"Your Highness?"
"She knows you tried to assassinate Uncle Feng."
Yang Zhao was speechless, questioning heaven why suffering always befell him.
Having prepared himself for another blow, he didn't expect Miss Feng San to be as crude as Feng Er. However, for the next few days, she gave him no pleasant looks!
News of the Feng siblings and Xu Mingyue visiting the Min family quickly reached Liang Quanbin's ears.
"A private banquet? Only those three were invited?"
"Yes."
Liang Quanbin was puzzled. They hadn't seemed that close before, so why would they be invited to a private banquet?
Then, he smacked his head, suddenly recalling something.
"I'm truly foolish. Prince Ding is unmarried. I fear he took a liking to the young lady from the Feng family at the last banquet."
He wasn't stupid enough to set his sights on Xu Mingyue, as the news of their engagement and subsequent breakup was still a hot topic.
Besides, if he fancied Xu Mingyue, why would he bring the Feng family along?
Thinking thus, a smile played on his lips.
This was even better. Prince Ding, the Feng family, and the Bai family would all be connected. Taking him down would be equivalent to taking down many powerful connections, thus garnering more support for the Ninth Prince's bid for the throne!
His own contributions would then be even greater, possibly earning him a first-rank official position, or even higher!
"Go, pick out some good items and send them to Feng Jinlin, saying it's thanks for saving this official's life."
"Yes, Master."
The good items he had acquired lately were so numerous that his storerooms were overflowing. Therefore, when renovating the Governor's mansion, he had specifically expanded several large rooms in the backyard to store them.
The steward understood the importance of the matter, so he rushed to select several exquisite items and sent them to Feng Jinlin.
Upon receiving the gifts, Feng Jinlin was somewhat bewildered.
On the surface, the items were for him, but many were for women's use. Thus, Feng Jinlin raised an eyebrow and asked the steward who delivered them.
"What is the meaning of this from the Governor?"
"I thought County Magistrate Feng brought his sister along to Jinling City. It must be inconvenient for her when traveling, so I sent some items commonly used by young ladies. If Miss San likes them, I can bring more another day."
Chests of gold, silver, and jewelry, piles of fashionable fabrics.
Looking at these, Feng Jinlin felt a headache coming on. However, he couldn't refuse Liang Quanbin's "kindness" at the moment, so he could only accept them with a forced smile, offering polite words.
The steward listened with a delighted smile.
"The Governor also said that if Miss San and County Magistrate Feng have time, they are welcome to visit the Governor's mansion. You all came from the same Eastern Capital. He presumes to be your uncle and should offer some care."
Feng Jinlin smiled, but inwardly cursed Liang Quanbin to the heavens.
Be their uncle? Did someone surnamed Liang deserve that?
Suppressing the urge to vomit, he saw the steward out before his face finally fell.
"No wonder people say, 'Three years in Jinling, a million in silver.' Liang Quanbin couldn't skim any oil or water when he was in the capital. Now that he's in Jinling City, he's become so fat."
Anything here, if sold, would be enough for an ordinary person to live on for half a lifetime.
Looking at the thank-you gifts piled up like a small mountain, Feng Jinlin ordered them to be stored. It was better to have them than not! Once exchanged for money, they could be donated to the charity hall, serving as a form of Robin Hood justice.
In the evening, back in the small courtyard, he recounted the matter to Xu Mingyue and Feng Jinyao as an amusing anecdote.
Xu Mingyue looked disdainful. The Liang family indeed had issues with their upbringing; they weren't greedy, just waiting for the right time.
Looking at his lavish spending, one might think he had adopted the God of Wealth as his ancestor.
Feng Jinyao, however, frowned slightly. "He probably knows we attended the Min family's private banquet, so he's deliberately trying to win us over, to bind us all to the same boat and pave the way for the Ninth Prince."
This tactic was something the Wen family had done to them often in their previous life!
Unexpectedly, after overthrowing the Wen family in this life, the Liang family emerged. They were all shameless families.
No wonder the Ninth Prince was so tyrannical after ascending the throne in their previous life; one only needed to look at his subordinates to see what kind of rotten fish and shrimp they were.
"Hmph, let him dream. For my Xu family to be in cahoots with him, unless I die."
Xu Mingyue's hatred for Liang Quanbin grew daily. Especially after arriving in Jinling City, although it was a prosperous place, it didn't mean there were no poor families. Every time she saw the young children in the academy who had to work to support themselves, she would quietly offer them some assistance.
Instead of using his wealth for such purposes, he only thought of colluding with the powerful. With such a corrupt official governing Jinling City, it was no wonder they were constrained for so many years.
It was said that the wealth of the Eastern Capital was dazzling, but in her opinion, the wealth of Jinling City was soul-snatching.
"Don't worry, Mingyue. I, Feng Jinlin, would never do something as dishonest as colluding with the Liang family. Just wait and see, within three months, his wealth, like a flower in the mirror or the moon in the water, will eventually turn into nothing."
Xu Mingyue nodded, while Feng Jinyao remained silent.
"A'yao, why aren't you speaking?"
"I think Liang Quanbin is testing us. If we accept these gifts, he will feel reassured and go to the Prince to ask for help."
Feng Jinlin was somewhat confused. Few outsiders knew of their relationship.
Unless...
"Because of the private banquet, the Prince deliberately let Liang Quanbin know about it, intending to lure him into seeking help. As for what help he seeks, I suspect it has to do with Huo Chong, who escaped from the Zhu family."
Feng Jinyao's tone was very certain. Upon hearing this, Feng Jinlin's expression turned grim.
Prince Ding's thoughts were the most difficult to fathom. He had been by his side for so long, yet he couldn't always understand his actions.
However, he had thought the private banquet was a sincere invitation from Prince Ding. He hadn't expected him to use this opportunity to lure Liang Quanbin into a trap. This approach was not entirely honorable, and he disliked anyone using any excuse to deceive A'yao.
Therefore, his good impression of him plummeted.
Feng Jinyao, however, was not as pure as him. After all, her own methods in secret were not entirely clean.
Only those who had once dwelled in darkness could understand the necessity of certain methods.
Even if, in the eyes of outsiders, this matter was quite dishonorable.
The Min family. Liang Quanbin indeed went to seek help from Prince Ding, but this time, he brought no gifts.
"Your Highness, as long as Huo Chong is not eliminated, Jinling City will not be peaceful. Look at all the dirty deeds he has done for the Zhu family over the years. Now he is hiding somewhere, waiting to be rescued."
Liang Quanbin had never informed anyone about secretly sending Zhu Hong away, so he assumed Xiao Tingyi was unaware.
Yet, the person before him had already calculated his every step, waiting for him to fall into the trap.
"Lord Liang seems too eager to pursue the Zhu family to the bitter end. The Zhu family is already annihilated, what more do you want?"