The Marquis of Wu'an Had Indeed Kept a Trick up His Sleeve
The grand banquet at Tian Fen's residence was extremely lively, with the bustling crowd lasting for nearly an hour.
This caused quite a stir, with some people egging others on and others bidding against each other out of envy.
However, Zhang Xuezhou and others were not at the center of these storms, and the waves they wanted to stir up were not among these storms.
Dou Ying Marquis of Weiqi, Dou Ying, remained expressionless, while Marquis Qu Ni, Chen He, appeared somewhat preoccupied. Zhang Xuezhou and the others took several items and prepared to leave.
"I wonder if Zhenyuan returned to Yunyi Daoist Temple and had a late-night talk with Master Li by candlelight?"
As they parted, Tian Fen clearly showed great concern for Divine Lord Zhenyuan.
His banquet was a great success. Aside from the good news of identifying the ancestral artifact, the key point was that Tian Fen invited Li Shaojun to the banquet, which meant he wouldn't provoke Anle Palace in the near future, and also showed his sincerity.
With the banquet arrangements settled, Tian Fen really didn't have anything else to ask Li Shaojun for.
But he was very interested in Divine Lord Zhenyuan, who was truly capable of instructing him on the art of flight.
"It's getting late, so I'll head back to Lord Dongfang's residence first. After some time, I'll leave the pass and head west," Divine Lord Zhenyuan said politely.
"The Daoist priest will be traveling west again in a while?" Tian Fen exclaimed in surprise.
"I met Lord Dongfang along the way and we hit it off, and I even escorted him to Chang'an City," Divine Lord Zhenyuan said with a smile. "Lord Dongfang has entertained me well, so he should take his leave to avoid disturbing me further!"
"Zhenyuan, what are you saying? A master of your stature is more than welcome; there's no need for such an intrusion," Tian Fen said. "If Zhenyuan doesn't mind, you are welcome to stay at Zhenyuan residence for as long as you like."
"I will visit you again, Your Excellency, in the future!"
Divine Lord Zhenyuan responded politely.
He was busy with many things and obviously couldn't visit Tian Fen, but Divine Lord Zhenyuan wouldn't mind making another trip to Chang'an City in eight or ten years.
After exchanging pleasantries, people gradually left.
"Please take care, Lord Dou!"
Tian Fen had a slightly tipsy look on his face.
After seeing off several important court officials, he handed over the matter to others.
"I never knew our Tian family had a family tree that had been passed down through generations. I'll take it to my sister when I go to the palace tomorrow!"
Tian Fen shook his head, feeling as if his body was floating, as if he could fly away with the wind.
He did not enter the palace while drunk, but instead planned to go to Changxin Palace after he sobered up.
"Father, Marquis Qu Ni..."
"Tian'er, I'm feeling a little dizzy. Please treat our guest well and don't break the rules!"
Tian Fen swayed his head, his sleeves fluttering as he walked, no longer paying attention to the matter his son had inquired about.
Another wave surged beneath his feet. Reflecting on Divine Lord Zhenyuan's guidance, he felt a sense of freedom and ease as he drifted with the wind.
Like a butterfly dancing in the wind, Tian Fen flitted back and forth in the backyard of the Marquis's mansion, feeling the difference from what she had experienced before.
"Lord Qu, look how drunk my father is, he really can't speak properly!"
"Fine!"
Marquis Chen He of Qu Ni spent a very long time at the banquet. Nearly 80% of the people left the manor, but he still leisurely sipped his wine and took the opportunity to admire Tian Fen from afar.
Seeing Tian Fen dancing and gesturing wildly in the back hall, Chen He couldn't help but shudder slightly.
He shook his head against the wind, feeling his mind clear up a little.
When Tian Tian called for people to come over, Chen He did not resist, but let them help him out of the Marquis's residence and into the carriage.
"Marquis of Wu'an was indeed hiding his true abilities. He only revealed them after getting drunk. This Technique Method and agility is beyond the reach of ordinary people!"
Qu Nihou staggered onto the carriage, but he was very clear-headed, constantly pondering Tian Fen's leaping posture.
"If it weren't for that scroll as proof, I would have assumed Tian Fen was a genius with exceptional talent in flying techniques, but I saw that scroll when I was young and accompanied my father during interrogations!"
The great cultivators of the Immortal Court are most skilled at flying. While it cannot be said that all those skilled in flying are from the Immortal Court, based on the evidence from the Immortal Court scroll, he has a 90% chance of confirming Tian Fen's identity.
Chen He simply didn't know why Tian Fen would take out such a private item and display it publicly.
Perhaps Tian Fen lost contact with the Immortal Court, or perhaps Tian Fen was unaware of the intricacies involved, or perhaps there were other reasons that led Tian Fen to act so rashly.
However, Tian Fen must have ancestors within the Immortal Court's forces, and it's highly likely they will still be able to look after Tian Fen.
"Damn it, why doesn't our Chen family have any ancestors with connections to the Immortal Court!"
Qu Nihou cursed under his breath.
He looked at his thick, rough palms, and the fine lines on them.
Young people are undoubtedly not afraid of death, but at his age, he needs to pay attention to health preservation, and even pursue longevity.
There were only a dozen or so marquises in the Great Han Dynasty. He could enjoy the blessings of his ancestors without having to be busy with court affairs. Obviously, the longer this good life lasted, the better.
Qu Nihou was also well aware that the Immortal Court possessed the Longevity Elixir, and he even knew that the identities of some people in the court were questionable.
But no one could convince him of any connection to the Immortal Court.
If one seeks the elixir of immortality, Tian Fen is clearly the best path and the most likely to help him achieve his goal.
One longevity elixir can extend one's lifespan by twenty years; two elixirs would extend it by forty years.
Three pieces represent almost a lifetime for an average person.
This drug will drive people crazy no matter where it is placed.
Chen He hoped to take one, two, or even three pills so that he could enjoy wealth and honor for a longer period of time. Chen He also hoped to get a chance to play a role and enter the Immortal Court, even if it meant sacrificing the entire Chen family.
Chen He's thinking is not surprising; people naturally aspire to higher positions.
As long as he can enjoy lasting glory and receive longevity and blessings from the Immortal Court, becoming a terrestrial immortal, that would be the best life for him.
Under such fortuitous opportunity, he didn't need to care about his Lineage, his descendants, or whether he was loyal to the Great Han Dynasty.
He had finally seen a way out, and Chen He was filled with excitement, feeling that he needed to get on good terms with Tian Fen.
"My lord, the second master is here!"
"Oh?"
"Second Master wants to withdraw two hundred taels of gold from the Marquis's residence!"
The Marquis's residence was vast, but since both Marquis Qu Ni, Chen He, and Marquis of Wu'an Tian Fen, were marquises, their residences were relatively close to each other.
Amidst the creaking of the carriage wheels, Marquis Qu Ni had only taken a short rest before returning to his residence. A servant outside the carriage reported this, prompting Chen He to lift the carriage curtain.
His gaze swept over Chen Zhang's brand-new official robes, then looked at Chen Zhang's young face, and a feeling of disgust welled up in his heart for no reason.
"Second brother, what is the purpose of taking so much gold?" Chen He asked directly.
"My son is ill, and I'd like to spend some money to buy some strong medicine to help him recover," Chen Zhang said, his face flushed. "Now that I'm the Grand Tutor in the palace, I'm sure I can repay the two hundred taels of gold I borrowed from my brother!"
"I told you to marry the daughter of Marquis Zhouyang, Tian Sheng. She's from the Empress Dowager's lineage, and her family is related to Tian Fen. The power of such Lineage will grow rapidly. You would have enjoyed endless wealth and honor after the marriage, but you insisted on going your own way. Now, not only has everything fallen apart, but you've also married a sickly woman!"
If Chen He's previous alliance was based on mutual benefit, and he saw the potential for future advancement within the Empress Dowager's faction...
Now, he resents Chen Zhang for being disobedient and for losing the opportunity to marry into the Tian family.
If they were to become in-laws, his friendship with Tian Fen would be a natural progression, and he wouldn't need to go to great lengths to curry favor.
Chen He grew angrier the more he thought about it, wishing he could grab a riding whip and lash Chen's hand hard.
He reached for the riding crop, and only when he noticed Chen Zhang's new official robes did the slight glint in his eyes fade.
"If you can win the Empress's favor in the harem, I might be able to lend you two hundred taels of gold," Chen He said.
"My personal guard in the inner palace is Lady Wei of the Shufang Palace, so I cannot go to the Jiaofang Palace. I'm afraid it will be difficult for me to win the Empress's favor in the short term!"
When Chen Zhang mentioned his responsibilities as the Grand Tutor, Chen He felt that his half-brother's judgment was ridiculously poor; he always picked the worst of everything.
He chose a woman as his wife, a wild woman whose background he knew nothing about, and entered the palace as a steward, also serving under a woman whose name he had never heard before.
This foreshadows a bleak future.
Chen He was displeased. He withdrew his gaze from Chen Zhang and, too lazy to pay any more attention to him, took a sheep-drawn carriage and entered the Marquis's residence.