Zheng Jing Feng's emotions were at war on the inside, he didn't know what to say to Luo Wei.
Not long after, the wall of the Zheng estate's courtyard cracked and crumbled, the inferno began to spread to the neighboring houses.
"Young master," Ten returned with a swaddled baby in his arms.
"Is this someone from your family?" Luo Wei held the baby in his arms, "It's a wonder he can still sleep during such a catastrophe."
Zheng Jing Feng's tears almost betrayed him, but he could only keep his eyes on Ten.
Ten explained, "Apologies, when we arrived, he was the only one left, someone hid him near the well."
Luo Wei asked, "No other survivors?"
"None," Ten answered.
If his back wasn't pressed against the wall right now, Zheng Jing Feng's would have collapsed.
Luo Wei watched him with a cold gaze. He knew very well that Zheng Jing Feng had been a dutiful son, a loyal husband, a doting father, and a good older brother in the past life. Overall, he was someone who cared very much for his family, and that was one of his strengths, but it was also his weakness. "Who is he to you?" Luo Wei asked Zheng Jing Feng, who had almost lost his senses.
"My son," Zheng Jing Feng spat out the two words.
"Young master," Eleven and the rest returned at this point, bringing a dead body with them, shaking their head at Luo Wei.
"Why did you bring a dead body back?" Luo Wei's brows creased in a frown.
Thirteen crouched down and pulled back the clothing on the body, revealing the uniform of the Yu Zhou magistrate underneath.
"Doesn't look like they're wasting any time," Luo Wei only took a look before turning his gaze, speaking to Zheng Jing Feng, "Perhaps our good prefect got spooked? Or maybe he had made plans with your master to do this from the very beginning."
Zheng Jing Feng knew the rules by which Long Xuan operated: those who made mistakes must die. Maybe they really couldn't wait any longer to see if he was still with them? Maybe they had no trust in his loyalty? Maybe this really was Long Xuan cleaning up his mess, and not something Luo Wei had planned?
Luo Wei closed the window and addressed Zheng Jing Feng, "Only dead men tell no tales, your master believes nothing else."
Sounds seeped in from beyond the window, of structures falling, of people's helpless cries. Thick smoke rolled overhead, and this entire street was drowning in a sea of flames.
Luo Wei held the sleeping baby with care, "Mister Zheng, his life and death rests on your decision."
Zheng Jing Feng feared that Luo Wei would hurt his son, he was the only branch left of their family tree, "Can you ensure that no harm will come to me or my son?"
"I'll do my best," Luo Wei answered, "There are no sure things in this world."
"I don't have any evidence left," Zheng Jing Feng said.
Luo Wei smiled, "Clever animals always have multiple ways out of their burrows. Mister Zheng, you're smart and careful, how could you have only left everything in just one place?"
Zheng Jing Feng replied, "And what if I wasn't that smart?"
Luo Wei took a few steps closer to Zheng Jing Feng, his smile appeared even more gentle and soft, "Don't gamble lives with me, Mister Zheng, if you really proved to help to me, then I wouldn't mind giving your master a hand in shutting you up."
Zheng Jing Feng responded coldly, "So the young master doesn't want to get to the bottom of this case anymore?"
"I would love to," Luo Wei said, "But I've never liked forcing matters at hand. If you can't help me, I'll find someone who can. If I'm aware of your existence, Mister Zheng, it's only natural I'd be aware of others, no?"
"But there something the young master doesn't know, I'm protected."
"Oh, the guards from Ming Jian Villa? They're all dead."
Zheng Jing Feng had no way out. Luo Wei knew everything, giving him no other options. He wanted a life of fortune and happiness for himself and his family, but everyone in his family aside from this baby still in swaddling clothes was dead. Without life, does fortune still matter? Right now, what he wanted was not fortune anymore, he wanted only to live.