Chapter 751: Chapter 643: Prince Zhenyuan’s Purpose
Beside him, some members of the Alchemy Master Alliance were curiously sizing up Qin An, their eyes filled with more fear than curiosity.
Anyone with good information knew what Qin An had done in the capital.
Not only was he granted a private audience with Your Majesty, but he also ranked first among the prodigies, displaying unrivaled strength.
Even the First Prince and Second Prince had their reputations eroded by Qin An, indirectly making the Third Prince the biggest winner.
These stories, like winged creatures, had already spread throughout the entire Daqian Kingdom.
And those who knew about it naturally understood Qin An’s current status, already unstoppable.
At least, no one would be foolish enough to oppose Qin An, or even deliberately make things difficult for him.
When Qin An stood here, neither these alchemists nor those from the Alchemy Master Alliance dared to meet his gaze.
They were afraid that with one wrong move, Qin An would target them or even cause trouble for them.
Qin An didn’t take it seriously, sipping tea on his own with a leisurely demeanor.
In fact, he had long been accustomed to these gazes.
The enhancement of his power brought an elevation in status, along with incomparable majesty.
He cared not for others’ gazes, focusing instead on doing what he should, just as he had never wavered in his convictions along the way.
As he thought this, a sound of footsteps gradually approached.
Qin An set down his tea cup and turned to scrutinize the person behind him, his eyes slightly narrowed.
The moment Prince Zhenyuan emerged, Qin An had already discerned his identity, sensing that this would not be a simple encounter.
The reason for recognizing Prince Zhenyuan was simple: just a glance at his attire was enough.
In this world, besides Prince Zhenyuan, no one else could wear a ceremonial robe.
Wearing it and being discovered would be a capital offense.
No one would be foolish enough to risk that.
As he thought this, Prince Zhenyuan was already in front of him, inspecting Qin An up and down.
Not far away, the Alliance Hierarch carefully placed a chair behind Prince Zhenyuan.
"Prince, please sit."
Prince Zhenyuan, without any fuss, sat in the chair and spoke in a subdued voice: "You are Qin An?"
His tone was calm, without any arrogance, like an old man weak from age, engaging in small talk.
But the more understated the tone, the more it revealed the extraordinariness of this prince.
Qin An didn’t dodge, clasping his hands in salute: "This humble servant greets the Prince."
Since his identity was already exposed, retreating would be most unwise.
Rather than stepping back, stepping forward might offer more to see.
Prince Zhenyuan stroked his white beard: "Being able to make the First Prince and Second Prince falter indeed shows some skill. Meeting me today without any hint of fear, truth be told, I admire this aspect of your character. After all, back in the day, I too was as bold when assisting His Majesty in establishing the kingdom."
Qin An shook his head: "This humble servant is not brazen, just driven by my nature. I hope the Prince will not take offense."
"Offense?" Prince Zhenyuan sneered, "You damaged the First Prince’s reputation, forcing him to return prematurely to the border. It’s practically a slap in the face to me, and you speak of offense?"
"If I were in a bad mood today, cutting you down here would likely go unchallenged."
Qin An shook his head again: "The Prince did not act, which proves there is room for reconciliation. I believe if the Prince faced the same situation, he would do the same. The Prince came from humble beginnings and would not bully the weak."
Upon these words, the scene fell into a dead silence, akin to a land of death.
Many gasped, feeling that Qin An was exceedingly bold.
Such words implied placing Prince Zhenyuan on a moral pedestal, a sort of ethical coercion.
If they were Prince Zhenyuan, they would have slapped him by now, without letting Qin An speak another word.
Who knew that Prince Zhenyuan fell silent, then laughed heartily, a laugh so unnerving that it sent shivers down the onlookers’ spines.
Qin An’s gaze remained calm as still water, unchanged amid the laughter of Prince Zhenyuan.
Only when the laughter ceased did Qin An raise his eyes to meet Prince Zhenyuan’s gaze, without a trace of fear.
"These words of yours, if spoken to anyone else, would mean death."
Prince Zhenyuan slowly said: "But telling them to me won’t cause trouble. Frankly, with the Prime Minister backing you, I must somewhat consider his face, but I cannot disregard my own face, wouldn’t you agree?"
Qin An raised his eyes: "Please, my lord, show a clear path to resolve past grievances. If this humble servant can achieve it, let it all be written off."
With these words, Qin An understood Prince Zhenyuan’s intent.
Regardless, his actions had undeniably brought some loss of face to Prince Zhenyuan.
In that case, deliberation was necessary, to at least resolve issues from the past.
Prince Zhenyuan stroked his long beard again: "Not only will it be resolved, but I will also favor you greatly henceforth."
Upon these words, everyone present gasped, even taking several steps back.
Qin An’s reputation had already reached a formidable level, being deemed the most prominent prodigy of the current era wasn’t overstating it.
But now, with Prince Zhenyuan offering favor, Qin An’s backing extended to an untouchable realm.
Yet everyone understood, the resolution that Prince Zhenyuan mentioned next would certainly not be simple.
Qin An clasped his fists: "Please, my lord, enlighten me."
