Chapter 50

Chapter 50

The wizened old man, his skin like dried-up bark, sat at the head of the table and took a sip of the steaming tea from the white porcelain cup in his hand, his eyes half-closed. The man below him stood hunched over. It was July, the hottest time of the year, yet this man looked as if he had just been pulled out of the water, drenched in sweat. Looking at his face, ah, it was Zhang Laosan.

"Grandfather, that, that Feng Er—he got arrested by the cops, that batch of goods and all his men, every single one of them, are all in. Grand, Grandfather, what do we do?" Zhang Laosan wiped the sweat from his forehead with his sleeve. Yesterday, they were still drinking tea together, and today, that man’s fate was uncertain. Life's full of surprises, ain't it?

The old man’s voice was deep and calm: "Let’s hold steady for now. The path of the foreign devils cannot be taken. I think the higher-ups don't want us shipping this batch overseas. I figure the Caos must've gotten wind of something. No wonder they stood by and watched such a thick profit slip away. The more chaotic things get, the more we gotta keep our heads down. The tomb has been cleared out enough. For now, we lie low and don’t draw attention."

After a moment, the old man added, "Sell off whatever we've got on hand if we can. Holding onto them is bad. In times of chaos, gold is king; in times of peace, antiques. We chose the wrong time, after all, a step behind the Cao family."

The old man’s words hammered into Zhang Laosan’s ears. His back bent even lower as he replied, "Grandfather, I understand. I’ll make the arrangements." Without a doubt, Zhang Laosan was a coward, too slick and spineless, but that was also his strength—he could humble himself, had connections across all walks of life, and could talk to anyone.

The old man sighed. He couldn’t help that his descendants weren’t outstanding. Thinking of Feng Liancheng and his people in the detention center eased his mind a little. Being timid had its advantages; at least they were obedient.

Ever since Wu Xingzhou and Lin Hechen, the two old masters, had seized that batch of cultural relics, they hadn't gotten a wink of sleep. They ate and drank in that small courtyard, protected outside by soldiers carrying steel rifles. It was truly safe. Several renowned antique masters from the Western Hills had also been invited. Even if some were reluctant at first, once the names of Wu and Lin came up, everyone eagerly tagged along. These were people utterly obsessed with ancient artifacts, and now they were so engrossed they forgot to eat and sleep.

Zhang Shaoqing was on cloud nine after cracking that big case. Especially Ning Yuanzhi, the gentle and refined director of the Cultural Bureau, who had recently looked quite elated, with a permanent grin on his face. He was truly delighted—why should the nation’s treasures be taken abroad to be desecrated?

Zhang Shaoqing also wrote a report about this operation, submitting it level by level, with special emphasis on the contributions of Comrades Feng Xia and Lin Feihu, especially Comrade Feng Xia, who turned the tide with a single punch that shocked the world.

Now, Feng Xia had made a name for herself among many leaders, especially the top leaders, who had heard bits and pieces about this girl’s deeds and thought highly of her. Zhang Shaoqing’s efforts had earned Feng Xia and Lin Feihu another third-class merit, an unexpected bonus.

However, the trouble in the Western Hills was far from over.

When the tiger's away, the monkey rules the mountain.

With Feng Liancheng in custody, all the minor demons and monsters came out to play. But the other two families, the Zhangs and the Caos, sat on the sidelines watching the tigers fight, with no intention of stepping in. The muddy waters of Jin Province grew even murkier.

Feng Xia had grown taller recently. When Ning Yuanzhi entered, she was listlessly teasing the little black snake on the table with beef jerky. Both she and her pet exuded a kind of lazy indolence.

"Comrade Feng Xia, you've been holed up in the guesthouse for almost two weeks now. There are many people out there thinking about you. How about you go out for a walk? Don’t worry, we’ll cover the expenses." Ning Yuanzhi smiled, like a sly old fox in human form, his invisible tail wagging behind him, clearly plotting something.

Feng Xia gladly agreed. She had been forced to stay in her room. Lin Feihu had gone to the capital to pick up some old professors, and Zhang Shaoqing, worried about her safety, insisted she not go out. Feng Xia was penniless (all her money was managed by Lin Feihu), so if she went against him, she'd have nothing to eat. What else could she do? She had to stay cooped up in the guesthouse.

The girl snapped out of her slump, coiled the little black snake on the table, straightened her clothes in the mirror, took the money and tickets Ning Yuanzhi had kindly provided, changed her outfit, and went out.

She went straight to the state-run restaurant. Although the food at the guesthouse was good, it couldn’t compare to the flavors at this restaurant. She ordered a random assortment of chicken, duck, fish, and meat, found a seat in the back, and leisurely enjoyed her meal, occasionally feeding a piece of meat to Little Black. Both she and her pet were thoroughly content.

The moment Miss Feng stepped out of the guesthouse, several parties got the news. Cao Qingjin and Cao Yunyun were the quickest to act, arriving at the state-run restaurant in no time. Seeing the pretty, delicate girl eating daintily, their smiles grew more conniving. Little did they know that Feng Xia had just devoured a large pork knuckle; otherwise, they wouldn’t think her eating manners were so refined.

Cao Yunyun spoke first: "Oh, Sister Feng Xia, we meet again. Why are you eating alone? Isn’t Brother Feihu here?"

Feng Xia’s face showed a hint of anger as she pouted: "He went to the capital for work, been gone for days. Don't even talk about him—he's so annoying."

Feng Xia put on the airs of a real heiress, her fair, delicate skin totally sold the act. Her lips were red, her eyes sparkling, just like the dolls in foreign shops—adorable.

Cao Yunyun’s voice softened even more: "What’s wrong? Did Brother Feihu leave you here alone to go to the capital? The Western Hills have been unsafe lately. Men really can be unreliable."

"Mm, he asked some uncle to look after me. I’ve been visiting Uncle Zhang’s place recently, but they’re very busy. When I go there, I just play by myself. It’s so boring." Feng Xia complained while picking up a piece of braised pork belly, nibbling on it like a little cat. "That uncle is handling a big case lately. Their cafeteria food is terrible. I snuck out today. Don't tell anyone, okay?"

Cao Qingjin chimed in with a smile: "Miss Feng, rest assured. We’re your good friends. How could we possibly tell anyone? Enjoy your meal; we guarantee we won’t say a word."

Feng Xia smiled contentedly and took another piece of fish. Cao Yunyun asked, seemingly casually: "Sister Feng Xia, where does your Uncle Zhang work? Is his cafeteria really that bad?"

Feng Xia thought for a moment, then said uncertainly: "Something like the, uh, armed forces department? I think. I don’t remember exactly. The food is bad, too salty, really terrible." She stuck out her tongue, her eyes full of disdain for the armed forces’ food.

She seemed completely unaware of the slight change in expression on Cao Qingjin and Cao Yunyun’s faces.

The armed forces department—the very place where Feng Liancheng was being held. The two Caos exchanged glances. Good heavens, this girl is really something else!