Chapter 67: You May Leave Now
“Yes! Yes! Yes!” Master Xu didn’t even dare to lift his head. Trembling, he scrambled up from the ground, ignoring everyone else, and fled as fast as he could, tumbling over himself in his haste.
Ye Fei stood with his hands folded behind his back, his gaze settling on Shi Jin, Boss Zhang, and the others. Even Shi Jin, a formidable figure renowned for his prowess in the business world, felt a chill run down his spine and his legs trembled under Ye Fei’s calm gaze.
Who was Master Xu? Though he’d been exposed as a charlatan here, back in his hometown he was celebrated as a qigong master, rumored to have slain several tigers with his bare hands. His reputation and background were no less impressive than Shi Jin’s.
Yet such a man could only beg for mercy before Ye Fei. None of them had even seen how Ye Fei compelled Master Xu to kneel!
“...Master Ye, this is the modern age. Killing is against the law.” Seeing Ye Fei’s gaze settle on him, Shi Jin’s face turned pale as snow. Supporting his body with both hands, he managed to speak with great effort.
“Just moments ago, you barked orders at me, and now you’re cowering like a frightened dog?” Ye Fei regarded him with amused interest, smiling. “You change your face faster than turning a page. Remarkable.”
Shi Jin shuddered under Ye Fei’s gaze, his hair standing on end. He hurriedly pleaded, “Master Ye, please spare my life. Whatever you want, it’s yours.”
Only moments ago, Shi Jin had been arrogant and overbearing, yet now he bowed his head and begged for mercy before a young man who had started as a security captain. The scene stirred complex emotions in the hearts of the gathered magnates.
At first, none of them had taken Ye Fei seriously. When they heard he was merely a security captain at Wangu Group, they’d dismissed him as a joke.
But now, such thoughts were gone.
Tang Sheng gripped the arms of his armchair, his heart shaken. Even among provincial officials and Forbes-listed tycoons he’d met, none possessed half of Ye Fei’s presence.
Earlier, when Ye Fei donned the imperial robe, that aura of supremacy and disdain for all—such grandeur could only belong to one who truly wielded great power.
In the end, wealth and influence are external things, unreliable when it matters most. Only such a commanding presence could truly inspire fear among seasoned leaders.
Ye Fei, however, cared nothing for these thoughts. Instead, he turned to Boss Zhang. “What’s the highest price you had in mind for this imperial robe?”
Boss Zhang’s lips trembled, unable to speak, but Li Changgong answered, “Master Ye, the highest bid earlier was forty-five million.”
“Forty-five million?” Ye Fei flicked his fingers and looked at Shi Jin, smiling gently. “Since that’s the price, I won’t raise it. How about you buy your life for forty-five million?”
Shi Jin’s face betrayed a flash of pain. Though his assets exceeded a billion, most were tied up in real estate, much of it mortgaged. Even producing forty-five million in cash would cause serious strain.
Yet he dared not utter a single protest.
“Yes! Yes! Forty-five million it is. I’ll pay.”
As he spoke, Shi Jin felt his heart bleed.
“In three days, transfer the forty-five million to Li Changgong’s account. The imperial robe will be his. Do you understand?” Ye Fei smiled, saying no more, but everyone understood his meaning.
If Shi Jin dared to default, and Ye Fei came knocking for payment, it would not just be a matter of money—it would be a matter of life.
Though Ye Fei’s words were calm, Shi Jin dared not ignore the threat, nodding repeatedly and wishing he could swear it in blood then and there.
“All right, you may go.” Ye Fei waved his hand dismissively, as if shooing away a fly.
Shi Jin, Boss Zhang, and the others felt as if pardoned, not daring to linger for a moment and fleeing at once.
Nearby, Chen Yu gazed at Ye Fei, her beautiful eyes shining with a peculiar light.
She realized, to her surprise, that she was becoming enchanted with this man before her.
Li Changgong, witnessing this, mustered his courage to ask, “Master Ye, you’re just letting them go? Those men still have some influence in Hangzhou. They might seek revenge later.”
Ye Fei replied serenely, “Next time, I won’t give them a chance to escape.”
His tone was mild, yet carried an overwhelming confidence.
Li Changgong felt a shiver run through him, and found himself, inexplicably, admiring the young man before him.
“Thanks to Master Ye, today’s misunderstanding has been resolved.” Tang Yushu stepped forward, cupping his hands to Ye Fei with a smile. “I wonder if Master Ye has time later—perhaps we could share a meal and get acquainted?”
“No need, I have other matters to attend to.” Ye Fei waved his hand, not lingering. After bidding farewell to Li Changgong with Chen Yu, he turned and left.
He had no interest in exchanging lofty words with these tycoons at the dinner table. Though he’d helped them avoid a costly pitfall today, who knew how many complications would follow.
Ye Fei’s dream was to be a carefree idler.
As for whether the imperial robe would ultimately belong to Li Changgong, he couldn’t be bothered. He believed that after things settled, Chen Bozhong would negotiate accordingly.
...
Meanwhile.
Qin Family Villa.
Qin Yongfeng, who should have attended the antique appraisal event with Zhang Tianfeng, now sat with a dark expression, staring at two corpses before him.
They were none other than Ah Gui and Zhang Tianfeng, both slain by Ye Fei.
“Boss Qin, you heard what I said just now, didn’t you—” Nearby, a masked woman dressed in tight clothing let out a sinister laugh. “This secret is worth fifty million!”
With that, she tossed an SD card onto the table.
Qin Yongfeng drew a deep breath, his gaze suffused with dread, his voice trembling slightly. “Who is this Ye Fei? Killing Ah Gui was one thing, but he even dared to kill a member of the Zhang family!”
“Additional intelligence, same price.” The woman held up five fingers and smiled. “Five million.”
“Money is not an issue.” Qin Yongfeng suppressed his fury, sitting on the sofa with sweat beading on his brow. “The problem is, I can’t explain this to the Zhang family! If they investigate…”
“The consequences will be unimaginable!”
“All the footage is inside. Are you still afraid you won’t be able to clear your name?” The woman laughed lightly, covering her mouth. “Is the famous Uncle Qin really so timid?”
“I’ll have my people transfer the money to your account. You have no further business here.” Qin Yongfeng’s face twitched a few times, as if making a firm decision. He stared at the photo of Ye Fei on the table. “But this man must die. Otherwise, I won’t be able to answer to the Zhang family!”
“That’s your problem.”
The woman laughed softly and turned to leave.
Once outside the Qin villa, she climbed into a BMW and removed her mask, revealing an astonishingly beautiful face.
She then took out a photograph of a young boy, gently caressing it with her fingers, smiling indulgently. “Little junior brother, don’t let your senior sister down next time!”