Chapter 28: A Princess's Tantrum

Seeing the young man striding toward him, the guard quickly stood aside, saluting respectfully to make way.

"Greetings, sir."

Chen Guan gave a slight nod, his mind elsewhere as he walked past the guard and through the palace gate. But as he was about to round the corner, he glanced back. The guard was still there, pacing back and forth anxiously, not having moved on.

Did I guess wrong?

Chen Guan couldn't help but doubt his own judgment. The more he thought about it, the less likely it seemed that the Izumo Empire could have sent an assassin so quickly. Before today, he had never been a public figure; even within the palace, few people knew his face. It was impossible for the news of the Ninth Prince's death to have reached the empire and for killers to be dispatched and in place this fast. If the Izumo Empire had that kind of efficiency, they would have unified the entire northwestern region long ago.

"What are you doing?" Chen Guan asked, walking back. If he couldn't figure it out, he might as well ask directly.

An embarrassed flush spread across the guard's face. "My lord, I was sent here by Her Highness the Little Princess."

"Yaoyue? Why did she punish you?" What kind of bizarre punishment is this?

"It was the Little Princess," the guard lamented. "A quarter of an hour ago, after the First Princess's ceremony ended, she returned in a terrible mood. Someone must have provoked her. I was on duty at her gate and went to greet her. The Little Princess was... displeased that I stepped forward with my left foot first. So, she punished me to walk back and forth in front of the First Princess's palace two hundred times."

Chen Guan was speechless.

Alright, so it was a misunderstanding. What a clever little girl.

"I see," he said, suppressing a smile. "Where is she now?"

The guard looked even more embarrassed.

"Just tell me. I promise she won't mind."

"Her Highness the Little Princess specifically told me not to tell you that she went to the Alchemist Association," the guard recited dutifully, "and definitely not to tell you that she likes receiving gifts."

"..."

"Okay, I get it," Chen Guan said, shaking his head. "Go on back. Stop loitering here."

After Chen Guan left, the guard hesitated for a moment but ultimately decided not to risk it. He obediently continued to complete the Little Princess's punishment. He had been guarding this gate for seven years straight, dreaming of a promotion. He couldn't afford to leave a bad impression by being sneaky.

The Imperial Capital and the palace were like two different worlds, separated by a single wall. With today being the First Princess's coming-of-age ceremony, the hottest topic on the streets was counting the titans who had come to attend.

"This morning, I saw it from a distance! Sect Master Yun Yun of the Misty Cloud Sect came in person with the Great Elder! Her presence is on another level. So graceful, so elegant... like a goddess descended to the mortal realm. The royal family has truly earned a great deal of face this time."

"I haven't seen the old patriarch of the Nalan clan in a long time. Even for an event this big, it was the clan head, Nalan Su, who attended."

"The head of the Mitel Clan came in person as well."

"It seems even people from other empires were here."

The crowds buzzed with gossip, the lively, noisy atmosphere the city's unchanging rhythm. A young man passed through the throng, neither interrupting nor commenting, simply listening with a faint smile.

The Alchemist Association was located on the south side of the city. It occupied a small plot of land, far smaller than the estates of the three great clans, and its buildings were relatively understated.

The people within, however, were the complete opposite. Most walked with their heads held high, chins raised, as if they wished they could wear their alchemist badges on their foreheads. The arrogance on their faces was impossible to hide.

To be honest, they looked like they deserved a good beating.

Many people thought so, but no one dared to act on it. As a guild that gathered most of the alchemists in the empire, its power was immense. Not just the three great clans, but even the royal family and the Misty Cloud Sect were unwilling to offend them lightly.

It was Chen Guan's first time here. He could only say that the arrogance was just as advertised, if not worse. Even the guards at the door seemed to have caught the habit, treating non-alchemist visitors with disdain. Chen Guan didn't bother giving them a second glance. He took out a small xiao flute and blew a few soft, clear notes. In less than half a minute, a young girl came running down the stairs, her face alight with joy. The moment she saw him, she quickly schooled her expression into one of studied indifference.

"Chu Yuxuan, what are you doing here?"

"I've told you a thousand times, don't call me Chu Yuxuan!" Chen Guan feigned a look of utter collapse. Ever since they first met, the little girl had insisted on using that ridiculous name. Even after learning his real name and his relationship with Yao Ye, she had only doubled down, calling him it with even more glee.

Seeing Chen Guan's pained expression, Yaoyue's lips curled into a proud smirk, much of the resentment in her heart melting away. She thought she had won, but she didn't realize Chen Guan was merely playing along.

Little brat. So easy to handle.

"Is your master here?" he asked. "I'd like to pay him a visit."

"You came all this way just to see my master?"

"Of course not," Chen Guan said quickly, seeing the storm clouds gathering on her face. "The main reason I'm here is to see you. The visit is secondary."

Satisfied, Yaoyue turned and led the way, hopping slightly with her hands clasped behind her back. "Well, since you're so sincere, I'll begrudgingly introduce you. It's not because I'm expecting a gift or anything."

Chen Guan followed with a smile. "No need to emphasize it. Your gift is ready. I'll give it to you after we're done here."

With Yaoyue leading, their path was unobstructed. When they reached the second floor, a few alchemists who looked like managers gave Chen Guan a second glance but didn't stop them. It was clear this little girl held a very special status in the guild. As the Little Princess of the royal family and the personal disciple of President Fa Ma, few in the Jia Ma Empire could compare to her.

"Master, this is Chu... Chen Guan. He's my sister's good friend. He came to find me and to pay you a visit."

They entered an alchemy room where Yaoyue's behavior became much more demure. She took the initiative to introduce him, subtly emphasizing, 'He's my sister's friend, not mine. I haven't forgiven him yet.' Furthermore, she refused to acknowledge the "brother-sister" relationship between him and Yao Ye. If she did, wouldn't she have to call him "brother"? She much preferred Chu Yuxuan.

"Chen Guan pays his respects to President Fa Ma."

"Yes, we met at the palace," Fa Ma said with a warm smile. "You gave all of us old fellows quite a shock. A truly outstanding young man. Please, have a seat. I'm just finishing Yue'er's lesson for the day, then we can have a proper chat."

Fa Ma's praise was genuine. The lesson wasn't particularly profound, so he allowed Chen Guan to sit in and listen.

"It is my honor."

In the dimly lit alchemy room, the elder patiently instructed the girl in the art of refining pills. A handsome young man sat beside her, listening with serious, focused attention. The atmosphere was one of serene harmony.

At that very same moment, in a secret chamber deep within the back mountains of the Misty Cloud Sect, two figures were conversing in the gloom.

But the sound that emerged from the shadows was not one that any living creature ought to make.

A dry, chilling cackle echoed off the stone walls.

"Hehehehe..."

***

(End of Chapter)

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