“My Lord, the Twelfth Prince of Da Lie is preparing to depart.”
“Finally leaving?” Chu Zhiyuan sat in his grand master's chair, noncommittal.
Gao Lingfeng observed his expression and said slowly, “It is said he was injured… During a conflict, our martial arts experts inadvertently harmed the Twelfth Prince.”
“Seriously injured?” Chu Zhiyuan put down the documents in his hand and said languidly, “Injured and still leaving? Shouldn't he recover before departing?”
“The Twelfth Prince feels that Jade Capital is too unsafe, so he is eager to leave and return to Da Lie.”
♦ ︎ ♦ ︎ ♦ ︎ ♦ ︎ ♦ ︎ ♦ ︎
“My Lord…” Gao Lingfeng hesitated. Chu Zhiyuan said, “Speak freely.”
Gao Lingfeng slowly said, “This matter is somewhat strange… The Zhen Wu Division's investigation into these martial arts experts has come to nothing.” Such matters involving foreign envoys are usually highly valued by the court, and the Zhen Wu Division is aware of this protocol.
There should be an explanation regardless.
For these martial arts experts, they only injured someone and did not kill anyone, and it was not intentional. The offense is not significant. After capture, the punishment would not be too severe, just a show to save everyone's face.
But this time, the Zhen Wu Division failed to apprehend anyone, seemingly deliberately condoning it, as if intentionally embarrassing the Twelfth Prince of Da Lie. This is what the Twelfth Prince of Da Lie is dissatisfied with, hoping to force the Zhen Wu Division to take action by leaving.
It is actually a disguised form of pressure.
Chu Zhiyuan frowned, “Did you ask the Zhen Wu Division for the reason?”
“The Zhen Wu Division said that these people have fled and disappeared without a trace, making it impossible to pursue them.”
“Not a perfunctory excuse?”
“It doesn't seem like a perfunctory excuse, so this matter is somewhat strange.”
“Well, then let it be.” Chu Zhiyuan nodded. Gao Lingfeng was stunned, not understanding.
“I will go see this Twelfth Prince, send him off, lest they say our Da Jing lacks the grandeur of a great dynasty.”
“…Yes.” Gao Lingfeng vaguely felt that something was amiss.
He was also a perceptive person, noticing Chu Zhiyuan's disdain and dissatisfaction towards the Twelfth Prince in his tone and demeanor. Could it be that the Twelfth Prince had offended the Young Lord?
It shouldn't be, the princes of Da Lie are extremely humble and fawning when they come, regarding themselves as subordinates. They would never dare to offend the Young Lord.
Chu Zhiyuan slowly walked to the outside of the Sifang Pavilion.
Cheng Tianfeng had already left, and the Ling Shuang Iron Cavalry no longer guarded both ends of Sifang Pavilion Street.
After the Ling Shuang Iron Cavalry left, the Ta Yun Iron Cavalry retreated, only guarding the Da Meng Pavilion within the Sifang Pavilion, ignoring the rest of the area. At first glance, the Ling Shuang Iron Cavalry seemed more arrogant and overbearing than the Ta Yun Iron Cavalry.
The Ta Yun Iron Cavalry was more low-key and restrained.
Chu Zhiyuan looked at the empty streets on both sides, feeling somewhat unaccustomed, missing Cheng Tianfeng.
Cheng Tianfeng was his treasure, giving him many things, and he owed his rapid progress to him. Thinking of this, he slowly said, “Gao, how is Brother Cheng's side, are there any setbacks?”
He anticipated that Cheng Tianfeng's journey would not be so peaceful.
If Da Meng wanted to undermine the alliance between the two dynasties, they would make an issue of Cheng Tianfeng. Even if they didn't act personally, they would instigate the martial arts experts of Da Jing to take action.
The martial arts experts of Da Jing were unable to kill Cheng Tianfeng, but they could harass him, thereby forcing Cheng Tianfeng to kill.
If Cheng Tianfeng fell for it and killed someone, the people of Da Jing would inevitably be angry, and after some propaganda, perhaps the soldiers in the army would be unhappy and cause friction, and the two dynasties would eventually turn against each other again.
“No news yet.” Gao Lingfeng said in a low voice, “Young Lord Cheng and the others left secretly, and their itinerary will not be leaked.”
Chu Zhiyuan said, “Hopefully, they can keep the secret.”
The two had just stepped onto Sifang Pavilion Street, and after walking a few steps, they suddenly heard a clear cry soaring into the sky. The cry was like a crane, yet also like a phoenix.
Gao Lingfeng's expression changed slightly, and he said in a low voice, “Is that Her Highness the Ninth Princess of Da Meng?”
Such a clear cry had sounded once before, alarming half of Jade Capital.
The Ninth Princess of Da Meng broke through on the eve of her competition with the Fourth Young Lord, stirring the hearts of countless people. This time, the sound was exactly the same.
It should still be her.
Chu Zhiyuan sensed Li Hongzhao's situation and let out a soft laugh, “Another breakthrough!” Gao Lingfeng was surprised, “This Ninth Princess is truly remarkable!”
Chu Zhiyuan said, “Let's go, let's congratulate the Ninth Princess.”
Gao Lingfeng said, “My Lord, then I will wait outside.”
“Yes, that's fine.” Chu Zhiyuan nodded.
Gao Lingfeng was avoiding suspicion.
He himself was a Young Lord and didn't need to avoid suspicion, but Gao Lingfeng avoided the Ninth Princess of Da Meng like the plague. Da Meng's secret agents were too strong, it was best not to come into contact with them.
Chu Zhiyuan walked leisurely to the front of the Da Meng Pavilion. Soon someone went in to report.
Amidst a pleasant and soft laughter, Li Hongzhao appeared before him in a peach-red palace dress. Radiant and dazzling, beautiful and captivating.
The Ta Yun Iron Cavalry on both sides glared at him coldly, their hostility intense.
They all knew that Chu Zhiyuan had once led troops to slaughter more than two hundred of their Ta Yun Iron Cavalry comrades. This hatred could not go unavenged!
Chu Zhiyuan glanced at them and said to Li Hongzhao, “How many soldiers and generals of Da Jing have you Da Meng killed? Coming to Jade Capital, have you ever been treated harshly by the court, or received cold looks from officials?”
“What's wrong?” Li Hongzhao snorted, “I can't possibly make them force a smile for you, can I?” Chu Zhiyuan said, “If they can't have a smile, then don't glare so wide, it's quite scary to look at.” Li Hongzhao pursed her red lips, “It's no wonder, you've always been timid as a mouse.”
Chu Zhiyuan's smile grew even wider, and he laughed, “Yes, I am timid as a mouse, but I am already at the eighth level.”
“Isn't it the seventh level?”
Li Hongzhao's flower-like smile froze.
Chu Zhiyuan smiled and said, “I came to tell Your Highness some good news, I also just broke through not long ago, and stepped into the eighth level, we can consider this a double celebration.” Li Hongzhao's jade face sank and she said coldly, “Celebrate my ass!”
Chu Zhiyuan chuckled and shook his head, “Then I'll tell you another good news, Ruoling has become the Holy Maiden of the Yao Yue Palace.”
“…That really is good news!” Li Hongzhao bit her red lips, her pearly white teeth neat and even, her red lips almost bitten through, and she snorted, “Xiao Sister has become a Holy Maiden, you must have gotten a lot of good things, right?”
She knew that the Yao Yue Palace had secret places.
As a Holy Maiden, taking some elixirs and natural treasures for her future husband was fine, as long as it wasn't too excessive, no one would say much. This damned Chu Zhiyuan, he couldn't bear to see her doing well.
She had just broken through, just excited, and he jumped out to ruin her mood. He was simply her nemesis!
Chu Zhiyuan smiled, “Not really, can't be too excessive, just three Tongtian Grasses.”
“The Yao Yue Palace really let Xiao Sister become a Holy Maiden?”
Chu Zhiyuan sighed, “It also exceeded my expectations, I originally thought I was just joining in the fun for a bit.”
Li Hongzhao smiled again, “Xiao Sister has become a Holy Maiden, wouldn't your Young Lord Consort have flown away?”
“It's not too late to marry her after she relinquishes her position as Holy Maiden.”
“Can you wait that long?”
“For a Grandmaster, it's not that long.”
“Hmph, you won't become a Grandmaster!” Li Hongzhao sneered.
Chu Zhiyuan smiled and said, “I came to congratulate Your Highness, and also to send off the Twelfth Prince of Da Lie, the Twelfth Prince is preparing to return, won't Your Highness go and take a look?” Li Hongzhao immediately narrowed her phoenix eyes, glaring at him warily.
Chu Zhiyuan said, “Your Highness should also see this expert from the Wuxiang Sect with your own eyes.”
“Nonsense.” Li Hongzhao snorted, “Where did this Wuxiang Sect expert come from!”
“Then shall we go and take a look?” Chu Zhiyuan smiled, “See how I expose him?” Li Hongzhao narrowed her phoenix eyes, snorting, “Are you trying to trick me?”
“Your Highness, please—!” “..Let's go then!”
Li Hongzhao neither wanted to go nor wanted to believe what Chu Zhiyuan said, so she decided to go and take a look. Da Lie Pavilion
The Twelfth Prince, Xu Jingren, stood solemnly in the center of the courtyard, looking up at the sky. He felt a strange pressure.
It seemed that there were invisible forces pressing down from all around.
This was an ominous feeling, his identity was probably already exposed!
