Zhu Xiaotian's face changed drastically upon hearing this.
He secretly glanced at Shangguan Yu'an's epaulets, and was startled by her military rank. Yang Qianqian, standing beside him, also said, "She, she seems to be from the Shangguan family in the capital. I've heard her name before."
"What?!" Zhu Xiaotian turned pale with fright.
The Shangguan family was one of the Nine Great Families, a force that could command and influence affairs nationwide.
What shocked the two of them even more was not Shangguan Yu'an's background, but how familiar Chen Jinzhao seemed with her. Anyone with eyes could see their extraordinary relationship.
And they had offended Chen Jinzhao...
They were now likely to face Shangguan Yu'an's thunderous wrath.
Zhu Xiaotian stood frozen, frantically trying to figure out how to make Chen Jinzhao forgive his actions. This time, even Han Shangwen couldn't help them.
On the other side.
Seeing how familiar the two were, Han Shangwen also realized they knew each other.
He frowned at first, then said, "Shangguan Yu'an, is this your kept boy toy? Your taste is truly abysmal. I can guarantee your grandfather would definitely look down on someone like him."
"Why don't I have my grandfather propose to your family?"
"Our two families joining forces might even propel us into the top three families."
Shangguan Yu'an said expressionlessly, "Who said he's my kept boy toy? Han Shangwen, you can eat anything, but you shouldn't say just anything."
Han Shangwen sneered, "Then tell me, what is your relationship?"
"Superior and subordinate," Shangguan Yu'an replied truthfully.
"Oh?"
Han Shangwen raised an eyebrow and looked at Chen Jinzhao again, "That's no wonder. So he's your subordinate. But he just slapped me. You have to make him apologize to me now, or I'll definitely bring this matter to my grandfather."
He had wanted to kill Chen Jinzhao earlier, but now he just wanted an apology, clearly not wanting to escalate things.
"Impossible."
Shangguan Yu'an shook her head directly.
Han Shangwen frowned, his expression displeased. "Why? I've already backed down this much. I have my limits."
Shangguan Yu'an stated truthfully, "Because you misunderstood. The superior-subordinate relationship I'm referring to is actually that I am the subordinate and he is the superior. Given this, I assume you understand?"
Everyone's expression changed drastically.
Shangguan Yu'an's military rank was already high, just two steps away from a generalship, and Chen Jinzhao was her superior?
Doesn't this mean Chen Jinzhao already...
Zhu Xiaotian had stopped thinking. Shangguan Yu'an would certainly not lie about such a matter. He thought, "It's over, it's over. What kind of existence have I offended?"
Yang Qianqian was even more distraught.
Han Shangwen took half a minute to digest this information, his expression also becoming solemn. He turned to Chen Jinzhao and said, "No, he said he wasn't from any influential family. How could he be your superior?"
"Perhaps you've forgotten the most important person?" Shangguan Yu'an said with a half-smile.
With her reminder, Han Shangwen's face changed again, and a terrifying thought surfaced in his mind.
"He..."
"What's his name?"
Han Shangwen looked at Zhu Xiaotian.
Zhu Xiaotian didn't quite remember, so he turned to Yang Qianqian, who might.
Yang Qianqian searched her memory for a long time and finally recalled Chen Jinzhao's name, hesitantly saying, "If I remember correctly, his name should be Chen Jinzhao."
"Chen Jinzhao!!!"
Han Shangwen let out a strange cry, his face turning as pale as paper. "So you are Chen Jinzhao..."
Everything made sense now.
Shangguan Yu'an's superior was none other than the chief instructor of the Candle Dragon Special Forces. And Chen Jinzhao indeed wasn't from an influential family, yet his military rank was terrifyingly high.
Chen Jinzhao also had another identity – Xu Hanchen's successor.
If nothing unexpected happened, Chen Jinzhao would one day be among the top three in the military, holding immense power! Even the proud and arrogant Han family of Donghai would have to treat Chen Jinzhao courteously.
After understanding this, Han Shangwen realized how foolish he had been!
Execution would have been a light punishment.
Seeing Han Shangwen's loss of composure, Yang Qianqian couldn't help but ask curiously, "Does this Chen Jinzhao have a very significant background? Why is Young Master Han so shocked?"
Zhu Xiaotian heard Han Shangwen's muttering and was also extremely shocked. He said to Yang Qianqian, "So it's him..."
"This Chen Jinzhao is the chief instructor of a certain special forces team in the country and a major general. In peacetime, how can there be such a young general? Do you remember the meeting I told you about? After the Economic Summit, that Mr. Qin would hold a private meeting limited to the top circles, and Chen Jinzhao is the second-ranked figure within this circle, on par with Qin Fengwu."
There was one thing he didn't say—
That many people believed Chen Jinzhao slightly surpassed Qin Fengwu.
Yang Qianqian's face turned pale upon hearing this, "Then, that Xu Yaoyao..."
Zhu Xiaotian trembled upon hearing this and said with difficulty, "Xu Yaoyao calls Chen Jinzhao brother. This means she is very likely Xu Hanchen's granddaughter. We've really kicked a hornet's nest this time!"
"Ah?"
Yang Qianqian's body went limp upon hearing this, and she directly fell to the ground.
Zhu Xiaotian squatted down to help her up, only to find that Yang Qianqian was completely limp and couldn't be helped up at all.
On the other side.
Han Shangwen trembled, looking at Chen Jinzhao and stammering, "This, this is a misunderstanding..."
"How about we find a place to sit down first, and then I'll apologize to you?"
Han Shangwen didn't dare to mention being slapped by Chen Jinzhao. It was already good that Chen Jinzhao wasn't pursuing it.
Chen Jinzhao said meaningfully, "I am not qualified to sit with a scion of a prestigious family like you. Let's forget it, I'm not interested either."
Han Shangwen stammered, not knowing how to reply.
He glanced around, and his gaze finally fell on Zhu Xiaotian and Yang Qianqian. After a glint in his eyes, he walked over and kicked them, "You two dogs, apologize to General Chen!"
If it weren't for these two, how could he have offended Chen Jinzhao?
It was all because of these two!
Zhu Xiaotian and Yang Qianqian dared not disobey. They tremblingly got up from the ground and walked in front of Chen Jinzhao, their knees going weak, and were about to kneel before him.
Shangguan Yu'an reached out and grabbed Yang Qianqian's shoulder, saying expressionlessly, "General Chen dislikes people kneeling before him."
This was a bad habit and an act of bullying.
More importantly, there were many important figures having a meeting in the State Guest House. If this scene were seen, it would have a very bad impact.
*Slap!*
Zhu Xiaotian slapped himself.
Yang Qianqian followed suit and slapped herself in the face.
Han Shangwen said, "Brother Chen, do you think this is appropriate? If not, I can slap them for you, to teach them a lesson!"
"No need," Chen Jinzhao said.
"Tell them to stop."
Instead of feeling any resentment towards Chen Jinzhao, the two felt grateful.
The past grievances between Chen Jinzhao and Zhu Xiaotian had been settled after the confrontation. He was not a person who would pursue relentlessly. Meeting their gaze, he said calmly, "If you dare to harbor ill intentions towards Yaoyao again in the future, I will not show any mercy."
"Scram."
The two felt a sense of relief, their former arrogance replaced by obsequiousness as they thanked Chen Jinzhao for sparing their lives.
Han Shangwen opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but Chen Jinzhao waved his hand in disgust, "Enough, I don't want to see your ugly face. You have five seconds to disappear from my sight."
Han Shangwen felt angry in his heart but dared not say anything. He fled the scene with his tail between his legs.
After walking a distance, Han Shangwen let out a sigh of relief, his face looking very grim.
"Good for you, Chen Jinzhao!"
"What are you so proud of? If Qin Fengwu ascends the throne in the future, you'll be the first one he targets! We'll see, that day is not far off!"
"And that bitch Shangguan Yu'an. As a member of a prestigious family, she's willing to be commanded by Chen Jinzhao. She's truly a disgrace to our families!"