Chapter 58: You Really Are a Know-It-All!

"Qin Feng, oh Qin Feng, old man Wu is doing this entirely for your own good! If you fail to see the current situation clearly, you are bound to suffer a massive loss sooner or later!"

"You have offended His Majesty. Do you really think His Majesty can still tolerate you? It is simply because the newspaper is profitable, and His Majesty cannot bear to let it go; he wants to use you to keep raking in treasury silver."

"Once he finds someone capable of taking over the newspaper, your doom will be at hand. Do you understand?"

Taking advantage of Deng Yu's high-spirited and beaming expression, Qin Feng secretly rolled his eyes at him.

You really are a master of knowing it all, and sowing discord is your absolute specialty!

Qin Feng really wanted to say to Deng Yu: *Why don't you ride the wind and soar up ninety thousand miles?*

If Qin Feng hadn't already secretly established communication with old Zhu behind the scenes and understood old Zhu's true intentions, he might have actually believed this fellow's nonsense.

Putting on a frightened and panicked expression, Qin Feng said, "Duke Wei, you are scaring me to death. According to your view, Duke Wei, how should I protect myself?"

Deng Yu glanced at Qin Feng's cowardly and timid appearance, feeling a secret sense of disdain in his heart: What a cowardly rat!

My mere words were enough to make you cave in?

Wasn't you being quite arrogant just a moment ago?

How come you've learned to tuck your tail between your legs and act like a good boy now?

A wave of satisfaction washed over Deng Yu. He flopped down onto a chair, smiling broadly as he said, "Qin Feng, it is not easy for this old man to grace your newspaper office with my presence, and now I've talked until my mouth is dry and my throat is smoking."

Qin Feng rolled his eyes heavily.

My good man!

Do you really think you've finally amounted to something?

Are you actually starting to put on airs in front of me now?

Give you a little sunshine and you really think you're a sunflower?

Though he muttered these complaints inwardly, Qin Feng still wore a flattering smile on his face, raising his voice to shout, "Someone come! Serve tea to the Duke of Wei."

Deng Yu pointed to a teacup nearby and said, "Isn't there a teacup right here? No need to trouble the servants."

Could Qin Feng fail to understand what Deng Yu was getting at?

It was crystal clear that the old fox wanted him to pour the tea himself so he could salvage his pride and win back the upper hand.

Qin Feng took a deep breath, sneering inwardly: *You want me to pour tea for you? You must be fucking dreaming!*

If it weren't for the future of Great Ming, I would beat your face completely crooked!

Yet, smiling brightly, Qin Feng poured a cup of tea for Deng Yu and said with a smile, "Duke Wei, please try our newspaper's tea. It's top-grade Longjing."

Deng Yu smacked his lips and said, "Not bad at all!"

"Duke Wei, can you tell me now how I should protect myself?"

Qin Feng felt that his acting skills had reached a divine level.

Under such circumstances, he had actually managed to immerse himself into the role of a desperate, cornered nobody. Simply extraordinary!

Deng Yu smiled and said, "Qin Feng, having this attitude from the start is the right way. Now you only have one path, and that is to cooperate with us. We can protect you at court."

Qin Feng smiled.

These old foxes certainly knew how to put up a dignified facade, and their ability to swindle people was endless.

Protect me? Protect my ass!

If I ever threaten you lot one day, would you kick me aside in a heartbeat and let me follow in the footsteps of Wang Hu and Li Tai?

Feigning terror, Qin Feng said, "But... but if I do this, won't I become a corrupt official along with you? I... this is my first time being a corrupt official, so I'm a bit nervous."

Deng Yu cast a sideways glance at Qin Feng and retorted, "Nonsense! When has this old man ever been a corrupt official?"

"But... but I heard that you are all giant corrupt officials! Just as the river administration case was about to come to light, the previous Director-General of River Administration got his throat slit, and rumors say you guys did it."

"What absolute bloody nonsense! Who is spreading these groundless rumors to slander this Duke? If I find out who it is, I'll cut his tongue out for sure!"

Qin Feng curled his lip and said, "Then why do you want to recruit me? Isn't it just like His Majesty, eyeing the profits of the newspaper?"

Do you really take me for a fool?

The astonishing sales volume after the publication of *Romance of the Three Kingdoms* had made these nobles realize the true value of the newspaper.

Such a juicy piece of fat meat was something the vast majority of people wanted a share of.

Deng Yu felt as though the negotiation was about to collapse.

Dammit, this old man couldn't very well admit to being a corrupt official right to his face, could he?

"Qin Feng, although we do value the profits of the newspaper, we are different from His Majesty! We value your talent and treat you as a true friend."

By the end of his sentence, Deng Yu felt he was running out of things to make up.

Even he himself didn't believe such a lie!

Seeing Deng Yu unable to continue, Qin Feng sighed and said, "Ah, Duke Wei, you are indeed much more loyal and affectionate! Look at how His Majesty treats me?"

"When he needs me, he summons me instantly; when he no longer needs me, he casts me aside."

"My heart is truly chilled! Can you folks really be more loyal than His Majesty?"

Deng Yu had been on the verge of giving up, but unexpectedly, Qin Feng pulled the conversation right back around on his own.

This instantly filled Deng Yu with pleasant surprise as he said, "Naturally! The imperial family is the most heartless of all! Based on all the experience this old man has gathered at court over the years, I truly understand your current plight."

Feigning the expression of someone who had finally found a kindred spirit, Qin Feng said to Deng Yu, "Duke Wei, do you truly understand my grievances? Will you really treat me as one of your own?"

Deng Yu declared, "Of course! If you suffer any grievances in the future, this old man will stand up for you."

"If any of those old brothers of mine fail to treat you as one of us, I'll be the first to object."

"As long as you are willing to cooperate with us, we can help you return to the imperial court, and we guarantee you endless wealth and glory."

Seeing Deng Yu continually extending olive branches, Qin Feng blinked his large eyes innocently, looking just like a harmless little white rabbit.

"Can Duke Wei truly protect me? And even help me return to the imperial court?"

Deng Yu smiled and said, "Let me put it this way: half of the forces in the imperial court belong to me and my old brothers. You can rest easy."

"So that's how it is! Since you have shown such sincerity, wouldn't it be rather improper if I didn't show some sincerity in return?"

Qin Feng clapped his hands, and immediately afterward, the accountant walked in carrying chests of silver bullion.

"Duke Wei, these are just a token of my appreciation, considered as my sincerity in defecting to your side. What do you think?"

Deng Yu looked at the chests before him and gently opened one of them. Inside, it was completely filled with glittering, snowy silver!

Deng Yu swallowed hard.

He had long heard that earning treasury silver from the newspaper was as easy as scooping water, but he hadn't expected the incoming silver to exceed his wildest imaginations.

Qin Feng lowered his voice and said, "Duke Wei, I am truly treating you as one of my own here. To tell you the truth, skimming profits from this newspaper is simply too easy!"

"With just a little casual effort on my part, a continuous stream of silver flows into the accounts, and I can manage it all without leaving a trace."

"If it weren't for the fact that you showed such boundless sincerity, I would never have thought of sharing this with you."

Deng Yu picked up an ingot of silver from the chest and chuckled, "Qin Feng, you son of a bitch, you really are a talent!"

"However, with so many eyes and ears around today, I'm afraid it might not be easy for this old man to take your token back with me."

Qin Feng smiled and said, "I've already prepared for that, Duke Wei. But I have a small, presumptuous request. I wonder if the Duke can help me strive for it?"

Since the other party had shown such immense sincerity, Deng Yu had long let down his guard and wholeheartedly focused on discussing the cooperation.

"Qin Feng, rest assured! We will do everything in our power to protect you."

Qin Feng shook his head and said, "No! I want to participate in the river administration affairs!"

"Brother Shen!"

"Hmm!"

Shen Changqing walked along the road, exchanging greetings or nods with familiar faces he encountered along the way.

Yet, no matter who it was.

There were no surplus expressions on anyone's face, as if they were utterly indifferent to everything.

To this.

Shen Changqing had long since grown accustomed.

Because this was the Demon Suppression Division, an institution dedicated to maintaining the stability of Great Qin. Its primary duty was to slaughter demons, ghosts, and monsters, though it certainly handled a few other sidelines as well.

It could be said.

Every single person in the Demon Suppression Division had stained their hands with a great deal of blood.

When a person grows accustomed to witnessing life and death, they naturally become indifferent to many things.

When he first arrived in this world, Shen Changqing was somewhat unaccustomed to it, but as time passed, he got used to it.

The Demon Suppression Division was massive.

Those able to remain in the Demon Suppression Division were either powerhouse experts of formidable strength or individuals with the potential to become experts.

Shen Changqing belonged to the latter.

Within the Demon Suppression Division, careers were divided into two main tracks: Guardians and Demon Slayers.

Anyone who entered the Demon Suppression Division started from the lowest tier as a Demon Slayer,

Step by step, they would climb the ranks, eventually harboring the hope of becoming a Guardian.

Shen Changqing's predecessor had been a probationary Demon Slayer within the Demon Suppression Division, the absolute lowest rank among Demon Slayers.

Possessing the memories of his predecessor.

He was extremely familiar with the environment of the Demon Suppression Division.

Without taking too much time, Shen Changqing stopped in front of a pavilion.

Unlike other areas of the Demon Suppression Division that were filled with a grim, murderous aura, this pavilion stood out like a crane among a flock of chickens, exuding a different kind of tranquility amidst the blood and gore of the Demon Suppression Division.

At this moment, the doors of the pavilion stood wide open, and people occasionally entered and exited.

Shen Changqing merely hesitated for a split second before stepping inside.

Entering the pavilion.

The environment abruptly shifted.

A scent of ink mixed with a faint trace of blood wafted over him, causing his brows to knit instinctively, though they quickly smoothed out again.

The bloody scent clinging to everyone in the Demon Suppression Division was virtually impossible to wash away completely.