Chapter 363: Little Beggar
Chapter 363: Little Beggar
Chapter 363: Little Beggar
"Hmm?" Qian Feng furrowed his brows slightly. "How can this matter be related to him?"
"I heard that Fang Chen had conflicts with the Lin Family before," said Jue Wudi. "Due to an incident down at Immortal Origin District, he crippled Lin Yu, the son of the Lin Family Head, and that's how the enmity began. Now that the Lin Family Head has gone missing, it's natural for the Grand Qian Guards to call Fang Chen in for questioning. It's protocol."
"We can't hang around with a suspect," muttered someone softly.
Qian Feng frowned.
Although he was the second prince, he couldn't control the Grand Qian Guards. If they were really targeting Fang Chen, then Fang Chen would lose his value as a potential ally. He didn't want to get on the Grand Qian Guards' bad side just for Fang Chen.
At that moment, a servant from the Spring Dawn Tower hurriedly entered the hall and said respectfully, "Reporting to the Second Prince, Fang Chen from the Fang Family has arrived. Shall I let him in?"
The crowd's expressions turned surprised, and they reflexively looked toward Jue Wudi.
Jue Wudi remained calm and lightly smiled. "It seems he has resolved the matter. It should be a misunderstanding."
Qian Feng's lips curled up slightly. "Let him in."
Master Wu was sitting at one of the tables. Although he was deadpanned, seemingly not caring about Fang Chen's arrival, his palm was trembling under his table.
Before long, the servant escorted Fang Chen into the hall, with Li Cang following closely behind.
Just as Li Cang was about to step inside, the Spring Dawn Tower servant stopped him. "Sorry, servants cannot enter the hall," he said, then turned to Fang Chen. "Everyone's attendants must remain outside, and Your Excellency's is no exception."
Some people inside the hall chuckled. "Indeed, how are servants qualified to sit around with us?"
Li Cang didn't think much of it. He bowed to Fang Chen before turning to leave. However, Fang Chen took out twenty spirit stones, tossed them to him, and said,
"Go treat yourself to a meal. If there’s any leftover spirit stones, you can keep them."
Li Cang's heart leaped with joy and he said, "Thank you, Master!"
Li Cang tried to calm down as he continued on his way out.
The Spring Dawn Tower’s attendant was stunned. Twenty low-grade spirit stones? This young Fang Family member actually gave his attendant twenty low-grade spirit stones! Such extravagant generosity was unheard of!
Except very select few from the people in the hall today, who would be willing to spend twenty spirit stones on a mere servant! Even to them, twenty spirit stones wasn't a small sum at all! Not one of them would be willing to hand their attendants that much.
The crowd's face darkened when they saw this. They couldn't help but recall how wealthy this young man was.
He was too damn rich!
After Fang Chen took his seat, Qian Feng immediately introduced him warmly. "Everyone, this is Master Fang. A few days ago, Master Fang displayed his astonishing skills back at the Jade River Pavilion. Even I have to admire him."
Master Wu's heart sank, but he had no choice but to force a smile.
Everyone began to say hello to Fang Chen, but they weren't very into it, acting reserved. That was because they all knew that Fang Chen was Xia Ji's friend, and Xia Ji had completely offended Jue Wudi.
Qian Feng suddenly said, "Master Fang, I just heard from Wudi that you were related to the Lin Family Head's disappearance."
Jue Wudi smiled. "Those were just rumors I heard, Your Highness. Please don't paint me out as the villain here."
Fang Chen nodded softly. "The Grand Qian Guards came to the Fang Family looking for me."
The crowd's brows scrunched up. The Grand Qian Guards went to the Fang Family to find Fang Chen?
Given their understanding of the Grand Qian Guards, they should have apprehended Fang Chen for questioning.
Qian Feng was quite curious. "Oh? What happened after that?"
Fang Chen smiled and said, "The Old Ancestor stepped in and helped me out by proving that I was with him on the day of the incident. So General Shentu from the Grand Qian Guards understood the situation and took his men away."
A hint of disbelief flashed in Fang Lingxing's eyes. Their family's Old Ancestor stepped in to help Fang Chen? This was something she hadn't expected!
The expressions of the crowd slightly changed, and they looked at Fang Chen differently. It seemed that the Fang Family valued him greatly.
Qian Feng suddenly realized something, and his smile became even warmer. "Come, let's have some wine."
They all drank for a while, and by the time they were about to pour themselves a third cup, a commotion suddenly arose from outside.
"Why is this little beggar so stinky?"
"How strange, why would a beggar appear in the inner city?"
"Now I've seen everything."
"A little beggar? How could we have beggars in the inner city?"
Everyone was confused by the commotion.
Qian Feng was the first to walk up to the window to look down. The others also left their seats and gathered at the window to see what was happening.
On the street, a small and skinny beggar looked lost and confused. She wore ragged clothes with visible wounds, some already festering, emitting a foul smell.
"I'm so hungry..." murmured Jiang Tianai softly.
A woman on the street felt pity toward Jiang Tianai and picked up an oil cake before handing it to her.
"You can have this," said the woman in a low voice.
Smack!
The crisp sound of a heavy slap resounded.
The oil cake fell to the ground and got covered in dust.
The woman, shocked, held her cheek where she had been slapped and looked at the middle-aged man who struck her. "What are you doing? Do you know who I am…?"
Before she could finish, the middle-aged man took out a golden dragon token and said calmly, "I am a member of the Jue Family's Dragon Guards. What do you think will happen if you obstruct us?”
The woman became terrified and shook her head repeatedly, too scared to speak further. That was a Jue Family’s Dragon Guard!
No one dared to provoke the Jue Family in the inner city. They were one of the three major powers in the Grand Qian Empire!
"This little beggar’s ancestors offended my Jue Family. The Family Head said that she must beg in the imperial capital for a hundred days, but no one is allowed to give her food, and no one is allowed to intervene or interfere. Otherwise, you'll be going against my Jue Family!” said the middle-aged man, his tone menacing as he scanned the crowd.
The Jue Family's Dragon Guards?
The eyes of the people in the Spring Dawn Tower unconsciously fell on Jue Wudi.
Qian Feng's expression turned curious. "Wudi, who is this little girl, and how did she offend your Jue Family?"
Jue Wudi smiled bitterly. "This is an ancestral feud. I don't know much about it either."
An ancestral feud?
It wouldn't have been a big deal if the Jue Family killed her directly, but they chose to humiliate her instead in order to vent their anger. This feud can't be simple.
Fang Chen's divine soul had already appeared above the Spring Dawn Tower, quietly observing Jiang Tianai.
Fang Chen's brow furrowed slightly. "How did this lass become like this?"
If Jiang Zhong chose to bring her to the Grand Qian Empire, he had to have had enough confidence in his success chances. So why did the Jue Family turn on them?
Could it be related to the legacy left by the Jiang Family?