FID – Chapter 792

Chapter 792 Trouble Has Come, Let’s Face It Together

The entire main hall was packed to the brim — at a glance, a dense crowd of people.

Old men and women, middle-aged men and wives, and little children with pigtails sticking up like firecrackers.

Noisy, yet lively.

When the villagers started arriving, the two Liu family daughters-in-law had already gone to boil tea and brought out snacks and candies, letting everyone sip tea and chat leisurely.

Though it was just a village, they all interacted as naturally as one big family.

“Axiu, I heard from the village kids who came back from studying outside that Zuo Xiang escaped from the capital, and they still haven’t caught him. Is that true?” An old man asked curiously.

Everyone in the house was intrigued — this news had spread all over their village long ago.

Normally, the affairs of the capital, so far away from the emperor’s seat, weren’t something ordinary villagers paid attention to. But because Axiu and Nannan were both in the capital, and Axiu’s identity was even that of a prince — the village had started taking an interest in national affairs. Nowadays, when they sat chatting under the big pagoda tree, half their conversations were about state matters.

Feng Qingbai nodded. “Yes, he did escape. The court has not managed to catch him.”

“That’s bad. If he got away, will he come back for revenge later? You and Nannan have to be extra careful in the capital, especially Nannan. She needs to make sure she’s well protected when she goes out.”

“Yes, I’ve heard that those high-ranking officials are often vengeful and petty. You never know when they might come back to stir up trouble.”

“I understand. I will certainly stay vigilant,” Feng Qingbai replied with a smile. “The court has also increased security throughout the capital. If any suspicious activity is detected, they will take immediate action.”

There was no hint of perfunctoriness in his words.

Yan Qi and Uncle Peng sat quietly in the corner, saying nothing as they observed, their surprise growing deeper and deeper.

Here, there was none of the lofty aloofness of a prince, nor the awkward inferiority of common folk.

Everything was natural and harmonious.

What astonished them most was that Feng Qingbai did not conceal anything from these people.

He answered every question.

Even when people curiously asked about amusing stories from the palace, he shared them freely to entertain them.

The crowd didn’t disperse until dinner time, each person leaving with a gift in hand, their faces beaming with joy.

When the family finally sat down at the dining table, people continued arriving outside one after another, bringing over dishes.

All freshly made, steaming hot, each household’s specialty dishes prepared by their womenfolk.

The Liu family jokingly called this feast the Hundred Families Banquet.

Although Feng Qingbai and Liu Yusheng were already married, since Liu Muqiu still lived in the inner courtyard, the sleeping arrangements for the night were made so that Feng Qingbai would stay in the second courtyard, sharing quarters with the bachelor Liu Zhiqiu.

Yan Qi and Uncle Peng were arranged to stay in the guest rooms of the front courtyard.

After nightfall, Wei Hong and Wei Lan both appeared in the second courtyard to once again express their gratitude to Feng Qingbai. Afterwards, they joined their comrades from the Shadow Guard Battalion outside the courtyard, roughhousing together.

This was how they expressed their camaraderie.

After a good sparring match, they gathered together to drink heavily.

Only in Xinghua Village could they act so uninhibitedly.

Outside of this place, there would be no chance for them to reunite like this.

Once Wei Lan and Wei Hong had left, Liu Zhixia and Liu Zhiqiu soon stepped into Feng Qingbai’s room.

Feng Qingbai wasn’t surprised at all by their arrival. He had already anticipated it.

There was tea prepared on the table to receive them.

After sitting down and pouring tea for themselves, Liu Zhixia spoke. “What’s the story with those two?”

“What’s their background? That young one’s martial arts skills are no joke,” Liu Zhiqiu added.

He could even sense that the one called Xiao Qi possessed martial skills far superior to his own.

“I knew I couldn’t hide it from you two,” Feng Qingbai smiled. “The younger one is the Seventh Prince of Dongyue Kingdom. Caught in the power struggles of imperial succession, with no way out. I’m offering him a hand, just this once.”

“Do you think he’ll be able to go back?” Upon hearing that the boy was from Dongyue, Liu Zhixia immediately frowned.

Being involved in officialdom, he had also heard about the turmoil in Dongyue.

Things there were in complete chaos now. The Second Prince, Yan Rongwei, had already donned the dragon robe and declared himself emperor. Although his claim was neither legitimate nor justified, his faction was so powerful that no one in Dongyue’s court dared to voice opposition.

Those who opposed him were already dead.

Although Yan Qi had been the officially appointed heir by the late emperor, he had been forced into a desperate situation. Judging by how things stood, even if he returned someday, it would be near impossible for him to contend with Yan Rongwei.

“Whether he can return depends on his own abilities. Perhaps a miracle might happen,” Feng Qingbai said calmly. “Offering him protection in exchange for a great favor is worth it.”

Liu Zhiqiu curled his lips. “You make it sound so cautious. Clearly, you think highly of that boy. Otherwise, with your personality, would you ever make a losing deal?”

“With Zuo Xiang on the run, of the three neighboring kingdoms Xiliang won’t meddle in the power struggles of other nations. Beicang is entirely focused on avenging their prince, so only Dongyue presents him with an opportunity to exploit.”

Liu Zhixia’s brow furrowed even tighter. “You suspect that after his escape, he will head to Dongyue?”

“Where else could he go?” Feng Qingbai countered.

“Indeed. Xiliang’s stance is unclear, and in Beicang there’s Prince Ting, who is on good terms with you. If Zuo Xiang wants to ensure his safety, regroup, and bide his time, going to Dongyue is his best option. Yan Rongwei is ambitious, and with Yan Qi having fled to our Nanling, Yan Rongwei will surely harbor wariness and resentment toward Nanling. Zuo Xiang would be of use to him there.”

Liu Zhiqiu picked up his teacup and slowly rotated it between his fingers, neither agreeing nor disagreeing with their words.

“That Yan Qi outside has nothing  as of now. Trying to fight Yan Rongwei would be as hard as ascending to the heavens. His only imperial edict of succession has already been torn apart. Even if he clutches the Imperial Jade Seal, what use is it? Without a single soldier at his command, in the end, he might not even be able to return to Dongyue.”

Although they stayed in Xinghua Village, with Wei Lan and Wei Hong ferrying gossip back and forth, everyone in the Liu family compound was thoroughly informed about outside affairs.

Now that Feng Qingbai had brought Yan Qi back, it essentially meant taking on this burden himself, and it was a serious one.

Feng Qingbai understood the meaning behind his words. After a moment of silence, he spoke, “Xiao Feng’er is already fifteen and will soon formally take power. From then on, he will need to command and shape the realm himself. If he can have a few strong allies by his side, it will always be more beneficial than harmful. Only when the court is stable can we remain at peace.”

These words made the two others fall silent.

If Xiao Feng could gain the support of neighboring countries, then no matter how powerful the factions within the court were, they wouldn’t dare to easily shake the throne.

Feng Qingbai’s actions were indeed far-sighted.

In the end, the three of them clinked their cups, using tea in place of wine. “A gamble it is, then. If trouble comes, we’ll face it together.”

The Liu family had long since lost the luxury of staying uninvolved.

As they left Feng Qingbai’s room, Liu Zhiqiu deliberately gave a reminder, “Don’t sneak into the inner courtyard tonight. Your future Second Sister-in-law is staying there. Once your Second Brother gets married, you can wreak all the havoc you want in the inner courtyard.”

Feng Qingbai furrowed his brows and threw a teacup at him.

The door shut just in time to block the projectile.

Outside, Liu Zhiqiu’s unrestrained laughter rang out, clear and exuberant.

In this world, the only people daring to call themselves ‘brother’ in front of Feng Qingbai were his eldest brother and him.

Just the thought of it was satisfying.

Liu Zhixia quickened his pace and left on his own, leaving someone’s arrogant laughter behind.

That fool might be laughing now, but sooner or later, he’d be crying for his parents.

The one in their family who held grudges the longest was Feng Qingbai.

When he returned to his room, Fu Yuzheng had just coaxed Xiao Maodou to sleep. Seeing him come back, she stepped forward to help him undress.

“Did you go chat idly with His Highness?”

“Mm, just some casual talk.” He hung his robe on the rack, then turned back and pulled her into his arms. “Why aren’t you resting with Xiao Maodou? I told you not to wait for me.”

A soft smile spread across her face. “I can’t sleep when you’re not here.”

He carried her to bed and pressed her down gently. “I’ll come back earlier in the future and sleep with you.”

The bed curtains fell, the lamp was extinguished, and the woman had no chance to respond.