Chapter 36: A Royal Decree

"So, did my Azure Wing Manor's cups offend the three of you?"

The cold voice came, and the faces of the three men stiffened, especially Emperor Ling Ji, whose handsome face was contorted with a mixture of anger and embarrassment. Ling Ji thought to himself that he shouldn't be afraid of his own son, so he tried to maintain his dignity, which made his face look strange.

Ling Mo was just his son, and he hadn't done anything to embarrass him in the past. But for some reason, he was afraid of him. Sometimes, just a cold glance from him would make him shiver uncontrollably. He was an emperor and couldn't allow anyone or anything beyond his control to exist. So, when his other two sons slandered this third son in front of him, he subconsciously believed them. Perhaps, deep down in his heart, he had wished for this son to disappear.

His other two sons were still present, and Ling Ji quickly collected his composure. He slammed his palm on the table again and scolded loudly, "Ling Mo, what crime have you committed?"

Ling Mo's strong pretense of authority didn't even earn a glance from Ling Mo. He simply asked coldly, "What crime do I have?"

Pa. Ling Ji couldn't control his anger anymore. He trembled and pointed at Ling Mo, "What crime do you have? I am your father and a ruler of a country. I came to your manor today, and this is how you treat me and your two brothers?"

Ling Ji's words were nothing more than wanting Ling Mo to realize his disloyalty and unfilial piety. Whether as a father or a ruler, he shouldn't have kept him waiting for so long, and not even a word of explanation.

"Father? Brothers?" Ling Mo sneered, his cold eyes not concealing the sarcasm. "Have you acted as a father and brothers should?"

"Insolent! Ling Mo, how dare you speak to your father like that!" The Crown Prince, Ling Dong, who was already furious, couldn't control himself and shouted loudly.

He was already in a bad mood because he hadn't been able to get rid of this Qingyi Wang he feared. Seeing him openly mock his father and himself, he had to show off in front of Ling Ji.

Ling Mo's eyes turned cold. He swung his hand towards Ling Dong, and bang, the Crown Prince and his stool flipped backwards. Ling Dong's head hit the ground heavily, making him dizzy and almost unable to breathe.

"You rebellious son, he is your brother. Do you want to be accused of fratricide?" Ling Ji gasped for breath, his anger making him almost faint.

Looking at the 'relatives' in front of him, Ling Mo's indifferent heart didn't stir. "Everything you have done to me, I will return it in double."

Just one sentence made the enraged Emperor Ling Ji and Crown Prince Ling Dong turn pale. They knew what Ling Mo meant. Thinking of his methods, the sudden anger they felt was instantly extinguished like a bucket of ice water poured over them, making them feel bone-chillingly cold.

"Third brother, is there a misunderstanding?" The Second Prince, Ling Feng, who had been silent, slowly spoke.

Ling Mo glanced at Ling Feng, and thought to himself that he was a man worth mentioning. He appeared calm and didn't care about power. But the coolness and ambition in his eyes were clear to him. There were definitely many forces behind him. However, that made things more interesting.

Seeing Ling Feng try to ease the awkwardness between them, Ling Mo sneered and then thought about his most important thing. A gentle light flashed in Ling Mo's eyes, and his cold expression softened.

This change made Ling Feng, who had been paying attention to him, secretly surprised. Everyone knew that Ling Mo of Chaofeng was a cold iceberg, and no one had ever seen any expression other than coldness and indifference on his face. Let alone a gentle and affectionate look. Ling Feng's thoughts swirled. It seemed that something had changed him in the past two months.

Ling Feng's doubts were answered shortly after. Everyone heard Ling Mo simply say, "Emperor, please grant me a marriage decree."

Ling Mo's rare gentleness startled the Emperor. He asked incredulously, "A marriage decree?"

Seeing Ling Mo nod, Ling Ji asked in disbelief, "Who is the lady?"

Although this son was arrogant, his ability was undeniable. He had repeatedly tried to arrange marriages for him to control him, but he had always been coldly rejected. Now, he was proposing it himself, which made him surprised.

Ling Mo didn't reveal his thoughts. He replied, "You don't need to know where she's from. I just need a decree."

Being dismissed by Ling Mo, Ling Ji's face became even worse. If he granted them marriage, he would lose all dignity as a father and an emperor. If he refused, thinking of Ling Mo's methods, Ling Ji was troubled. Just as he was struggling, the thoughtful Second Prince spoke gently, "Father, it's rare for Third Brother to find a woman he likes. No matter what country she's from, she will be a member of our Chaofeng. Therefore, please grant Third Brother a marriage decree."

Ling Ji looked at his second son with appreciation. He thought that this son was a good one. He said with a forced smile, "Alright then—"

"Father, no!" Just as Ling Ji was about to speak, the Crown Prince Ling Dong, who had just gotten up, loudly stopped him.

He had already tried to smooth things over, but he couldn't let this happen. Ling Ji quickly scolded him, fearing that he would say something to anger his third son. "Be quiet! Your third brother has finally found a woman he likes. How can I not grant them marriage? Just step back!"

The Crown Prince Ling Dong, who was most afraid of his father, had to shut up and step back reluctantly, looking resentful.

Seeing Ling Dong's obedience, Ling Ji turned to Ling Mo with a smile, and said affectionately, "Well, I will return to the palace to issue a decree. May I ask when my son wants to get married?"