Marked the Protagonist A (Translated)

Chapter 78: The Feast at Hongmen

Chapter 78: The Feast at Hongmen

Fighting is fundamentally about people and weapons, especially in a power struggle. As the saying goes, two fists can hardly match four hands; unless one's personal strength is so formidable that it can overlook everything, otherwise manpower, financial resources, and weapons are all indispensable.

Otherwise, his older brother and second sister wouldn't have been scrambling to consolidate their power.

From the information disclosed by the three, Ji Chenxi was actually at a disadvantage. His foundation was still shallow, and he didn't belong to any faction. If a fight broke out, it seemed there wouldn't even be anyone to charge into battle for him. However, this wasn't entirely true. The Rose Manor was such a large place; Ji Chenxi and his mother had been living there for so long that it was unlikely he hadn't cultivated any of his own influence.

Ji Chenxi sought out the Nightwalker because the Nightwalker was an expert in assassination, the best card to play when capturing the king first before the thief. He didn't require the Nightwalker to align with him; he only needed the Nightwalker to stay out of the way when he truly fought with Morning Star.

As for Gu Hechuan, his codename "Crow" infiltrated that group merely to recruit some talented individuals for Ji Chenxi. Ji Chenxi didn't need to worry about Gu Hechuan; what he really wanted to connect with was actually the traveler beside Gu Hechuan.

The traveler's true identity was a star pirate. Even though that pirate group was mysterious and enveloped in many auras, one had to admit it was indeed a dark force. As a dark force, should they support the royal lineage or take the opportunity to stir up trouble and seek to usurp power?

Perhaps it shouldn't be said that one was more interesting than the other, but rather which was more profitable.

Without the connection to Gu Hechuan, the answer would be exceedingly obvious.

Ji Chenxi could accept that both he and Morning Star showcased their talents, but he didn't want too many capable individuals assisting Morning Star.

After Ji Anze left, Ji Chenxi didn't rest immediately. Instead, he manipulated the virtual light screen to arrange subsequent matters. Given the current situation, he could certainly inform His Majesty the Emperor first; even just a greeting would suffice. However, Ji Chenxi chose not to do so. Rather than alerting the snake in the grass, he preferred to keep the initiative in his own hands.

Chi Zhuo didn't force Ji Chenxi to rest earlier but stayed by his side.

To avoid seeing Ji Chenxi's arrangements and offending him, Chi Zhuo maintained a certain distance. The maid occasionally brought in snacks and tea, and Ji Chenxi himself didn't know how many times he had switched to fresh tea. By the time he finally finished his arrangements, the sky outside had already brightened.

Ji Chenxi tilted his head to look at Chi Zhuo, who was reading a book, a black leather-bound book with gold edges.

"Is it good?" Ji Chenxi asked with a smile.

Seeing that Chi Zhuo was reading this book took Ji Chenxi by surprise, but he quickly forced himself to regain his composure.

Chi Zhuo closed the book and instead asked, "What do you think?"

Ji Chenxi's question of "Is it good?" was originally meant to test whether Chi Zhuo could understand the book. To his surprise, the question was thrown back at him.

Ji Chenxi took the book, casually opened it, and familiar characters came into view once again.

He had read this book countless times; flipping through a page, he could recite its content. Yet at this moment, he smiled and said, "It's hard to say, because to me, it's just a book of ancient characters that I can't understand at all."

"True, it is unreadable, but it shows clear signs of being read multiple times, so I'm curious what attracted you."

"Perhaps it's precisely that I can't understand it that draws me in?"

"Although it's a bit late, Your Highness can still eat something to fill your stomach." Chi Zhuo raised his hand, his fingers lightly moving, and closed the book again, just as Ji Chenxi had randomly flipped to a page that featured a flirtatious scene between Chi Zhuo and Bai Anran.

The book was closed rather decisively.

Ji Chenxi's gaze lowered slightly; he didn't continue discussing the book. He tossed it aside and went to have breakfast with Chi Zhuo.

Ji Chenxi preferred seafood congee, and today's breakfast happened to be his favorite, which soothed his earlier restlessness.

He sipped the congee slowly, planning in his mind. From Morning Star's perspective, if Morning Star was dissatisfied with him, someone he had known for many years, it was even less likely that they would serve Ji Zhiqing. Unless Ji Zhiqing's mother became the Empress, making Ji Zhiqing the absolute rightful heir, otherwise, based on Morning Star's temperament, it was impossible for them to serve Ji Zhiqing.

Since it wasn't about paving the way for someone else, what was Morning Star's bold behavior for? It couldn't possibly be an outright rebellion; while rebellion wasn't unfeasible, it didn't align with Morning Star's consistent aesthetic.

Just as Ji Chenxi frowned in thought, his light brain vibrated lightly again.

From the frequency of the vibration, Ji Chenxi was certain it was the dark web account he had been logged into yesterday.

He had a feeling, and upon opening it, he saw the invitation from Morning Star.

The other party wanted to continue plotting with him.

This was normal, if he hadn't already realized that Morning Star was no longer an ally.

"What's up?" Chi Zhuo asked.

Ji Chenxi smiled, a seemingly gentle expression filled with underlying aggression. "It seems I'm about to attend a Hongmen Banquet."