C29 Abandoned Child

Lei Yi looked down, feeling that his master was being harsh.

"Forget it, let's not worry about her for now." Rong Qi picked up the confidential document from the table, scanning it with a raised eyebrow. "Xie Jin is just too heartless, too shameless. No-south House has been with him for ten years, and he just discards it without a second thought, and so completely..."

After a moment, Rong Qi handed the document back to Lei Yi. "You need to make a trip to the Carefree King Mansion."

"Yes," Lei Yi acknowledged and left.

Gazing at the partially open window, Rong Qi lifted his golden cup again. Years ago, the influence of the Thirteen Sects in the Fish Market had been divided among several ministers, all close allies of Beiming Yuan. Now that Beiming Yuan controlled half of the Fish Market's power, Rong Qi's task was to help Feng Tiange seize the other half, starting with No-south House...

Leaving the Nether Market, Feng Tiange changed clothes before returning home, but got caught up in a commotion on Xuanwu Street.

In the crowd, the manager of Xinghe Hall, Qian Chuan, was kneeling in front of a luxurious carriage, crying as if in mourning, tears streaming down his face.

Feng Tiange recognized the carriage as belonging to the South Suppressing Marquis Mansion, and inside should be the head of the second branch, her second uncle, Feng Yan, the Deputy Minister of Rites.

With Virtue Helping Hall replacing Xinghe Hall as the royal merchant, some were naturally pleased while others were upset. Beiming Yuan's lack of involvement signaled his tacit approval, leaving Xinghe Hall as the abandoned pawn.

Beiming Yuan had always been ruthless when it came to abandoning people. Qian Chuan must have been desperate to seek out Feng Yan. She was curious to see if her uncle had the cunning to be a worthy adversary.

"Get lost!" The attendant walking beside the carriage barked, kicking Qian Chuan to the ground. "My master said if you keep causing trouble, you'll be dragged to the authorities!"

"Sir... I only ask for a moment of your time, please have mercy and hear me out!" Qian Chuan pleaded, crawling back up, his tears more pitiful than ever. "I have just one thing to say, please grant me an audience!"

They say it's good to have powerful connections, but Qian Chuan never imagined that the Virtue Helping Hall would be abandoned by Beiming Yuan, and without any warning or reason.

Now, with two million units of medicine stockpiled in a warehouse on the west side of town and no buyers, and after a falling out with the Four-sea Merchant Alliance, he had nowhere else to turn but Beiming Yuan. Yet, Beiming Yuan refused to see him, leaving Qian Chuan no choice but to kneel here and block Feng Yan's carriage. He knew Feng Yan was Beiming Yuan's man.

All he wanted was for Feng Yan to pass along a message!

"Take this insolent fool to the authorities," came a cold, detached voice from inside the carriage.

Immediately, a group of attendants surrounded Qian Chuan, forcibly dragging him away.

Qian Chuan was in a panic, desperately pleading, but it didn’t change his fate of being taken to the authorities. Feng Tiange knew Qian Chuan was done for. Beiming Yuan had spared him out of respect for the Merchant Alliance, but Qian Chuan foolishly walked right into his own doom. In this situation, Feng Yan handled things commendably. With so many people watching, any interaction with Qian Chuan would have sparked rumors, regardless of what was said between them. Birds of a feather flock together, and those under Beiming Yuan’s command were certainly not to be trifled with.

At the Fish Market, Lyi Xiaotian was facing a similar predicament. Overnight, all business associated with the No-south House was snatched away by the Azure Jade Sect, and even the surface-level dealings had suddenly gone stone cold. In the main hall, Lyi Xiaotian sat in the chief seat, his expression stern and cold, gripping the armrests tightly, his graying hair seeming more pronounced. Beside him, Li Jing suddenly slammed the table, “Xie Jin is out to destroy us completely!”

“For years, I’ve never shown him the slightest disrespect!” Lyi Xiaotian’s voice was aged, filled with anger. “Yet he didn’t even give us a heads-up...” Beyond anger, Lyi Xiaotian didn’t know what else to do. That’s how it is at the Fish Market; once you’re abandoned, you become worthless. Just being able to leave alive is considered fortunate.

"I’m going to settle this with him!"

Jing stood up in anger, but in the next moment, his father, Lyi Xiaotian, grabbed his wrist. "Jing, you need to leave right now. Don’t pack anything!"

"Father! The No-south House is in ruins, and you want me to leave?" Jing's eyes blazed with intensity, his gaze fierce and determined.

"It’s precisely because the No-south House is in this state that you must go. Leave the capital and never come back!" Without waiting for Jing’s response, Lyi Xiaotian pulled him towards the inner hall. Suddenly, a commotion erupted at the entrance.

A dozen brothers from the No-south House were kicked inside, led by a burly man with a scar running across his face.

It was Huang Qing, the leader of the Azure Jade Sect.

"What’s the meaning of this, Master Huang?" Lyi Xiaotian shielded his son, his voice filled with anger.

"Meaning?" Huang Qing’s square face was menacing, especially with that scar resembling a centipede writhing with his expressions. "Everything’s out in the open, and you still ask what I mean? Old man Lyi, have you lost your mind?"

"You scoundrel!" Jing charged forward, but Lyi Xiaotian held him back.

Huang Qing sneered, advancing step by step. "Do you know why they chose me? Because I’m ruthless, willing to fight, and not afraid to be vicious."

"What do you want?" Lyi Xiaotian glared at Huang Qing, his voice cold.

"Well, you know the rules of the market—leave no loose ends." As Huang Qing finished speaking, he clenched his fists, his eyes flashing with a fierce intent.

Just as Huang Qing was about to strike, someone rushed in from outside, whispering a few quick words in his ear.

In just those few words, Huang Qing's face went through a spectrum of emotions, from red to blue to green, each more intense than the last.

Even without guessing, Lyi Xiaotian knew something was up.

"Let's go!" The scar on Huang Qing's face was as menacing as his reluctance, but he had no choice.

Huang Qing had barely left when Lyi Xiaotian received a string of good news. All the business, both public and private, was back in the hands of the No-south House, without exception.

Lyi Xiaotian knew he had a benefactor, but he had no idea who it was...

Inside the Happiness Prolonging Hall, when Feng Tiange saw Rong Qi sitting with the Empress Dowager, laughing and chatting, she finally understood the true meaning of "a haunting presence."

"Tiange, you're here? Come, have a seat," Empress Dowager Chu said, waving her over as she continued her pleasant conversation with Rong Qi.

Feng Tiange hesitated. "Since Prince Rong is here, perhaps I should come back another day to visit you, Royal Grandma."

Rong Qi was involved in preparing the exam questions for the Wenn Mansion, and Feng Tiange was a candidate about to take the test. They really shouldn't be meeting.

"Look at you, child. I want to see who dares to question me. Come here!" Seeing Empress Dowager Chu trying to get off the heated platform, Feng Tiange reluctantly went over to help her adjust the hand warmer.

"It's cold. Be careful, Grandma," Feng Tiange said, avoiding any glance at Rong Qi, pretending he wasn't even in the room.

Rong Qi didn't mind, his gentle eyes sparkling with brilliance. "Rest assured, Empress Dowager and Eldest Miss Feng, there are two sets of exam questions. I've only worked on one. If there's any doubt, we can always prepare another set."

Feng Tiange was genuinely worried she might lose her temper and end up hitting Rong Qi.

This was the entrance exam for the Imperial Academy—no joke!