abnabooks Chapter 359 Three Chips, Old Friends
Chapter 359 Three Chips, Old Friends
The old shamans of Liangshan looked at Feng Zhenghao with complicated expressions. Some of them were disdainful, some hesitated to speak, and some showed resentment. Their greed was hidden so deeply that it was impossible to tell where it came from.
Amidst such complex emotions, Feng Zhenghao remained composed as he bowed respectfully to the elderly wizards who were of the same generation as his grandfather.
"I understand what you seniors mean. I have no intention of waiting for a high price or using the [Spirit Binding and Commanding] to make a deal with Liangshan."
"I only wish to lead my Feng family back to Liangshan and return to the home of our ancestors."
Feng Zhenghao's words were extremely sincere; beneath his shrewd businessman exterior lay a deep and genuine longing for his hometown.
He looked back at the wild and untamed mountains behind him, walked up to the old wizards, bowed slightly, and adopted a warm and welcoming posture as if he were a wanderer returning home.
"I have not been able to know the details of the grudges that my grandfather Feng Tianyang caused back then, and I dare not ask you all for favors."
"It was only in his later years that my grandfather often talked to us, his descendants, about the time he spent in Liangshan. He was very nostalgic in his words, which made us, his descendants, have a special affection for Liangshan."
At this point, Feng Zhenghao took off his glasses, his eyes slightly moist, and the light of sincerity shone even brighter in his long, narrow eyes.
"As the saying goes, children who leave home suffer more. Although the Feng family has achieved some success in the outside world, it is still difficult to support itself alone and is coveted by others."
"I have come here with no other request than to be able to return to my hometown with my children and seek some protection from you seniors. That is all."
Feng Zhenghao pulled a notebook out of his pocket, instantly attracting the attention of all the old wizards present, and the greed hidden in the shadows suddenly came to the fore.
"As for the [Spirit Binding and General Command], Zhenghao is also willing to make the decision and share it with his fellow disciples and fellow villagers in Liangshan."
Just as some old wizards were about to succumb to their greed and were striding confidently towards the wind, a somewhat aged voice suddenly stopped the scene in their tracks.
"That's enough!"
A hunched witch, leaning on a wooden staff, stepped out from the crowd. She didn't look at the [Spirit Binding and Commanding] that Feng Zhenghao was holding, showing no interest in the pinnacle of this wizarding art.
She carefully examined Feng Zhenghao with her aged but clear eyes, scrutinizing him from the outside in, from his businessman-like appearance to his "sincere" behavior.
"So alike, young man of the Feng family, you really look just like your grandfather, Feng Tianyang."
After scrutinizing Feng Zhenghao, the elderly witch left behind a remark that was both mournful and sarcastic.
She turned to look at her peers behind her, seeing their greedy eyes, and tapped her wooden cane with a cold snort.
"And you guys, you haven't made any progress in all these years."
The crisp sound of the wooden staff hitting the ground awakened the clarity in the eyes of the old wizards, but more importantly, it concealed their greed deep within.
Upon seeing this scene, Feng Zhenghao did not panic at the disruption of his plans. Instead, he looked at the witch who was reprimanding everyone and respectfully bowed, saying, "This junior greets Granny Amu."
"Grandma, Grandpa missed you very much before he passed away, and he regretted that he couldn't see you one last time."
"Hmph, that heartless Feng Tianyang would actually think of me?"
The witch, who seemed to hold a high position among the wizards, and was known as Granny Amu, was taken aback when she heard Feng Zhenghao's words.
A fleeting look of longing and resentment crossed her face, which still retained some of her former beauty. Then, as if she had heard a joke, she turned to look at Feng Zhenghao, gazing at his similar face.
Meeting Grandma Amu's gaze, Feng Zhenghao continued, neither humble nor arrogant, "You are the person Grandpa cares about most in Liangshan. How could he not miss you?"
As a shrewd and ambitious figure who has experienced many ups and downs in the business world and struggled for half his life, Feng Zhenghao likes to take risky moves, but he never does anything without preparation.
Before his visit to Liangshan, he had already combined the records left by Feng Tianyang with some intelligence channels to clearly know the identities of the old shamans in Liangshan and their past entanglements with his family.
Liangshan has a long history and a long-standing shamanistic culture. Its traditions can be traced back to ancient times and have even been passed down to the modern era. Some ancient customs still exist here, especially in the area of marriage.
The story of Feng Tianyang and Granny Amu is actually quite simple: a genius who was unwilling to be lonely and was destined to have many romantic encounters left Liangshan, but never returned, leaving behind only a woman who missed her old love and guarded the mountain gate, eventually becoming the chief shaman of Liangshan.
Feng Tianyang, this man, was once predicted to be "entangled in romantic entanglements" when the Thirty-Six Thieves swore brotherhood.
It wasn't just that the peach blossoms had taken a liking to him; it was also that Feng Tianyang hadn't decisively cut off their entanglements, thus becoming entangled in such a romantic affair.
As Feng Tianyang's grandson, Feng Zhenghao perfectly inherited his grandfather's "destiny," having been married twice and having five children.
In the eyes of his children, Feng Zhenghao was a successful man outside the home, but at home he was an absolute philandering husband and an unfit father.
Therefore, most of Feng Zhenghao's five children turned their backs on him, leaving only three of his younger children to follow him and do his bidding.
During his visit to Liangshan, Feng Zhenghao wanted more than just the protection of a family. If possible, this businessman, who had spent half his life in business, would not mind taking over the entire Liangshan region.
He had three bargaining chips: first, the Tianxiahui Group's substantial financial resources could bring prosperity to the harsh and cold Liangshan region; second, the [Spirit Binding and Commanding] ability could bring the Liangshan shamans into his camp.
Third, and most importantly, is the high-ranking Granny Amu in front of me.
A love that runs deep in one's bones sometimes doesn't fade with time; it might even grow more profound because of the pain of unrequited love.
Feng Zhenghao was confident that he could make the long-deceased Feng Tianyang become the young man in Granny Amu's heart once again.
"Grandma Amu, I brought with me some of the things Grandpa left you this time."
Feng Zhenghao waved to the distance, and the people he brought quickly brought over a wooden box.
As she got closer, the appearance of the wooden box became clearer in Grandma Amu's eyes.
It was a long, black lacquered box, three feet square and two feet wide. The box was not decorated with any patterns or carvings, but was inlaid with pieces of mother-of-pearl that shimmered with iridescent colors. These pieces were ingeniously designed and pieced together to form a colorful and vivid picture on the box.
The scene depicts not flowers, birds, fish, and insects, but mountains and rivers, a landscape different from that of Liangshan in the southwest, a scene that Granny Amu, who had been trapped in Liangshan all her life, had never seen.
That wooden box was not just a dressing case for storing items, but more like a treasure chest given to a woman.
When they got closer, Feng Zhenghao took the wooden box with both hands and handed it to Grandma Amu. "Grandpa once said that he promised you that when he came back from the mountains, he would bring you a makeup box. It's a pity that Grandpa was unable to return to Liangshan that time."
"This vanity case was made by my grandfather decades ago. It has ten pieces in total, with interlocking interiors, and each piece is decorated with a scene of the four directions you wish to see."
"Grandpa is indeed thinking of you."