Chapter 127

The group spurred their horses on urgently, bouncing on their saddles until their backsides were numb, barely making it to the city in time.

Fortune smiled upon them, allowing them to witness everything unfolding.

Wang Fufeng did not seem to have any qualms about "not airing dirty linen in public." He brought his siblings to a prearranged hidden spot to listen in on the drama.

They heard Third Master Wang coerce and threaten, heard the third branch fight for power.

Yet, just as the mantis stalks the cicada unaware of the oriole behind, there was someone lurking behind the third branch’s scheme.

Just as Wang Fufeng pulled together supporters to deal a fatal blow to the eldest branch and seize power, the legitimate heir of the third branch appeared.

He had the frail willowy silhouette of Wang Fufeng, and the same pale complexion, but as he stood there, his status as the legitimate heir exuded an innate arrogance that starkly contrasted Wang Haoran’s humility.

"Father, according to the ancestral precepts of primogeniture, Fufeng is both the eldest and the legitimate heir. The ledgers and inventory should rightfully be handed to Fufeng." Wang Fufeng spoke lightly with a faint smile, as if he was still the respectful and filial eldest son.

Third Master Wang froze, staggering back two steps as if seeing a ghost.

The rest of the Wang family were also shocked speechless.

Only Second Master Wang gazed steadily at this sickly nephew everyone had ignored, then slapped his thigh and guffawed, "Good lad, what a good lad! While everyone else fought for power, you, a sickly weakling, just picked up the spoils."

His words were an outright slap in the face to the third branch.

After all that meticulous scheming to secure power for his illegitimate son, the legitimate heir turns up to intercept.

Dissent grew among the third branch.

The rest of the family watched eagerly, waiting to see who would prevail between the legitimate and illegitimate heirs.

But Wang Fufeng had no intention of making a scene here. As the proper heir, raised by his grandfather, Wang Haoran was not even worthy of humbling himself before him.

His pale pink lips parted and closed. "Second uncle, do you think the family power would be better left in my hands, a sickly weakling, or in the hands of Wang Haoran, an illegitimate son?"

Second Master Wang's smile faded.

Wang Fufeng's poor health and probable premature death were acknowledged by all, so he had been ignored during the power struggle, but precisely because he was frail, there was still a chance of seizing power back from him later. If it fell into Wang Haoran's hands, there would be no hope at all.

Before Third Master Wang could respond, Second Master Wang stepped forward. "I support nephew Fufeng."

The corners of Wang Fufeng's mouth curled up slightly as he regarded Third Master Wang, whose lips now quivered like clam shells. "Father, if you leave it to Fufeng, power still lies with the third branch. But if we fight over this, it may no longer belong to the third branch."

Each word struck at the heart, each sentence a mortal blow.

Although Wang Haoran was Third Master Wang's favored son, Wang Fufeng was still the legitimate heir of the third branch. It would be better to hand power to him than another branch.

Also, how could a son defy his father?

Clinging to this last shred of confidence, Third Master Wang ignored the unease that flashed through his mind and nodded in acquiescence.

Inside the hall, the ceremonial transfer of account books and inventory to Wang Fufeng was underway.

Outside, Xu Mo shook his head with a sigh. "Third Master Wang is too confident. After Fufeng's staged death and sudden return, he steps up to seize power. How could he still treat his father with the same filial respect as before?"

Once power fell into Wang Fufeng's hands, barring his death, it would be impossible to wrest it back.

In the end, Third Master Wang was defeated by his overconfidence.

But what if he hadn't been confident? To openly clash with Wang Fufeng in the hall would only benefit the second branch.

So Wang Fufeng's strategic retreat to advance was masterful, simply masterful!

Xu Mo analyzed as the siblings listened intently, unconsciously nodding their little heads.

Whether clever or dumb, witnessing enough storms would lend anyone some wisdom.

"Oh, Fufeng is coming out." Little Jiang Sheng looked towards the courtyard gate. "Who's that lady stomping over? She looks furious."

Having just seized power, a triumphant Wang Fufeng emerged from the first branch's courtyard, only to be confronted by a scowling woman who strode up and slapped him across the face.

The slap drew blood from Wang Fufeng's mouth corner, frightening Little Jiang Sheng to tears.

"Fufeng, are you alright?" Xu Mo propped up his limp body and asked darkly.

Wen Zhiyun checked his pulse and fed him a pill to stabilize his energy.

Compared to blood kin, friends met along the way meant so much more.

With eyes closed, the sickly flush on Wang Fufeng's pale face lent him an eerie beauty.

Feeling Xu Mo's support, he went fully limp against him before lazily opening his eyes to regard the glowering woman. "Mother, was it necessary to strike your son so? You may as well just beat me to death, rather than let me seize Father's power and jeopardize the Zhou family's interests." The raging Third Madam froze, slowly lowering her raised hand.

So he knew everything.

"You and Father plotted to discard me as heir and back the illegitimate son, and Father would favor the Zhou family. But you didn't expect this disobedient son to survive and disappoint you all."

Wang Fufeng heaved a long sigh, relaxing completely into Xu Mo's embrace.

In the past, he was the third branch's heir. His poor health prevented him from providing for his parents, leaving him racked with guilt. He served them dutifully just to make them happy.

After dying once and seeing his family's true colors, living unfettered by expectation seemed the way to go.

Seizing power, sprawling on the ground, the sudden indifference, it was all as he willed.

"The power has fallen into Fufeng's hands. Father, Mother, be careful not to give me any handles against you in the future. Even between parents and child, righteousness must prevail."

No one knew how a child felt turning against their parents.

Wang Fufeng slowly rose from the ground and glanced back at his stunned parents, smiling serenely before leaving unhurriedly.

With his grandfather's loyal servants waiting and his six friends at his side, he walked with spine straight and fearless.

"Ungrateful child!" Someone roared behind him, but what did it matter to him?

The group left the Wang residence.

At the gate, Zheng Ruqian noticed a familiar figure among the stragglers and opened his mouth to call out before the other fled in panic.

"Ming--" The cry died in his throat.

Usually the debauched yet dashing Second Master Wang was immaculately robed.

But just now he had been disheveled and filthy, looking even lower than the Wang servants.

Even if it was just infighting between the elders, the young ones were still caught as pawns.

Wang Mingyu was a ne'er-do-well, but not wicked. With proper guidance, he could have a bright future.

Zheng Ruqian mulled this over before taking out a jade pendant, chosen together when they had browsed a market.

The white jade was low quality and the carving amateurish, but the peddler said he could engrave their names on it.

This caught Wang Mingyu's fancy. He bought one, had his name carved on it, and insisted Zheng Ruqian take it. What Zheng Ruqian held now was not the one from Wang Mingyu, but a replacement he had commissioned with "Ruqian" engraved on it.

He hung the pendant on the gate of the Wang residence, then boarded the carriage with the others.

Not long after they left, the disheveled youth hunched over to pick up the pendant, then broke down in silent sobs.