NOVEL NEXT Chapter 338: Exotic Species
Chapter 338: Exotic Species
After collecting the five Roots of Passage from the Ministry of Revenue, Xu Lian made his way to the outskirts of the imperial capital, specifically to an estate owned by Ning Meixue.
Seeing that Ning Meixue was already waiting there, Xu Lian walked over with eager eyes, calling out softly, “Senior Sister,” before lifting her up and striding toward the warm pavilion.
“Is my junior brother a mind reader?” Ning Meixue giggled. The Fifth Prince had successfully claimed the position of Crown Prince, and as one of his supporters, the future of Marquis Ning’s household was now bright. She was in high spirits and had instinctively come to this estate to await her junior brother, planning to celebrate with him. To her delight, he arrived so quickly-his thoughts perfectly aligned with hers.
They partied for several hours. As dusk approached and the sky began to darken, they rose to prepare for the banquet at the Fifth Prince’s residence.
Xu Lian asked, “Senior Sister, when do you plan to make a move against Zhao Ming?”
Ning Meixue gave him a playful look. “Why are you more impatient than me?”
Xu Lian replied, “As you once told me, I consider him half a master, yet he shows me no respect and completely disregards my feelings, even attempting to take you away from me. Why should I show him any morality? These past few days with you have made me realize something: happiness must be fought for. Humility only invites bullying.”
Upon hearing this, Ning Meixue’s eyes softened and a faint blush appeared. “My junior brother has finally become stronger. All my years of patience and careful planning have not been in vain. To pave the way for you, I’ve worked hard to gain Zhao Ming’s trust, forcing myself to smile and feign affection despite my true feelings.”
Xu Lian consoled her, “Over these past few days, I’ve come to deeply understand your painstaking efforts. Once we deal with Zhao Ming, our happiness will last forever.”
The two exchanged many heartfelt words, their bond as Dao companions growing stronger with each passing moment.
When night fell completely, they left the estate separately and returned to their respective homes. After that, they joined their families to go to the Fifth Prince’s residence for the banquet.
Of course, attending such a high-profile celebration required proper etiquette. They couldn’t just teleport directly to the entrance of the Fifth Prince’s residence – that would look too hasty and ostentatious.
As one of the long-standing noble families of the Qian Dynasty with hereditary privileges, the Marquis Qin household naturally had to display the appropriate dignity and noble etiquette expected of them on such occasions.
Six pure-white, winged, exotic species of celestial horses-without a single strand of impure hair, their manes sleek as braids-were used to pull the carriage. Their presence was both understated and luxurious.
Inside the carriage sat Marquis Qin, his eldest son Qin Song, and Xu Lian. The carriage moved slowly along the main streets of the imperial capital, followed by a retinue of cavalry guards clad in shining silver armor and wielding golden spears. Each guard possessed cultivation at least at the Grandmaster level, exuding strength and majesty.
Xu Lian extended a finger and gently lifted the curtain to better observe the admiring gazes of the lesser nobles and commoners lining the streets. This was the essence of aristocratic etiquette – the ability to command respect through subtle displays of power and refinement.
“Back when I was imbued with the divine laws of divine kingdom, ascended to become the Holy Son of the Ninth Heaven, dominated Wuguang City, and remained undefeated across the Origin Tracing Realm, I never felt this… pretentious.”
He felt no emotional stirrings, only a faint urge to laugh.
The inconspicuous yet luxurious carriage of the Marquis Qin household arrived at the Fifth Prince’s residence.
Why did you emphasize “inconspicuous yet luxurious”?
It was “low-key” because the winged celestial horses could have easily taken flight or even traversed space, but instead, they were forced to walk slowly-a deliberate choice to demonstrate restraint.
It was “luxurious” because such celestial horses were extremely rare. Legend had it that they were originally bestowed upon the ancestors of the Marquis Qin household by a former emperor of the Qian Dynasty. For generations, the family had meticulously bred and preserved the lineage, making these horses unique to the Marquis Qin household within the entire Imperial City.
“Master, we have arrived.”
The elderly steward of the Marquis Qin household who had personally driven the carriage jumped down first and placed a small stool beside the carriage.
Marquis Qin adjusted his robes, gracefully stepped out of the carriage, and descended using the stool. Qin Song and Xu Lian followed.
The order of precedence… was crucial.
Seeing the Fifth Prince standing at the entrance to personally greet them, Marquis Qin led Qin Song and Xu Lian forward with quick steps, bowing respectfully with clasped hands. “Your Highness, Crown Prince, welcoming us in person is truly an honor. Your humility and respect for talent is praised throughout the court.”
Qin Song and Xu Lian followed with their bows. “Your Highness, Crown Prince.”
In terms of age, Qin Song and “Qin Feng” were roughly the same generation as the Fifth Prince.
Each address of “Crown Prince” struck a chord deep within the Fifth Prince, who smiled warmly in response and gestured for them to enter. “Marquis Qin is too kind. The banquet is already prepared inside. Please come in.”
Just as the father and his two sons were about to enter, an extravagantly decorated exotic beast-drawn carriage arrived and stopped at the entrance. An elder and Zhao Ming stepped out – it was clearly Marquis Zhao who had arrived.
After Marquis Zhao and Zhao Ming exchanged greetings with the Fifth Prince, Marquis Zhao looked at the winged celestial horses of the Marquis Qin household. “The celestial horses given to the Marquis Qin household by the former emperor are truly enviable.”
Marquis Qin humbly replied, “The celestial horses given by the former emperor are a treasure we cannot neglect. Each generation has meticulously bred them, using countless resources to ensure that their lineage continues to this day. As for the exotic beasts pulling Marquis Zhao’s carriage, they are also extremely rare. Your household’s wealth and heritage are truly impressive.”
The Fifth Prince chuckled. “I never expected the two dukes to have such in-depth knowledge of exotic beasts used for carriages. My estate also breeds some wild exotic species. After the banquet, I will give you both some young ones as a gift.”
Marquis Zhao and Marquis Qin expressed their gratitude.
When Xu Lian noticed that Zhao Ming was looking in his direction, he bowed slightly and greeted him. “Elder Brother.”
Zhao Ming only gave a weak, indifferent “Mm” in response.
As more nobles and ministers arrived, the two households could no longer linger at the entrance and went inside.
Perhaps due to the large number of guests, the banquet was held in the garden.
The chief eunuch of the estate methodically arranged the seats for each household.
Marquis Qin was seated in the fourth position, a clear indication that Marquis Qin held a relatively high status among the many supporters of the Fifth Prince.
Marquis Qin was preceded by a prince, Marquis Zhao, and Marquis Ning.
As for Zhao Ming, Ning Meixue, Qin Song, and Xu Lian-the “second generation”-they sat behind their respective fathers.
With the elders present, there wasn’t much for the “children” to do.
Even though Zhao Ming and the others had been cultivating for over two thousand years, as long as they hadn’t inherited their family’s noble titles, they were still considered part of the “younger generation” and had little presence at such gatherings.
After all the nobles and ministers had arrived, the Fifth Prince entered.
As if by unspoken agreement, everyone exchanged glances, then rose and said in unison, “Congratulations to His Highness, the Crown Prince, on his ascension to the position of heir!”
The Fifth Prince smiled as he took his seat at the main table. “This is a private banquet hosted by my estate. Esteemed lords, no need for excessive formalities – please be seated.”
Everyone took their seats.
The Fifth Prince raised his cup with a smile. “I offer this toast to all of you, esteemed lords, in gratitude for your unwavering support.”
According to the rules of the Qian Dynasty, although every prince was eligible to participate in the Grand Arena Competition, those without support lacked the confidence to compete – a crucial point.
Everyone raised their cups in unison and drank with the Fifth Prince.
After that, each household took turns to toast the Fifth Prince.
Those present were the winners of the crown prince competition and the future beneficiaries of power. Naturally, their spirits were high, and the atmosphere of the banquet remained harmonious.
As a beautiful palace maid poured wine for Xu Lian, she suddenly slipped a spirit stone into his palm. Three characters were engraved on it: “Ying Feng Tower” – clearly the name of a location.
Xu Lian understood immediately. This was the First Prince’s reply to his earlier message… Impressive. The First Prince had managed to plant a mole within the Fifth Prince’s estate.
Upon reflection, it wasn’t surprising. It was common practice for princes vying for the position of Crown Prince to plant spies in each other’s households. Such actions were standard procedure and hardly noteworthy.
Basic operations, don’t get too excited.
Without showing any reaction, Xu Lian discreetly slipped the Spirit Stone into his storage pouch. He glanced at the beautiful palace maid, but she avoided his gaze, keeping her eyes lowered and appearing as though she hadn’t done anything out of the ordinary.