Urban Martial Saint

Ye Qing smiled faintly and said, ”Uncle Liu, Uncle Zhou, these two matters shouldn’t pose any difficulty for you.”

”Well, then tell us. If there’s no difficulty, we’ll handle them for you!” Zhou Bolong replied decisively.

Ye Qing nodded slightly and said, ”The first matter—there’s no way to get approval for the orphanage project at this point, but could we arrange for those children to stay in Shenchuan City’s orphanage? That way, I can care for them nearby.”

”This is not a problem!” Zhou Bolong immediately assured, ”Leave it to me. Don’t worry about it. I couldn’t get the orphanage approved, but if I fail at this too, I might as well retire altogether!”

”This is absolutely doable,” Liu Changping also nodded and said. ”The Vice Governor responsible for this matter was a classmate of mine in the same batch, and both Old Zhou and I have a good relationship with him. Moreover, he strongly supported approving the orphanage before, and although it didn’t succeed, he helped a lot. Relocating those kids to Shenchuan City is just a simple matter—no problem at all. Plus, our principle is always to ensure nearby placement to avoid adaptation issues for the children. So you don’t have to worry about this at all!”

”That’s good!” Ye Qing nodded, then pondered for a moment before saying, ”The second matter—I want to ask you both a question.”

”What question?” Liu Changping asked curiously.

Ye Qing glanced at both of them and said, ”I heard that during the Standing Committee meeting, this orphanage matter initially had no major objections. However, a few individuals suddenly voted against it, leading to its rejection. And these individuals are said to be close to Deputy Secretary Huang Jianbin from the Eastern Province. Is this true?”

Upon hearing this, Liu Changping and Zhou Bolong fell silent. They exchanged glances with each other without speaking or answering Ye Qing’s question.

”Uncle Liu, Uncle Zhou, is this true?” Ye Qing pressed again.

”Ye Qing, this isn’t something you should be concerning yourself with right now,” Liu Changping said. ”The Provincial Party committee’s decision represents the province’s collective stance. Regardless of who voted against, you mustn’t harbor resentment or seek revenge—that would be wrong. The orphanage issue failed to pass for many reasons, not because someone deliberately targeted you. Don’t overthink it, and don’t entertain any thoughts of retaliation. These individuals are key provincial leaders; trying anything against them will bring about immense trouble. In severe scenarios, you might not even find a place for yourself in all of Huaxia!”

Ye Qing nodded and said, ”Uncle Liu, what you’re saying amounts to confirming it’s true!”

Liu Changping froze for a moment, and Zhou Bolong quickly interjected, ”Ye Qing, don’t worry about whether it’s true or not. This matter is now behind us—don’t dwell on it anymore. Besides, we will ensure all those kids remain in Shenchuan City under your care. Isn’t that essentially the same as having them in your orphanage? I’m telling you, don’t do anything foolish.”

”Don’t worry, I’m not stupid. Of course, I wouldn’t go that far!” Ye Qing smiled and said, ”Someone mentioned the Standing Committee’s proceedings to me, and I got curious. I just wanted to confirm, that’s all. I’m not planning to act rashly!”

Liu Changping and Zhou Bolong exchanged another look, clearly a bit skeptical of Ye Qing’s assurances. They continued persuading him for some time, until Ye Qing explicitly promised not to act recklessly; only then did the two relax a little.

After dinner, Ye Qing first dropped both families off at their homes before stopping by Lin Dade’s residence for a while. Eventually, he left on his own. Although he claimed he had already booked a hotel room, in truth, he hadn’t yet arranged accommodations.

Instead, upon leaving Lin Dade’s house, he hailed a cab and headed toward a hotel near the outskirts of the city. There, he booked a single room.

Ye Qing specifically requested a suite. Once inside, he locked the door and pulled all the curtains tightly shut to ensure no one could see into the room from outside. Then, he walked into the bathroom, picked up a towel, and carefully unraveled several strands of thread under the light.

Taking a few strands of thread, Ye Qing affixed one to each window latch before closing the windows tightly. This way, if anyone attempted to open a window, the thread would fall, immediately alerting Ye Qing to the intrusion.

After securing the windows, he didn’t linger in the suite. Instead, he hung another strand of thread at the bottom corner of the doorframe before leaving the room. This way, if the door were pushed open, he could immediately notice it. Both windows and the door were rigged, ensuring he could detect any unauthorized entry.

With these preparations complete, Ye Qing headed downstairs to the hotel lobby. At this hour, business at the hotel was bustling, and the lobby was filled with people. Still, Ye Qing quickly discerned two men sitting on the sofas pretending to read newspapers but covertly monitoring him.

Ye Qing’s lips curled into a subtle smile. Pretending not to notice them, he left the hotel, hailed another cab, and made his way to the city’s most popular nightclub.

Eastern Province City’s nightlife venues were almost entirely controlled by Huangfu Ziyu. Though Huangfu Ziyu had recently left the Eastern Province and was in the process of selling her remaining holdings to others, for now, the Eastern Province still belonged to her domain—this fact was indisputable.

This particular nightclub was still under Huangfu Ziyu’s control. Moreover, the current manager of the venue was someone Ye Qing knew—Xiao Qing, who had once assisted him back in Tianhui City.

Following Huangfu Ziyu’s departure from the Eastern Province, the territory was primarily managed by the young women in her circle. In Dongzhou, the key figures were Xiao Qing and Xiao Hong. This nightclub, being the largest of its kind in Dongzhou, was particularly entrusted to Xiao Qing, highlighting its importance to Huangfu Ziyu.

Upon entering the nightclub, Ye Qing directly approached one of the managers and requested to meet Xiao Qing. Initially, the manager seemed dismissive of Ye Qing’s request, but upon hearing Ye Qing’s name, he paused in surprise and hurried upstairs to inform Xiao Qing.

Although Ye Qing seldom visited Dongzhou, his reputation preceded him here. Most of Huangfu Ziyu’s subordinates had heard of Ye Qing—not just due to his legendary record in Shenchuan City but also because of Huangfu Ziyu’s extraordinary regard for him. This impression alone commanded their respect and diligence upon recognizing him.

Hearing of Ye Qing’s arrival, Xiao Qing came downstairs to personally greet him. Seeing Ye Qing standing in the lobby, she approached with a smile and said, ”Well, well, what brings our dear Ye over here? Must be a rare breeze blowing you in, huh?”

Xiao Qing had met Ye Qing several times and was aware of Huangfu Ziyu’s feelings for him. Thus, she maintained a respectful demeanor toward him.

”Cut it out!” Ye Qing chuckled, saying, ”I happened to handle some matters here in Dongzhou and heard that you’re managing this venue. Thought I’d drop by to visit an old friend!”

”Oh, visiting an old friend? Or are you curious about news regarding our Miss Huangfu?” Xiao Qing teased with a grin. ”If you want updates about her, showing up empty-handed won’t do. News from Xi Hang is scarce, and if you want me to spill anything, you better bring me some gifts first as bribery!”

”Hahaha...” Ye Qing laughed heartily. ”Sister Xiao Qing, I just arrived in Dongzhou and came here straight away. Didn’t have time to prepare anything. How about I owe you this one and bring double next time?”

”Yeah, right! Everyone knows how stingy you are!” Xiao Qing scoffed. ”Owe me? I’d better get a thicker account book to note everything—a thin one might not suffice!”

Ye Qing laughed aloud, having dealt with Xiao Qing’s sharp wit before. After exchanging a few lighthearted remarks, she didn’t press him for any gifts and invited him upstairs.

Once upstairs, Xiao Qing ordered tea for Ye Qing and dismissed everyone else from the room. Smiling faintly, she said, ”Ye Qing, if you’re merely here to have fun, that’s fine. But, if you came for information about Miss Huangfu, I must disappoint you—I simply don’t know. Since Miss Huangfu left for Xi Hang, she’s barely been in contact with us. Orders for managing things on this end came from Uncle Fu. As for her situation over there, I honestly have no idea!”

Ye Qing sighed deeply. He had tried calling Huangfu Ziyu several times, but she never answered. Truth be told, he was genuinely concerned about her well-being. However, his responsibilities in Shenchuan City kept him tied down, and he couldn’t find time to visit Xi Hang. Despite everything, she lingered in his thoughts.

”So...” Ye Qing hesitated before whispering, ”Miss Huangfu... is she doing well in Xi Hang?”

”Well, that’s hard to say,” Xiao Qing sighed too. ”Although I don’t know her exact situation, Xi Hang isn’t her territory. Reviving the Huangfu Household there won’t be easy. Plus, Uncle Fu mentioned that Xi Hang has numerous powerful families tangled in complex networks—far more intricate than the Eastern Province. Establishing herself there is bound to be a challenging endeavor. My guess? She’s probably very busy.”

”It’s truly tough for a young woman to shoulder so much responsibility.” Ye Qing sighed wistfully. Indeed, Huangfu Ziyu surpassed most men in strength and brilliance. At thirteen years old, she escaped Xi Hang and fled to the Eastern Province. Her destiny as an unparalleled prodigy was sealed. From scrambling to survive to conquering the Eastern Province in a decade, she achieved something even the most capable men might not manage. Yet, her astonishing accomplishments evoked both admiration and a tender sense of pity for her struggles.