Chapter 678: Pingyuan Prince (High Energy Chapter)

He Jiaqing and his people left Furongzhai, carrying a million silver dollars, with Li Haoyun escorting them all the way to the outside of the villa.

After bidding farewell, as they walked, He Jiaqing reminded Qian Xiangjun, "Old Qian, be extra careful during this time. Li Haoyun isn't a magnanimous person; he might seek revenge on you."

Qian Xiangjun shook his head and said, "Don't worry about this. At first, I was a little scared too. Li Haoyun is indeed ruthless in his dealings. But once I realized this deed was his, I knew his anger must have dissipated. He's probably secretly overjoyed. Duan Shuqun nodded slightly: 'A million silver dollars to fully acquire the deed – he certainly profited from this.'"

Qian Xiangjun sighed, "If you ask me, we asked for too little. Half of Luozhou's entertainment businesses are in Li Haoyun's hands. His family fortune is unfathomable."

He Jiaqing shook his head, "Money is good, but asking for too much can strain relationships."

Qian Xiangjun disagreed: "Relationships are one thing, but business is business. I don't think asking him for two million would have been too much."

He Jiaqing laughed, "Old Qian, you're simplifying things. That amount isn't something you just casually mention. Do you think if I asked Li Haoyun for two million silver dollars, he could produce it?"

Qian Xiangjun pondered: "He might not have that much cash on hand, but if he sold off his assets, he could probably raise two million."

He Jiaqing asked again, "Do you think we can afford to wait?"

Qian Xiangjun thought for a moment and said no more.

He felt waiting wouldn't hurt, but he didn't know what He Jiaqing planned to do next.

He Jiaqing sighed, "Old Qian, if we wait for him to sell off his assets, there's no telling when this deal would be finalized. It might take ten days or half a month, or even two or three months. During that time, unexpected complications could arise, leading to who knows how much trouble. We need the money now. Getting it sooner means the profits we generate will be worth more than a million."

He Jiaqing was in high spirits as he returned to the film company with a million silver dollars.

A newsboy was at the company entrance, and He Jiaqing bought a newspaper.

"Prince Pingyuan?" He Jiaqing chuckled with a sigh. "Playing with fire all day, and now it's caught up with him. Let's see how he handles this."

At Furongzhai, Li Haoyun was drinking with Ma Wu. Ma Wu clasped his hands and said, "Tomorrow morning, the East Garden Fruit Market will deliver several carts of fresh fruit to Furongzhai. Inside the carts will be 1.5 million silver dollars: one million for the principal, and 500,000 as my gratitude."

Li Haoyun waved his hand. "Fifth Master, you're making fun of me. A million silver dollars is not a small sum to me, but I can afford it. As for the 500,000 gratuity, you shouldn't even offer it. If you truly respect me, you wouldn't bring it up."

The reason Li Haoyun bought Li Furong's deed was that Ma Wu had correctly anticipated He Jiaqing would come to Li Haoyun and had warned him in advance. Thanks to Li Haoyun's many years of experience in the underworld, his impeccable demeanor and speech made He Jiaqing believe that Li Furong was indeed Li Haoyun, allowing them to successfully buy back the deed.

How could Ma Wu ask someone to do a favor and then let them pay for it? "Master Yun, this deed is incredibly important to me. I would willingly go bankrupt to get it. You bought back the deed for a million silver dollars. I could wake up laughing from a dream about this. The principal and the gratuity, you must accept them."

Li Haoyun shook his head. "Fifth Master, let me be clear: I absolutely will not accept this money!"

Ma Wu found it strange why Li Haoyun was so resolute. They had agreed earlier that all expenses would be covered by Ma Wu. Moreover, the 500,000 gratuity was indeed warranted, as Li Haoyun had taken a risk. If He Jiaqing later realized something was amiss, it was hard to say he wouldn't come looking for trouble with Li Haoyun.

Li Haoyun remained silent, and the atmosphere grew a little tense. His two wives, Meixiang and Miaolan, spoke up.

Meixiang said, "Fifth Master, women shouldn't interrupt when men are discussing business, but our Young Master truly wants to be friends with you."

Meixiang and Miaolan had both been Li Haoyun's maids. Even after all these years, they still called him "Young Master."

Miaolan added, "To be frank, our Young Master's cultivation is almost at the 'Cloud' level. In the future, he'll need more support from you and the Prince."

"The Prince..."

Ma Wu pursed his lips.

According to Luo Yanjun, Old Seven might not even know about the Prince matter yet, but many people were already seeking his help. He had called countless times, but the phone remained unreachable. It seemed Old Seven was still in Neizhou and hadn't come out.

"Master Yun, I'll definitely tell Old Seven about this, but the money..."

Li Haoyun waved his hand. "Fifth Master, don't mention the money again. If you do, I'll get angry!"

Li Banfeng arrived at the exit of Sui'an Town and looked at Zuo Anna. "I thought Dabingzi would come to see me off, but he ran off long ago. That guy has no regard for old friendships."

Zuo Anna smiled, then clarified her position: "He is indeed a member of the White Falcon Alliance, but my current jurisdiction is only within Sui'an Town. I cannot interfere with matters elsewhere." This meant that if Li Banfeng sought revenge on Dabingzi again, Zuo Anna would not intervene.

Li Banfeng lowered his hat brim, preparing to leave. Zuo Anna asked again, "Mr. Li Banfeng, are you really not going to join the White Falcon Alliance?"

Li Banfeng shook his head, without a hint of hesitation.

Zuo Anna handed Li Banfeng a piece of paper with two sets of numbers written on it. "These are the White Falcon Alliance's communication frequency and key. If you have someone skilled in radio near you, please give this paper to them. These numbers will help you find us."

Li Banfeng took the paper, left Sui'an Town, and entered a cave.

After exiting the cave and crossing two mountains, Li Banfeng found the scenery increasingly familiar. He had been to this place before, back when he was in college. This was Lotus Mountain in Yuezhou City. Did this place really have an entrance to Neizhou too? Including Ruirong Textile Factory, this was the second entrance. Two Neizhou entrances in one Yuezhou City? How much effort had Neizhou put into Yuezhou?

Chen Changrui sat in his office, staring out the window in a daze. For two consecutive weeks, the Dark Star Bureau had received no assignments – no tasks related to security, investigation, or research. Even basic work like data analysis had been handed over to other departments. The new director hadn't yet been appointed, and Chen Changrui knew this was a prelude to the Dark Star Bureau's disbandment. Li Banfeng was gone, and Shen Jingye was no longer there. Chen Changrui alone couldn't possibly protect the Dark Star Bureau. Moreover, Li Banfeng's status was no longer what it used to be, and the last link to the Dark Star Bureau was likely to be severed. Chen Changrui was in despair. His only concern now was whether his subordinates could find good prospects. They shouldn't have too many illusions about their future. As dark energy users, they were a special group, and other departments wouldn't heavily rely on them, but only subject them to strict surveillance and restrictions. Some people couldn't even find a promising job. For example, Zhong Er, who had suffered such severe injuries, was still in recovery, making it extremely difficult to arrange a decent position for him.

As he pondered, the phone rang. The phone hadn't rung for several days. As soon as Chen Changrui picked it up, he heard a man's voice.

"Old Chen, come to my office."

Chen Changrui was stunned for a moment, then checked the caller ID. He tidied his clothes and quickly jogged to Li Banfeng's office.

"Director Li, no, not Director Li, nor... Dean Li—"

Li Banfeng, sitting behind his desk, smiled and said, "Who exactly are you looking for?"

Chen Changrui chuckled, "Your position has just been adjusted, and I'm just used to calling you—"

"Adjusted again?" Li Banfeng asked, his expression serious. "First, tell me about this 'Dean' business. It has nothing to do with a psychiatric hospital, does it?"

Chen Changrui was taken aback. "Psychiatric hospital? No, it has nothing to do with that!"

Li Banfeng let out a sigh of relief. "Good, as long as it's not a psychiatric hospital. So, what kind of institute is it?"

"The full name of this organization is the Comprehensive Research Institute for Balance Work, or Balance Institute for short. You will serve as its Dean, a position two ranks higher than your current one."

"Two ranks higher?" Li Banfeng calculated, then asked in astonishment, "Wouldn't that make it incredibly significant?"

Chen Changrui nodded. "That's right."

Li Banfeng chuckled, "That's good news! Did your salaries increase too?"

Chen Changrui paused, then gave a bitter smile. "Dean Li, you're teasing us. Your position has been promoted, but ours haven't changed. In fact, we're about to lose our positions entirely; the Dark Star Bureau is on the verge of being disbanded."

Li Banfeng frowned. "Why is it being disbanded again? Gao Yina is still in charge, right? Tell her to come see me."

Chen Changrui seized the lifeline and quickly called Gao Yina. Gao Yina was on a business trip, but as soon as she heard Li Banfeng had arrived, she immediately dropped all her work, arranged for a helicopter, and rushed back with all her might.

While waiting, Li Banfeng asked Chen Changrui, "Do you have any information on the White Falcon Alliance?"

"Yes!" Chen Changrui didn't dare hesitate and quickly had the archive staff bring over the White Falcon Alliance's files.

The White Falcon Alliance's files were thick, and Li Banfeng didn't know where to start. He directly asked Chen Changrui, "Do you know that the White Falcon Alliance has sent many Neizhou residents to Waizhou?"

Chen Changrui nodded. "The Dark Star Bureau conducts special investigations into this matter every year. This is the latest roster we have."

Li Banfeng opened the roster and saw information and details for hundreds of people. The Dark Star Bureau's investigative work in this area was quite thorough. The roster was divided into three sections. The first section, called "Cooperative Partners," listed Kang Zhenchang's name.

Li Banfeng was stunned. "Kang Zhenchang is from Neizhou?"

Chen Changrui thought for a moment. "His identity is difficult to define. We're not even entirely sure whether Kang Zhenchang's true identity is that of a medical cultivator or something else."

Li Banfeng was certain about this: Kang Zhenchang was Song Qianhun's ghost servant, and the one who truly represented Kang Zhenchang's stance was Teacher Song's father, Song Qianhun.

Chen Changrui continued, "We know that Kang Zhenchang lived in the Great Shang Empire and held relatively high positions. As for whether he is a native-born Shang national, we cannot confirm that yet. What we can confirm now is that Kang Zhenchang is a member of the White Falcon Alliance. He has maintained good cooperative relations with us and also holds a relatively high position in the Huan Kingdom, having the right to participate in discussions and decisions on major issues."

If Song Qianhun was a member of the White Falcon Alliance, then what about his daughter, Teacher Song? Li Banfeng didn't find Song Shu's name, but he noticed that the list of cooperative partners was very long.

Chen Changrui explained, "Not all of these people were sent from Neizhou, but they all have connections with the White Falcon Alliance, and over seventy percent of them are members of the White Falcon Alliance."

Li Banfeng looked at the occupation column in the roster. These people were distributed across various industries. "The White Falcon Alliance has so many collaborations with Waizhou?"

Chen Changrui lowered his voice. "This is an inevitable choice given the major trends. The technological development speed of the Amikan Nation is evident to all; they were the first country to establish cooperative relations with the White Falcon Alliance."

Li Banfeng continued to browse the roster. The second section was titled "Special Individuals." In this roster, Li Banfeng found a familiar name: Zhao Zhihong, the astronomy professor at Yuezhou University. Professor Zhao Zhihong, the Balloon Professor.

"Is Professor Zhao from Neizhou, or is he a member of the White Falcon Alliance?"

Chen Changrui replied, "He is from Shang Nation. When he was young, he fled from Nanhao and was arranged by the White Falcon Alliance to attend university. He completed his doctorate with excellent grades and then stayed on as a faculty member. You mentioned him before. You said you hoped professionals would handle professional matters, and I told you then that it wasn't that simple, mainly because his unusual background and temperament made him difficult to deal with."

His unusual background was now clear: Zhao Zhihong was from Neizhou. His constant attachment to a balloon was likely because he needed to conceal his appearance.

"What do you mean by 'unusual temperament'?"

Chen Changrui explained, "He received an excellent education in the Great Shang Nation and had a strong scientific and technological foundation. After completing his university courses, he merged Earth's electrical civilization with the Third Planet's steam civilization, achieving many technological breakthroughs. This person should have been heavily utilized, but he frequently leaked information related to the Dark Star and its galaxy to the public through his academic achievements. After multiple unsuccessful attempts at persuasion, we had no choice but to implement necessary restrictive measures against him."

Li Banfeng asked, "Have you investigated why he chose to leak this information?"

Chen Changrui remembered Zhao Zhihong clearly: "He always said that if the Great Shang attacked one day, ordinary people needed to know how terrifying these people were, where to flee, and how to save their lives."

Li Banfeng remained silent.

Chen Changrui continued, "In truth, when that day really comes, not many people will be able to protect themselves. But if we let him continue to spread this information, it would only cause unnecessary panic."

Li Banfeng made no comment and continued to flip through the roster.

The third section of the roster was titled "Ambiguous Personnel." In this section, Li Banfeng noticed a person named Shi Qiwen. Li Banfeng had never seen this name before, but he was very familiar with the person's workplace. The Cultural Palace Black Market. His information was very scarce. Li Banfeng asked Chen Changrui, "Which stall in the black market is he associated with?"

Chen Changrui shook his head. "We still can't determine his identity within the black market. We only know that he was sent to Yuezhou by the White Falcon Alliance. He doesn't actively cooperate with us, nor does he show hostility, but he engages in questionable activities in certain grey areas. There are many people like him, and some of them frequently cooperate with certain smugglers from Luozhou, causing us considerable trouble in our work."

Li Banfeng asked Chen Changrui to photocopy a copy of the roster. As he was looking through other documents, Gao Yina rushed back. "Dean Li, we've been waiting for you! We've arranged a new office for you, and a private driver is waiting downstairs."

Li Banfeng asked, his face full of pleasant surprise, "What are the office conditions like?"

Gao Yina smiled, "The specifications are top-tier, and the environment is the best."

"What about the equipment?"

"It's all the most advanced, first-rate equipment currently available!"

"What about the staff?"

At this point, Gao Yina became slightly excited. "We've gone through rigorous selection processes to provide you with a team of elite and capable individuals!"

Li Banfeng nodded. "I'm not going."

Gao Yina's smile froze. "Dean Li, everything I just said was true—"

Li Banfeng said sternly, "In the workplace, you should address me by my title. Call me Director Li. I am the Director of the Dark Star Bureau."

Gao Yina looked at Chen Changrui, who smiled but said nothing. Gao Yina then looked at Li Banfeng again. "The Dark Star Bureau's rank is severely mismatched with your position, so—" Li Banfeng interjected, "Then raise the Dark Star Bureau's rank until it matches mine."

Gao Yina was stunned. "Raise it to match your level? This... this is really—you're putting me in a very difficult position!"

Li Banfeng said earnestly, "The more difficulties you face, the more a person's character shines through. Comrade Yina, don't be afraid of challenges. This is a test for you, and a sign of trust!"

Gao Yina's face turned pale, and she nodded, "I'll do my best."

She agreed. She actually agreed.

Li Banfeng nodded. "Then go quickly."

Gao Yina left, and Li Banfeng fell into thought. Why did Gao Yina agree so readily to such an excessive request? Raising the Dark Star Bureau's status was a long-held idea of Li Banfeng's, but he never expected it to happen so easily. He had intended to pressure Gao Yina to at least save the Dark Star Bureau, but to his surprise, she compromised directly. Waizhou had its own rules, and things usually had to proceed step by step, but today, that rule seemed to have been broken.

Li Banfeng looked at Chen Changrui. "You need to keep a close eye on this. Gao Yina might just be giving us an empty promise."

"I don't think so!" Chen Changrui said confidently. "As soon as there's any news from above, I'll report it to you immediately. Also, there's something else I haven't had a chance to tell you yet—"

"What is it?"

Chen Changrui took out Bulb and Tangyuan's resignation letters. "I haven't approved these two's resignation requests yet..."

Li Banfeng took the resignation letters and put them in his drawer. "This is a misunderstanding. They haven't resigned; they're just on a special mission in Luozhou."

Chen Changrui nodded repeatedly and left the office.

Li Banfeng fell into deep thought. What on earth had happened? His rank was rising so fast, and things were going so smoothly. How could there be such a huge change after just one trip to Neizhou? There must be a reason behind it.

Li Banfeng called Ma Wu. Upon receiving Li Banfeng's message, Luo Zhengnan was overjoyed. He transferred the call to Ma Wu, who was both happy and anxious: "Old Seven, I've been looking for you for so many days! Why are you only now getting in touch? Has something big happened?"

"Yes, something big indeed. He Jiaqing got hold of Li Furong's deed."

Li Banfeng frowned. "Where is he now? I'll go find him immediately." With the deed in He Jiaqing's hands, it might be difficult to get it back.

Ma Wu said, "No need to look for him. I had Li Haoyun buy back the deed. It cost a million silver dollars."

At the mention of Li Haoyun's name, Li Banfeng already understood the general process. He Jiaqing must have misunderstood and mistaken Li Haoyun for Li Furong.

Ma Wu recounted the whole incident and asked Li Banfeng, "Is Li Banling really your brother? From the looks of it, he seems to be a shadow cultivator."

"This person—" Li Banfeng blinked. Li Banling and Li Banfeng grew up together in the orphanage. When Li Banfeng was in his second year of university, Li Banling had already gone to work in Chancheng, and they hadn't had much contact since. The person Ma Wu encountered wasn't Li Banling; it was most likely Banfeng Yi.

"Old Five, it's good that you got it back. I owe you a lot for this."

Ma Wu said, "What's there to say between brothers? The main issue is Li Haoyun. I tried to return the million silver dollars to him, and also offered him 500,000 as compensation, but he refused to take it."

"He thinks it's too little? Then give him more."

"It's not that he thinks it's too little; he doesn't want to accept money. His cultivation is almost at the 'Cloud' level."

Li Banfeng understood. This meant he wanted a territory. To be honest, given He Jiaqing's power and tactics, few dared to play mind games with him. Li Haoyun took such a significant risk to help Li Banfeng this time; this indeed meant a considerable debt of gratitude.

"The one million principal must be returned to Li Haoyun."

"I really tried to return it, but he wouldn't accept it no matter what I said."

"Tell him that the bond between Li Qi and Ma Wu isn't something that can be bought with money."

"Old Seven, saying that might have been fine before, but not anymore."

"Why not?"

"Your status is different now. Ordinary people wouldn't dare talk about sentimentality with you."

"How is it different?"

"You're a Prince now."

"Prince of where?"

"A Prince of the Great Shang Empire."

"Who bestowed that title?"

"Qiao Yi and the others bestowed it. The urgent official document was sent to Luozhou and even made it into the newspapers."

Urgent official document? Li Banfeng remembered encountering a swift fish on the way, which had caused Sui'an Town to come to a halt in fright. Could that swift fish have been sent to deliver the document?

Li Banfeng was stunned for a long time, then asked, "Isn't Qiao Yi the Regent? How could he simply bestow a princely title? What right does he have?"

"He didn't bestow the title alone. He, along with the entire imperial family and the cabinet, bestowed upon you the title of Prince Pingyuan."

Li Banfeng was dumbfounded. No wonder Gao Yina was so cooperative, no wonder his official rank had risen so dramatically. So he had inadvertently become a Prince of Neizhou. This was beneficial for Waizhou; with his elevated status, the role of a mediator would certainly become more prominent. But was this truly beneficial for Li Banfeng?

Ma Wu said, "Old Seven, people looking for your help are practically breaking down our doors now."

"What kind of help are they seeking?"

"Matters concerning Neizhou. Some want land from you, some want official positions. I've managed to stop some, but others I just can't get rid of."

"The news spread quite fast. I guess I'm the last one to know about this."

"Old Seven, whatever you do, don't return to Luozhou recently."

"Why can't I go back?"

"If you return now, do you think the Hawker will let you off the hook?"

"Why wouldn't the Hawker let me off?"

"You've become a Prince of Neizhou. That's tantamount to betraying Luozhou. How could the Hawker possibly spare you? And look at your princely title: Prince Pingyuan. Who are you planning to pacify?"

A vein throbbed on Li Banfeng's forehead. Qiao Yi had essentially turned the tables on Li Banfeng.

"Old Five, I'm returning to Luozhou today."

"Old Seven, didn't you hear what I just said? Stay in Waizhou for a while. You can't come back."

"Why can't I come back? I still have a pile of things to do."

Li Banfeng hung up the phone. Ma Wu was drenched in anxious sweat. Feng Dai said bitterly, "Fifth Brother, you have to find a way to persuade him. If the Hawker makes a move, no one can save him."

Ma Wu sighed, "How can I persuade him? When he makes up his mind, who can stop him?"

Luo Zhengnan, who was relaying the messages, was also anxious, but he remained calm. He knew there was one person who should be able to persuade Li Banfeng.

Li Banfeng's phone rang. He answered it and smiled. "My dear wife, did you miss me?"

"Husband, have you reached Waizhou?"

"Yes, I'm in Waizhou."

Zhao Xiaowan said, "Husband, I've heard about what happened in Neizhou. Becoming Prince Pingyuan certainly wasn't your intention. Please listen to me: whatever you do, don't come back. Stay hidden in Waizhou for a few days."

Li Banfeng frowned. "Why are you saying that too?"

"Husband, I know you and the Hawker are usually very close, but given the current situation, the Hawker definitely won't tolerate you. You might think the Hawker is usually easygoing, but that's because you haven't seen his ruthless methods. You absolutely cannot return to Luozhou."

Li Banfeng was silent for a moment, then said, "My dear wife, I haven't done anything wrong, have I?"

"My dearest husband, I know you haven't done anything wrong, but some things can't be reasoned with. And this matter has already spread throughout Luozhou. The ruthless people who might come after you might not be just the Hawker alone!"

"My dear wife, wait for me at home."

"Husband, Husband—"

At dusk, Li Banfeng returned to Xiaoyao Dock from Peach Blossom Lake and changed his wet clothes. Ma Wu heard movement in Li Banfeng's room and rushed over. Pushing the door open, he indeed saw Li Banfeng sitting by the window.

"Old Seven, why did you still come back? Why won't you listen to my advice?"

Li Banfeng smiled. "This is my home. Can't I come back to my own home?"

Ma Wu urged, "First, go hide in Waizhou for a few days. I'll have the newspaper publish an article stating that you were unaware of this, and that this was a setup."

Li Banfeng shook his head. "There's no need to write any articles. Few people in Luozhou originally knew about Neizhou matters, and I don't need to explain anything to anyone."

"Old Seven—"

"Old Five, I'm fine. Go busy yourself with your business. I'll rest for a while."

Ma Wu sighed and left.

Li Banfeng sat by the window, quietly watching the clouds in the sky, feeling somewhat irritated and also tired. Just as he was about to fall asleep, he heard someone speak near his ear: "The weather is unpredictable."

Li Banfeng opened his eyes and saw a man sitting beside him.

"Indeed, the weather is unpredictable. Things change too quickly; I can't see clearly or understand it." Li Banfeng sighed deeply.

"That's not what I meant," the Hawker said, wiping some soot from his face. "What I meant was, there are many clouds in the sky; you don't have to focus on just this one. There are many houses in the sky; you don't have to burn down just mine."

Li Banfeng looked at the Hawker and said, "I haven't betrayed Luozhou."

The Hawker nodded. "I know."

Li Banfeng asked earnestly, "You really know?"

The Hawker chuckled, "Are you feeling wronged? Working so hard, only to be misunderstood in the end? You must feel awful."

Li Banfeng said, "You know that too?"

The Hawker rolled a cigarette. "Of course I know. I've endured more grievances than you, and you're even luckier than I am."

Li Banfeng thought for a moment but couldn't understand. "Why am I luckier than you?"

"Because at least someone still believes in you."

"Who believes in me?"

"I do," the Hawker said, looking at Li Banfeng and handing him the rolled cigarette. "I believe in you."