The Rise of a Special Forces Soldier Abandoned by a Wealthy Family

The capital of the Dragon Kingdom, a tranquil place.

High walls and deep courtyards, hidden by green trees, seem ordinary, but in reality, they are full of sentries, both visible and hidden, and an invisible solemnity permeates the air.

This is the residence of Mr. Chen Guoqing, another pillar of strength in China.

The night was deep, but the study was brightly lit.

The rosewood furniture exuded a calm luster, and the bookshelves were filled with classic books. Mr. Chen Guoqing sat upright in his armchair. Although he was advanced in years, his back was straight, his eyes were sharp as an eagle, and he exuded an imposing presence without anger.

He slowly fiddled with the purple clay teacup in his hand, his gaze sweeping over his two sons sitting at the head of the table.

On the left is the eldest son, Chen Jiping, who is about fifty years old. He wears gold-rimmed glasses and has a refined yet capable demeanor. He is currently the Deputy Secretary of the Jianghe Provincial Party Committee and is the political successor that the Chen family is actively grooming.

On his right is the second son, Chen Jianjun, who carries the rank of major general. He is tall and strong with a resolute face. He is currently the deputy political commissar of the Southeast Provincial Military Region and is a solid force of the Chen family in the military.

The father and his two sons had just finished discussing the current domestic economic situation and the situation in the southeastern sea area, and the atmosphere in the study was serious and solemn.

"The Zeng family and the Yan family..." Chen Guoqing began slowly, his voice deep yet penetrating, steer the conversation toward the most sensitive marriage alliance in the capital, "They are getting closer and closer."

Chen Jiping adjusted his glasses and replied:

Father is right. Although Elder Zeng has retired, his students and old friends are spread throughout the military, political and legal systems, and his influence should not be underestimated.

The Yan family has cultivated deep roots in the political and business spheres for many years, possessing substantial wealth and extensive connections. If these two families were to be completely bound together through marriage, their influence over the next ten, or even twenty years would be immense…

He paused, then didn't continue, but the meaning was clear.

Chen Jianjun snorted coldly, revealing his straightforwardness as a soldier:

That brat from the Zeng family, Zeng Linglong, is a hopeless case! Arrogant and domineering, as stupid as a pig!

That girl from the Yan family is a perfect match for him; it's like a beautiful flower stuck in cow dung. I really don't understand what Old Zeng and Old Yan were thinking!

His tone was filled with undisguised contempt and resentment over the misallocation of resources.

Chen Guoqing nodded slightly, his eyes deep:

Marriage has always been one of the most stable ways to form alliances.

Old Zeng and Old Yan have a clever plan.

Although they always say they want to serve the country and the people, and they want to build a real giant ship, what are they thinking?

Did they really think that the combined strength of the two companies could break the blockade imposed by hostile foreign forces?

He tapped the table lightly. "The direction this ship is heading may not align with the country's strategic direction, and it is certainly not something I, Chen Jia, would be happy to see."

Chen Jiping pondered for a moment and said:

"Father, should we make some advance arrangements and establish checks and balances in certain areas? Especially in Jianghe Province and the Southeast Military Region, perhaps we could appropriately..."

He hinted at political and military strategies to respond.

Chen Guoqing waved his hand, revealing a shrewd and calculating smile:

"A head-on confrontation is the worst strategy. It's pointless to kill a thousand enemies while losing eight hundred of your own. Besides, it would give others a handle to use against us, making it seem like the Chen family lacks tolerance."

He changed the subject, a glint of shrewdness flashing in his eyes:

"A fortress is most easily breached from within. And the weakest link in the Zeng-Yan Alliance right now is not on the outside, but in the very bond of the future—Zeng Linglong."

Upon hearing this, both Chen Jiping and Chen Jianjun seemed to be deep in thought.

"That stupid kid?" Chen Jianjun frowned. "What can he possibly accomplish? Besides causing trouble."

"It is precisely because he is stupid, because he is arrogant, and because he is a piece of rotten wood that he is easier to exploit."

Chen Guoqing said calmly, "A piece of rotten wood, placed in a crucial position, is enough to make the entire building unstable. What we need to do is not to demolish the building, but to make everyone see clearly whether the foundation on which they place their high hopes is a beautiful jade or rotten mud."

He raised his voice slightly and said to the door, "Yifeng, come in."

The study door was gently pushed open, and a boy of about fourteen or fifteen years old walked in.

He was wearing a well-fitting suit, his hair was neatly combed, his face was fair and delicate, his eyes were lively like a child's, and there was a half-smile on the corner of his mouth. He was none other than Chen Yifeng, the "elegant little madman" of the Chen family.

"Grandpa, Uncle, Dad," Chen Yifeng greeted politely, his manners impeccable, but the glint in his eyes always gave the impression that a soul far more mature than his age was sealed within him.

"Yifeng, did you hear what we just said?" Chen Guoqing looked at his grandson, his eyes filled with scrutiny and a hint of barely perceptible expectation.

"I heard some of it, Grandpa," Chen Yifeng nodded, his tone calm, "about Zeng Linglong and Yan Ruge."

"What do you think?" Chen Guoqing asked with a wry smile.

Chen Yifeng tilted his head, revealing an innocent smile, but what he said made Chen Jiping and Chen Jianjun pause slightly:

"Zeng Linglong is actually quite interesting. He does whatever he wants and lives a very carefree life. It's just that sometimes... he seems to have a hard time distinguishing between what is true and what is a joke."

This simple sentence succinctly encapsulates Zeng Linglong's foolish and easily deceived nature.

Chen Guoqing smiled with satisfaction: "Yes. So, perhaps he needs someone to spend more time 'playing' with him, helping him to better 'understand' himself, and also letting more people 'get to know' him."

Chen Yifeng blinked, understanding immediately:

"Grandpa wants me to interact more with Zeng Linglong, right? But... he seems to prefer playing with the Li family and the Xiao family." He mentioned two other family members who were dependent on the Chen family and also disliked the Zeng family.

"The Li family and the Xiao family..." Chen Guoqing tapped the table lightly with his finger:

"Their children do seem to share similar interests with your Zeng brothers. Yifeng, you're still young; there are some things you don't need to get involved in yourself. Shouldn't good friends share fun games and ideas with each other?"

This was quite a blatant statement. Chen Guoqing's meaning was clear:

Yi Feng doesn't need to go into battle shirtless; that would be too undignified and too likely to backfire.

He should stay behind the scenes, taking advantage of the two equally arrogant but slightly less intelligent and privileged sons of the Li and Xiao families—

He acted as a pawn to "guide" and "instruct" Zeng Linglong, constantly exaggerating his shortcomings and creating trouble!

He gradually undermined the relationship between the Zeng and Yan families, especially making the Yan family completely disappointed in Zeng Linglong.

Chen Yifeng's smile widened, an expression of someone who had found a new and exciting toy.

"I understand, Grandpa. I'll talk to the Li family and the third generation of the Xiao family more often to see what fun 'games' they have up their sleeves and invite Young Master Zeng to play with them."

His wording was consistently "game" and "play," as if it were just a child's game, but the malice and political motives behind it made the two adults in the study feel a chill.

Chen Guoqing nodded with satisfaction: "Okay, go ahead. Remember, have fun, but also be careful."

"Understood, Grandpa." Chen Yifeng bowed obediently, left the study, and gently closed the door.

Silence returned to the study.

Chen Jianjun couldn't help but say, "Father, is it... to let Yifeng do these things?" He felt uncomfortable about involving a child in such a conspiracy.

Chen Guoqing glanced at his son, his tone indifferent:

Jade that is not carved cannot become a useful object. The Chen family's future path will not be smooth sailing. Yi Feng is naturally intelligent, even somewhat extraordinary; if this intelligence is not used for good, it will be a disaster.

Now, by starting with small things, teaching him to assess situations, leverage external forces, and strike a balance, he will be able to shoulder heavier responsibilities in the future. This is also a form of training for him.

He picked up his teacup, took a sip, and his gaze deepened once more.

"Besides, dealing with that piece of trash from the Zeng family is best done through children's 'playing around.' Even if old man Zeng knows there's something wrong, what can he do? Do we expect the old folks to get involved in children's fights?"

The game has been set up, and a seemingly harmless but actually deadly piece—Chen Yifeng—has quietly taken its place.

Beneath the calm surface of the capital, the undercurrents stirred up by the marriage between Zeng and Yan began to develop in a more turbulent direction.

Meanwhile, the true descendants of the Zeng family, suffering far away overseas, were completely unaware of this. The contrast in their fates now appeared incredibly sharp and ironic.