Zhu Tian: A journey of spiritual practice starting from Joy of Life

Chapter 193 Emperor Qing Entrusts Leng Feibai (Two Chapters Combined)

"I am here!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Emperor Qing emerged from another street corner, looking calmly at Leng Feibai, and then said jokingly, "With your beautiful wife by your side and your concubine at home, Leng Feibai, you're quite pleased with yourself! But after all, it's a period of national mourning, so you should tone it down a bit."

Upon hearing this, Leng Feibai and Haitang Duoduo bowed to Emperor Qing, saying, "Your subject/subject, Leng Feibai/Haitang Duoduo, greet Your Majesty."

"No need to be polite!"

Emperor Qing looked at the two men and smiled, "What, my guests, won't you invite me in for a seat?"

"His Majesty!"

Leng Feibai feigned a look of fear and said, "My old residence has not been cleaned for a long time, and I'm afraid it is not suitable to entertain Your Majesty!"

"It's alright, I just want to revisit this place!"

Seeing Emperor Qing's calm face, Leng Feibai smiled, waved his hand to knock the lock off the door, and turned to Haitang Duoduo, saying, "Duoduo, you go back to the Fan residence first. I'll stay with His Majesty for a while!"

Haitang Duoduo nodded, gave Emperor Qing a Northern Qi salute, and then turned and left.

"Your Majesty, please!"

After Leng Feibai finished speaking, he stepped forward and pushed open the dusty door.

The desolate front yard of the cold mansion immediately came into view of the three of them. Emperor Qing did not stand on ceremony and walked in directly, while Hong Sixiang remained where he was, with no intention of entering.

"His Majesty!"

Seeing this, Leng Feibai calmly asked, "Isn't Eunuch Hong coming in?"

"As I said, I've come here to revisit this place!"

Emperor Qing turned around and said, "Besides, with you, the number one under the Grandmaster, here, why would we need anyone else to follow us!"

Seeing this, Leng Feibai said nothing more and followed Emperor Qing into the house.

Looking at the desolate state of the front yard, Emperor Qing was filled with emotion and said calmly, "The Leng family was once a powerful force in Danzhou, but it's a pity that it has become so desolate."

Leng Feibai didn't say anything, but just stayed by his side silently.

"come over!"

Emperor Qing didn't say much. He pulled Leng Feibai to sit down on a stone bench by the courtyard and took out a packet of dried fruit from his pocket and placed it on the stone table.

Looking at Emperor Qing's actions, Leng Feibai was momentarily at a loss for words to comment on what he was doing.

"You sit down too!"

Emperor Qing chewed on some dried fruit and said, "You are the host, how can you, the host, stand while the guests are sitting!"

"Your Majesty is joking!"

Leng Feibai bowed and said, "Your Majesty is the master of the world, how could you..."

"Sit down if I tell you to. There's no need for you to flatter me!"

Seeing Emperor Qing's expression, Leng Feibai didn't say anything more and sat down directly opposite him.

At this moment, Leng Feibai felt that Emperor Qing was acting strangely, and even more so, that he seemed to be human.

"Back when I was still a prince, I lived in Danzhou with Fan Jian for a period of time."

Emperor Qing said nostalgically, "Back then, Fan Jian often dragged me and Chen Pingping to visit your father. It's a pity... cough cough."

Emperor Qing suddenly started coughing violently, and Leng Feibai immediately got up to go out and call for help.

"Don't alert anyone!"

Emperor Qing coughed as he spoke, "Go to the backyard and fetch me a pot of well water!"

Seeing this, Leng Feibai wasted no time and quickly ran to the well in the Leng residence that had been sealed for a long time.

Although the house has been uninhabited for a long time, the well water is still there.

Leng Feibai quickly took out a copper pot from the Twelve-Story Tower and used the Feng Hou Qi Men technique to draw water from the well. He then took a porcelain bowl from the kitchen and rinsed it several times with water.

"Your Majesty, the water is here!"

Leng Feibai quickly brought the water to Emperor Qing, who drank it all in one gulp, and his complexion improved somewhat.

"His Majesty!"

Leng Feibai tentatively asked, "Your health?"

"I'm fine!"

Emperor Qing put down the water bowl, wiped his mouth, and said, "Leng Feibai, how much do you really know about your grandfather?"

Upon hearing this, Leng Feibai was stunned and replied truthfully, "I have never met my grandfather or grandmother, and my grandmother never mentioned these things to me!"

"Your grandfather was quite an extraordinary person!"

Emperor Qing reminisced about the past, popping another piece of candied fruit into his mouth, and said, "Back when your grandfather was young, he also roamed the martial world with a sharp sword in hand. It was during that time that he met Fan Jian's father. The two even traveled the martial world together for a whole year. Later, your grandfather went to the capital to participate in the imperial examinations, but failed three times in a row. At that time, Fan Jian's father originally wanted to use the Fan family's connections to help his friend. But your grandfather refused, saying that the officialdom was treacherous, and even if he really passed the exam, he would probably be eaten alive, leaving not even bones behind."

Leng Feibai sighed inwardly upon hearing this, but showed no reaction on his face.

"Later, your grandfather returned to Danzhou to do business, and eventually became a small merchant in Danzhou City. It wasn't until your father took over the family business that the Leng family's assets were managed to become what they are today!"

Emperor Qing said calmly, "Feibai, I ask you, if you were to return to the Grandmaster realm in the future, what kind of life would you like to live?"

"Here you are, so this is what you wanted to achieve!"

Leng Feibai's heart was in turmoil, but his face remained expressionless. He simply said calmly, "I will live a peaceful life with Haitang and Sangwen in Danzhou, raise children, manage the Leng family's business, and live out my life in peace!"

"Oh!"

After hearing this, Emperor Qing deliberately asked, "Is it that simple? Don't you have any other plans, such as making the Leng family the number one family in the Qing Kingdom?"

"It's pointless!"

Leng Feibai smiled peacefully, "After experiencing all the joys and sorrows of life, one realizes that a peaceful and tranquil life is true happiness! So, I'll just live a simple life in Danzhou with my sweetheart."

Looking at Leng Feibai's calm expression, Emperor Qing couldn't help but recall the words spoken by Zhu Ge, the previous head of the Surveillance Bureau, before his death.

Leng Feibai has no ambition and will not become a threat to the Qing Kingdom.

"What about Fan Xian?"

Emperor Qing continued, "So, you don't plan to interfere with him anymore?"

“I’ve been taking care of him for over a year, and he’s already come to his senses!”

Leng Feibai said calmly, "Now that he has the means to protect himself, I no longer need to worry about him. Besides, apart from His Majesty, who in the entire Qing Kingdom can take his life now!"

"What you said makes sense!"

After Emperor Qing finished speaking, he changed the subject and said, "But if I were to pass the throne to Fan Xian, wouldn't you plan to return to the capital and lend him a hand?"

"cannot!"

Leng Feibai said calmly, "Even if he really becomes emperor, I will not let him give me an important position."

After all, he has always claimed to be pursuing fairness.

If he were to promote someone like me, a commoner, it would appear to outsiders as nepotism. Therefore…”

"You!"

Emperor Qing paused for a moment, then asked, "What if the Eastern Yi City, Northern Qi, Western Hu, and Nanzhao all invade the border at the same time? What will you do then?"

"No matter who becomes emperor, I will lend a helping hand!"

Leng Feibai calmly said, "After all, if I want to live a peaceful life, the stability of Qing Kingdom is essential."

"In that case, I am relieved!" After saying that, Emperor Qing magically produced four normal-sized imperial edicts from his sleeve and placed them on the stone table.

"Your Majesty, what's wrong?!"

Seeing Emperor Qing's actions, Leng Feibai was stunned.

"You must keep these four imperial edicts safe!"

Emperor Qing spoke calmly, his words carrying a hint of entrustment: "If I really die at Mount Dadong, you must return to the capital and proclaim these four imperial edicts to the world! As for whether you will help Fan Xian after he ascends the throne, that is a matter between you two brothers."

After saying that, Emperor Qing got up and walked straight out, ignoring Leng Feibai.

As Emperor Qing left the Fan residence, a hint of surprise flashed in Leng Feibai's eyes. He quickly released his sensory power to perceive everything around him.

However, there was no one secretly spying around the cold house, nor were there any experts spying on it.

"What is that old mudfish trying to do? Entrust his orphan to someone else?"

After pondering for a while, Leng Feibai immediately contacted his clones in Danzhou and questioned them why they hadn't told him earlier that Emperor Qing had arrived in Danzhou.

The two clones quickly sent back the message, indicating that they had also just learned that Emperor Qing had arrived in Danzhou.

"Damn it!"

Leng Feibai cursed inwardly. If he had known this would happen, he shouldn't have transferred the clone secretly monitoring Emperor Qing to Dongyi City, to avoid trouble.

But what is this old mudfish trying to do by leaving himself four imperial edicts?

Thinking of this, Leng Feibai opened one of the imperial edicts and began to read it.

The meaning of the imperial edict in the first volume is quite simple: after Emperor Qing leaves the capital, no matter what Li Chengze and Li Chengqian do, they will be spared the death penalty but will be placed under house arrest for life.

"What is this old man trying to do!"

Looking at the contents of the imperial edict, Leng Feibai felt utterly bewildered. Did Emperor Qing think he was about to die and wanted to take the path of a benevolent father?

"Why didn't you do this sooner!"

Leng Feibai cursed inwardly again, rolled up the imperial edict, and began to read the second imperial edict, which stated that the throne would be passed to Fan Xian.

"The old mudfish has changed its nature!"

Leng Feibai frowned deeply. Just because Fan Xian was Ye Qingmei's son, the old mudfish would never pass the throne to Fan Xian, but this imperial edict...

In an instant, something seemed to come to Leng Feibai's mind.

"Could this imperial edict be a bait?"

Leng Feibai secretly pondered, even suspecting that Emperor Qing's current state was an act.

"Spread the word that he's about to die everywhere, then forge an imperial edict of succession. Once the turmoil in the capital has subsided, pretend to announce his own death. Then, spread the edict, and Chen Pingping and Fan Jian will enthrone Fan Xian. The old mudfish can then legitimately eliminate all those old ministers who pose a threat to him."

Thinking of this, a look of disgust flashed across Leng Feibai's face, and he put the second imperial edict back as well.

As for the remaining two edicts, Leng Feibai didn't bother to look at them. If he wasn't mistaken, the remaining two edicts must contain bait to lure him into a trap, so there was no need to look at them.

"Old mudfish, you're celebrating too soon."

Leng Feibai thought fiercely to himself, "Da Dong Mountain is destined to be your final resting place. I just don't know how many Grandmasters will go down with you then."

After saying that, Leng Feibai conjured a long box out of thin air, put the four imperial edicts into it one by one, and then turned and walked out of the Leng residence.

Half a month has passed in the blink of an eye.

For Leng Feibai, this period of time felt like an eternity.

For some reason, Emperor Qing, that old mudfish, ended up staying at the Fan residence for half a month.

He acted like a dutiful son and grandson, spending every day by Grandma Fan's side, drinking tea and reading books together.

Because of this, Haitang Duoduo even privately inquired whether their emperor had lost his mind.

Leng Feibai was also extremely puzzled, but didn't know how to explain it.

Because of this, Haitang Duoduo did not dare to stay long. After staying for more than ten days, she was sent out of Danzhou by Leng Feibai.

Half a month later, after Fan Xian finished dealing with the affairs in Jiangnan, he instructed Yingzi and Yan Bingyun to send the confiscated property from the Ming family, along with the share of the Imperial Treasury's sales this year, back to the capital.

He then took Lin Wan'er, Wang Qinian, and their newly acquainted friends and secretly ran away back to Danzhou on the way.

"Wan'er, this is Danzhou Port!"

Fan Xian, sitting in the carriage, excitedly pointed and gestured through the carriage window.

She went on and on about how delicious the tofu pudding was at this stall, and how good the pastries were at this stall.

"Sir, something's not right."

Wang Qinian, who was driving the carriage, looked around and felt a strange feeling. He quickly said to Fan Xian in the carriage, "Can you feel that there are a group of people watching us in the dark?"

Fan Xian perked up after hearing this and stuck his head out to look around.

In an instant, Fan Xian also realized that something was wrong.

Although I haven't been back to Danzhou for a long time, the streets leading to the Fan residence haven't changed much.

For some reason, Fan Xian felt that there were pairs of eyes watching the Fan residence from the shadows.

"don’t worry!"

Fan Xian held Lin Wan'er's hand to comfort her, then turned to the man beside him and said, "Brother Wang, something's wrong. Please come with me to take a look."

The man smiled wryly after hearing this, but still got off the carriage with Fan Xian.

The three of them stood around the carriage, keeping a close watch on their surroundings, afraid that any mistake would attract a sneak attack.

"Fan Xian!"

Just then, a voice that Fan Xian was extremely familiar with rang out.

Fan Xian turned his head and saw Teng Zijing, who had come out early in the morning to unload the planks, looking at him with a surprised expression.

"Old Teng!"

Fan Xian shouted, "Go back inside! It's not safe outside!"

Teng Zijing was taken aback upon hearing this, but her feet did not move.

At the same time, the gates of the Fan residence opened, and Leng Feibai said with a helpless expression, "Fan Xian, what are you yelling and shouting for so early in the morning, you brat?"

Seeing Leng Feibai's calm demeanor, Fan Xian breathed a sigh of relief and quickly asked, "Brother, is everything alright at home? Why are so many people watching us?"

"You'll know when you come in."

Leng Feibai said helplessly, "Or you can go and catch up with Lao Teng first, and come back later."

After saying that, Leng Feibai opened the gate of the mansion, came to Fan Xian's side, and asked curiously, "Who is this?"

Fan Xian quickly introduced, "This is a friend I met in Jiangnan, Wang Shisanlang. He happened to be visiting Danzhou, so I gave him a ride."

Hearing Fan Xian's words, Leng Feibai responded and then suddenly pointed his fingers into a sword and aimed at Wang Shisanlang.

Wang Shisanlang was startled and pulled away, unable to help but ask, "What does Young Master Leng mean by this?"

"As expected of Si Gu Jian's top disciple, he was able to dodge my finger strike with 50% of my strength (actually less than 20%)."

Leng Feibai said calmly, "Back in Dongyi City, although I left in a hurry, I still remember you by Si Gu Jian's side."

Upon hearing this, Wang Shisanlang smiled awkwardly and said to Fan Xian, "Brother Fan, please don't misunderstand. I am my master's most incompetent disciple. Therefore, when I travel, my master forbids me from revealing my sect's secrets. Please don't misunderstand, Brother Fan."

(End of this chapter)