After Wei Lao left, he returned not long after.
Only, he returned alone.
It seemed he had not brought back the person who knew Gu Qingfeng.
"Princess Royal, please don't be anxious. This old servant has already sent someone to fetch him."
"Wei Lao, can your friend truly identify whether he is the Chiyan Young Master or not?"
"To be honest with the Princess Royal, this old servant's friend not only saw the Chiyan Young Master back in the Great Northwest, but also performed some tasks for him and stayed by his side for quite a long time."
As he spoke, Wei Lao gave a slight smile and continued, "Moreover, the Princess Royal has also met this old servant's friend before."
"Oh?"
Tang Manqing was quite surprised. "Who is this friend Wei Lao speaks of?"
"Fei Kui, Boss Fei."
"Fei Kui?"
Tang Manqing murmured the name. It sounded familiar. Suddenly remembering, a figure surfaced in her mind. "Is he the one who isn't very tall, quite plump, with a thin mustache? Very slick in his dealings, manages business for Old Man Black Buddha?"
Shui'er also remembered, blurting out, "Is it that lecherous short fatty they call the 'ground rat'?"
"That's right, it's him."
Tang Manqing had indeed met that short fatty once before. She also knew that this Fei Kui had been doing very well in the Yanluo Kingdom in recent years, managing business for Old Man Black Buddha. All the major and minor powers within the Yanluo Kingdom gave him some face.
Of course.
She had only met him once.
She wasn't clear about Fei Kui's origins.
This was also the first time she'd heard that Fei Kui hailed from the Great Northwest. She asked, "Wei Lao, what do you mean when you say Fei Kui stayed by the Chiyan Young Master's side for a while?"
"This old servant also heard it from Fei Kui by chance. He said he once drove a carriage for the Chiyan Young Master."
"Drove a carriage? What does that mean? Was he a carriage driver for the Chiyan Young Master back in the Great Northwest?"
"That should be the case, according to what he said. Moreover, his tone seemed to hold the utmost respect for the Chiyan Young Master."
Hearing this.
Shui'er beside her seemed somewhat unable to believe it, exclaiming in shock, "Fei Kui is now a famous big boss in the Yanluo Kingdom, managing business for Old Man Black Buddha. All the major and minor powers in the Yanluo Kingdom have to curry favor with him. Even the Four Great Families and Seven Great Sects have to give him some face. And he actually used to be... the Chiyan Young Master's carriage driver? That's just too... too..." Shui'er truly didn't know how to describe her feelings at the moment, finding it utterly unbelievable.
Just then, a knock came at the door.
"Old Wei, I heard you were looking for me?"
The one who answered and walked in was a man.
A short fatty less than a meter tall, with an obese build. This short fatty wore a custom-made black tight-fitting robe, his hair combed sleek and shiny black. His plump face wore a smile, the thin mustache under his nose particularly eye-catching. With one arm, he hugged a gorgeously dressed, alluring maid, kneading her buttocks brazenly. In his other hand, he held a purple-gold tobacco pipe, taking a deep drag as he entered.
It was none other.
Than Fei Kui, Boss Fei.
After entering, he glanced at Wei Lao, then looked at Tang Manqing and Shui'er, smiling, "Who are these two youngsters?"
Wei Lao didn't respond immediately. First, he had the maid beside Fei Kui leave, then spoke, "Old Fei, watch your words. This is the Princess Royal."
"Princess Royal?" Fei Kui was taken aback. "Which Princess Royal?"
"How many Princess Royals are there in our Splendid Great Domain?"
"Could it be..." Fei Kui realized something, feeling both apprehensive and shocked. He stared carefully at Tang Manqing, wanting to release his divine sense to probe but fearing disrespect towards royalty. His expression immediately turned serious. He cupped his hands in salute, saying, "So it's Princess Royal Manqing. My apologies, my apologies. This humble one is Fei Kui, greetings to the Princess Royal."
"Boss Fei, you're too polite. No need for such formalities. The reason I've disguised myself in male attire is to avoid exposing my identity."
"This lowly one is merely a merchant. I dare not accept the title 'Boss' from the Princess Royal."
Fei Kui was a clever man. Since the Princess Royal was here and Wei Lao had summoned him, it must be the Princess Royal's intention. He cautiously asked, "May I ask why the Princess Royal sought this lowly one?"
"I have a matter on which I need your assistance."
"The Princess Royal jests. Whatever the matter, please just give the order. This lowly one will spare no effort, even if it means braving fire and water."
"I heard from Wei Lao that you stayed by the Chiyan Young Master's side for a while when you were in the Great Northwest?"
Perhaps not expecting the Princess Royal to ask about the Chiyan Young Master, Fei Kui's heart skipped a beat. He glanced at Wei Lao, pondered for a moment, then nodded in response. "That's correct. This lowly one once had the honor of driving a carriage for the Young Master."
Honor? Young Master?
These two terms made Tang Manqing deeply suspicious. Given Fei Kui's current status and position, did he still consider driving a carriage for the Chiyan Young Master back then an honorable thing?
Moreover, he addressed the Chiyan Young Master as 'Young Master'—a form of address typically used only by servants for their young lord.
"If you saw the Chiyan Young Master, could you still recognize him?"
"May I ask whom the Princess Royal refers to? Is it the Young Master?"
Seeing Tang Manqing nod, Fei Kui asked in confusion, "But the Young Master passed away nine years ago."
"Take a look at that person."
Tang Manqing pointed towards the VIP lounge on the second floor opposite.
Fei Kui felt puzzled but still looked over. He looked and looked, unsure what the Princess Royal wanted him to see. Just as he was confused, he suddenly saw an unbelievable person in one of the lounges—a person that stirred excitement within his heart.
He doubted his own eyes. He closed them, then opened them again, staring intently, just staring.
Opposite, in the lounge.
That man in white reclined in a chair, legs crossed, eyes closed, drinking wine, also enjoying a massage from three alluring maids. His expression was indescribably leisurely, the smile at the corner of his mouth containing boundless ease.
Truly, a robe of white surpassing snow, three thousand strands of hair like ink.
Leisurely and carefree, drunk in freedom, following his heart's desire, laughing at life.
And in the lounge.
The more Fei Kui looked, the more agitated his expression became, his whole body trembling with excitement. The more he looked, the more he couldn't believe it, his disbelief akin to seeing a ghost or deity. He murmured, "Yo... Young Master? It's actually... it's actually really the Young Master... The Young Master is still alive..." "No! Impossible!" "The Young Master is dead... Immortal Suhua said the Young Master is dead! How could the Young Master possibly still be alive..." "Wait!"
Fei Kui seemed spellbound, muttering to himself there, then shaking his head. "Old Man Huode said... as long as the Young Master doesn't wish to die, no one in heaven or earth can kill him."
This scene fell into Tang Manqing's eyes. She exchanged a glance with Wei Lao, both seeing shock and astonishment in each other's eyes.
Could it be that this man really was the Chiyan Young Master, Gu Qingfeng?
Just as they were filled with doubt, Fei Kui suddenly turned and left.
Tang Manqing didn't hesitate, immediately following after him.