Chapter 23 - 71-80

It was snowing again in the capital. Despite it nearing the end of the year, the snowstorm did not let up at all.

The streets were a little deserted. After all, it was snowing so heavily, many peddlers did not even bother to set up their stalls.

Su Wen sat in the carriage and sighed. "Brother Jin, the fried vermicelli stall isn't open for business today."

Zhao Jin smiled and said, "If Young Master wants to eat stir-fried noodles, you can ask the chef at home to make it."

Su Wen looked at the flying snow outside the window and slowly said, "Am I here because I wish to eat noodles? What I want is to consume youth itself! How can it have any hint of youth if it's made by a chef at home?"

(TL Note: In China, many of the youths spend their time after classes hanging out and having meals with their friends in such roadside stalls. Well, at least before covid….)

Zhao Jin pursed his lips and cursed inwardly, 'Youth? It feels more like you're just making up a load of bullsh*t'

The tires of the carriage made a crunching noise against the snow as it continued to move towards their destination.

Soon, they arrived at their destination — Cloud Gazing Tower.

The place where Xie Yiyi was residing.

Su Wen got off the car, dressed elegantly today in a mink fur coat.

Upon entering, the sight left Su Wen in a daze. The place was packed full of people!

"Dodge! Can't you see that my young master is here? Are y'all f**king blind!" Zhao Jin said as he squeezed his way in and pushed everyone away.

After clearing a path for Su Wen, Su Wen went forward to the manager behind Cloud Gazing Tower's counter. He smiled and said, "Can you tell me which room Miss Yiyi is staying in? Just tell her that Su Wen wants to see her!"

When the shopkeeper heard Su Wen's name, his heart tightened. He hurriedly smiled and said, "Young Master Su, look, everyone here is here to see Miss Yiyi. However, Miss Yiyi hasn't seen a single one of them since the entire morning. Look, there are even quite a few servants from the Royal family."

Hmm? Su Wen followed his finger and saw a few people sitting there leisurely drinking tea.

However, when one of them saw Su Wen, he immediately ducked his head!

It was precisely the Second Prince's personal guard, Qin Mu!

Su Wen walked over and asked with a smile, "Why is Brother Qin here today?"

Qin Mu gave an awkward smile. When he came here today, the Second Prince had specially instructed that if he met Su Wen, he absolutely could not tell him that Qin Mu had come to invite Xie Yiyi back to the palace.

"This… well… I just saw the crowd here and came to see the fun!" Qin Mu laughed.

Above them, Xie Yiyi and Honorable Xie were seated in the same room. Xie Yiyi could not help but say, "Mother, several princes have already sent people over. Why aren't you agreeing to meet them?"

The corner of Honorable Xie's mouth curled into a cold smile, "For men, the easier it is to obtain something, the less they'll cherish it. Although you have the demonic charm body, this technique is also one that displays a stronger effect that the more deeply a man loves you. If the process to obtain you is too easy, it will be detrimental to the usage of this technique.

You need to stir the minds of these people, making them unable to stop themselves from lusting after you. They will slowly sink into it, and only be rewarded at the very end. Just take a look. The people who came today are all the servants of the prince. Which prince would personally come? Even if you were summoned into the residence like this, how much feelings could they have for you? Therefore, for the next month, you cannot be moved by anyone."

In reality, to these princes, although Xie Yiyi's dance was good and she also possessed the title of a descendant from the royal family of Qi Country, in their eyes, she was only suitable to be summoned by a servant!

"Miss, there's Su Wen, the son of the prime minister downstairs. He wishes to see you."

"Not seeing!" Xie Yiyi said casually.

"Wait!" Xie Dajia however stopped her. She still retained a deep impression of Su Wen from before.

She whispered in a solemn tone to Xie Yiyi, "It's better not to offend this Su Wen."

Xie Yiyi was puzzled. "Why?"

Xie Dajia began to explain, "This person is the son of the prime minister. More importantly, he's arrogant and despotic, and totally doesn't play by the rules. Worse still, because he is favored by the emperor, this kind of person dares to do anything without being afraid of the repercussions. If you really make him angry, I'm afraid he will do something unreasonable!"

"Then what should we do?"

"Feign civility! Don't give him a definite answer!"

Meanwhile at the lobby of Cloud Gazing Tower, Su Wen saw Qin Mu's awkward expression and smiled.

Even though the Second Prince said that he wasn't interested, he was actually unwilling to give up.

However, Su Wen did not mind. This sort of situation was typical.

"Young Master Su, Miss Yiyi invites you upstairs to meet her!" At that moment, a maid working in the Cloud Gazing Tower came down to pass the message.

The moment she announced the message, the corners of Su Wen's mouth curled up slightly. He waved his hand at everyone and said, "Go back and tell your masters that the person is mine. Tell them to stop thinking about her!"

With that said, he followed the maid upstairs, leaving behind a group of dumbfounded servants and some young masters who had personally come but were rejected without question.

When Zhao Jin saw Su Wen going up, he laughed loudly and said, "Haha, my young master is still the most charming. Why don't you all go home and wait for the wedding banquet!"

Many people glared at him in response.

After all, it was one thing for Su Wen to be so arrogant, but even his guard behaved the same way? It was truly hateful.

Meanwhile, Su Wen went upstairs and was led into a room.

The moment Su Wen entered, he saw Xie Yiyi sitting by the table. She was still wearing her veil, and her face could not be seen clearly. She only had a pair of mesmerizing eyes that could be seen.

"Greetings, Young Master Su!"

Xie Yiyi stood up and bowed.

Su Wen waved his hand, "Haha, there's no need to be so polite, Miss Yiyi."

Xie Yiyi asked in a soft voice, "May I know why Young Master is looking for me?"

In her opinion, most people would simply say that they liked her dancing, or that they were mesmerized by her.

However, she never expected that Su Wen would directly pop the question, "Nothing much, I just want to ask you if you want to get married. My family is very rich!"

Xie Yiyi was rendered speechless. She fumbled for the proper words to reply to him.

Only to hear Su Wen add, "My father is also the prime minister!"

Xie Yiyi stared at Su Wen dumbly. The two of them exchanged glances for a period of time.

'Mother asked me to feign civility, but how am I supposed to do so in this scenario?"

After a while, Xie Yiyi finally spoke. "Isn't this too fast? Young Master and I are strangers. How can we get married just like that?"

Su Wen smiled and said, "Aren't most people actually getting married only through the words of their parents and matchmakers? A lot of people don't even know each other before they get married. We've already met each other and you know my family background. Just say the word and the rest can be settled after."

"I… what if I say no?"

Xie Yiyi managed to stammer out.

"No?" Su Wen frowned and said, "If you say no, then there aren't many people in Great Zhou who are better than me. Don't tell me you want to marry the princes?"

Su Wen persuaded, "Let me tell you, that is definitely an unwise choice. Why? Because marrying a prince is the riskiest. Look, His Majesty is still in his prime. It's not certain who will next ascend the throne."

At this point, he continued in a conspiratorial whisper, "You also know the outcome of the other princes the moment they fail in the competition to ascend the throne, right?"

"If the prince you chose to marry ends up not ascending the throne, then won't you as a bystander also be dragged in the flames?"

"But it's different for me. My father is the prime minister. Even if he were to retire in the future, wouldn't he still be safe? Moreover, my future is bright.Marrying me will at the very least make you a noblewoman. Let's not talk about anything else, just in terms of food and clothing, even the Royal Concubines might not be better off than what I can offer my concubines."

"Taking ten thousand steps back, even if you marry a prince and he ascends to the throne in the future, the struggles in the royal harem are very dangerous. You don't have a family to support you and you don't have any cultivation. What if you get schemed against?"

"Even if you're beautiful now, what about 10, 20 years later? Can you defeat those younger and better-looking little foxes?"

"If you follow me, at most, I won't pamper you too much after that. There shouldn't be any danger to your life."

Xie Yiyi was dumbfounded at his logic.

"It seems… reasonable…" she murmured..

What nonsense!" Xie Yiyi suddenly heard Xie Dajia's voice transmission. "Don't be fooled by this punk!"

Xie Yiyi jolted, before looking at Su Wen and smiling. "I'm sorry, Young Master Su. I still want to find someone I like. I can't accept getting married so soon."

She rejected him in the end.

Su Wen looked at her and asked with a smile, "You really don't want to marry me?"

"I won't marry! I'm someone who takes time to warm up to the other party. If I spend more time with you, Young Master Su, my thoughts might change." Xie Yiyi however did not want to fall out with him. Even after rejecting him, she also left a trace of thought for Su Wen.

'Hehe, takes time to warm up? Warm up your mother!' Su Wen ridiculed in his heart. This term had already been used so badly by those 'fishermen' in his past life, so how could Su Wen believe it? Basically, anyone who believed in taking time to warm up during his time had long been gone.

However, Su Wen did not show it on his face. Instead, he smiled and said, "Alright then, let's exchange some details about each other! May I know where you were born?"

They started chatting and Su Wen showed no intention to leave. He slowly drank his tea while conversing with Xie Yiyi.

"Miss Yiyi, His Highness the Crown Prince wants to see you. He's already downstairs!"

Someone reported from outside.

Xie Yiyi looked at Su Wen and smiled. "Young Master Su, as you heard…"

It was obvious that she wanted to see the guest out.

But Su Wen tilted his head and looked at her with a smile. "Why? Is it inconvenient for me to be here?"

"This…" Xie Yiyi hesitated for a moment before instructing," Invite the Crown Prince in. "

She did not want to chase him away, so she let the crown prince come in and let the two parties settle things themselves. She did not believe that Su Wen would not leave after the Crown Prince entered.

Not long after, the Crown Prince's footsteps sounded from outside. At this moment, Su Wen stood up and stretched before placing his hands on the waistband of his pants. The moment the Crown Prince entered, what greeted him was the sight of Su Wen seemingly pulling up his pants. He adjusted his pants before turning around with a smile. "Feels good!"

Xie Yiyi: "???"

Crown Prince: "???"

Su Wen's actions made the Crown Prince uncomfortable, as well as disgust in his heart.

He looked suspiciously at Xie Yiyi and Su Wen. What happened between them?

Su Wen acted as if he had just noticed the Crown Prince. He smiled and said, "Oh, Your Highness, what took you so long? I've already been here for more than two hours. Aren't you a step too late?"

Xie Yiyi hurriedly chimed in, "I had a pleasant day chatting with Young Master Su about life."

What she meant to tell the Crown Prince was that nothing happened between her and Su Wen.

Hearing this, the Crown Prince adjusted his mood before saying with a smile, "Brother, you've arrived really early. I had to follow my father to handle government affairs today and thus came a little late."

Su Wen smiled and said, "Your Highness, I won't hide it from you. After I met Miss Yiyi yesterday, I couldn't sleep at night. My mind was filled with images of Miss Yiyi's beautiful figure and I was deeply infatuated with her. If I still couldn't get what I wanted today, I would definitely be mentally crippled. However, I'm totally fine now!"

What a great way to phrase his 'get what he wanted'. It made the crown prince's emotions, which had just been adjusted, to skew one more.

Su Wen asked again, "Your Highness, what brings you here?"

The Crown Prince wanted to reply immediately, but hesitated.

This fellow's mouth had already spewed out so much 'love and adoration'. If the Crown Prince were to also mention that he liked Xie Yiyi, wouldn't the two of them be opposing each other? Although the Crown Prince didn't like Su Changqing and Su Wen, he didn't want to offend them at this moment.

But at the same time, he was unwilling to give up Xie Yiyi to Su Wen.

After pondering for a moment, the crown prince said with a smile, "Isn't Miss Yiyi known for her superb dancing skills? I would like to invite her to my residence to teach Wu Le!"

Xie Yiyi hurriedly said, "Thank you for your kindness, Crown Prince. However, Yiyi has her own rules. She won't go to anyone's private residences. If Your Highness doesn't mind, you can let Wu Le come to Cloud Gazing Tower. I'll teach her wholeheartedly!"

If she entered the Crown Prince's residence now, she would basically not even have a status as a concubine.

"Alright, you guys can continue chatting. I'm leaving now! I'm not like the Crown Prince who can go sightseeing every day. I still have matters to attend to." Su Wen stood up and bade farewell.

Xie Yiyi was delighted when she heard that he was leaving. She hurriedly stood up and said, "Then I won't keep Young Master Su."

Su Wen winked at her and gave her a knowing smile. "Don't worry, I'll come back tonight."

"Uh…" Xie Yiyi didn't know how to respond to such sudden words.

Su Wen bade farewell and left.

As he went back downstairs, the smile on Su Wen's face disappeared. When he saw Zhao Jin, he only coldly spoke, "Let's go to the Martial Inspectorate!"

Zhao Jin asked curiously, "What's wrong, young master?"

"Let's talk in the carriage!"

The two of them went out, getting on the carriage, hurrying towards the Martial Inspectorate.

Only then did Su Wen speak in a low voice, "There's indeed something wrong with this woman!"

"Problem? What problem?" From Zhao Jin's point of view, Su Wen had just gone to pick up girls.

"She doesn't like me!"

"Um… young master… not all the women in the world like you."

"I know, but if she doesn't like me, that means she doesn't like money, nor handsome guys."

"And so?" Zhao Jin couldn't understand Su Wen's thoughts at all.

Su Wen sighed and said, "If I can't even move her with how handsome and rich I am, then what does she want?"

A sharp glint flashed across Su Wen's eyes as he said in a deep voice, "I've been thinking about it since last night. Why did the renowned Honorable Xie bring such a charming dancer with her when she was performing? It's now obvious that her goal is to push this woman in front of everyone! But so what if she is pushed to the front? Use her to earn money? Obviously not, because Honorable Xie doesn't lack money!"

"Xie Dajia even specially gave the princes three slots for the performance. This is equivalent to inviting all the princes to attend. For someone famous in the capital like Xie Dajia, she would never lack people to fill up the seats for her performances. Thus, especially inviting the princes is actually an important opportunity for the princes themselves to befriend the influential and powerful. As long as the prince has a little bit of ambition, even if he doesn't like music, he will still go and watch! This pushed Miss Yiyi in front of all the princes to the greatest extent."

"A charming and sexy woman, brought to the front of Great Zhou's aristocrats and royal family. The results are as you saw, basically most of the people have fallen for her!"

Zhao Jin smiled and replied, "You mean most of the men!"

"That's right. She has managed to tempt most of the men present. So what's her motive?"

"I went today and immediately said that I wanted to marry her. I thought that with my status and background, I could already be considered one of the best options among everyone. If she only wanted to find someone rich and powerful, I would already be considered a top candidate, but she still rejected me."

"Then, in terms of conditions, there's only one category that can outclass me: The Royal Family!"

Zhao Jin was puzzled. "It's not wrong for a woman to want to marry into the royal family, is it?"

Su Wen sneered. "It's not a problem for a normal woman, but she was practically pushed out by that Honorable Xie. This means that there's something wrong with that Honorable Xie!"

Although Su Wen did not know what was wrong with Xie Dajia, every time he heard her performance, the Sorcerer God's Golden Gu would automatically start to activate within him. In addition to the Martial Inspectorate wanting to keep tabs on her, it showed that this person was not ordinary at all.

Slang used to describe playboys who 'fished' on the web for partners to hook up with..

Zhao Jin heard Su Wen's explanation and asked curiously, "Young Master, what do you mean?"

"We are going to the Martial Inspectorate right now to get people to arrest her and Xie Dajia!" Su Wen smiled. "If they fall into my hands, won't I be able to do whatever I want?"

"The young master is wise and mighty, his wisdom unparalleled in the world." Zhao Jin's usual flattery followed close after.

Su Wen burst into laughter.

Zhao Jin spurred his horse and the carriage headed straight for the Martial Inspectorate.

After entering, Su Wen went to seek Feng Baichuan.

Feng Baichuan was reading a book when Su Wen stepped forward and cupped his hands. "Sir Feng, I have something to report."

Feng Baichuan glanced at him and asked, "What is it?"

"I think we should move to capture Honorable Xie and Miss Yiyi. These two people have ulterior motives and are trying to get close to our Great Zhou Royal Family!"

Feng Baichuan put down the book and looked at Su Wen. He smiled and said, "I see you've also made great progress in your cultivation recently. Why don't you tell me your reasoning?"

Su Wen immediately voiced his thoughts.

To Su Wen's surprise, Feng Baichuan did not immediately send anyone out after hearing what he said.

Instead, his fingers kept tapping the table.

After a while, Feng Baichuan shook his head slightly and said, "We can't capture them!"

"Why?" Su Wen was puzzled. The other party seemed to be plotting something against the princes, so why couldn't they capture the duo?

Feng Baichuan smiled and said, "Don't you know that we are part of the Royal Court? We have to follow the rules when we do things, and we have to have evidence when we arrest people. Everything you said is just speculation, so we can't move based on that!"

Su Wen frowned and said, "Then if she really gets close to the prince and has ulterior motives, wouldn't it be too late by then?"

Feng Baichuan said calmly, "That's not something you should worry about. If there's nothing else, you may leave!"

Su Wen frowned. Feng Baichuan's attitude confused him.

Logically speaking, the Martial Inspectorate would not have allowed such a situation to occur.

After leaving Feng Baichuan's place, Su Wen fell into deep thought.

"Return to the residence and look for my father!"

For unsolvable matters, just ask Su Changqing!

Su Wen made his decision.

Very soon, the carriage arrived at the Prime Minister's residence and Su Wen entered. This time, Su Changqing was not in the bedroom but in the study. When father and son met, Su Wen quickly explained the situation.

Su Changqing laughed loudly when he heard this. "Haha, you're quite quick-witted. But aren't you underestimating the royal family a bit too much? Not to mention anything else, you even have an Earth Rank expert Zhao Jin by your side. Which royal family descendant will not have hidden experts by their side? It's fine if there's no problem with this woman, but if there really is a problem, then I'm afraid she'll be the first to suffer.

Not to mention, it's not like these princes don't know that there's a problem with her! It's just that this bait is truly tempting, and all of them intend to eat the bait and not bite the hook. Don't look down on the royal descendants, all of them have thoughts as deep as the sea."

After speaking, Su Changqing revealed a disdainful expression and said, "As for that Honorable Xie, perhaps she has some tricks up her sleeve. But when it comes to schemes and plots, how could she possibly be able to play against these royal children that have schemed against others since they were young?"

Su Wen now understood the situation, "So I'm the only one who thinks no one can tell?"

Su Changqing smiled and said, "Things have been going too smoothly for you recently. Don't look down on anyone in the capital. Acting cautiously is the foundation of being undefeated for a long time.

You're pretending to be a domineering bastard outside, but you're skilled in scheming within. This is originally a very good strategy, and it's fine as long as you maintain it. This time, you acted a bit impatient, but it's not a big deal. Just pay attention next time."

"Then what about this matter?" Su Wen asked.

"What do you mean?" Su Changqing was puzzled. "What does this have to do with you? Just ignore it."

Su Wen suddenly acted slightly shy. "But, your son also wants to try the bait."

Su Changqing's jaw dropped.

After a moment, he exploded. "You brat, do you lack women?"

Su Wen sighed. "That woman is different. She's really different. She can make men act rashly!"

"I don't care! I don't care! Hurry up and get lost! My family is about to have dinner. I didn't make your share. Go home and eat by yourself!" Su Changqing started to chase him away.

He couldn't be bothered to scheme against Su Wen.

"I miss my mother!" Su Wen said, "I want to see my mother!" He then turned around and ran out.

Su Changqing could only shake his head slightly and sigh. "At least this kid has some filial piety."

By the time the Su family gathered for dinner, Su Wen had already left. He really did not stay back for dinner.

Su Changqing, together with his wives and Su Nuannuan had dinner together.

Halfway through, Su Changqing suddenly saw Su Wen's mother secretly crying.

"What's wrong?" Su Changqing asked.

Su Wen's mother picked up her handkerchief and gently wiped her tears. She said in a low voice, "It's nothing. I just thought of my poor son. He's not getting any younger, but Husband didn't even tell me to arrange a marriage for him. It wasn't easy for His Majesty to bestow a marriage on him, but he was still unwilling. This proposal has been dragged on and on, and I don't even know when he can get married. Now that he has met the woman he likes, his own father didn't even say anything to help him think of a solution. I'm just a housewife and don't have much ability, so I can only worry for him."

Su Changqing: "…"

Su Wen's mother liked to spoil her children. To put it bluntly, why Su Wen was able to live freely since he was young and cause trouble was greatly attributed to his mother's over-protectiveness.

"Hmph, Father is not good! He's not getting a wife for Brother! There'll be no one to sleep with Nuannuan!" Su Nuannuan said through gritted teeth.

Su Changqing immediately felt a headache coming on. He could ignore Su Wen's mother since he was never one to listen to his wife. However, this daughter of his was really precious to him.

To put it bluntly, even if his three sons Su Wen, Su Cheng, and Su Yu were beaten up by others, none of them could compare to the pain he would feel if his daughter were to trip and fall down.

"Your brother has already moved away. Even if he has a wife, she can't sleep with you!" Su Changqing quickly consoled her gently.

Su Nuannuan looked at Su Changqing with a pout. Suddenly, she burst into tears.

"It's all Daddy's fault. He didn't let Big Brother stay at home, and Big Sister Cui moved away too! I, I, I… I'll go to Big Brother's house, there's no one here to accompany me! Anyway, I don't care, I want Big Brother to marry a new wife!"

If Su Wen saw this, he would definitely sigh with emotion. The big bag of snacks he obtained through the lucky draw was indeed not for nothing!

However, Su Nuannuan's logic was naturally not as good as Su Wen and Su Changqing. In fact, she even sounded a little incoherent. However, she possessed an ultimate weapon the other two did not have. Can't out-talk the other party? Just cry! Who needs logic?

This cry made Su Changqing a little frustrated.

He also understood that Su Wen's trip to the backyard was not in vain. He was looking for helpers!

This Su Nuannuan was even the apple of the eye of his other wives. Usually, she was like a happy flower, bring joy and happiness wherever she went. Seeing Su Nuannuan bawling at the top of her lungs, the other madams could not sit still as well.

"Husband, which family is she from? If she can't be a wife, she can just be another concubine for Su Wen. It's not a big deal."

"That's right. Yan Luoying's wedding date is still uncertain. She can't keep dragging Su Wen along."

"Nuannuan, don't cry. Your father will agree immediately."

Su Changqing sighed. One could have an illustrious reputation, but one moment of carelessness would lead to their downfall. This time, he had really been masterfully played by Su Wen..

In the Second Prince's residence, the Prince was lying on a rocking chair while Qin Mu was kneeling on the ground.

"The eldest went over?"

"Yes!"

"Su Wen went too?"

"Yes!"

"There was no conflict?"

"I don't know, but Su Wen came out not long after the Crown Prince went in."

The Second Prince sat up and smiled. "Su Wen is someone who refuses to suffer losses. Even if he leaves, he will definitely disgust the eldest."

"Your Highness, when will we be going?"

The Second Prince pondered for a moment before asking, "Did Third Brother go today?"

Qin Mu replied, "I didn't see him. I only saw a servant from his household."

A crafty glint flashed across the Second Prince's eyes as he leisurely replied, "There's no rush, no rush. It's not that easy to obtain this person. Otherwise, Eldest Brother and Su Wen would have taken her away long ago."

"Furthermore, if this person were to really come over, what would Royal Father think? I have no choice but to consider it. I have already received news that the Martial Inspectorate was monitoring Honorable Xie under Royal Father's direct orders. Now that Honorable Xie has pushed out this Miss Yiyi, if we were to really bring her back, would Royal Father think that we are overly lustful?"

The Second Prince closed his eyes as he recalled Xie Yiyi's dance moves. His heart burned with the flames of desire.

"There's still Su Wen involved in this matter. I'm still very close to him at the moment. If there's really a rift between us because of this woman, it wouldn't be worth it."

"He's a big fish! If I really obtain Su Changqing's support, it's not impossible to topple the Crown Prince!"

The Second Prince weighed his options.

On the other side, in the Crown Prince's residence.

The Crown Prince returned after chatting with Xie Yiyi for quite some time.

After returning, he asked in a low voice, "Are you sure this woman doesn't have any cultivation?"

In the darkness, a man answered, "No, she just seems to have exuberant Qi and blood vitality."

The Crown Prince continued to ask, "Did you manage to find out about Honorable Xie's background?"

"No, we are still investigating. However, based on some of the methods used in the zither music, we can deduce that her cultivation is not weak!"

"Not weak? Are you her match?"

"We've never fought before, so I don't know. However, I'm unable to completely break free from the zither music. There's a high chance that I'll lose!"

The prince frowned, "You're no match for her either? That means in the martial world, she's at least at the strength of a Sect Leader. Moreover, if she's a lone person, what's the point of getting close to me? There must be an organization behind her!"

"Why is this Xie Dajia sending out a woman to get close to us? If I really accept this woman as a concubine and take the opportunity to control a faction, it doesn't sound too bad of an idea! However, since she wants to bide her time, I might as well act with her. No matter how you look at it, I, the Crown Prince, am the best choice!"

At this point, the Crown Prince suddenly got a little angry. "On the other hand, that Su Wen sure is annoying! I have to find a chance to teach him a lesson!"

In the Third Prince's residence, the Prince looked at the man in front of him as he angrily growled, "Why can't I go?"

It was winter, and the man was holding a feather fan in his hand. His dressing style was rather incongruous.

He shook his head and said, "Didn't I tell you? There's something wrong with that woman. She's the bait someone else threw out!"

"I don't care. I like that woman! I'll go tomorrow morning!" The Third Prince was very direct.

The man with the feathered fan persuaded, "I think it's best to let your Big Brother, Second Brother, and Su Wen fight first!"

"I don't care. I must go tomorrow morning!"

"Are you trying to harm me?"

"I want to go! Su Wen and the rest are already there today. If I don't go now, it will be too late!"

The man with the feathered fan sighed helplessly. There was nothing he could do to change the situation no matter how hard he tried.

Indeed, as Su Changqing had expected, the so-called scheme of the Xie Clan couldn't be concealed from the royal family descendants at all.

The only person whom they could hide it from, the Third Prince, also had someone around him that was able to spot it.

However, everyone had their own thoughts, and no one was willing to expose this scheme.

Back at Su Wen's own residence, he was cultivating when he suddenly heard Ning Shuang's voice from outside the door. "Young Master, the Old Master is here. He is waiting for you in the front hall and wants you to go over."

"Alright!"

Su Wen had a face full of smiles as he got up.

The father and son met at the front hall of the residence. Su Changqing lectured in all seriousness, "See? Learn from me in the future. Don't go to the inner residence for no reason. Wait in the front hall obediently. This is the rule of visiting."

"I'll try my best!" Su Wen smiled and said, "After all, I miss dad and mom very much. Sometimes, I really can't wait for them to come out."

Su Changqing curled his lips. It was a nice way of putting it, but when had his visits not been because he required something?

"Why are you looking for me, Father?" Su Wen went to the main topic.

Su Changqing said indifferently, "So you really wish to swallow the bait that Xie Dajia released?"

Su Wen nodded with a smile. "It's best if I can swallow it. If I really can't swallow it, then forget it. I can't possibly bring you trouble, right?"

"Hehe, my greatest trouble is actually you!" Su Changqing smirked. "According to what you said, that woman can be said to be peerlessly beautiful. It's normal for young people to like beauties, but your competition this time is mainly the descendants of the Royal Family. If you want to seize food from their mouths, it isn't so easy."

"Based on the current situation, you have two solutions. Firstly, think of a way to change Xie Dajia's mind. Although Miss Yiyi is the one looking for marriage, it's obvious that it's more important what the person behind this thinks."

"Secondly, we have to think of a way to make all these princes give up. This is rather difficult. If we want to do it, the best way is to borrow His Majesty's power and authority."

Su Wen frowned and said, "So, we need to change Xie Dajia's mind?"

Su Changqing smiled and said, "No, we'll use the second method! Because there just happens to be an opportunity right now. But before that, you can go and have a chat with that Xie Dajia first!"

"What should I do?"

"Listen carefully to what I'm going to say…"

The next morning, Su Wen went back to the Cloud Gazing Tower once again.

The moment they entered, they discovered that there were fewer people present compared to yesterday.

When compared to the bustling scene yesterday, the place today resembled more like a ghost town.

After seeing the big shots like Crown Prince and Su Wen appear one after another, the majority of those who knew their places decided to retreat.

However, Su Wen saw another person here today.

The Third Prince!

Compared to his Eldest and Second Brother, the Third Prince's influence in the imperial court was much weaker. However, the Third Prince had one advantage. In terms of martial cultivation, he was much more outstanding than his two older brothers.

He was only 24 years old this year, yet he was already at the pinnacle of Star Rank, the 9th Grade. He was only a hair's breadth away from advancing to the Earth Rank.

At such a young age, such a cultivation would allow someone to be labelled a genius.

When he saw Su Wen, the Third Prince coldly snorted and said in a muffled voice, "Su Wen, I arrived first today. I will be going to see Miss Yiyi in a while. Don't disturb me!"

Su Wen raised his eyebrows. This person seemed to be even more hostile towards him.

As he spoke, a maidservant came down from upstairs. She spoke to the Third Prince, "Reporting to Your Highness, Miss Yiyi is already waiting in the room. Please proceed, Your Highness."

The Third Prince turned around and glanced at Su Wen before walking over with a smug expression.

Su Wen scratched his chin in response. He did not have much contact with the Third Prince to know his antics well.

They had met several times in the past, but the other party had always treated him coldly, so Su Wen naturally wouldn't be so shameless as to stick his face to the other party's cold buttocks. Hence, they never had much interaction.

However, Su Wen couldn't be bothered with him today. He turned to the maid that delivered the news and said with a smile, "Go and report to Xie Dajia and say that Su Wen wishes to see her!"

The maidservant was stunned. Recently, these people were all looking for Miss Yiyi. Why did Su Wen suddenly turn his attention to Xie Dajia?

However, she still rushed up to report.

Xie Dajia was stunned when she heard the maid's report. Su Wen wanted to see her?

What was that little bastard trying to do?

Soon after, Su Wen pushed open the door and entered Xie Dajia's room.

At this moment, Honorable Xie was standing by the bed with his back to the ground, looking at the snowy scenery of the capital.

The heavy snowfall had stopped today, and there were now more people going about their lives in the streets.

"Young Master Su, why are you looking for me?" asked Honorable Xie.

Su Wen smiled. "It's nothing much. I just want to discuss Miss Yiyi's marriage with you!"

Honorable Xie was startled. A puzzled expression appeared on her face as she replied, "That Miss Yiyi and I only cooperated by chance. Her marriage will naturally be decided by her. What does that have to do with me?"

Su Wen smiled and randomly selected a chair in the room before seating himself.

He then replied indifferently, "A straightforward person does not resort to insinuations. Regarding your, Xie Dajia's thoughts. I'm not the only one who can see through it. Let alone those princes who grew up in the Royal Court! Your methods are still a little too obvious. In the capital, there are no fools!"

"I don't know what you mean, Young Master Su. If there's nothing else, please leave!" Honorable Xie pretended not to know anything and wanted to chase the guest away.

Su Wen smiled and said, "Honorable Xie, don't you want Miss Yiyi to marry the princes? I think you want to borrow the power of the royal family to achieve your goals. However, you have to think this through carefully. Marrying the prince and marrying the emperor are two different matters. To put it bluntly, whether the prince ascends to the throne or not, my father probably knows better than these princes themselves!

Furthermore, how many years do you need to wait before you obtain your repayment after marrying the prince? Instead, why not have Miss Yiyi follow me, whose father is now the prime minister of the dynasty. Comparing an uncertain future to a guaranteed present, which one would you choose?"

Honorable Xie's face darkened as she snapped, "Young Master Su, I really don't know what you mean. I am just an ordinary zither player. Everything else has nothing to do with me. If you want to marry Miss Yiyi, you can go find her yourself. As for what prince or prime minister, I don't even understand. Young Master Su, please leave!"

Su Wen said angrily, "Why are you so stubborn? What's wrong? Did you grow up eating spirit artifacts? Why are your teeth so sharp!"

It was no wonder that he was a little angry. In reality, he was already prepared to be rejected. However, the other party's act of feigning ignorance really grated on his nerves.

"Someone send the guest out!"

Xie Dajia wanted nothing more than to slap Su Wen to death on the spot. No one had ever spoken to her like that before.

But she knew that she could not do anything to Su Wen now!

The moment the maidservant opened the door, Xie Dajia sputtered in a heavy tone. "Young Master Su, please. Don't disturb an old lady like me!"

Su Wen stood up wordlessly and left.

After ensuring that Su Wen had indeed left, Xie Dajia's face darkened.

Her plan had been seen through? No way. Even if Su Wen saw through it, he could only see through her plan to marry Yiyi into the royal family. Her true hidden card was the Mental Demon Charming Body. As long as these princes were truly attracted to Yiyi, they could take advantage of this secret technique to gain control over the Prince and by extension the Royal family in the future!

There definitely would not be any problems! Especially now that the Crown Prince was even taking the initiative to approach!

Naturally, the Crown Prince was also Xie Dajia's number one target!

After leaving Xie Dajia's room, Su Wen adjusted his mood before going downstairs. Zhao Jin was already waiting there.

"Let's go, accompany this Young Master to eat some noodles. The owner has probably set up her stall today." Su Wen smiled.

Zhao Jin whispered, "You're not seeing Miss Yiyi any more?"

"What's there to see? She doesn't want to talk about relationships with me, and she doesn't appreciate what my father's position can bring her. I think it's better for me to eat my noodles and be happy."

Zhao Jin asked curiously, "Then isn't she looking down on you, Young Master?"

Su Wen flew into a rage. "Bullsh*t! If I was a descendant of the royal family, she would definitely marry me! So in the end, this matter is still my father's fault. He dragged me down, but I'll be magnanimous and forgive him!"

Zhao Jin didn't bother to debate any further and quickly went out to drive the carriage over.

The two of them went to the fried vermicelli stall. As expected, the boss had set up her store today.

"Good day, Sirs. The same two bowls of minced meat vermicelli?"

Su Wen and Zhao Jin were already considered regulars by now.

"That's right! Add another three copper coins worth of minced meat for both bowls." Su Wen laughed and replied.

"Alright, please wait a moment!"

In the meantime, Su Wen and Zhao Jin once again began to study the theory of 'Roundness and Fullness' of the lady boss'.

As they were busy in their research, Su Wen caught sight of a young man.

In the cold wind, everyone wore thick clothes, but this youth only wore a thin outer garment. He was clad in straw sandals, and his ankles were exposed. At his waist was a sword!

Although Su Wen called it a sword, strictly speaking, it did not fit in the description of what a sword should look like.

Because this resembled more like just a piece of metal.

The hilt was wrapped in rags, and there was not even a sheath.

Exhibit A: Penniless Swordsman

The youth walked up to the fried vermicelli stall before asking, "How much for a bowl?"

"Four copper coins!"

"I only have two coins, can I get half a serving?" Unlike Su Wen and Zhao Jin, who were studying the roundness and fullness of the lady boss when they were eating, this person's attention was fully focused on the 'roundness and fullness' inside the wok. Even when he spoke, his eyes were always fixed on the wok.

The beautiful boss smiled and said, "Then let me treat you to a bowl!"

Seeing that they were all poor people, and that this person could not even afford to wear clothes, the beautiful boss only felt pity for him.

The youth shook his head and said, "If you don't sell it, I'll leave."

"I'll sell! Please wait over there."

The young man sat down and stared blankly at the table, waiting quietly.

Very quickly, the vermicelli arrived.

Su Wen noticed that although the young man only had half a bowl, the beautiful boss had given him a lot more ingredients than usual. The amount added up to even more than a normal serving.

The young man didn't seem to notice it and started eating heartily.

Compared to Su Wen and Zhao Jin's slow chewing, the young man looked as if he had not eaten for three days.

Soon, the young man finished eating and left.

His body now looked more stable as he trudged in the cold weather.

However, Su Wen noticed that the broken sword hanging on the youth's waist was left on the table.

Obviously, he could tell that the beautiful boss had given him a lot more ingredients. The sword was his last material object and also his most valuable possession, even though it was just a piece of scrap metal to ordinary people.

When the beautiful boss went to clear the table, she also noticed the sword. She shook her head helplessly but didn't say anything, merely storing away the sword.

"Interesting person." Su Wen smiled and said, "Let's catch up with him."

Zhao Jin warned in a low voice, "This person is very dangerous."

Su Wen turned to look at him and asked, "You can't win against him?"

Zhao Jin said, "We haven't fought before, so it's hard to say!"

"But he doesn't have a weapon right now!"

"We still have to be careful. What if he has hidden weapons in his clothes?"

Su Wen rolled his eyes, "His clothes are so thin. Do you think he can keep any hidden weapons? Furthermore, he is already so poor, how could he have hidden weapons?"

Zhao Jin said seriously, "It's always better to be careful."

Su Wen couldn't be bothered with him and stood up with a smile. "Boss, can you sell me that sword?"

The beautiful boss shook her head in response, "That sword was left behind by that customer just now. He might come back at any time, so I have to return it to him."

Su Wen smiled. "I'll chase after him and return it to him."

Although the beautiful boss was a little afraid of Su Wen, she still shook her head in the end.

"Then can I at least take a look?" Su Wen smiled.

Finally, the beautiful boss hesitated for a moment before taking out the sword and handing it to Su Wen.

Su Wen picked up his sword and sized it up. Suddenly, he turned around and ran, leaping straight up to the carriage before shouting, "Zhao Jin, hurry up and run!"

"Alright! Giddy up!"

Zhao Jin waved his whip, and the carriage sped away.

The beautiful boss was left behind with a dumbfounded expression, at a total loss..

On the carriage, Su Wen scrutinized the metal blade before turning to Zhao Jin with a smile, "Do you know that there are always some interesting people in this world? Although the quality of this sword is not good, the material is clearly made of Frost Iron. If something of this size is placed on the market, it would sell for at least ten thousand taels of silver, yet he sold it for half a bowl of noodles."

Zhao Jin smiled and said, "His brain isn't good. Probably had become silly from cultivation."

Su Wen shook his head and declined to comment. To each their own.

Soon, the young man once again appeared in front of the carriage. He was walking towards the direction of the city gates.

Zhao Jin chased after him while Su Wen stuck his head out and shouted out with a smile, "Brother, where are you going? It's so cold outside, why don't you get on the carriage?"

That person raised his head and glanced at Su Wen before turning away. "Not interested."

This person was just like an iceberg.

Su Wen pulled his head back into the carriage, and the carriage slowly followed behind the young man.

After a while, the young man turned around and asked, "Why are you following me?"

Zhao Jin rolled his eyes. "Why are you being so bad*ss? Does this road belong to your family? What's this about following you, this daddy will drive as he pleases."

The young man stopped talking and slowly ambled out of the city.

His speed was neither fast nor slow. He maintained the exact same pace he had the entire time.

Outside the capital city was a forested area. The youth searched for a suitable tree, before chopping down a branch from it.

Then, using his hand as a blade, he continuously hacked, and soon a wooden sword appeared in the youth's hand.

At this moment, Su Wen poked his head out of the carriage and extended his hand to hand over the metal sword. He smiled and said, "I've bought your sword back for you. You now owe me a favor."

Zhao Jin: "????"

You went through that effort to ransom him?

However, Zhao Jin would definitely not expose Su Wen.

The young man looked at the sword in Su Wen's hand, but didn't take it. Instead, he asked, "How much is it? I'll go hunt some beasts to sell to redeem for the sword!"

"Redeem the sword?" Su Wen stroked his chin and smiled. "Alright, two copper coins then."

After saying that, Su Wen gave him the address and got Zhao Jin to drive away.

"Young Master wants to take this person under as your subordinate?" Zhao Jin saw through Su Wen's thoughts.

Su Wen nodded and said with a smile, "I don't have enough manpower, and I can't ask my father for everything. After all, the old man has already chased me out to live on my own."

Zhao Jin pondered for a moment before he revealed his thoughts, "This person is a bit strange. He doesn't release any aura, but at the very least, his cultivation feels like he's at least in the Earth Rank. Logically speaking, if you want to obtain money, even if it's difficult to be rich, he shouldn't be in such a miserable state."

Su Wen smiled and said, "He just doesn't care about material objects. This person is very unyielding and doesn't accept pity as well. He doesn't like to owe others anything. At the same time, he has almost no desire to lead a lavish lifestyle. It's very difficult to subdue such a person, but once he makes up his mind, he won't even bat an eyelid even if he has to sell his life!"

Zhao Jin proclaimed loudly, "This subordinate will not frown even if I die for Young Master!"

Su Wen smiled and continued, "This person has an accent and is not from the capital. From the looks of it, he should be from a faraway place. Since he has entered the capital, he must have a motive. Humans always have weaknesses. It's not too late to think of a way to get to know him better before taking action."

"So, where are we going now?"

"Go home! I've been very busy these past few days and I'm a little tired. I'll go back and rest today!"

In his own residence, Su Wen was half-lying on the heated kang with a book in his hand. He was laughing as he read the book. As a special heating system originating from the north, Su Wen was very satisfied with this brick bed.

Cui Yumian was at the side peeling melon seeds for Su Wen. She smiled as she said, "I went out with Ning Shuang two days ago to buy quite a lot of New Year goods. We've gotten everything we need at this point. Does Husband have anything in particular you would like to buy?"

Su Wen smiled and said, "What can I possibly want to buy? Just do whatever you wish for our home."

"I was thinking of making new clothes for all the servants in the residence before the new year. I'll also reward them with some money during the new year. What do you think, Husband?" Cui Yumian asked.

Su Wen had no objections to this. He smiled and said, "Do as you deem fit. You don't have to seek permission from me for such things."

Cui Yumian took a glance at Su Wen and asked in a low voice, "Then, do you want to buy something to visit Sister Yan with?"

"What am I looking at her for? Haven't I seen enough of her at the patrol office?" Su Wen rolled his eyes and said with a smile, "You don't have to bother about her. What will eventually happen between us is still in the air. You and Ning Shuang can just take care of the inner residence."

"Young Master, the Seventh Princess is here." Just as the two were chatting, Ning Shuang came in to report.

Su Wen smiled. "Then let her in."

Ning Shuang hesitated and said, "Young Master, isn't it inappropriate to meet the Princess here? Let's go to the sitting room instead."

Su Wen waved his hand and said, "It's alright, we're all friends!"

Not long after, the Seventh Princess entered and saw Su Wen sitting cross-legged on the kang bed. He waved his hand and said, "This living room is not as comfortable as this kang bed even if it is heated. Princess, don't stand on ceremony. Come sit on the kang bed!"

Zhao Wanrou blushed but rejected in a soft voice, "I'm giving the kang bed a miss. I came here just to tell you that Royal Father had asked me to come and talk to you. Why aren't you going to the palace to listen to his teachings the past two days? He has requested your presence."

Su Wen's face immediately fell like a ton of bricks.

"Oh my God, can't he just let me go?"

To be honest, Su Wen did not like staying near the emperor. He felt very restrained every time he was in his presence.

With that kind of anxiety, he could forget about going there to just daydream.

Hence, Su Wen chose not to go for the past two days.

After all, Su Wen did not believe that the emperor would reward him with something every day.

The Seventh Princess took a look at him and hurriedly said in a low voice, "Don't talk nonsense. You're lucky I'm the only one here. If someone else were to hear this, they would definitely bring this up to my Royal Father. By then, you won't escape punishment."

Su Wen smiled. "Precisely it's because you're here that I dare say such things! Alright, let's set off!"

Since Emperor Zhou had already tasked the Seventh Princess to come, he had no choice but to go.

In the imperial palace, Su Wen and the Seventh Princess met up with Emperor Zhou.

Emperor Zhou gave him a sideways glance before he sneered, "You little brat, you took my elixir and secret manual, and you think you can disappear the next day? Don't you know that you're being punished? Or do you want to be like Xue Meng and be sent to the Northern Border to reform?"

Su Wen hurriedly said, "Didn't I get injured during my fight with Vice Commander Fu An the other day? My body is weak and I had to recuperate the last two days."

Emperor Zhou couldn't be bothered to argue with him, "I'll get Wanrou to teach you court etiquette in the next two days. I see that you're always sloppy and don't look proper. You have to learn the proper etiquette of a noble. Don't embarrass me at the palace banquet in a few days!"

"Another banquet? How many dishes will there be?" Su Wen whispered, "This subject can't sate his hunger with only a few dishes!"

The last two times he had eaten at the palace had completely dispelled Su Wen's curiosity for palatial banquets. Although the dishes were not bad, the quantity was really too little.

Emperor Zhou raged. "Who even dares to eat their fill in the palace? Furthermore, cultivators all have huge appetites. How much food would we have to prepare for them? It would also look unsightly having so much on the table!"

A type of heatable brick bedWhen Su Wen heard Emperor Zhou's words, he was a little unconvinced. "The what's the point of looking good if you don't eat your fill?"

"A fool is not worthy of being privy to the scheme! Wanrou, bring him to the side to learn etiquette. Watch this lad carefully. Don't let him slack off!"

"Yes!" Zhao Wanrou bowed.

Zhao Wanrou tugged at Su Wen's sleeve and whispered, "Let's go!"

Su Wen followed Zhao Wanrou out and was led into a side hall by the eunuch.

As he watched Su Wen leave, Emperor Zhou angrily sat down before grumbling, "This brat! Does he not have money to eat? Why does he come over here to tell me that he can't eat his fill? Since when has this Emperor ever had his fill as well?!"

The reason why he was so angry was because he too was unable to eat his fill. However, his pride could not be abolished and thus he could only bear with it. So how could Su Wen bring up the topic of hunger in front of himself?

This could be considered as the an area even the authority of the Emperor was helpless against.

As he said that, Emperor Zhou slapped his forehead and said, "That brat angered me so much that I forgot why I called him over. I originally wanted to ask him how he is doing in his cultivation. Forget it, let's talk about it another day."

The old eunuch smiled, "A Heaven Rank cultivation method is broad and profound. It's only been a few days, I fear that this boy hasn't even managed to condense a single star yet. It will take some time."

Emperor Zhou's eyes had a sharp gaze before he sighed, "He doesn't have much time."

On the other side, Zhao Wanrou pulled Su Wen to a side hall and started to run him through what court etiquette was. Actually, it was just a tad more complicated compared to the usual etiquette used by nobles. For Su Wen, listening to it once was enough. There was no possibility of forgetting or making a mistake.

Of course, if he did not want to do it properly on purpose, it was another matter.

During the lesson, Su Wen asked curiously, "What banquet is it in two days?"

Zhao Wanrou smiled and said, "It seems like the envoy of the Yan Country is coming. Father said that you, Yan Luoying, Third Brother, as well as some influential officials and talented cultivators from the Martial Inspectorate are all going to attend the banquet."

Su Wen understood that Emperor Zhou was trying to show off the future of Great Zhou.

He smiled and said, "Our Emperor is really prideful."

"Shh!" Zhao Wanrou hurriedly gestured for him to lower his voice. She moved her mouth close to Su Wen's ear and whispered, "Don't speak nonsense in the palace. It might be heard by others."

At this point, she paused and hesitated for a moment before saying, "Father is indeed prideful and competitive. This time, General Yan Luoying won the war. I heard that the Country of Yan came this time to redeem Fort Boulder. However, Father would definitely not agree to it, but he is after all receiving the envoy with the mentality of a victor, so he's still pretty happy about this whole event."

Su Wen knew that Great Zhou had been fighting with the Country of Yan for many years and had always been at a slight disadvantage. This was especially so when they had Fort Boulder; it was the most important strategic point of Yan Country. Through the fort, Yan Country could advance and attack, retreat and defend as and when they wished, making the Zhou Country's garrison very helpless. This time, when the fort looked like it was about to be broken through, Yan Luoying made a ruthless move and directly killed 400,000 soldiers and citizens of Yan Country, taking over Fort Boulder.This accomplishment made Emperor Zhou very proud!

As Zhao Wanrou whispered to him, her breath tickled his ears. Su Wen turned his head over to see her pulling away with a blush.

The atmosphere gradually became ambiguous.

At some point, a piece of news spread among the ministers.

Emperor Zhou invited Su Changqing to stay behind to discuss the plan of the Secret Shadow Guards!

As soon as this news was released, it could be said that the Great Zhou Court was shaken up.

Why? Everyone knew how much authority the Secret Shadow Guards had, and their main objective was to monitor and control Great Zhou officials for a long time.

Although Emperor Zhou said that the secret guards were to be reestablished, he had never discussed who to use or where he would mobilize their men.

Now that he was discussing with Su Changqing, didn't that mean that Su Changqing had to get involved in the Secret Shadow Guard?

Su Changqing's reputation in the Royal Court became even more frightening.

Because this meant that Su Changqing could investigate any official at any time.

At the Second Prince's residence, the Prince clapped his hands and laughed when he received the news. "Great! That's great! I heard that Third Brother has also gone up against Su Wen. Eldest Brother has is also pitting against Su Wen because of Lady Yiyi. This is really great. Once Su Changqing extends his hand into the Secret Shadow Guards, the forces of these two people in the royal court will suffer greatly!"

Qin Mu asked curiously, "Your Highness, are we still going to the Cloud Gazing Tower then?"

The Second Prince said angrily, "My brother Su Wen already said that he likes Miss Yiyi. As his elder brother, how can I compete with him? Don't mention this again!"

Qin Mu :"…"

In the Crown Prince's residence, his brows were tightly furrowed as he tapped on the table. After a long while, he asked, "Teacher Zhou, how much of this news is true? How much is false?"

To put it bluntly, he found it hard to believe this piece of news.

The Grand Tutor Zhou Bin, continuously pinched his beard. After a moment of silence, he mused, "From what I see, there's a 70% chance that this news is true. Su Changqing has stood against all opposition in the court and fully supported His Majesty. If he doesn't benefit from this plan, it wouldn't be fair to him."

The Crown Prince said in a low voice, "But I don't think Father wants the powers in the royal court to get involved in this secret guard. Is Su Changqing an exception?"

Zhou Bin shook his head and said with a bitter smile, "His Majesty and Su Changqing are extremely close. After so many years, aren't there already many exceptions?"

The Crown Prince gritted his teeth and said, "Damn it! That Su Wen wants to compete with me for that Miss Yiyi, but I'm unwilling to give in for no reason!"

He was indeed unwilling.

Zhou Bin hurriedly tried to persuade him. "Your Highness, didn't you realize that the Second Prince was especially honest in this matter? Although he had sent guards over at the beginning, the Second Prince never appeared after seeing Su Wen. I'm afraid he has decided to compromise with Su Wen."

"The Second Prince is already close to Su Wen. Your Highness, if you get into an argument with Su Wen again, I'm afraid Su Changqing will really side with the Second Prince. Originally, Su Changqing was in charge of the Ministry of Appointments and had the authority to promote officials and waive their duties. He already has the power over the entire court. Now, with the addition of the Secret Shadow Guards, it's easy for him to turn the tables if he wants to attack a faction! At that time, Your Highness's situation will not be so good anymore."

His words caused the Crown Prince's expression to flicker.

"Will Father allow Su Changqing to have so much power?" The crown prince was still somewhat unwilling to believe it.

Zhou Bin smiled bitterly and said, "If His Majesty can bestow the marriage of Yan Luoying to the Su family, what is the Secret Shadow Guards compared to it?"

Finally, the Crown Prince sighed. "Fine! Fine! Fine! I won't go to Miss Yiyi's place. It's just a sect from the martial world, nothing interesting either."

Compared to the Crown and Second Prince's concession, the third prince sneered when he heard his subordinate's report. "What does Su Changqing's interference with the Secret Shadow Guards have to do with me? This Miss Yiyi chatted happily with me that day. I must marry her!"

The man with the feathered fan said with a bitter smile, "Your Highness, that's a little unwise!"

The Third Prince glanced at him before replying, "I think you are the one who is unwise. Eldest Brother and Second Brother have a much closer relationship with Su Wen than I do. Even if I don't fight with him, do you think Su Wen will lean towards me? Moreover, even if Su Changqing is powerful in the court, what does it have to do with me? It doesn't matter if I have power in the court or not.

In any case, I can't compare to Eldest and Second Brother. The only thing I need to do is to forge ahead in my cultivation so that Father can see me in a different light! In the history of the Great Zhou Dynasty, it's not like there were no successors through the martial way!"

That's right, the Great Zhou Dynasty revered martial arts, and the descendants of the royal family cultivated many martial arts.

One's martial strength was also one of the considerations of the inheritor!

This was the path that the Third Prince was planning on taking!At Su Wen's residence, a figure appeared. It was that young swordsman.

He still had a wooden sword at his waist and was wearing the same thin clothes.

He walked up and knocked on the door.

The door opened and a guard sized up the young man. If it wasn't for Su Wen giving them instructions prior to this, he would have thought that this was a beggar wanting to request for alms.

"Are you here to redeem the sword from my Young Master?" The guard asked.

The young man nodded.

"Wait here."

With that, the guard closed the door.

The young man remained expressionless, standing on the same spot without any change in expression.

After a while, the door opened again and Ning Shuang appeared at the entrance this time.

She looked up and down at the young man before saying with disdain, "If you want to see my young master, you can't look like this. You're too smelly!"

The youth looked at her and said, "I just washed it yesterday!"

Ningshuang was furious. "If I say it stinks, it stinks! Do you want to see my young master? If you do, let them bring you to change your clothes! Take a bath! This is the rule of our residence!"

The youth was silent for a moment before saying, "You let him come out to see me, and I'll give him the money. He can just give me the sword. Why go through all this trouble?"

"I just want you to take a shower and change. Why are you so talkative?"

The young man said in a low voice, "Then I won't go in. I'll wait for him at the door. Tell him to bring his sword when he comes out."

With that said, he walked to the side and stood under the tree by the gate.

His body appeared a bit stooped, but it was extremely stable. When he moved, there were few unnecessary movements.

Ning Shuang was helpless. Su Wen was the one who instructed her to find a way to get this guy to change his clothes and take a bath. It was best if she could even get him to eat something.

However, from the looks of it, it was not going to work.

Ning Shuang could only return and report what happened.

Su Wen narrowed his eyes upon hearing this.

By his side, Zhao Jin frowned, "This person is slightly stubborn. Young Master, I'm afraid your plans won't be so easily realized."

Su Wen shook his head and got up to leave. Zhao Jin hurriedly followed him.

The door opened and Su Wen looked at the young man with a smile. "You're a really boring person."

The young man turned and took out two copper coins. "I have brought the money," he said. "Where is the sword?"

Su Wen rolled his eyes and said, "The price has increased, I want two thousand taels now!"

"You…" The young man finally showed a reaction.

Clearly, he was still a little angry from Su Wen's provocation.

After staring at Su Wen for a while, the young man turned around and left.

"You don't want the sword anymore?"

"No!"

Su Wen said leisurely, "If you don't want the sword, then I'll kill the stall owner! She will die because of you!"

The youth stopped in his tracks.

He turned around and looked at Su Wen, but his expression had completely changed!

His eyes were filled with cold killing intent.

It was obvious that he could not accept that the boss would die because of him, even if he was the one that had left his sword at the stall.

Zhao Jin took a step forward and stood between Su Wen and the youth.

The youth stared at Zhao Jin before slowly speaking, "You are not my match. Move aside, or you will die!"

Zhao Jin glanced at the wooden sword at his waist and sneered, "You might not win!"

In the next second, the youth moved and his sword was drawn!

The wooden sword at his waist instantly stabbed out, as the young man's imposing aura burst forth.

Like an unsheathed blade, even Su Wen could clearly feel the sharpness in his aura!

Zhao Jin let out a strange cry as his body quickly curled up. But when he move, there was already a soft sword held in his hand.

As for Su Wen, he had already run away!

As the two exchanged blows, Sword Qi permeated the air.

The gates of Su Wen's residence was the first victim.

In an instant, both the gates and the walls surrounding the residence were penetrated by the Sword Qi!

When martial artists at the Earth Rank fought, the scattered qi was no small matter.

Su Wen only wanted to provoke this emotionless fellow.

But never in his dreams did he expect this fellow to be so valiant, directly attacking without a word.

As Zhao Jin, who was in battle, most clearly felt the danger!

It was truly as the youth had said. Zhao Jin had actually been suppressed in a fight against him.

But Zhao Jinming could clearly feel that his cultivation was one Grade higher than the youth's!

One had to know that the higher the level of a martial artist, the lower the possibility of being able to cross realms to fight.

No matter how one looked at it, Zhao Jin was still an Earth Rank 6th Grade martial artist. But at this time, he wasn't able to gain the slightest advantage against this youth.

In terms of quality of True Qi, Zhao Jin was superior, but the Sword Qi that this youth was releasing far surpassed Zhao Jin's.

The Sword Qi was condensed and did not disperse, as if it was corporeal. Although it was brandished by a wooden sword, it suppressed the sharp blade in Zhao Jin's hand!

"Brother Jin, don't hold back! Just kill him!"

At this moment, Su Wen shouted from behind.

Hearing this, the sword in Zhao Jin's hand danced as he shouted, "Watch my God Vanquishing Swordplay!"

Zhao Jin's True Qi brazenly erupted. The sky was suddenly filled with sword shadows, emitting an overwhelming Sword Qi!

The youth quickly responded to his move.

However, with a swing of the wooden sword, he belatedly realized that all of the Sword Qi were actually superficial!

Right then, within the waves of Sword Qi, Zhao Jin raised his left hand slightly.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

The sound of air breaking could be heard.

Several sleeve arrows shot out from his hands!

Clang! Clang! Clang!

The youth's sword danced to protect his body. Resounding metallic noises could be heard as all the arrows were blocked.

But then…

Bang bang boom!

An explosion sounded closely after.

The sleeve arrows were all equipped with explosive devices!

A second hidden weapon was formed by the scattered metal shards!

The youth however was really impressive. His sword dance was airtight. No matter how many fragments there were, they could not cause him any harm!

At this moment, Zhao Jin charged forwards once more, roaring, "Now look at my Demon Slaying Swordplay!"

As he roared, he swung his sword down!

The youth raised his sword to meet it!

The two swords clashed, or rather, the sword qi from both sides collided!

This time, Zhao Jin wasn't bluffing. Instead, he focused all of his strength on his sword!

For a time, both sides were in a deadlock.

Right at this moment, Zhao Jin suddenly flipped his left hand, and the ring on his index finger flashed with a blue light!

"Spirit Artifact — Thunder Cry!"

A bolt of blue lightning shot out!

Fortunately, the youth was constantly paying attention to Zhao Jin's movements.

The moment his left hand had moved, the youth had already pushed aside the longsword in Zhao Jin's right hand with all his strength, pulling back the wooden sword to defend!

The lightning struck the wooden sword dead on!

In the end, he managed to defend himself from this sneak attack.

"Despicable and shameless! Die!"

The youth turned to look at Zhao Jin, but right at this moment, he suddenly felt slightly dizzy!

"There was poisonous smoke in the sleeve arrows!"

The young man immediately understood.

He had been tricked!

However, in a battle between experts, such an opening was enough.

Just as his body swayed, Zhao Jin had already rushed to his side. His fingers moved continuously, and in an instant, all of the acupoints on the young man's body were sealed.

His internal True Qi immediately became sluggish!

Immediately after, Zhao Jin took out several black locks and clapped them on the youth.

Zhao Jin laughed smugly and said, "Haha, kid, now that you've been locked by these Origin Power Cuffs, you won't be able to mobilize the True Qi in your body no matter what tricks you have. Come, if you think you can defeat me with your physical strength, then you can try!"

At this moment, Su Wen walked out from the side and said with a smile, "Brother Jin, looks like these things that my father gave you really came in useful.."

Zhao Jin walked to the youth's side and said with a proud smile, "Apart from explosives, there's also Clear Wind Illusory Smoke contained in the sleeve arrows. They were all concocted by the Great Zhou Spiritual Master's residence. Even a strong cultivator would be dazed for a moment after taking in enough of it!"

The youth pondered and said, "If I had flown away immediately, I wouldn't have fallen for this trap."

Zhao Jin picked up the remnants of the arrow fragment from the ground. Under the sunlight, it reflected a blue light.

"The inside of the sleeve arrows are all coated with poison. If you fly away and are end up being hit by the fragments, you will still lose!" Zhao Jin laughed. "It's just that your fate will be different! Of course, if you aren't injured by the fragments during your flight, then you still have a chance."

The youth was still unconvinced, "If I had my iron sword, the sword qi would be even sharper. You might not be able to win then!"

"How do you know that I still don't have other tricks up my sleeve?" Zhao Jin wouldn't lose in a war of words. He sneered, "You only have Sword-Qi to play around with. You have no idea what sort of tricks I have."

"In 10 years, my Sword Qi will be able to flatten all the methods you can bring out!"

"Hehe, there's no need for 10 years, you can be a corpse in 10 breaths!"

The two of them started to argue, but the youth was the loser after all, so it was futile to say anything.

Su Wen walked over and looked at the youth. He said angrily, "I was just trying to scare you. How can you attack me? Look at the state you've smashed my front door to!"

At this moment, the main gate of Su Wen's mansion was almost completely destroyed.

The young man stared at him and before replying in a deep voice, "Who knows if you're telling the truth?"

"Heh heh, then do you believe me when I say that I'm going to kill the abbot of Guiyuan Temple tomorrow?"

Guiyuan Temple was one of the Great Zhou's top martial sects and its abbot was one of the experts standing at the pinnacle of cultivation in the world.

The youth shook his head, "They can't be compared! That lady boss hasn't cultivated. It's as easy as breathing for you to kill her. Since you said so, I can't let you do it!"

Su Wen sighed and said, "Follow me in. Also ask Ning Shuang to find someone to repair the door!"

Su Wen turned around and entered.

The young man however remained motionless.

Zhao Jin looked at the youth and said, "Go in. Do you want to die?"

The youth said angrily, "Just what are you all trying to do!"

Zhao Jin laughed in a sinister manner. "My young master has taken a fancy to you!"

The young man, who had been expressionless all this while, now revealed an expression of fear.

He had always heard rumors of how some of the rich and powerful had developed a taste of male youths….

Could it be…

He looked at Su Wen's back with fear and then at the ferocious-looking Zhao Jin. "You… just kill me!"

"Hurry up and go in!"

Zhao Jin grabbed the youth and dragged him into the residence.

The three of them entered and Su Wen sat down while Zhao Jin and the young man remained standing in front of him.

Su Wen asked with a gentle smile, "What's your name?"

He had no idea that this smile of his appeared utterly wretched in the young man's eyes at the moment. The youth gritted his teeth before replying with some difficulty, "Chu… He…"

"How old are you?"

"29…"

"Are you married?"

"Kill me!" Chu He looked like he was ready to embrace death.

Su Wen waved his hand to placate him, "Don't be so agitated. It's all a misunderstanding. There's no enmity between us, so why would I kill you?"

"A warrior can be killed but not humiliated! I only seek a swift death!"

Su Wen was stunned. "When did I humiliate you?"

Chu He blushed and didn't know how to answer.

Su Wen looked at Zhao Jin and asked in doubt, "Did you insult him?"

Zhao Jin hurriedly shook his head. "No."

"That's right. Say, you smashed my gate, but I didn't even say that you're insulting me. How could it be my turn to humiliate you?"

Chu He looked at Zhao Jin. "But he said that you've taken a fancy to me. I'm a man. How… How…"

Su Wen roared in laughter at his words. "Hahaha, I didn't expect you to have such a dirty mind despite your serious expression! I merely wanted to recruit you under my command. How could you think like that?"

Chu He said angrily, "Then why are you asking me if I'm married?"

Su Wen had an innocent look on his face. "I was just trying to express my concern and magnanimity. Who knew that your mind was so dirty?"

Zhao Jin also opened his mouth and mocked, "You brat, I couldn't tell that you're so cold on the outside, but so inwardly passionate. Tell me, did you leave your sword behind because you've taken a fancy to the boss of the fried vermicelli shop?"

"I didn't!"

"If not, why did you throw the sword worth over 10,000 taels to the boss?"

Chu He shook his head and said, "I forged that sword myself. How can it be worth that much?"

His words were not wrong. If it was a normal blacksmith, even a rookie would not have forged a sword of such dastardly appearance.

With that, Chu He explained his origins.

He had grown up with his master. It could be said that in the first 28 years of his life, he had only lived with his master in a rural village.

He had to practice the sword everyday. The only opponent he faced was his master.

When he grew up, he began to fight against the ferocious beasts in the mountains.

That sword was forged on his own, using a block of metal his master gave him when he turned 15 years old.

In the following year, he entered the martial world under the orders of his master.

Following the list his master had given him, he had challenged people all the way until he arrived here.

At this point, Zhao Jin frowned. "In other words, you're the one who continuously challenged the 18 swordsmen in Bing Province?"

"That's right!"

Zhao Jin looked at Su Wen and said, "This brat picked eighteen famous swordsmen to challenge in Bing Province, but none of them could last more than a hundred moves! Among them, the one with the highest cultivation had already reached 7th Grade Earth Rank."

"However, none of the challengers that this kid challenged have survived! There are already quite a number of deceased family members who are offering a bounty for this kid's life!"

Chu He said, "My master said that my sword doesn't have enough killing intent and the edge of my sword isn't sharp. Only by grinding it all the way can I improve my Sword Dao! Every time I fight someone, I will tell them that it's not an ordinary spar but a life-and-death battle, with no grudges after!"

Su Wen waved his hand and said, "I don't care what your master says. I just want to know what you plan to do now."

Chu He asked blankly, "What do you mean?"

"There's no enmity between us. I'll give you two choices. First, I'm short of manpower now. Be my subordinate and follow my orders. Second, compensate me for the damage of repairing the gate."

"I choose the second!" Chu He said without hesitation, "How much money you need to repair this door will be on me. I'll pay you when the time comes."

Chu He remembered that the main gate in the village cost about 180 taels.

He had already thought it through. If there was really no other way, he would take his sword back and sell it. Ten thousand taels of silver should be sufficient to pay just about anything.

"You said it yourself." Su Wen smiled.

"That's true. I, Chu He, would never owe anyone anything."

He was dead serious. Otherwise, he wouldn't have thrown his treasured sword to the boss.

Su Wen clapped his hands and Ning Shuang handed him a pen and paper.

Su Wen wrote a contract. To put it simply, he wanted Chu He to compensate for the losses. Furthermore, they agreed that Chu He had to pay compensation within a month. If he couldn't pay up, Su Wen would claim compensation in other methods.

After Chu He noticed it, he asked curiously, "Why do you need to set a deadline? Do you think that I won't pay up?"

Su Wen sneered. "Who knows? There has to be a time limit, right? Don't tell me I have to wait for you until I'm 100 years old?"

"Alright! I'll do as you say!" Chu He pressed his hand on it as his signature!

Chu He signed and pressed his hand as his signature.

Su Wen smiled at Zhao Jin and said, "Go, bring him out to see how much the repairs cost."

"Return my sword to me!" Chu He was most worried that Su Wen wouldn't give him the sword.

Su Wen lightly smiled before walking inside and taking out Chu He's sword. He casually handed it to him as he said, "Selling the sword to gather funds? That's a good idea. If you're willing, I can give you 10,000 taels for it. You can come and find me anytime." Chu He glanced at Su Wen and was somewhat suspicious. This fellow actually guessed his thoughts, so why did he return the sword to him?

It seemed like he did not really wish to recruit him.

But before he could think too much about it, Zhao Jin brought him out. At that moment, Ning Shuang had already found a craftsman.

The craftsman looked at the wreckage on the ground and did not dare to ask further. He only started calculating the cost of repairs. Chu He and Zhao Jin waited by the side. About an hour later, the craftsman stood up and walked to Ning Shuang's side. He smiled apologetically as he said, "If everything is restored as it was, it will cost 47,500 taels of silver!"

"What?" Chu He jumped up like a cat whose tail had been stepped on.

He walked forward and asked the craftsman, "Did you make a mistake?"

The craftsman sized up Chu He. Seeing that he was dressed like a beggar, he thought that this guy was probably some curious bystander. His expression darkened as he impolitely snapped, "What are you doing? I'm talking to Miss Ning Shuang. What does it have to do with you?"

Besides, can't you see for yourself what's on the ground? The door is completely made of wood from the golden thread chinese cedar. The tiles on the door and walls aren't ordinary tiles as well. They are all made from Kuan porcelain tiles[1]. The interior and exterior of the walls are carved by famous sculptors from the capital. They have to be redecorated."

"Furthermore, look at the steps, they've been shattered to such a state. These are all top grade hot spring jades. They maintain warmth throughout the four seasons. Just touch them and you can tell that its surface is warm despite the cold winter! With them reduced to such a state, they'll have to be dug out and replaced totally. For so much labor, the price is already very reasonable!" Chu He was dumbfounded.

"It's too expensive! This is too expensive! So much money just for a gate? Is this guy crazy?"

Chu He muttered to himself.

Zhao Jin patted him on the shoulder and laughed, "Kid, you've taken on a huge debt." Chu He looked angrily at Zhao Jin. He finally understood everything!

In reality, from beginning to end, he was only given one choice!

At this moment, Zhao Jin took out the contract and handed it to Chu He. He said with a smile, "Young Master said that if you aren't willing, he won't force it. The contract is yours. You can tear it up and pretend nothing happened."

Would Chu He not admit his debt?

Of course he would not. This was not his personality

He was never willing to owe others anything, nor was he willing to accept any charity from others.

Even if it was someone else's kindness, such as how the owner of the stir-fried flour stall gave him extra ingredients.

At that time, he had also chosen to leave his sword behind, planning to redeem it after getting some money.

Chu He reached out to take the contract.

He tore it up on the spot, then turned to Zhao Jin and said, "Bring me to see him!"

"Call him Young Master!"

Zhao Jin corrected him seriously.

Chu He :"…"

At the fried vermicelli stall, Su Wen, Zhao Jin, and Chu He arrived together.

Chu He had changed into a guard uniform and looked much more energetic.

It was just that the imposing uniform did not match the broken sword at his waist.

As the three of them sat down, Su Wen smiled at the boss, "See, you didn't believe me when I said I was going to return your sword!" Chu He reached out for the three copper coins and handed it to the boss. "The money from last time."

The boss quickly said, "There's no need for that. It was originally half a serving last time."

"Just take it if he gives it to you!" Su Wen smiled. "Otherwise, he'll keep agonizing over

it."

The owner wiped her hands on the apron before gingerly receiving the three coppers from Chu He.

The three of them then ordered three bowls of vermicelli.

"Young Master, how can it be so round?"

"Lots of meat."

"But it's not wide at the same time!"

"Well proportioned!"

Chu He couldn't stand it any longer. He whispered angrily, "Do the two of you have to do this?"

Su Wen turned to look at him and smiled. "Then why don't you change your seat and sit with your back facing her? If you change your seat, we won't talk about it anymore."

"I…"

Zhao Jin patted him on the shoulder and said with a smile, "Being outwardly lusty isn't considered as being flirtatious, but hiding it only makes it more conspicuous. Brother, you've been single for 29 years, so I'm afraid you're already secretly lusty to the point of being unparalleled. Just a casual sentence from me, and you can already fantasize that the young master has ill intentions towards you, so don't pretend to be a proper person. I'll bring you to the 'pavilions' in the capital city to see the world some other day. At that time, you'll know the reputation of our young master!" Chu He shut his mouth immediately.

Su Wen looked at Chu He and asked curiously, "Say, why didn't you get a good set of clothes previously? With your skills, you shouldn't have been reduced to such a state, right?"

Chu He whispered, "Master said that overly comfortable environments will make my sword blunt. The discomfort in my body can make me maintain a higher focus at any time. Therefore, I've been like this since I was young. I've already gotten used to it." Zhao Jin explained to Su Wen, "Perhaps it's a technique that specializes in tempering the soul. It's similar to ascetic monks. When I fought him, I could sense that his swordsmanship was extremely sharp. Sometimes, he could even change his moves before I attacked. This isn't something that can be done through technique.

What he has achieved is more similar to communing with the Dao. His master might be a Heaven Rank expert. To be honest, Chu He is right. Perhaps his swordsmanship will be beyond my reach in ten years."

Su Wen narrowed his eyes.

Heaven Rank?

There were many powerful experts in Zhou, but few of them had actually reached the realm of Heaven Rank.

At the very least, Su Wen had never seen a Heaven Rank expert in action before. He had only heard that an expert of such caliber could slash apart rivers and mountains with a single wave of his hand.

They had completely reached another level of power.

Su Wen smiled and said, "Don't worry, even though you're working for me, you don't have to stop cultivating the cultivation plan that your master has set for you. You can still fight when you need to. Whoever you want to challenge next can be invited by us through letters."

Chu He nodded and said, "Originally, there were three people in the capital that needed to be challenged."

"Oh? Which three?" Su Wen's interest was piqued.

Chu He said, "The head of the Imperial Capital's Chang Yuan Bodyguard Services, Du Yuan; the Martial Inspectorate's Deacon Ruan Ze, and Jingji Province's swordsmanship instructor, Meng Pingzhi."

Su Wen frowned. Among the three of them, the first and third were understandable targets. However, Su Wen did not expect Ruan Ze to be among them.

For that damned fatty to be included in the challengers, there must be something special about him.

Chu He continued, "Actually, in the letters Master left behind, I can only challenge them after reaching the peak of 5th Grade. Therefore, I still have to raise my cultivation level for the time being."

Su Wen's eyes narrowed slightly. This Chu He's combat strength was formidable. From the battle between him and Zhao Jin, if it wasn't for the fact that Zhao Jin had quite a number of spirit artifacts from the Spirit Master's Residence on him, his combat strength would be inferior to Chu He's.

And Chu He had even defeated people with 7th Grade Earth Rank cultivation!

There was no need to doubt his combat strength when fighting someone two grades above him.

Even so, he still had to reach the peak of 5th Grade before he could challenge Ruan Ze?

Ruan Ze, this Silver Saber Deacon, was probably not ordinary. One had to know that on the surface, Ruan Ze only possessed a cultivation level of 4th Grade Earth Rank!

[1] A type of high-status stonewares