After turning off the TV and looking at Li Bingjie, who was already dozing off in his arms, Xu Zhengyang sighed, closed his eyes, and entered the City God's Mansion.
Li Haidong and his group of ghost messengers, under Xu Zhengyang's command, entered the City God's Mansion to receive the latest mission from Lord Xu Zhengyang.
City God Temples have been established in Shijiazhuang, Anping, and Fuhe cities, the provincial capital of Hedong Province, as well as in the capital city. Li Haidong is in charge of the daily affairs, focusing on carrying out the work of the City God Temples in Anping, Shijiazhuang, and the capital city.
Our goal is to punish evil and promote good, so that the people will gradually understand the saying: "There are gods watching over us!"
Thus, they draw upon more power of faith.
Of course, Xu Zhengyang would not explicitly tell Li Haidong and the ghost messengers about drawing on faith power. Moreover, Xu Zhengyang emphasized that there was no need to rearrange too many ghost messengers in each place; it was advisable to arrange three to five ghost messengers, who could capture ghosts on the spot for use when necessary.
Volume 5, Spirit Official, Chapter 267: It is necessary to let some people know.
That night, Xu Zhengyang's consciousness left his body, and with his own strength, he raised the city scroll to resist the heavenly tribulation. Ordinary people naturally couldn't see the truth. However, the ghost guards protecting the Xu family's residence and ensuring their safety saw everything clearly.
Well, it really terrified the ghost messengers of the City God's Mansion. They were all dumbfounded and trembling with fear.
Which great deity is our City God fighting with?
It seems... the City God has won.
In the minds of all the ghost messengers, especially Li Haidong, the final outcome of this scene was, of course, that Xu Zhengyang had won.
Because from the moment Xu Zhengyang's divine sense suddenly leaped into the sky, holding the city scroll, he clashed head-on with the bright and dazzling strike that flew from the sky. After a full three minutes and fifty-four seconds, the lightning bolt carrying immense power quietly disappeared, and the City God Xu Zhengyang, dressed in a green robe, descended slowly from the night sky, bathed in starlight and moonlight, his soul returning to his body.
How majestic and awe-inspiring!
Yes. Xu Zhengyang was deliberately forcing himself to maintain a completely unharmed appearance despite his severely damaged consciousness.
It was done for no other reason than to impress these ghost messengers.
He didn't want the ghost messengers, especially cunning old foxes like Li Haidong, to discover any secrets that were not easily known to others. Although they couldn't do anything to Xu Zhengyang even if they knew, it was a matter of face, a matter of prestige, and very important.
Seven days after their marriage, Xu Zhengyang and Li Bingjie went to Beijing together.
Jiang Lan and her group naturally accompanied them. To Xu Zhengyang's surprise, Chen Chaojiang was going to go with Ye Wan this time.
In fact, the Ye family arrived in Beijing in the early hours of the day Xu Zhengyang and Li Bingjie held their wedding. Unfortunately, due to the Li family's firm stance, they were unable to forcibly drag Ye Wan away from the wedding.
When Jiang Lan learned that the Ye family had arrived in the capital and asked if Ye Wan was at their home, she guessed something and immediately contacted Li Ruiyu.
Li Ruiyu immediately realized the seriousness of the situation. He knew that if the Ye family appeared at the wedding, their aggressive and unrestrained words and actions would provoke Xu Zhengyang's fury. The entire Ye family could potentially be killed on the spot.
Therefore, Li Ruiyu unusually showed an extremely tough attitude towards the Ye family.
This has never happened before.
Of course, the Ye family could understand that Li Ruiyu's concern stemmed mostly from his daughter. They had no idea that Li Ruiyu was genuinely concerned for their safety and also wanted to prevent any major upheavals. However, precisely because of this, the already strained relationship between the Ye and Li families after Old Master Li's passing began to fracture again.
Coincidentally, on the day of Xu Zhengyang and Li Bingjie's wedding, Ye Rongchen needed to attend a meeting in Beijing—a very important meeting.
In the past, when Ye Rongchen was in the capital, he would definitely spend a lot of time sitting, talking and catching up with Li Ruiyu.
However, aside from exchanging greetings during the meeting and discussing some work-related issues afterward, there was virtually no time for meaningful conversation to foster a closer relationship. Just as Ye Rongchen was preparing to leave Beijing, he received an invitation personally delivered by Li Ruiyu, inviting him to his daughter's wedding banquet.
Ye Rongchen naturally couldn't refuse, so he smiled and agreed.
Jiang Lan, after receiving a phone call from her husband Li Ruiyu, personally comforted Ye Wan, which led Ye Wan to call her father and promise to go to Beijing.
Ye Rongchen had always been extremely strict in disciplining his children, but he rarely interfered in their romantic relationships. This wasn't because he didn't care, but simply because of his personality; he had never considered political marriages. Therefore, he didn't concern himself with his children's marriages. Besides, with his wife's personality, there was no need for him to manage them, and naturally, no special situations would arise.
Clearly, although he hadn't expressed his opinion on Ye Wan and Chen Chaojiang's situation, he was dissatisfied, but he didn't go to extremes. Unfortunately, his busy work schedule and his strict fatherly image meant that his children rarely had the opportunity to discuss personal matters with him.
This time, coinciding with Li Ruiyu's daughter's wedding, and with the Li family's new son-in-law having a particularly special background, Ye Rongchen couldn't help but feel curious. He wanted to see what was so special about this rumored country bumpkin young man that could attract the attention of a powerful family like the Li family. At the same time, Ye Rongchen also thought of his own daughter, and the man she was dating seemed to be friends with the Li family's son-in-law; both were country bumpkin youths from the same village.
That's strange. In that rural village of Fuhe City, the southernmost part of Hedong Province, smoke was rising from the ancestral graves?
It's amazing that two such outstanding young people could appear at the same time.
Yes, Ye Rongchen did indeed use the word "outstanding" to describe Xu Zhengyang and Chen Chaojiang. In his view, even without knowing them personally, the fact that these young people were favored by the Li family and his daughter, and that they dared to continue their relationship without fear of the power of the Li and Ye families, was enough to prove something.
So Ye Rongchen said to his daughter, "Bring that young man here, I want to meet him."
Ye Wan agreed without any hesitation.
Ye Wan, who is stubborn by nature, dared to risk the disapproval of her whole family and take the initiative to confront Chen Chaojiang, a cold bone in her heart. She had naturally made all the worst preparations, so what was there to fear?
Hmm, only someone like Chen Chaojiang would dare to do that!
...
Contrary to Xu Zhengyang's expectations, this wedding banquet in Beijing was nothing like the low-key and extravagant atmosphere of the previous engagement banquet; instead, it was extremely grand.
The wedding banquet was held in the banquet hall of Building 2 of the Yutai State Guesthouse in Yuanyutan, Dianhai District.
This alone shows that the Li family's attitude towards this wedding banquet was far from ordinary. Similarly, it has led many to ponder the deeper meaning behind it.
Yes, Li Ruiyu and Li Ruiqing made this decision after much deliberation. Especially at this crucial moment, it's essential to project a certain image beneath the surface. They need to make it clear to everyone that the Li family highly values their new son-in-law, Xu Zhengyang. Similarly, it's understandable that Xu Zhengyang discovered the surveillance agents you placed a few days ago and held a high-profile banquet to express his support.
In addition, Li Ruiyu had another idea: after this high-profile wedding banquet, he wanted to inform a few people about Xu Zhengyang's unique and extraordinary identity.
This includes Ye Rongchen.
Li Ruiyu believed that Xu Zhengyang's identity would make these faction members, who were extremely important to the Li family, understand that the Li family still possessed absolute strength even without Old Master Li.
This strength... that's the new son-in-law, Xu Zhengyang!
Admittedly, Xu Zhengyang does not possess the unparalleled prestige of Elder Li, which commands respect and prevents any rash actions from the parties involved; Xu Zhengyang also lacks fame, the only fame he has gained in recent times is due to his status as the son-in-law of the Li family, which has attracted attention from various parties.
However, once his identity is known, the psychological pressure he brings will be an even stronger peak than when Li Lao was alive.
Xu Zhengyang naturally couldn't understand, nor did he care to know, the intricacies of the thoughts of these high-ranking figures.
From Xu Zhengyang's perspective, it's like, "You can do whatever you want, it's none of my business. I'm only thinking about marrying my wife, being happy, and living a comfortable life..."
We won't go into the details of the wedding banquet day.
Anyway, these kinds of wedding banquets are pretty meaningless. The scale of the event is definitely grand; the atmosphere is certainly lively; and the guests are undoubtedly extremely distinguished. However… in Xu Zhengyang's words, they are all two-faced, smiling while hiding daggers, and harboring ulterior motives.
There were few sincere blessings, but quite a few people secretly envied, disdained, and grumbled.
I forgot to mention that Xu Neng and Yuan Suqin, who had originally planned to attend the wedding banquet together, immediately shook their heads and said they wouldn't go when they learned that the banquet was being held at the Yutai State Guesthouse in Beijing. They told the others to attend and to remember to come home early... No one could persuade them otherwise.
Little did they know that nowadays, as long as you have money, you can hold a banquet there and even stay for ten days or half a month without any problem. In the minds of these two typical rural couples, that place was definitely not a place for them. Moreover, since the wedding banquet was being held there, and given the status of the in-laws, it was obvious what kind of guests were going.
Firstly, the thought of it made them shudder, and secondly, they didn't want to embarrass their son, daughter-in-law, and in-laws.
Hmm. I can understand.
When the wedding banquet was held, Chen Chaojiang and Ye Wan naturally attended and met Ye Rongchen, but they only greeted each other and nodded, and did not talk in detail.
According to Ye Rongchen, the young man is good-looking and quite energetic. He suggested that Ye Rongchen take some time to talk to him tonight.
Ye Wan was overjoyed...
Chen Chaojiang said he was under a lot of pressure.
Even with a heart as hard as iron and steel, even if he were not afraid of mountains of knives and seas of fire, as a typical country bumpkin, when he met a military bigwig who held military power, the imposing aura of a superior that emanated from him without anger made Chen Chaojiang feel uneasy.
Let alone Chen Chaojiang, even an ordinary municipal party secretary would probably feel flustered if Ye Rongchen said, "Let's find some time to talk tonight."
After the wedding banquet, Li Ruiyu invited Ye Rongchen to sit and chat in an elegant reception room at the hotel.
At the same time, Li Ruiqing also invited two high-ranking political figures to another leisure venue to have a cup of coffee and listen to music.
Chen Chaojiang and Ye Wan, along with Xu Zhengyang and Li Bingjie, visited the "Bidan Garden," a garden within the hotel, under the arrangement of a specialist.
The garden features a winding bridge around a pond, pavilions, and secluded paths and corridors, possessing both the charm of a classical garden and a harmonious and spacious atmosphere.
Wandering through the area, Xu Zhengyang couldn't help but marvel at the beauty that existed in the mortal realm, rivaling even the celestial world.
Chen Chaojiang, on the other hand, was worried about what Ye Wan's father would say to him tonight.
Unbeknownst to them, Li Bingjie's father was discussing with Ye Wan's father a piece of news that, if made public, would shock the world...
Volume 5, Spirit Official, Chapter 268: Because he is a god!
The room is bright and airy. The layout is elegant and clean; through the bright floor-to-ceiling windows, one can see evergreen trees and grass, rockeries and streams, pavilions and towers outside.
It is a pleasure to look at when you are indoors.
Inside the room were two generals, one from the south and one from the north. One held the key northern capital, while the other controlled the important Jiangjing region in the south.
Now that Elder Li has passed away, these two are the actual leaders of the Li and Ye families, and their words carry weight that no one can underestimate.
In the past, the relationship between these two families was known to be extremely close; they shared both prosperity and adversity.
In the midst of the massive undercurrents following Old Master Li's passing, both families joined forces to emerge victorious in the struggle, securing their own power and status and solidifying their close relationship. This was simply because Old Master Li's lingering influence still existed, and all factions were wary of him.
Times have changed. Without that old man who seemed to stand by and watch, yet secretly manipulated events, maintaining that delicate balance between different factions, how could power struggles not arise? After all… conflict exists in every aspect of life at all times.
Those who can balance and reconcile the contradictions of all parties need not only absolute power, but also prestige and wisdom that surpasses that of ordinary people. Throughout history, very few have been able to do so.
To use an old, perhaps outdated, saying, "A new emperor brings a new court," this is exactly the case.
Therefore, since Old Master Li's passing, the Li family seems to have gradually become an entity that cannot get along with any of the various forces over the past two years. Not only that, even the highest-ranking figures are absolutely wary of the Li family, and the selfless decisions made by Old Master Li when he was alive have led to the Li family's current predicament.
Mr. Li believed that although his two sons and sons-in-law were highly capable individuals, their abilities were ultimately limited and insufficient to secure the highest positions. He wasn't incapable of elevating them to these positions, but he knew that doing so would hinder the development of the entire nation.
Who wouldn't admire and be grateful for Mr. Li's selflessness?
However, gratitude and admiration are one thing, while guarding against the open and covert struggles for power are quite another.
As the saying goes, one should always be cautious. Who doesn't have their own ulterior motives? Even if one wants to do something selfless and devoted to the people and the country, one must first have absolute power and prestige to implement major policies without being constrained, right?
Therefore, with the tacit approval of the higher-ups, or even a plan of feigned action while secretly plotting against each other, the Li family has truly become... a target of public criticism.
Well, that's a bit of an exaggeration, but it's also quite apt.
Now, the two powerful figures inside the room are chatting idly, each with their own hidden agendas and insincere words, reminiscing about everyday matters.
Then, Li Ruiyu lit a cigarette, took two puffs, and said casually:
"Having lived in Jiangnan for so many years, have you never thought about moving up a rank?"
"It would be a lie to say I haven't thought about it." Ye Rongchen smiled, took a deep drag on his cigarette, and said, "It's too complicated here. I'm a rough man and I don't want to get involved in this mess. I'd rather stay over there. Besides... the situation is very tense right now. The other side has been unstable for the past two years. If they change the person in charge, I'm worried they won't be able to stay put!"
The topic quickly veered into national affairs.
Li Ruiyu, of course, understood that Ye Rongchen's words were not unfounded. The tense situation across the Taiwan Strait in recent years was well known to countries around the world, who were all watching the developments on this side with wide eyes, fearing that a drastic change might occur and become uncontrollable.
In fact, these high-level factions all secretly affirmed one bottom line: no matter how fiercely their own brothers fought each other, if a major change really occurred, they would immediately put aside their differences and unite to fight against a common enemy.
"Let's not talk about that anymore. Let's chat about something light today." Li Ruiyu waved his hand and said, "What do you think of me as a son-in-law, brother?"
Ye Rongchen laughed and said, "Even Old Li was quite fond of him back then, how could he be wrong? Haha!"
"Brother, don't you want to know why our family would choose such an unremarkable country bumpkin as a son-in-law?" Li Ruiyu asked directly, with a smile on his face.