After having their fill of wine and food, Chen Jie and Feng Xuan took their leave together.
Peng Shizhong was very happy. Feng Xuan’s change had filled him with joy. Perhaps he had been worrying over nothing.
After all, Feng Xuan was a child he had watched grow up. How could he scheme against the Second Brother in secret? These past few days, he had been too harsh on him. The boy didn’t have it easy.
Thinking this, Peng Shizhong’s impression of Feng Xuan greatly improved, and he even felt a bit guilty for having been so strict with him.
Chen Jie and Feng Xuan left the mansion and ran into Peng Fu, who was returning.
Peng Fu was carrying a wooden box. As he approached, Chen Jie and Feng Xuan greeted him: "Uncle Fu."
"Ah, Old Master, Fifth Master."
Peng Fu immediately returned the greeting. At this moment, Feng Xuan smiled and said, "Uncle Fu, what matter requires your personal attention ?"
Peng Fu replied to his question, "Oh, the Old Master wants to watch an opera, so he sent me to exchange for some golden leaves."
Uncle Fu opened the box, revealing a thick stack of thin pieces hammered out of gold, shaped like leaves.
This was a special way of tipping performers, and it was also one of the common methods wealthy patrons used to support the actors.
When a performer did well, people of status would send someone to throw valuable gold and silver items onto the stage, which had a specific name: "smashing money."
In the literal sense of "smashing money," they really threw money onto the stage!
It is said that during the period of the Republic of China, the Peking opera master, Mr. Mei Lanfang, could accumulate thousands of silver coins in jewelry and gold bars thrown onto the stage during a performance, enough to buy a courtyard house in the most bustling area of Beijing.
Hearing Peng Fu’s words, Feng Xuan said, "Oh, my adoptive father still has such leisure and elegance. By the way, are these golden leaves enough? I still have a few gold bricks at home; if it’s not enough, take them to be hammered into leaves."
"It’s enough, enough, two gold bricks have already been hammered into this," Peng Fu said. Hearing this, Feng Xuan laughed and said, "If the Old Master likes it, don’t feel sorry for the money. If it’s not enough, I, as his son, will provide."
Peng Fu looked at Feng Xuan in surprise and said, "Old Master, you today?"
Feng Xuan replied, "Is it different? Ah, thinking about the past, it shouldn’t have been like that. The death of Second Brother affected me greatly. The adoptive father is getting on in years as well, and as his child, I should take on some of the burden for him."
Peng Fu looked at Feng Xuan, wondering if the Old Master had turned a new leaf?
But then again, the notion occurred to him that while the mountains and rivers might change, one’s nature is hard to alter. Was this all an act?
But it didn’t matter anymore. With this thought, Peng Fu said, "Haha, Old Master, you are thoughtful. Alright, I’ve got things to do, so I won’t chat with you guys any longer."
"Alright, Uncle Fu, please feel free."
Saying this, Feng Xuan and Peng Fu parted ways. Chen Jie followed behind him to the gate. At the entrance, Feng Xuan turned his head to Chen Jie and said, "Fifth Brother, the words spoken inside the house were not in jest. Tomorrow, you can send someone to take over Peace Street, my people will cooperate with you."
Chen Jie listened to his words, his gaze slightly stiffened as he looked at Feng Xuan and said, "Big brother, you jest. I have limited energy and cannot manage so many affairs. Peace Street still needs you to manage."
Chen Jie didn’t know what Feng Xuan was playing at, but he knew one principle: what the enemy wants, you must oppose.
As long as you are sure who the enemy is, no matter what their purpose is or how flowery their talk, you just need to firmly reject what they want you to do.
Therefore, Chen Jie refused.
Feng Xuan said, "Hehe... Fifth Brother, don’t you trust your big brother?"
Chen Jie replied, "How could I dare not to."
Feng Xuan continued, "Do you think the death of the Second Brother has something to do with me?"
In his heart, Chen Jie thought, it most certainly has something to do with you, since you are the informant!
However, his mouth said, "Big brother, you jest. You and Second Brother had a deep fraternal bond, how could his death have anything to do with you?"
Feng Xuan said, "I know that day at Wang Dafa’s house, Si Xi arrived at a rather coincidental time. I’ve thought about it later, and it was indeed just a coincidence. It was not deliberately arranged by me. And Si Xi also explained it to me upon his return. I wanted to explain this to you face to face, to prevent any misunderstanding."
Chen Jie replied, "Hehe, so that was it. I indeed found it a bit too coincidental that day and was puzzled. Now that you’ve explained, it’s clear to me!"
Chen Jie responded cheerfully, and Feng Xuan sighed, his face expressing helplessness, "Brothers suspecting each other, why must it come to this!"
"Ah, alright Fifth Brother, words are of no use now. In the future, you just need to observe your brother’s actions. Let’s go!"
Having said this, Feng Xuan waved his hand and then turned around. His expression was despondent as he walked away, his eyes filled with helplessness and sorrow.
To the uninformed, one might truly think he had turned from his profligate ways.
Watching Feng Xuan’s retreating figure, Xiao Hu came driving the carriage and asked, "Brother, has he truly turned over a new leaf?"
Chen Jie looked at Xiao Hu and said, "Remember one thing, while the landscape can change, it’s hard for a person’s true nature to shift. If he can change for the better, be careful. When something’s abnormal, there’s bound to be trouble."
Having said this, Chen Jie turned and got onto the carriage.
On the other side, as Feng Xuan reached his carriage, Fa Cai asked, "My Lord, how did it go?"
Feng Xuan said, "Hehe, the old man is still so naive, but this Chen Jiusi is a bit difficult to deal with!"
"I’ll go and take him out!"
Fa Cai offered eagerly, to which Feng Xuan looked at him and said, "You’re not up to it yet, but no matter, since the trap has been set, no one will be able to escape."
With that, Feng Xuan got into the carriage and said, "Let’s go back, two more days."
Fa Cai drove the carriage away.
Chen Jie returned to the mansion and went to his study, rubbing his brow.
He made sure to carry with him the "Absolute Spirit Seed" he had obtained from Peng Shizhong, a very expensive medicine.
Having finished this, Chen Jie began to ponder the day’s events. Feng Xuan’s abnormality left him feeling uneasy, as if something big was about to happen.