Chapter 1760 – I Want to Make a Friend
“What do you mean Liu Xi is not part of the Jiang family?” Feng Gui felt an overwhelming sense of panic, as if he might go bald from the stress. His little brother’s issues seemed to be getting worse, so he bluntly asked, “Huai Jian, what do you think of Lord Lan Ting?”
Feng Jue couldn’t quite articulate it himself. Intellectually, he leaned towards Huang Song… even though Huang Song had already given up and abandoned his ambitions. However, Feng Jue had maintained a friendship with him for over a decade. Currently, he was not familiar with Liu Xi, the new Lord Lan Ting, making it hard to assess Liu Xi’s status in his mind. But thinking back to that disturbingly realistic dream, he found himself uncertain again. In the dream, the Feng Jue back then was wholeheartedly devoted to the Jiang family, more so than he was to Huang Song…
An absurd dream had somehow influenced Feng Jue this much.
“Lord Lan Ting is certainly promising. If he ascends the throne, he will establish an unprecedented prosperous dynasty…” Feng Jue said, but his mind was filled with fragmented scenes from the dream where Jiang’s dynasty indeed thrived under good governance. Naturally, Liu Xi could achieve the same, “But, it’s hard for me to clarify some things. Isn’t it alright as it is now?”
Feng Gui felt an urge to knock a hole in his little brother’s head to see what kind of nonsense he was storing inside.
What does “isn’t it alright as it is now” even mean?
What the heck is so great about this?
Is he implying it’s good to be cooped up at home living off the family?
The Feng family invested heaps of resources to raise him; they didn’t expect him to become a superstar, but he shouldn’t be a parasite at home, right?
Oh, yes, the old man Feng Ren has retired, and now Feng Jue is living off his big brother Feng Gui.
The thought of juggling family matters while having to look after his little brother’s family made Feng Gui’s head spin. It was quite embarrassing to even mention it.
The third son of the Feng family, once known as a child prodigy, now just blended into the crowd.
Is Feng Jue trying to become a classic example of “the brighter the early talent, the less impressive the later achievements”?
“If it’s so good, then why do you still…? Are you still holding onto the hope that Huang Bo can make a comeback?” Feng Jin’s eyes sharpened, as if he’d draw his sword and eliminate Huang Song right there if Feng Jue nodded. As a broodingly introverted brother-con, Feng Jin never liked Huang Song, and no amount of flattery would sway him; he loathed him even more now.
Feng Jue jumped in surprise, quickly saying, “What are you talking about, brother? If that gets to Lord Lan Ting’s ears, Huang Bo could find himself in hot water.”
Huang Song had already given up. If Feng Jin’s remark drew Jiang Pengji’s suspicion, that would be a disaster.
Feng Jin furrowed his brows, looking at his little brother with a mix of pain and concern.
A beautiful lady, yet she fell in with thieves.
Huang Song was nothing but a scoundrel, wasn’t he?
Feng Jue had no clue that his second brother’s mind was spiraling into wild assumptions, so he awkwardly made up a little white lie.
“It’s just not the right time yet.”
Look at that, the excuse was eerily similar to the one Cheng Jing used back in the day.
Feng Jin pressed on, “When will it be the right time?”
In a flash of brilliance, Feng Jue figured out how to spin his story, adopting a serious expression, “I haven’t entered the workforce till now mainly out of respect for my past relationship with Huang Bo. Moreover, I’ve had little contact with Lord Lan Ting; I plan to observe for a while. Currently, I still hesitate… due to some concerns.”
Both of his brothers, under the delusion of brotherly affection, didn’t see Feng Jue was dodging their inquiries; instead, they anxiously pushed for more details.
“What are you concerned about?”
Feng Jue replied, “Second brother is quite esteemed by Lord Lan Ting, and there’s a history between you two…”
Feng Jin interrupted, “If it’s about that, there’s no need to worry. We’re brothers, we wouldn’t hold that against you.”
He thought Feng Jue was worried about a possible conflict between them.
Blood brothers can handle even fierce battles together; their bond was deep, and they should support each other rather than compete.
“My point isn’t that, what I mean is, brother, you hold favor with Lord Lan Ting. You could easily introduce me when the time comes; there’s no rush for that moment.” Feng Jue shook his head, rejecting Feng Jin’s suggestion. He continued, “I’m worried that Lord Lan Ting’s future actions might deviate from what the Feng family initially intended. If that’s the case, by the time you want to back out, it may be too late, so why should I wade into this muddy water? It’s better to wait and see what her intentions are before I take action.”
From the fragments of his dream, it was clear that the Feng Jue in the dream was on a different path than that of the emperor.
Feng Jin had a vague understanding of what his brother was hinting at, his frown deepening.
At this moment, Feng Gui spoke up.
“Family affairs will be managed by me; you don’t need to worry about that.”
Feng Gui’s authoritative tone radiated an aura of dominance. He was not just the elder brother to the two; he was also their clan leader. The future of the family, the paths they would take, was a burden only he should bear— it was too soon for his younger brothers to meddle.
Feng Gui was concerned that his firm words might cause the brothers to misunderstand and distance themselves from him.
He added, “As long as I’m here, the Feng family won’t put you in a tough spot.”
Unless the family’s very existence clashed irreconcilably with the two brothers’ interests, Feng Gui would continue to support them in their endeavors.
He was their brother, their clan leader, and also their pillar of support.
Hearing this, a warm feeling spread through Feng Jue, as if this promise, like a treasure, transcended time and distance.
He couldn’t help but think of the Feng Jue from the dream.
That white-haired Feng Jue had sighed more than once, wishing for his two brothers to be around, so things wouldn’t have ended up this way.
Feng Jue was intelligent but lacked the qualities to become a leader of a noble family, his personality wasn’t as diplomatic and shrewd enough to strike a balance between the emperor and the gentry. If it were Feng Gui, with his character and methods, no matter how fierce the storms outside, the Feng family would stand strong and unyielding.
“Big brother.”
Feng Jue’s voice was somewhat muffled, stretching that address out, almost sounding like a whimper.
Feng Gui was unfazed, his indifferent mask firmly in place as he asked, “What other concerns do you have? Speak up.”
Feng Jue: “…”
Hold on, this isn’t the time for all the mushy feelings!!!
“I have one more thing… it’s a bit awkward… I can’t really say…”
Feng Jue’s face turned a rare shade of red, causing the alarm bells to ring for both Feng Gui and Feng Jin.
Wait, what’s with that bashful teenager vibe?
Feng Jin’s imagination spun wildly, envisioning his little brother being pinned down and trampled by Wei Ci, while their leader cheered him on from the sidelines.
Thus,
Feng Jin firmly stated, “Huai Jian, there’s a limit to your nonsense! You have a family now; you mustn’t do anything disgraceful to our family’s reputation!!!”
Are you trying to get yourself killed?
With a wife and children, he wouldn’t dare to entertain thoughts of a scandal involving their lord, treating him like some cheap gossip?
If Feng Jue dared to entertain such thoughts, it’d be Wei Ci who wouldn’t need to lift a finger; Feng Jin would probably beat him to death on the spot and have their mother create another one.
Feng Jue: “???”
He just wanted to make a friend with Lord Lan Ting to ease their relationship, yet somehow that turned into tarnishing their family’s reputation?
Feng Jue refused to reveal the truth, but he felt that the excuse of “I want to make a friend before starting my career, and then we can talk” was ultimately quite embarrassing.
