Chapter 458: Chapter 292: Why Does No One Challenge My Weak Spot?

Tang Fei sat in front of Yan Wenli, his expression serious and his tone respectful, saying, “I’m just worried that the director might misunderstand and think I have private ties with the Lu Family, which would prevent me from doing my job wholeheartedly.”

Regardless of what he thought inside, he still had to appear “nervous and panicked.”

After all, facing Lu Dongsheng’s provocation, you acted just like nothing was wrong and even put on a “come and hit me” foolish posture…

Yan Wenli would likely have to reassess your intentions…

Or perhaps your intelligence.

At that time, Tang Fei had been trying to survive in the cracks between multiple forces, stirring the wind and initiating fights to the death.

Every word and every action had to be carefully calculated, each step was like walking on thin ice.

“Isn’t this the very effect he wanted?” Yan Wenli looked at Tang Fei and said, “If doubts arise between us, they would seize the opportunity to infiltrate.”

“If I start to doubt you, I’ll have to replace you in managing this case. In that way, they would have many means to intervene… The power of the nine major families is deeply rooted; do you know how many officials in Phoenix City belong to them?”

“Why not summon people from outside to handle the case?”

“People summoned from outside aren’t from the nine major families?” Yan Wenli’s mouth curled up in a mocking smile, saying, “Even if they aren’t now, they soon will be.”

“They’re rich and influential, and their means of buying people off are difficult to guard against. Moreover, even if they can’t buy someone, they can find a way to make that person disappear silently…”

“Why then… choose me?” Tang Fei felt a chill on his neck as he asked.

The people of the nine major families could make other investigators disappear, so they also had a way to make him disappear.

It just depended on how long they could hold out…

Was it endurance and compromise, or was it immediate, fierce retaliation?

If it came to that, what was the difference from rebellion?

If there had been no other intentions, Tang Fei would have already found a way to flee.

Whoever wanted to come to the Monitoring Bureau could come, whoever wanted to handle this case could do so…

How could he possibly stand alone against the nine major families?

He was, after all, the beloved grandson of the Lu Family…

Isn’t being a direct descendant of the Mechanical Ancestor, Lu Ban, desirable?

Why can’t I be a prominent young master when others can?

“First, because you are the Princess’s savior, a man the King trusts and wants to promote heavily. The nine major families can easily get rid of others, but they cannot easily dispose of you.”

“They know that you represent the face and dignity of the Royal Family. If they were to dispose of you as well, it would amount to… treason.”

“As long as they haven’t reached that point yet, or still have some fear of the Empire, they wouldn’t dare do such a thing.”

“Second, you are a disciple of the Great Grandmaster Xuanyuan Mingjing, with notable personal strength. Even if they wanted to strike against you, it would be difficult to take you down immediately.”

“If the assassination succeeds, they would have to face the wrath of the Great Grandmaster. If their sniper fails, then they’d have to face your retaliation… Thus, no one is more suitable than you.”

Clearly, when they chose Tang Fei, they also considered the Great Grandmaster backing him.

Strictly speaking, the Great Grandmaster was his biggest and most solid support.

If the Great Grandmaster had only one disciple, that would be even better…

Nevertheless, Yan Wenli’s words made Tang Fei think:

I’m very important.

I’m unique.

I can be proud and even more arrogant.

“Who made you have no other candidates?”

“I understand,” Tang Fei thought to himself about being unrestrained, yet in reality, he was meekly kneeling with great sincerity, “I will definitely handle the case with care and will not let down the director and the King’s high expectations.”

“Hmm,” Yan Wenli nodded and said, “From the moment you entered the Monitoring Bureau, you were bound to encounter countless temptations, and it is also a test… money, beauty, and all sorts of promises…”

Seeing Tang Fei’s strange expression, Yan Wenli instantly understood his thoughts and asked with a chuckle, “What, hasn’t anyone approached you?”

“Indeed, no one has,” Tang Fei said with a bitter smile.

After his appointment, surprisingly, no one came to test the officers.

Money was one thing; the Princess had given him more than he had spent.

But what about beauty?

The delicate beauties of Jiangnan City, the blondes and blue-eyed from the northern borders, and the Barbarians from Dushan…

Why has no one come to challenge my weakness?

“Of course not,” Yan Wenli spoke, “Everyone knows of your close relationship with the Princess and also with the daughter of the Finance Minister… what’s that girl’s name? Sheng Xinhua, right? You two even had rumors… Could ordinary goods catch your eye?”

“If you had accepted them, it would have been just between you, me, heaven, and earth, but if you hadn’t and the news had reached the ears of your two intimate friends… neither the Princess nor Miss Sheng would be easy to provoke.”

“Why create enemies for yourself? As for money… with the Princess’s protection, and the Finance Minister guiding you, do you still lack money to spend?”

“So, buying people’s hearts has its costs… and you, they cannot afford.”

“Doesn’t that mean I’m at a great loss?” Tang Fei feigned dissatisfaction.

“What you lose on the swings, you gain on the roundabouts,” Yan Wenli said with a laugh, “Once you successfully handle a few cases and please the King greatly, won’t your union with the Princess soon be arranged?”

Tang Fei’s face showed fervor, a fleeting gleam in his eyes, but his tone was extremely humble, “The Princess is of noble birth, how could a simple commoner like me match her?”

Yan Wenli was very satisfied with Tang Fei’s stance.

For from Tang Fei’s face, he saw desire, and in his eyes, he saw ambition.

Men with desire and ambition were easier to manipulate.

Tang Fei was the mule working at the mill, and the Princess was the high-hanging carrot enticing him to keep moving forward.

Now that Tang Fei had offended the Lu Family, one of the nine major families, he could only side with the Royal Family.

Moreover, from the moment he stepped into New Star, the mark of the Royal Family had been deeply branded on his forehead.

“Life is unpredictable, who can say for sure? I’m very optimistic about you two,” Yan Wenli reassured.

After all, it was Zhong Daolong’s daughter he was marrying, not his own.

If he had a daughter, he would indeed be willing to marry her to Tang Fei.

With him and the nine major families like fire and water, if he could choose a good son-in-law to use for his own purposes and potentially gain the support of the Great Grandmaster, why not do so?

Even if the Royal Family abandoned him, he would have another chance to survive.

A stitch in time saves nine, if not for himself, then for his descendants.

“Thank you, director,” Tang Fei raised his glass and said solemnly, “I am willing to go through fire and water. Please cultivate me more.”

Tang Fei trusted his own acting skills; even those predators who had been toughened by the chaotic world and killed people indifferently couldn’t spot his flaws.

Much less these nobles of New Star?

They were simply too genteel…

“Well said,” Yan Wenli clinked glasses with Tang Fei and then downed the wine in his glass, “Now that Lu Dongsheng has intervened, the pressure you will face will be even greater… The urgent task is to find evidence quickly and make this case ironclad.”

“The Design Institute can no longer be under the Lu Family’s control.”

“Yes,” Tang Fei’s eyes were sharp as he nodded heavily, “I have already found a breakthrough.”