Prince of Dongyang Manor was a noble house descended from the founding generation, standing tall in the Fengyang Kingdom for centuries without falling.
The marriage of its only legitimate daughter was a grand event for all of Shenjing.
There were rather too many people Lao Bai needed to meet, and every one of them was a renowned noble. He could not favor one over another. The drinking masters sent by the Prince's Manor had already come in four waves.
From beginning to end, Zhou Yi wore a beaming smile. No matter how much wine entered his stomach, he refined it away in an instant.
Lao Bai sent him a message. "Old Zhou, when the time comes, pretend to be drunk. Don't let them notice anything strange."
"Wait a little longer."
Zhou Yi closed his eyes and sensed carefully. A faint, elusive killing intent moved along with Lao Bai.
Anyone who had roamed the martial world had a few enemies. But for someone to dare cause trouble at a prince's daughter's wedding, Zhou Yi could not help wondering whether Lao Bai had provoked their daughter or their wife.
Zhou Yi was unsure how the other party would strike. From too far away, he could not be completely certain of snuffing out the danger before it took shape.
At last.
The Prince's Manor's old relatives and longtime acquaintances had all been greeted—two or three hundred people in total. Zhou Yi greatly suspected that, with Lao Bai's carefree temperament, he had probably forgotten most of them already.
There were two banquet halls, one large and one small.
The large hall was for Lao Bai's clansmen and relatives, as well as the Prince's Manor's nobles. The small hall hosted people of the martial world.
The court despised the martial world for its crudeness, while the martial world scorned the court for its hypocrisy. Separating them suited the wishes of guests on both sides.
The instant Zhou Yi stepped into the small banquet hall, he found the source of the killing intent. At a table in the southeastern corner, two people appeared to be drinking silently, their gazes occasionally flicking toward Lao Bai.
The first few tables were all right. They gave Lao Bai and the Prince's Manor their due respect.
That was until they came upon a white-haired Daoist occupying an entire table alone, drinking by himself while no one dared approach.
Old Daoist ignored Lao Bai and stared coldly at Zhou Yi. "This is the Blood Prison Old Demon?"
Zhou Yi smiled and poured wine for Old Daoist. "They are only nicknames from the martial world, not worth mentioning."
Old Daoist stared blankly at the wine pot. Others either had not noticed or were too far away to see that the pot stood perfectly upright while wine flowed out by itself.
It filled the cup steadily, without spilling a single drop.
"Cough, cough!"
Old Daoist coughed twice, then broke into a spring-breeze-and-rain smile. "This poor Daoist has long heard of your great name and has wished to make your acquaintance. Should you pass through Jingyun Prefecture someday, Evergreen Temple will sweep the couch clean to welcome you."
Such meticulous control could only mean he had likely completed the internal refinement of his organs and bowels. In the future, he might even reach the pinnacle.
It was better to resolve enmity than forge it. Those who roamed the martial world were even less willing to make enemies, especially aging masters whose strength was fading.
"Daoist, coming to the Heavenly Prison... Forget it. When I have the time, I will certainly accept your invitation."
Zhou Yi nodded faintly, though his attention remained locked on the southeastern corner at all times.
Old Daoist's aura was already that of a top master of the martial world, yet those two were still stronger despite their young age.
Lao Bai toasted his way over without noticing the danger in the slightest, until he reached the table in the southeastern corner.
"Friends from the martial world have come from afar. Bai is deeply—"
His words abruptly froze. Lao Bai's face turned white, then red, then green. He instinctively retreated two steps and let Zhou Yi stand in front of him.
"You lecher!"
"Shameless libertine!"
Two women shouted sharply. Two flashes of sword light bloomed—one aimed for Lao Bai's throat, the other struck straight for his lower half.
"Women?"
Zhou Yi froze in astonishment for an instant, then flicked a finger across the sword blades.
Terrifying force traveled into their wrists. The two women cried out in pain, and their swords fell to the floor.
This sudden change alarmed many guests. The Prince's Manor masters protecting the hall in secret leaped forth and surrounded the two women, preparing to capture them alive.
Yet the women's qinggong was wondrous. One crossed through the air, while the other moved with uncanny unpredictability. In the blink of an eye, they had escaped the banquet hall and vanished.
Zhou Yi hid his achievements and reputation deep within, already leaving the small banquet hall. Before going, he could not resist sending Lao Bai a curious message.
"Who are those two women? At such a young age, they possess this level of martial cultivation. They may have a chance of breaking into the Innate Realm in the future!"
Lao Bai did not wish to answer, but Zhou Yi kept sending messages, nagging and urging him relentlessly. Left with no choice, he said, "One is the Boundless Sword Sect's senior sister, and the other is the Heavenly Demon Sect's holy maiden..."
"**!"
Zhou Yi deeply regretted meddling. This scumbag deserved to have his wedding turn into a disaster before everyone.
The large banquet hall.
With his task complete, Zhou Yi found a corner and sat down to rest.
By now, the feast was already more than halfway through. The elders had left the hall, leaving only the younger generation, who loved wine and revelry.
They had always been wild by nature. With wine warming their ears and flush filling their faces, they no longer spoke with any restraint.
The son of the Earl of Dingcheng said, "Have you heard? Not long ago, quite a few positions opened up along the northern frontier. His Majesty intends to promote nobles."
"The northern frontier is bitterly cold and desolate. Why go there to suffer?"
The speaker was the son of Marquis Weiyuan. "In a few days, the Capital Garrison will have new personnel changes. That is the real opportunity!"
"The Capital Garrison is too expensive!"
"A guerrilla general's post alone costs a hundred thousand taels. How many years would it take to earn that silver back?"
"The northern frontier is much cheaper. I heard a commander position costs only twenty thousand taels."
"Why buy a commander position? Spend a few thousand taels more and transfer to the Military Armaments Bureau. That is where the real fortune lies!"
"..."
One after another, they treated great affairs of state and military matters as nothing more than business deals.
The son of Marquis Weiyuan shook his head. "You know jack shit... The northern frontier forces have clashed with Great Yong a few times. They look like minor conflicts, but who knows when war might break out!"
Hearing this, everyone immediately abandoned any thought of going to the northern frontier.
Making silver through business was all well and good, but life mattered more. With their families' foundations, they could squander their estates for generations and still not run them dry.
"Now that His Majesty intends to support the nobles, we must seize this chance. At the very least, we need to secure a general's post with real authority. Only with military power in hand is a noble title a true noble title!"
The son of Marquis Weiyuan said, "No matter how much it costs to grease the right palms, it will be worth it. This is a business that flows on in a thin but steady stream. The court allocates a million taels every year. Someday, we will earn it all back."
"Brother Liang is right."
"Then it is settled. We will go to the Capital Garrison together and serve His Majesty!"
"My father curses me every day for not doing proper work. Today, we will become generals and hold our heads high for once."
"We nobles are the ones who share the nation's fate. Anyone might rebel, but we never will!"
"Watch your words, watch your words!"
"..."
These young masters were drunk as lords, already imagining the Capital Garrison posts in their hands. In truth, they would not be far off. Their families had deep connections, and they were willing to spend money to grease palms.
Zhou Yi listened silently for a while, then rose and left.
"No wonder these people treat national affairs as business. Most things in this world are business—so are loyalty and betrayal, prosperity and decline."
Some chose betrayal and decline; perhaps they had no other choice.
How could the Emperor Hongchang not know that these noble young masters were like dog shit? Forget arranging troops and formations—even the number of soldiers under their command would escape them, much less leading armies into battle.
Sometimes, using useless people was more reassuring instead.
They would drink soldiers' blood, rake in silver, and do business. The one thing they would not do was rebel!
"Another storm is brewing. I hope..."
Zhou Yi frowned slightly. For a moment, he did not even know what he hoped for—someone's rebellion, or a smooth transition?
Before leaving.
He gave Lao Bai the wedding gift he had prepared long ago: a hand-polished jade pendant. Its material and carving were both ordinary, save for the striking crimson streak at its center.
Zhou Yi did not understand artifact refinement, so he simply used Mana to force a drop of blood into the jade.
Bound by blood, no matter whether hundreds or thousands of years passed, it would still recognize this jade pendant!
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