The Glory After Rebirth [重生之尊荣]

Chapter 298- 300

Chapter 298: The Tempest Setting In

Three days later, something big happened – the Zhongxin Marquess, who was feeling better, took all his family and left the capital city, heading for Shengzhou.

The Ji family had been living in the capital city for several generations. They came originally from Cangzhou, but after so many years, they had nobody they felt close to in that place, only an old residence and some very distant relatives who were members of collateral branches of the family. What with the outbreak of the rebellion in Cangzhou, it was not safe for them to go back to Yanzhou, so they'd decided that they might as well return to Shengzhou, where they owned a pasture that was vast and just the place for relaxation and nursing illness.

Ling Zhang went to see them off and secretly gave Ji Feng a lot of signed checks in the knowledge that the Ji family had undergone such great misfortune and also had so many people to support. There was nothing else he could do for them, and he only hoped that the money would help lighten their burden.

At first Ji Feng refused to accept the money and wouldn't budge an inch on the issue. Ling Zhang told him, "Take it as the money I pay to buy your parents' summer house. I know that nobody has bought it yet. I'll take care of it for you."

Ji Feng's eyes reddened at the moving words. After the emperor stripped the Zhongxin Marquess of his title of nobility, his ownership of the residential compound of the Ji family had also been taken away from him. It was no longer their home. The only property they had left in the capital city apart from the stores was the summer house in the suburb. Given that Ling Zhang had got neither the title deed of it nor any promises from Ji Feng's grandfather, he wouldn't be able to call himself the legal owner of that summer house. He was just doing this so as not to hurt Ji Feng's feelings.

"Thank you," said Ji Feng.

Yuwen Jin, Zhao Jiusi, Zhao Turui, Xie Qing, Xun Huo and Tao Yi, all of whom had come with Ling Zhang, also gifted Ji Feng with a lot of things. Due to their different economic backgrounds, the amounts of their contributions differed from person to person, but they were all tokens of friendship and goodwill.

"We'll go to Shengzhou to visit you. I heard that all pastures in Shengzhou are huge. I've never been to any before. Maybe we could have a horse race there and see who's the best rider," said Yuwen Jin.

"Well, I'd rather be the referee than a contestant." Xun Huo put his hands up as if to say "I surrender", which raised a chuckle of amusement among the others, allaying the poignancy of parting and separation somewhat.

"Go. Have a safe trip," said Ling Zhang solemnly.

Ji Feng inclined his head earnestly, bade his friends farewell one by one, reluctantly mounted his horse, rode to join his family members, gave his friends one last wave and then forced himself into turning his head around, exercising all his self-restraint to keep from looking back at them.

Eyes red with sorrow, Zhao Turui's voice was a shade tremulous. "I really don't know what will happen to the rest of us. Ji Feng used to be the most privileged of all of us when his grandfather was the Zhongxin Marquess who wielded real power, and nobody in the capital city dared mess with him. Because of his grandfather, even His Majesty's relatives had to think twice before saying or doing anything that might be offensive to him, but now, in the blink of an eye, the Ji family has dropped from the top of the pyramid to the bottom. I really find this hard to accept."

Zhao Jiusi put his arm around his brother's shoulders, consoling him silently.

Every one of them had a couple of elders working for the government and were quite used to the various matters concerning official circles. When it wasn't themselves or anybody close to them that one of those tragedies happened to, they had no problem making all kinds of comments on it, but when the victim was their friend, they all felt quit upset. The matter of the Zhongxin Marquess had caused such a sensation in the city. They were all sensible enough to tell right from wrong and naturally knew the underhand tricks behind it. All of them couldn't help but feel disappointed at the incumbent emperor and the imperial court.