Chapter 183 Unexpected Arrangements
The lively celebration dinner and the subsequent high-end socializing lasted almost until midnight.
For Zhao Peng, who has officially joined the upper echelons of the blood clan world, it was a bit awkward to communicate with senior figures like Xiang Zuxing and Wu Yuqing as an equal for the first time. However, thanks to the stable personality he cultivated during his long companionship with Wan Yue, he managed fairly well.
Xiang Zuxing was naturally pleased with Zhao Peng’s promotion. After all, Zhao came from a noble family and, although he followed Wan Yue closely, he was ultimately regarded as one of their own.
Especially now, with the hidden version of the Alliance experiencing turmoil and various factions scheming against each other, establishing a strategic alliance with Wan Yue’s Hyacinth was ultimately beneficial for Xiang Zuxing.
As the evening concluded and the guests dispersed, the Jinhe Club regained its calm. Wan Yue called together all the members at the knight level and above for a meeting in a luxurious private room on the second floor.
To everyone’s surprise, Xiang Zuxing also stayed behind, indicating that the meeting would discuss more than just the internal affairs of the Hyacinth.
“Zhao Peng, now that you are a baron, according to custom, it’s no longer suitable for you to make public appearances. In the future, the Jinhe Club will still be managed by Xiao Wen, with Liang Hao and Xiao Dong as assistants, but that doesn’t mean you’ll have it easier.”
“Zheng Shaolin and Xiao Ling are now inseparable and have a good relationship, so it’s not appropriate to split them up. Let’s have them continue to oversee the Hyacinth Manor, which should complement each other well.”
“Xiao Quan, Xiao Miao, and Xiao Xi, I estimate they will awaken from dormancy in ten days or so, at which point the Hyacinth will gain three more knights, making our manpower much more sufficient.”
Wan Yue skipped any formal greetings and didn’t avoid Xiang Zuxing’s presence, directly sharing recent events and upcoming arrangements.
When she mentioned her southern trip with Jiang Yan and the incident of Zhou Ping’s fall, Zhao Peng’s expression turned serious.
During the earlier celebration dinner, topics that might worry Zhao Peng, whether from Xiao Wen or Jiang Yan, had not been brought up until now, and they all came to light.
Xiao Wen, who was by Zhao Peng’s side, held onto his hand tightly the whole time and felt his pulse quicken suddenly at one moment. Fortunately, with the upcoming addition of three new knights to the Hyacinth, Zhao Peng’s internal heaviness eased somewhat.
Seeing that Zhao Peng quickly adjusted his mindset, Wan Yue secretly nodded. She felt that after becoming a blood clan member, the most successful thing she had done in her life was to pull Zhao Peng to her side as a little brother.
“Brother Xiang, everyone is familiar with each other now. The Hyacinth is collaborating with you, and we now have a steady business channel in the south. The AXinS Trading Company is ready to start official operations, mainly responsible for connecting with business lines in the south.”
“Currently, there’s a small problem in the old street in Northern Myanmar, but I have a secret operation to participate in with you, Brother Xiang, so I plan to send one or two people to the old street. On one hand, to investigate the situation, and on the other, to assist and reduce some pressure on Guo Hao.”
Saying this, Wan Yue lit a cigarette, her gaze sweeping across the knights present, seemingly hesitating on who to send.
“Big Sister Wan, if it’s just one or two people, I think it’s best for Jiang Yan to go. She is familiar with that area… I was thinking that since Zhao Peng and Guo Hao know each other, he would be the most suitable to go, but now we have big matters to attend to, and he can’t be spared.”
Xiang Zuxing interjected urgently, fearing that Wan Yue might choose someone who was not up to the task, unable to help his little brother, which would backfire and increase their burden. In terms of manpower alone, the elites stationed in the old street were all top-tier knights from the noble house.
Wan Yue shot Xiang Zuxing a glance: “Why don’t you take charge then?”
“Haha… You can make the call, I’m just suggesting,” Xiang Zuxing grinned, feeling a bit embarrassed as he smiled at Zhao Peng: “Little Zhao, your Sister Wan is now managing a large enterprise with many talented people. There will be plenty of opportunities for mutual assistance in the future.”
Understanding that the other party was trying to provide an exit, Zhao Peng smiled but said nothing.
A year ago, if it hadn’t been for Wan Yue’s prominence, Xiang Zuxing and many of the big shots from the Alliance would have indeed looked down on Hyacinth’s small scale.
However, times had changed; the Hyacinth now openly possessed two high-end combatants, had over ten knights, and among them, there were even two hidden half-barons.
They were nearly equal to the kinship forces he controlled. As for the mysterious blood clan force that had suddenly infiltrated the old street, Guo Hao had sought help more than once. But Xiang Zuxing was now utterly spent, his brows furrowed in annoyance, and he could only hope that Wan Yue could mobilize some power to the old street.
“You’ve calculated everything well, and it’s true, Jiang Yan is a half-barony. Facing a weaker baron from the dark blood clan, she has some self-protection,” Wan Yue responded, finally setting her sights on the silent Jiang Yan in the corner.
When both big shots’ gazes fell on her simultaneously, Jiang Yan knew the matter was essentially decided, and she would be making another trip to the north.
Sister Wan was about to join forces with the Wang family and the big shots from the Alliance to launch a surprise attack on the Black Dragon Society. Brother Zhao was likely to join too, at the very least needing to oversee Hyacinth from behind the scenes.
Zheng Shaolin wouldn’t return to mid-tier knight status for at least a year, and Liang Tai, though also upgraded to a higher-tier knight, had always caused her doubts about his combat abilities. Moreover, Liang Tai and Xiao Dong’s relationship was reportedly heating up, making it unsuitable for him to engage in high-risk activities.
After Zhou Ping’s fall, Jiang Yan now viewed everyone with suspicion, filled with inexplicable guilt and worry for her companions in Hyacinth—perhaps Wan Yue’s initial mindset was something she was beginning to understand.
To support the old street with the least elite manpower, currently, only she and Jiang Yan had the strength to perform the task independently.
However, sending out anyone in a currently unstable royal state and one who hadn’t yet stabilized was risky, as it could easily expose her identity, especially with her troublesome constitution; it was not wise to send her out alone now.
The best solution or perhaps the only solution was herself.
Jiang Yan slowly stood up, her hands clutching her skirt, slightly bowing as she affirmed: “Sister Wan, Brother Xiang is right. I am familiar with the old street, and I know Brother Hao too. It would be most suitable for me to go.”
This girl was indeed growing deeper in her understanding of Hyacinth’s situation. Despite the presence of so many knights, very few could truly handle major affairs independently…
Wan Yue pondered for a moment and exchanged glances with Xiang Zuxing before finally nodding.
“Alright, I’ll leave the car here for you to use!”
Seeing that the discussion had gone smoothly, the stone in Xiang Zuxing’s heart finally fell to the ground. “As long as it doesn’t affect your meeting, I’ll take my leave now. You all continue!”
After handling his own demands, Xiang Zuxing left, not intending to interfere or touch on Hyacinth’s following topics as an outsider.
As for Xiao Ai and the others, they knew that many forthcoming topics were confidential, so they also withdrew, leaving only Zhao Peng and Jiang Yan to stay in the room.
“There are some troubles in the old street, and the timing is quite awkward,” Wan Yue said, looking around at her key subordinates, seating herself in a leisurely chair by the window with a serious expression, crossing her legs as she picked up her coffee.
“Last time I teamed up with Xiang Zuxing and the Luo family from Yasheng against Zhu Laojiu from the Black Dragon Society, we not only dismantled Zhu Bixian’s nest but also severed an underground traffic line connecting Southeast Asia’s dark blood clan to China.”
“It’s a pity that someone in the south used the Goebbels family’s inheritance, causing significant losses for the Wang family. They had to retract their influence in the East and West G provinces, forming a standoff with the Liang family traitors.”
“I suspect that this trouble in the north is being driven by those supporting the Liang family rebellion, inciting the Southeast Asian dark blood clan to stir up trouble, likely aiming to restore the underground traffic line in the north, restraining the Luo family and strengthening trade links with the Liang family rebels.”
After finishing her speech, Wan Yue lightly tapped a pile of documents on the table, her tone somewhat resigned: “Originally, I said I would have you go to the Abetis Company in March to partner with Zhong Yao… If we can’t handle this properly, the new company’s matters will also stall, wasting our efforts and money.”
“Sister Wan, how about letting Xiao Yan and Xiao Yao oversee Hyacinth while I go? After all, I’ll have to familiarize myself with the area sooner or later, and it’s been a while since I last saw Guo Hao.”
Zhao Peng contemplated and still felt that Jiang Yan’s risk for going was too high.
“No, you’ve just been promoted to baron; you need to stabilize your realm for a while, especially to adjust to controlling blood power. You’re the new heart for Hyacinth. If you’re absent from C City, wouldn’t the situation revert to how it was before your promotion?”
Moreover, Jiang Yan’s current state was somewhat awkward, making her unsuitable for public appearances…
The specific circumstances, I will explain to you later.
Wan Yue firmly rejected Zhao Peng’s proposal, and he, as always, complied with her wishes.
However, could Xiao Yan really handle the deep water troubles in Northern Myanmar… Before leaving, Zhao Peng couldn’t help but glance back, but all he saw was Jiang Yan’s calm expression.
Having just awakened from dormancy, Zhao Peng still needed further conditioning, so he returned to the staff lounge, leaving only Jiang Yan and Wan Yue in the room.
Wan Yue occasionally sipped some coffee or smoked a cigarette; although she appeared to be under a lot of stress, the exhaustion from a year ago—like being wound tight—had long vanished.
Jiang Yan relaxed her body and mind, continuously going over AXinS Company’s business materials to prepare for her future work.
The clock on the wall struck midnight, reconnecting their thoughts.
Wan Yue pulled her gaze from the outside world and said with a smile, “Zhao Peng slept for three days. For him, it’s a world-changing transformation. Not only does his personal understanding need time to update, but reality has also changed a lot that he’s unaware of, so he can’t act rashly.”
“Jiang Yan’s half-baked combat ability can easily handle He Jian Qingya, so I have a lot of confidence in you. Although you still appear to be a half-barony on the surface, to me, you are no different from a regular baron. The ability to be underestimated by opponents is your biggest trump card.”
“Now that Zhao Peng has become a baron, I finally feel a bit more relaxed… Twenty-one years—no, it should be sixty-one years—I have never wanted to sit comfortably like today, thinking of nothing…”
Wan Yue reclined in her chair, settling into a comfortable position, semi-closing her eyes, stretching her back and arms, and letting out a lazy sound like a cat.
The high-end lace embroidered dress made of iridescent fabric tightly hugged Wan Yue’s truly sensual figure, shining under the light, charming and alluring.
If, nine months ago, I and Xiao Yao hadn’t met Sister Wan; if it weren’t for Xiao Yao’s whim, Brother Zhao might still be stuck in a growth bottleneck, and Sister Wan wouldn’t have the relaxed demeanor she has today…
The world is unpredictable. Perhaps, this is the reward that Sister Wan receives for her perseverance? However, between me and Xiao Yao, is it ultimately a greater risk or a higher return for Sister Wan and Hyacinth…
Watching Wan Yue’s perfect curves and relaxed demeanor, Jiang Yan felt a twinge of emotion.
She didn’t know how long it had been; Wan Yue lay back in the chair staring at the ceiling when she suddenly said, “Oh, there’s one more arrangement I forgot to mention… You should take Meng Huai along to the old street; it’s better to have another person for support.”
Taking Meng Huai to the old street together?
Jiang Yan felt like she might have misheard, momentarily stunned, nearly dropping the documents in her hands.
“That’s a crucial turning point in his difficult life. Let him observe with a new identity; perhaps he can also utilize some of his abilities—it’s not a bad thing… Besides, I’m curious to see how he’s faring now, to see if he can handle this.”
“I’ve noticed that Meng Huai, while very cautious, lacks sensitivity, especially with his deeply rooted prejudice against the blood clan world. Without a chance for cognitive change, all the effort and resources we expend might go to waste…”
“Hey girl, haven’t you always wanted to become someone like me? Learning to capture a man’s heart is also a nice experience, don’t you think…”
Wan Yue turned over, looking at the somewhat embarrassed Jiang Yan with a bright smile, her eyes sparkling with mischief, akin to permitting her daughter to go out for travel and romance.
Jiang Yan didn’t know how to respond to her words and could only lower her head to avoid Wan Yue’s gaze.
“Tsk tsk, is it shyness or fear? You, you pay too little attention to yourself. It seems time to find someone to teach you how to apply makeup, match clothes and accessories… Otherwise, how are you going to live these next ten years?”
“What a good foundation! Apart from cooking, why is your femininity so lacking… Wait, I remember, Heshan Qingya could be a good teacher!”
Perhaps Wan Yue was indeed in a good mood today; she began her teasing educational routine with Jiang Yan.
The result was that Jiang Yan’s face turned red, and had it not been for the identity of the other party, she would have likely run away by now.
“Alright, no more jokes with you. The primary point is, he used to be the captain of the dark arrow squad, participated in several rounds of battles in the southwest, and is familiar with that environment, plus his strong military training. With him alongside, I can rest assured for you to go.”
Startled, Jiang Yan genuinely thought that Wan Yue had ulterior motives…
The racing heartbeat and elevated temperature of Jiang Yan finally began to calm down.
To be honest, facing someone as nearly flawless as Wan Yue, her every word seemed like a challenge or provocation that she couldn’t withstand.
After contemplating for a bit, Jiang Yan set down the materials in her hand and cautiously said, “Sister Wan, in a couple of days you’ll be going to L City with Lord Jin and Brother Xiang. Do you really not need me to come along? If it’s not urgent, I’ll join your operation first and then head to the old street.”
Wan Yue glanced at Jiang Yan’s serious expression, lazily shaking her head: “It’s not as complicated as you think. I’m just going to play a minor role, and who knows, maybe I’ll see an interesting show…”
As she spoke, Wan Yue exited the pigeon tower, walked to the window, flung it open, and gazed into the distance with a mysterious smile.
In the past, Wang family and the Alliance might not have found much of the Black Dragon Society’s trail in a year or so. The Wang family, energized like they had been injected with adrenaline, actually found three core nests of the Black Dragon Society…
Either the Black Dragon Society deserved its demise, provoking both the Wang family and the Alliance, or it’s a trap; it’s just unclear who the hunter and the prey really are…
Wan Yue lit a cigarette and fell into her thoughts, seemingly forgetting Jiang Yan’s presence.
The clock in the study had already struck three in the morning, yet Zhong Jing was still busy at the computer, working on parts of AXinS Company’s overseas business startup.
From the very beginning, the new company had received backdoor support from the Wang family for everything from registration to office space, to enhance the safety of Hyacinth’s second base.
However, just after completing the office renovations, and even starting part of the personnel recruitment work, AXinS Company was facing a halt in core business, compelling Zhong Jing to choose other matters to prioritize.
To bridge and cover up the business line from Northern Myanmar, Zhong Jing had also designed to expand into other normal enterprises. Theoretically, even if the Northern Myanmar business was temporarily stalled, there could still be some income each month, albeit with a poor input-output ratio.
Regarding his son’s gradual neglect of the Zhong Group to pursue his own brokering path, Zhong Hai could only let it be. Now, he just hoped that Zhong Jing would hurry to marry and have children; he didn’t even care if they were married, as long as there were kids.
This was the greatest urgency brought to Zhong Hai after the sacrifice of his eldest son, Meng Huai.
At the moment, Zhong Jing was conceptualizing a more complex venture, using cooperation with the EVN Group as a springboard, delving into the production of high-end pharmaceuticals and blood clan medications.
Whether it would succeed was one thing, but it didn’t hinder the current planning and conception, and he was indifferent to whether it would cause his father Zhong Hai to fly into a rage again.
In the lower right corner, the social media notification blinked, popping up a small window requesting a video call, with Jiang Yao’s avatar.
Zhong Jing, how’s the house renovation going?
On the screen, Jiang Yao lay on her bed, propping her chin up with one hand, looking a bit downcast. A section of her chest wrapped in white gauze faintly revealed a line of her figure.
After awakening from her strange new state, the details of her appearance had changed more. Although she had lost a few pounds after having her thousand-hand aberration removed, Jiang Yao’s current figure seemed even more curvaceous and perfect.
The renovations just officially started after the Spring Festival, and it’s only been a month; there’s still a long way to go… Are you really going to move out in the future?
Zhong Jing stared fixatedly at a particular detail on the screen, subconsciously smacking his lips.
Just asking… I still don’t know when I can leave the Hyacinth Manor. Jiang Yao buried her face, her voice muffled, “Sister Wan said I’m currently unstable, my aura feels too odd.”
I didn’t even attend Brother Zhao’s baron promotion celebration. Now sister is going to the south again, and everyone here is afraid of me… Zhong Jing, will you come to the Hyacinth Manor to keep me company?
Zhong Jing quietly looked at the pale-haired girl on the screen, glanced at the time on the computer, contemplated for a few seconds, then smiled and nodded, “Sure, tomorrow afternoon then. I’ll finish my current tasks first.”
“If it’s boring, I’ll play a game with you, and then you can rest.”
As he spoke, Zhong Jing grabbed his phone and shook it in front of the camera.
Jiang Yao was overjoyed, sitting up despite the ache in her back, grinning, “Alright, let’s win one game first, then I’ll sleep!”
The door to the study quietly opened, revealing a shadow in a nightgown—it was He Jian Qingya.
…
Time had already reached three-thirty in the morning, and Zhong Jing still leaned on the study sofa, hands cradling a scorching phone, teeth gritting, hair disheveled, drenched in sweat, and his clothes all askew, while snuggled up against him was He Jian Qingya, yawning repeatedly.
“Jing-kun, I’ve realized that Miss Jiang Yao’s skill level is lacking; your coordination with her is way off. If you keep playing like this, you won’t win at all!”
He Jian Qingya snapped her small mouth, shaking her head with no alternative.
Indeed, the King’s level is full of experts; her ranks have too much variance; she is really bad!
Zhong Jing’s eyes were bloodshot as he gulped down coffee, grabbed his phone again, and sighed deeply, “If we don’t win a game today, she’s not planning to sleep. Let’s give it another try.”
“Jing-kun, you should take a break. I’ll give it a shot; it doesn’t matter whether I win or lose.”
He Jian Qingya looked up at the clock in the study, frowned, and directly took Zhong Jing’s phone, swiftly entering the new game room Jiang Yao had created.
For over an hour afterward, He Jian Qingya controlled her character to sweep through the game like a powerhouse; it was akin to a postdoctoral student suddenly sitting in a primary school classroom, effortlessly dominating all challengers.
Having long given up hope, Zhong Jing watched He Jian Qingya’s gameplay in a daze for over twenty minutes, until he was utterly stupefied.
“Jing-kun, we won! Time to sleep.”
In light of the overwhelming defeat, the victory screen appeared, and He Jian Qingya laid down the phone, lightly tapped Zhong Jing on the forehead with her small mouth, and then quietly exited the study.
“Ha ha, Zhong Jing, we won! The King’s level is indeed filled with experts; thankfully, you chose the right character this time and completely suppressed their jungle!”
Jiang Yao began to screech excitedly over the phone.
“Hmm… I just felt it earlier… Since we won, let’s sleep…”
Zhong Jing’s expression became blank; he had lost interest in chatting with Jiang Yao and directly hung up the call.
Damn… Is it possible that I might be the worst player here?
Zhong Jing felt life starting to feel absurd and regretted teaching He Jian Qingya to play competitive games a week ago.
…
On the other hand, at the Hyacinth Manor.
Jiang Yao seemed to forget the pain as she celebrated joyfully in her bedroom.
“Why are you so lively? Don’t you care about your health?” Su Xiaomeng frowned darkly, quite displeased, “You both have such terrible skills, yet you’re so into it… We agreed to play one game before changing the medication; do you see what time it is now!”
“Hehe, first time challenging the King’s level!”
Jiang Yao cheerfully sat on the bed, having Su Xiaomeng unwrap the gauze from her back, flipping through numerous messages on her phone at the same time.
While Su Xiaomeng was busy with her back, Jiang Yao wasn’t paying attention, only admiring the album on her phone.
She found a previous photo taken at the manga exhibition with Zhong Jing, and a smile crept across her lips.
“Actually, he isn’t bad-looking…”
Jiang Yao chuckled blissfully, repeatedly browsing the photo album, mumbling to herself.
“Hmm, Jiang Yao, is that a budding romantic affection for Zhong Jing?”
Suddenly, Su Xiaomeng’s voice pierced her thoughts, and Jiang Yao froze. Looking up, she realized that Su Xiaomeng was already done and had finished re-wrapping her gauze, without even noticing when she had been finished.
“Oh? Should I take a picture of you? Your face is all flushed, your eyes sparkling, and your legs are all fidgety…”
Su Xiaomeng teased, playfully poking Jiang Yao’s chest through the gauze, wearing a mischievous grin.
“Is it that exaggerated?” Jiang Yao’s mouth twitched as she evaded the other’s gaze, feeling oddly shy.
