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The plane arrived at the military district, and with Zhang Fusheng's presence, the passengers didn't need to undergo security checks. After disembarking, Shen Zhiying was responsible for the handover and other matters, while Zhang Fusheng led Shen Zhitao towards the Small Building. Shen Zhitao held Wang Chao in her arms, drawing the attention of many along the way, but she seemed oblivious to it, showing no change in expression.
Fortunately, during the flight, others had dressed Wang Chao in a coat; otherwise, it would have attracted even more attention.
They reached the Small Building, where trained soldiers immediately took up arms upon seeing newcomers. When they recognized Zhang Fusheng, they lowered their weapons and saluted him. Normally, Zhang Fusheng would have returned the gesture with a smile, but at that moment, his expression was serious as he pushed the door open. Inside the hall were many people who greeted Zhang Fusheng with titles of brother and younger brother; they appeared to be members of the Seven Great Families. Zhang Fusheng nodded slightly in acknowledgment.
Shen Zhitao followed him inside. The crowd recognized her but were puzzled by Wang Chao in her arms. They whispered among themselves, speculating about Wang Chao's identity. Some wanted to ask Zhang Fusheng directly but hesitated upon seeing his unusually stern demeanor. Zhang Fusheng turned around and asked, "Is the old man in his study?"
The "old man" he referred to was naturally his grandfather, Old Master Zhang. However, no one dared to address him that way in front of others. A young woman stepped forward gracefully and slightly bowed to Zhang Fusheng before saying, "Old Master is in the study." Zhang Fusheng glanced at her and nodded before asking, "Is your grandfather upstairs?"
"Yes," Wan'er replied with a smile.
Shen Zhitao recognized Wan'er as well; she was the only female heir among the Seven Great Families and the granddaughter of Elder Wu. After Elder Wu's son had a daughter, he forbade anyone else in the family from having children. This decision seemed harsh and devoid of humanity, yet no one from the Wu Family voiced any objections.
Thus, among Elder Wu's second generation, aside from his eldest son who had a wife and a daughter—Wan'er—everyone else lived a life of indulgence since marriage was not an option for them. Elder Wu had his reasons for this approach; as the second most powerful family among the Seven Great Families, the Wu Family was uniquely positioned to rival the Zhang Family. While Elder Wu was alive, their relationship was strong, but after his passing, things could change dramatically.
Elder Wu designated Wan'er as the heir to manage the Wu Family partly because no matter how capable she was, she would eventually marry. From a young age, Wan'er had been taught that she would marry Zhang Fusheng one day; thus, their families would unite as one entity—no longer distinguishing between Wu Family and Zhang Family. This was all part of Elder Wu's efforts as a loyal assistant to Old Master Zhang throughout his life.
Zhang Fusheng smiled again at Wan'er before heading upstairs without looking back. Shen Zhitao followed him up as well. On the second floor, neither Zhang Fusheng nor Shen Zhitao noticed the disdainful glances from those downstairs directed at Wan'er or her lonely expression. Every woman from the Seven Great Families aspired to marry Zhang Fusheng; although it wasn't openly stated regarding Wan'er, everyone knew she was destined to be his wife, leading others to treat her with indifference.
However, Wan'er was used to it and quietly sat down nearby.
At that moment on the second floor, Zhang Fusheng quietly said to Shen Zhitao, "The old man's temper is unpredictable; I don't know how he plans to deal with Wang Chao. But I don't think anything serious will happen." Shen Zhitao nodded and glanced at Wang Chao in her arms without speaking further. Zhang Fusheng knocked on the door a few times before hearing a voice from inside say, "Is that you back, Zhang Fusheng? Come in."
The speaker was Old Master Zhang. Zhang Fusheng gave Shen Zhitao a glance, signaling her to wait outside while he went in to investigate the situation. Shen Zhitao nodded in agreement. As Zhang Fusheng entered, he found only Old Master Zhang and Elder Wu in the study, both engaged in a game of chess while sipping tea. Although Zhang Fusheng wasn't an expert in Go, he had picked up quite a bit over the years and noticed that Elder Wu had a slight lead by just one point.
Just as Zhang Fusheng was about to speak, Old Master Zhang waved his hand, indicating for him to sit down. Zhang Fusheng had urgent matters to discuss with Old Master Zhang, but the old man completely disregarded his opportunity. Sitting beside them, Zhang Fusheng felt increasingly restless as the elderly men took their time with the game, moving at a pace that felt like savoring each sip of tea before making a move. Frustrated, he didn't know how to handle the situation.
An hour passed, and beads of sweat had formed on Zhang Fusheng's forehead. He knew that if these two men spoke up, there was a good chance they could save Wang Chao. At the very least, arrangements needed to be made before Huangfu Jiexiu arrived. Countless eyes in the military would witness him rescuing Wang Chao, and the military had always been under the control of the Huangfu family.
Despite clearly seeing Zhang Fusheng's anxious demeanor, the two men remained unfazed. Another hour ticked by until Elder Wu furrowed his brow and then burst into laughter, saying, "Hey, I've played Go with you for a lifetime, yet it always ends in collapse." Old Master Zhang stroked his beard and replied, "You're still as impulsive as ever; you've left openings that allowed me to counterattack."
Zhang Fusheng thought to himself that by the time they moved a single piece on the board, he could have run around the capital several times over. What was there to be impulsive about?
After their exchange, Old Master Zhang took another sip of tea before saying, "You boy are sweating profusely. Didn't I teach you to remain calm in the face of danger? Look at you now; what kind of state is this?" Though reprimanded by Old Master Zhang, Zhang Fusheng dared not respond until the old man fell silent. Finally, he asked tentatively, "Old man, there's something I must tell you right away."
Old Master Zhang nodded but did not inquire about what it was. Instead, he looked at the closed door and said in a measured tone, "Compared to you, that young lady outside has shown remarkable composure. It's been over two hours without her moving an inch. Since she has come all this way to find me, she might as well come in and sit down instead of standing out there."
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