Chapter 103: The Bottom Line, Negotiation
Long Chen looked across at Feng He. Though his appearance had changed, his eyes and demeanor remained the same.
“In the end, you still came.”
Long Chen smiled faintly and reached out to grab the teapot on the table.
Feng He immediately stood, took the teapot, and with a smiling face poured a cup of tea for Long Chen.
“Did the Minister of State not want me to come?”
Feng He poured himself another cup and sat back down.
“I welcome you—very much so.”
In the past, Long Chen and Feng He had been enemies, yet at that time they served different masters, so there was little to discuss.
To be honest, Long Chen admired Feng He. He was a natural spy, born to gather secrets. Since childhood, he delighted in uncovering others’ private affairs: which widow was consorting with which man, when they entered or left a household, how long they stayed in bed—Feng He could find out everything clearly. That was his skill.
“Now that I’m here, how does Your Excellency plan to settle me?”
Feng He narrowed his eyes, his smile forced and insincere, gazing at Long Chen with a look full of meaning. It seemed he had realized something.
“How do you want me to arrange it?”
Long Chen countered.
Feng He sipped his tea and replied cheerfully, “I have come to seek refuge with Lord Long. How you settle me is how it shall be.”
Long Chen held his teacup, neither drinking nor inhaling the aroma.
“Has the Ministry of War in Nanliang not investigated you? What about your family’s arrangements?”
Feng He smiled faintly. “Lord Long has almost wiped out the Tianwei Legion. With hundreds of thousands lost, no one cares where a few dozen like me have gone.”
The Tianwei Legion’s commanding officers were all dead this time, their elite and recruits devastated. Feng He’s position had indeed shrunk.
Long Chen smiled, noting Feng He spoke only of himself, mentioning no family. He knew Feng He cared deeply for his aging mother and chose not to probe further.
“How can I trust you?”
Long Chen asked quietly.
With Shangguan Wei dead and the Tianwei Legion destroyed, Feng He had lost his support and came to Long Chen. This seemed reasonable, but it could also be a ploy by Li Chengdao.
“How can Lord Long trust me?”
Feng He returned the question.
“If your mother would live here at my Qiuxing Hall, then I would consider trusting you.”
Long Chen’s tone was firm as he looked at Feng He.
Feng He’s only vulnerability was his mother; she was all he truly cared about. Everyone else could be discarded.
Hence, Long Chen proposed this condition.
Feng He’s expression darkened; he forced a dry laugh. “Impossible.”
As expected, Feng He refused.
Long Chen had anticipated this outcome.
Last time in Linjiang City, Long Chen had used the same threat to bend Feng He to his will.
“Then I cannot trust you. You are a spy sent by Li Chengdao,” Long Chen said coldly.
Feng He stood, took the teacup from Long Chen’s hand, and drank it in one gulp.
“Lord Long... Zhang Chengen... Though Zhang Chengen is the adopted son of General Long, he is not a blood relative. I do not believe Zhang Chengen would do so much for the Long family.”
Feng He held his teacup, looking at Long Chen with deep meaning.
“So? Are you trying to say that you are not Zhang Chengen, but Long Chen? Or Long Ye? Or one of the other four sons?”
A dagger slid slightly from Long Chen’s sleeve. If things went wrong, he would kill Feng He immediately. This man had fought the Long family army for so long and knew their affairs too well.
Feng He poured another cup of tea and set it before Long Chen. “I don’t know. You are unlike anyone in the Long family.”
“Of course, you are definitely not Zhang Chengen.”
Long Chen felt relief; Feng He had made a misjudgment.
Indeed, Long Chen’s soul had transmigrated, and his personality was vastly different.
Feng He knew the Long family well and was familiar with Long Chen, so he found the current man unrecognizable because of the personality difference.
“That day in Linjiang City, when I said I was Zhang Chengen, why did you believe me?”
In the secret chamber of Linjiang City, Long Chen had claimed to be Zhang Chengen, and Feng He had believed him.
Feng He laughed heartily. “If I hadn’t believed you then, how could you have released me?”
Long Chen was momentarily stunned, then laughed. “You’re clever—you pretended to believe so you could save yourself.”
Feng He never truly trusted Long Chen’s words; he simply played along to secure his own survival.
Feng He’s forced smile faded. “You’re smarter than me. No one has guessed your true identity, and I can’t figure it out either.”
“In just over a year, you’ve become Minister of State twice and even Chief Eunuch. The Empress trusts you deeply.”
Long Chen ignored Feng He’s flattery and said coldly, “I do not trust you. We cannot cooperate.”
“Then why did you summon me today?”
Without leverage over Feng He, Long Chen would never trust him.
Spies and secret agents dealt with the deepest secrets. Without complete trust, cooperation was impossible.
If Feng He was disloyal, secretly building his own intelligence network, and Long Chen was unaware, it could backfire disastrously.
“Lord Long does not trust me. I have no choice. I cannot agree to send my mother into the palace.”
Feng He could never let his mother become a hostage. Without such leverage, Long Chen could not trust him.
Their boundaries overlapped; neither side could yield.
“Then there is nothing more to discuss.”
Long Chen forced a dry laugh.
Feng He shook his head. “No, trust can be built slowly. Lord Long and Jing Tianlie are in a contest of wits. I can help you win.”
Long Chen chuckled. “I have evidence of Jing Hengtong’s treason. If I present it publicly, I will win.”
Feng He smiled wryly. “That’s just a charred letter fragment. What if Jing Tianlie denies it?”
Feng He was right—treason was a grave crime. But just one half-burned letter was insufficient for conviction.
Jing Tianlie might even counter-accuse, claiming the letter was forged. It would be hard to prove.
“Do you have other evidence?”
Long Chen immediately caught the implication.
Since the half-burned letter was insufficient, Feng He must have more evidence.
Feng He smiled. “Lord Long will find out in time. I will help you win this struggle as a sign of my sincerity in coming to you.”
Long Chen was anxious to know what Feng He truly held, but he could not show it. Otherwise, Feng He would control the situation.
“The fragment you gave me is just one part. I have enough evidence to bring down Jing Tianlie.”
Long Chen’s expression was calm, as if patiently waiting to catch a fish, utterly unruffled.
Feng He chuckled a few times. “Lord Long still doesn’t trust me. Let’s take it slow. I’m already in Dongzhou; there’s time.”
Feng He was indeed a difficult man to handle. Long Chen had long been prepared.
Back when the Long family army and the Tianwei Legion battled openly and covertly, Feng He always managed to get internal information, putting the Long family army at a disadvantage several times.
Now, to bring him under his command, Long Chen had to be patient.
“May I ask a question?”
“Please, Your Excellency.”
“Why have you come to me?”
“You are the most formidable person I have ever met—more than anyone else.”
Long Chen forced a dry laugh. “You’ve met so many people. Am I really that outstanding?”
Countless geniuses existed in the world; Long Chen did not believe Feng He’s flattery.
Feng He spoke earnestly. “Yes, Your Excellency is truly exceptional.”
“I used to think Long Chen was a genius, able to go toe-to-toe with the Empress for many rounds—but he’s dead.”
“The wise bird chooses the right tree to perch on; the virtuous servant chooses the right master. I served Shangguan Wei for twenty years, but he ended up destroying my family.”
“I want to choose a good master for myself. Among those still alive, you are the best.”
Such praise gave Long Chen goosebumps.
He hadn’t expected Feng He to be so skilled at flattery. Impressive!
“Most importantly, I believe Your Excellency’s ambitions are vast.”
A trace of pride appeared on Feng He’s face, as if he had seen through Long Chen’s thoughts.