Chapter 117 Old Lovers
Fat Bird Kirk's expression abruptly changed. Blackbeard's words truly didn't leave him with any face. No matter what, he was also one of Night Union's 13 Black Deacons. Although he didn't have tremendous military force with firm stronghold and always-ready army like Black Tiger Family, yet his strength and influence was also not something people could easily look down upon.
The silver fork in Fat Bird Kirk's hand was kneaded into a ball like a dough. Then, as a ball of flame appeared on his palm, the fork gradually melted. Silver liquid dripped through the cracks between his fingers, burning several holes as big as a fist on the carpet next to his foot.
Mantis Twain strangely laughed, then he diverted his attention entirely to the refreshments in front of him. He drank some tea from his tea cup and grabbed some snack to stuff it into his mouth while adopting a neutral attitude, neither helping one person or the other.
In contrast, Black Rose Ross lazily leaned backwards, practically reclining on the sofa. Every curve of her beautiful figure was brimming with an alluring charm. She softly laughed. Her laughter was melodious, making people's hearts itch.
Blackbeard laughed mischievously. With both hands on his knees, he spoke word by word, "Fat Pig, Arthur is my foster son, this thing was decided at that time by the joint conference of Night Union's 13 Black Deacons, I shall raise him, then he will take over his father's territory."
Coughing softly, Blackbeard sneered and said, "Since he is my foster son, then all his matters are my Black Tiger Family's internal affairs. He still hasn't taken over Red-haired Demon's territory, yet here you are already itching to jump right in. Are you eyeing my, Black Tiger's, territory?"
Fat Bird Kirk narrowed his eyes. He said in a low voice, "Black Tiger, you're mistaken."
Blackbeard ignored Fat Bird Kirk's words. He simply continued word by word, "A long time ago, some people once wanted to meddle in our Black Tiger Family's affairs, wanted to fish up some meat from our territory. But they were all beheaded! Fat Pig, every word you want to say to me here, it's best if you consider carefully before saying anything!"
Fat Bird Kirk's expression turned incomparably stiff. He knitted his brows and in accordance to Blackbeard's words, carefully choosing his next words.
Arthur faintly smiled. He stood up and slightly bowed toward Blackbeard before saying, "Father, Uncle Kirk is merely concerned."
Blackbeard's gaze was like lightning when he glanced at Arthur. Arthur was intimidated and subconsciously retreated two steps, nearly tumbling to the ground. Blackbeard waved his hand and said, "You're this old man's foster son, why do other people need to be concerned about you? For example, Ross, you're my old lover, if other people asked you what color of underwear you're wearing today, what do you think I should do?"
Black Rose Madam Ross' gaze moved. She gave Blackbeard a lovely smile. She had unknowingly taken out a black rose as big as a child's fist, then softly said, "You old demon, why on earth are you mentioning these things in front of the children? Hehe, who dared to ask me these kind of things in front of you, wouldn't that person be beheaded by you and his head hung at the harbor?"
Mantis Twain who was eating and drinking suddenly blanked. He quickly glanced at Blackbeard and Black Rose before lowering his head and continue eating. His originally flickering gaze already turned incomparably clear. It was obvious that he was previously still interested in meddling in the affair, but after Blackbeard suddenly mentioned the relationship between Black Rose Ross and him, Mantis Twain already lost any interest.
Fat Bird Kirk's expression also turned incomparably ugly. He resentfully looked at Arthur, then at Black Rose Ross with a little headache, before finally looking at Blackbeard. After deliberating for a while, Fat Bird Kirk forced a smile and said, "Then, Black Tiger, I shall ask you directly. If your foster son took over Red-haired Demon's territory, it wouldn't disturb my business right?"
Narrowing his eyes at Blackbeard, Fat Bird Kirk lowered his voice and said, "It's Red-haired Demon's territory. Fifty percent of the tobacco and alcohol that I smuggle every year have to pass through his territory. Black Tiger, we're old friends, you can't cheat on me!"
Blackbeard secretly gave Lin Qi a side glance before suddenly laughing heartily. He said, "You don't meddle in my business, why would I cheat on you? I already talked to Arthur, the day after tomorrow, he will bring 20 armed ships to return to and take over his father's territory. From then on, anything that happen on the territory left behind by Red-haired Demon will have nothing to do with me, Blackbeard!"
Spreading his hands, Blackbeard said in a low voice, "Originally we made a collective decision, don't tell me you've forgotten? Before Arthur takes over, no one can touch Red-haired Demon's territory. After Arthur takes over, the affairs of that territory shall proceed according to the rules, I absolutely won't break the rules."
When saying that he wouldn't break the rules, Blackbeard coldly looked at Fat Bird Kirk.
Fat Bird Kirk was silent for a while. He lowered his voice and said, "Black Tiger, you still remember our collective decision, this is good. But I heard…."
Quickly taking a glance at Lin Qi, Fat Bird Kirk looked at Arthur and said, "I heard in your Black Tiger Family, Arthur…."
Black Rose Madam Ross suddenly showed a sweet smile. She gently said, "How can rumors be taken seriously? What kind of person Black Tiger is, are you still not aware? Also, Arthur isn't your foster son, yet what is this you are insisting on? Not to mention Blackbeard, even I've seen it all through, oh?"
Ross tossed a coquettish glance at Blackbeard, making him slap his thigh and start to laugh heartily. After laughing for a while, Blackbeard glanced at Lin Qi with a little guilt before muttering some curses to himself.
Lin Qi smiled widely. He glanced at Ross and said with a smile, "Aunt Ross' words were very reasonable, some people mustn't meddle in our family's affairs, there would be no benefit for everyone, would there? Oh, Uncle Fat Pig, the fork in your hand was worth 20 gold coins, the carpet you burned was worth 3000 gold coins, may I trouble you to compensate for them before you leave?"
Fat Bird Kirk laughed and stood up with difficulty. He took out a golden note worth ten thousand gold coins from his sleeve and slowly put it on the table in front of him. He nodded at Blackbeard and said in a low voice, "Then, everything afterwards shall proceed in accordance with the rules."
Blackbeard said without any expression on his face, "Safe trip, I won't see you off. Arthur, why don't you see Fat Pig off!"
Arthur quietly gave Blackbeard a deep bow, then followed Fat Bird Kirk out.
Not long after, Mantis Twain also took his leave, leaving only Black Rose Ross.
The atmosphere inside the guest hall immediately became incomparably strange. Enzo and the others noiselessly left, leaving Lin Qi's group of three.
Chapter 118 A Lover Who Was Also An Ally
The guest hall was wrapped in a peculiar stillness. Lin Qi looked at Blackbeard, then looked at Black Rose. He suddenly stood up. When he did, Blackbeard was so nervous he nearly broke the tea cup in his hand, Black Rose Ross' brows jumped as she subconsciously sat straight on the sofa.
Lin Qi ignored the pair of man and woman with ulterior motives. He walked over to the window of the guest hall where the main gate of the ancestral residence in the distance could be seen.
Fat Bird Kirk was climbing into his carriage under the escort of his bodyguards while Arthur politely waited at one side. Since the distance was too far, Lin Qi couldn't see the movements of Arthur's lips, and in turn unable to learn what they were talking about. But looking at Arthur's humble attitude, Fat Bird Kirk should be a backer that he found.
"So stupid, if he got this Fat Pig as a backer, why must he expose it so early?" Lin Qi suddenly let out a soft sigh.
Blackbeard snorted. He touched his huge nose and didn't utter a word.
In contrast, Black Rose Ross tenderly laughed. She stood up and slowly walked over to Lin Qi before narrowing her eyes to look at Fat Bird Kirk's group of people who are slowly leaving in the distance. She softly said with a smile, "Apparently, this boy, Arthur, is scared. Blackbeard, what do you think?"
Blackbeard sneered. He also stood up and moved to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Black Rose Ross behind Lin Qi. He said in a low voice, "This little demon is scared. He has suffered so much in Lin Qi's hands, moreover this time Lin Qi treated him this way, not giving him the slightest bit of face. He's worried about his little life."
Lin Qi thoughtfully said, "So, he impatiently brought over his backer?"
Black Rose Ross shook her head and said, "Not brought over, Arthur only coincidentally ran into him. This morning the three of us entered Dunerk together. I and Twain just did a huge business outside and was passing through Dunerk to return to our own territory. As for Fat Pig, it seems he just came from the imperial capital, doing that business of his. Without the backing of the nobilities in the capital, how can his goods be delivered?"
Lin Qi softly sighed and said, "Then Arthur is truly dumb, this kind of backing, how can it be used so easily?"
Blackbeard strongly patted Lin Qi's shoulder. He lowered his voice and said, "You're too harsh toward him. He's scared, he's frightened. He's afraid that before he takes over Red-haired Demon's territory, he would be killed by you, boy. So he looked for a backing, at least making me refrain from shooting at the mouse for fear of breaking the vase, not daring to truly take action against him."
Showing a charming smile, Black Rose Ross gently sighed and said, "A cute idiot, if you, Blackbeard, wanted to take action against him, even if it's Fat Pig, what could he do?"
Straightening his chest and spreading his legs to stand more firmly, Blackbeard took out a cigar and held it in his mouth. Black Rose Ross smiled as she softly flicked her finger. A dot of black flame flashed on the cigarette butt, helping Blackbeard light the cigar. Blackbeard strongly inhaled before puffing out two streams of thick smoke from his nostrils. He sneered and said, "Fat Pig doesn't really matter, that thin stick, he wanted to take advantage of the situation!"
Lin Qi thoughtfully nodded. Clearly, although Fat Bird Kirk was met by chance, he had the intention to support Arthur. His purpose was to let Arthur return to his father, Red-haired Demon's, territory safe and sound. But Mantis Twain, why did he come along?
When looking at Twain, Lin Qi felt that he was a jackal that only ate rotting flesh. He should have sniffed out a profitable smell that made him tag along. It was good that Blackbeard coincidentally revealed his relationship with Black Rose Ross, if two Black Deacons joined hands, the pressure would fall entirely on Black Tiger Family.
A huge smuggled didn't really matter, but Mantis Twain was the boss of brigands and kidnappers. A bandit boss who dared to kidnap a duchess of a kingdom, the military force in his hands was no small matter. The two people joined hands, even Black Tiger Family couldn't effortlessly bear it.
Yet when the love affair between Blackbeard and Black Rose was revealed, Mantis Twain sensibly chose to retreat. As for Fat Bird Kirk, after declaring his support for Arthur, he also sensibly left Black Tiger Family. Both parties probed each other a little, they gained a certain something and nothing at the same time; It was a very subtle thing.
Perhaps the only one who gained the biggest benefit was Blackbeard!
With a gloomy face, Lin Qi turned around to look at Blackbeard. He looked at his own old man, then looked at the red-faced Black Rose Ross before suddenly saying, "Very good, Aunt Ross, you aren't going to marry my old man, are you?"
Black Rose Ross charmingly glanced at Lin Qi. She tenderly smiled and said, "Being lovers is good, of we get married, the other people in Night Union will be uneasy. Hehe, your father and I are lovers and also allies. Boy, this way is good for everyone, isn't it?"
After looking thoughtfully at Black Rose Ross, Lin Qi beckoned at Blackbeard with his finger.
Blackbeard laughed mischievously before obediently following Lin Qi to a corner of the guest hall. Lin Qi looked at Black Rose Ross who stood before the window enjoying the scenery while waving her small fan. He lowered his voice and asked, "You didn't make a hybrid younger brother for me, right?"
Blackbeard narrowed his eyes. He softly laughed and said, "How could I? The family ancestral teaching is there, how can I commit that kind of mistake? Oh, honestly speaking, your old man is also a healthy man, I need women, don't I? Oh, normal women will broke after your old man held them two times, this woman is powerful enough, she's the only one who can accompany your old man in having fun all night, I'm satisfied, she's also satisfied!"
Poking his finger at Lin Qi's stomach, Blackbeard smiled and said, "An intimate ally, son, this woman's methods are pretty good, with me allying with her, everyone will benefit. Everyone is happy in addition to gaining a firm ally. Furthermore we don't meddle in each other's business, this is a pretty good thing, don't you think?"
"Arthur!" Lin Qi put aside Black Rose Ross' matter. Like what Blackbeard said, he was a healthy man, he should have his own life. Lin Qi felt that, he wasn't his mother, so he didn't have the authority to manage Blackbeard's private life. As long as he didn't return with a hybrid younger brother, Blackbeard could do whatever he loved to do!
The only problem was Arthur!
"Oh, the day after tomorrow, you bring some people to the imperial capital while he will bring some to his devil father's territory!" Blackbeard gave Lin Qi a deep look and said, "His future life and death will no longer be my responsibility. This is the decision made by the Night Union Deacon Meeting then!"
Lin Qi smiled. He deeply bowed toward Black Rose Ross and said with a loud laugh, "Aunt Ross, you're the most beautiful woman I've ever met, my father, his luck is truly not bad. I wish you two a good day, I shal first take my leave!"
Laughing heartily, Lin Qi picked up the golden note Fat Bird Kirk left behind before striding out of the guest hall in glee.