Chapter 98: Chapter 97: The Crown Prince
Qin Li couldn’t even be bothered to teach the two arrogant guards a lesson. Without a word, he unleashed a shocking aura, like a powerful wave of energy. The two guards stumbled back several steps, their faces ashen. When they looked at Qin Li again, their eyes were filled with terror!
"Who dares cause trouble at the Shangguan Family!" a voice called from the distance. When the first word was spoken it sounded far off, but by the time the last word echoed, the man had already arrived at the gate. A side door opened to reveal a man with a grim, resolute face and an icy gaze. But when his eyes fell upon Qin Li, his expression suddenly softened, and his voice held a trace of pleasant surprise.
The man said enthusiastically, "Young Master Qin, you’re here! Please, come in. It’s been a long time since we’ve had any news of you. I was beginning to think you’d left Yellow Sand City."
Qin Li recognized the man, and he was taken aback by the powerful aura radiating from him.
It was Shangguan Hongfei, Shangguan Tie’s personal guard. When Qin Li’s own strength was low, he hadn’t been able to tell, but this man was no seventh-stage Profound Level martial artist as he’d claimed. This powerful fluctuation... was clearly that of an Earth Level expert! In the Shangguan Family, besides the former Patriarch Shangguan Tie, Shangguan Hongfei was likely the only other person who held Qin Li in high regard.
"My apologies for coming unannounced," Qin Li said with a faint smile as he followed Shangguan Hongfei inside.
The two guards were left behind, looking utterly wretched. They didn’t dare say another word until Qin Li and Shangguan Hongfei were far away. "Gods, that scared the hell out of me," one of them said. "Who is that kid? Why was even Master Hong Fei so polite to him?"
The other guard clutched his chest. "I have no idea. He must be someone important. Hey, wait. What did Master Hong Fei call him just now?"
"’Young Master Qin’... yes, that was it, ’Young Master Qin’... huh?" The first guard trailed off, then froze. He looked at his partner, his face falling. "Don’t tell me... he’s *that one* from the Qin Family?"
The second guard immediately grew flustered. "What do we do? Should we report this to the Patriarch right away?"
The first guard hesitated, then shook his head. "Forget it. Master Hong Fei was the one who led him in. If anything goes wrong, it won’t be our fault. Besides, the Patriarch is entertaining a guest right now. We’d better not go and stir up trouble..."
Putting the two snobbish guards and their scheming aside, Qin Li followed Shangguan Hongfei deeper into the estate.
Along the way, Shangguan Hongfei, Shangguan Tie’s most trusted confidant, spoke to Qin Li with some embarrassment. "Young Master Qin, I’m truly sorry about this. The old master doesn’t know. My words carry little weight, so I was powerless to change the Patriarch’s mind..."
Qin Li smiled faintly and waved his hand. "It’s no matter. In fact, the reason I’ve come is to meet your Patriarch."
"A distinguished guest has arrived from the Imperial Capital," Shangguan Hongfei explained. "I hear he’s related to the Imperial Family and even brought a personal letter from Princess Consort Shangguan. It seems... it seems he’s here to ask for a hand in marriage."
Qin Li was taken aback for a moment, then asked, "To Shiyu?"
Shangguan Hongfei nodded with a bitter smile. "The Shangguan Family has known for some time that Shiyu’s skin was getting better. Otherwise, the Patriarch wouldn’t have been so resolute in annulling your engagement. As for the distinguished guest inside..." Shangguan Hongfei glanced around cautiously before lowering his voice. "I hear... the visitor is His Highness, the Crown Prince!"
"The Crown Prince?" A murderous glint flashed in Qin Li’s eyes. ’I don’t care who you are. If you try to steal my woman, I won’t spare you!’
"So, the Patriarch might not be willing to see you," Shangguan Hongfei said, shaking his head. "He might even have you thrown out immediately. Sigh, the old master has been in seclusion for so long without any word. It’s maddening. If he were still in charge, none of this would ever have happened!"
Qin Li gave a noncommittal smile. "Don’t worry. Go and tell Shangguan Buhui that Qin Li has arrived. He’ll see me."
Shangguan Hongfei let out a helpless, bitter smile. ’This young master is no pushover,’ he thought. He had clearly felt an intense pressure from the aura Qin Li had just unleashed! The shock of realizing who it was had been immense. To think, just one year ago, Qin Li had been an exceptionally weak Martial Artist!
’To make such immense progress in less than a year... Oh, Patriarch, you have truly made a grave miscalculation! A genius Martial Artist with this much potential... even the Monarch himself would likely try to recruit him with offers of high office and a handsome salary, treating him as a guest of honor. Qin Li is only fourteen this year. He has a very good chance of breaking into the Celestial Level before he’s thirty!’
’A Celestial Level expert at thirty... what would that even mean?’
Shangguan Hongfei led Qin Li to a guest room, then went alone to see the Patriarch, Shangguan Buhui.
At that moment, in a spacious and luxurious dining hall, the Shangguan Family was hosting a banquet for a distinguished guest from the Royal Family. Several of the family’s legitimate sons were in attendance, each one wearing a fawning smile.
It couldn’t be helped. Though the Shangguan Family was connected to the Imperial Family by marriage, the man before them was the Crown Prince!
What a staggering status—this was the future Cyan Dragon Monarch! Although the Second Prince was also gaining significant renown, hailed as a genius in both scholarly and martial pursuits, the Cyan Dragon Kingdom had no precedent for deposing the elder son in favor of the younger. Therefore, unless the Second Prince dared to rebel, it was impossible to expect the current Monarch to break tradition.
Thus, in the presence of this future Monarch, everyone in the Shangguan Family, from the highest to the lowest, including Patriarch Shangguan Buhui himself, served him with the utmost care, terrified of causing the slightest dissatisfaction.
The Crown Prince, Zhao Xinghe, was strikingly handsome, with a flawless, jade-like complexion, sharp brows, and eyes as bright as stars. He was tall and slender, and having been raised in the Royal Family, he possessed a majestic aura that the sons of ordinary Noble Families could never hope to match.
He wore a perpetually gentle smile. Seeing how cautious the Shangguan Family members were, he took the initiative to put them at ease. "Master Shangguan," he said with that same warm smile, "please, there’s no need for such formality. In terms of generation, I am your junior. Besides, Princess Consort Shangguan has always taken excellent care of me."
Shangguan Buhui wore a humble smile, but inwardly he was thinking: ’Compared to the Crown Prince before me, that little bastard Qin Li is less than dirt! I have no idea what Father was thinking back then. He must have been getting senile!’
’In terms of family background, one is the future Monarch, and the other is an illegitimate son who must be kept hidden from the light. The difference is like that between heaven and earth! In terms of looks, while Qin Li isn’t ugly, how can he compare to the noble bearing of the Crown Prince? And in terms of strength, His Highness the Crown Prince is only eighteen, yet he has already reached the ninth stage of the Profound Level!’
’And it’s worth noting that he didn’t achieve this by cultivating that damnable ’Only I am Venerable’ technique!’
Shangguan Buhui’s opinion of the Crown Prince couldn’t have been higher. This was especially true because of the letter his sister, Princess Consort Shangguan, had sent with him. In it, she suggested it would be best to betroth Shangguan Shiyu to the Crown Prince. She had praised His Highness profusely, describing him as gentle, courteous, and a man of outstanding character, not to mention the future Monarch. With the Shangguan Family’s standing, if Shangguan Shiyu were to marry the Crown Prince, she was certain to become the future Empress!
’Just imagine... the Empress, a mother to the entire kingdom! How illustrious the Shangguan Family would become! What a glorious honor!’
Shangguan Buhui’s heart began to burn with ambition. He smiled at the Crown Prince and said, "Your Highness, my niece suffered from a hidden ailment in her youth, as you’ve likely heard. Her skin was blue, leading to malicious rumors that she was some kind of monster. But in truth, her skin began returning to normal last year. And if I may be so bold... even my own sister, Her Highness the Imperial Consort, cannot match my niece’s outstanding beauty!"
Zhao Xinghe maintained his smile. ’If Princess Consort Shangguan hadn’t mentioned it, I never would have been interested,’ he thought. ’Why does my Imperial Father dote on her so? Is it not for her peerless beauty, her fair and delicate skin, and that supple, willow-like waist that moves as gracefully as a serpent?’
At the thought of Shangguan Shiyu being even more stunning than her aunt, Zhao Xinghe’s own heart grew hot with desire. He raised his wine cup. "In that case, I will have to trouble you, Master Shangguan! I have already refused a marriage arranged by my Imperial Father, as I have long held a special affection for Miss Shiyu. I have come this time for this very matter. If you agree, Master Shangguan, I will return and immediately ask my Imperial Father to decree our marriage..."
Shangguan Buhui was just about to agree when he looked up and saw his father’s personal guard, Shangguan Hongfei, standing at the entrance and looking at him.
Although he harbored much dissatisfaction toward his father, he kept those thoughts to himself. He was always cordial toward his father’s personal guards—they were powerful experts, after all! Even if he managed to secure the patronage of the Imperial Family, his true strength still lay with these loyal family retainers.
"Ah, Hong Fei, what brings you here?" Shangguan Buhui smiled and nodded at Shangguan Hongfei before turning to the Crown Prince. "Your Highness, this is one of my father’s personal guards, an Earth Level Martial Artist!"
An imperceptible flash of ridicule crossed Zhao Xinghe’s eyes. He gave a slight nod. "Hm. The Shangguan Family’s foundation is indeed profound. An Earth Level Martial Artist is quite impressive."
Shangguan Buhui knew the Crown Prince was just offering empty pleasantries and didn’t take it to heart. Noticing that Shangguan Hongfei seemed to have something to say, he stood up, walked to the doorway, and asked quietly, "What is it?"
"Qin Li is here," Shangguan Hongfei said, glancing back toward the banquet as he lowered his voice.
"What?" Shangguan Buhui froze for a second. The memory of a handsome yet stubborn face surfaced in his mind, and his pupils constricted. He frowned. "What is he doing here? Who let him in? Throw him out!"
After a moment’s thought, he added, "On second thought, never mind. He’s just a worthless good-for-nothing. Take my Token, go to the treasury, and withdraw ten thousand taels of silver for him. Tell him to take it and get lost, and to never show his face here again. As of today, the Shangguan Family and he are even!"
Seeing the Patriarch’s expression, Shangguan Hongfei felt a profound sense of disappointment. He was just about to speak when he suddenly heard the Crown Prince’s voice.
"Master Shangguan, is something the matter?"
Shangguan Buhui gave an embarrassed laugh. "It’s nothing. Just a bothersome pest. I was just about to have him driven away!"
"It’s that Qin Li, isn’t it? Have him come here. I... would like to meet him."
For reasons unknown, a strange smile played on Crown Prince Zhao Xinghe’s lips.
