An Outstanding Character . . .
"Cha-Eun Xiao, you insufferable brat!" Prince Hua-Yang's eyes widened in fury. "You little... little troublemaker! What did you just say?"
Princess Hua-Yang couldn't help but think to herself, [This young rascal has no manners whatsoever. What a waste of his naturally good looks.] The favorable impression she had for him vanished in an instant.
Cha-Eun Xiao chuckled nonchalantly and replied, "Well, today I was out and about when I came across something interesting. It seemed pretty good, so I brought it for you."
With that, he dropped a bag onto the floor.
"What is it?" Prince Hua-Yang asked, his brow furrowing.
"A spear," Cha-Eun Xiao replied casually, opening the bag and assembling the spear's components. With two distinct 'Kah' sounds, the impressive Hundred Fight Spear took shape before their eyes.
The spear had a spiral design and was crafted from fine steel, with a spearhead that measured 50 centimeters in length. At a single glance, it sent shivers down one's spine.
"Hundred Fight Spear!" Prince Hua-Yang exclaimed, leaping out of his seat.
Princess Hua-Yang couldn't help but gasp when she saw it.
Cha-Eun Xiao's mother-in-law was no ordinary woman. She had a background in martial arts and possessed significant cultivation. When she witnessed the spear's world-conquering aura, its intimidating sharpness, and its unmistakable pride, she realized it was no ordinary weapon.
For the past few days, she had been worried about her husband acquiring powerful weapons for the upcoming battle. And now, Cha-Eun Xiao had delivered this precious spear as if he could read her mind.
A sense of approval gleamed in her eyes as she regarded him.
Unbeknownst to Cha-Eun Xiao, his actions had left a positive impression on his mother-in-law.
Prince Hua-Yang kept his eyes fixed on the spear, walking around it. Clearly, he was enamored with it.
He had visited the Divine Arms Mill multiple times to gaze at this spear, but its price tag of at least 250 thousand silver bars had deterred him. That amount was equivalent to the cost of maintaining a 500-man army for three months. Prince Hua-Yang had daydreamed about wielding this spear on the battlefield countless times. [If only I could hold this spear and stand on the battlefield...]
However, his thrifty nature had prevented him from making the purchase.
Yet, here it was, the spear right in front of him.
"How did you acquire this treasure?" Su Ding-Guo, also known as Prince Hua-Yang, didn't bother hiding his desire for the spear.
"I bought it," Cha-Eun Xiao replied with a smile. "Perhaps you don't need it, but I thought it would be better in your hands than gathering dust elsewhere."
Prince Hua-Yang stroked his mustache and chuckled. However, doubt crept into his mind, causing him to pause. He asked skeptically, "Where did you get the money for it? I remember that when I considered buying this spear, I couldn't because it was too expensive. Your family isn't wealthier than mine, and Ye Nan-Tian isn't exactly rolling in riches. How did you manage to purchase it? You didn't resort to swindling, did you? Your reputation suggests you might have. I heard you tricked the blood ginseng from the Wang family. You might have used the same tactics here..."
Cha-Eun Xiao didn't know whether to laugh or sigh. [It seems that bad news travels far and wide, while good news stays hidden. Is my reputation really that terrible?]
"Rest assured, I obtained this spear through legitimate means, and I paid more than the usual price," he replied solemnly. "As for how I could afford it, I recently came into an unexpected windfall. Please, accept it without worries."
Prince Hua-Yang snorted, expressing his distrust. "With your reputation, I can't fully trust you."
Princess Hua-Yang chimed in, clearly annoyed. "Why are you being so stubborn? The young man cares about you and brought you this precious spear as a gesture of goodwill. You shouldn't doubt his intentions like this."
While in conversation, she turned to Cha-Eun Xiao and inquired, "Cha-Eun Xiao, where did you acquire this spear? Ahem. I mean, did you purchase it... Erh. I mean... How did you come by it?"
Cha-Eun Xiao was left speechless and somewhat perturbed. What an absurd accusation!
[Here I am, bringing a gift... and yet I'm being looked down upon like this! It's truly a first for me in both my lives...
I, the esteemed Xiao Monarch, find myself in such a situation!
And I can't even vent my frustration; instead, I have to placate them...
How vexing!]
"A few days ago, I happened to rescue someone," Cha-Eun Xiao improvised, "This individual was being pursued and crossed paths with me... Being the kind-hearted person I am, of course, I helped. Before departing, the person gave me two jade bottles."
"I didn't pay much attention to them initially. However, I recently discovered that each bottle contains a supreme dan bead," Cha-Eun Xiao continued.
"Huh?"
Princess Hua-Yang exclaimed, her expression shifting to one of surprise and delight.
"What? Really?" Prince Hua-Yang, a composed man by nature, couldn't contain his excitement. He stood up, asking, "Were they truly supreme dan beads?"
As the Kingdom of Chen's top general, he couldn't be oblivious to the supreme dan beads that had caused turmoil in the capital in recent days. He would never have anticipated that this young man had saved the owner of these highly sought-after dan beads.
[Feng Zhi-Ling has indeed disappeared since he left the salesroom... He was being pursued and was rescued by the fortunate Cha Eun Xiao...
Does this young man possess a genuinely compassionate heart? Perhaps he merely stumbled upon the owner of the supreme dan beads and benefited in return!]
"Then, where are these supreme dan beads?" Prince Hua-Yang inquired.
Cha-Eun Xiao produced a jade bottle with a smile and said, "Right here. I knew you'd be entering the battle soon, so I brought you the supreme dan bead as a gift..."
Before Prince Hua-Yang could respond, Princess Hua-Yang swiftly snatched the bottle.
Her actions were so swift that Prince Hua-Yang had no time to react.
There was no room for joking here. With such a dan, her husband would essentially be carrying an extra life with him!
It was an exceedingly precious gift!
"Cha-Eun Xiao, you're truly..." Princess Hua-Yang's voice trembled with emotion. "So filial! It was absolutely worth allowing our daughter to marry you... Oh..."
Women could be unpredictable. Princess Hua-Yang had only harbored a few positive feelings toward Cha-Eun Xiao, but now she held him in the highest regard. She had already started addressing him as 'Xiao.' Evidently, she had come to regard him as her son-in-law. A gift from her son-in-law was naturally something she cherished and embraced!
Prince Hua-Yang was left utterly speechless.
[Ah, woman... Just a few days ago, you were in tears, blaming me for ruining our daughter's life by allowing her to marry that man. Look at you now, willing to 'sell' our daughter for a dan bead...]
"What a compromise of principles! You simply can't restrain yourself," Prince Hua-Yang sighed helplessly and remarked, "And what about the other dan bead?"
He thought to himself, [The upcoming battle is fraught with dangers. If any of my loyal brothers sustains a mortal wound, another supreme dan bead could save another life. It might be somewhat presumptuous to request it, but I can't be bothered by that now!
After all, I've already betrothed my daughter to you. What harm is there in asking for two dan beads?]
With that thought in mind, he boldly said, "How many do you have? Bring them all out! Give them to me!"
[As a father-in-law, I should be allowed to request anything from my son-in-law!]
Princess Hua-Yang rolled her eyes in response. [You criticized me just now... Turns out you're compromising your principles too! I was simply accepting them from others, while you're actually asking for them. That's a significant difference. I can't help but despise you!]
"I don't have them," Cha-Eun Xiao raised his hands in surrender, "I sold the other one and used the proceeds to buy the spear for you. Where do you think I got the money from..."
"You!" Prince Hua-Yang seethed, "You black sheep! You, you, you... You're exasperating... You exchanged a dan bead that could bring the dead back to life for a silly bloody spear!"
Princess Hua-Yang interjected, her tone annoyed, "What are you saying, you old man? The young man saved one for you. He could have kept it for himself, and you wouldn't have known, would you? You old man, you really don't know how to appreciate what's good for you! You've been wanting that spear for a long time; I've always known that!"
Prince Hua-Yang felt somewhat guilty and mumbled, "It's a shame... A supreme dan bead could save a life..." He still felt regretful about it.
Normally, he didn't attach great importance to a supreme dan bead, but with the impending war, he saw it as an exceedingly valuable asset.
Cha-Eun Xiao did possess more dan beads, a considerable number. However, revealing them at this moment was out of the question, even if it meant risking his own life.
For someone like Prince Hua-Yang, having one supreme dan bead was normal. But if he had many, it would arouse suspicions or greed from others. He was afraid that the safety of everyone in the Palace of Hua-Yang would be jeopardized.
In that case, it wouldn't be a gift but a curse!
Cha-Eun Xiao chimed in, "You're not seeing things clearly... With this spear, you'll be invincible in battle, killing enemies, and capturing flags... It can save many more lives than a dan bead ever could."
Princess Hua-Yang's eyes brightened as she added, "That's right. It's a reasonable trade-off. As long as you stay alive, you can save many, many men!"
Being a clever woman, she naturally understood the underlying meaning of Cha-Eun Xiao's words: [The supreme dan bead... You must not give it to others...
It means giving a life.]
Prince Hua-Yang sighed and furrowed his brow for a long while.
Eventually, he spoke softly, "They're all my brothers... It's acceptable not to save them when I can't... But if I were to keep this dan bead for myself... how could I face myself?"
Both the princess and Cha-Eun Xiao fell silent.
Loving his soldiers as if they were his own children and sharing their joys and sorrows; standing together through the chaotic storms of the world.
That was Prince Hua-Yang, Su Ding-Guo.
He treated his soldiers with the same care he showed his own kin. Both the princess and Cha-Eun Xiao believed that in a life-or-death situation on the battlefield, if one of his men and Prince Hua-Yang were critically injured, Prince Hua-Yang would never take the supreme dan bead for himself.
Even if he possessed a hundred supreme dan beads, he would still abstain.
If not for this unwavering commitment, he might not have become the Prince Hua-Yang whose majesty had resonated throughout the kingdom for decades.
Cha-Eun Xiao couldn't help but feel a deep admiration for him.
Prince Hua-Yang was undeniably an exceptional individual.
...
Prince Hua-Yang was delighted. He invited Cha-Eun Xiao to stay for dinner and allowed Su Ye-Yue, who had been grounded, to join them. The four of them gathered around the table, two generations of couples, creating a scene of harmony and familial happiness. Laughter and cheerful voices filled the house.