Imperial Cultivation

Chapter 104: Chapter 102 Persistence

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When Chu Zhiyuan returned to the Listening Wave Pavilion for a noon rest, he lay on the couch, still thinking about how to deal with Song Tianhai before sleep.

If Song Tianhai had directly challenged him, he would not have been angry.

Not directly attacking him but instead dealing with his younger sister Chu Yi, involving family members, made him especially hate it, deciding to severely deal with Song Tianhai.

However, since Song Tianhai was a young Duke and a guerrilla general in the army, dealing with him would require some thought and consideration.

The court has its own laws, and the princely heir cannot completely ignore the laws, doing whatever he wants, hitting whoever he wishes.

He must act according to the law and occupy a justified position.

Barging into the Duke Kang Mansion and dragging Song Tianhai out for a beating, although no one would stop or even retaliate against him, he would face severe punishment from the Emperor, at worst being ordered to seclusion for reflection, at best penalized.

Cancelling the opportunity to earn merits for several years would delay his cultivation; a single misstep could lead to further delays, ultimately costing him the chance to become a Grandmaster.

Suffering such a loss for one Song Tianhai is truly not worth it.

That night, when he attended a banquet at the Eighteenth Prince’s Mansion, Chu Mingxuan, amid the revelry, he brought up the issue.

”Deal with Song Tianhai?” Chu Mingxuan sneered, ”That kid indeed needs some discipline; Third Brother has long wanted to deal with him!”

Chu Zhiyuan looked towards Chu Zhiyao.

Chu Zhiyao frowned and said, ”How did that guy offend you, Fourth Brother?”

Chu Zhiyuan recounted the events.

”That’s precisely that guy’s method, despicable and vicious!” Chu Zhiyao snorted coldly, ”Like a toad, not biting but nauseating!”

”Third Brother, have you been at a loss against him for years?” Chu Zhiyuan asked.

Chu Zhiyao said, ”Not always at a loss; I can defeat him openly and outdo him in achievements!”

Chu Zhiyuan smiled at him.

Chu Mingxuan chuckled, ”Besides taking losses, what can you do? After all, he’s the elder brother-in-law, part of the family.”

”Fourth Brother, I support you in dealing with him, just don’t kill him!” Chu Zhiyao snorted, ”I’d be eager to see him suffer a loss!”

Chu Zhiyuan asked, ”Does he have any weaknesses?”

”Weaknesses...” Chu Zhiyao thought for a moment, ”He seems to have no weaknesses.”

”Anyone he cares about?” Chu Zhiyuan probed, ”Does he have someone he loves or a woman he’s fond of?”

Return in kind.

Unable to deal with Song Tianhai’s sisters, since they were related to Chu Zhiyao’s wife or her sisters, another woman had to be involved.

Chu Zhiyao said, ”He spends all his time practicing martial arts, uninterested in women, rarely going out for pleasure, and as for marriage, he hasn’t been engaged.”

He’s only infatuated with Xiao Ruoling, the most beautiful woman in Yujing.

But now that Xiao Ruoling had become Fourth Brother’s sister-in-law, it was inappropriate to mention her, so he avoided saying it directly.

Chu Zhiyuan pondered, ”Martial arts...”

Chu Zhiyao hastily asked, ”Fourth Brother, how are you planning to deal with him?”

His eyes showed excitement.

His disdain for his elder brother-in-law was extreme, yet he was powerless, making him feel exceptionally frustrated.

”Let’s just say that it’s better to resolve enmity than to create more, after all, he’s your elder brother-in-law, and a young duke, you can’t make an irreconcilable grudge,” Chu Zhiyuan pondered, ”Why not invite him for a drink and settle this matter?”

This statement took Chu Mingxuan and the others by surprise, and they exchanged glances.

”Fourth Brother, are you kidding?” Chu Mingxuan quickly asked.

Chu Zhiyuan smiled, ”Eighteenth Uncle, I’m serious, not speaking in jest.”

”Fourth Brother, are you really not joking?” Chu Zhiting was puzzled.

Chu Zhichuan also looked at him confusedly.

”Fourth Brother, you really want to invite him over for a meal?” Chu Mingxuan asked incredulously, ”That guy is extremely arrogant, he may not even appreciate the invitation.”

”Not just him, but us together as well,” Chu Zhiyuan smiled, ”And not at the Prince Mansion, but at my new residence.”

”The new house near the Bright Moon Tower?” Chu Mingxuan asked.

Chu Zhiyuan smiled, ”Everyone must be curious, so let’s have the banquet there, inviting the young duke and a few of his friends, and best to include other young dukes as well.”

”This sounds good,” Chu Mingxuan laughed, ”It’s a pity there aren’t many of the eight young dukes in the capital; most are in the military.”

”Invite as many as we can get, but not sure if they’d give me face,” Chu Zhiyuan smiled.

”Absolutely no problem,” Chu Mingxuan exclaimed with enthusiasm, ”Everyone wants to get closer to you, but just hasn’t had the chance.”

Since Fourth Brother defeated Cheng Tianfeng at the imperial palace’s night banquet, he won the hearts of the entire Imperial Family, so there was no concern about invitations being refused.

Even not just the eight young dukes, but if eight dukes were invited, they’d come to the banquet if in the capital.

”Then send the invitations tomorrow, and hold the banquet the day after, how does that sound?”

This kind of formal dinner invitation is inappropriate to be delivered on the same day as the invitation; there needs to be at least a day’s gap.

”Sounds good!” Chu Mingxuan clapped his hands.

He loved lively events the most, and hearing of such an occasion, wished the banquet could start immediately.

——

Chu Zhiyuan sat in a room within the Inspection Department.

The room was so quiet a pin drop could be heard.

Outside, the chirping of birds was loud and clear, echoing.

Ma Tianhe stood solemnly by the side, saying nothing, merely watching the dossier in Chu Zhiyuan’s hands, waiting for him to finish reading one and then placing it in the box.

Chu Zhiyuan’s gaze had been fixed on one dossier for a long time, motionless.

Ma Tianhe did not dare to urge or speak.

Chu Zhiyuan’s silence at this moment exerted enormous pressure, as if a storm were about to come, not daring to make a rash move.

Chu Zhiyuan frowned at the dossier before him.

It detailed the negotiations between officials from Da Jing and Da Zhen, every word of their conversations recorded meticulously.

One can’t help but admire the Inspection Department’s prowess, with its vast network and talented individuals.

To remember all these words clearly required not only having someone present but also extraordinary memory.

Among those he met, only two people had such an eidetic memory: Zou Fang and Huang Shiron.

Such individuals were indeed rare.

Yet, there were such talents within the Inspection Department.

What surprised him wasn’t the talents within the Inspection Department but the contents of the negotiations.

There were multiple sticking points between the two sides.

One was the number of troops at the border, with Da Zhen leaning towards retaining more, whereas Da Jing preferred fewer troops.

The other contentious point was the candidate for a marriage alliance.

Da Jing had selected the Twenty-Third Prince, but Da Zhen firmly disagreed, insisting on Chu Zhiyuan.

Even though Da Jing officials had clearly stated that the Prince Qing’s heir was already engaged to the Duke An’s Mansion’s lady and could not break this engagement.

Yet Da Zhen proposed having two consorts, Chu Zhiyuan could marry two Heir Consorts, the East and West Princess Consorts, with no distinction in rank.

Da Jing officials categorically opposed.

The two consorts, being a privilege exclusive to the Emperor, with the East Palace Empress and West Palace Empress, as an heir, one could only establish a primary wife, not allowing two consorts to coexist equally.

Da Zhen’s officials argued for making Xiao Ruoling a concubine and Da Zhen’s princess the primary wife, as the Da Zhen princess was royalty while Xiao Ruoling was merely a duke’s daughter.

Da Jing officials insisted the Twenty-Third Prince should marry Da Zhen’s princess; prince and princess were most suitable matches, while heir and princess fell short, not conveying the alliance’s sincerity.

Da Zhen officials held firm that Chu Zhiyuan should establish Da Zhen’s princess as the primary Heir Consort.

Both sides were deadlocked.

They had already debated for four rounds, unable to persuade each other.

Chu Zhiyuan’s expression grew increasingly grave.

He vaguely sensed that the tone of Da Jing’s officials was softening, and if this trend continued, they might not withstand Da Zhen’s stance.

This situation was indeed unfavorable.

He slowly put down the dossier, and Ma Tianhe quickly stepped forward to take it, placing it in the box, and softly asked, ”Your Highness...?”

Chu Zhiyuan sighed, ”A tree wishes to be still, but the wind does not cease.”

Ma Tianhe asked, ”Your Highness, do you have worries? Though I am foolish, perhaps I might have a foolish insight!”

Chu Zhiyuan looked at him and smiled, ”Your courtesy is appreciated, Lord Ma. ... By the way, the Twelfth Prince from the Da Lie envoy seems peculiar.”

”The Twelfth Prince of Da Lie?” Ma Tianhe was taken aback.

Chu Zhiyuan said, ”The other day at the Four Directions Pavilion, I ran into him, and this Twelfth Prince seemed not quite right.”

”What seemed wrong?” Ma Tianhe’s spirit lifted.

Chu Zhiyuan frowned, ”He doesn’t quite seem like a prince, ... it’s just a feeling; it’s hard to explain, just intuition, but there’s likely something strange.”

The princes and heirs of royal blood had a certain aura that ordinary people did not possess, an aura so subtle and faint that it’s hard to describe.

Super Sense, however, could sense this aura.

The princes and heirs of Da Jing, Da Zhen, and even the Da Jian envoy all had this aura, yet the Da Lie prince did not.

At that time, the expressions of Da Lie’s prince and his guards were unusual, clearly suggesting guilt, as if fearing a discovery.

The combination of these observations could not help but arouse suspicion.

This served as a contribution to the Inspection Department, an exchange of favors.

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