Chapter 142: Open Struggle, Hidden Schemes

"Alright, alright!" Li Nianlong's generous offer of martial arts techniques excited Grandpa Liu immensely. He was overjoyed internally: Dream Dragon, you finally consider yourself a descendant of the Liu family. Excellent! Fantastic!

"Grandpa, let's put the matter of martial arts aside for now!" Sha Meiyun smiled faintly. "What's most important now is how to deal with what's coming next."

"What's coming next?" Li Nianlong was puzzled.

"Yes," Grandpa Liu nodded, looking at Li Nianlong with a serious expression. "Dream Dragon, Long Jingtian's seven-day mourning period ended yesterday, and Long Qingyun will be coming to Tianfu today."

Li Nianlong narrowed his eyes, showing no reaction. He said calmly, "Got it. When he arrives, let me know, and I'll go see Ruyue."

Seeing Li Nianlong turn to leave, Grandpa Liu was puzzled, but Sha Meiyun smiled slightly and said, "Grandpa, let's get prepared!"

Grandpa Liu also realized the intricacies involved. He looked at Sha Meiyun and sighed lightly, "I'm truly getting old."

"The old horse still has plenty of spirit, aiming for thousands of miles. The hero in his twilight years still harbors unyielding aspirations," Sha Meiyun smiled faintly. "Grandpa, you're getting stronger with age. How can you easily talk about being old?"

Grandpa Liu pointed at her and laughed heartily, "You, this girl, always have such a likable way of speaking."

Amidst the laughter, a surge of vigor emanated from Grandpa Liu. "Well! Let this old Liu Tianming go wild in his old age!"

...

On the plane flying to Tianfu, Long Qingyun lay somewhat tiredly in his seat, receiving a massage from a professional therapist. This time, he didn't bring Zhao Bingbing with him to meet his illegitimate son. It was difficult to confide such matters to family, especially considering Long Zongheng's recent poor mental state. Zhao Bingbing also hoped he could spend more time with their son.

Thinking that he would soon meet his son after more than twenty years, Long Qingyun's mood was complex. He felt both anticipation and apprehension. For over twenty years, he hadn't seen his son, and he never expected that the young and beautiful girl from back then would suddenly pass away. She was so young, only forty-one this year, yet she had passed away unexpectedly.

"Will he hate me?" Long Qingyun felt increasingly uneasy thinking about how he hadn't spent a single day by his son's side, even when his mother passed away. "He must hate me, right?"

But...

Long Qingyun's confidence grew as he thought, "It doesn't matter. No matter how much he might hate me, I am still his biological father. Blood is thicker than water, and Dream Dragon will surely understand me."

The private jet slowly landed at Tianfu Airport. Journalists, who had already received the news, had set up their equipment. Grandpa Liu even personally came to greet Long Qingyun. As Long Qingyun appeared before the cameras with composure, flashes continued to flicker. With a smile, Long Qingyun stepped off the plane and walked towards Grandpa Liu.

Grandpa Liu greeted him warmly, and the two shook hands amicably, engaging in jovial conversation.

While it seemed harmonious on the surface, Grandpa Liu and Long Qingyun were actually engaged in intense covert struggle.

"Long Qingyun, let me tell you, Dream Dragon is a descendant of my Liu family. Don't harbor any illusions."

"It seems Grandpa has already learned about it, but Dream Dragon is my son. It's Grandpa who broke the rules."

"Long Zongheng, your surname is Long, while Dream Dragon's surname is Liu. That's something that will never change."

"Heh, back then, I let the child take his mother's surname out of respect for Ying'er. But the child's name is 'Dream Dragon.' Can't that explain anything?"

"Is that so? Why did Dream Dragon tell me something different? He told me that Ying'er dreamed of a hero slaying a dragon and believed that her son would become a dragon-slaying hero in the future. That's why she named him 'Dream Dragon,' alluding to the dream of slaying a dragon, not dreaming of you, Long Qingyun!"

"I don't want to argue with Grandpa, especially about matters between me and my son. Grandpa's reach is too wide."

"Nonsense! Dream Dragon is the head of my Liu family. How can I not have a say in this matter?"

"It seems difficult for me and Grandpa to continue this conversation."

"I advise you to return to Longcheng early to avoid humiliation."

"My son and I will handle our matters ourselves. Grandpa doesn't need to worry about it."

"Very well! Let's see how thick-skinned you Long family members are!"

"Likewise."

In their 'friendly' conversation, Long Qingyun arrived at the Liu mansion with the entourage.

Long Qingyun's arrival excited the ordinary people of Tianfu. They were unaware of the enmity between the major families; they only knew that the King of Huaxia had come to Tianfu. This might be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for them to see the king. Many Tianfu residents rushed towards the route from the airport to the Liu mansion. If they were lucky enough to meet Long Qingyun, it would become a lifelong conversation topic for these ordinary people.

Of course, some were just there to watch the spectacle. Since Long Zongheng's failed marriage proposal visit to Tianfu, which ended in an assassination attempt, and Long Jingtian's self-destruction to protect his grandson, Long Zongheng was severely injured. His childhood friend, Nalan Rugang, was even forced to stay in Manchuria to protect him, facing public criticism. It had only been seven days since these events unfolded, yet now Long Qingyun had come to Tianfu to join the fray.

Starting from the massacre at the Liu mansion in July, followed by the appearance of the Kung Fu Panda, the deaths of many foreigners, Long Zongheng's failed marriage proposal and subsequent assassination attempt, Long Jingtian's self-destruction, and now Long Qingyun's visit, Tianfu had been more lively in the past few months than in decades. The Tianfu residents felt that something was very wrong with these events, as everything seemed to be happening all at once.

The convoy soon arrived at the Liu Mansion, where Long Qingyun stepped out of the car, greeted by a barrage of flashing lights. Accompanied by Liu Lao Taiye, they walked into the mansion.

Inside the mansion...

"Menglong!" Shao Meiyun entered Li Nianlong's room and was surprised to find him watching Pleasant Goat and Big Big Wolf with Nalan Ruyue. She was both amused and exasperated. "What time is it? And you're still watching Pleasant Goat and Big Big Wolf."

Li Nianlong turned to her with a faint smile. "Has Long Qingyun arrived?"

"He's almost here." Shao Meiyun instructed the maids who followed her, "Prepare the lord for bathing and changing!"

"Yes." The four maids, all smiles, surrounded Li Nianlong. "Lord, please!"

Li Nianlong sighed. "I don't need a bath. I already showered this morning."

"You still need to change clothes, tidy up your hair and appearance. Let's just wash up!" Shao Meiyun smiled. "With four beautiful ladies serving you, what else could you ask for? Hurry up!"

Li Nianlong glanced at the four maids, all of whom were indeed beautiful and charming, albeit not top-tier, but still attractive. And... all of them were under twenty years old. Li Nianlong felt he couldn't resist!

"Ruyue, you go ahead and watch. I'll come over after I'm done with my business." Li Nianlong said to Nalan Ruyue.

Nalan Ruyue nodded gently. "Business is important. Go ahead, brother!"

"And you're teasing me again because I can't speak." Shao Meiyun asked, "What did Ruyue say just now?"

"Guess." Li Nianlong chuckled, following the maids out of the room. Shao Meiyun pouted, "Menglong, you're becoming mischievous. Just wait and see how I'll deal with you in the future."

Nalan Ruyue looked at Shao Meiyun with a faint smile on her face.

While Li Nianlong was bathing and changing, Liu Lao Taiye had already posed with Long Qingyun in front of the media. Today's press materials had been prepared, and the journalists, under discreet guidance, left the Liu Mansion.

With the troublemakers gone, Liu Lao Taiye and Long Qingyun dropped their facade of friendliness and engaged in a fierce silent battle. Long Qingyun, as the King of Huaxia, exuded formidable aura, while Liu Lao Taiye, seasoned and bolstered by the elixir provided by Li Nianlong, stood his ground without flinching.

After the intense silent confrontation, Long Qingyun, surprised by Liu Lao Taiye's formidable presence, ended the stalemate, calmly saying, "Lao Taiye, the superficial pleasantries have been exchanged. Can I now see Menglong?"

Seeing Long Qingyun voluntarily cease the confrontation, Liu Lao Taiye breathed a sigh of relief and sneered, "Seeing Menglong is not impossible. But before that, I have a few questions for you. If you can satisfy me with your answers, I will take you to him."

Long Qingyun's gaze sharpened. "Lao Taiye, that's going too far."

"This is Tianfu, not Longcheng!" Liu Lao Taiye retorted coldly, staring him down.

After a while, Long Qingyun showed a helpless expression and acquiesced, "Please, Lao Taiye, go ahead."

"Humph!" Liu Lao Taiye snorted triumphantly. "Long Qingyun, let me ask you this: when Ying'er was only sixteen, you were nearly forty, and already had a wife and children. Do you not find that shameful?"

Long Qingyun glanced at him and calmly replied, "As far as I know, Ying'er's mother was also your woman, Lao Taiye. What do you have to say about that?"

Liu Lao Taiye's expression changed.

Well, it's a draw for Big Brother against Second Brother.

Liu Lao Taiye cleared his throat. "Let's not dwell on that. But why did you abandon your wife and son when Menglong was born? Isn't that shameful?"

Long Qingyun continued calmly, "As far as I know, Ying'er's mother demanded that you divorce your wife and marry her, but you refused. Out of anger, she took Ying'er away from you. When Ying'er was less than a month old, she had no choice but to rely on her mother. Compared to your indifference, I at least ensured that Ying'er and Menglong lived comfortably, without worries about food and clothing."

Liu Lao Taiye's face turned ashen. In this round, Liu Lao Taiye was thoroughly defeated.