Unparalleled medical and martial arts skills, saving the CEO's fiancée at the start.

Three days after returning from the provincial capital, Qiao An, the head steward of the Qiao family mansion, personally came to visit.

Joan arrived alone by carriage without any attendants.

Joan was dressed in a gray jacket and a baseball cap, looking as unassuming as an elderly neighbor visiting.

If the gatekeeper hadn't recognized his face, this powerful butler, who had dominated the provincial capital's business world for thirty years, would almost have been mistaken for an outsider and stopped at the gate.

When Ye Chen received the message, he was squatting on the floor of the security department office playing Go with He Jianping.

He Jianping had lost seven games in a row, and he was so devastated that he questioned his existence. He grabbed his hair and muttered to himself, "Impossible, this is absolutely impossible."

While drawing the chessboard, Ye Chen comforted him, "Don't be discouraged, Lao He. You've already upgraded from a beginner to an advanced beginner."

He Jianping became even more depressed after hearing Ye Chen's comforting words, which were tinged with acne.

"Minister Ye, a Mr. Qiao is looking for you," came the security guard's voice over the walkie-talkie.

Ye Chen's chess piece stopped in mid-air as he exchanged a glance with He Jianping.

"Qiao? Qiao what?" He Jianping asked nervously.

"Qiao An, the butler of the Qiao family's old residence in the provincial capital." Ye Chen threw the chess piece onto the chessboard, stood up, and dusted off his knees.

"What's he doing here?" He Jianping asked Ye Chen, puzzled.

"They've arrived faster than I expected. Old He, put away the chess pieces, brew a pot of good tea, and prepare to receive our guests."

He Jianping looked at the chessboard and saw that he was about to suffer his eighth consecutive defeat. He thought to himself that this game was just the right time to end.

Joan was invited into the security department's meeting room.

The old butler was in his early sixties, with gray hair but a sprightly spirit. He wore a faded gray jacket and a pair of old Beijing cloth shoes, looking excessively simple.

Ye Chen noticed that his back was straight, his steps were steady and powerful, and his breathing was long and even, which clearly indicated that he was also a person who had practiced martial arts.

Even the steward of the Qiao family is a skilled martial artist; this kind of background is something that nouveau riche can't compare to.

"Minister Ye, please forgive my unauthorized visit." Qiao An took off her hat, her manners were impeccable, yet she did not make people feel distant, she had a perfect sense of proportion.

"Butler Qiao, you're too kind. Please have a seat." Ye Chen gestured for him to sit, then sat down in the main seat first, crossing his legs, his posture relaxed but his eyes clear.

"Minister Ye, you're too kind. I'm really sorry to bother you."

Butler Qiao replied to Ye Chen with an apologetic expression.

"Not at all, Butler Qiao, you're too kind. How is the old master's health? There were so many people and so many eyes on the day of the birthday banquet that I didn't have a chance to toast and congratulate him in person. It was really impolite of me."

Qiao An sat down in the guest seat, took the tea that He Jianping handed her, took a sip, then put down the teacup and became serious: "The old man is in very good health. He can eat two bowls of rice in one meal, and he even did a set of Tai Chi this morning."

"With the old man's robust health, he could easily live to be two hundred years old."

Qiao An smiled at Ye Chen and continued to relay Old Master Qiao's words: "The old man asked me to convey his greetings to Minister Ye. He said that the literary and martial arts competition at the birthday banquet was extremely exciting. He has lived for eighty years and has seen countless young talents, but there are very few people like Minister Ye."

"You flatter me, sir. It was just a fluke." Ye Chen waved his hand, but he became even more wary.

He's all too familiar with this opening line routine: first, he'll shower you with compliments until you feel comfortable, and only then will he get down to business.

Sure enough, Qiao An changed the subject and lowered her voice a few decibels: "Minister Ye, I am here today on behalf of the old man. There are some things that are inconvenient to say over the phone, so I have to come in person to say them."

Ye Chen picked up the teacup, blew on the tea leaves floating on the surface, and nodded imperceptibly, signaling him to continue.

"The old man asked me to ask you a question." Qiao An's gaze suddenly sharpened, like a short knife hidden in a sleeve finally revealing its edge.

Qiao An hesitated for a moment, but still spoke up.

Why would a descendant of Medicine King Valley descend the mountain to wade into the murky waters of the secular world?

Ye Chen didn't answer immediately; he wanted to see what else Qiao An would say.

Ye Chen paused slightly in his teacup, then slowly put it down and looked up at Qiao An.

His face still wore that nonchalant smile, but something was churning rapidly deep in his eyes—not anger, not surprise.

"The old man is very knowledgeable, even knowing about Medicine King Valley?" Ye Chen did not answer directly, but asked in return.

Qiao An smiled slightly: "When the old man was young, he traveled all over the country and made friends with many extraordinary people. He had heard of the name of Medicine King Valley thirty years ago. He just never thought that he would be able to meet the successor of Medicine King Valley in his lifetime."

The old man recognized Minister Ye's Breaking Palm technique at the birthday banquet that day.

The master later said that, apart from the successor of Medicine King Valley, there would be no one else in the world who could master the Breaking Palm to this level.

Ye Chen was silent for a moment, then smiled: "Since the old man has recognized me, then I won't hide it anymore. That's right, I am the sixteenth generation successor of Medicine King Valley. As for why I came down the mountain, that's a long story."

"The old man said that if Minister Ye is willing, he would like to meet with you alone." Qiao An took an envelope from the inside pocket of his jacket and handed it over with both hands.

"It's not about business, is it? Or is there something else important?"

Ye Chen's surprised expression made Qiao An, who had seen a lot of the world, feel a little awkward.

"Minister Ye, you can rest assured that this is not a negotiation between the Qiao family and the Jiang Group, nor is it a power struggle between the provincial capital and Jiangcheng. It is simply that the old man wants to have a chat with you personally, as an old-timer in the underworld."

Qiao An reiterated Old Master Qiao's meaning, and Ye Chen knew that it was not just a simple matter of chatting.

Ye Chen took the envelope and opened it. Inside was a sheet of plain white Xuan paper with a few words written in neat small regular script: "Please have some tea, young friend Ye. Respectfully presented by Qiao Yueshan."

The handwriting was exactly the same as the note from the birthday banquet, vigorous and powerful, penetrating the paper.

Ye Chen looked at it once, then folded the Xuan paper again and put it back into the envelope.

"The old man said that Minister Ye will decide the location and the time. The old man just wants to make a friend, he doesn't mean anything else." After saying that, Qiao An stood up and put her baseball cap back on.

"Butler Qiao, please allow me to consider it and give you an answer later."

Ye Chen didn't rush to answer; he needed time to consider Old Master Qiao's purpose.

"There's no rush. You can make a call once you've thought it through. I've conveyed your message, and I won't disturb Minister Ye's work any longer."

After finishing her speech, Joan prepared to leave.

Ye Chen got up to see Qiao An out, but when he reached the door, he suddenly called out to him, "Butler Qiao, there's something I want to ask you."

Joanne turned around.

"The old man has three sons. Which one do you think he valued the most?"

Qiao An was silent for a moment, then replied irrelevantly, "There's a calligraphy scroll hanging in the old man's study, written by him himself: 'Harmony in the family brings prosperity in all things.'"