Chapter 59: Found Out

Not to mention the Zheng clan, no prominent family whatsoever would tolerate someone who plays both sides and betrays their own.

Consider how many great clans exhaust all their resources to cultivate talent within their ranks. For what purpose?

Was it not in the hope that, once these individuals achieved success, they could give back and strengthen the clan?

If talents cultivated in such a manner turned around to strike at their own flesh and blood, what use was there for such ungrateful wretches? What meaning would there be in spending time and effort on their upbringing?

Zheng Tongheng had barely acquired a shred of petty power before he began to look down upon his own clan. Naturally, Zheng Tianhai would not tolerate such behavior. Therefore, his gaze immediately shifted to Zheng Tianhu as he demanded, "You are his father. What do you have to say?"

"This unfilial wretch—rest assured, Patriarch, I shall properly discipline him upon my return. I will make him come back to the clan to confess his crimes and make amends to Liyuan." Zheng Tianhu naturally had to make his stance clear. He had to stand firmly on the side of the clan to weather the immediate storm.

When it came to certain matters, how one acted was one thing, but how one spoke of them could never be chaotic. To speak out of turn would be to defy the rules, making oneself an immediate target.

"Hmph!" Seeing that Zheng Tianhu was merely hedging his bets and playing for time, Zheng Tianhai had no intention of letting him off lightly. His current thought was to use this opportunity to formally expel Zheng Tongheng from the ancestral registry.

By doing so, he would not only display his absolute authority as the patriarch, but also send a sharp warning to all other clan members as to what befell those who dared to defy him.

Just as he had made up his mind and was considering how to voice his decision, the sound of footsteps echoed from outside. Soon after, the strategist Zheng Yugong walked in uninvited.

When the Zheng clan held a family council, ordinary visitors were required to announce their arrival. Unless the matter was pressing, they had to wait outside. Zheng Yugong, however, was the sole exception.

As the strategist of the General's Mansion and the most influential voice the Zheng clan had planted in official circles, his authority often rivaled that of the patriarch Zheng Tianhai himself.

For him to arrive in person meant there was clearly a matter of utmost urgency.

"Why have you come?" Upon seeing that the visitor was Zheng Yugong, Zheng Tianhai, who had been on the verge of issuing a furious reprimand, was forced to swallow his anger.

"Patriarch, I have an important matter to discuss with you in private." Zheng Yugong spoke without wasting any breath. Then, sweeping his gaze across Zheng Tianhu and the others, he sealed his lips.

Realizing this was a confidential affair not meant for other ears, Zheng Tianhai nodded knowingly. "In that case, let us adjourn to the study."

With these words, Zheng Tianhai turned to lead the way, completely treating Zheng Tianhu and the others as if they were thin air.

Zheng Yugong followed closely behind. Before long, once the two of them had entered the study, Zheng Yugong dropped a bombshell without waiting for any inquiry. "I have found out how Jia Ping'an managed to unearth so many aged wild ginsengs."

"Oh? You discovered the secret?" Zheng Tianhai was startled, followed immediately by a surge of elation.

The only reason the Zheng clan had allowed Jia Ping'an to establish the Number Three House Under Heaven and cause such a massive stir was precisely because the man possessed a steady supply of aged ginseng.

Whomsoever Jia Ping'an sold his aged ginseng to would reap massive profits. It was solely because of this leverage that the Zheng clan had tolerated him for so long without moving to suppress him. Now, if the key to this mystery could be uncovered, Jia Ping'an would instantly become worthless, meaning dealing with him would require no further hesitation.

"Yes, I found out. It has to do with a white fox." Zheng Yugong nodded very seriously. He had only just received the intelligence and had hurried back immediately to consult with the patriarch. What he did not know, however, was that this very piece of information had been deliberately leaked by General Hu Buyun.

The general's intent was to goad the Zheng clan and Jia Ping'an into a mutual struggle so that he could reap the profits as a third party.

Among these crafty, elderly veterans, not a single one was simple. Everything they did was calculated purely for self-interest. As for the feelings of others?

Hmph! Before the altar of profit, there was only oneself—no others, and certainly no such thing as sentiment.

"A white fox?" Hearing this answer, Zheng Tianhai was left utterly baffled.

"I am told that Jia Ping'an inadvertently saved a white fox while venturing deep into the mountains. That fox is exceptionally grateful and possessed of great spiritual intelligence. Ever since, it has followed him and even led him to numerous aged ginseng roots." Zheng Yugong summarized the matter concisely.

"So that is how it is." Zheng Tianhai finally understood, and excitement quickly overtook him.

If a white fox could follow Jia Ping'an and help him unearth ginseng, why could it not follow the Zheng clan and do the same for them?

Just imagine: if the Zheng clan possessed such a spirit beast, would it not mean they could unearth countless more aged ginsengs in the future? If that came to pass, would the Zheng clan not soar to unimaginable wealth?

Once they monopolized the ginseng trade, anyone who came to govern Ningguta in the future would have to dance to the tune of the Zheng clan. By then, the clan would grow infinitely more powerful.

"Haha! Splendid! Since that is the case, let us seize this white fox for ourselves." Envisioning the glorious days ahead, Zheng Tianhai felt he could not wait even a single moment longer.

"Seize it by force? I am afraid that will not work." Who would have thought that Zheng Yugong would pour a bucket of cold water on him at that very moment.

Before Zheng Tianhai could ask why not, Zheng Yugong took the initiative to explain: "The General is already aware of this matter, yet even he has not dared to seize it openly. Therefore, it would be unseemly for our Zheng clan to act so brazenly. Otherwise, the General will not consent."

"This... what you say is true." Although Zheng Tianhai held little regard for Hu Buyun, he knew that while the man might not be reliable in helping others succeed, he certainly possessed the capability to ruin their plans. "If so, what are we to do?"

"Naturally, there is a way. I shall make a trip to the Number Three House myself and have a word with this Jia Ping'an, to see if he is willing to sell the white fox to us. If that fails, we can consider other means."

"We are still going to take it by force?" Hearing this, Zheng Tianhai was genuinely confused.

A moment ago, when he suggested seizing it, Zheng Yugong had said no; yet now, the strategist was circling back to the exact same idea. Furthermore, he hardly believed that simply offering money would induce Jia Ping'an to part with the fox. Putting aside that it was the source of the man's prosperity, the business at Number Three House was currently booming, meaning Jia Ping'an lacked neither wealth nor cash. Why would he ever sell the fox?

Faced with this confusion, Zheng Yugong first chuckled, then spoke with profound implication: "Seizing it openly is out of the question, of course. But what about acting in the shadows? The Patriarch should remember what I said earlier—I would contact the man named Chang Chao and cultivate a good relationship with him. We have already established contact. With his assistance, the next time Jia Ping'an ventures into the mountains, we will receive word. Deep in those vast forests, is it not entirely normal for a few accidents to happen?"

The scheme had been laid out so clearly that Zheng Tianhai's joy surged once more. "Haha, well spoken, Yugong! In that case, I leave this entire matter in your hands. I shall await your good news."

Inside the study, the two men were deep in conspiracy, while outside, the three clan elders wore expressions of displeasure.

"What vital business could they possibly have that cannot be shared with us?" Zheng Tianjiang spoke first, his face full of discontent.

"Indeed! If they did not wish us to know, why summon us here in the first place?" Zheng Tianhe wore an equally disgruntled look, laden with grievance.

Clearly, as clan elders, being kept entirely in the dark about major clan affairs was an insult in its own right.

"Hmph." A cold laugh escaped from Zheng Tianhu's lips. "You call yourselves clan elders, yet you truly overestimate your own importance. When they choose not to speak with you, what can you possibly do about it?"

Zheng Tianhu was still furious over Zheng Tianhai's targeting of his son, so naturally, no pleasant words were going to pass his lips.

"I say, Third Brother, you need not sit there gloating. Whatever it is that we do not know, you are equally kept in ignorance of." Second Elder Zheng Tianjiang, displeased with this attitude, snapped back in retaliation.

"Of course I do not know, but I did not beg to be let in on their secrets. Unlike the two of you, who have clearly been sidelined yet still sit here indulging in wishful thinking." Zheng Tianhu retorted without a shred of mercy. When Zheng Tianhai was targeting his son earlier, neither of these two had spoken a word in his defense; how could anyone expect him to maintain a pleasant demeanor now?

"You!" Stung by the remark, Zheng Tianjiang was choked with anger and readied a sharp reply. However, Fourth Elder Zheng Tianhe smoothed things over, saying, "Enough. We are already being marginalized as it is; there is no sense in us fighting among ourselves. I say, if the Patriarch attempts to press down on Tongheng later, we ought to step forward and speak a word of justice. We cannot let them swallow all the benefits by themselves."

Having finally perceived the reality of the situation, the Fourth Elder had uttered a sensible truth for once.

"Hmm." Surprisingly, the Second Elder Zheng Tianjiang grunted in agreement. Evidently, petty squabbles meant nothing when their collective interests were threatened.

Just as the three elders reached a consensus, Zheng Tianhai and Zheng Yugong emerged from the study.

Inside the study, Zheng Yugong had learned of what had transpired regarding Zheng Tianheng. His advice had been to avoid creating unnecessary complications for the time being—once Jia Ping'an was dealt with, it would not be too late to deal with the father and son.

Zheng Tianhai had agreed. Thus, upon stepping out and casting a glance at the three elders, he said, "The Third Elder has stated that he will discipline Zheng Tongheng upon returning home, so we can simply await good news. For now, all of you may leave."

The matter was dropped just like that? Outwardly, the three men betrayed no emotion, but inwardly, they could not help but suspect that an even greater matter had surfaced. Otherwise, why would the patriarch drop the issue so easily?

With this thought, their curiosity regarding what had just transpired burned even brighter. Yet, seeing that Zheng Tianhai had no intention of sharing, they had no choice but to swallow their doubts and depart from the Zheng family's main courtyard.

Zheng Yugong also took his leave, heading straight for the Number Three House.

"Zheng Yugong has come?" Upon hearing Chang Chao's report, a look of surprise crossed Jia Ping'an's face.