The Blood Servants' little maneuver was so obvious that Yang Kai naturally noticed it right away.
He slowed his pace slightly, and only after they caught up did he glance back at them, his expression calm. "You're wondering?"
Tu Feng and Tang Yuxian both nodded with grave faces.
"What's so strange about it?" Yang Kai smiled lightly, his expression as composed as ever, without the slightest trace of regret or second thoughts.
"Young Master, how could you just let Miss Qiu walk away like that? The Qiu Family's influence is far from weak—if they lent a hand in the battle for succession, we'd be guaranteed support in terms of both resources and talent!" Tu Feng didn't beat around the bush and asked outright.
He and Tang Yuxian had both already decided that once the family permitted Blood Servants to participate in the battle for succession, they would follow Yang Kai. Naturally, they would no longer play it safe the way they had before, staying out of Yang Kai's decisions.
Yang Kai slowly shook his head and said evenly, "Qiu Yimeng still has reservations. She doesn't dare commit right now, and no matter how hard I try, the result will be the same."
"No way," Tu Feng blurted out, looking shocked. "The way I see it, she showed plenty of interest in you along the way. She even seemed rather fond of you! She spoke quite a few good words about you in front of me and Yuxian."
"That's right," Tang Yuxian agreed with a slight nod.
"Fond of me?" Yang Kai stared at Tu Feng in surprise, then let out an amused laugh. "Tu Feng, oh Tu Feng, if you really think that, you're far too naive!"
Tu Feng was no young man himself, and hearing Yang Kai say that made his weathered face flush red.
"Perhaps my performance caught her eye, and I may be quite a bit better than the other young men out there," Yang Kai said, raising an eyebrow with a flash of confidence. "That's exactly why she thinks I'm somewhat different from the rest. But that doesn't mean she likes me."
Tu Feng and Tang Yuxian furrowed their brows, still unconvinced.
Yang Kai smiled faintly. "Let me ask you—who is Qiu Yimeng? She's the eldest daughter of the Qiu Family, the foremost of her generation! Tell me, can a woman like her decide her own future?"
Tu Feng and Tang Yuxian thought about it, and their brows knitted tighter.
Qiu Yimeng had countless suitors and was one of the most talked-about figures of her generation in Zhongdu. Yet despite the pursuit of so many talented young men, she had kept herself spotless, never having any romantic entanglement with any young lord in the city.
The reason was simple: the Qiu Family patriarch, Qiu Shoucheng, had declared that whoever wished to marry Qiu Yimeng had to marry into the Qiu Family!
At first glance, that sounded like a father who cherished his daughter and didn't want to let her go. But in reality? The Qiu Family simply didn't want to pass up the opportunity to recruit powerful allies.
In short, Qiu Yimeng's future was not her own to decide. She was destined to become a pawn in a marriage alliance, bringing benefits to the Qiu Family.
The education she had received since childhood was built on the principle that family comes first.
Her romantic feelings, having children, her marriage—all of it would be arranged by the Qiu Family. She had no say whatsoever.
A woman raised under such principles would never lightly choose to stand on Yang Kai's side before the battle for succession had even begun. And even if she did, the Qiu Family would never acknowledge it!
"Still don't believe me?" Yang Kai tilted his head and looked at the two Blood Servants.
Neither Tu Feng nor Tang Yuxian answered.
"The fact that she didn't travel back to Zhongdu with us is the best proof," Yang Kai said with a light chuckle. "If she had truly decided to ally with me, she wouldn't care what anyone else thought."
"So don't talk about whether she likes me. She has always seen me as a direct-line Yang Family disciple worth allying with. And that's all—" Yang Kai's expression turned serious. "If someone more outstanding comes along, I guarantee the Qiu Family will become my enemy."
Both Blood Servants looked grave. Though they felt Yang Kai's view might be a bit extreme, they couldn't deny that young lords and ladies from great families truly didn't place much weight on personal feelings. Raised in the shadow of their families, what they always considered first and foremost was the family's benefit—and their own. Romantic love came last.
"Noted," Tu Feng said with a slight nod.
Not being in a position of power, it wasn't their place to meddle in such matters. Blood Servants were powerful, but they truly couldn't see through the minds of those young masters and mistresses from the great families.
Yang Kai nodded, his heart at peace, and said nothing more.
An hour later, the three of them finally arrived at Zhongdu.
The city of Zhongdu was impossibly vast, with countless gates. And the one before them was the South Gate!
There were no bustling commoners, no streams of warriors. Before the massive South Gate, yawning like the open maw of a beast, everything was quiet—only a handful of capable warriors stood by, scanning their surroundings with relaxed expressions.
Because the South Gate was not a gate just anyone could enter.
It was the private gate of the Yang Family of Zhongdu.