outline in his mind.

White robes, a man of similar height, thin, older than him—likely a middle-aged man.

"A gentle middle-aged man? Familiar... I sense something."

Chen Yi suddenly thought of the Yun Shu College, a flash of realization crossing his eyes.

"A scholar?"

"No wonder I felt so familiar."

His first suspicion fell on the Ling Cheng who had appeared with Liu Tao Fang at the Ling Huai An estate.

—Zhu Cheng Cheng.

"If it were Zhu Cheng Cheng, that would explain why Liu Hong knew so much about Liu Tao Fang’s schemes."

"And perhaps Ling Huai An’s death was also tied to Zhu Cheng Cheng’s shadow."

Though Chen Yi could not be certain, Zhu Cheng Cheng was the most suspicious figure in recent events.

"Interesting."

"If Zhu Cheng Cheng had colluded with Liu Hong, did that mean his deputy commander, Zhu Hao, was also involved with Liu Hong?"

"If so, then Liu Hong’s disdain for Liu Tao Fang’s schemes over Chen Liang makes perfect sense."

"A man who used the Ji Zhou Merchant Bank to smuggle weapons would never look down on Liu Tao Fang’s antics with those three fools."

Chen Yi muttered these thoughts, yet he could not help but admire Liu Hong’s caution.

Though he was connected to Mao Shi Suo Guo Kong Chao Wang Qi and Ran Du Wang, he still chose to trade with Zhu Cheng Cheng and the Ji Zhou Merchant Bank, remaining hidden behind the scenes.

If not for Liu Hong discovering his son’s collusion with Ling Huai An, he might never have killed Ling Huai An or disrupted the Ji Zhou Merchant Bank’s dealings.

Thinking this, Chen Yi shook his head again. Perhaps Liu Hong had other motives.

He steadied his thoughts and turned to A Su Tai: "For now, let’s set aside other matters. Let’s discuss this transaction."

"I can let you kill Zeng Zhi Feng, and even those behind him—I’ll let you strike them down."

"But you must do something for me. First, let me ask him a few questions."

A Su Tai nodded heavily: "Yes! I’ll do it!"

He raised his fist to strike Zeng Zhi Feng’s head again—"I want to kill him!"

*Thud.*

Before the heavy blow could land, Chen Yi waved his hand, sending A Su Tai sprawling.

"Don’t rush. I need to ask him a few questions first."

"Of course. I have a few questions too."

A Su Tai pushed himself up, his face bruised: "Ask."

He was straightforward in temperament but knew he was no match for Chen Yi. His eyes remained fixed on Zeng Zhi Feng.

Chen Yi watched him, then let out a hollow laugh.

The savages were indeed as legends described—brutal, uncivilized.

Thankfully, he didn’t need A Su Tai for anything more complicated.

Thinking this, Chen Yi spoke softly: "Have you heard? You’re the son of the left king, Mu Ha Ge?"

A Su Tai nodded, his gaze never leaving Zeng Zhi Feng’s expressionless face.

"Then why were you taken by Mao Shi Suo Guo’s bandits and turned into a savage slave?"

"I was herding. They knocked me out."

Chen Yi nodded, then asked, "Even the left king’s son has to herd?"

"My father, the king—there are six sons. My mother and brothers are dead. Without power, I was assigned to herd."

In the time it took to answer, Chen Yi learned much about A Su Tai, Mu Ha Ge, and the savage tribes.

The savage tribes were not like the Wei Dynasty—they were an alliance of multiple tribes.

The strongest was the Tian Lang Tribe, led by the great chieftain Li Ge Lu.

Next were the Black Bear Tribe and Qing Mu Tribe, led by left king Mu Ha Ge and right king Er Li Si.

Further south were the five kings, each commanding tens of thousands of savage warriors.

The remaining dozens of smaller tribes all submitted to the great chieftain and the seven kings.

Additionally, there was a shaman cult among them.

The inner, middle, and outer masters are all beyond calculation; they serve as the great lord’s retainers, yet stand apart from him, overseeing rituals, divination, and medicine.

Some of these masters possess staggering might, capable of moving mountains and filling seas.

Yet now the great lord of the barbarian tribes is aged and near death, and his several princes are forever warring for his throne.

Thus the other seven kings have been drawn into the conflict, leaving no time to attend to matters.

This is why Ashauti was seized by the seductive Suofu and the nomadic bandits.

When Chen Yì had finished listening, he had a clearer understanding and, after a moment’s thought, asked:

“Have you ever heard the name ‘Liu Hong’? Or perhaps know who your father, Maghag, might be in contact with here?”

Ashauti replied, “I—do not know.”

“I only tend the herds; the rest, I know nothing of.”

Chen Yì nodded, not surprised.

This Ashauti was merely the youngest son of Maghag, the least influential among them, so his knowledge would naturally be limited.

Reflecting on this, he silently noted these details and smiled, asking:

“You speak Wei dialect well; surely you’ve studied it for some time?”

“Barbarians also have Wei people among them?”

Ashauti’s expression shifted slightly, turning his head to look at him:

“There are Wei gentlemen within the tribe.”

“Oh?”

“She is a general from five years past, a spoil of war taken by your Wei forces.”

Upon hearing this, Chen Yì’s smile faded, his brow furrowing:

“Do you know her name?”

Five years ago, the left king Maghag led a great army to attack the Mengshui Pass.

The Wei court suffered heavy losses, yet few should have been taken captive.

He could inquire about this unfortunate individual—was she truly a general?

Ashauti hesitated slightly:

“Sir, I do not know her name, only that she is Madam Fu.”

“Fu… Fu?”

Chen Yì paused, for if his memory served him right, his mother-in-law’s surname was Fu.

This woman was not only the wife of Xiao Fengchun, but also the heiress of the Fu family in Guangyuan County, and a high disciple of the Tian Shan sect.

Without thinking, Chen Yì asked:

“A woman?”

Ashauti nodded, puzzled:

“Do you know this gentleman?”

Chen Yì’s eyes flashed with surprise, then he mused:

“I—hope I do not know her.”

What an unexpected twist of fate. If this were indeed Feng Wenqing, the matter would grow grave.

Regardless of whether he told Xiao’s family, it would inevitably stir up turmoil.

Especially Xiao Jinghong.

Based on his understanding of Xiao Jinghong, if she learned that Feng Wenqing was still alive, she would surely devise a plan to rescue her from the barbarian lands.

Even Xiao Daoyi might abandon his restraint, acting rashly.

Thinking this through, Chen Yì did not press further. Instead, he ordered the outer guard to fetch some ink and paper.

He then began sketching in the study.

For he had seen several portraits of Feng Wenqing in recent days, and with a rough outline, he managed to capture her likeness.

Not yet had the ink dried when he held it up before Ashauti.

“Is she?”

Ashauti stared at the portrait with wide eyes, examining it from every angle, then pointed to it:

“It is—also not.”

“Sir, she has white hair.”

Chen Yì fell silent, then said slowly:

“Then that must be her.”

After five years, and given that Feng Wenqing had been in the heart of the barbarian lands, some aging was natural.

Yet this matter troubled him no end.

Chen Yì folded the portrait and continued questioning:

“Besides this Madam Fu, is there also a Xiao gentleman?”

Ashauti shook his head:

“No, I do not know.”

Chen Yì sighed, for it seemed Xiao Fengchun had indeed perished.

He was unsure whether this was a blessing or a curse.

After a moment’s contemplation, he began inquiring about Feng Wenqing’s situation.

According to Ashauti’s account, Feng Wenqing was held in high regard by Left King Maghag.

She was given a dedicated Wei maidservant and a separate tent of her own.

On festivals, she received occasional gifts.

Ashauti finished speaking:

“Yet sir, she is unwell, thin, and young.”

Chen Yì replied with a hint of irritation:

“Compared to your barbarian kin, she is merely an undeveloped child.”

Among barbarians, a mature person stands ten feet tall; a Wei woman would naturally seem a child in their eyes.

Even the uncircumcised Ashauti, though not yet grown, was as tall as Chen Yì and far more robust than Wang Li-xing.

After learning of Feng Wenqing’s condition, Chen Yì exhaled a long breath.

At least his mother-in-law was not in immediate danger, giving him time to consider his next steps.

Silence fell for a moment.

Chen Yì resolved his plan.

He would certainly tell Xiao’s family.

But when? To whom? He needed to weigh carefully, weigh carefully.

With this in mind, he no longer hesitated.

In the face of Ashauti’s resentful gaze, he resorted to his usual trick, sticking a silver needle into the unconscious Zhou Fengfeng.

“Hmm, I—I’ve done something… who are you?!”

Zhou Fengfeng awoke, sensing the softness beneath him.

He glanced at Ashauti beside him, his gaze fixed directly on Chen Yì.

“You dared to ruin my cultivation!?”

“Do you even know who I am? Not afraid of death?”

Chen Yì choked back a laugh, secretly shaking his head.

“Others say that dragon births dragon, phoenix births phoenix, and the son of a rat will tunnel. But in your case, Liu Hong—unrelated by blood—resembles your real father more than you do.”

Zheng Feng's face, which had always seemed fierce but was actually quite timid, slightly constricted into a look of stunned amazement as he stared at him:

"You—you know I'm one of Liu... Master's people?"

"If I hadn't known your identity, I wouldn't have wasted time dragging you here."

Seeing that Zheng Feng wouldn't relent, still had more to say, Chen Yì waved his hand and fired a gunshot that directly pierced his thigh.

"Ah... you... you bastard, how could you, how could you..."

How could I...? Zheng Feng couldn't finish the sentence.

He had thought that invoking Liu Hong's name might save his life, but now that he knew the other party knew his identity, his usual excuses were no longer tenable.

Chen Yì, too lazy to bother with further words, asked coldly: "Answer me a few questions, and I'll kill you quickly."

Zheng Feng, not being foolish, gritted his teeth and hissed: "Dream on!"

"I'll die before I tell you anything!"

"No matter who you are, Master will never let you go!"

Chen Yì dismissed it with a wave: "Your Master's already become a startled bird, trembling at the mere knowledge of my existence. He'll come crawling to me, begging."

After a pause, he smiled faintly: "Beg me to hand over Lü Nine Nan and Asu Tai."

"Asu... Lü Nine Nan?"

Zheng Feng noticed the other man lying nearby, a rotund foreigner, and gave him a careful once-over, his face instantly contorting with shock.

"Lord Lü Nine Nan?"

"You—you really aren't afraid to die, do you? You know his identity, and you dared to bring him too?!"

Chen Yì sneered: "You never stop talking about your identity. I did what I did regardless of who I was."

"Like you..."

Before he could finish, another gunshot erupted, piercing Zheng Feng's other leg.

"I want to kill you, easy as flipping a coin."

This time, Zheng Feng bit his lip to hold back a scream, his face twisted in agony as he glared:

"You die that bullet, I won't tell you a word!"

"If I die here, you won't live much longer either—I'm waiting for you in the nine rivers of the underworld!"

Chen Yì shook his head, gesturing toward Asu Tai: "He's yours."

Asu Tai had been waiting for that very word.

In a burst of fury, Asu Tai punched Zheng Feng squarely in the face, then mounted his body and rained down blow after blow.

"I'll kill you!"

"Revenge!"

"Revenge!"

"..."

Zheng Feng's cultivation was shattered, powerless to resist, and he ceased struggling, forcing out through gritted teeth:

"You wait—for, for you'll all die!"

"Master, Master will—"

Before he could finish, Asu Tai's wrathful fists battered him into a bloody mess, his eyes already bursting from his sockets.

Truly, he had far more anger than breath left.

About a minute later, once Zheng Feng had finally drawn his last breath, Chen Yì finally stopped pounding the still-fist-pumping Asu Tai.

"Your revenge is done."

"Huff... huff..."

Asu Tai paused, staring at the motionless Zheng Feng, his rugged face finally regaining its calm.

"T-thank you."

"No thanks needed—I said it was a trade."

"I had you kill him, now do me a few favors."

"Certainly!"

When Asu Tai nodded, Chen Yì said no more, and directly smashed a bottle of divine wine, its intoxicating scent spreading through the silent chamber.

"Remember your promise—I'll come back when I need you."

Asu Tai blinked, and before he could speak, he slipped back into unconsciousness.

Chen Yì used his spiritual pressure to confirm both he and Lü Nine Nan were in a state of unconsciousness, then gathered his things and returned to the main hall.

Pei Mō supported her mask-covered face, asking:

"Brother, what were you two talking about just now, you..."

Before she could finish, Chen Yì raised a hand to hush her, turning his gaze toward the outside of the courtyard, his brow slightly furrowed.

"Someone's here!"

(End of chapter)