Chase Game

Let's rewind a few hours.

After returning to the manor, Meng Dong, the eldest son of the Meng family, immediately went to find the letter left behind by the old patriarch.

Afterwards, he and Zhang Qiang left the cave together, carrying the letter and the canvas, and went to Meng Dong's private room.

The canvas was spread out on the table. Meng Dong sat at the table, while Zhang Qiang stood in the doorway.

"So, this letter is about the rise and fall of your Meng family?"

After reading the letter, Zhang Qiang asked the same question.

Meng Dong stared at the blank canvas on the table, his fingers tapping rhythmically on the surface:

"Indeed, since that night, the Meng family has been rolling in wealth and has become a prominent family."

He paused, then continued, "This might be what is meant by 'blessing of good fortune'."

"Wait, let's not talk about luck or anything like that. Let's just say that this divine bird is acting way too domineeringly."

Zhang Qiang frowned and continued, "It's called a transaction, but it feels more like a forced sale."

"They even created a curse that has been passed down through generations; anyone who didn't know better would think it was some kind of evil god."

Zhang Qiang is a straightforward person who says whatever he sees. Although his views are often one-sided, his words are not without reason in this matter.

Meng Dong's eyes narrowed slightly as he said:

"As the saying goes, 'Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown.' The Meng family rose from humble beginnings to become so wealthy and powerful, so it's only natural that they have to pay a price."

Zhang Qiang chuckled and said, "It would have been better if you hadn't brought it up. Now that you have, I just want to say it. Look at what the Meng family descendants have done; they're all no good."

Hearing Zhang Qiang's rude remarks, Meng Dong felt ashamed and couldn't help but think of Ling Yi.

In his impression, Ling Yi was the kind of person who was bold yet meticulous, calculating and calm, the exact opposite of Zhang Qiang.

But if he remembered correctly, Zhang Qiang and Ling Yi were also good brothers.

Perhaps it is precisely because their personalities are largely opposite, yet they share some commonalities, that they are able to complement each other and forge a deep friendship.

He pulled himself out of his reverie and explained to Zhang Qiang, "The pain of burning has been passed down through generations and accompanies one throughout life; not everyone can endure it."

"Breaking this curse has been an obsession for the Meng family for generations, but—"

Footsteps sounded outside the door, and Meng Dong stopped talking.

"Young Master, it's time to head to 'Heavenly Pavilion'."

"I understand, you may leave."

The footsteps outside the door faded into the distance. Meng Dong got up, rolled up the canvas, and continued speaking, having not finished her sentence:

"However, the consequences of attempting to shift the weight of the crown onto others while retaining the crown and the position of authority oneself are—"

He rolled up the canvas, handed it to Zhang Qiang, looked him straight in the eye, and said gravely, "You'll surely lose both your money and your life!"

Zhang Qiang took the canvas, somewhat puzzled: "Why are you giving me this?"

"I'm going to Tiange. You go find Ling Yi, give him the letter and the canvas, and he'll definitely know what to do."

Meng Dong said sincerely.

Zhang Qiang said somewhat awkwardly, "I'm restricted here; I can't leave the Meng residence."

"Don't worry about that. If Wang Yun, the acting head of the family, can give you authority, why can't I, the legitimate son of the Meng family?"

"However, the maximum permission I can give you is only six hours."

Meng Dong looked at Zhang Qiang, unsure if this amount of time would be enough. He then saw Zhang Qiang silently calculate for a moment before saying:

"That should be enough. Ling Yi is in Dongshan Village. He can get there in two hours at a fast horse."

"That's good. Leave the Meng residence to me for now, let's split up and take action."

"good!"

Meng Dong looked at Zhang Qiang as he left. Although it wasn't explicitly stated, the three of them had officially formed an alliance in this game.

They had recently played a game together and had a good impression of each other, which formed the basis of their alliance based on trust.

He shook his head, stopped thinking about it, and turned to walk towards the Heavenly Pavilion.

The Heavenly Pavilion, shaped like a pagoda, is seven stories high and entirely made of wood. It is the core of the Meng family and represents power and authority.

When Meng Dong arrived at the door, Wang Yun and Zhou Jie had also arrived.

Neither side had anything to say.

Wang Yun, accompanied by Zhou Jie, stepped into the Heavenly Pavilion first, pretending not to see Meng Dong as they passed by.

"Young master, please!"

The butler bowed to greet him, and Meng Dong withdrew his gaze, stepping into the Heavenly Pavilion under his guidance.

The first two words that came to mind when Meng Dong stepped into Tiange were these.

style!

The view is filled with landscape paintings and gold and jade, as if the entire Tiange Pavilion is plated with gold.

As Meng Dong made his way up to the seventh floor of the Heavenly Pavilion, he saw many servants busily carrying ice up and down the stairs.

He knew that all of this was for the benefit of those few elders in the family.

Meng Dong arrived at a room with its door open and a screen covering it; this was the source from which the servants carried ice in and out.

The steward whispered from outside, "My lords, the young master has arrived."

Meng Dong heard the splashing and scooping of water, followed by a standard voice with fat pressing against the vocal cords: "Okay, let him in."

The butler stepped aside, bowed, and gestured for them to proceed.

After Meng Dong went inside, he heard a voice from inside say:

"After you've replaced this bucket of ice, come back in about an incense stick's time. Clear all the servants out, and no unauthorized personnel are allowed near the Heavenly Pavilion."

Yes~

Upon hearing this reply, Meng Dong was slightly surprised. Soon, he saw a line of female servants emerge.

When he entered the room, the first person he saw was Wang Yun, who also turned his gaze toward him.

Then he turned upwards again, and this time he saw nine oversized wooden basins.

In each wooden tub lay a man shaped like a fat pig, some of them with their entire bodies submerged in the water, only their heads showing.

Some were still scooping ice blocks from the ice buckets next to them;

Some people simply hold a palm-sized block of ice in their hand and use it as soap to rub their bodies.

Meng Dong knew that these people were the elders of the Meng family, the descendants of the eldest and second wives.

They were constantly suffering from the pain of burning, which is why they needed ice water to relieve it.

It is precisely because I spend a lot of time in the water every day and cannot exercise that I am getting fatter and fatter.

Meng Dong didn't stand there dumbfounded. While observing, he also walked over to Wang Yun's side.

After he stood still, the eldest member of the family, located in the very center of the bucket, finally spoke up: "Ah Dong is back. How's it outside? Is it as good as home?"

This person, according to seniority, is his eldest uncle.

The first question this person posed was quite intriguing.

It seems that whenever Meng Dong says something about how nice things are outside, his uncle will tell him: "If things are so nice outside, you might as well stay outside and never come back."

Actually, he understood why his uncle would ask that question.

After all, the pain of being burned made it impossible for them to travel far, and in their entire lives, they could count on one hand the number of times they had even left the Meng residence.

Meng Dong cupped his hands in greeting and said neither humbly nor arrogantly, "No matter how good the outside world is, it's full of strangers. Only at home do I have my uncles and other relatives."

"Although my nephew is away from home, he always keeps the family in his heart."

Uncle Meng was fairly satisfied with this answer, and several elders nodded in agreement, saying:

"Dong'er is a sensible person."

"As expected, it has to be your own child..."

"..."

All the praise was directed at Meng Dong, while Wang Yun, the other person on the field, seemed to have become a mere background figure.

At this moment, the second uncle, who was using ice as soap, spoke up: "Yoona is not bad either. She has managed the household well during this period of time, which is evident to all."