The Dongyang Prince's residence stood as a noble lineage since the founding of Fengyang Country, unwavering for hundreds of years.
The wedding of their only legitimate daughter was the grand event of the entire Divine Capital.
Lao Bai had to acquaint himself with many people, and without exception they were all notable nobility; one couldn't favor one over another. The masters the Prince's residence sent to drink had already changed shifts four times.
Zhou Yi smiled from start to finish, no matter how much alcohol he consumed, he would refine it away in an instant.
Lao Bai communicated through a whisper, "Old Zhou, pretend to be drunk soon enough, lest others notice anything unusual."
"Just a moment longer."
Zhou Yi closed his eyes and sensed carefully, the faint killing intent moved as Lao Bai moved.
Those who had mingled in the Jianghu all had enemies, but to cause trouble during the Prince's daughter's wedding, Lao Bai must have provoked either their daughter or their wife.
Zhou Yi wasn't sure how the other party would make a move, and from a distance, he had no full assurance he could dissolve the crisis unseen.
Finally.
All the old acquaintances of the Prince's residence had been met, a total of two to three hundred people. Zhou Yi suspected Lao Bai's carefree nature meant he had probably forgotten most of them already.
There were two banquet halls, one large and one small.
The large banquet hall was for Lao Bai's clan, relatives, and the nobility of the Prince's residence, while the small banquet hall was for entertaining those from the Jianghu.
The Imperial Court scorned the rudeness of the Jianghu, and the Jianghu despised the hypocrisy of the Imperial Court. Hosting them separately was to the liking of guests from both sides.
The moment Zhou Yi stepped into the small banquet hall, he located the source of the killing intent. In the southeast corner, at a table, two individuals who seemed to be silently drinking kept glancing at Lao Bai from time to time.
The tables in the front were fine, all giving face to Lao Bai and the Prince's residence.
That was, until he encountered a white-haired Taoist who occupied a whole table alone, whom no one dared approach, pouring and drinking his own drinks.
The old Taoist ignored Lao Bai and coldly looked at Zhou Yi, "So this is the notorious Blood Prison Demon?"
Zhou Yi smiled as he poured wine for the old Taoist, "They're just Jianghu nicknames, not worth mentioning."
The old Taoist stared blankly at the wine pot. Others either weren't paying attention or were too far away to see that the wine pot was standing upright and the wine was flowing out on its own.
It flowed steadily and filled the cup without spilling a drop.
"Cough cough!"
The old Taoist coughed twice, his face full of a "Spring Breeze Turns into Rain" smile, "I have long heard of your great name and had the intention to be acquainted. Should you pass by Jingyun Manor in the future, Changchun Temple will welcome you with open arms."
This sort of meticulous technique likely meant his internal practice of organs had reached a high level of achievement, suggesting he might one day reach the pinnacle.
Foes were better resolved than deepened, especially those in the Jianghu who preferred not to make enemies, the old and weakened masters even more so.
"It's better not to visit the Heavenly Prison, Taoist... I will definitely accept your invitation when I have the time."
Zhou Yi nodded slightly, but his mind was constantly locked onto the southeast corner.
The old Taoist's aura was that of a top Jianghu master, but those two young individuals were even stronger.
Lao Bai went along toasting, completely unaware of the danger, until he reached the table in the southeastern corner.
"The Jianghu friends have come from afar; Bai is truly..."
His voice abruptly stopped, Lao Bai's face turned from white to red then green, he instinctively retreated two steps, letting Zhou Yi step in front.
"Lewd thief!"
"Scoundrel!"
Two scornful voices from women rose, followed by two flashes of sword light, one aimed at Lao Bai's neck, the other straight for his lower body.
"Women?"
Zhou Yi was momentarily startled, then flicked his finger across the sword edge.
An incredibly terrifying force transmitted to his wrist, the two women cried out in pain, and their swords fell to the ground.
Such an unexpected turn of events had already alarmed many guests. The masters from the Prince's residence, hidden for protection, leaped up to surround the two women, ready to capture them alive.
Who would have known that the women's Qinggong was so mystical? One soared through the air while the other moved in unpredictable ways, and in an instant, they had escaped the banquet hall, their whereabouts unknown.
Zhou Yi, who kept his skills and reputation hidden, had already left the small banquet hall. Before leaving, he couldn't help but ask curiously through a whispered transmission.
"Who are those two women? Such young age with this level of martial arts, they might have the potential to break through to the Innate level in the future!"
Lao Bai himself did not want to answer, but Zhou Yi kept transmitting messages, incessantly urging him. Left with no choice, he said, "One is the grand senior sister of the Unmeasured Sword Sect, the other is the saintess of the Heavenly Demon Sect..."
"**!"
Zhou Yi especially regretted meddling in others' business. He thought that scumbag deserved to have his wedding scene turned upside down.
...
The grand banquet hall.
Zhou Yi, having completed his task, found a corner to sit down and rest.
By now the banquet was more than halfway through. The elders had left the table, leaving behind only the younger generation, who were keen on drinking and having a lively time.
Being naturally boisterous, their talk became uninhibited as the wine flowed and their ears warmed.
The son of the Lord of Dingcheng spoke up, "Have you heard? Recently, many positions have opened up at the Northern Border, and His Majesty intends to promote the nobility."
"The Northern Border is cold and barren. Who would want to go there and suffer?"
The speaker was the son of Marquis of Weiyuan, "In a few days, there will be new assignments in the Capital Garrison. That's the real opportunity!"
"The Capital Garrison is too expensive!"
"A brigadier general demands a hundred thousand silver taels, how many years would it take to earn that back?"
"The Northern Border is much cheaper, I heard a commander is only twenty thousand silver taels."
"Why buy a commander's position? Spend a few thousand more to be Armory Supervisor. That's where the real profits lie!"
"..."
They discussed matters of state as purely business ventures.
The son of Marquis of Weiyuan shook his head and said, "You know nothing... The border troops at the Northern Border have had a few skirmishes with Great Yong. Though they seem minor, there's no telling when full-blown war might break out!"
Upon hearing this, everyone suddenly lost interest in going to the Northern Border.
Making money was good, but life was more important. With their family's wealth, they couldn't deplete their fortunes in several generations.
"Now that His Majesty intends to support the nobility, we must seize this opportunity. At the very least, we should secure a powerful general's position. Only with military power in hand does a noble title truly mean something!"
The son of Marquis of Weiyuan proposed, "No matter the money needed for bribery, it's worth it. It's a steady business. The Imperial Court allocates a million silver taels annually, and we'll earn it back one day."
"Liang brother speaks wisely."
"Then let's agree, we'll all go to the Capital Garrison to serve His Majesty!"
"My father always scolds me for not pursuing proper endeavors. Today, let's become generals and hold our heads high for once."
"We nobles share the nation's fate, others may rebel, but we won't!"
"Be careful what you say!"
"..."
Drunk to the point of being incoherent, these young nobles had already assumed their positions in the Capital Garrison as a given. In truth, it wouldn't be far off, as their families had deep connections and were willing to spend heavily on bribes.
Zhou Yi silently listened for a while, then stood up and left the table.
"No wonder these people treat state affairs as business; most things in the world can be considered business, both loyalty and betrayal, prosperity and decline."
Some chose betrayal and decline, perhaps with no other choice!
How could Emperor Hongchang not know that these noble sons were worth no more than dog excrement? Not to mention arranging troops, they couldn't even remember how many soldiers were under their command, let alone lead them in battle.
Sometimes, it's reassuring to use the useless.
They would drink the soldiers' blood, make silver, and do business, but they would never rebel!
"Another storm is brewing, I hope..."
Zhou Yi's brow furrowed slightly, uncertain whether he hoped for a revolt or a smooth transition.
Before leaving,
he presented Lao Bai with a long-prepared congratulatory gift, a jade token handcrafted with care. Ordinary in material and carving, yet the unique hint of crimson blood made it quite distinctive.
Not knowing how to refine artifacts, Zhou Yi simply applied mana, forcing a drop of blood into the jade stone.
Connected by blood, they could recognize this jade token for hundreds or even thousands of years to come!