't despise you." Compared with those so-called physically intact young talents or world-renowned heroes, Ye Li could confidently say that Mo Xiuyao was far superior to any of them. She had never thoug...281. Tan Jizhi's Capture and Visiting Him in Jail

Although most of the power of the Dingwang Manor had long left the capital, when Mo Xiuyao truly wanted to find someone, it was easy. After all, the Dingwang Manor has been operating in Chu Capital for nearly two hundred years instead of just ten or twenty years; its foundation and depth are far beyond what a former royal descendant like Tan Jizhi, who can barely walk around in broad daylight now, could comprehend. Therefore, when Tan Jizhi was politely but firmly invited to the Dingwang Manor by someone from there, he still couldn't hide his shock.

In the main hall, Mo Xiuyao sat at the head of the room with a faint smile as he looked down on the middle-aged man in the hall and said calmly: "Mr. Tan... You said how should this Wang treat you this time Or perhaps... do you still have something that can exchange for your life"

Hearing this, Tan Jizhi really didn't want to argue further. Once a person like Mo Xiuyao has made up his mind, no amount of argumentation will make any difference. However, he had to strive for his own sake because he wasn't tired of living yet. He無奈地苦笑道：“Dingwang Manor indeed is well-rooted; there's nothing more I can say under the circumstances. Only... what did this official do to offend your Highness"

Mo Xiuyao looked at Tan Jizhi with interest, raised his eyebrows and said smilingly: "Don't tell me Mr. Tan thinks that this Wang invited you here for tea"

Tan Jizhi sighed; he naturally knew why Mo Xiuyao had him come, but he hadn't expected it would happen so quickly. He took a deep breath and said bluntly: "Regarding the matter Your Highness mentioned, I am helpless. Although my suggestion was made, currently, I have no power over matters of the Chu court. Therefore... Third Young Master Feng, please forgive me." With that, Tan Jizhi even bowed slightly to Feng Zhirao, whose face had remained gloomy since he saw him.

Feng Zhirao sneered and ignored him; Tan Jizhi didn't care either and sat calmly drinking tea.

Mo Xiuyao leaned back in his chair, looking as if he was leisurely observing Tan Jizhi. However, underneath the calm surface of Tan Jizhi's face, his heart was tightly knotted; the gaze Mo Xiuyao fixed on him seemed ordinary but actually weighed down heavily like real blades and swords. He knew that whether he lived or died now depended entirely on Mo Xiuyao's mood.

After a while, Mo Xiuyao seemed to have looked enough and slowly withdrew his gaze, curling the corners of his lips with a mocking smile: "Mr. Tan is chatting idly here with this Wang; are you waiting for someone to save you"

Tan Jizhi was startled; the smile on his face became even more bitter: "Since I am already in Your Highness's hands, I dare not think of such things." He truly didn't hold much hope for anyone else. Tan Jizhi was proud of his judgment and compared to those people involved in palace intrigue now in Chu Capital, he fell far short. Being in Mo Xiuyao's hands wasn't a loss; after all, once before, he had helped Mo Jingqi scheme against Mo Xiuyao too. Even then, it was just a matter of time before the Dingwang Manor was thoroughly wiped out... He just couldn't accept it. All his life, he had been full of ambition, but in an instant, he was nearly forty years old and still hadn't achieved anything. Now falling into Mo Xiuyao's hands made survival even more remote...

Mo Xiuyao naturally saw the unwillingness in Tan Jizhi's eyes; smiling, he looked at him: "Mr. Tan is regretting all those years of hard work being wasted"

"It’s not just working in vain, but rather helping someone else reap the benefits." Tan Jizhi looked at Ye Li who had been sitting quietly next to Mo Xiuyao and said somewhat regretfully, "To be frank, since Your Highness took a wife, Ding王府 seems to have turned its luck around. All those things that Duke Jingqi did, instead of making it difficult for Ding王府, they allowed Ding王府 to break away from Chu openly." Mo Xiuyao raised his eyebrows slightly and smiled at Ye Li beside him before turning back to Tan Jizhi with a hint of regret in his eyes: "If not for the past events, this Wang truly wishes that someone like Mr. Tan would remain in Ding王府. Actually, there’s no need for you to feel regretful because even if your original plan succeeded, the person who could smile at the end wouldn’t be you. Because... from the very beginning, you’ve been heading in the wrong direction. Take a look at Ren Qining; do you still not know how much of a gap there is between you two"

Tan Jizhi’s expression changed. If there was anything that could hurt someone like Tan Jizhi, it would definitely be Ren Qining. Ever since Ren Qining appeared as Lin Yuan and claimed to be the descendant of the previous dynasty, Tan Jizhi had felt extremely uneasy. There was only one Lin Yuan, so if Ren Qining was a surviving orphan from the past dynasty, then who was Tan Jizhi If he wasn’t a descendant of the previous dynasty, what was all his actions in life for Tan Jizhi didn’t seek out Ren Qining or ask Doctor Lin; he felt that the answer might be something he did not want to see.

"This matter doesn’t require Your Highness’s concern," Tan Jizhi said with a grim expression.

Mo Xiuyao raised his eyebrows and said, "Indeed it is unrelated to this Wang. Neither you nor Ren Qining have ever been in this Wang’s sight."

"Your Highness is overly confident. Don’t forget how miserable Ding王府 fell when it was once Chu’s vassal." Logically speaking, Tan Jizhi knew that he couldn’t argue with Mo Xiuyao at present. But seeing the nonchalance and indifference in Mo Xiuyao’s eyes made his anger rise uncontrollably. What was most infuriating wasn’t losing to your enemy but rather being completely disregarded by them from start to finish.

"Therefore, Mr. Tan and Duke Jingqi have clearly done something foolish. Do you think that if Ding王府 hadn’t been Chu’s vassal, Duke Jingqi’s meager abilities would be enough to scheme against my brother" The heir of Ding王府, Mo Xiuyuwen, despite not having the fame his younger brother enjoyed at a young age, was indeed one of the people Mo Xiuyao respected greatly. For someone like him to respect another person couldn’t just be due to their seniority status. "And now… who can stop me"

Tan Jizhi gave an indifferent snort and showed disbelief in his eyes. However, such a look seemed somewhat forced; Mo Xiuyao didn’t mind and waved for the others to take Tan Jizhi away. For the time being, Tan Jizhi still had some use and wouldn’t be killed immediately, but he would never let him escape again.

Feng Zhirao roughly dragged the bound Tan Jizhi out of the room. In the grand hall, only Ye Li and Mo Xiuyao remained sitting opposite each other. Ye Li leisurely replaced the cooled tea water with a fresh cup of hot tea and asked the white-haired man across from her with a smile: "Your Highness has made plans A person like Tan Jizhi…" Although it wasn’t a major matter, being captured by Ding王府 and having his martial arts abilities restrained meant that as long as he was still in Ding王府’s custody, whether imprisoned or not, he wouldn’t be able to cause any trouble outside. But Ye Li thought of Doctor Lin who was still in the Northwest; she hadn’t asked about Tan Jizhi during her last visit. After years of相處 and his past help and guidance, Ye Li truly regarded that old man as a relative. She didn’t wish for him to be too saddened.

"Just a petty troublemaker," Mo Xiuyao said indifferently, "Rest assured, Princess Ahli, I’ll handle the relationship between Tan Jizhi and Doctor Lin appropriately."

Ye Li nodded. Mo Xiuyao always kept his promises faithfully; after some consideration, she discarded it from her mind and told Mo Xiuyao: "There’s nothing urgent in the capital, let’s return to the Northwest sooner." If they delayed any longer, their elder brother might truly become angry upon returning.

Mo Xiuyao nodded with a pleased smile. "This time dealing with the Feng family late, the new emperor should have already taken his throne by now. Then we’ll head back to the Northwest." Although he often left most matters to Xu Qingchen, Mo Xiuyao was well aware that going too far would be counterproductive. If he overworked Xu Qingchen and caused him to resign, it would result in a loss.

The Feng family had indeed been extremely unlucky this time around. Even though merchants were considered the lowest of the four social classes, the Feng family’s status was still more prestigious than most people’s. Moreover, as one of the four richest families in Chu who also maintained ties with the royal family, everyone usually gave them some face. But after the emperor’s death, the Feng family’s sons split into various factions and fought fiercely over which side to support without reaching a conclusion; the Feng family was swiftly ransacked clean. They didn’t even understand why they were being punished before their entire household of over a hundred people was thrown into the prison in the capital. As the saying goes, “When the tree falls, the monkeys scatter.” The unexpected and sudden netting of the Feng family left everyone from top to bottom imprisoned without any warning; naturally, those who usually had good relations with them avoided contact out of fear, let alone those waiting for an opportunity to benefit from their misfortune. Noble ladies and gentlemen suddenly thrown into a dirty, dark prison naturally cried and complained endlessly.

The patriarch of the Feng family, also Feng Zhiyao's birth father Feng Huaiting, was locked up in a separate cell. Compared to the wailing and crying of his wives, concubines, children, and other relatives from nearby cells, he remained composed. He simply sat against the wall at one corner of the cell and did not respond even when Lady Feng called out to him.

The moment Feng Zhiyao entered the Dali Temple, he was stopped by someone. Originally, according to orders, although Feng Zhiyao had a cold relationship with his family, as a concubine-born son of the Feng family, he too would be imprisoned in jail. However, Feng Zhiyao also happened to have another identity: trusted aide to the Ding Prince and deputy commander of the Mo army. The person sent to arrest him considered this carefully and dared not personally go to the Ding Prince's mansion to apprehend him; instead, they reported back up the chain of command. In the end, it was left unresolved. But for Feng Zhiyao to want to enter the Dali Temple to visit his family members from the Feng household was simply unacceptable.

Feng Zhiyao stared at the official of the Dali Temple with a solemn expression. Since the Feng family had been thrown into prison, he'd been busy catching Tan Jizhi and only now had time to visit. But being stopped outside the door after having not slept for two days was可想而知鳳之遙的心情有多糟糕。

"Move aside." Feng Zhiyao said coldly; his usually charming smile took on a more severe hue, causing the person blocking his way to involuntarily shiver.

"Young Master Feng," the official of the Dali Temple said sternly, trying to salvage his lost dignity, "the court has already shown leniency by not making things difficult for you because of your ties to the Ding Prince. Do not be ungrateful!" Perhaps realizing that he was actually frightened by a young upstart, the old man tried to recover his lost face. Feng Zhiyao scoffed disdainfully, "If you have the ability, lock me up too. I've never heard of the Dali Temple preventing people from visiting prisoners."

The official's expression changed as he glanced at his subordinates who were pretending to be oblivious by lowering their heads. After staring at Feng Zhiyao for a long time, he finally cleared his throat and said, "Since you are someone of the Ding Prince’s household, I cannot detain you here. Please leave quickly."

Feng Zhiyao laughed coldly, "I came here not because of the Ding Prince." With that, he ignored the official's expression and waved his sleeve as he walked into the prison.

The moment Feng Zhiyao entered the jail, a chill and putrid atmosphere hit him. On both sides of the passage were dirty black hands reaching out to grab passersby. Feng Zhiyao hummed lightly; with a stern look, those prisoners who had wanted to pull him back quickly retracted their hands. Those who had been in prison for a long time had an instinct to avoid harm and seek safety, but even though Feng Zhiyao appeared elegant and noble like a scion of a distinguished family, the hostility accumulated from years on battlefields was not something these prisoners could withstand.

The Feng family members were imprisoned at the far end of the cell. Even before stepping inside, Feng Zhiyao could smell an odd stench emanating from within that made him frown; a hint of coldness flashed in his half-lowered eyes.

After entering where the Feng household's prisoners were kept, Feng Zhiyao looked at the solitary cell farthest inside with a complicated expression. At nearly sixty years old, Feng Huaiting looked much younger than his age; even in such a dark and filthy jail, he was tidier compared to the weeping and wailing relatives around him. Feng Zhiyao noticed that his father had more white hair at his temples than when he left the capital city many years ago. Six years ago, when Feng Zhiyao returned to the capital, he ultimately did not heed Xu Hongyan's advice to visit his father; they hadn't seen each other for nearly eight years. Feng Zhiyao closed his eyes and hid the emotions in them.

Feng Zhiyao's sudden appearance made the previously noisy Feng family members fall silent immediately. The red-robed man standing in the passage was dressed in an elegant crimson brocade robe; no matter where he stood, his handsome face brightened up even this dark prison cell. The Feng family wasn’t familiar with Feng Zhiyao; since around age eight or nine, he had spent more time outside the house than within it, staying at the Ding Prince's mansion. However, seeing the red-robed man in front of them now, someone recalled that there was once another member of the Feng household who always wore red clothing no matter where and when. Someone suddenly called out, "Feng Zhiyao!"

"Eldest Brother, Second Brother, long time no see; how are you" Feng Zhiyao arched his eyebrows and gave a somewhat malicious smile to the two middle-aged men not far from him.

No matter how many years pass, Feng Zhirao still cannot bring himself to like his two legitimate elder brothers. In childhood, they were figures of envy and fear for him; in adolescence, they became objects of hatred and enmity. Now, the matured Feng Zhirao has long left these two elder brothers behind. The bone-deep hatred he once felt as a teenager is now reduced to mere instinctive disdain.

"Feng Zhirao! What are you doing here!" Feng Zhian, the second son of the Feng family, asked his younger brother with some unease after years of separation. Childhood grievances may have been due to childish mischief, but adolescent animosities often involved interests and benefits. Back then, under the pretext that Feng Zhirao was close to the Ding王府 (Ding Prince's Mansion), the entire Feng family pressured their patriarch to expel him from the family, and even publicly severed ties with him when he followed the Ding Prince to the northwest. But now, Feng Zhirao is thriving at the Ding王府 while they have fallen into this predicament, leaving both legitimate sons of the Feng family looking rather uncomfortable.

"Third brother... Third brother! Save me out of here, it has nothing to do with me! Save me..." A middle-aged woman-like figure crawled and fell to the railing beside her cell, grabbing onto Feng Zhirao's sleeve as she cried. Feng Zhirao raised an eyebrow; the Li Prince and the Liu family had prepared thoroughly, not only apprehending members of the Feng family but also daughters who had married out. It didn't look like they were merely trying to threaten him and the Ding王府. Recalling Mo Xiuyao's indifferent smile before he left, Feng Zhirao raised his eyebrow again.

"What are you doing here" Feng Huaiting opened his eyes when Feng Zhian called out Feng Zhirao’s name for the first time. Looking at the regal young man in red clothes outside, a strange emotion flashed across his eyes before quickly disappearing as he asked calmly.

Feng Zhirao felt choked up by this indifferent voice but plastered an even more dazzling smile on his face: "Of course I'm here to see you, Father. You look well."

"Interfering," Feng Huaiting coldly replied. "You are no longer a descendant of the Feng family; what happens in the Feng family has nothing to do with you, and I don't need your interference to visit me. Go back if there's nothing else." With that, Feng Huaiting closed his eyes again, ignoring Feng Zhirao’s changing expression.

"Father, what did you say" The fourth Miss Feng protested: "Third brother is the Ding Prince’s trusted aide; he must have come to save us. Third brother... Quickly order them to let me out."

Feng Zhirao had felt some guilt before, but after being provoked by his father's cold words, he was instantly filled with anger. He snorted and pulled back the sleeve that Miss Feng Four had grabbed as he raised an eyebrow and smiled: "Sorry, just like Mr. Feng said, I’m not part of the Feng family anymore; what happens to it has nothing to do with me. Right now... I'm merely here for some entertainment."

"Little brat! Even if the Feng family falls on hard times, you still don't deserve to gloat. Maybe the Feng family's misfortune was brought upon them by your birth!" Lady Feng suddenly scolded loudly.

Hearing this, Feng Zhirao looked at Lady Feng with some surprise. She had always acted as if she were a virtuous lady of the house, never looking down on him even though he was an illegitimate child, and doing nothing to invite gossip. Apart from allowing her two sons to bully him and subtly marginalizing them, compared to some ruthless villains in the inner chambers, Lady Feng was quite decent. He hadn’t expected her to lose her temper now.

"Shut up!" Feng Huaiting suddenly spoke coldly: "Filthy words; did your manners all go down the drain when you entered prison"

Lady Feng choked, opening and closing her mouth for a while without being able to say anything.nd said, "Yao has never had parental care since childhood and always values emotions more than others do. With him having a father to look after him now, he will gradually understand. After all these...