Super Cheeky! . . .
Cha Eun Xiao's palm delivered a resounding slap to Wang Zhong's face, catching the man completely off guard. The force of the blow sent him soaring into the air, and several of his teeth were forcefully dislodged from his mouth.
Cha Eun Xiao had struck in anger, though he had not unleashed his full strength. Nevertheless, the impact was severe.
Wang Zhong felt as though a massive bell had tolled inside his head, leaving him dizzy and spewing blood from his mouth. He teetered on the brink of unconsciousness.
The guards of the House of Cha had endured Wang Zhong's odious behavior for an extended period, and now they had received their young lord's unambiguous directive. Over a dozen of them converged upon Wang Zhong, and without a word from Second Prince, they unleashed a flurry of punches upon the fallen man. Wang Zhong was pummeled like a sandbag, finally lapsing into unconsciousness.
"Cha Eun Xiao... You!" Second Prince seethed with rage.
"I am offering your unruly mutt a lesson! When a dog misbehaves, you better give it a thrashing. A sound beating will make it obedient!" Cha Eun Xiao responded coldly, massaging the hand he had used to strike Wang Zhong. "Otherwise, if this insufferable cur causes a significant problem in the future, things will take a far darker turn for you, I'm afraid."
His eyes blazed with a murderous intent that he made no effort to conceal—a stark warning.
Second Prince's expression darkened further, his eyes carrying a deep-seated fury. He directed a cold gaze at the guards who were mercilessly pounding Wang Zhong and finally erupted, "Cha Eun Xiao, cease this at once!"
Cha Eun Xiao heard the command but feigned deafness. Instead, he ordered, "Beat him soundly! Cast him out of here! Hurry up! I abhor having that wretched dog yapping around me!"
Second Prince's anger flared, yet he realized that arguing further would be futile. To do so would simply embroil him in the same tumultuous situation.
Wang Zhong was ultimately subjected to a relentless beating, leaving him severely injured. He lay motionless, on the brink of unconsciousness or even death, as the guards hauled him to the gate.
Second Prince could only watch helplessly, his eyes seething with anger and his chest aflame with rage. After a pause, he pointed at Cha Eun Xiao and grumbled, "Cha Eun Xiao, quite the gall you have!"
Cha Eun Xiao fixed Second Prince with a cold, unyielding stare and responded calmly, "Your Excellency, I am well aware of my character. I simply detest being singled out, even when the intention is praise."
Second Prince's fury remained unabated, though he momentarily forgot the reason for his visit. Through gritted teeth, he lashed out, "I pointed, and what of it?"
Two of his men hastened to his side, imploring him, "Your Excellency, please focus on the pressing matter at hand... Please."
Their frustration with Cha Eun Xiao was apparent, but they also felt sympathy for their prince.
["The deed is done. What's more important now?"]
["This situation has become hostile with no chance of reconciliation."]
["We finally secured an audience with him, and now this?"]
["What in the world is happening?"]
["Why are both of them so hot-tempered today?"]
["Cha Eun Xiao acted as if we owed him the world from the outset..."]
["Second Prince seems to have lost his mind. We're here for a crucial task, and he hasn't mentioned it yet. Now we're at odds with one another. Are we on the brink of a confrontation?..."]
As Second Prince watched Cha Eun Xiao, who was seething with anger, he suddenly erupted into laughter.
"Hahahahaha..." His laughter was so unexpected that it left everyone stunned.
[How can he still laugh at a time like this?]
"You see? I was right! I have a knack for reading people, don't I?" Second Prince announced, addressing his entourage. "Lord Cha is a man of true valor. He possesses passion, knows how to love and hate, and has a temper that can erupt like a volcano. He acts without hesitation, resolute and unyielding. He won't waver for anyone or anything. What an extraordinary man! You doubted me before. What do you think now?"
His followers were taken aback, yet they nodded in agreement. "You are truly astute and discerning, Your Excellency. We can never hope to match your keen insight."
Their words were flattering, but inwardly, they couldn't help but grumble, ["When did you say any of that?"]
["Of course, you weren't wrong. You didn't say anything, so how could you be wrong?"]
["I believe... Lord Cha may indeed be a man of valor... but our beloved prince must be a master of deceit and deception."]
Cha Eun Xiao had been on the verge of a furious outburst. He didn't care if he was dealing with the prince or anyone else; he had the strength to disregard these individuals when he chose to act tough, and he had no reservations. He was no longer the naive young man he had been when he first arrived in this world.
However, just as he was about to lose his temper, Second Prince inexplicably switched sides completely. Cha Eun Xiao was genuinely astonished by the prince's words.
["The universe is a realm of infinite possibilities. I thought I was a master of cheekiness, but this man has taken it to unbelievable levels..."]
["Astounding!"]
["I nearly pummeled his man into oblivion with punches... and now he's turned the situation around, acting as though he was merely testing me. Unbelievable..."]
Cha Eun Xiao replied, "Ah, so you were attempting to determine whether your perception is accurate?"
Second Prince had regained his composure, adopting a friendly tone as he drew nearer to Cha Eun Xiao. "Xiaoxiao, come on, I'm your guest today. Don't you think you should at least offer me some tea?"
In mere seconds, this powerful man had gone from wanting to tear Cha Eun Xiao apart to addressing him as "Xiaoxiao" in a friendly manner. It was as if he were a close friend.
Yet Cha Eun Xiao cared little about whether the prince was being sincere or not. He responded, "Your Excellency, what is it that you seek today? Please be direct. You heard me instruct my woman to prepare my bed. I'm in a hurry, so let's expedite matters."
Cha Eun Xiao had no patience for further conversation, particularly with a prince who was displaying such emotional, lustful, shameless, and cheeky behavior. He was genuinely preoccupied at that moment.
"What a forthright statement from a man of integrity! So I shall be forthright as well. This time, I've come to seek your assistance, Brother Cha. Please, do me a favor," Second Prince spoke with sincerity.