novelraw Chapter 719 - 699: Making Trouble
Chapter 719 - 699: Making Trouble
The inner courtyard of the Imperial Court was heavily guarded. The Beiman people admired martial prowess, and even the inner attendants were all tall and strong. Even in the presence of the King, guards carried blades, and princes entered with swords strapped. The style of the inner courtyard of the Imperial Court was completely different from the opulent and refined red walls and green tiles of the Capital City’s Imperial City. The Imperial Court was built on the highest point of Fox City, towering majestically in the distance, resembling a palace suspended in mid-air. The palace was built from stone, broad at the base and tapering upward, with a rounded structure at its pinnacle. The exterior walls were painted in a bold orange-red hue, standing out vividly against the snowy white landscape.
The topmost portion of the walls was adorned with countless gemstones, which refracted dazzling light amidst the falling snowflakes and sunlight. The architectural style of Fox City’s Imperial Court was unlike anything seen in all of Yanyang, distinctly exotic in nature.
The snow on the roads had long been swept clean. The Second Prince arrived accompanied by the Great Queen, his oldest son, and his eldest daughter—both born of the Great Queen. He and the Great Queen of the Lan Family had been childhood sweethearts, and their love was deep. Although he later married members of the Chanyu Family and others, Xie Jue could tell that the Second Prince cherished and indulged the Great Queen the most. In the mansion, only the Great Queen dared to confront him physically during his fits of rage.
Before entering the Imperial Court, Xie Jue was already warned by the Second Prince. He didn’t know why the Beiman King wanted him to enter the Imperial Court, so the Second Prince instructed Xie Jue to look after his pair of children and, unless necessary, refrain from speaking. Generally, in such occasions, advisors from the mansion attended banquets as mere ornaments; the King rarely summoned them. The Second Prince was wary that Xie Jue might end up like Xiao Jinghong—executed within the Imperial Court.
The Second Prince would never confront the King on behalf of Xie Jue. Though Xie Jue was currently the most valuable strategist in his mansion and had aided the Second Prince greatly, the Second Prince had no intention of letting Xie Jue meet his demise—for now. However, should the Beiman King decide to kill Xie Jue, the Second Prince would be powerless to protect him.
The Beiman King had over a dozen wives and more than twenty sons, but not every son was favored. He was the wisest and most formidable ruler of Beiman, yet he shared the partiality common to all fathers. He had no shortage of biological sons, so it was impossible for him to love each one equally. His lifelong devotion had been to the conquest of Yanyang, so the sons who proved useful to him on the battlefield earned his favor. Currently, his most beloved sons were the First Prince, the Second Prince, and the Ninth Prince, followed by the Fourth and Sixth Princes in the middle ranks.
He bestowed high expectations upon his sons, hoping they would lead Beiman out of the snowy mountains. He wished, within his lifetime, to guide his people over the mountains into the warmth of Yanyang. The conquest of Yanyang was engraved in the hearts of every Beiman warrior. Xie Jue had glimpsed the Beiman King several times from afar. Despite being over fifty, the King remained powerfully built, his thick beard concealing half of his face and revealing a pair of ferocious yet perceptive eyes, fierce like an eagle’s—eyes that belonged to a true king, full of ambition and desire.
With the Second Prince’s family, Xie Jue performed the ceremonial bow. This was his first time seeing the Beiman King up close. Among Yanyang soldiers, Marquis Zhenbei was considered tall and imposing, but the Beiman King was even taller, a full head above him, with a robust physique. Compared to the Beiman King, Xie Jue, thin and youthful, appeared like an eagle facing a fledgling. The sheer presence of the King exuded an overwhelming, dominating force that made Xie Jue’s heart tremble uncontrollably.
The Beiman King’s gaze merely swept across him, frowning slightly before calling them to rise. His eyes lingered no longer on Xie Jue, who had deliberately disguised his appearance and dared not meet the King’s gaze for fear of revealing himself—the Beiman King was too familiar with the men of Marquis Zhenbei Mansion. Fortunately, the King paid him little attention. Following the Second Prince, Xie Jue sat at the feast, tasked with attending to the young heirs of the mansion, blending inconspicuously into the background.
The Beiman banquet was held in a grand hall warmed by floor dragons. Snow swirled outside the doors. Xie Jue’s mind wandered to New Year’s Eve when, perhaps in this very hall, the Beiman King had casually ordered Xiao Jinghong’s execution. One moment Xiao Jinghong had been drinking merrily; the next, he was dragged out to be executed.
Blood stained the pure white snow, only to be swiftly buried under more falling flakes.
Silent and unnoticed.
If Xie Jue were to meet his end in Beiman’s Fox City, it, too, would be silent and unnoticed.
And so Xie Jue readied himself with meticulous vigilance.
The princes who had reached marriage age had their own separate seating; only Dugu Jing remained an exception. The younger and unmarried princes crowded five or six to a table. The table was filled with meat dishes and wine. To his left was the Sixth Prince’s family, who had brought their Great Queen to the banquet. When the Sixth Queen spotted Xie Jue, her expression twisted with disdain. "Mr. Helian, relegated to serving tea and water at our manor, truly wasted his talents."
The sarcasm in her tone was evident. Xie Jue paid little heed. The Sixth Prince was mild-mannered, neither ambitious nor competitive. Were it not for his mother and brother’s competence, his sickly constitution would long have led the Beiman King to abandon him.
His Queen, however, was his polar opposite—a domineering woman who fought tooth and nail for superiority. Mentioning the Sixth Prince Manor always brought to mind its reputation for being ruled by a strong wife and a weak husband; the Queen made nearly all the decisions in the household, while the Sixth Prince’s disposition was meek.
The Second Prince was immediately irritated at her remarks. Protectiveness was the hallmark of Beiman people, and they fiercely shielded their own. "Well, it seems you’re blind. A large piece of gold sits at your doorstep, yet you mistake it for a stone. Who’s to blame for that?"
"I was wondering why Second Brother kept visiting our manor so frequently back then. Turns out it was when he colluded with him," the Sixth Queen countered. "General Meng was murdered in our manor. Who’s to say it wasn’t a case of the thief crying thief?"
Lan sneered coldly, "Sixth Sister-in-law, watch your words. That matter has long since been resolved. If you’re dissatisfied, go weep to the King instead of spitting petty venom here. Mr. Helian did nothing to provoke you. When he visited your manor, you lashed out, beat him, punished him to kneel. You failed to retain him, so you blame others for taking him? Truly laughable!"
The Sixth Prince coughed into his hand, apologizing, "She’s pregnant; her temper has grown sharper. Second Brother, Second Sister-in-law, please don’t take offense."
The Second Prince snorted. "Then congratulations to Sixth Brother on adding to your family."
Dugu Jing glared at Xie Jue. This troublemaker stirred up discord wherever he went, causing his elder siblings to argue unnecessarily. What a wretched nuisance! Killing him earlier would have spared us all this hassle!
"Second Brother," Dugu Jing provoked harshly, "can’t you find anyone useful in your mansion? Relying on such a useless weakling, wind blows and he topples? A waste of space."
The Second Prince, familiar with rumors related to the matter, chuckled. "Within Fox City, how many can challenge you? Still, don’t let your martial prowess inflate your ego. Do you duel every person you meet, or snatch wives and daughters? If you’ve taken a liking to the Second Sister-in-law, challenge me to a duel. Should I lose, would you want me to surrender my wife to you?"
Dugu Jing’s eyes bulged in shock, rendered speechless by the verbal counterpunch. Suddenly, there was a loud smack—the Second Prince Consort slapped the Second Prince’s back. "What nonsense are you spouting?"
Realizing his slip, the Second Prince quickly poured wine to placate his wife, pleading for her forgiveness. Xie Jue, thrust into the center of this whirlpool of arguments, simply continued his meal as if unaffected, calm and indifferent.
Dugu Jing grew even angrier. He found Xie Jue revolting no matter how he looked at him.
Just as he was about to stir trouble again, General Lan entered with Lan Ningzhen in tow.