C37 Golden Master

Before Huang Qing could steady himself, Tiange moved with the speed of a diving hawk, striking his chest several times with a fist formed from an open palm.

"Bang—"

Huang Qing's body was sent flying, crashing heavily to the ground!

But it wasn't over!

Tiange swiftly approached, a small sword spinning at his fingertips, its silver gleam flashing!

"Slash—"

Huang Qing let out a scream as his left ring finger was severed, leaving a trail of blood.

Tiange stood up, the sword's blade glistening with blood. "Xie Ruxuan will be dealt with by Xie Jin. You're not qualified."

It was only at this moment that the members of the Azure Jade Sect snapped out of their shock and rushed forward, ready to gang up on him.

"Hold on!" Huang Qing, wincing in pain, was helped up, his face twisted in agony. "Who are you?"

"The No-south House isn't a place you can just barge into," Tiange said coldly, wiping the small sword with a silk cloth. "Next time, remember: either leave your life behind or be prepared for the Azure Jade Sect to vanish from the Fish Market."

As the leader of the Azure Jade Sect and someone valued by Xie Jin, Huang Qing had his own strengths. Even if Tiange hadn't spoken, he could guess that this person was likely the new patron of the No-south House. It was clear that this patron held more power in the court than Xie Jin from the Ministry of War, and he couldn't afford to offend him.

"Let's go!" Huang Qing was frustrated. He had intended to rescue Ruxuan to curry favor with Xie Jin, but instead, he failed and lost a finger.

Inside the hall, Lyi Xiaotian's face flushed slightly as he approached. "I was ineffective."

"If you were ineffective, the prince wouldn't have sought out No-south House," Feng Tiange said, sheathing his sword. "I stepped in to show you that some people aren't worth your time."

"Exactly! If it were me, I wouldn't waste words on them. If you can act, don't bother arguing!" Lyi Jing chimed in excitedly, his eyes sparkling as he looked at Feng Tiange. He liked this new benefactor.

For a moment, she was taken aback, remembering she had once said the same thing, but to Azure Jade Sect.

Unlike Xie Jin, Feng Tiange's proposed partnership focused on solidifying No-south House's influence in the Fish Market, rather than just making money and gathering intelligence. This approach gave Lyi Xiaotian an unprecedented sense of security.

In other words, No-south House would never be abandoned again.

After Feng Tiange left, all the businesses in the Fish Market associated with No-south House changed their signs to silver wind chimes...

In the southwest corner of the royal city, there stood an ancient-looking building, old yet luxurious. For instance, the plaque outside the mansion was made of rare redwood, which was hard to find in the city. Besides being expensive, it required careful maintenance in winter to prevent cracking and maintain its beauty.

For nearly thirty-eight years, spanning two reigns, the sign of this mansion has remained unchanged. Snow fell gently, swirling like a dance. The words "Carefree King Mansion" on the plaque stood out serenely amidst the falling snow. Beyond the sign, everything from the grand pavilions to the small incense burners inside the rooms belonged to a bygone era, suggesting the owner of this mansion was deeply nostalgic.

In the back garden, a four-cornered pavilion rose from the ground, its white marble pillars supporting the structure. Sheer white drapes hung from all sides, blending with the drifting snow as the wind stirred them. This pavilion was called the Drunken Pavilion.

Inside, someone was tightly wrapped in a purple fox fur, their handsome face pale, and eyes full of doubt as they looked at the elder across from them. "Aren't you cold, Your Grace?"

"I need to stay composed," replied the elder, known as the Carefree King. He wore a dark robe adorned with a crimson and white jade belt, with gold-threaded clouds embroidered on the wide sleeves, exuding an air of calm. However, Rong Qi knew that internally, he was anything but calm.

"How about we call it a draw?" Rong Qi suggested, never one to care much about winning or losing, especially since he was feeling quite cold.

Beiming Di shook his head, "No, I still have a chance... if you can remove these fifteen white pieces..."

If he hadn't been so well-mannered, Rong Qi might have just flipped the board right into Beiming Di's face.

"Do you even know how to count? There are thirty white pieces left, and you want me to take off fifteen? I already gave you a hundred white pieces at the start, and you're still not satisfied? We've been playing for an hour, and you've taken back your moves three hundred times. This isn't how you play fair, you scoundrel!"

Rong Qi quietly picked up fifteen white pieces from the board and placed them in the ivory box. "Your move, my lord."

With the white pieces gone, Beiming Di finally saw a glimmer of hope and played with renewed vigor, but soon found himself in trouble again.

What to do now...

Beiming Di held a black piece in his hand, his sharp black eyes fixed on the board. Although he was past his prime, his face still showed the striking features of his youth. His chiseled features were sharp yet gentle, and his straight nose gave his face a deep, defined look.

"Rong Qi, your woman is something else!" Beiming Di suddenly remembered something and looked up. "She just arrived at the No-south House and already broke Huang Qing's finger and tied up Xie Ruxuan. Where did she learn to be so fierce?"

Rong Qi stared at Beiming Di, bewildered for a moment. When he realized that "your woman" referred to Tiange, he felt a cold sweat on the back of his neck.

"She's not my woman, just someone I'm looking for," Rong Qi insisted, feeling a chill down his spine.

While Rong Qi spoke, Beiming Di sneakily took two white pieces from the Go board. "What's the difference between a woman you're looking for and your woman? Anyway, it's your move."

Rong Qi noticed but didn't say anything. He'd rather lose than keep playing with this old man—he was freezing!

In the end, Beiming Di won...

Outside the South Suppressing Marquis Mansion.

After leaving the fish market, Tiange changed clothes at the Silk Garden and ran into Feng Yan on the steps as she returned home.

In her past life, she had almost no interaction with this Minister of Rites, but now, as the eldest daughter of the Feng family, she knew she'd have to deal with Feng Yan more often.

"Greetings, Uncle," Tiange said, stepping aside instead of immediately going up the stairs.

Feng Yan stopped, his gaze intense. In the past, whenever he encountered this niece, Tiange would avoid him, too scared to even speak. It seemed Sun was right; Tiange had changed.

But so what?

"I heard you enrolled in the Imperial Academy. You should stop wandering around so much. With exams coming up, spend more time studying with Yao in the Silk Garden. If you don't understand something... just ask Yao," Feng Yan said coldly, his tone full of disdain.

Tiange nodded slightly, "Okay."

Feng Yan didn't pay any more attention to Tiange and headed straight down the steps to the carriage waiting in the courtyard.

Watching the carriage roll away down Main Street, Tiange paused mid-step on the stairs, then withdrew.

Though Feng Yan held no real power in the Ministry of Rites, his position often brought him into contact with diplomats from the five nations. If it was official business, the meetings would naturally take place at the embassy.

If it was personal...

The winter days were short, and dusk was already settling in.

Due to the heavy snow, Main Street was quiet and deserted, with only a few hurried travelers braving the cold.