Li Xin returned to Nanhai, feeling strangely motivated. Going to Guangzhou on a whim turned out to be a good choice indeed. He could see a future filled with useful connections, but he had to reel in Jian Nanfeng. However, dealing with the nobles of Nanhai was more pressing.
With the money Li Xin won from the bet—which wasn't a lot—he ordered Eunuch Hua to begin preparing for a banquet and to send invitations to all the noble families in Nanhai. He presumed that before news got to the royal capital, he would have won over the nobles on neutral grounds if he played his cards right. Since Lord Qing Jun has set his eyes on him, he certainly won't let him off, no matter how long it takes. His second brother knew how to play the waiting game.
While preparing for the banquet, Eunuch Hua hired people to make the royal residence presentable while he went out to scout for information on those noble families. When they were still in the capital, he had the misconception that his master was very smart; however, it turned out that he just had incredible life-saving instincts. Why would someone who barely escaped death throw a party instead of lying low? But third, Prince Li Xin was his master, not his friend. He couldn't just say no.
Eunuch Hua found a bookstore and bought a much-needed map of Nanhai. It has been so many years since he was last at home, and he refused to make the journey because it took far too long on the way. Everything had changed, and he couldn't recognize most of the buildings around him. As he walked through the city, his feet took him to a familiar street with a not-so-familiar restaurant hosted on it. In front of it, tens of people were struggling to get in. Was this restaurant so prestigious?
Eunuch Hua untied the pouch around his waist as he approached the restaurant. It had the royal insignia of the third prince, Li Xin, embroidered on it. This restaurant was probably owned by a nobleman, so he would definitely recognize the insignia. At this moment, Eunuch Hua comfortably forgot that the third prince, Li Xin, was a wall flower: rarely heard and most definitely not seen, why would people in the far reaches of Nanhai know him? He overestimated his master, and what was the result? He was thrown out before he could even throw the pouch in their faces, so Eunuch Hua had to find a doghole to sneak in from.
Meanwhile in Guangzhou, Gumei reclined on a chair with his head against his mother, Xiao Fan. Once again, he was spewing nonsense about how he massacred Nanfeng in a game of weiqi, earning his servitude in return. With a smile, Xiao Fan benevolently massaged Gumei's temples. What might? Didn't you cheat? Why don't you play a game with me to show your prowess?
But old Xiao, Gumei's father, knew his son could play chess. He taught the boy himself, but he was no master; a dog cannot teach how to wolf. Old Xiao came to the same conclusion as his wife: Their son must have cheated. How shrewd! He suddenly felt bad for Jian Nanfeng; ever since the day they arrived in Guangzhou, Nanfeng had always been in Gumei's shadow.
Their Gumei was not a troublemaker; in fact, he was a gentle boy, very mindful, very demure. But the city lord's son seemed to bring the worst out of him. Gumei became very competitive in anything that concerned Nanfeng; only the heavens knew how many grievances, both secret and known, the poor boy had suffered at their boy's hands. When pressured into something, using underhanded means was definitely not beneath their son. He was the embodiment of 'Mo Dao Zhong Shi' (The outcome is all that matters.)
"I understand you will find it easy to let go of this bet,' old Xiao began to say after massing Gumei's ego, "but Xiao Nanfeng is after all the city lord's only son. It would be too embarrassing to keep the bet, so let it go."
Gumei whipped his head out of his mother's hands. "It is precisely because he is the city lord's son that he should keep to it; otherwise, he would be losing face for his father."
Old Xiao sighed. It wasn't easy to debate with this boy: "I hope you are not banking on the debt the city lord owes us; with all the trouble you have caused, I'm afraid we have already overdrawn on it."
"But he started it!" Gumei complained.
In that moment, a straw mat rolled into their yard, and in it was the phoenix, Jian Nanfeng! After him followed a messenger and an entourage of soldiers. Old Xiao immediately put himself in front of Xiao Fan and Gumei. They were just discussing it, and the city lord was already here for revenge.
"Lao Xiao, what are you doing? Won't you welcome me in?" the messenger asked knowingly.
*Lao is Chinese for old.
"Oh? I'm afraid we cannot afford it." Old Xiao didn't let up.
The messenger kicked at the straw mat, which was Jian Nanfeng, eliciting a groan from the latter. "If the city lord sent me here for revenge, I wouldn't have brought his son over in such a manner."
Gumei removed himself from the protection of his father and approached the messenger, asking, "What are the city lord's instructions?"
"A man must keep his promise by all means, especially if he is from the city lord's residence." The messenger read the city lord's message while giving Jian Nanfeng a stinky eye: "My son must honor his words to my benefactor, so I leave him with you to do with as you deem fit. Should he resist, then by all means, send a message to the city lord's residence."