Fengcheng Flying General

Chapter 20

Chapter 46: Exonerating a Heartless and Unfaithful Man (1)

Junyu arrived at the Huanhua Inn and saw Meng Yuanjing standing at the entrance, who had been looking around for some time. Upon seeing Junyu, he immediately rushed over with joy.

Junyu asked, "Where are Lanni and the others?"

Meng Yuanjing looked a little embarrassed: "Something happened at Ailian Manor, so they left a few days ago." Although his aunt said this, he knew that she did not want to see Junyu, so she left ahead of time.

Junyu smiled and said, "Thank you for waiting. Let's set off immediately."

Meng Yuanjing had already packed everything, even Junyu's beloved horse "Xiao Shuai" left at the inn had been thoroughly cleaned. The two immediately set off. Along the way, Meng Yuanjing was in a very low mood. As they were about to leave Chengdu, Meng Yuanjing said in a muffled voice, "Junyu, we will soon be going our separate ways."

Junyu laughed: "Who says we're not on the same path? I'm going to Jiangnan again." He then briefly recounted the negotiations between Lu Ling and Yue Kiln.

Meng Yuanjing had always assumed she would return directly to Phoenix Village, but upon hearing Junyu's words, he was overjoyed. He had been feeling down these past few days, but now that he learned Junyu was going to Jiangnan again, he let out a long sigh of relief, feeling a sense of comfort wash over him and all his melancholy vanished.

Meng Yuanjing was in high spirits, and the two of them rode at high speed, returning much faster than they had come. In less than twenty days, they arrived in Yangzhou.

Meng Yuanjing naturally extended a strong invitation to Junyu to his home, but Junyu, considering the inconvenience, declined his offer, making the excuse that Lu Ling and others were already waiting at the "Lianyi Inn," and promised to visit him another day.

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The gates of "Love Lotus Manor" were tightly shut. Meng Yuanjing knocked on the door for a while before it was finally opened. A maid peeked out and, upon seeing him, her face lit up with joy: "Young Master, please come in quickly."

Meng Yuanjing entered the living room and saw Fang Gege sitting alone in a sandalwood chair, a deep sadness on her face. Meng Yuanjing knew that the relationship between his uncle and aunt over the years hadn't been the idyllic, perfect couple described in the martial arts world. Seeing his aunt like this, he felt a pang of pity and asked softly, "How is Uncle?"

Fang Gege shook her head and said coldly, "Your uncle has gone into seclusion. No matter what happens at home, he won't know."

Meng Yuanjing shook his head: "Is Lan Ni alright?"

“She’s staying indoors now.” Fang Gege’s smile was utterly bleak. “We’ve really let her down after these two scares.” Fang Gege sighed again, her voice weary. “Go and see her.”

Meng Yuanjing walked out of the living room and had just crossed the garden when he suddenly saw a figure emerge from behind a tree. It was Shi Hongni, who smiled and waved to Meng Yuanjing: "Brother, over here."

Shi Hongni stuck out her tongue playfully, looking very distressed: "My sister and mother haven't been talking much lately, and my father is in seclusion. The house is so quiet and I'm about to suffocate."

Where is your sister?

"He stayed in his room, refusing to come out even once. He also refused to see anyone."

Meng Yuanjing went to Shi Lanni's room and knocked on the door. He heard Shi Lanni's cold voice say, "Don't bother me."

Meng Yuanjing shouted, "It's me!"

The room fell silent for a moment, then Shi Lanni asked softly, "Brother, is Young Master Jun out of danger?"

Meng Yuanjing said, "Junyu is fine, don't worry."

The room fell silent again. Meng Yuanjing gave a wry smile and said to Shi Hongni, "You must take good care of your sister. Don't run around."

Shi Hongni pouted, her eyebrows furrowing: "I really don't know how long this will last. By the way, Brother Wang Jun's family sent an invitation. There's a lotus flower festival in two days. Are you going?"

Meng Yuanjing nodded, and Shi Hongni made a face with great joy, "I want to go too." Meng Yuanjing wanted to stop her, but thinking of how young she was, how much her family had gone through, and how depressed and dull her life must be, he couldn't bear it and could only nod.

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When Junyu arrived at the "Ripples Inn," Mo Feiyan, Lu Ling, and Bai Ruhui, along with several brothers, greeted him. Mo Feiyan was stationed at Phoenix Village to assist Zhao Manqing in managing the village's affairs. Her rare business trips were limited to trade in salt and tea from the northern provinces.

Upon seeing her, Junyu was overjoyed and exclaimed, "Feiyan, what brings you here?"

Mo Feiyan smiled and said, "Have you forgotten that I'm from Jiangnan? I grew up near the Yue kiln. Brother Lu asked me to come along and check out the quality, so I shamelessly came to pretend to be an expert."

This transaction with Yue ware involved a massive quantity, amounting to 200,000 pieces of porcelain. Yue ware has been a top-grade tribute item since ancient times. After Phoenix Village traded tea with a group of powerful Persian merchants, these merchants placed an order to purchase a batch of Yue ware for export by sea to Iran, the Persian Gulf, and other regions.

This was the first time the Eight Great Yue Kilns had done business with Phoenix Village. Due to the huge order size and serious disagreements over the delivery method, a contract could not be signed for a long time. During the stalemate, they had sent people to inquire about Phoenix Village's background. The Eight Great Alliance had already made up their minds, and now that Junyu had come in person, they had no objections. Although they thought the delivery method was a bit difficult, they agreed to the conditions proposed by Phoenix Village. The two sides quickly reached an agreement and concluded the contract.

A batch of porcelain was being fired that day, and everyone was amazed, witnessing the production of such exquisite porcelain for the first time. They returned to the inn at dusk.

Upon reaching the second-floor guest rooms, they saw eight soldiers standing outside Junyu's room, along with numerous chests and boxes. The group was somewhat surprised by this sight. At that moment, two military officers emerged from the next room. Upon seeing Junyu, one of them immediately greeted him with a loud laugh: "Young Master Jun, hello!"

This person was none other than Suhecha, a general in Tang Zhen's army, who had met Junyu once before.

Chapter 47: Exonerating a Heartless and Unfaithful Man (2)

Junyu returned the greeting and said, "General Su, it's been a long time. What brings you here?"

"Nothing, nothing, just catching up."

Junyu glanced at the trunks and boxes beside him and knew that Suhecha's visit was not purely for "reminiscing." Sure enough, Suhecha immediately said, "Marshal Tang has learned of your journey south and has prepared wine and food at his residence. He would be honored to have you come tomorrow."

Tang Zhen was a favorite of Prime Minister Zhu's faction, and after the peace negotiations at the beginning of the year, he was even given the title of "Grand Marshal of Might".

Jun Yu solemnly said, "I am just a country bumpkin and dare not disturb Marshal Tang's family banquet. Please forgive me." She looked at the boxes and trunks and said, "I have not done anything to deserve this. I will trouble General Su to return these things to their rightful owners."

Seeing her resolute attitude, Sukhcha knew he couldn't persuade her any further. He waved his hand, and the soldiers carried the crates and quickly went downstairs.

Just after everyone had finished dinner, someone downstairs reported that a visitor had arrived, saying that Wang Jun was coming to visit.

Wang Jun sat down and took out an invitation, inviting Junyu to "Louju" to admire the lotus flowers. The lotus flowers of "Louju" and the plum blossoms of "Ailian Villa" are known as the two most beautiful sights in Jiangnan, both extremely famous. It was early July, the perfect season for the lotus flowers to bloom. Every year during these days, the Wang family would open their gardens wide, inviting relatives, friends, and prominent families from Jiangnan to come and enjoy the flowers.

Junyu smiled and said, "I will come to visit Brother Wang's family for this grand event, no matter how busy I am. However, since the goods we ordered from Yue Kiln will ultimately be shipped by sea, the first batch of goods has already set sail. I need to go to the port tomorrow to confirm the relevant matters, so I may be a little late."

"Okay, I'll wait for you to get better."

The famous lotus pond of the Wang family covers a full 100 acres and is surrounded by towering trees. A vermilion railing was built on the east side, and from a distance, it truly looks like "lotus leaves covering the sky, an endless expanse of green, and lotus flowers reflecting the sun, a uniquely red hue".

Tourists from a more distant area began arriving five days ago, and starting this morning, old friends from the nearby suburbs have also begun to arrive.

It was nearly noon, and Wang Jun had been looking around the gate several times, but still hadn't seen Junyu. Meng Yuanjing had also arrived early and had been chatting with his old friends for a while. Seeing Wang Jun like this, he couldn't help but ask, "Wang Jun, what are you doing? Junyu is a man of his word; he'll definitely come if he says he will."

Before Wang Jun could answer, a burst of laughter suddenly came from outside. Meng Yuanjing frowned; the arrogant person who had come in was none other than Zhu Yu. Wang Jun was taken aback when he first saw this uninvited guest. Zhu Yu, however, didn't seem to care and swaggered straight in, completely disregarding everyone else.

At this moment, the sun was setting and the wind was beginning to cool. Suddenly, a young man in a blue robe walked across the small stone bridge where the lotus pond and pine forest met.

Meng Yuanjing smiled and called out "Junyu". In an instant, countless women suddenly emerged from the woods and roads around the lotus pond. It seemed that in addition to the beauties from Jiangnan who came to admire the flowers, even the women from the four major families had come.

It turned out that these famous ladies from Jiangnan learned of the great name of "Flying Marshal of Fengcheng" from Shi Hongni, who loved to travel. His fame quickly spread throughout the women's quarters of Jiangnan. As a result, women from all over the country flocked to the Wang family's lotus flower festival, just to catch a glimpse of the "true face" of this legendary "Flying Marshal of Fengcheng".

Meng Yuanjing was stunned by the sight of such a gathering, while Wang Jun was even more surprised to find that his family's flower appreciation party had attracted so many beautiful women. Since he could remember, the flower party at "Humble Abode" had never had so many women. Looking around, he was surprised to find that his mother and grandmother had also come. In his surprise, he even forgot to go and greet Junyu.

Over the years, Junyu had become accustomed to such scenes and paid no attention to them. He smiled and looked at the groups of women. After walking a dozen steps, he suddenly saw an elderly woman with gray hair and several older women on the left side of the road. He couldn't help but stop and bow deeply to these older women.

Although the old woman's hair was gray, she was very energetic and laughed loudly, "Riding a horse and leaning against a slanting bridge, with red sleeves beckoning from all over the building, I never dreamed that there would be such a divine young man in the world."

Wang Jun stepped forward, nodded respectfully, and turned his gaze to Junyu: "These are my grandmother and mother..."

Junyu greeted the older women, then looked up to find herself surrounded by girls. She smiled slightly, and her gaze fell upon the girls, some blushing, some lowering their heads to giggle, and others huddled together in small groups, whispering amongst themselves.

A bold little girl stepped forward, handed over the flowers in her hand, and said timidly, "Brother, here you go."

Although Junyu had been dressed as a boy for many years, this was the first time he had ever heard someone call him "brother," and he couldn't help but laugh. He accepted the flowers and gently patted the little girl's face with a smile. Seeing this, the other girls threw their flowers at him, showering Junyu with them.

Junyu, along with Meng Yuanjing, Wang Jun, and others, finally made their way through the crowds to the exquisite lotus pavilion specially built for admiring the lotus blossoms. As soon as they sat down, a girl in red rushed over. She looked charming and innocent; it was Shi Hongni.

Seeing that she was alone and Shi Lanni was nowhere to be seen, Junyu sighed inwardly and whispered, "How is your sister?"

Shi Hongni pouted, looking like she was about to cry, "My sister misses you a lot, but she doesn't want to go out."

Before Junyu could answer, a loud, arrogant laugh rang out. It was Zhu Yu. He didn't greet anyone, but simply glanced coldly at Junyu, his smile still cold and mocking: "You've come here to feign elegance and celebrate that you didn't die in Shu?"

Shi Hongni glared at him resentfully. Since Shi Lanni had been home, Zhu Yu had never visited her. She knew her sister was waiting for this man, but he acted as if nothing was wrong, clearly having forgotten all about her.

Zhu Yu seemed completely oblivious to everyone else. Shi Hongni angrily pulled Meng Yuanjing, saying, "Brother, I hate this place. Let's go over there."

Meng Yuanjing looked at Junyu, and Junyu nodded.

Wang Jun was furious, but he couldn't do whatever he wanted, so he had no choice but to let him be. The others were also quite bored, and in the blink of an eye, only Junyu and Zhu Yu remained in the lotus pavilion.

Zhu Yu gave her a few cold looks and suddenly said, "I hate people like you the most. Anyone who is incompetent will involuntarily pale in comparison when they are in front of you. Sometimes, I really don't want to see you."

Junyu gave a wry smile: "Seeing Young Master Zhu is never a pleasant experience."

She watched Shi Hongni's resentful figure disappear into the distance and sighed, "Zhu Yu, you should at least go and see Lan Ni."

"Ha!" Zhu Yu chuckled strangely. "Young Master Jun has a heart that cherishes beautiful women, but I, Zhu Yu, never have a crush on just one flower."

Junyu said in a deep voice, "No matter what, she traveled with you in Sichuan. Don't you bear any responsibility?"

"Why should I answer your question?" Zhu Yu rolled her eyes. "If you like her, I can give her to you."

In that instant, Junyu felt that the person in front of her was just as inexplicably annoying as he was when he was a child. If Zhu Yu could be forgiven for his pranks when he was young, this man was simply detestable.

Although that fleeting look of disgust was clearly seen by Zhu Yu, he sneered resentfully, "My father, Fang Gege, aren't they all your mother's greatest enemies? Yet you still hold a grudge after rescuing your enemies... Don't you know how much I find your saintly act repulsive..."

Junyu interrupted, "You and Shi Lanni are not my enemies. My mother has long since passed away, and all the past events have long since vanished."

Zhu Yu paused for a long while before sneering, "Do you know that your condescending attitude often drives me crazy?"

Junyu fell silent.

Zhu Yu smiled with a hint of sarcasm: "Look at you, just like that. The famous Flying General of Fengcheng, the Phoenix Village Chief whose word is as good as gold, the dream lover of women all over the world, willing to lend a helping hand to anyone without any reason, 'I'd rather the world betray me than I betray the world'—you're no longer human, you know that? You disgust me more than Meng Yuanjing. I often wonder if such an idol of ten thousand people will one day collapse..."

Junyu also sneered: "But are your accusations against me enough to excuse your heartlessness and infidelity?"

"Women are like clothes, but who can blame them for being so persistent?"

Junyu said sternly, "Does that mean you can trample on and humiliate them at will just because they are infatuated with you?"

Zhu Yu was speechless for a moment, finding himself unable to respond. He let out a few cold laughs, then turned and left.

Chapter 48: The Eldest Young Master's Obsessive Love

Because of this argument, Zhu Yu felt very upset and returned home alone. Zhu Yu's hometown was Yangzhou, but his family all lived in the Prime Minister's Mansion in the capital, while his old home in Yangzhou was only guarded by a house full of maids and servants.

Upon seeing Zhu Yu return, the old steward quickly reported, "Young Master, Zhu Sanhuai has been waiting for a long time."

Zhu Sanhuai was one of Prime Minister Zhu's personal guards. When Zhu Yu saw him, he knew that his father had something to tell him. Sure enough, Zhu Sanhuai said, "The Prime Minister instructed the young master to return to the capital as soon as possible, as there are important matters to discuss."

"What's the matter?" Zhu Yu asked coldly.

Zhu Sanhuai said with his hands at his sides, "The Prime Minister has received a secret report that the Seventh Prince intends to win over the generals of the six northern provinces, and Junyu is his main target. The Prime Minister is very worried about this and wants the Second Young Master to return to the capital immediately to discuss countermeasures."

Zhu Yu sneered: "What countermeasures are you going to discuss? Do you think you can do anything to Junyu?"

Zhu Sanhuai dared not say more, but heard a very stern voice behind him: "Junyu is naturally not easy to deal with, so we need your help this time."