When Ye Qiu opened the door, half an hour had already passed. As for what he and the God of War discussed in the room, no one knew.
Tang Fei and Long Ye were guarding the door.
“The chief wants you two to come in,” Ye Qiu said to them.
Tang Fei and Long Ye immediately entered the room.
“Chief, you called for us?” Tang Fei asked.
The God of War nodded and said, “After dawn, Ye Qiu will go to the Bai family. You two will accompany him. As for what you might face, I’m sure you already have an idea. I only have one request: you must ensure Ye Qiu’s safety.”
“Yes, sir!”
Tang Fei and Long Ye responded in unison.
“No matter what Ye Qiu does, you must support him unconditionally. Even if he tears the sky apart, don’t be afraid. I will stand behind you.” The God of War’s voice was soft, but it carried an overwhelming sense of authority.
Tang Fei was surprised. From the God of War’s words, it seemed like he was hinting that they should cause a scene at the Bai family.
Why would the God of War want that?
What if Ye Qiu, in a fit of rage, ended up killing Bai Yujing or Pei Jie?
Just as Tang Fei was thinking this, the God of War added, “Of course, we live in a society governed by law, and the capital is under the watchful eye of the emperor. So, you can’t just kill people at will.”
“Moreover, you’re all adults. You must act with discretion.”
“What should and shouldn’t be done—I trust you all understand. I don’t need to say more, do I?”
The God of War’s gaze was stern as it swept over Ye Qiu, Tang Fei, and Long Ye.
“Chief, don’t worry. We won’t act recklessly,” Tang Fei said.
“Good,” the God of War nodded slightly. “Tang Fei, arrange a room for Ye Qiu. Let him stay at the base tonight.”
Tang Fei said, “Chief, the base’s conditions are quite modest. How about I take Ye Qiu to my home? My grandfather has been talking about Ye Qiu and wants to have a drink with him.”
“Is that so?” The God of War’s eyes suddenly turned sharp, like swords piercing Tang Fei’s heart.
Instantly, Tang Fei felt a pang of panic and quickly averted his gaze.
“Drinking is a trivial matter. There’s no rush.”
“As for the base’s modest conditions, Ye Qiu is a soldier. I don’t think he’ll mind.”
“Besides, in the entire capital, aside from the residences of the highest leaders, is there any place safer than here?”
The God of War then reprimanded, “Tang Fei, a true man should stand tall and upright. No matter the situation, never think of doing anything underhanded. I hope you remember this.”
Tang Fei’s face flushed. He hadn’t expected the God of War to see through his thoughts so easily.
He had wanted Ye Qiu to sneak into the Bai family tonight and quietly take Bai Bing away. That way, Ye Qiu wouldn’t have to confront the Bai family directly to stop the wedding.
This would have been safer for Ye Qiu, at least avoiding a direct clash with the Bai and Pei families.
But if they didn’t do this, imagine what would happen when Ye Qiu went to the Bai family to stop the wedding at dawn. The Bai family, humiliated in front of their guests, would undoubtedly spare no effort to retaliate against Ye Qiu.
And Pei Jie—would he just accept his fiancée being taken away?
The God of War had lived for so many years. How could he not understand such a simple matter?
Tang Fei felt both wronged and confused.
Wronged because he had been thinking of Ye Qiu’s safety but was scolded by the God of War. Confused because the God of War surely knew the dangers Ye Qiu would face at the Bai family, so why not let Ye Qiu take Bai Bing away tonight?
Recalling the God of War’s earlier words, “Even if he tears the sky apart, don’t be afraid. I will stand behind you,” Tang Fei suddenly felt a jolt of realization.
Could it be that the God of War wanted Ye Qiu to cause a scene at the Bai family?
Tang Fei was even more puzzled.
The God of War had only dealt with national affairs in recent years, showing no interest in other matters. Why would he want Ye Qiu to cause a scene at the Bai family?
What was the purpose of this?
At that moment, the God of War’s voice rang out again. “It’s getting late. All of you should go and rest.”
“Ye Qiu, tomorrow is up to you.”
“You must be careful.”
…
The next day.
The Bai family villa was decorated with lanterns and banners, filled with a festive atmosphere.
Today was the joyous occasion of the Bai family’s eldest daughter, Bai Bing, marrying the Pei family’s son, Pei Jie. Early in the morning, the Bai family’s servants were bustling about, their faces beaming with joy.
At 8 a.m.
Knock, knock!
The butler knocked on the study door and entered. “Young Master, it’s time to change your clothes. The guests will be arriving in two hours.”
Bai Yujing had stayed up all night, sitting in the study until dawn. His handsome chin was now covered with stubble.
“Have you found out who killed Cao Tianding?” Bai Yujing asked.
When he received the news of Cao Tianding’s death last night, even the usually composed Bai Yujing lost his temper.
Cao Tianding was his trump card. He had been certain that Cao Tianding would kill Ye Qiu, but he never expected that Ye Qiu would survive while Cao Tianding lost his life.
“I still don’t know who killed Cao Tianding, but I suspect it was Elder Longbrow,” the butler replied. “Elder Longbrow arrived in the capital last night.”
“Before dawn, I personally went to Xuanwu Gate. I found signs of a fierce battle near the city wall, and Cao Tianding’s body bore marks of being struck by lightning.”
“From what I know, Elder Longbrow is skilled in talisman magic and often carries thunder talismans with him.”
“Elder Longbrow is the head of Dragon-Tiger Mountain, possesses extraordinary skills, is known as the world’s top diviner, and is ranked among the top three on the Dragon List. If he ambushed Cao Tianding, it’s possible he could have killed him.”
Bai Yujing’s face darkened. “Where is that damned Taoist now?”
“At the Ye family,” the butler said. “Shortly after Cao Tianding’s death, Elder Longbrow visited Old Master Ye and stayed at the Ye family overnight.”
Bang!
Bai Yujing slammed his fist on the table, his face filled with murderous rage. “That damned Taoist! I’ll kill him sooner or later.”
“Young Master, you should go and change your clothes now. You’ll need to greet the guests at the gate soon,” the butler urged.
Bai Yujing stood up and asked, “Ye Qiu will definitely come today. Have you made the necessary arrangements?”
The butler nodded. “I’ve stationed over a hundred people within 500 meters of our villa. I’ve instructed them to shoot Ye Qiu on sight if he appears.”
“Has the expert I hired arrived?” Bai Yujing asked.
The butler replied, “He’s already here. I’ve arranged for him to rest in the guest room.”
“Good. If Ye Qiu dares to show up today, I won’t let him leave alive.”
Bai Yujing suddenly remembered something and instructed the butler, “Go and prepare my clothes. I’ll change in a moment. I need to make a phone call now.”
“Yes, sir,” the butler said before leaving.
Bai Yujing dialed a number on the landline. When the call connected, he bent slightly and said respectfully, “Master, I’ve encountered a small problem. I need your help to kill someone.”
