Chapter 42 Fortune is Always Seeked in Peril 2: Will You Regret It?
Jin Zhufeng's fan hovered in mid-air, the rising steam from the tea momentarily obscuring her expression.
She asked in a low voice, "Who did you see?"
"Li Wei".
Xiao Jingze stared at Jin Zhufeng, his eyes dark and unfathomable: "A crew member on your Jin family's merchant ship back then, a man who should have died at sea, is now doing very well in your family's gambling den."
“Li Wei?” Jin Zhufeng repeated the name, picked up his teacup and blew away the floating leaves. “Then you should ask him. People who make a living at sea are always tough.”
Xiao Jingze chuckled: "He still has dealings with the Jin family. Is Mr. Jin really unaware of this?"
"The Kim family owns many businesses, and it's impossible for me to know every single one of their employees."
Jin Zhufeng put down his teacup, his voice steady: "When your mother boarded the ship, the goods transported to Xinzhou were nothing more than ordinary timber, nothing secret. What exactly is Prince Xiao suspecting?"
Xiao Jingze sneered, "My mother was on good terms with you back then, so why are you so reluctant to talk about this? It's already been confirmed that no one survived what happened back then. Li Wei changed his name and surname, yet he has close ties with the Jin family. Mr. Jin, what are you hiding now?"
Jin Zhufeng lowered his eyes, turned his head to look out the window, and remained silent for a long time.
The atmosphere remained tense. Mingying looked left and right, then suddenly stood up, walked to the center, dipped her round hand in tea, and wrote: What is the connection between the shipwreck and the New York flood?
Hearing the noise, the two looked at her simultaneously. Mingying paused, then wrote below: Who was the Fengshui Immortal ten years ago?
They all seemed to have overlooked one thing: if the New Jersey flood was done by Shen Yichuan in the name of the Immortal of Abundant Water, how could he have had such ability ten years ago?
In other words, the immortal of Fengshui ten years ago may not be the same person as today!
Xiao Jingze stared at the two lines of text on the table without saying a word. Jin Zhufeng's eyes finally showed a slight fluctuation. She remained silent for a long time before slowly saying, "Go ask Old Master Xiao. He probably knows more about what happened back then than I do."
Xiao Jingze sneered, "Are you pointing fingers at the Xiao family?"
Jin Zhufeng lightly touched the nearly dried water mark with the tip of his fan. "Jianwei has never posed a threat to the Jin family, but someone doesn't want her to return from Xinzhou."
Xiao Jingze suddenly looked up: "What do you mean?"
Jin Zhufeng's knuckles, which were gripping the feather fan, turned slightly white: "Jianwei said something before she left. At the time, I didn't understand it, but now... perhaps she had already sensed something."
She looked at Xiao Jingze and imitated him in a calm tone, saying, "When will this cycle of revenge end? Why bother investigating the past of a dead person and burdening a newborn child with hatred... A-Che, Jianwei hopes you live a flamboyant and unrestrained life."
Xiao Jingze chuckled, rubbing his forehead. He suddenly clenched his fists, his tone icy: "But I am no longer the same person I was ten years ago."
Jin Zhufeng sighed: "Then you should understand, some things are better left unsaid."
Xiao Jingze stood there, his shadow stretched long. He remained silent for a moment, suppressing all his surging emotions, and then smiled slightly: "Okay."
He scooped Mingying up, turned and jumped out of the window, his figure disappearing into the darkness, his whereabouts unknown.
——
Jin Zhufeng stood quietly by the window, watching the figure gradually disappear into the distance. His fingertips unconsciously caressed the feather fan in his hand, and a self-deprecating smile appeared on his lips.
When she was supposed to be married off to the Xiao family, she was the one who went on the appointment, but it was her cousin Jin Jianwei—or rather, Ye Jianwei—who ended up boarding that painted boat.
Because she was raised by her grandmother in her childhood, she was considered a member of the Jin family. The Jin family changed her surname to Jin Jianwei, and as a member of a collateral branch of the Jin family, she represented the Jin family in a marriage alliance with the Xiao family.
Jin Zhufeng shook her feather fan. The Jin family was different from the other three great families with a century-old history. Her father was a dissolute scoundrel who indulged in pleasure. Although she was an only daughter, she had six useless younger brothers born to different concubines in the household.
The father doted on Concubine Jiang, and Concubine Jiang whispered in her ear day and night, plotting to marry her off in exchange for benefits so that her most useless fifth brother could inherit the family business. How absurd and laughable!
If it weren't for her grandfather... Her gaze turned to the towering pavilion with its flying eaves in the twilight. The head of the Jin family ignored her father's shady thoughts, but he did something unusually good in her marriage.
She did not marry into the Xiao family back then, but her grandfather believed that she could bring greater benefits to the Jin family, so he had his most outstanding student, Xu Fuyi, assist her in taking over the Jin family's business.
This move temporarily stabilized the delicate balance within the Jin family. Today, her prestige within the Jin family far surpasses that of her father; that good-for-nothing Jin Wuyai can no longer exploit her, but back then…
Jin Zhufeng lowered her eyes. To this day, she still didn't know if her cousin had willingly agreed to the marriage in her place. She only remembered that on the day the marriage certificate was delivered, Jin Jianwei came to her study, her expression as calm as if she were discussing a business deal that had nothing to do with her. She used her marriage to exchange her identity as someone with a different surname for real shares in the Jin Family Business.
"Will you be happy?" Jin Zhufeng asked her at the time.
Jin Jianwei patted her shoulder and laughed heartily: "I've seen Xiao Yi's portrait. He's quite handsome, but he's getting old and his brows are a bit fierce. I imagine he doesn't have a very good temper. Oh well, he's a warrior, so it's normal."
Two days before the wedding, Jin Zhufeng couldn't sleep. Jin Jianwei flicked her window with a stone: "Zhufeng, want to go for a drink with me?"
The two drank under the moon all night, chatting idly. In the end, Jin Jianwei lay in bed all day, and on their wedding day, she was still dragged out of bed by a servant.
On the day of her wedding, Jin Jianwei was already lying at the bottom of the water. Perhaps the promises made in youth are always hard to keep. All the things she said under the moon in her drunken state were forgotten after she sobered up.
Jin Zhufeng once asked himself, "Do I regret it?"
She gazed at the moon, unchanged for ten years, and had no regrets. Later, fragmented news came from Lanling. She was busy establishing herself in the business world, and all she heard was that their relationship was harmonious and their love was exquisite. Then came more half-true, half-false rumors that they were like strangers, only maintaining a facade of marriage.
Will Jin Jianwei regret it?
Jin Jianwei never seemed to have expressed regret. The Jin family, it seems, all have profit-driven blood flowing in their veins; calculation of gains and losses is ingrained in their very bones. They trade freedom for power, marriage for a foothold—fair trades, a clean slate.
Jin Zhufeng put away her feather fan, dispelling the useless thoughts in her mind, and went downstairs with a smile on her lips and her hands behind her back. Ever since Madam Shen sent someone to secretly arrive at the mansion, her grandfather's attitude has become somewhat strange. She should personally go back to the mansion in the coming days to find out what's going on.
——
Xiao Jingze and Mingying sneaked into the Li residence without making a sound. Li Wei had already finished and was lying sprawled on the messy bed, snoring loudly.
The air was filled with a cloying, sweet smell of cheap cosmetics mixed with alcohol. Xiao Jingze frowned, stepped forward, and ruthlessly pulled him up, patting his greasy cheek: "Wake up."
Li Wei was still half asleep, thinking it was the maid who had been serving him returning. He waved her away haphazardly, muttering incoherently, "Stop it, my beauty... let me sleep a little longer..."
Mingying: ...
She silently looked away. Xiao Jingze's face was as black as the bottom of a pot. He kicked Li Wei without any politeness.
Li Wei winced in pain and abruptly opened his sleepy eyes, meeting a pair of eyes that seemed to be smiling but not smiling.
The person before him was no gentle, beautiful woman at all. His sleepiness vanished instantly, and he nimbly rolled out of bed, knelt down with a thud, and raised his hands above his head in one swift motion: "My lord, spare my life! You may take all the gold and silver treasures in my mansion, just please spare my life!"
Mingying: ...Such skillful movements.
Xiao Jingze tapped his ring without speaking. Li Wei raised his eyelids and secretly glanced at this formidable man. Seeing that he was dressed in gold and jade, he didn't seem to be short of money. He forced a fawning smile and rubbed his hands together: "My lord, please understand. I am just a law-abiding citizen who runs a small business. I really don't know where I have offended you. There must be some misunderstanding."
Xiao Jingze smiled and said, "Don't you recognize me?"
Li Wei swallowed hard, his eyes darting around, and he lowered his head, not daring to meet his gaze.
Xiao Jingze, too lazy to beat around the bush, flicked his wrist, and a short sword appeared in his hand. He gently tapped Li Wei's cheek with the tip of the sword: "When will your informant meet with you?"
The icy touch sent a shiver down Li Wei's spine, and cold sweat instantly soaked his back. "M-Sir...I really don't know what you're talking about..."
Xiao Jingze flicked his wrist slightly, and the short sword slid down a few inches to press against Li Wei's Adam's apple. With just a little force, it could pierce the skin. He said calmly, "Sometimes my hand isn't very steady. If I accidentally slip, that wouldn't be very pleasant, would it?"
Li Wei's body stiffened, and he dared not move. He could only force a forced smile that was more like a grimace: "Yes, sir, you are right..."
"Answer whatever I ask." Xiao Jingze's gaze casually swept over the blade. "If there's even a single lie..."
Li Wei immediately replied, "I understand! I will certainly tell you everything I know!"
"Original name?"
"Li... Liu Erniu".
Li Wei hesitated for a moment, but after meeting Xiao Jingze's gaze, he still told the truth.
"age?"
Forty-two.
"Place of origin?"
"New South Wales resident".
Xiao Jingze raised an eyebrow, his tone revealing neither joy nor anger: "You're quite perceptive."
Li Wei breathed a slight sigh of relief and smiled ingratiatingly: "How could I dare to deceive you, sir?"
When should we meet with the person tomorrow?
Li Wei sold it quite decisively: "Noon, 3:45."
"Place?"
"Jin's Gambling House, second floor, corner, private room A."
Xiao Jingze asked in his usual tone, "Do you know Jin Zhufeng?"
Li Wei nodded: "I know him. Boss Jin's family business is huge, and everyone in the city knows him."
Do you know Jin Jianwei?
“I know her…” Li Wei’s voice trailed off halfway through his sentence.
Xiao Jingze's eyes were cold as he pressed his short sword downwards: "Her what?"
"My lord, spare me!" Li Wei was terrified, raising his hands and crying out, "I was wrong! I shouldn't have kept it from you! I used to work for Lord Jin Jianwei, but ever since Lord Jin... after Lord Jin died in that accident, I had nowhere to go. Later, I received some guidance from Boss Jin and started doing small business to make a living! Lord Jin's death really had nothing to do with me, my lord!"
Xiao Jingze didn't know whether to believe it or not: "It has nothing to do with you. Where's the evidence?"
"Evidence...evidence..." Li Wei was sweating profusely, and suddenly raised his head. "Your Excellency, please be wise! How could a mere Qi Refining stage cultivator like me have created such a terrifying storm? I only survived because I bought a life-saving magic artifact by chance the day before my trip. That's how I narrowly escaped death and survived! Lord Jin's death really has nothing to do with me. Please, Your Excellency, investigate thoroughly!"
A deathly silence fell over the room. Xiao Jingze remained silent for a long while, then chuckled softly. He approached Li Wei, who was trembling like a leaf, and asked, word by word, clearly and distinctly, "You said that storm was man-made?"
Li Wei nodded and his voice was barely audible: "Yes, yes, the spiritual power in that storm was extremely savage... even I, a Qi Refining stage cultivator, could feel it. I suppose, I suppose the mastermind behind it must be a powerful figure."
-----------------------
Author's note: Although the Jin family are all businessmen, their names have a rather江湖 (jianghu, a term referring to the world of martial arts and chivalry) feel to them. Perhaps this is a way for them to express their good wishes for themselves?
When it comes to naming, aside from a few strokes of genius, the author spends a lot of time carefully selecting one or two characters for each name. As more and more characters are added, it becomes increasingly difficult to match them with the character's personality and the plot; sometimes, it even needs to be related to the Five Elements. For example, there's the correspondence between "篱" (li) and "梨" (li) in the "同心镜" (Tongxin Jing) instance, and the connection between "川" (chuan) and the Fengshui Immortal.
In ancient times, scholars had both a given name and a courtesy name. Zhu Xi's courtesy name was Yuanhui, which is contradictory, while Zhuge Liang's courtesy name was Kongming, which is the same. Jingze is actually the male protagonist's courtesy name; he also has a single-character given name, "Che," so Ze and Che are contradictory. However, the author later realized that everyone would have two names, especially since the courtesy name and given name should be related, so they skipped the courtesy name part and directly used nicknames. The nicknames only need to be taken from the male and female protagonists' names. The female protagonist's nickname was mentioned at the beginning; Man and Ying are the same. The way she took her second name is different from the male protagonist's, which can be seen as a supplement to their character settings.
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