Chapter 412 - 219: Affair

Chapter 412: Chapter 219: Affair

Zheng Xiu smugly held up an index finger, wagging it back and forth in front of Feng Bei. "You said you wanted a child. A child of the Zheng Clan. Ahem, I could put in some extra effort... help you get pregn—AAAAAAAGH! You shrew! Are you trying to murder your own husband?"

"..."

Feng Bei squeezed hard.

A scream like a slaughtered pig echoed from the room.

It was both painful and blissful.

The atmosphere in the room was intimate, filled with a twofold pleasure.

「A few days later.」

News of Master Zheng’s complete recovery from his grave illness spread like wildfire, flying through every street and alley. Seizing the opportunity, many Zheng Clan industries launched major promotional events.

For instance, there were "buy nine, get one free" deals. At Heaven on Earth, customers who added ten thousand taels to their accounts received a bonus of nine hundred and ninety-nine taels of silver. Zheng’s Bank raised its interest rates on large certificates of deposit.

Zheng Xiu casually tossed out a few ideas for his people to implement, leaving Zheng Erniang completely swamped. She grumbled that the more ledgers she balanced, the more there were, and the money just kept rolling in and piling up.

「Before long, it was late April.」

Under Feng Bei’s diligent "care," Zheng Xiu regained his health and no longer needed a wheelchair. He took some time to tour his various industries and make an appearance. Just making the rounds took several days, a testament to the sheer scale of his empire.

Rumors had been circulating throughout the city that Master Zheng’s life was hanging by a thread and that the great tree of the Zheng Family was about to topple. By swaggering around the city a few times, Zheng Xiu put these rumors to rest without having to say a word.

Zheng Erniang chose an auspicious day and once again invited the premier facial massage practitioner, Xu Di, to the estate. He was to give Master Zheng a facial massage to celebrate his recovery, an act symbolizing a rebirth.

Ever since the Crow Fosterer died, not a single Raven has been seen in the skies above the Imperial City. Not one. And the Ye Weiyang Night Guards and Constellations, who were once fond of perching on the rooftops, seemed to have vanished into thin air.

Of course, the people of Ye Weiyang hadn’t truly disappeared. They all had their own civilian identities and professions. With the Night Lord having lost his "eyes" and unable to issue commands, the members of Ye Weiyang could only melt back into the city’s populace and silently cultivate their Paths.

The effects of a lonely century on Zheng Xiu were not something that could be erased overnight. When he first "returned," everyone seemed like a stranger—after all, he hadn’t seen them in a hundred years. For a while, he couldn’t even recall many of their names.

As Zheng Xiu gradually readjusted to his identity as the Richest Person, his way of addressing Qing Shisan became warm and familiar once more.

"Ah, Qing Pi..."

Qing Shisan had been faithfully standing guard over his master for the better part of a month. Hearing this familiar name from Zheng Xiu’s lips, Qing Shisan froze for a second, his eyes growing misty. He took a heavy drag from his smoke, leaped down from the roof, and walked over with a smile. "What are your orders, Master?"

’He’s back. Everything is back to how it was.’

Qing Pi’s heart swelled with emotion.

’The Master never mentioned what had happened to him during that time.’

’But from the intimacy between the Master and Feng Bei, I sensed that something happened between them—something big. Still, since Zheng Xiu never brings it up, I never ask. That’s professionalism. That’s dedication.’

"I want to hold a meeting," Zheng Xiu said, standing in the sunlight. Backlit by the bright rays, he seemed exceptionally tall in Qing Shisan’s eyes.

Zheng Xiu began listing names.

"You, Ji Hong’ou, Pei Gaoya, Zizi, Bobo, Pingping, Lily, Yan Jiji, Monk." Zheng Xiu closed his eyes and thought for a moment before continuing, "And how has Xi’er been lately?"

Qing Shisan understood at once. With a wink and a smile, he said, "Rest assured, Master." He deliberately stressed the two words "rest assured." Since Zheng Xiu had asked for "Xi’er" and not "Yue Yan," Qing Shisan inferred from the name and the context what Master Zheng was truly asking about. After confirming Xi’er’s trustworthiness, he continued, "Ah, Xi’er. She’s been quite idle recently. Her cushy post at Ye Weiyang has no work, so she’s gone back to the clothier’s to dutifully tailor new clothes. When she heard you were gravely ill, she secretly came by to check on you a few times. If it weren’t for the inconvenience, she’d probably have come to watch over you every single day. Not only that, but when she heard you had recovered, she was caught muttering about it to herself in her carriage, heh! And, of course, word of it unintentionally reached my ears."

"Good." Zheng Xiu nodded calmly. "Tell her to come. Use the secret passages. Keep a low profile."

Qing Shisan squinted. "Got it," he said, his reply concise.

"Anything big happen with Ye Weiyang lately?"

Qing Shisan lowered his head, puffing on his smoke. At the question, his brow knitted slightly. In a low voice, he said, "Big things? No, not really. If anything, it’s been... remarkably quiet."

Zheng Xiu also squinted at the sun.

The scorching sun.

He was reminded of the World in the Painting, of the mural he had seen in the lands West of the Great Desert.

After a long moment, he sighed, "It’s too quiet."