Chapter 231: Harmony Tower’s Specialty Beauty Banquet
“Second Brother!!”
Zhang De looked at his younger brother, who had been carried before him. The man was in an incomparably miserable state.
He roared in hysterical fury.
“What happened to your arm? Who did this? I’ll kill him!”
Rage surged wildly in his heart.
Someone had reduced his own younger brother to this state. Zhang Fen was practically crippled, yet the culprit had still dared to send him over so arrogantly.
Too hateful!
This was a provocation. This was humiliation. More than that, it was a feud of life and death!
Zhang De looked toward the Jinyiwei who had brought Zhang Fen over and forced several words through his clenched teeth with a ferocious expression.
“Tell me! Who did this?”
The Jinyiwei shrank back timidly. Their already shattered courage began trembling again as they stammered,
“It was Cheng Yu... Lord Assistant Commissioner Cheng told us to send the Second Master here...”
Cheng Yu!
Why was it him again?
The moment Zhang De heard that name, the rage in his heart immediately froze by half.
If someone else had done this, he would have reclaimed his dignity no matter what and taken proper revenge.
But the one he was facing was Cheng Yu. For no reason at all, panic rose in his heart.
That man was a true madman!
The last time he went berserk, he had first set up the Lu Family, then killed both Duke Dingguo and the avatar of Blood Owl under Prince Chu.
Who dared provoke him?
With even the slightest carelessness, one might end up playing with fire and burning oneself!
At the very least, according to Elder Grand Secretary Qi’s instructions, Zhang De did not plan to provoke Cheng Yu in the short term.
In any case, members of the Jianghu had already come to seek trouble with Cheng Yu. People like them only needed to watch the show.
As he recalled all these reasons, Zhang De tried his utmost to calm himself down and keep from getting too angry.
Yet he found that he simply could not do it!
This was too much bullying!
His younger brother Zhang Fen had been reduced to such a state. As the elder brother, how could he turn a blind eye?
At the very least, he could not show any reaction at all.
He could not let Cheng Yu continue being so arrogant!
“Go and make Cheng Yu give an explanation. Why did he attack my second brother without cause? If he cannot give me a satisfactory explanation, then I will...”
Zhang De’s words caught in his throat. His expression shifted between gloom and uncertainty.
“I will bring this before His Majesty!”
He could not directly attack Cheng Yu in revenge.
But that did not mean he had absolutely no way to deal with Cheng Yu. Severely injuring a colleague inside the Command Office was an unforgivable felony!
At best, one would be dismissed and investigated. At worst, one could even be beheaded.
Even if Xiao Wuji favored Cheng Yu, he could not forcibly go against rules written plainly in black and white.
No one needed a disobedient dog!
“My lord, it was... it was the Second Master who...”
When the Jinyiwei heard Zhang De’s question, they stammered and could not answer properly.
“Speak quickly if you have something to say! Could Cheng Yu possibly have been justified in injuring someone?”
“In the Martial Practice Ground, our men were sparring with Cheng Yu’s men. Our side lost, and the Second Master suddenly attacked. Then... then Cheng Yu arrived...”
The moment Zhang De heard this, the rage in his heart was instantly doused by a bucket of cold water. His eyes widened as he looked toward his younger brother, who lay unconscious and severely injured beside him.
It had been a sparring match between colleagues.
Zhang Fen had used his seniority to bully the weak?
Then there was absolutely no way to argue this matter. Even if it was brought before the Emperor, Zhang Fen would only be the one at fault.
He had used his seniority to bully someone weaker and ended up provoking someone he could not afford to provoke.
Not only had he harmed himself, he might even drag others down with him.
If that was not a useless fool, what was?
Nameless anger rose in Zhang De’s heart, and he suddenly felt that the unconscious Zhang Fen seemed far less pitiful.
Just then, after basic bandaging and treatment to stop the bleeding, Zhang Fen’s injuries had largely stabilized.
His fingers moved slightly, and he slowly opened his eyes.
“Big Brother...”
Zhang De looked at his younger brother in this state, feeling incomparably conflicted. After all, they were brothers of the same family. He could neither scold him nor leave him unscolded.
In the end, he could only comfort himself inwardly.
His second brother had just lost the chance to become Deputy Commander, so it was normal for his state of mind to have problems.
He asked curiously, “Second Brother, why did you attack Cheng Yu’s men at the time?”
The moment Zhang Fen heard this question, his originally somewhat dazed eyes immediately brightened.
“Big Brother, that fellow Cheng Yu has a secret! The Jinyiwei under him increased their Vital Blood greatly in just a few days. This matter is extraordinary!”
So what if it was extraordinary?
The smile on Zhang De’s face weakened somewhat. This second brother of his was full of clever ideas, but he simply could not understand the larger situation.
Even if Cheng Yu had secrets, were those secrets something they could covet?
Elder Grand Secretary Qi had ordered them not to make any moves for the time being!
“Second Brother, stop talking.”
Zhang Fen failed to notice his elder brother’s expression. Ignoring the attempt to stop him, he continued excitedly,
“That secret is the confidence Cheng Yu relies on to dare gather subordinates and build his own faction. If we brothers can seize it for Elder Grand Secretary Qi and the others, it will definitely be a great merit!”
Seize it, my foot!
Zhang De cursed inwardly. Cheng Yu was just waiting for them to deliver themselves to his door!
He was already somewhat displeased. He even reached out to cover Zhang Fen’s mouth. The more he listened, the more vexed he became.
Zhang Fen, however, was a man brave enough to express himself.
He pushed away his elder brother’s hand and continued chattering with animated excitement.
“Big Brother, we absolutely cannot miss this chance. If we allow Cheng Yu’s faction to grow, you and I will never have another chance...”
Before he could finish speaking, a surge of deep, powerful Internal Energy suddenly rippled from Zhang De’s palm, and the pressure of a Ninth Rank martial artist erupted.
Zhang Fen’s head trembled at once. His eyes rolled upward, and he fainted again.
“Second Brother, you really do put Big Brother more at ease when you’re unconscious.”
Zhang De shook his head helplessly, clasped his hands behind his back, and slowly walked away.
His second brother was too impatient!
No matter how strong Cheng Yu was personally, and no matter how arrogantly he could act toward them, at the end of the day, he was still nothing more than an isolated brat without backing.
When he truly encountered major trouble, the disasters he had provoked and the enemies he had made would surge out madly and drown him.
Why should the two brothers hurry for a single moment?
Could it be that if they did not target Cheng Yu to the end today, he would be able to grow wildly by tomorrow, then go looking for trouble with Elder Grand Secretary Qi and those people, and by the day after, kick them to death with one foot?
That was simply a dream!
Cheng Yu should first deal with the trouble he was about to face. The people from the Army-Breaking Sect had already arrived in the Great Qian Capital and were determined to fight Cheng Yu to the death...
Night fell.
Beside the Qian River.
The most prosperous district of the Great Qian Capital was bright with splendid lights. Pedestrians flowed endlessly back and forth. Shops and restaurants had been built along the river one after another, like jewels adorning brocade. Among them, one exquisite and towering restaurant stood above the rest, becoming the most beautiful pearl.
Harmony Tower.
Inside the largest and most luxurious restaurant in the Great Qian Capital, Xiao Qi, Su Wei, and the others raised their cups to Cheng Yu one after another.
“Today, we truly vented our anger. We must properly thank Lord Cheng!”
“Thank you, my lord, for nurturing and looking after us!”
Cheng Yu nodded and accepted their gratitude. These subordinates were all quite good. In the future, they might very well become the key to his plans for the entire Great Qian Jinyiwei.
After several rounds of wine, Su Wei secretly nudged Xiao Qi.
“Did you notice? Although my lord is tyrannical toward those people, he is completely different toward subordinates like us.”
Xiao Qi nodded. His respect for Cheng Yu grew even deeper.
He was powerful enough and clearly distinguished between love and hatred. What kind of perfect superior was this?
Just then, the restaurant’s manager entered their private room and smilingly bowed to Cheng Yu, who sat in the seat of honor.
“This lord is visiting our Harmony Tower for the first time. Are you satisfied with the wine and dishes?”
“They’re not bad.”
The manager’s smile grew even brighter.
“As long as my lord is satisfied. In addition, I would also like to recommend our establishment’s signature specialty—the Beauty Banquet!”