Mistakenly Connected to the Jade Flower Branch

Xu Sheng lay on the beach, hands behind his head, legs crossed, eyes slightly closed, looking relaxed and carefree. From that day on, Xu Sheng spent most of his days on the beach and rarely saw them.

Nan Fei turned and walked up to Xu Sheng, bending down slightly to block his view: "Hey."

Xu Sheng said impatiently, "I didn't provoke you, so don't provoke me either? Do you really think I'm easy to bully?"

Nanfei said, "What? You want to try again?"

Xu Sheng sneered: "If I hadn't been careless, would I have fallen for your trick? A doctor treats and saves lives, and he poisons people? Aren't you ashamed?"

Nanfei said, "If the young master really wanted to poison you, the grass on your grave would be an inch tall by now."

Xu Sheng tilted his head slightly and ignored him.

Nan Fei asked curiously, "Didn't you come here for the Great River Gang? Now is the perfect opportunity, why aren't you seizing it to please your little wife? Are you just lying here all day? Are you afraid the Acacia Forest will fly away or that the Jingjiang River will change course?"

Xu Sheng got up to leave, but Nan Fei reached out and pressed his shoulder: "Wait, let's talk some more."

Xu Sheng's face was full of "Are you sick?"

Nanfei chuckled: "Young Master Xu, Prince Rui, you are a magnanimous man. Let bygones be bygones and don't take it to heart."

Xu Sheng glanced at him sideways: "Young Master Nan is quite flexible and adaptable."

Nanfei said, "Your Highness is too kind."

Xu Sheng glared at him, and Nan Fei sat down next to him: "Let's talk about the former emperor of Nan Yue and the old manor lord. Are you familiar with their affairs?"

Xu Sheng shook his head: "I don't know as much as you do."

Nanfei asked, "Do you know that you are not the late emperor's biological son?"

Xu Sheng nodded: "My mother told me to my face that Luo Qing brought me here from somewhere to coax her. When I was a few months old, she even asked Uncle Ming to throw me away, but Uncle Ming was kind and took me in and raised me."

This sounded very tragic. Xu Sheng continued, "After Luo Qing died, no one knew where I came from. I searched for many years and went to many places, but I couldn't find a single clue."

Nanfei suddenly realized: "You came to Chongming Island to find the young master?"

Xu Sheng said, "I went to Heaven on Earth, but he had already left by then. He was a traveling doctor whose whereabouts were uncertain. He suddenly disappeared three years ago without a trace. It wasn't until the beginning of last month, when General Xue told my uncle that Uncle Ming wanted to marry Nianyao to Luo An, that I found out he was here."

Nanfei suddenly realized something was wrong: "Don't speak, let me think... General Xue? Xue Nianyao... You said you held Nianyao when she was born? If we calculate the time, you were two years old then. The late Emperor of Nanyue was still in the Luo Mansion in Dongyang. The steward of the Luo Mansion was named Ji Ming, and his wife was named Yaochi. Their daughter was named Nianyao..."

Xu Sheng looked up at the sky, while Ren Nanfei muttered to himself.

Nanfei chuckled, "So the old gang leader was the former steward of the Luo family? No wonder his expression was off when he first saw the young master. He knew about the young master's background, which is why he treated him with such respect? The marriage between Nianyao and the young master wasn't a spur-of-the-moment decision by the old gang leader, but rather a premeditated plan?"

Nanfei jumped up: "Why does she have her uncle's surname? It made me think the old gang leader's surname was Xue, and I never suspected him. I thought he had gone crazy before he died... Did he think that if Nianyao married the young master, the Great River Gang could resolve its crisis? In the end, it backfired and accelerated the demise of the Great River Gang?"

Xu Sheng slowly stood up: "Uncle Ming may not be expecting Luo An's help. As long as Luo An remains neutral, that's enough."

Nanfei asked, "What do you mean?"

Xu Sheng said, "If Nianyao marries Ji Kongming, Ji Kongming can seize power effortlessly. If Nianyao marries anyone else, Ji Kongming will have to put in a lot of effort to take over the Dahe Gang. If that person colludes with Ji Kongming, Nianyao will be in danger. If that person sides with Nianyao and opposes Ji Kongming, and succeeds in seizing power with wicked intentions, Nianyao will be in even greater danger."

Nanfei said, "What if that person's mind is upright and their intentions are righteous?"

Xu Sheng said, "Money and power can corrupt people. Many of the people who come to the Dahe Gang have no choice but to do so. How many young men can maintain their original intentions in the face of such great temptation? Nianyao is Uncle Ming's only daughter. How can he bear to gamble with her?"

Nanfei said, "According to you, if the young master weren't on Chongming Island, Nianyao would be finished?"

Xu Sheng said, "Three years ago, the old gang leader fell seriously ill and thought he was about to die. He sent a letter to General Xue, asking him to bring Nianyao back to Qinzhou if he died, and for Uncle Liu to preside over the boat captain's vote to elect a new gang leader."

Nanfei continued, "In recent years, Ji Kongming's ambition has become increasingly apparent, and he is determined to obtain the position of leader of the Great River Gang... Nianyao's succession is legitimate, and she can keep the ship captain, who is loyal to the old leader, supporting her. No other new leader could do that..."

Xu Sheng praised, "Young Master Nan is clever."

Nanfei praised, "Prince Rui is wise."

The two exchanged a smile, and Nanfei said, "How about this, Prince Rui, we make a deal. I'll go and find out about your background, and you let the young master speak."

Xu Sheng asked, "How can you be sure he knows about my background?"

Nanfei countered, "How can you be sure he can talk?"

Mr. Xu nodded: "Deal."

Nianyao was practicing her swordplay while Liulin was giving her pointers. He was quite surprised to see the two of them approaching so amicably.

Nianyao sheathed her sword, then looked at Nanfei with a half-smile, still holding it.

Nanfei was never the type to be bullied. He walked over to Liu Lin and said, "Uncle Liu, Ji Kongming's quick betrayal is largely due to Chief Xue's fake marriage. The old chief would rather have his daughter fake the marriage than marry her off to Ji Kongming. That would be a disgrace to any man."

Liu Lin said in a kind tone, "Nanfei, Uncle Liu is getting old and his mind isn't as sharp as it used to be. Just say what you want to say."

Nanfei said, "Everyone knows about the fake marriage. There's no need for the young master to sleep on the ground every day. He comes from a wealthy family and has never been treated like this before. Uncle Liu, why don't we let the young master move back to Nanyuan?"

Nianyao said, "Okay..."

Liu Lin interrupted her: "Chief... marriage is not a trivial matter. Once the wedding ceremony is over, you are husband and wife. If you are not divorced, you must live together. Chief, from today onwards, you will sleep on the ground and the young master will sleep on the bed."

Liu Lin's expression was serious, even stern.

Liu Lin usually treated Nian Yao very well, so Nian Yao dared not disobey his sternness. She replied, "Yes, Uncle Liu."

Nianyao glanced at Nanfei out of the corner of her eye, and Nanfei seemed to hear a disdainful snort coming from her nose.

Nanfei smiled and said, "Uncle Liu, if the Dahe Gang disbands, why don't you come to Dongyang with us?"

Liu Lin asked in surprise, "Nanfei, do you think the Great River Gang will disband?"

Nanfei said, "It's not just my opinion, it's what Boss Sun and the others think, and Uncle Jiu also thinks so."

Liu Lin shook his head: "The Great River Gang is my home. If the Great River Gang is to disband, I will follow the old gang leader."

Nan Fei was not surprised and praised, "Uncle Liu is indeed a chivalrous and righteous man, worthy of being the old gang leader's most trusted person. But what about Gang Leader Xue?"

Nianyao angrily said, "Nanfei, what nonsense are you spouting?"

Looking at Nianyao, Liu Lin thought to himself: Perhaps the daughters of the Liu family have no ambition or aspirations, only wanting to live a simple life. It's her nature, there's no need to force her. If that day ever comes, I'll send her back to her uncle's house in Qinzhou; that will ensure her a worry-free life.

Nianyao met Liu Lin's thoughtful gaze and said in a panic, "Uncle Liu, don't overthink it, it won't happen... If I really can't take on the position of gang leader, someone else will take over, the Great River Gang will not disband."

Nan Fei said, "Others? Who? Ji Kongming... Back then, Uncle Xu asked you to bring Ji Kongming back, but you didn't go. I thought you had a lot of backbone."