Chapter 288: [288] Can I be informal when no one is around?_1

“Tang Feng, we can’t afford to offend Mr. Gao,”

Qin Yanan walked over quickly, tugging at Tang Feng’s arm and reminding him in a low voice.

Actually, without her reminder, Tang Feng had also taken some time lately to understand Mr. Gao’s background.

Contemplating Concubine Du’s biting words about “retribution,” Old Master Qiao felt a deep sense of sorrow.

Could it truly be… retribution?

Yet he also harbored a profound sense of injustice. What had he done to deserve this? He had done nothing!

Thinking of his virtuous wife, Ms. Dong…

Third Old Master Qiao’s anger surged, making him want to confront Ms. Dong and deliver a severe reprimand. However, upon further consideration, what would it achieve? Even if he scolded her, what difference would it make?

He couldn’t even handle a concubine; how could he dare harm his lawful wife? Moreover, she was already enduring her own misfortunes. Hongxi’s child had been ruined, and Wei’er’s family affairs remained unresolved. The future was uncertain, and even if he were to resort to extreme measures, he could only endure it.

One thing Concubine Du had spoken rang true:

It was all his fault.

If only he had paid more attention to the affairs of the inner chambers, if he had treated his children more equitably and cared for them to some extent, would things have turned out differently?

Would his children have loved and supported each other? Could all the tragedies of today have been averted?

Though he couldn’t be certain, it seemed highly likely!

At the very least, a loving family wouldn’t find themselves in such dire straits.

It was all his fault…

Sadly, it was now too late for regrets.

Everyone held him accountable, their blame resounding. There was no room for forgiveness.

“Take Concubine Du away and confine her. She shall not leave the courtyard. Instruct her maids to keep a watchful eye on her. If I discover that Concubine Du has ventured beyond the courtyard, she can forget about her life!”

After issuing the order, Third Old Master cast a stern glance at Concubine Du and spoke in a low, warning tone, “Listen carefully. Behave yourself and stay put. If you dare to play any more tricks, don’t blame me for being ruthless!”

“And when the time comes, it won’t just be you; even Third Girl won’t be spared! Don’t think she’s suffering now. Hmph!”

Concubine Du’s face paled, her earlier audacity now replaced with fear.

As the sky darkened, families across the land paid homage to their ancestors, lighting incense, burning paper money, and setting off firecrackers. This was followed by a lively reunion dinner.

Although the Shao Residence wasn’t crowded, it was filled with joy.

The liveliness was not solely determined by the number of people but by the atmosphere itself.

Qiao Xuan and Shao Yunduan had arranged a meal on the bed, while Lixia, Liqiu, Songshi, and Qingyan sat around the table next to them. The room exuded warmth, the food was abundant, and the aromas were tantalizing. The master and her servants shared a harmonious atmosphere, conversing and laughing.

They hadn’t disclosed that Qiao Xuan would be accompanying Shao Yunduan to Qingdi the following year. Instead, they were told that their Old Master would be escorting Princess Shuangfu for her wedding. The departure date was set shortly after the New Year.

Fearful that Qiao Xuan might feel lonely or sad, they found various ways to convey their loyalty. The overarching message was that although the Old Master was embarking on a lengthy journey, they would ensure the well-being of his wife and provide her with companionship.

Qiao Xuan and Shao Yunduan were deeply moved, unsure whether to laugh or cry.

However, it wasn’t the right time to reveal their plans. After all, Crown Prince had only made a private promise to Shao Yunduan, and it hadn’t been officially announced yet.

While it was virtually certain, it wasn’t appropriate to disclose it prematurely, lest they slip up.

The two of them took the opportunity to give them lessons.

“Where does Mr. Gao usually go?” Tang Feng held a silver needle in his hand, rolling it continuously.

Liu Hu watched the needle and couldn’t help but shiver, “Mr. Gao usually keeps a low profile, his itinerary is definitely not something he would tell us.”

Tang Feng knew he was telling the truth.

Someone like Mr. Gao would surely have many enemies and would never reveal his movements to anyone lightly.

Moreover, even if he did venture out, he would definitely have a number of bodyguards with him.

With just his own strength, Tang Feng was temporarily unlikely to pose a threat.

He pondered for a moment and suddenly remembered the livestreamer who caused trouble in the store, “The livestreamer, was she sent by Mr. Gao?”

“No,” Liu Hu immediately shook his head.

Tang Feng waved the needle in front of his eyes, “I want to hear the truth.”

Liu Hu felt a chill down his back and subconsciously moved back, “I’m not lying to you, that livestreamer really wasn’t sent by Mr. Gao, she’s a host under Qin Lishen’s company.”

“Who is Qin Lishen?” hearing another unfamiliar name, Tang Feng immediately became curious.

“Qin Lishen is the boss of Yueya Entertainment Company, which mainly packages various online celebrities and earns money through livestreaming…”

Liu Hu briefly explained a few sentences.

“What is the relationship between this Qin Lishen and Mr. Gao?” Tang Feng immediately grasped the crux of the issue.

“Qin Lishen was brought up by Mr. Gao himself; his Yueya company is also one of Mr. Gao’s cash cows…”

Liu Hu didn’t dare to hide anything and shared everything he knew.

After listening, a plan began to take shape in Tang Feng’s mind.

If they couldn’t shake the big tree that was Mr. Gao for now, they could cut off a few of his branches first.

It would serve as a warning.

Let him know that Tang Feng was not someone to be trifled with either.

“Get lost.”

Having made up his mind, Tang Feng had no further questions, and got up to leave.

Liu Hu looked on with uncertainty, “You… you’re letting me go?”

Tang Feng couldn’t help but laugh, “What, were you expecting me to take you out for a meal?”

Still dubious, Liu Hu stood up, “You’re not going to kill me?”

“I am a law-abiding citizen; I won’t do things like murder,” Tang Feng said, sitting where Liu Hu had been and starting to eat the other half of the orange.

In fact, the reason why he let Liu Hu go wasn’t because of any respect for the law.

It was mainly because Liu Hu was just a lackey; killing him would not have any real impact.

And why bother making trouble for himself?

He wasn’t yet so powerful that he could kill someone and remain uninvolved, and once someone caught him by his short hairs, they could easily destroy him.

Liu Hu breathed a sigh of relief and was about to leave when

“Wait a second.” Tang Feng spoke up again.

Thinking Tang Feng had changed his mind, Liu Hu shivered, “What, changed your mind?”

Tang Feng rolled his eyes and pointed at the gun on the table, “Take your weapon with you, we law-abiding citizens don’t need such things.”

Liu Hu sighed with relief and had no choice but to hobble over and pick up the gun.

In his mind, he scoffed sarcastically; You, a law-abiding citizen? If you are, then I’m a paragon of virtue across nine lifetimes.

After he left, Tang Feng turned back to Qin Yanan, “Mrs. Nan, I might need your help with something.”

Qin Yanan nodded earnestly, “Tell me, what do you need?”

“With our current strength, it’s not realistic to directly confront Mr. Gao, but we can’t just swallow our pride either, so…”

“So you want to use Qin Li as an example to scare the others?” Qin Yanan immediately understood his plan.

Tang Feng tapped her cute nose lightly, “How did you get so smart?”

Qin Yanan’s cheeks flushed, and she quickly glanced at Liu Ping who was nearby.

Liu Ping finally caught on, “Let me… go check on my mom.” With that, he quickly left, giving them some privacy.

Qin Yanan clenched her fists and punched Tang Feng’s shoulder, “Next time, in front of outsiders, can you not be so impolite?”

The corners of Tang Feng’s mouth spread into a smile, “So you mean, when it’s just us, I can be impolite?”

Qin Yanan was at a loss for words, feeling like it was casting pearls before swine.

Tang Feng didn’t keep up the jest and shared his plan with her.

“Use your connections to help me look into this Qin Li.”

“Include his background, hobbies, usual haunts, and even the details of how his company operates, investigate it all.”

He knew Qin Yanan had a profound background, and such tasks were not difficult for her.

“Okay,” Qin Yanan simply nodded, then stepped aside to make a phone call.

Meanwhile, Tang Feng was not idle; he called both Zhou Bingrui and Xu Xinling, asking them to also collect information on Qin Li.

These three were the most well-connected among all the people he knew at the moment.

As for the Ouyang Yushan connection, that had to remain untouched for now.

After all, favors were a diminishing resource, to be used sparingly.

Big favors from influential people had to be used wisely.

The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!