Eternal Life: I Rely on Fortune Points for Improvement-Chapter 96: Call Me Brother, and I’ll Light the Lanterns With You

Chapter 96: Chapter 96: Call Me Brother, and I’ll Light the Lanterns With You

Time to change shifts.

Jiang Feng left Zhenbei Prison and walked towards Willow Alley together with Uncle Huo. Auntie Huo had cooked a pot of pickled vegetables with tofu and invited Jiang Feng to eat.

Jiang Feng didn’t refuse.

He couldn’t mess up the order of life he was supposed to keep.

He returned with a full stomach.

Jiang Feng sat in his own courtyard, waiting for the storm to come.

"No, I should take the initiative. I can’t just sit and wait to die."

Jiang Feng suddenly thought of something, and an idea flashed in his mind.

"The Second Prince wants to find the real culprit, the Seventh Prince wants to win over Sister Dong. It looks like they have their own motives, but in fact it’s two princes battling. If I want to stay out of it, simply hiding isn’t an option.

I can’t wait until the Second Prince’s men come looking for me before thinking of how to clear my name.

I must make the Second Prince screen me out on his own!"

Jiang Feng murmured to himself.

"How can I make the Second Prince, upon learning about me, actively ignore me?"

Jiang Feng frowned deeply.

"Xiao Ran, right! Only Xiao Ran!"

Jiang Feng pondered for a long time. When Xiao Ran’s figure flickered through his mind, his eyes lit up.

The next day.

Jiang Feng checked his fortune panel.

He found that his Fortune Point hadn’t changed.

So he hurried to Zhenbei Prison.

Inside the prison, he went through his usual routine, patrolling the third floor a few times.

Then he focused closely on the comings and goings of people in Zhenbei Prison.

By the afternoon—

Xiao Ran came bringing a few things to visit Han Dong.

A quarter of an hour later.

Jiang Feng went to look for Han Dong.

Walking up to the courtyard gate, he pretended to just notice Xiao Ran was there and, startled, hurried to leave.

"Where are you going? Come back!"

Han Dong shouted.

"Sister Dong, you two chat first."

Jiang Feng pretended to leave so as not to disturb them.

"Stop! I told you to come in and speak."

Han Dong assumed Jiang Feng was trying to avoid Xiao Ran, and the more he acted like that, the less likely she’d let him get away with it.

Jiang Feng had no choice but to brace himself and face Xiao Ran and Han Dong.

"Say it. What did you need me for?"

Han Dong asked.

Jiang Feng glanced at Xiao Ran, then said, "Sister Dong, it’s nothing."

"I order you to say it."

Han Dong saw Jiang Feng’s subtle move and pressed hard.

"I’m inviting Sister Dong to release lanterns with me tonight."

Jiang Feng took a deep breath and spoke.

Han Dong’s expression froze.

She never imagined Jiang Feng was looking for her to suggest releasing lanterns together.

Beside them, Xiao Ran’s face immediately darkened.

In Dragon Capital’s customs, releasing flower lanterns meant going on a date, committing for life.

Jiang Feng really dared to have designs on Han Dong.

A mere Prison Chief—where did he get the nerve?

"Bang!"

How could Xiao Ran endure this?

He got up and kicked Jiang Feng without hesitation.

His speed was so fast, Han Dong was caught off guard.

"Thud!"

Jiang Feng was sent flying, smashing through Han Dong’s courtyard railing, and landing hard at the gate, flat on the ground, coughing up a mouthful of blood.

"What are you doing?"

Han Dong cried out in shock, wanting to help Jiang Feng up and check his wounds, only to be tightly held back by Xiao Ran.

"Dong’Er, do you know your status? A petty prison guard dares to dream of forging a lifelong bond with you? I’ll kill him!"

Xiao Ran’s killing intent was clear.

"Crown Prince, you misunderstand. How could I dare dream of forging a lifelong bond with Sister Dong?"

Jiang Feng lay on the ground, speaking with difficulty.

"Inviting Dong’Er out to release lanterns at night—if that isn’t proposing, what is?"

Xiao Ran snapped.

"I’m innocent! Releasing lanterns also means swearing brotherhood and loyalty!"

Jiang Feng struggled to flip himself over, then pulled two lantern shades from inside his shirt, both inscribed with oaths about forming a sworn sibling bond and being as close as family with Han Dong.

"Haven’t you heard there are other meanings to releasing lanterns?"

Han Dong forcefully shook off Xiao Ran’s hand.

She hurriedly helped Jiang Feng from the ground into a chair, then rushed inside to fetch him a healing elixir.

Xiao Ran reached a hand out—

And, with a remote grab, snatched the two folded paper lantern covers from the ground into his palm.

Unfolding them,

The words weren’t about eternal love, but about swearing brotherhood and respecting the eldest sister like a mother.

"You... why didn’t you say so earlier?"

Xiao Ran was left speechless.

"Hurry up and take your medicine."

Han Dong fed Jiang Feng a palace-grade healing elixir.

"Do you realize you almost killed him just now!"

Han Dong roared at Xiao Ran.

"I... Sorry, I was too rash. Leave him to me, I’ll fetch a physician to tend to him."

Xiao Ran was deeply frustrated.

He knew what he just did made Han Dong look down on him yet again.

"No need. Get out!"

Han Dong retorted angrily.

"Sister Dong, I’m fine. Crown Prince, please carry on your chat."

Jiang Feng tried to get up and leave.

He’d barely taken two steps—

Bang!

He collapsed to the floor again.

Another pool of blood marked the ground.

"Jiang Feng!"

Han Dong was startled.

"Leave him to me. I’ll see to it that not a hair on his head is harmed before he’s returned to Zhenbei Prison."

Xiao Ran was helpless.

He quickly hoisted Jiang Feng onto his shoulder and dashed towards the prison gate.

"You’d better keep your word."

Han Dong chased after, warning him.

"Relax, your little brother won’t die!"

Xiao Ran didn’t even bother turning his head.

He knew that kick just now, harsh as it looked, was controlled—considering Jiang Feng kept calling Han Dong ’Sister Dong’, he hadn’t used full force.

He brought Jiang Feng back to the Prince’s Mansion.

Brought in renowned physicians for treatment.

Took good care of him.

In no time at all, Jiang Feng would be as lively as ever.

And so—

This was the scene at Zhenbei Prison:

The Heir of King Zhennan carrying little Prison Chief Jiang Feng, dashing dramatically toward the prison gate, Han Dong hot on his heels, angrily admonishing Xiao Ran, who was agreeing to everything, swearing Jiang Feng would be fine.

"Sister Dong, the lanterns..."

Jiang Feng lay on Xiao Ran’s shoulder, his voice barely audible.

"Call me brother and I’ll go release lanterns with you!"

Xiao Ran snapped irritably.

He was feeling aggrieved inside.

In Dragon Capital’s custom, releasing lanterns alone at night was mainly for blessings.

For a man and woman to do it together usually meant an intent to marry.

As for swearing brotherhood—it was possible, but pretty rare.

If Jiang Feng hadn’t produced those lantern shades with the words about sworn siblinghood, Xiao Ran wouldn’t have believed it at all.

Now, all because of a misunderstanding, Jiang Feng took a bad hit.

Xiao Ran understood: if Jiang Feng didn’t survive, Han Dong would never forgive him, and his own chances with Han Dong would go up in smoke as well.

So it went—

Xiao Ran raced his horse nonstop.

He brought Jiang Feng back to the Prince’s Mansion.

Had a renowned doctor tend to Jiang Feng.

Jiang Feng now lay in the Prince’s Mansion on a bed over two meters wide, luxurious and spotless.

When the physician checked his pulse,

Jiang Feng utilized the Tai Chi Longevity Skill to make his breath faint, as if he were half-dead.

This made the physician sigh over and over.

Xiao Ran switched in batch after batch of doctors.

Finally, the fifth physician came, stroked his goatee, and said, "Quite the heavy blow—already damaged internal organs. If you’d come a moment later, Crown Prince, even an immortal couldn’t have saved your friend."

"Ah? But you can save him?"

Xiao Ran’s face was awkward; he hadn’t expected Jiang Feng’s injuries to be this serious.

"Of course I can. With a few rounds of medicine, within half a month, you’ll have your lively friend back."

The old physician replied.

He was secretly laughing: Jiang Feng’s injuries hadn’t touched his organs at all; it was just damage to the heart meridian, a bit of internal bruising.

A few prescriptions and he’d be cured—

But he exaggerated on purpose, thinking to claim credit and show off his skills.