Once I enter the pass, great Confucian scholars will surely debate the classics for me.

In the study of the Zhou family mansion in Sword Tower City, Zhou Qingfeng, Xiao Hongyun, Old Cripple, and Zhiqi were reviewing the accounts and lists of the private wine, and brainstorming and discussing detailed and foolproof plans.

Holding an account book, Zhou Qingfeng stood in front of the stove and read it, saying, "Zhai Xingyuan set this trap to kill me, leaving me in a dilemma. I can't arrest him, and I can't release him. In your opinion, how should I deal with this?"

Xiao Hongyun sat in his chair, sipping his tea and looking at the list in his hand. He said thoughtfully, "Old Zhou, I have a question I need to clarify. Is this the list and accounts of all those involved in the profit sharing of the private liquor business in Zhai Xingyuan's possession?"

Zhou Qingfeng said calmly, "What do you think?"

Xiao Hongyun stroked his chin: "If it were me, I would definitely hide the most crucial list of high-ranking officials and accounts. These are my key bargaining chips for controlling and restraining you. How could I let you know all of them?"

Zhou Qingfeng said, "Well, let's assume for now that he's hidden some key names and accounts."

Xiao Hongyun pondered for a moment and said, "Transfer all the accounts and lists of profits from the private liquor business to Madam. Such a large case involves too many high-ranking officials; it's beyond your ability to handle."

Zhiqi said, "No, I disagree, Lord Xiao. Forgive my bluntness, but if this matter is reported, it will push the young master into a fire pit. At that time, we will completely lose control of the situation. No matter how the higher-ups handle this matter, the young master will offend a large number of high-ranking officials and dignitaries."

“These people, don’t underestimate them just because they are just individual names. They all have families and powerful forces behind them.”

"Even a large number of ants can kill an elephant, let alone a pack of jackals and tigers. They dare not hate the lady, dare not retaliate against the lady, but surely they dare to retaliate against the young master in secret? Once they attack together, how can the young master withstand it?"

Xiao Hongyun paused for a moment, then nodded in agreement: "You're right. This matter really shouldn't be reported. It was my oversight. I thought that Madam loves Lao Zhou the most and would definitely cover for him. Zhiqi, what do you think we should do to help Lao Zhou get through this crisis?"

Zhiqi frowned deeply: "I don't know what to do, but I know that such a large mine absolutely cannot be detonated in public. Otherwise, we don't know if others will die, but we who are close by will definitely be killed or maimed."

Zhiqi has a clear understanding of himself. He is not as intelligent as the young master, not as good at making money as Jinwei, and is even less adept at interpersonal relationships and cautiousness. However, he is better at adapting to changing circumstances and is more daring to fight. The more dangerous the situation, the calmer his mind becomes. In addition, he has a bit of cleverness and quick wit, but that's all.

Zhou Qingfeng is his pillar of support; if something happens to Zhou Qingfeng, it would be like the sky has fallen. Now that Jin Wei is not by the young master's side, he must protect the young master's safety and future, and play the role of his right-hand man.

The old cripple, holding his cane, sat in his seat and calmly said, "It's a draw."

Zhou Qingfeng turned to the composed old cripple and asked, "Mr. Liao, do you have any good ideas?"

Upon hearing this, Xiao Hongyun and Zhiqi also looked at the old cripple.

They held this unfathomable, lame old man in great awe. Not only was he strong in combat, but he also seemed to be strong in other aspects. For example, when he played chess with Zhou Qingfeng before, he seemed to have foreseen today's draw.

The old cripple smiled slightly and pointed to his head: "You can't arrest him, you can't release him, you can't report it. Little Qingfeng, when you are in a predicament, that is the real test of your wisdom. Think it over carefully, and think it over carefully again. I believe that with your wisdom, you will definitely be able to find a way out."

Zhou Qingfeng took a deep breath, slowly closed his eyes, and searched through all the knowledge he had acquired in his life, trying to find a way to break the deadlock. His memories from his youth gradually became clear, and scenes of his father teaching him emerged.

Suddenly, a flash of inspiration struck me, like a sudden burst of genius.

He remembered the words his father had once taught him.

"Compromise is for the sake of struggle, and struggle is also for the sake of compromise."

“I know you don’t understand, and you think this is nonsense, but I’m telling you, when you take control of the family business one day, you will face incredibly complex things and people who will leave you helpless.”

"At this point, short-term compromises are made to buy more time and space to better prepare for the next step, and then gradually divide and disintegrate the enemy's forces through struggle, and finally solve the problem completely."

Zhou Qingfeng took a deep breath, his mind exploding like fireworks, as if opening up new avenues of thought, with countless fragmented plans constantly being pieced together and reconstructed in his mind.

The current plan can neither be advanced nor retreated.

Then we should compromise for now, but not just compromise. Simply compromising is a sign of weakness and incompetence, a way to be manipulated. Only by fighting while compromising, and compromising while fighting, can we get rid of Zhai Xingyuan.

A complete plan gradually emerged in Zhou Qingfeng's mind.

To confirm his suspicions, Zhou Qingfeng slowly summoned the scarlet divination bucket from the depths of his consciousness.

Silently say: Draw lots!

[The Chinese divination result is: compromise amidst struggle, and struggle amidst compromise; auspicious.]

Upon seeing this, Zhou Qingfeng felt a surge of confidence, his eyes cleared, and his face radiant. The confident smile that had once graced his lips returned. He bowed respectfully to the old cripple from afar, saying, "Thank you for your guidance, Mr. Liao."

The old cripple chuckled softly: "Looks like you have an idea."

Zhou Qingfeng nodded with a smile. In the darkness, his father's towering figure seemed to rise even higher. He had thought that he would no longer need his father's guidance in the future, but he was wrong. His father's earnest teachings were like a guiding light in the darkness, guiding him to ride the waves in the raging sea.

"Take up your weapons and immediately send someone to deliver visiting cards to the Ma and Mao families."

Upon hearing this, Zhiqi immediately clasped his hands in a fist and replied, "Yes, young master."

A moment later, Zhou Qingfeng personally visited Ma Dalang and, after a secret discussion, went to visit Mao Erlang at his residence for a secret discussion. In the end, he asked his two elder brothers to help him act as mediators.

It's not impossible for Zhou Qingfeng to secretly meet with high-ranking officials on the profit-sharing list, but the key issue is that if problems arise, there's no buffer zone, making it easy for conflicts to erupt, leaving no room for maneuver.

Therefore, it is necessary for a high-ranking official who is relatively friendly to oneself to mediate.

Why not let Qiu Chengde come forward? Because if Qiu Chengde knew about this, it would be the same as the First Lady knowing. If the First Lady knew, it would be no different from reporting it to the higher authorities, and the matter would immediately get out of control. Then, the only people who would be quite friendly to him in the Sword Tower and still be outside the situation would be Ma Dalang and Mao Erlang.

Ma Dalang agreed without hesitation. As the eldest brother, he was eager to help his fourth brother whenever he needed something. On one hand, he coveted his fourth brother and wanted to recruit him to serve under his command. On the other hand, he knew that all his efforts would not be in vain. His fourth brother appreciated his kindness and was a grateful person who would repay him whenever he had the chance.

Mao Erlang was much simpler. As soon as he heard that the eldest brother was going to step forward to settle things for the fourth brother, how could he let the fourth brother be won over by the eldest brother? He had to get involved no matter what, and he absolutely could not let the fourth brother side with the eldest brother.

At this moment, three of the four powerful young masters of the Sword Tower were on a riverside pleasure boat. Any one of these three was a figure who could shake the entire Sword Tower with a stomp of his foot.

Sitting opposite them was also a figure of great power: Tuoba, the Hall Master of the Punishment Hall, a cultivator at the Food and Injury Realm, who was on par with Hall Master Jiang of the Reward Hall and was directly under the jurisdiction of the City Lord's Mansion. He was a man of high rank and great power.

Ordinary people have little chance of meeting the Tuoba Hall Master, because those who can usually meet him are high-ranking officials and nobles who have committed serious crimes. They either come to receive punishment or are locked in a dungeon to wait for death.

Zhou Qingfeng had never been to the Punishment Hall, so he naturally didn't know Hall Master Tuoba. However, he had heard of Hall Master Tuoba. He was known for being vindictive and ruthless. Anyone who fell into his hands, let alone high-ranking officials or nobles, would be beaten half to death if they made a mistake. He was a notoriously cruel official.

Tuoba Hall Master's face was dignified, and he was neither humble nor arrogant even when facing the three young masters: "Fourth Young Master, I heard from Young Master Ma that you wanted to meet with me. I wonder what the matter is."

Ma Dalang patted Zhou Qingfeng's arm and said with a smile, "Fourth brother, when we meet in private, you can just call him Uncle Tuoba. Uncle Tuoba is of the same generation as your master. Just speak your mind and don't hold back."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Qingfeng nodded and took out the prepared private liquor accounts and list, placing them on the table: "Uncle Tuoba, these are the private liquor profit-sharing accounts and list that I found at Zhai Xingyuan's house. Please take a look."

Tuoba Tangzhu glanced at the accounts and lists expressionlessly, his demeanor completely unwavering. He seemed unfazed by the exposure of his involvement in profiting from the illicit liquor business. He said calmly, "Trying to threaten me?"

The atmosphere inside the cabin of the pleasure boat suddenly turned cold.

Seeing that the atmosphere was not right, Zhou Qingfeng immediately chose to keep quiet. No matter what he said, the other party would think he was threatening him and that they would turn on each other at the dinner table. That was why he asked Ma and Mao to step in.

Upon seeing this, Ma Dalang laughed heartily: "Uncle Tuoba, what are you saying? You've misunderstood. You are our elder and a hero of the Sword Tower. How dare we juniors threaten you?"

As he spoke, Ma Dalang picked up the wine pot to smooth things over, stood up and poured wine for Tuoba Tangzhu: "Uncle Tuoba, the fourth son is young and timid, he really hasn't seen much of the world, please don't scare him."

"The fourth brother got hold of the illicit liquor accounts and list, and when he saw your name on them, he immediately asked me to come find you. He was worried that this matter would implicate you, so he came to discuss what to do with you."

“I also tried to persuade him, saying that Uncle Tuoba has dedicated half his life to our Sword Tower, so what’s wrong with him taking a little money and enjoying himself? But this matter is a bit big, and the fourth brother can’t handle it alone. It would be bad if it got to Mother’s place.”

Upon hearing this, the cold expression on Tuoba Tangzhu's face softened slightly. These pieces of evidence alone could not shake his position at all. At most, he would be demoted and reassigned. After a few years, he could find an opportunity to redeem himself and be reinstated. At his level, it would be impossible for his enemies to bring him down unless he committed a serious crime.

If Zhou Qingfeng really thinks he can get his hands on him with this little bit of leverage, then he will let Zhou Qingfeng know why he was able to become the head of the Punishment Hall and stand firm despite being known as a cruel official.

He's the lady's confidant; do you really think he's so easy to manipulate?

However, since Zhou Qingfeng was so sensible, Tuoba Hall Master naturally appreciated it. His gaze towards Zhou Qingfeng softened, and he said, "Fourth Young Master, I wonder how you intend to handle the accounts and lists."

Zhou Qingfeng smiled and said, "Uncle Tuoba, I want to destroy the accounts and lists. I think it's better not to expose this kind of thing. The impact is too bad and it's not good for anyone."

Upon hearing this, Tuoba Tangzhu showed an appreciative expression. He finally picked up his wine cup and even changed his form of address: "My dear nephew is so sensible. As his uncle, I will accept this favor. If you need anything in the future, please feel free to come to me."

Ma Dalang laughed and patted Zhou Qingfeng on the shoulder: "Fourth brother, see what I told you? Uncle Tuoba is a very friendly and easy-going person. All those rumors outside are slander."

Zhou Qingfeng smiled slightly, raised his wine cup with both hands, and respectfully clinked glasses with Tuoba with the etiquette of a junior. Then he tilted his head back and drank the wine in his cup. This respectful and generous manner pleased Tuoba Hall Master.

Tuoba Tangzhu nodded with a smile: "Good, good child, no wonder the lady likes you, Chengde likes you too, I like you as much as I do when I see you, you are such a lovable child."

Zhou Qingfeng said modestly, "Uncle Tuoba, there's something I'm not sure if I should say."

Tuoba Tangzhu was in a good mood and waved his hand, "Speak, speak freely."

Zhou Qingfeng said, "I won't ask how you accepted Zhai Xingyuan's shares, but I must remind you that Zhai Xingyuan is a very cunning person. Simply destroying the list and accounts about you is not enough. I heard him say with my own ears that there are many backups of the accounts and lists. Such a person has ulterior motives, and keeping him around will only cause trouble."

Tuoba Tangzhu frowned and said, "He is indeed a threat. What do you want me to do?"

Zhou Qingfeng said, "You don't need to do anything. Just sever ties with Zhai Xingyuan, and I'll take care of the rest. I will ensure that all the private liquor accounts and lists in Zhai Xingyuan's possession disappear, that there are no backups, and that Zhai Xingyuan disappears forever."

Upon hearing this, the head of the Tuoba Hall narrowed his eyes: "How can I believe you can do it?"

Ma Dalang said with a smile, "With my guarantee, Uncle Tuoba, are you at ease now?"

Tuoba Hall Master shook his head: "Not enough."

"Add me too." Seeing his chance to shine, Mao Erlang immediately raised his head, crossed his arms, and struck a cool and arrogant pose: "Don't worry, if anything goes wrong with his work, the three of us brothers will take the blame."

Upon hearing this, Tuoba Tangzhu glanced at Ma Dalang and Mao Erlang, and finally stopped at Zhou Qingfeng's face. He suddenly laughed and said, "What good fortune, Zhou Silang. You have two good older brothers. Alright, I agree."

Zhou Qingfeng stood up, clasped his hands respectfully, and said, "Thank you for your trust, Uncle Tuoba."

Tuoba Tangzhu nodded slightly, stood up and said, "Nephew, cutting off someone's source of income is like killing their parents. It's alright if you mess with Zhai Xingyuan, but you've cut off everyone's off-the-ground source of income. This enmity is not small."

"Although you are very sensible and know when to advance and retreat, just because you can convince me doesn't mean you can convince others."

"Some individuals are willing to risk their lives for money. Are you prepared to bleed yourself dry?"

Upon hearing this, Zhou Qingfeng respectfully said, "I am considering the bigger picture and do not want to make things worse. After all, this matter has had a very bad impact. If some individuals are willing to risk their lives for money, then I can only give them a ticket and let them disappear forever along with Zhai Xingyuan."

Tuoba Hall Master's lips curled slightly as he patted Zhou Qingfeng's arm: "A bright future indeed, a bright future indeed!"

After saying this, Master Tuoba turned and left, striding towards the exit of the private room.