A piece of Japanese incense

Chapter 244 Agreement

While Lei Bao was thinking, Feng Yan had already made her decision. She suppressed all her outward emotions and put on her usual lazy smile with a hint of arrogance.

"Oh!" She sat back on the armchair and adjusted her skirt.

"What she said... is a bit illogical. As my sister, even if you want to reward someone, you can't be so careless and humiliate your status." She looked at Lei Bao, her tone condescending and negotiating, "Second Master Lei, since your brother is so 'intentioned', then I will help him. How about holding a banquet in the mansion in three days and letting Tingzhu marry in a grand ceremony? It will save my face and that of my brother the emperor."

Lei Bao glanced at the impatient expressions of his men, then his gaze fell on Feng Yan, and he finally grinned and smiled: "Okay! Since Madam has spoken, I, Lei Bao, will give you this favor! I will do as Madam says, and we will get married in three days! But..." His tone suddenly changed, and he looked at Zhi Yihe fiercely.

"When will Madam Zhi remember...where the national treasure is~"

Zhi Yihe replied, "Three days later, at the wedding banquet, Yihe will tell you the truth."

"Alright!~ For the next three days, I'll keep an eye on everyone! If anything goes wrong, or if you, Madam Zhi, still haven't figured out the whereabouts of that treasure... hehe, don't blame me for turning ruthless and turning a wedding into a funeral!"

"Take him away! Lock him up! Serve him well and wait to be the groom!" Lei Bao shouted to his men, looked at Feng Yan meaningfully, turned around and strode away.

At three o'clock in the morning, all was silent. Feng Yan took off his unassuming dark cloak and casually draped it over the back of a nearby chair, revealing a dark purple brocade robe embroidered with cloud patterns. He removed his hood and, without a word, sat down across from the table.

"I've been waiting for you for a long time~" Zhi Yihe lit a candle.

"You are so audacious! Do you think you can decide Tingzhu's marriage?"

"The princess went to great lengths to eliminate Chu He and his son, and then lured the prince here. What is her ultimate plan?"

Feng Yan showed a hint of surprise, but still looked at Zhi Yihe with disdain, "What does it have to do with you?"

"I imagine you also deeply detest Lei Bao. But if he dies, the bandits will be leaderless and in chaos! How can you, Feng Yan, an 'outsider', suppress them? You can only rely on him to help you stabilize those restless forces at sea, and then you have no choice but to submit to his control. Are you willing to accept this, Princess?"

Feng Yan didn't answer, but her eyes fluctuated.

"I can help you. In three days, I can eliminate Lei Bao without bloodshed, allowing you to truly take control of the situation!"

Feng Yan sneered: "Just you?!"

"On the wedding night, guests will gather in droves," Zhi Yihe traced the thin blanket with his fingertips, as if tracing an invisible sea map. "Lei Bao will definitely take on the role of 'Acting City Lord,' entertaining guests everywhere and taking control of the situation. This is an opportunity."

Feng Yan asked: "And then?"

Zhi Yihe looked at her sharply and said, "Before I say anything, please agree to my conditions."

Feng Yan's eyes were sinister, and a hint of sarcasm appeared at the corner of his mouth. "Zhi Yihe, who do you think you are negotiating with? Do you have the qualifications to bargain?"

"Of course! For example...Xiqi's national treasure, wouldn't the princess want to know?"

"What is it?"

Zhi Yihe said nothing, but just looked at her with interest.

"You'd better have a solution." Feng Yan lowered her voice. "If you try to play tricks, I have plenty of ways to make you regret living!"

"So you agreed?"

"Tell me about it." Feng Yan crossed his arms across his chest.

"First," Zhi Yihe raised a finger, "In three days, regardless of success or failure, I want an antidote. A real antidote that can completely remove the poison in me and Yu Tuan."

"Second," she held up her second finger, "On the wedding night, while there's chaos, you must arrange for an absolutely reliable confidant to safely escort Yutuan, Tingzhu, and the child out of Wangchao City! Send them to a place far away from here, out of reach of the Leibao forces! I want to see the token of their departure with my own eyes!"

"Leave? What do you think Wangchao City is? You can just leave if you want to? Besides, Tingzhu is my sister, and the child is my flesh and blood. Is it your turn to decide where they go?!"

"I'm not leaving you," Zhi Yihe met her gaze, not moving an inch. "I'm leaving this dangerous place. Going to a place that's safe enough, away from all the disputes. Their presence is your weakness and my constraint. Only when they leave safely can you focus on dealing with Lei Bao and stabilizing the sea, and I—" She paused slightly, a cold glint in her eyes, "can I let go and find out who is behind this, biting me like a venomous snake, determined to kill me."

The room fell silent. The flame on the candlestick flickered uneasily, making a slight crackling sound.

It took a long time, so long that the candle flame became dimmer and almost went out.

"Deal." The two words came out clearly from her lips.

Zhi Yihe breathed a sigh of relief.

"However," Feng Yan changed the subject, "hand over the Xiqi national treasure."

Zhi Yihe raised his head and looked directly into Feng Yan's eyes that were gleaming with greed: "Okay, I'll pay it."

Feng Yan's face instantly lit up with ecstasy, but then she narrowed her eyes suspiciously: "Where?"

Zhi Yihe raised his hand and tapped his temple with his fingertips, "Here."

Feng Yan's face darkened: "Are you kidding me?"

"The Xiqi national treasure isn't a physical object," Zhi Yihe said slowly, as if describing something unrelated to him. "It's a secret scroll containing ancient mystical techniques and a map of the Xiqi dragon veins."

She looked at Feng Yan's face, filled with doubt and uncertainty, and continued, "You want me to write it down or draw it? Impossible. The secret techniques and maps are extremely complex and profound, involving astrology, earth veins, and runes. The slightest mistake will lead to a world of difference. I can only tell you orally in person."

"You mean... you want to see His Majesty?"

"Yes." Zhi Yihe met her gaze. "You want to borrow the national treasure to ask His Majesty to send troops to help you restore your country. But this item is of great importance. If I tell you orally and you relay it, and if you misunderstand it, what you get will be fragmented and unrecognizable. What do you think His Majesty will do? Can you, Feng Yan, bear the consequences?"

Feng Yan's expression changed and his eyes flickered.

"Besides," Zhi Yihe's voice was filled with a hint of cold, barely perceptible hatred, "I also want to ask that almighty Lord face to face why he is so obsessed with the Xiqi national treasure? Why, when I am the only one who holds the secret, does he pursue me relentlessly and want to kill me? Isn't this contradictory? Even if I die, I want to die with understanding."

Feng Yan leaned forward slightly, no longer looking down on others. "Then... what are your plans for three days from now?"

Zhi Yihe knew that the agreement had been reached and began to talk about his strategy:

"First, you must issue a 'Coastal Defense Coordination Order' to the seven sea leaders in the name of the City Lord's Mansion the day before the wedding banquet. The wording must be strong. State that unidentified vessels have been lurking in key waterways recently, suspected to be spies of foreign enemies or remnants of pirates. To ensure the safety of the wedding banquet and those at sea, all leaders are requested to restrain their troops. Within three days of the wedding banquet, no vessel may leave port, assemble, or approach within fifty nautical miles of the main island without a special order from the City Lord's Mansion. Violators will be considered provoking the City Lord's Mansion and the maritime alliance, and will bear the consequences themselves."

Feng Yan's eyes flickered slightly: "This order... Lei Bao will be the first to jump out and object! How could he allow me to directly command the sea?"

"He will." Zhi Yihe's lips curled up in a cold arc, "Because the second thing you have to do is to 'delegate power'. At the wedding banquet, publicly entrust the execution and supervision of this 'cooperative investigation order' to Lei Bao! All you have to do is raise your glass to him at the climax of the banquet, in full view of everyone, and say: 'The peace of the seven seas is related to the lifelong happiness of all the distinguished guests in the city and my little sister. Only the Second in Command's mighty power can deter the villains and allow the guests and friends on the islands to drink in peace! This important task belongs to the Second in Command!"

Feng Yan understood instantly, a gleam of light flashing in his eyes: "Great! In front of everyone, if he refuses, he will show weakness and be irresponsible to the safety of all the guests. If he accepts, he will personally restrain the actions of the sea wolves for me and pin them to their respective berths! He will become my 'supervisor', not only unable to mobilize them, but also forced to suppress any disturbances for me! If there is any disturbance, it will be him, Lei Bao, who has failed in his duty!"