Half a month had passed in the blink of an eye.
Yu Xian was completely devoted to his cultivation and paid no heed to anything else.
Fast-forwarding through the twenty thousand words of his cultivation journey...
Building A-2 was not just a building but a courtyard with facilities like flower pavilions and a small pond.
One day, the Chief Steward of the Royal Mansion hurriedly arrived.
Several maidservants from the Royal Mansion were gathered at the entrance of the courtyard, whispering to each other. Every now and then, they would steal a glance inside, blush, and giggle under their breaths like tinkling silver bells.
The Chief Steward recognized these maidservants as those responsible for serving Building A-2.
"Cough, cough!"
He cleared his throat gently to remind the maids.
The maidservants immediately stopped talking and bowed to the Chief Steward.
"This humble servant greets Master Steward."
The Chief Steward, surnamed Li, was a man in his fifties with a round face and no facial hair. His figure was slightly plump, making him look like a jolly old man.
"I have come on Prince Wang's orders to invite Tributor Yu for an audience. Is he available?"
The maidservants exchanged glances and hesitated for a while before one of them finally mustered up the courage to speak:
"Master Steward, Tributor Yu has been staying in his room with Sister Yulan these past few days. We don't know if he has time.
Why don't you go and ask him yourself, Master Steward?"
"You don't know anything, do you? Is this how you serve distinguished guests?"
Chief Steward Li flicked the dust whisk in his hand and walked forward, but only took a few steps before returning, angrily:
"You lazy bunch, be more careful in the future. If your gossip reaches the ears of your masters, you'd deserve it if they had you beaten to death."
"Now get back to work."
"Yes."
Knowing that the Chief Steward was well-intentioned, the maidservants dispersed with laughter, leaving behind the lingering scents of their perfume.
Chief Steward Li shook his head helplessly and walked into the courtyard, softly calling out towards the loft:
"Tributor Yu, Tributor Yu..."
"Who is it?"
The window of the loft was opened, and a young man stuck half of his body out. He was wearing a casual coat, his hair was disheveled, his face pale, and his eyes had dark circles under them. He looked like he had indulged too much in pleasure.
It was none other than Yu Xian, who had been working hard on his cultivation.
Seeing him, Chief Steward Li was taken aback.
"Tributor Yu, what happened to you?"
Yu Xian held his lower back and pretended to be strong, saying, "I've been working hard on my cultivation recently, and it's been quite draining. I'll ask Doctor Huang from the mansion to prescribe some medicine for me later, and I should be fine after I recuperate."
"Eunuch Li, did you come looking for me for something?"
Over the course of half a month, with an average of five cultivation points gained per day, he had not only successfully broken through to Level 5 of Qi Cultivation but had also taken a small step forward within Level 5.
However, he didn't dare to tell anyone about the hardships involved in his progress.
He initially thought that Yulan would be the first to give up, but as he grew thinner and weaker, she actually became more and more radiant and energetic with each passing day.
Yu Xian felt that if he continued to cultivate like this, he would eventually develop some trauma.
So, even if Eunuch Li had not come looking for him, he was planning on taking a break from his cultivation.
Although seeing one's cultivation progress is a joy,one must not over-exert and damage one's Dao foundation.
Cultivation should not be forced too hastily.
Chief Steward Li came to his senses and remembered his mission.
"Prince Wang heard that you have become a Heavenly-rank Tributor and is extremely delighted. He would like to meet with Tributor Yu. Do you have time?"
"If Prince Wang requests my presence, how could I refuse? Eunuch Li, please wait a moment. Yulan, help me change my clothes."
Yu Xian closed the window and instructed Yulan behind him.
...
About half an hour later.
At the backend of the Royal Mansion.
Duke Fu was lying on a wooden armchair with a thin blanket over his body. His face was pale, and his eyes were filled with fatigue, but he still forced a smile when he saw Yu Xian.
"Ever since I was injured, I have been unconscious most of the time. Today, I finally feel a bit better and wanted to meet with Tributor Yu and have a chat."
Yu Xian respectfully bowed and said, "I am honored and humbled by Your Highness' graciousness."
Duke Fu asked, "Do you know how I was injured?"
Yu Xian knew that the main issue had arrived, "I have heard a bit about it."
As expected, Duke Fu said earnestly, "The assassin who attacked me has been found, and the local authority is currently mobilizing personnel to surround and capture him. However, we still lack a Martial Arts Master to lead the operation, lest the cornered assassin should become even more dangerous.
I hope that Tributor Yu can lend me a hand."
Yu Xian looked troubled: "Prince Wang, I heard that the thief is very powerful, and even the Three Great Tributors of the Royal Mansion couldn't stop him, losing two of them. Can I handle it alone?"
He had only stayed in the Royal Mansion for half a month and slept with a girl, so he wasn't motivated to do much.
Duke Fu explained: "Tributor Yu, rest assured, that assassin Chen Xiao was arrogant because of his Five Poison Palms, which were so powerful that he forced his way into the Royal Mansion, and was already seriously injured after fighting the three Grandmasters and many guards in the mansion.
If it wasn't for that, he would have come to trouble me again.
If Tributor Yu goes, you may just be there to support the Royal Mansion and may not even need to take action. Perhaps the local authority can handle it."
So, he was going to behead the injured thief.
Yu Xian breathed a sigh of relief but still hesitated for a moment before nodding:
"Since I am a Tributor of the Royal Mansion, it is my duty to help. I accept this task."
Duke Fu clapped his hands: "Tributor Yu is very straightforward, and I will not treat you unfairly."
"Someone."
As soon as his words fell, a beautiful serving girl walked into the room, holding a tray with a stack of silver notes and some jewelry on it.
"Here is one thousand taels of silver, and some jewelry for Tributor Yu to enjoy."
"Of course, if Tributor is interested in Baihe, she can also be taken away."
Only then did Yu Xian look at the serving girl in front of him, whose appearance was no worse than Yulan's, and even had a more authoritative temperament, along with a pair of long legs.
Unfortunately, he was currently in a Sage Moment, and even fairies and witches couldn't arouse his interest.
"Prince Wang's generosity is appreciated, I will accept the silver and jewelry.
As for Miss Baihe...I recently realized something, beauties are good, but one should not be greedy, I can only thank Prince Wang for his kindness."
Sleeping with her wouldn't increase his cultivation, and now he was short on money, so he couldn't afford to share with her.
Yu Xian took the tray from Baihe's hand without looking away and said goodbye:
"Prince Wang can notify me when it's time to leave, I will take my leave now."
Duke Fu laughed: "I am waiting for the good news from Tributor Yu."
Before long,
the Princess Consort came in, and seeing Baihe leaving by her side, she was surprised.
"He didn't accept?"
Duke Fu shook his head: "He said that beauty is good, but not to be greedy, he refused but took the silver and jewels."
Princess Consort suddenly thought of something and chuckled softly.
"I probably know the reason."
"Oh?" Duke Fu was surprised: "Xin'er is unusually astute today?"
"Does that mean I'm usually stupid?"
Princess Consort glanced at Duke Fu: "I just met with Yulan. She said that Tributor Yu is infatuated with her body and whips her every day. In half a month, he has taken her... almost ninety times.
At this moment, Tributor Yu is probably more virtuous than a Buddha in a temple."
Upon saying this, she suddenly felt a little sour.
Since she gave birth to Hereditary Prince Fu at eighteen, it had been eight years, and Duke Fu had not been with her as much as in half a month, instead favoring some lovers kept outside the mansion.
Duke Fu seemed to understand the look in the Princess Consort's eyes and was a little embarrassed, so he had to awkwardly change the subject.
"Is there still no one from the court?"
When it came to business, the Princess Consort put away her mood and shook her head: "By rights, it would have been a long time before someone came. Even if they didn't send anyone, they should give a reply. Maybe something happened on the way."
Duke Fu sighed: "Ever since my brother became obsessed with the path of immortality and neglected the court, the affairs of the people have also become chaotic. Those so-called chivalrous martial artists have become more and more disobedient.
If it were ten years ago, who would dare to commit a crime in the Royal Mansion.
Chen Xiao turns out to be a descendant of the Chen family, and I don't know where he learned the evil Five Poison Palms, I regret not being able to eradicate him back then, cough, cough...medicine..."
Duke Fu suddenly coughed violently and reached for the medicine box beside him.
Princess Consort hurriedly helped him get the medicine, just to see Duke Fu coughing up a mass of black blood.
"Prince Wang, what's wrong with you?!"
Duke Fu took the Detoxification Pill, his cough subsided, but his face was visibly worse.
"I am not a martial artist, and I have been indulging in wine, wealth, and lust, leaving my body weakened. This time I was affected by the Five Poison Palms from a distance, and the poisonous gas entered my body. If it weren't for Doctor Huang's Detoxification Pill, I would have been dead."
"Prince Wang, you won't have any problems."
The Princess Consort and Duke Fu had been married for many years, and she couldn't help crying.
"Don't cry."
Duke Fu wiped the tears from the corner of Princess Consort's eyes, but his tone was inevitably melancholy.
"Doctor Huang said that as long as I keep taking the Detoxification Pill, although my body will be weak, it will form a balance with the toxins in my body, and I will not have any problems for three to five years."
"It's just that Little Heng is still young, so you will have to worry more about the Royal Mansion in the future."
Hearing this, Princess Consort held Duke Fu's hand tightly, and remembering the person who broke into the Royal Mansion that night, her eyes were filled with resentment.
When will the cycle of revenge end?