City Lord Mansion.

Yard No. 3.

Tang Fei, Little Fatty, Phoenix, and Sheng Xinhua gathered together, while Sheng Jingmei and Yu Yin, as hosts, welcomed everyone, as this was their place to reside temporarily.

Sheng Kuang, the alcoholic, sat blissfully in the corner of the yard, clutching a large wine gourd, indulging in his current obsession with this Northwest-produced firewater.

The liquor lives up to its name, both fiery and robust; a single sip feels like gulping down a blaze.

That's something truly exciting.

In the middle of the yard, there's a barbecue grill with fine date wood charcoal burning in the stove.

Electronic grills are all the rage on the market, but Tang Fei still prefers the more classic and rustic charcoal grill.

He believes that meat grilled over charcoal is crispier, sweeter, and more rich in layers, infused with a strong taste of smoke and fire.

It also takes him back to the Old Land and Henshan...

Funny, really, considering it's a place of scarce resources and harrowing conditions, yet it appears time and again in Tang Fei's dreams.

Home is hard to leave.

As if he's meant to live there by nature.

Tang Fei personally wielded the knife, making one fine cut after another on the skinned sheep.

This allows the fragrance of the date wood to permeate the meat and makes it suitable for applying various seasonings on the surface later.

Sheng Xinhua, holding a glass of champagne, watched from the side and asked with interest, "Why is it called salt marsh sheep?"

"At the foot of Dushan, there's a salt pool, inside which grows a lot of bitter beans and magical cactus. Salt marsh sheep feed on these bitter beans and cactus balls."

"The key point is, Dushan's soil and water sources are rich in carbonates, sulfates, and various minerals, especially high levels of potassium salt. Therefore, the wild sheep here taste exceptionally delicious."

"Once you try it, you'll know. It'll surely amaze you so much that you'll devour it all."

"Is it really that good?" Sheng Xinhua turned to Phoenix and asked, "Have you had it before? Is it truly that delicious?"

"It does taste good," Phoenix responded with a smile, "But I've had even tastier roasted lamb."

"Where?" Sheng Xinhua asked.

Even Tang Fei looked over curiously. Is there lamb tastier than salt marsh sheep?

Phoenix smiled without replying.

Her favorite meal was during her time lost in Henshan when Tang Fei accompanied her and they hunted three sheep together.

Tang Fei sliced them up, skewered them, and grilled them with fruit wood branches...

That was the best lamb Phoenix had ever tasted.

Truly unique.

Even now, when she recalls it, there's still the sensation of lingering flavor on her lips.

Henshan is also the place that haunts her dreams, one she has to return to see someday.

Tang Fei saw that Phoenix wasn't answering their questions and was smirking at him constantly. Suddenly remembering something, he playfully winked at her.

Sheng Xinhua saw the pair smiling at each other and knew they had come to some understanding.

She knew; he knew.

She was the outsider.

Quite dull.

"Fine, if you won't tell," Sheng Xinhua said, holding her wine glass as she went to find Sheng Kuang for a drinking contest.

"Here, drink my firewater." Sheng Kuang handed over his wine gourd, saying, "Firewater is intense and vigorous. The liquor you're drinking is so dainty; what's the point?"

"Uncle, is there a possibility that I am, in fact, delicate?" Sheng Xinhua didn't grab the wine gourd but squinted her eyes while examining Sheng Kuang.

Sheng Kuang retracted the wine gourd, gulped down its contents, looked at Sheng Xinhua, and said, "What's good about being delicate?"

He saw his niece's predicament and felt anxious but helpless about it.

Affections and romantic matters, he doesn't understand them.

If you're talking about liquor, names, aromas, fermenting processes, storage days...

If any detail is even slightly wrong, he's willing to drink a shot as a penalty.

Sheng Xinhua sighed lightly and said, "True enough."

She downed the champagne in her glass, then extended the glass over, "Give me something strong."

So Sheng Kuang picked up the wine gourd and filled her glass to the brim.

Champagne glass with white liquor...

Sheng Xinhua took a big gulp and hissed through her teeth.

"This liquor... truly strong."

Like a beauty paired with a beast.

One downside of charcoal grilling is its slowness.

Two or three hours later, the entire salt marsh sheep finally reached the ideal state of crispy outside, tender inside that Tang Fei desired.

Tang Fei sliced the roasted sheep meat, then Phoenix and Little Fatty distributed it to everyone.

Dip it in Tang Fei's special seasoning, take a bite, and the meat is deliciously rich, with oil dripping from the mouth.

"The meat is great."

"Delicious, the lamb is especially tender."

"Tang Fei's grilling is amazing; who knew he had this talent..."

"A soldier who doesn't aspire to be a General isn't a good chef..."

------

Everyone couldn't stop praising.

Phoenix noticed Tang Fei kept busy, so she brought seasoned lamb meat to his mouth.

Tang Fei bit down, chewed, and said, "Not bad skill, right?"

"Of course, I knew about Chef Tang's amazing cooking skills long ago."

Mei Yuyin was enjoying the delicacy but, seeing this scene, suddenly found the lamb on her plate less appealing.

The prospective son-in-law she nurtured with soup, how did he end up having a change of heart?

All that kidney nourishment for nothing?

What's going to happen to Xin Xin?

Seeing Sheng Xinhua still competing with Sheng Kuang in drinking, her temper flared.

She nudged her husband's arm and scolded, "Why don't you manage your brother?"

Sheng Jing was busy eating meat, hearing his wife suddenly upset, asked somewhat puzzled, "Hasn't he always been like this? You know I've tried, but it doesn't work."

"Even if it doesn't work, control him. Can't control the big, at least control the small?"

Sheng Jing sighed helplessly, called out, "Sheng Xinhua... drink less."

Sheng Xinhua was drinking happily; hearing her father's advice, she casually responded, "Got it."

And then continued raising her glass with Sheng Kuang...

"You see, can't control the small either," Sheng Jing remarked.

"..." Mei Yuyin.

While everyone was drinking, eating meat, and chatting merrily, the doorbell suddenly rang in the courtyard.

Little Fatty ran over to open the door and found Tang Shengyan standing at the entrance with his family.

Tang Fei and Sheng Jing stood up to greet them, and Tang Shengyan thought Tang Fei certainly wasn't lying about this; indeed, Sheng Jing's entire family was there.

The Finance Minister's house was forced to relocate, it seems Shen Wuxiang's methods on that side were indeed too ruthless and cruel.

Tang Fei introduced them, saying: "I believe you both know each other, right? This is Finance Minister Mr. Sheng Jing, and this is the commander of the Flame-Bathed Legion, General Tang Shengyan."

"Greetings to the Finance Minister." Tang Shengyan proactively greeted Sheng Jing.

"There's no Finance Minister here, just friends who share the same ideals." Sheng Jing smiled and shook hands with Tang Shengyan.

Everyone has arrived at the Northern Border, which makes us comrades in the same trench.

Though he was tasked with building a financial system for Tang Fei, he didn't object to forming connections with these important military figures in the early stages.

Of course, in the later stages it would be inappropriate.

To hold the purse strings and associate closely with the military would be taboo.

Even if Tang Fei trusts him greatly, it would affect the stability of their relationship.

This is also the reason Sheng Jing acted as a solitary minister during Zhong Daolong's era.

He knows where his foundations lie.

"Indeed, those who come here are friends who share the same ideals," Tang Shengyan chuckled and said, "Honestly, I've been smelling the aroma of roast meat from the courtyard for a while now, and it's been making me crave..."

"After hearing Tang Fei mention there would be a welcome dinner for Mr. Sheng's family tonight, I shamelessly brought my family over to crash the party and enjoy some roasted meat. Mr. Sheng, please don't mind."

"How could I mind? I was just worried about having nobody to drink with."

"That's wonderful then, tonight we won't stop until Mr. Sheng is drunk," he gleefully replied.

Tang Fei then invited Tang Shengyan's wife and children inside, cutting some roast meat from the grill to serve them.

Tang Shengyan's wife went to chat with Mei Yuyin, while Tang Shengyan's daughter-in-law was hosted by Phoenix, and his two sons stayed by Tang Fei's side.

They all understood that this young man might be the future ruler of this country.

There's no harm in establishing good relations with him in advance.

It would be too late to get a number in line for affection later.

------

Luojia Mountain.

In the Cold Pond, deep brown water bubbles emerged.

A white silhouette soared skyward, it was Shen Xinglan, his upper body naked.

His physique was slender, his body robust.

There was no extra flesh on him, as if he was crafted by God with a bone saber, meticulously trimmed.

His long hair draped over his shoulders, with water droplets trickling down.

Tat!

Tat!

Tat!

------

In the silent cave, the noise was unusually loud.

Based solely on physique, he was definitely a top-class handsome man.

Based on half of his face, it could be said...

One side was angelic, the other demonic.

This was Shen Xinglan's true appearance at this very moment.

He looked down at his muscles, then pressed a silver button on his wrist, and a silver-white devil mask naturally appeared and spread over his ruined half-face.

He reached out, and the combat uniform on the rock edge flew over.

It fit him perfectly and snugly.

As Shen Xinglan prepared to leave, suddenly the dark and deep Cold Pond erupted once more.

This time it was more spectacular than before.

As massive amounts of seawater splashed, a silver coffin slowly rose.

Shen Lianglan was astonished, realizing that Second Grandpa Shen Boyu had emerged.

"Why would he emerge at this time?"

Crash...

Large volumes of seawater fell off the coffin as the lid slid to one side with a rumble.

Then, a slender old man slowly opened his eyes.

Shen Xinglan bowed deeply and called out, "Welcome Second Grandpa upon your emergence."

Shen Boyu gently jumped to the ground, looked at Shen Xinglan, and showed a kind smile, saying, "Xing Lan, it's been a long time."

"Yes, it has been a long time. Is Second Grandpa's health much better?"

"It's nothing much." Shen Boyu waved his hand, scrutinizing Shen Xinglan's face, he asked, "You've been secluded for ninety-nine days, did you gain anything?"

"..."

Shen Xinglan was at a loss for words.

He was injured by Tang Fei and sent in here after Second Grandpa's seclusion.

Unexpectedly, Second Grandpa knew everything, even the number of days he spent secluded.

"The body is weaker than before, but the spirit seems pretty good." Shen Boyu encouraged him: "That's quite commendable. To not be arrogant in victory, and not discouraged in defeat, this is the hallmark of a good son of our Shen Family."

"..."

To not be arrogant in victory, that I can accomplish.

After all, I have nearly never experienced victory.

As for not being discouraged in defeat, that's rather hard.

In the battle of Feng City, defeated again by Tang Fei, rescued by Grandpa in exchange for Lu Yu's life...

At that moment, he felt his heart sink, wishing rather to die.

"Second Grandpa, I have disappointed you," Shen Xinglan said with a face full of guilt.

"Why speak such nonsense among family?" He patted Shen Xinglan's shoulder and said, "Sit down, let's have a chat."

Though puzzled at heart, not knowing what Second Grandpa wanted to discuss, Shen Xinglan obediently sat on the stone slab.

Shen Boyu was the family's elder and a wise ancestor, holding a very high status, trusted both inside and outside the clan.

Shen Xinglan showed great respect for him, even somewhat reliant.

Since childhood, he accompanied and educated Shen Xinglan.

Whenever he faced challenges, Shen Boyu personally guided him.

Shen Boyu sat opposite Shen Xinglan, who dared not remove his mask even before this honored Shen Family scion. He sighed softly, saying, "Xing Lan, I have a great opportunity, which I wish to give you."

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