Chapter 142 Cold Treatment

Boom!

The two traded blows continuously, churning up turbulent shockwaves that made the ground tremble.

Nearby leaves were shredded by the opposing internal forces.

An aura of deadly intent permeated the area, looking extremely terrifying.

Provoked into anger, Ye Cheng unleashed his Heart-Shattering Fist in rapid succession, continuously battering Chu Ziran.

No matter how arrogant Chu Ziran was, facing Ye Cheng’s torrential attacks left him deeply alarmed.

Then, Ye Cheng shifted his palm seals, erupting with astonishing power. The surging shockwave roared like a tiger.

The Mountains and Rivers Palms erupted with fierce might, strike after strike. The profound power was simply astounding!

Combined with the surging Great River internal force, it felt like the unstoppable might of a roaring torrent, continuously empowering him.

Chu Ziran was forced back, his eyes filled with horror.

This damned eunuch was clearly only at the sixth-grade realm, yet the power he unleashed made him deeply wary.

"What is this internal force? How can it be so powerful, like a ceaseless, rushing river?!"

Terror gripped his heart, beyond his imagination.

Bang!

Suddenly, Ye Cheng delivered a fatal strike, channeling his Great River internal force and condensing it into the Mountains and Rivers Palms.

His palm blast shattered the air before him, striking out with the phantom impression of a massive mountain crashing down.

Chu Ziran let out a shout and met the blow head-on, but his arm was shaken by the immense force, and the sound of cracking bones echoed out.

Crying out in pain, he staggered back over a dozen meters, gazing at Ye Cheng with wary eyes.

"Superintendent Ye, we were merely sparring! Why resort to real combat? You must be out of internal force by now."

Wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth, Chu Ziran wore a sinister smile.

"If you want to fight, I will accompany you to the bitter end!"

Ye Cheng smiled faintly.

The blood in his veins boiled, and he breathed heavily with sweat evaporating from his skin, yet his gaze remained resolute and completely devoid of fear.

"Who dares harm the Superintendent?!"

Suddenly, a group of Eastern Depot agents rushed over, led by a commander.

"Director Ye, let us fight another day. Farewell!"

Chu Ziran was deeply wary of Ye Cheng's ferocity and ruthlessness.

"Heh, you want to leave? It's not that easy. Beat him to a pulp!"

Ye Cheng sneered.

Accustomed to Ye Cheng's generous favors on ordinary days, the men immediately obeyed his command, charging forward with brisk strides to surround Chu Ziran.

"Ye Cheng, you damned eunuch!"

Chu Ziran was fuming with rage.

This damn eunuch played by no rules of martial honor whatsoever!

He found himself surrounded by over a dozen people.

Although most of these men were only at the fifth or sixth grades and posed no real threat individually, he had already consumed a significant amount of internal force and was in no condition to face so many opponents at once!

Under the joint assault, wounds appeared all over his body, his clothes were torn to shreds, and he was drenched in blood.

"Don't hold back, everyone! Tonight, I'm treating you all to a banquet at Qingfeng Restaurant!"

A growing smile blossomed on Ye Cheng's face. There was no need to speak of martial honor with someone like Chu Ziran.

This man had wanted to step on him to establish his own prestige—something that was simply out of the question!

Furious and daring not linger, Chu Ziran fled in utter disarray.

Taunts and curses rang out behind his back, leaving him utterly humiliated.

"Some kind of Deputy Commander of the Imperial Guards! Looked like nothing special to me. What an absolute embarrassment."

"Lacking all self-awareness, daring to come to our Eastern Depot to act high and mighty!"

"Grandson! Try coming back to the Eastern Depot again if you dare!"

...

These harsh insults made Chu Ziran wish he could find a crack in the ground to crawl into.

"Stop shouting. Drinks are on me tonight," Ye Cheng said.

Returning to his small courtyard, the more Ye Cheng thought about it, the angrier he became.

Just because Ling Xiaoyue no longer favored him, now every Tom, Dick, and Harry thought they could step on him.

Even this newcomer Chu Ziran dared to trample over him!

"Without you, Ling Xiaoyue, do you really think I can't find another backer?"

Ye Cheng declared in a deep voice.

He decided to go find Lin Yaoxue tonight.

Qingfeng Restaurant.

Ye Cheng was a man of his word; when he said he would treat, he would treat.

He brought a whole group of Eastern Depot men to Qingfeng Restaurant and booked a dozen tables.

However, no sooner had they sat down than several brightly dressed family servants walked over and said, "Hurry up and leave! Tonight, Prince Song has booked the entire establishment."

"Prince Song?"

Hearing this, the men shuddered and stood up, preparing to leave.

"Sit down, all of you!"

Ye Cheng slammed his palm on the table and yelled angrily.

The men looked at each other in dismay, but since the Lord Superintendent had given the order, they could only brace themselves and sit back down.

"Well, well, you dare refuse to give face to Prince Song's Mansion! You have a lot of nerve!"

A chubby servant roared angrily, reaching out to grab Ye Cheng by the collar.

Clang!

Ye Cheng tossed the bronze tablet of the Eastern Depot Superintendent right onto the table.

The chubby servant's hands stopped mid-air, his body freezing up, daring not move an inch further.

"Superintendent of the Eastern Depot! Lord Superintendent Ye?" The chubby servant was dumbfounded.

"What, do you want to stay at the Eastern Depot for a few days?" Ye Cheng asked coldly.

Even though Ye Cheng had not launched any massive inquisitions since taking charge of the Eastern Depot, it did not change the fact that the place was a den of demons.

Once someone entered the Eastern Depot without a powerful background, even if they survived, they would be skinned alive.

"Lord Superintendent Ye, our Prince Song is not someone to be trifled with either," the chubby servant sneered.

"Even dining has an order of first come, first served, doesn't it? We arrived first, what right do you have to muscle in? Get lost!"

Ye Cheng barked.

"Fine, just you wait. Once His Highness Prince Song arrives, you'll know what's good for you."

Throwing down this harsh threat, the chubby servant and the other retainers stormed off in a huff.

"Hey waiter, what are you standing there daydreaming for? Bring out the dishes quickly," Ye Cheng said.

"Right away, honored guest, please hold on," the waiter replied.

Soon, the tables were laden with various dishes, and the men devoured the food like starving ghosts newly reincarnated.

Qingfeng Restaurant was one of the hottest dining spots in the capital currently, where even the most ordinary table of food cost at least thirty taels of silver.

Yet Ye Cheng's table cost a hundred taels per table, featuring eight cold plates and eight hot bowls of exotic delicacies and fine food in generous portions.

"Prince Song has arrived!"

While Ye Cheng and the others were eating, a commotion broke out downstairs as someone shouted.

Stomp, stomp, stomp!

At that moment, a middle-aged man wearing a purple brocade robe, with a fair complexion and a plump build, walked up to the second floor.

Behind him followed several imperial court officials and refined scholars.

This fair-skinned, chubby man was Prince Song, wearing a beaming smile that made him look like Maitreya Buddha.

Anyone unaware of the truth would be deceived by his appearance, genuinely believing him to be an honest and simple-minded man.

In reality, he was a man who hid a dagger behind his smile.

"Isn't this Director Ye? What a coincidence, bumping into each other today."

Prince Song grinned, though his gaze turned icy as he looked at Ye Cheng.

"Greetings, Prince Song!"

The men of the Eastern Depot quickly stood up and bowed to Prince Song.

"Greetings, Your Highness." Ye Cheng had no choice but to stand and offer a bow as well.

There was no need to have a falling out with Prince Song and make things awkward right now.

"Director Ye is too polite. You are the Emperor's top favorite by his side, how could this Prince ever dare make you bow to me?"

Prince Song said with a chuckle.

His tone carried a sarcastic edge, making it rather grating to the ears.

"I received news from the palace that Director Ye has fallen out of favor with the Emperor? You didn't even manage to secure a position in the Directorate of Ceremonies, what a pity."

Prince Song shook his head in a mock display of sighing, while actually mocking Ye Cheng behind the scenes.

How could Ye Cheng fail to hear the mockery in Prince Song's words? Yet he remained extremely calm and smiled:

"Prince Song, I prefer leisure and dislike meddling in court politics."

"That's for the best." Prince Song smiled, then suddenly walked closer and lowered his voice. "Director Ye, might I have a word in private?"

Ye Cheng replied, "Prince Song, do you have other business?"

Prince Song smiled, "Apologies for the trouble, Director Ye."