Chapter 464 - 236: The Seven, Snake and Ye, the Trail of Zhu

Chapter 464: Chapter 236: The Seven, Snake and Ye, the Trail of Zhu

The "Disaster Prevention Bureau" was like a wildfire, its sparks spreading to every neglected corner of Daqian. More and more people learned the name of the Red King. They learned that the former Richest Person, having now become the Red King, was so burdened by the world’s woes that his hair had turned white in his youth.

"Remember, whenever you praise the Disaster Prevention Bureau, you must add the phrase, ’under the wise leadership of the Holy Emperor.’" As reports flooded in from all corners and Zheng Xiu learned that the "Red King" title was growing ever more renowned, he knew the danger of a subject outshining his sovereign. He immediately used his mirror to initiate a "group chat," instructing his subordinates to always preface the Disaster Prevention Bureau with the Holy Emperor’s name.

Early August. The heat was brutal.

Zheng Xiu chose an auspicious date and convened the first high-level meeting of the Disaster Prevention Bureau.

Fragrant Pavilion closed for the day.

The lost revenue from that single day could buy half a shop in the West Market.

A table was laden with exquisite delicacies.

The aroma of wine lingered in the air.

"Pillar Blind" Wei Chen arrived in a hurry at the top floor of Fragrant Pavilion—the Venerable Room. He was followed by two women whose most striking feature was their long, golden hair. They were dressed in a style reminiscent of the Western Regions, their faces obscured by thin, pearl-studded veils. Their hair was partially pinned up, with the rest cascading down in numerous small braids.

When Zheng Xiu saw the two blonde women, he froze for a moment. A long-forgotten memory suddenly assaulted him—he recalled the old running gag that had been popular in the Zheng Family about getting a "pair of maids from the Western Regions."

Glancing down, he saw that while their figures were similar, there was one distinct difference: one was large, the other small. The larger one looked as if she were straining under a heavy burden, while the smaller was but a handful. Beneath their tight, two-piece long dresses, their slender waists were exposed, each navel adorned with a small, solid gold bead—a rather fashionable touch.

As they arrived at the Venerable Room, Feng Bei, blushing, was in the middle of feeding a peeled orange segment into Zheng Xiu’s mouth.

Feng Bei: "Say ’ah’..."

The kitten opened its mouth.

The orange segment was popped into Zheng Xiu’s mouth.

Zheng Xiu smacked his lips. "Sweet."

The two blonde women froze simultaneously. The smaller one on the left gave a soft snort, her throat vibrating faintly to produce a strange hissing sound. On first hearing it, one would think it was a venomous snake flicking its tongue.

Wei Chen’s eyes were a milky white. He wasn’t carrying his Bird Cage today. Hearing the hissing sound, he seemed to understand. He froze for a second, then shook his head with a wry smile. "It seems I’ve come at an inopportune moment."

"Not at all." Feng Bei sat up straight, her expression instantly becoming serious.

"And these two are..."

Wei Chen felt his way to a seat and sat down, smiling. "Allow me to introduce them. These two are from the former Incompleteness Tower, two of the Ten Greats. They have admired you from afar for a long time, Red King. Now that they can finally meet you, they feel that to see you in person is even better than your reputation, and are moved by your dashing presence."

The smaller one’s voice was crisp and rebellious, like a teenage girl’s. In an indifferent tone, she said a single word: "Snake."

The larger one’s voice was gentle and charming. Her eyes curved into crescents, exuding an alluring appeal. She offered a polite curtsy, her posture poised and graceful. Perhaps it was the contrast, but Zheng Xiu found her voice and demeanor exceptionally pleasant to behold.

"Ye greets the Red King."

"Sis..." The smaller one’s fine brows knitted together, just as she was about to say something.

"Hold your tongue. How can you be so impolite before the Red King?" Ye’s eyes curved, narrowing to slits, yet her voice grew even gentler.

Upon hearing this, the smaller one’s delicate frame trembled slightly, and she instantly shut her mouth.

"Eat. We can talk while we eat."

Though it was called a high-level meeting, in reality, Zheng Xiu had only invited Wei Chen.

They were to discuss things that only the three of them could talk about.

Wei Chen raised his cup in a toast.

"You two, sit as well. In the Bureau, there’s no need to be so formal. Just call me Boss."

The smaller one plopped right down into a seat. The larger one first expressed her thanks, then sat down gracefully, close to the Red King.

Halfway through the meal, Wei Chen put down his chopsticks.

"Red... Boss, your invitation for me to dine with you tonight... is it regarding a case for the Disaster Prevention Bureau, or is there some other important matter?"

He wasn’t a fool; he could clearly tell the Red King had something else he wanted to discuss.

’Could it be about the promise of "a pair of maids" he made before?’ Wei Chen wondered.

Zheng Xiu drained his cup, smiled faintly, and looked at Wei Chen:

"It’s nothing like that. It’s just... reports have been coming in from everywhere, but we still haven’t found any trace of that person. You and he have clashed from afar for many years. I wanted to take this opportunity to ask you... if you have any idea where that person..."

"...is actually hiding?"