Chapter 103: Chapter 98: Let’s Have a Fair and Square Match

This outer layer of golden light was the Household Protection Talisman Array of Prince Jin’s Mansion.

He had deployed a large number of Blood Glutton Shadow Warriors near Prince Jin’s Mansion.

After half a month, he had come to a conclusion.

The only way to infiltrate Prince Jin’s Mansion was to join it.

These past few days, he had seen visitors come and go—some leaving dejected, others entering the mansion with joyful faces.

They were recruiting Guest Scholars. Only by becoming one of them could he gather more information.

If he wanted to ensure Lu Guangjing’s death, this was the only way to start.

So, he revealed himself and knocked on the door of Prince Jin’s Mansion.

A Gatekeeper opened a side door, rubbing his eyes. “Who is it? It’s so late. What business do you have at the Prince Mansion?”

“Are you still recruiting Guest Scholars?”

The Shadow Warrior’s frame was rather tall, and combined with the Bronze Beast Mask he wore, he cut a sinister figure in the dead of night. The sight jolted the Gatekeeper, chasing away some of his sleepiness as he asked warily:

“What can you do? What can you offer His Highness?”

Lu Mingyuan, having observed for half a month, knew exactly what would be asked. He gave his prepared answer, “I know Escape Techniques and Saber Techniques. I can kill for His Highness.”

The Gatekeeper nodded slightly. “So, you’re an Assassin. As it happens, His Highness is in dire need of Guards. You can give it a try.”

Prince Jin’s Mansion had suffered several setbacks, resulting in the loss of many internal experts. If a capable person with a high Cultivation level offered their services, they would naturally not be turned away.

Lu Mingyuan naturally understood this. ’Otherwise, I wouldn’t have said I specialize in killing.’

’He’d lost count of how many Assassins from Prince Jin’s Mansion he had already killed.’

’If you asked where those Assassins died, well, most of them died because of me.’

The people of the Capital City all believed the Second Prince was gentle and refined, steady and strategic, and exceptionally handsome—an excellent choice to inherit the throne.

In reality, he had an unknown number of Assassins and spies under his command, his eyes and ears spread throughout the Capital City.

The Gatekeeper took out a brush and paper from his sleeve, wrote something, stamped it with a seal, and handed it to Lu Mingyuan.

“Congratulations. Here is your qualification for the test. Come back in three days.”

Lu Mingyuan took the paper and glanced at it. It was a code. “C-127. What does this mean?”

The Gatekeeper explained, “It’s your number. In three days, you’ll use this to participate in the test.”

“Alright.”

With that, he shut the main gate.

Lu Mingyuan put away the slip of paper, dissolved into a pool of blood, and vanished on the spot, in no mood to appreciate the charms of the Imperial Capital by night.

He knew that infiltrating Prince Jin’s Mansion was only the first step.

The next part, gaining their trust, was the most crucial.

’What I really want is to make Lu Guangjing suffer a complete death, his body destroyed and his spirit broken.’

’He dared to use a Heart Inquiry Bureau against me, so I’ll make him taste a Heart Inquiry Bureau of my own.’

…

「The next morning.」

Qingzhu Hall was bustling with activity.

Qi Muxue had arrived at the Cold Palace early in the morning, and with her came Huo Hongling, a spirited young woman with a high ponytail, dressed in a deep red Martial Robe.

Lu Mingyuan looked at the two of them before him, feeling utterly helpless.

According to their agreement, if he were to marry both Qi Muxue and Huo Hongling, he would need to present betrothal gifts. Both would be married into the family with the rites befitting a principal wife, but their titles would differ: one would have to be the Princess Consort and the other a Consort.

Even so, this arrangement was already unprecedented.

Before he could decide on their titles and before the formal wedding ceremony—which involved a whole series of traditional rites and betrothal procedures—there was another custom in the Great Yan Dynasty. A fiancée was to serve her future husband tea in the morning as a sign of intimacy, a pre-nuptial formality in Great Yan.

This was a rule Lu Mingyuan had never even heard of in his past life. ’I always thought couples in ancient times weren’t allowed to meet before marriage. Of course, this is just one of Great Yan’s many unheard-of customs.’

They had originally agreed that Huo Hongling would come on odd-numbered days and Qi Muxue on even-numbered days, taking turns.

However, because Huo Hongling had been training late into the night, she’d gotten the date wrong.

She had shown up on a day that was supposed to be for Qi Muxue.

This led to the current awkward atmosphere.

For Lu Mingyuan and Qi Muxue, greeting each other was as natural as eating or drinking. But he wasn’t yet familiar with Huo Hongling. They had only been able to meet because of the Holy Emperor’s decree of marriage; otherwise, they would have remained strangers.

During the silence, Lu Mingyuan took the chance to study Huo Hongling carefully.

Huo Hongling was indeed beautiful. She was extremely young, no older than eighteen, and wore no makeup. She had crimson lips, slender brows, and a fair complexion. Her heroic aura overshadowed any trace of powdered femininity, and she carried herself with a clean, sharp air.

Combined with her noble birth as the only daughter of the Champion Marquis, her considerable talent in the Martial Dao, and a figure and temperament that were one in a million, she was truly a favored daughter of heaven. If she were to marry a Young Master Shi from a Duke’s Mansion, or any Prince and Duke, a crowd would surely be fighting for her hand.

’No wonder she looked down on me back then. Given the original owner’s wretched character, even I had trouble adapting when I first arrived.’

However, as outstanding as she was, to a man like Lu Mingyuan who had seen countless women, she wasn’t that captivating. ’In terms of looks and grace, I prefer Qi Muxue. In terms of obedience, she’s no match for Hong Wan Ziyun. In terms of figure and charm, she pales in comparison to my sister-in-law, Yang Yingchan. And in terms of strength, she’s inferior to Yun Qinghe.’

This was why he hadn’t agreed when his mother first came to the Cold Palace to inform him of the engagement. For one, he was afraid of ruining the young woman’s future, and for another, he had anticipated the whole drama of a broken engagement.

’But who would have thought that with a single imperial decree from the Champion Marquis, he would have to endure it all anyway.’

’If they were really to marry, he would see it through to the end. At the very least, he wouldn’t let her be too embarrassed.’

While he was sizing her up, she was doing the very same to him.

Huo Hongling observed Lu Mingyuan intently. From the moment they met, her gaze had hardly left him.

’But he doesn’t seem to have any interest in me. When he spoke earlier, he smiled, but all his conversation was directed at Qi Muxue. I only managed to say ’good morning’ to the Sixth Prince, because we have nothing to talk about.’

’Is this really the rumored wastrel?’

It left her a bit dazed and with a sour feeling in her heart.

She didn’t want to compare herself to Qi Muxue, but being here in this situation, she couldn’t help it. She felt that she probably couldn’t compete with Qi Muxue.

Although most of the news about Lu Mingyuan in the Capital City recently had been negative, now that she was seeing the Sixth Prince, Lu Mingyuan, in person, she found it hard to reconcile the rumors with the man before her.

Using [Recognizing People], Lu Mingyuan saw through to her hidden embarrassment in a single glance.

’She’s clearly unwilling to admit defeat. Leaving now would be tantamount to losing to Qi Muxue.’

’It seems she’s quite hung up on the matter of titles after all.’

“Your Highness, please have some tea.”

Qi Muxue smiled faintly and offered him the freshly brewed tea, her posture elegant and her etiquette impeccable.

Huo Hongling, on the other hand, was not having such an easy time.

Flustered, she fumbled and nearly dropped a cup, but her quick reflexes saved it just in time.

Lu Mingyuan massaged his temples. Watching Huo Hongling’s clumsy attempt to serve tea gave him a headache. He couldn’t help but say:

“Miss Huo, why force yourself? If you don’t wish to do this, then don’t. There’s no need to put yourself through it.”

However, his words made Huo Hongling’s body tremble.

Her nose tingled, and she lowered her head.

“I understand…”

With that, she slowly left Qingzhu Hall.

Seeing this, a flash of concern appeared in Qi Muxue’s eyes.

“I suspect Miss Huo is also acting out of helplessness, bound by the imperial decree. Your Highness, what you just did was undoubtedly a blow to her pride, like issuing an ultimatum. The last straw she was holding onto is probably about to break.”

Lu Mingyuan was surprised to hear this, not expecting Qi Muxue to speak up for Huo Hongling.

He truly hadn’t considered that.

But Qi Muxue, being a woman herself, was able to notice it.

“Aren’t you…”

Qi Muxue smiled gently. “I am not that kind of woman.”

“Go after her. No matter what, Miss Huo is a woman of integrity. With the Champion Marquis behind her, her words and actions are bound to be formidable. It wouldn’t hurt to be a little more tolerant.”

Hearing this, Lu Mingyuan couldn’t help but marvel at her reasonableness and magnanimity.

“Mu Xue, you truly have the heart of an Empress.”

At his words, Qi Muxue blushed and chided, “Aren’t you going to go?”

Lu Mingyuan quickly went after her.

He found her in a bamboo grove within the Harem.

Huo Hongling was staring blankly at a bamboo stalk.

“Miss Huo, so this is where you are.”

Lu Mingyuan found her quickly and couldn’t help but scratch his head.

“Are you alright?”

Huo Hongling shook her head, her gaze distant, and clenched her fist.

“I’m fine. I was just wondering why I’m not strong enough. Not strong enough to support the Huo Family, not strong enough to control my own destiny, not strong enough to let my father live in the Capital City without a care, free from the need for a political marriage.”

Lu Mingyuan’s expression softened, seeing the sorrow deep in her heart.

A young woman born in a Marquis Mansion, who appeared strong and competitive but was extremely sensitive, silently shouldering everything on her own.

He smiled faintly. “Why are there so many ’whys’ in this world? Even a Saint has things they cannot do. Even a Martial Artist at the peak of the Martial Dao must still answer to the Court. Miss Huo, why trouble yourself over nothing? Sometimes, if you take a step back and look at the people and things around you, you might be able to let go of your obsessions and ease your burden.”

“’A time will come to ride the wind and cleave the waves; I’ll hang my cloud-white sail and cross the sea which raves.’ It’s best to just look on the bright side.”

Hearing this, Huo Hongling’s eyes took on a slightly dazed look.

She recalled the events of the past few years.

She had always seen her father as her goal in the Martial Dao, feeling she had to outperform others in everything she did, or else she would be unable to inherit his legacy. She was afraid people would look down on her for being a woman and insult the name of the Champion Marquis.

Furthermore, she wanted to vindicate her father’s name, to prove that the Champion Marquis’s Mansion was in no way inferior to any of the other Seven Great Marquis’s Mansions.

Now, it seemed she didn’t need to do all that. The name of the Champion Marquis still shone brightly across Great Yan, never having been tarnished.

Looking at it this way, she had indeed been putting too much pressure on herself.

At this thought, her heart felt much lighter.

Huo Hongling turned her head to look at Lu Mingyuan, a complex expression in her eyes.

’Before, I was wondering why someone like Qi Muxue, the number one talent of her generation, would fall for Lu Mingyuan.’

’Now, I think I’m starting to understand why.’

“Thank you for your comfort, Your Highness. However, I have a request, if I may trouble you.”

“Go on,” Lu Mingyuan nodded.

“Let’s have a proper, fair and square match. Last time, we were both too restrained. It was an insult to the Martial Dao. I feel that Your Highness’s strength is greater than what you showed, and it has been a regret of mine ever since.”

Huo Hongling said, her eyes burning with intensity. Ever since their last exchange, she had noticed some clues that the Sixth Prince’s Martial Arts Cultivation was not as weak as she had imagined.

Seeing her challenging stance, Lu Mingyuan couldn’t help but smile wryly.

’Another duel?’

’But it seems there’s no room for refusal right now.’

’I might as well exchange a few moves with her and coax her into going home.’

So, he nodded in agreement.

“Alright.”

…

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