Chapter 55: Despite All Calculations, Qin Feng Was Underestimated!

Everything that had just happened at the newspaper office had been witnessed clearly by the Huai River nobles’ spies.

Elsewhere, even the Embroidered Uniform Guard, newly established by Old Zhu, had noticed what was going on.

At that very moment, the Huai River nobles’ spies and the Embroidered Uniform Guard were both heading back to report what they had seen.

Old Zhu sat in the Hall of Martial Valor, reviewing memorials. One of the guards returned to the hall and bent to whisper in his ear.

A smile slowly spread across Old Zhu’s face. “That little brat really said that outside the newspaper office?”

“I saw it with my own eyes. Director Qin stood firm and impartial. He protected the court’s assets and held fast to his own principles.”

Old Zhu stroked his beard, grinning to himself. Ha! That little rascal Qin Feng must have been putting on a show for those old fellows.

Let’s see how those old fellows plan to respond.

After leaving the Great Ming Gazette, the Huai River nobles’ spy returned to the Duke of Han’s residence to report.

The Duke of Han’s residence was bustling with activity.

Li Shanchang, Duke of Han, sat at the head of the hall. Deng Yu, Duke of Wei, and Feng Sheng, Duke of Song, sat on either side of him.

The other nobles were led by Tang Shengzong, Marquis of Yan’an, and Lu Zhongheng, Marquis of Ji’an. More than a dozen marquises filled the reception hall.

The Huai River nobles’ gathering had been prompted by the letter Hu Weiyong had sent Li Shanchang.

Its message was simple and clear: in Qin Feng’s eyes, no one but the Huai River nobles could discuss a partnership with him.

Qin Feng’s unyielding stance had finally left the nobles unable to sit still.

Now Li Shanchang had summoned all his allies to his residence to discuss a way forward.

How were they supposed to bring a man like Qin Feng, who yielded neither to force nor enticement, under their control?

Someone suggested threats and inducements. Hu Weiyong had already tried that, but Qin Feng had refused to play along and dragged things out for a whole month.

Someone else proposed using a beauty. After all, even heroes could fall prey to a pretty face. But when they asked whether any of their households had an unmarried woman of suitable age, everyone fell silent.

Just as the men were at a loss for a plan, the spy suddenly reported what had happened outside the newspaper office.

Li Shanchang’s eyes widened. “Qin Feng really said that? He said the Great Ming Gazette belonged to the state?”

Deng Yu smiled. “The boy was probably putting on a show for His Majesty. Our men have been watching the newspaper office, and His Majesty’s people must have been watching it too.”

Feng Sheng, ever shrewd, said, “Li, Deng, I truly think it was a mistake to send Hu Weiyong to win Qin Feng over in the first place.”

“What was wrong with it? Everyone at court knows that Qin Feng and Hu Weiyong are enemies. His Majesty certainly knows it too. Hu Weiyong approaching him wouldn’t arouse His Majesty’s suspicions.”

“But now Qin Feng’s appetite is enormous. How are we supposed to negotiate with him?”

“That boy Qin Feng is slippery as an eel. We can’t kill him, and we can’t seem to win him over. Are we really supposed to let him sit atop a mountain of gold and silver at that newspaper office while we stand by and watch?”

Deng Yu smiled. “Then which of you dares to go and win Qin Feng over in person? He said he wanted to see our sincerity, didn’t he? If we all want a piece of this fat prize, someone has to risk it.”

Li Shanchang shook his head helplessly. “After all our calculations, we still underestimated Qin Feng.”

“When Hu Weiyong first told me about him, I didn’t take him seriously.”

“I never expected the boy to have such ability—to turn a little workshop into a place that continually fills the court’s coffers.”

Feng Sheng said, “If we can’t win Qin Feng over, then we should get rid of him. Better that than leave ourselves with endless trouble.”

“If we kill him, who among that pack of useless officials at court do you think could take over as director of the newspaper office and keep the silver flowing in?”

At Li Shanchang’s question, everyone fell silent.

The court was full of useless men. Old Zhu did all the work himself, leaving the officials with little more than a decorative role.

If only they had half of Qin Feng’s ability, the Huai River nobles wouldn’t be in such a quandary.

If they had a truly capable man who could take charge of the newspaper office and serve their interests, Qin Feng would certainly be doomed.

As the men struggled to decide what to do, Deng Yu suddenly slapped the table and rose to his feet.

“Hmph! Look at you all, dithering like old women. The worst that can happen is losing your head—and that’s only a scar the size of a bowl.”

“I’ll meet Qin Feng myself. He wants to see our sincerity, doesn’t he? Then we’ll show it to him!”

“His relationship with His Majesty has already broken down. If we don’t seize this chance to win him over, we may end up driving such a talent right back into His Majesty’s arms.”

Li Shanchang sighed. “The stronger His Majesty becomes, the weaker we grow. Duke of Wei, are you truly going to meet Qin Feng?”

Deng Yu gave a wry smile. “Do we have another choice?”

“We don’t want to kill him, and we don’t want to give up the prize right in front of us. We have no choice but to take a risk.”

“The bold feast; the timid starve.”

Seeing that Deng Yu had made up his mind, Li Shanchang cupped his hands. “Then I’ll leave the task of winning Qin Feng over to you, Duke of Wei.”

Deng Yu returned the gesture and left the Duke of Han’s residence.

Watching him stride away, the Huai River nobles were filled with admiration.

Yet as they gathered at the Duke of Han’s residence to discuss winning Qin Feng over, Embroidered Uniform Guards hidden on the roof had been watching everything.

They were like Old Zhu’s hawks, secretly observing the nobles’ every move.

The Huai River nobles had no idea.

They truly believed that once they had shaken off the spies Old Zhu had stationed in Yingtian Prefecture, they would be safe.

But how could they know that these nimble, light-footed guards were all men of extraordinary skill?

Almost everything they did fell within Old Zhu’s surveillance. Not a single angle was left uncovered.

The secret reports from the Embroidered Uniform Guard were piling up on Old Zhu’s desk.

…

Meanwhile, Qin Feng had no idea what sort of clash was unfolding between the two forces beyond the newspaper office.

He was wholly absorbed in preparing the printed edition of Romance of the Three Kingdoms.

The accountant pushed open the inner-room door again and said awkwardly, “Director Qin, someone from the Eastern Palace has come again.”

Qin Feng frowned.

Had Ying Ying’s condition taken a turn for the worse?

The accountant said, embarrassed, “The people from the Eastern Palace came especially to offer their thanks.”

Qin Feng nodded. “You may go. I’ll visit the Eastern Palace myself in a little while.”

It was nearly dusk before Qin Feng finished preparing Romance of the Three Kingdoms. He stretched, then made his way to the reception hall.

The steward of the Eastern Palace was waiting there. As soon as Qin Feng appeared, he hurried over to greet him.

“Lord Qin, the Crown Prince has sent me to invite you to the palace for a visit.”

“You’ve been waiting here all this time?”

Qin Feng hadn’t expected the steward to be so persistent. He had assumed the man would have gone back long ago.

“It’s only right that I wait for you, my lord.”

“Has the Crown Prince’s eldest grandson recovered?”

The steward beamed. “Thanks to you, Lord Qin, the eldest grandson is back to running and playing around the palace.”

“Brother Shen!”

“Mm.”

As Shen Changqing walked along the road, he greeted familiar faces with a nod or a few words whenever he came across them.

But whoever he met, their faces bore no unnecessary expression, as though they were indifferent to everything.

Shen Changqing had grown used to it.

This was the Demon Suppression Bureau, after all, an organization charged with maintaining the stability of the Great Qin. Its main duty was to slay demons, monsters, and strange creatures, though it also had a few other sidelines.

Everyone in the Demon Suppression Bureau had blood on their hands.

When a person had seen death often enough, many things began to leave them unmoved.

When Shen Changqing had first arrived in this world, he had found it difficult to adjust. But with time, he had grown accustomed to it.

The Demon Suppression Bureau was vast.

Those who remained in its ranks were either powerful experts or people with the potential to become experts.

Shen Changqing belonged to the latter group.

The bureau had two branches: the Suppression Guard and the Demon Slayer.

Everyone who entered the Demon Suppression Bureau began at the lowest rank, as a Demon Slayer, then rose through the ranks step by step, with the chance of eventually becoming a Suppression Guard.

Shen Changqing’s predecessor had been a trainee Demon Slayer in the bureau, the lowest rank of all.

With his predecessor’s memories, Shen Changqing was very familiar with the place.

It didn’t take long for him to stop before a pavilion.

Unlike the other parts of the Demon Suppression Bureau, which were steeped in an air of slaughter, this pavilion seemed to stand apart, offering a rare calm amid the pervasive stench of blood.

Its doors stood open, and people passed in and out from time to time.

After only a moment’s hesitation, Shen Changqing stepped inside.

The moment he entered the pavilion, the atmosphere changed completely.

The scent of ink, mingled with a faint trace of blood, washed over him. His brow furrowed instinctively, then quickly smoothed.

The smell of blood clung to everyone in the Demon Suppression Bureau. It was nearly impossible to wash away.