Imperial Cultivation

Chapter 112: Chapter 110 Light and Shadow

Chu Zhiyuan raised a hand.

Song Tianhai quickly shrank back to dodge.

But he was supported by Ye Baichao, causing both of them to stagger and retreat awkwardly.

Chu Zhiyuan only made a feint, not truly attacking, with a half-smile, ”Reacting so quickly, are you truly drunk?”

Song Tianhai had been punched earlier and was now like a startled bird, his dodge just an instinctive reaction, extremely swift.

This dodge nearly exposed the truth.

Everyone could see that even if he was drunk, he was only slightly so, not to the point of delirium.

He was indeed using this as an excuse to act drunkenly!

Chu Zhiyuan looked at him mockingly.

As they say, plans cannot keep up with changes.

Originally planning to take advantage of Song Tianhai’s drunken disorder to teach him a harsh lesson and vent some anger.

But as he was about to make a move, a better idea suddenly struck him.

Simply physically teaching him a lesson would be satisfying but not harsh enough.

Just superficial wounds wouldn’t teach a deep enough lesson.

Dealing with Song Tianhai required being more ruthless.

Not only physical punishment, but also social death.

”Chu Zhiyuan!” Song Tianhai stepped forward two steps, sneering, ”Come on, just hit me, let’s see what you can do to me!”

He spread his arms wide, showing defiance and fearlessness.

Chu Zhiyuan extended a hand.

Song Tianhai couldn’t help but instinctively shrink back again.

It was the scene at the imperial palace night banquet that influenced him, the swordsmanship Chu Zhiyuan exhibited left him apprehensive.

”Aren’t you unafraid,” Chu Zhiyuan’s right hand paused in midair, teasingly saying, ”Still calling me hypocritical, Song Tianhai, isn’t this hypocrisy?”

Song Tianhai’s face flushed red with anger as he glared at him.

Chu Zhiyuan’s repeated feints made him wish that he would actually strike; these feints were like making a fool out of him.

Under the scrutiny of many, he appeared quite foolish.

Chu Zhiyuan said, ”Since you’re drunk, why not be helped to a side room to rest, sleep it off, and leave tomorrow at leisure.”

”No need!” Song Tianhai huffed, ”This place, every moment longer is disgusting, we’re leaving!”

Ye Baichuan gently tugged at his sleeve, signaling for him to stop speaking.

The things said tonight had already been quite excessive.

The hereditary titles of the eight dukes remained untouched, but they were still subjects, and even though the Prince Qing Mansion was shunned by the Emperor, it is still a prince’s residence, the Emperor’s own son.

Song Tianhai’s drunken words tonight might spread with wings by tomorrow throughout Yujing City, and even the outskirts would delightfully gossip about it.

Then, how would the Emperor view Song Tianhai?

How would the courtiers view Song Tianhai?

How would the military view Song Tianhai?

Even if it was misconduct after drunkenness, and it was drunken talk, but when was drunken talk not true feelings?

Such disrespectful words towards the monarch are truly over the top.

Furthermore, under rumor upon rumor, many might not even treat these as drunken words, potentially severely impacting the Duke Kang Mansion.

...

Song Tianhai ignored the tugging, shouting aloud, ”This damned place, shouldn’t have come!”

Chu Zhiyuan touched his own face.

Everyone seemed to understand his intent; this was being metaphorically slapped by Song Tianhai, again and again.

Chu Zhiyuan looked at Ye Baichao, ”Lord Ye, Ye Third, help Young Lord Song to the side room to rest.”

”This...” Ye Baichao looked toward Song Tianhai.

Song Tianhai sneered, ”Rest, my ass!”

Chu Zhiyuan said, ”Even if you drank little, blowing outside in the wind might be unbearable, hurry up now!”

At this moment, he still showed concern for Song Tianhai’s well-being, drawing admiration from the princes and heirs.

Too benevolent!

Perhaps this is inherited from Chu Minghou.

A benevolent person, how can they not be likable?

Ye Baichuan intervened before Ye Baichao, quickly saying, ”Quick, help Young Lord to the side room.”

”I’m not going!” Song Tianhai quickly retorted, ”Ye Third, are you listening to him or to me!?”

”Young Lord...” Ye Baichuan said, ”The wind outside is too strong, if we really return to the mansion, I fear...”

”Am I afraid of a little wind?!” Song Tianhai sneered, ”If I’m not afraid of Chu Zhiyuan’s fist, why fear the wind!”

Chu Zhiyuan said, ”Zou Fang.”

”My Lord.” Zou Fang appeared like a shadow.

”Have someone bring in a sedan chair.”

”Understood.”

Zou Fang drifted away gracefully.

Moments later, four strong men carried a rosewood sedan chair into the room.

Without needing further instructions from Chu Zhiyuan, Ye Baichao and Ye Baichuan hurriedly tried to help Song Tianhai, but he struggled violently with great strength, and they couldn’t move him.

”Chu Zhiyuan! You’re not worthy of Miss Xiao!” Song Tianhai roared, glaring at Chu Zhiyuan.

”Off you go!” Chu Zhiyuan kicked him flying into the sedan, brushing his robe, ”Such a nuisance!”

Song Tianhai landed steadily inside, glaring at Chu Zhiyuan with a fierce expression.

Others saw it as anger.

Only he knew it was due to pain.

As though being cut into a thousand pieces, every part excruciatingly painful, like burning fire or searing knives, he wished he could pass out from the pain.

”Send him away.” Chu Zhiyuan waved a hand.

That kick used the Hell Suppressing Killing Force, making the recipient feel as though they were in hell after death, enduring severe punishments.

It was a secret technique for interrogation, unbearable even for a strong man.

It was something stumbled upon while flipping through books in Tongtian Pavilion, learned as a whim, never expecting to use it now.

Others just saw a seemingly effortless kick, lightly sending him into the sedan.

Unaware that this kick surpassed thousands of kicks.

Enough to make him never forget what hidden force was, what genuine hypocrisy was.

Ye Baichao and Ye Baichuan hurriedly approached, discovering Song Tianhai was merely sealed at his acupoints, not daring to unseal them for fear of further trouble, lowered the sedan curtain, and departed with the porters.

Chu Zhiyuan watched them leave, expressionless.

Feeling secretly pleased inside.

Who would have thought Song Tianhai’s grimace was due to pain; had his acupoints not been sealed, he would have been howling and pleading.

For now, a bit of anger was relieved!

...

”What a damn thing!” Chu Mingxuan’s teeth itched with anger, wishing he could go up and slap him a few times.

The other princes and heirs felt the same.

Even Bai Yangqing shook his head repeatedly.

Xiao Ruoyu had long been furious, his eyes bloodshot, desperately restraining himself, feeling like Song Tianhai was slapping his own face.

He glared discontentedly at Chu Zhiyuan, not understanding why Chu Zhiyuan could endure, letting Song Tianhai speak such nonsense.

If it were him, he would have harshly disciplined him, making him unable to speak, at least bedridden for half a year.

”Sigh...” Chu Zhiyuan forced a bitter smile at everyone, ”Faced with this kind, what can be done!”

Chu Mingxuan huffed, ”This Song Tianhai, truly drunk or pretending?”

”Hard to say,” Chu Zhichuan said faintly.

”He should really be drunk.” Chu Zhiyao quickly said, ”He has been like this since childhood; even when drunk, he appears very sober, as if not drunk.”

This brother-in-law is hateful, but if these weren’t drunken words, how would the Duke Kang Mansion find its place?

As kids, when the young lords, princes, and heirs played and fought, the Emperor, Prince, and Dukes wouldn’t take it seriously; kids messing around was nothing to take seriously.

But now it’s no longer childhood, daring to insult a heir like that, it’s outrageous.

He even wondered if Song Tianhai did it because he was his brother-in-law, always at odds, thus not regarding the heir, daring to act so incredibly.

...

Chu Zhitian frowned discontentedly, ”Truly drunk and saying such unpleasant things? Fourth brother, why be polite with someone like this, just slap him! Hit him a few times, see if he’s still drunk!”

”Let him off this time,” Chu Zhichuan said, ”but worry that next time he pretends to be drunk and insults fourth brother.”

Chu Zhiyuan said, ”If there’s a next time, really deal with him!”

”What is this, fourth brother, you’ve been wronged!” Chu Zhichuan resentfully said, ”Relying on being a young lord can speak with no restraint? Wouldn’t it be easy for fourth brother to deal with him!”

In terms of cultivation, in terms of status, what is Song Tianhai?

Dealing with him is like dealing with a child; yet fourth brother didn’t act.

”Still must give face to Duke Kang,” Chu Zhiyuan said, ”The Duke Mansion has contributed greatly to Da Jing, how can we be too wanton?”

”Hmph, you give Duke Kang face, give Duke Mansion face, but they don’t give our heir face!” Chu Zhitian sneered, ”Their face is face, and ours isn’t?”

”Exactly, fourth brother, you should’ve dealt with him!”

”Fourth brother, you’re too composed, unnecessary to endure.”

...

All the princes and heirs shook their heads, thinking Chu Zhiyuan too lacking in fierceness, feeling that dealing with him harshly at the time made sense wherever they went.

Chu Zhiyuan smiled without refuting.

The taste of that punch and kick is not easy to bear.

As for being angry, like a divine calmness, Song Tianhai stirred little real anger.

Firstly, using Song Tianhai to enhance one’s own good image.

Secondly, seeing if it could influence the Emperor’s attitude toward the Prince Qing Mansion.

Look, how his grandson was bullied, wasn’t it all because of his coldness towards Prince Qing Mansion, leading the world to look down upon it, even the young lord of the Duke Kang Mansion dared to fiercely insult the heir.

Conversely, if he really disciplined Song Tianhai harshly, others’ thoughts would be different.

Some would think: Calculating with a drunk lacks magnanimity.

Others would think: At most send him away, shut him up, no need to hit him.

Others would think: After all a little duke, in Duke Kang’s Mansion, considering Buddhist compassion.

If really beat Song Tianhai harshly, even Chu Zhiyao would be uncomfortable.

——

Xiao Ruoyu huffed angrily as he left Chu Zhiyuan’s new residence, his face tight with displeasure and grievance, speaking little with Chu Zhiyuan.

Chu Zhiyuan pretended not to see, smiling as he sent him into the carriage.

Xiao Ruoyu, upon returning to the mansion, was immediately surrounded by attendants into the brightly-lit main hall.

The warm, spring-like main hall housed Duke An and Xiao Ruoling playing a game of chess.

Hearing the commotion, they set down their pieces to look over.

Xiao Ruoling approached, taking ginger tea handed by a maid, handing it to Xiao Ruoyu, ”Xiaohu, drink this ginger tea first, don’t catch a chill.”

”A little chill is no big deal.” Xiao Ruoyu didn’t want to drink.

Xiao Ruoling’s clear phoenix eyes fixed on him, smiling.

Xiao Ruoyu, helpless, took the bowl and downed it in one go.

”Did something happen?” Xiao Ruoling asked softly.

Duke An sat firmly, watching, ”Who went over?”

”Father, besides all the princes and heirs from Mingwu Hall, there was Song Tianhai, Bai Yangqing, Ye Baichao, Ye Baichuan, also me, oh, and Marquis Jianchi Guo Huai’an brazenly joined the fun.”

”Hmm...seems like everyone went.” Duke An nodded slowly, ”How is the Ye family eldest’s health...”

He shook his head.

”Is he not well?” Xiao Ruoling asked.

Duke An said, ”Lost balance of energy, not easy to heal, but the Emperor will grant spiritual medicine, should be alright, ...did any incident occur at the banquet?”

”That Song Tianhai!”

Xiao Ruoyu’s face darkened, recounting the events.