“Who?”
In the office, Zhong Shuhui was tending to her wounds when she heard the door open. She turned sharply.
“It’s me.” Li Feng spoke, his eyes fixed on Zhong Shuhui. Her clothes were half undone, revealing her flawless, fair shoulders and even a glimpse of the snowy white at her chest.
Li Feng never expected to witness such a stunning scene. He couldn’t help staring, swallowing hard.
The impact was overwhelming for him. To help Hu Yuanyuan reach the Innate Realm, he had restrained himself, but he was a normal man with physical needs. This was why, despite having Hu Yuanyuan, he pursued Liu Ruyan and Xu Qing, and entangled with Qin Keqing.
Of course, he could easily find women to satisfy his needs at a nightclub, but Li Feng disliked such places.
Seeing Zhong Shuhui like this, his heart stirred.
It wasn’t that he was desperate to make a move on his female subordinate; it was just a natural reaction any man would have to such a sight.
“Ah, Young Master.” Zhong Shuhui exclaimed, quickly turning away to adjust her clothes. “Young Master, please wait a moment.”
“Oh, alright.” Li Feng didn’t move, his gaze locked on her. He didn’t take advantage, though. Being able to feast his eyes without upsetting her was already good enough.
But…
Li Feng glanced downward, thinking to himself: I need to find a woman to resolve this soon, or I’ll go mad.
“Young Master, why are you here so early today?” Zhong Shuhui, now dressed, turned back, her face slightly flushed, avoiding his gaze. She hadn’t expected him to barge in without knocking.
“Oh, I need to discuss something.” Li Feng coughed lightly, looking at her. “Zhong Shuhui, how’s your injury?”
“It’s fine.” Zhong Shuhui’s face reddened further. Li Feng was bringing up the one thing she didn’t want to discuss now.
“Good.” Li Feng sat on the sofa, his expression turning grim. “Sit. There’s something very important I need you to handle.”
“What is it?” Zhong Shuhui sat opposite him, her face serious. She had never seen Li Feng look so grave, momentarily forgetting the earlier awkwardness.
“Someone poisoned me and Hu Yuanyuan.” Li Feng said solemnly.
“What, poisoned?” Zhong Shuhui’s face paled, staring at him in disbelief. “Young Master, someone poisoned you and the Young Mistress?”
“Yes, at the villa.” Li Feng nodded. Though it was a drug, not poison, to him it was the same. He had downplayed it to Hu Yuanyuan to ease her mind, but he didn’t believe there was no poison involved.
“What?” Zhong Shuhui was incredulous. The villa Li Feng lived in was carefully chosen by Mu Chunfeng, a Li Family property. The maids were rigorously vetted. How could someone poison them there?
More shocking was that the attempt was made at the villa, clearly aiming to kill Li Feng and Hu Yuanyuan. Even if the drug wasn’t lethal, it didn’t hide their intent.
Though she was now Li Feng’s subordinate, Zhong Shuhui hadn’t forgotten her ultimate goal of protecting him. To her, being his subordinate and protecting him weren’t at odds. So, this poisoning incident made her take it even more seriously.
“I suspect the villa’s maids are involved.” Li Feng said gravely.
“That’s impossible. Those maids were personally vetted by Madam.” Zhong Shuhui shook her head.
“Nothing’s impossible. Everyone has weaknesses, including those maids. After so long, it’s not impossible they were bought.” Li Feng said. Though he was the master, he knew his status in the villa was low, with even the maids looking down on him. Despite being vetted by Mu Chunfeng, he felt maids who disrespected their master weren’t good. He already lacked goodwill toward them, especially after this poisoning and the Li Wu incident.
“Young Master, rest assured, I’ll get to the bottom of this.” Zhong Shuhui said firmly.
“It won’t be easy to investigate.” Li Feng shook his head. “I’m worried someone might silence them.”
Zhong Shuhui’s expression shifted. She quickly made a few calls, then said to Li Feng, “I hope there’s still time.”
“But Young Master, you can’t stay in that villa. We must arrange for the Black Hawk Squad to continue protecting you.” Zhong Shuhui said solemnly.
“Starting today, we’ll stay at Linghe Garden.” Li Feng nodded, then asked, “Zhong Shuhui, you were in the military before, right?”
Zhong Shuhui nodded. “Yes, ten years ago, my family sent me to the military. I stayed for a few years. Why do you ask, Young Master?”
“I want to form an inner guard.” Li Feng said gravely. The Black Hawk Squad was his sharp blade, but using them to protect his family felt like overkill. Plus, they were all men, making it inconvenient to protect Hu Yuanyuan. If something went wrong, it’d be trouble.
It wasn’t that he distrusted the squad, but some precautions were necessary. Thus, he needed an inner guard, one composed of women.
This idea had formed when he planned to move to Linghe Garden. The poisoning incident made it urgent.
“Inner guard?” Zhong Shuhui was puzzled, but after Li Feng explained, she understood.
“Young Master, how many people for the inner guard?” she asked.
“No more than ten.” Li Feng replied. The inner guard was for protecting his family; the number didn’t need to be large. Ten was the limit, as he couldn’t support more.
“Ten?” Zhong Shuhui frowned, thinking. “Young Master, are you planning to recruit from the military?”
“Yes. Military experts have a foundation, making training easier.” Li Feng nodded. Soldiers were disciplined and manageable. The only concern was loyalty, but that could be addressed.
“It’s doable. I know someone who might help, but she’s in the southwest. It’ll take time for her to come to Tianhai City, and I’m not sure if she’d be willing.” Zhong Shuhui said after some thought.
“No rush.” Li Feng said gravely. Forming an inner guard wasn’t a quick task. He didn’t expect to decide in the morning and finish by afternoon. Unlike the Black Hawk Squad, the inner guard was for protecting his family, so no mistakes could be made.
If the inner guard failed, it would be an unprecedented disaster for Li Feng. Every member had to be carefully selected, rigorously vetted, and their families thoroughly investigated.
“Young Master, for the inner guard, you could start with the family’s outer court.” Zhong Shuhui suggested.
“Outer court?” Li Feng was taken aback. The family’s outer court wasn’t about peripheral members but a place where the family raised orphans, called the outer court. It was a crucial department, adopting orphans nationwide for training. When grown, these orphans became loyal family aides, a vital part of the family’s strength.
Those who made significant contributions were promoted to peripheral members.
Zhong Shuhui herself came from the outer court.
To put it bluntly, centuries ago, the outer court was where the family trained house slaves.
If Zhong Shuhui hadn’t mentioned it, Li Feng might have forgotten this place. Before leaving the outer court, its members were loyal only to the family. After leaving, they were loyal to their assigned master, sharing their fate. Betrayal was rare.
Li Feng had to admit that outer court members were ideal for the inner guard, excelling in both loyalty and ability.
“Yes, the outer court.” Zhong Shuhui nodded. As an outer court alumna, she knew it better than anyone. For them, the most important thing was serving a good master. She was fortunate to serve Mu Chunfeng, becoming her right-hand woman in just a few years, gaining a clear understanding of the Li Family.
If this were the old Li Feng, she wouldn’t have suggested this. But the current Li Feng was vastly different, and she felt serving him might be a good choice.
Moreover, the inner guard was for protecting those close to him. As long as they didn’t err, it was an easy task.
More importantly, the benefits of serving Li Feng were unmatched by other families. Though the past period had been tough, the rewards—vast cultivation resources and a spatial pouch—were immense, far surpassing what she got under Mu Chunfeng. The pouch’s value was immeasurable.
The outer court seemed glamorous, but not for all, especially women. A bad master could reduce them to playthings. Zhong Shuhui was lucky to serve Mu Chunfeng, but others weren’t.
Hearing Li Feng wanted an inner guard, Zhong Shuhui also thought of finding a path for her sisters in the outer court.
But Li Feng’s next words made her face pale dramatically.
