Chapter 29: The Imperial Palace Birthday Banquet

No matter how thoroughly Duanmu Lei calculated, he never could have imagined that Chu Feng had never been one to act according to common sense.

Whether it was Imperial Prince Kun, whom Duanmu Lei relied on, or the iron laws of the Great Xuan Dynasty, Chu Feng had never placed either in his eyes.

When Chu Feng did things, he only cared about acting as he pleased. So long as something displeased him, he would insist on interfering.

“Governor Duanmu, I think you have misunderstood the purpose of my visit today.”

“Whether this letter is genuine or false is not what matters most to me. It merely serves as something to hand over to those above,” Chu Feng said with a cold laugh as he looked at Duanmu Lei.

Duanmu Lei’s heart trembled when he heard that, and he looked up at Chu Feng in horror.

Without giving Duanmu Lei another chance to speak, Chu Feng swept his arm through the air.

A vast surge of Spiritual Qi instantly engulfed both Duanmu Lei and Liu Yi.

Strand after strand of Spiritual Qi burst wildly across their bodies, and every single strand carried power no weaker than the full-force strike of an Innate-realm expert.

Duanmu Lei was fortunate enough that his own cultivation had already reached the Innate Realm. Though blood burst from all over his body under that strike and soaked him completely, a faint trace of life still remained in him as he collapsed to the ground, unconscious.

Liu Yi, however, whose strength was only at the Fourth Rank, was far less fortunate. He did not even have time to let out a cry before he died on the spot.

Chu Feng merely cast a cold glance at them and casually waved his hand.

Shi, standing behind him, immediately understood and walked deeper into the manor.

Not long afterward, Shi returned with several letters in hand.

“Young Master, these letters contain detailed records of the many crimes Duanmu Lei committed after becoming Governor of the Shuxia Domain.”

“Among them is evidence that he secretly ordered the Primordial Yang Sect to massacre Lin Village.”

“Mm. Send all of those letters to the Capital,” Chu Feng said. He did not even bother taking the letters to read them.

“Yes,” Shi replied respectfully.

After the three of them left the Governor’s Manor, they did not linger any longer in the Shuxia Domain and set out once more.

...

Two days later, in the imperial palace of the Great Xuan Dynasty’s Capital, lanterns and colored decorations could be seen everywhere.

The ministers all dressed with great care and, in a festive mood, carried the gifts they had painstakingly prepared into the palace to attend this birthday banquet.

As the most doted-upon consort of the Emperor of the Great Xuan Dynasty, Noble Consort Ronghua held a grand birthday banquet every year.

This year in particular, as Noble Consort Ronghua’s two sons, the Third Prince and the Fifth Prince, had grown steadily more influential at court and were already beginning to show the makings of contenders for the throne, some of the officials in court, even if they had not secretly attached themselves to their faction, still dared not offend the two princes openly.

As night fell, fireworks filled the skies above the palace, and their dreamlike brilliance illuminated the entire Capital.

Inside a side hall of the palace, Chu Aotian, the Emperor of the Great Xuan Dynasty, sat dressed in a golden imperial robe. The five-clawed golden dragons embroidered upon it looked vividly alive, displaying the majesty of a sovereign.

Seated beside Chu Aotian was a richly elegant and captivating woman. It was as though time had left no trace upon her face. Her features were exquisite, and she wore only the lightest touch of makeup.

Aside from the striking curves concealed beneath her long gown, the most eye-catching thing about her was the headpiece she wore.

The headpiece was carved with all manner of vivid scenes, and it was set with many precious jades. Yet the most dazzling of all was the deep violet gem at its center.

It was actually a rare Purple Moon Jade!

Below, all the officials of the Capital were present, seated in order according to rank, raising their cups and drinking freely.

Aside from them, the princes currently in the Capital had also all come, giving Noble Consort Ronghua more than enough face.

Among the princes, several of them wore smiles and exchanged polite words, and the atmosphere appeared harmonious.

“Fifth Brother, you truly stole the spotlight at this birthday banquet.”

“To think you actually managed to come across a rare treasure like the Purple Moon Jade. I am honestly envious,” the Second Prince, Chu Xiong, said with a smile as he looked at the Fifth Prince, Chu Jingshan.

“Exactly. Even a treasure like the Purple Moon Jade was something Fifth Brother managed to find. His filial devotion is plain for all to see!”

“I will not say anything more. Fifth Brother, let me offer you a toast!” The other princes, unaware of the full situation, all chimed in one after another.

Chu Jingshan forced a smile and exchanged pleasantries with the others, but inwardly he felt as though he had swallowed a fly.

The news of the Primordial Yang Sect’s destruction had already spread throughout the Great Xuan Dynasty over the past two days.

Among the princes present, any who possessed even a little influence understood that Chu Xiong had been the mastermind behind it.

The Purple Moon Jade was rare, yes, but in the end it was only a dead object. It was in no way comparable to the Primordial Yang Sect.

So when Chu Xiong brought up the Purple Moon Jade now, he was clearly tearing open Chu Jingshan’s wound.

Yet in a setting like this, Chu Jingshan could not allow himself to grow angry. He could only swallow the bitterness in silence.

When Chu Xiong saw that Chu Jingshan was ignoring him, he found it rather dull, so he lifted his wine cup and toasted the man seated to his left.

“Big Brother, a drink!”

Crown Prince Chu Qiao appeared to be a man in his early thirties. His appearance was ordinary, but a warm smile always rested on his face, giving others the impression that he was approachable and easygoing.

Chu Qiao raised his cup, and when his gaze met Chu Xiong’s, there was no need for words. The two exchanged a smile and drained their wine.

Seated to Chu Xiong’s right was the Third Prince, Chu Jingyun. As always, a languid expression rested upon his strikingly handsome face.

He had never liked occasions like this. If today had not been his mother’s birthday banquet, he would not have wanted to remain here for even a moment.

The harmonious scene of the princes before him only felt unbearably false to him.

“What a pity Fourth Brother is not here,” Chu Jingyun said with a quiet sigh as he glanced at the empty seat on his right and drank alone.

Among all the princes, Chu Jingyun liked the Fourth Prince the most. Even his own full brother could not compare.

Perhaps in the eyes of others, the Fourth Prince was an oddity among the many princes.

But in Chu Jingyun’s eyes, the Fourth Prince was a pure man, one who devoted all his thoughts to the things that truly interested him.

Chu Jingyun had always felt that he and Fourth Brother were the same kind of person.

He, too, was a very pure person.

He wanted only one thing: to sit upon the throne of the Great Xuan Dynasty.

Was that not purity as well?

“Fifth Brother, where did Fourth Brother go?” Chu Jingyun finally could not hold back any longer and looked toward Chu Jingshan as he asked.

Hearing this, Chu Jingshan turned toward him and said helplessly, “Third Brother, Fourth Brother went to Hengzhou.”

“Hengzhou? What did Fourth Brother go there for?” Chu Jingyun asked, his brows drawing together.

“Third Brother, do you not know what Fourth Brother is like?”

“If there is nothing there to attract him, he would not even step out of his residence.”

“These past two days, the Seventh Master of Azure Cloud Academy returned after roaming the world and held an exchange gathering in Hengzhou. The moment Fourth Brother heard about it, he immediately set out and rushed there,” Chu Jingshan explained truthfully.

“So that was it,” Chu Jingyun said in sudden understanding.

His Fourth Brother had no interest in worldly affairs at all. The only thing he truly loved was reading literature and the classics.

And Azure Cloud Academy, as the foremost academy of the Great Xuan Dynasty, had ten Masters beneath its Headmaster, every one of them a renowned giant in the literary world.

So it was only natural that Fourth Brother would go attend the Seventh Master’s gathering.