"Chancellor Liang, it isn't just Yang Shen who is here."
Turning his head towards the one who spoke, He Liang simply sneered and ignored Qiao Feng.
Given his own status, he was considered the same as Elders of the Great Sects. Therefore, there was no reason for him to even bother interacting with the younger generation, much less personally welcome them.
The only reason he was here was to become an acquaintance with the alchemy genius Yang Shen. So who did that brat think he was to talk to him as if he was his own equal?
If not for the fact that he was a Core Disciple of the Mystic Pill Sect, He Liang would have used a single slap to turn him into a pool of blood.
"You… Do you know who I am?"
Enraged at the pure disregard he was shown, Qiao Feng pointed towards himself and said, "I'm Qiao Feng!"
"Ah! So it's Young Master Qiao!"
Smiling proudly from thinking that the opposite party finally realized who he was, Qiao Feng was about to say something when He Liang said, "Some maid will be here soon enough to take you and the others to your temporary residences while you stay here."
"Now then Young Hero Yang Shen, how about coming with me for a tour of the palace?"
Nodding his head, Yang Shen didn't even bother how he was feeling as he laughed out loud towards Qiao Feng's ugly expression and left with He Liang.
'So Yang Shen and that boy Qiao Feng don't get along with each other.'
Understanding this piece of information from everything he witnessed, He Liang who planned on becoming friends with Yang Shen started thinking about what he could do to make Qiao Feng's life hard while he remained here.
…
"That bastard! I'm going to… I'm going to…"
Stuttering and speaking those few words again and again since he really didn't know what to say next, Qiao Feng looked around to see if someone else would help him out. But all that he was greeted with were eyes filled with pity.
Seems like not a single one of them shared his opinion or thoughts.
"All of you… are you fine with only Yang Shen being treated like he is special?!"
"For our status, someone of the Grand Chancellor level welcoming us is already quite honourable, Qiao Feng. Don't be too greedy and cause unnecessary trouble for the rest of us."
"She's right, Qiao Feng. We are only here to expand our horizons and see the world outside the Sect. Don't stir up unneeded trouble."
Seeing all of this, Li Na who hadn't said a single word the entire time began thinking that the current Yang Shen looked different from the previous two personalities she came in contact with.
'Could he possibly be one of those who has multiple personalities?'
…
Oblivious to Li Na's thoughts which weren't completely baseless given how he behaved around her, Yang Shen who had received a tour of the insides of the palace which consisted purely of a meeting hall, a place where the kind slept at, and finally a treasury, was now walking through the entire estate as He Liang introduced him to the various others buildings and courtyards.
"From what I've heard, Young Hero is such a great genius that all you need is a single look at any pill recipe and you can come up with a more advanced version of it right away."
"Hahahaha, that rumour is greatly exaggerated, Chancellor Liang."
As someone who didn't possess any modesty, Yang Shen was completely fine with accepting the truth or anything close to it, or even any rumours as long as they made him sound good.
However, he was no longer the same one who behaved without considering the impact of it in the future.
But, since he was right now in a completely unfamiliar environment with no idea of how things worked, or what the current situation was inside the royal family, it was better for him to have a 'friend' whom he could take advantage of instead of something else.
"Young Hero is very modest."
Feeling his impression of Yang Shen turning better at how he wasn't boasting like those who were called as geniuses usually did, He Liang was even more sure that this young man was someone he should be friends with.
"Chancellor Liang, can you tell me about the current situation of the royal family?"
Sighing loudly as he finally heard the question he expected to hear sooner or later, He Liang's eyes unintentionally darted in the direction that the royal palace was at.
"The current situation is very complex, Young Hero. His Majesty Song Wei is right now on his deathbed from an incurable disease, and every one of his descendants is doing their best to gather forces to vie for the throne."
"Has his Majesty not decided who is going to be his successor for the throne?"
Shaking his head, He Liang sighed once again and said, "Before his Majesty could even decide who to pick as the Crown Prince, he ended up falling in a state where it was impossible to even speak properly."
"Since then, there hasn't been any shortage in the number of doctors we've invited to take a look at his Majesty. But no matter how many of them have seen his Majesty, not a single one of them have managed to even find out what the illness is, much less treat him. And by now the situation has become so bad, that it looks like he'll pass away even before he can name a successor."
"I see."
Nodding his head, Yang Shen was about to try and learn more about the situation when he saw something that caused him to frown deeply and show a weird look in his eyes.
'That woman…'
Looking towards a particular woman in the distance, Yang Shen had a feeling that he had seen her somewhere before. But at the same time, no matter how much he looked through his memory, he just couldn't remember ever having seen her.
Not too long after he started having these thoughts though, Yang Shen saw someone else who immediately let him figure out the identity of the unknown woman who made him feel like he both knew her and didn't know her at the same time.
The mysterious woman inside the red palanquin, we meet again.