r18novel Chapter 72 Arrogant Young Masters of Noble Families
Chapter 72 Arrogant Young Masters of Noble Families
In a small courtyard in the eastern part of Kyoto.
Wei Cong sat on a stone bench in the courtyard, holding a celadon teacup in his hand, his eyes calmly gazing towards the courtyard gate.
They have been waiting here for half an hour.
The tea had long since stopped steaming, and there wasn't even a wisp of steam on the rim of the cup.
Wei Heng, sitting to his left, changed his posture for the third time, shifting his buttocks on the stone bench and tapping his fingers incessantly on the edge of the stone table.
Wei An on the right was sitting more steadily.
He picked up his now-cold cup of tea, brought it to his lips, but didn't drink it. He put it back on the table with a soft clinking sound.
Two guards from the Wei family stood ramrod straight outside the courtyard gate, but they couldn't help glancing towards the alley entrance out of the corner of their eyes.
About the time it takes to drink a cup of tea has passed again.
Wei Heng finally couldn't hold back any longer. He stood up, paced back and forth in front of the stone table, and said in a low voice, "Brother..."
Wei Cong raised his hand, interrupting him before he could finish speaking.
His fingers lightly traced the rim of the teacup twice, his gaze still fixed on the courtyard gate, and he said in a gentle voice, "Sit down."
Wei Heng opened his mouth, but seeing Wei Cong's calm profile, he swallowed his words and sat heavily back down on the stone bench.
-
On the roof of the west side of the courtyard, Wu Feng hid in the shadow of the tiles, quietly watching the three people in the courtyard below.
He didn't rush inside.
His "Flying Willow Catkins and Light Smoke Technique" allowed him to land on the rooftop silently, like a real willow catkin, without even making a sound.
Wu Feng's gaze lingered on Wei Cong for a while, recalling the information about the Wei family.
The Wei family was a scholarly family with a history spanning hundreds of years during the Northern Qi Dynasty.
The main branch of the family is involved in politics. The head of the family, Wei Yuan, is now the Minister of Rites in the Northern Qi Dynasty. He and Zhuang Mohan, a literary giant, appear to admire each other but are actually vying for the right to speak among scholars.
The side branches engage in business, responsible for supplying the main branch with resources.
When Sean was still alive, the Wei family tried to win over this leader of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, but Sean was arrogant and refused to cooperate.
A year after the rebellion in Northern Qi, the political situation was turbulent. Wei Yuan immediately sided with the Empress Dowager, becoming someone she both relied on and feared.
The person who came to Nanqing this time was Wei Cong, the eldest son of Wei Xun, Wei Yuan's cousin, along with several other relatives from collateral branches.
According to the records, Wei Xun is ruthless and decisive, and is the helmsman of the Wei family business.
And his eldest son, Wei Cong…
Wu Feng looked at the young man in the courtyard, who was about twenty-six or twenty-seven years old, dressed in a scholar's robe, and with a handsome face.
In the Northern Qi Dynasty, this eldest son of Wei was known for his gentle and refined manners, his humility, and his gentlemanly demeanor.
But a "gentleman" who could work under someone like Wei Xun and be sent to Nanqing to handle such important matters...
Wu Feng always felt that this person was not as simple as he seemed.
-
In the courtyard, Wei Heng endured it for a little while longer, but he couldn't hold back any longer.
"Brother," he said in a low voice, but his dissatisfaction was still evident, "it's been half an hour past the agreed time, are they not going to come?"
Wei Cong didn't turn around, his voice still gentle: "Brother Heng, please be patient. I think they should be arriving soon."
"Hmph." Wei Heng snorted lightly. "Brother, I'm not trying to criticize you, but you're just too nice. In my opinion, Li Yunrui's people aren't worth waiting for. The one in charge is Li Yunrui, not her lackeys."
Wei An spoke up at this moment, his tone more composed than Wei Heng's: "But this 'cat and dog' managed to make us return empty-handed."
"It's kind of funny, really." Wei Heng's disdain deepened. "The dignified Prince Jing actually handed over the power of regent to a woman like Li Yunrui. It's truly shameful."
Wei An glanced at Wei Heng: "Brother Heng, don't forget that in our Northern Qi, women are now in power."
Wei Heng snorted again: "Hmph, that woman... if Ku He hadn't broken through to the Grandmaster level, it's hard to say whether the Northern Wei dynasty would still belong to Zhan."
On the rooftop, Wu Feng raised an eyebrow slightly.
He originally just wanted to sneak in and check out the situation.
I never expected to hear something like that.
So this is how the Wei family viewed the Zhan family of Northern Qi...
A smile appeared on Wu Feng's face.
Empress Dowager Wei of Northern Qi is currently secretly purging the remnants of the rebellion that occurred a year ago.
Given the Wei family's strength and status, he didn't believe they hadn't been involved. Even if they hadn't directly participated, they must have provided indirect assistance.
With Ku He's support, would Empress Dowager Wei let the Wei family off the hook?
It seems... the Wei family is doomed.
Wu Feng licked his lips.
Anyway, it doesn't matter who takes the Wei family's money, so we should take advantage of their visit to Nanqing and make them bleed more.
-
In the courtyard, Wei Heng was still muttering to himself.
"Sigh..." A regretful expression appeared on his face. "I came along this time because I wanted to meet this legendary beauty, the most beautiful woman in the world. It's just a pity that Li Yunrui only sent a servant..."
"Brother Heng," Wei Cong's voice deepened, carrying a warning.
Wei Heng seemed somewhat afraid of Wei Cong, and immediately composed himself, but he couldn't help but mutter softly to himself:
"She was just a princess... During the Northern Wei Dynasty, quite a few princesses died..."
Wei An tugged at Wei Heng's sleeve.
Wei Heng snapped out of his daze and looked up to meet Wei Cong's gaze. Those usually gentle eyes were now filled with a cold indifference.
Wei Heng shrank back, not daring to speak again.
-
Just then, a voice floated down from the direction of the roof.
"Are all you scions of powerful families... this arrogant?"
"Who?!" Wei An suddenly stood up.
Wei Cong and Wei Heng looked up at the same time, staring in shock at the source of the sound.
There was a person on the roof at some point.
"Guards!" Wei Cong shouted in a low voice.
Two guards standing outside the courtyard gate and three more emerged from the shadows, instantly protecting Wei Cong and his two companions in the middle, while simultaneously drawing their swords and aiming them at the roof.
The five knives gleamed coldly in the afternoon sunlight.
Wei Cong took a deep breath to suppress the shock in his heart.
He was an eighth-rank martial artist, yet he hadn't noticed anyone approaching at all!
"Who are you?" Wei Cong asked in a deep voice.
"Wu Feng, a disciple of the Princess." The moment the words fell, Wu Feng moved.
Wei Cong felt a blur before his eyes.
The figure seemed to transform into a wisp of smoke, drifting down from the rooftop at such a speed that even the afterimage was not visible!
Wu Feng's figure passed through the encirclement of five guards and appeared directly in front of Wei Heng.
Wei Heng didn't even have time to react before he felt a tightness around his neck.
A cold hand gripped his throat and lifted him off the ground.
Before Wei Cong could even utter the words "Hands...", he was still uttering the words "Have mercy."
"Click."
The crisp sound of bones cracking rang out in the quiet courtyard, particularly jarring.
Wei Heng's eyes widened instantly, his pupils filled with shock and bewilderment. He opened his mouth, but no sound came out.
His body twitched twice in Wu Feng's hands, then went completely limp.
Wu Feng released his grip.
Wei Heng's body fell onto the bluestone slab with a thud, like a rag doll, his neck twisted at an eerie angle.
Time seemed to stand still in the courtyard.
Wei An's face turned ashen, his legs went weak, and he collapsed onto the stone bench.
The five guards stood frozen in place, swords in hand, unsure whether to advance or retreat.
Wei Cong's hands were trembling slightly.