94 Provocation

He drained the wine in his cup in one swallow, and Northern Palace Juechen gave a cold smile. “Your nerve grows greater by the day.”

Half of the wine splashed over his pale yellow robes, leaving a dark stain to bloom across the fabric, but Northern Palace Qiyi did not care in the least. He drank the remaining half of his cup and let out a soft laugh. “Many thanks to Brother for showing mercy.”

Northern Palace Juechen had only used half his strength just now; otherwise, it would not have ended with merely half a cup spilled.

With a sharp flick of his sleeve, Northern Palace Juechen snorted, “If you dare to be so insolent again, I shall not be nearly so courteous.”

Northern Palace Qiyi curled his lip and muttered under his breath, “You were that insolent plenty of times before, and nothing ever happened.”

“What did you say?”

Northern Palace Juechen’s expression darkened at once. Northern Palace Qiyi hurriedly smiled to appease him. “Nothing. I was only reminding myself to be more restrained in the future, and not be tempted again by Brother’s beauty.”

Northern Palace Juechen’s face turned even blacker, yet Northern Palace Qiyi seemed not to notice at all. He simply took the wine jug and refilled Northern Palace Juechen’s cup.

The serving girl had been trembling with her head bowed ever since what had just happened. Northern Palace Qiyi glanced at her casually and asked with a low laugh, “Why are you shaking?”

“Th-this servant... this servant saw nothing!” she answered, too frightened even to lift her head.

Northern Palace Qiyi pressed his lips together and reached out to tip up her chin. Forced to look at him, the maid flushed scarlet, and a misty sheen filled her bright eyes, making her appear pitiable indeed. “Just now, did anything happen?”

With a slight pressure of his two fingers, he asked with a smile that was not quite a smile.

The maid shuddered in pain, and even her red face went pale. Tears brimmed in her eyes as she looked at Northern Palace Qiyi and shook her head, her voice trembling. “N-no... nothing happened just now... nothing at all... please, Young Master, please spare this servant...”

“A beauty weeping in pearly rain, a sight that would stir pity in any heart. Northern Palace, you really should stop bullying her.”

It was Chu Muji who spoke up in her defense. He knew perfectly well that Northern Palace Qiyi did not care at all whether others knew of his relationship with Northern Palace Juechen; otherwise, he would never have done such a thing in front of outsiders. In the end, it was simply a matter of jealousy...

“He is right, and besides, this was your own doing.” Northern Palace Juechen said indifferently.

Done for. Chu Muji slapped a hand to his forehead. Manor Lord Northern Palace, you are definitely doing this on purpose, aren’t you? At first the girl was only frightened, but if you put it that way, she may not even want to live!

As expected, Northern Palace Qiyi’s dark phoenix eyes narrowed, and the hand pinching the maid’s chin tightened. “What is your name?”

Great drops of tears fell onto Northern Palace Qiyi’s slender white hand. The maid choked, “This servant... this servant is called Jiao Yue.”

Northern Palace Qiyi nodded at random. Jiao Yue was not a peerless beauty, but she was delicate and pretty, with a very pleasant air about her. Her eyes were large and bright, and when she smiled they curved like crescents. “Jiao Yue... the name suits you.”

“T-thank you... Young Master... for the praise,” Jiao Yue said, her voice trembling.

“Praise?” Northern Palace Qiyi raised a brow. “When did I praise you?”

Jiao Yue was frightened enough to shake all over. “Please forgive me, Young Master. This servant was deluding herself. Please spare this servant.”

Northern Palace Qiyi smiled faintly and slowly released her chin. “Since Brother and Young Master Chu have both spoken for you, I ought to give them some face. You may go.”

Jiao Yue hurriedly knelt and kowtowed three times to the three of them before stumbling out in a panic.

Only the three of them remained in the private room. Northern Palace Qiyi drew a handkerchief from his sleeve and slowly wiped his fingers. Northern Palace Juechen saw the motion and merely gave a cold laugh. After he had carefully wiped every part of his hand, Northern Palace Qiyi casually tossed the handkerchief aside.

Chu Muji let out a low sigh and felt that inviting Northern Palace Qiyi to drink today was nothing short of suffering.

For a time, the room fell quiet. Chu Muji drank his sulk alone, Northern Palace Juechen still maintained his lofty, frost-cold bearing, and Northern Palace Qiyi rested his cheek on one hand, head tilted as he looked at Northern Palace Juechen. Yet his gaze was somewhat unfocused, and no one knew what he was thinking.

At that moment, the door to the private room was suddenly pushed open. Chu Muji turned to look at the newcomer, and his expression changed. He hurriedly knelt. “Your Highness the Second Prince.”

Zhao Yixiao smiled and lifted a hand. “Rise.”

Only then did Chu Muji slowly get back to his feet and look toward the Northern Palace pair seated across from him.

Compared with him, Northern Palace Juechen and Northern Palace Qiyi were much calmer. Their postures did not change in the slightest, as if there were not an extra person in the room at all, and not just any person, but one of considerable rank.

Chu Muji was secretly startled, but on the surface he still wore a composed smile as he said to Zhao Yixiao, “What brings Your Highness here?”

His gaze swept slowly across Northern Palace Qiyi and Northern Palace Juechen. Zhao Yixiao smiled faintly. “I happened to hear that Young Master Chu was hosting a banquet here, and the guests you invited are people I also know, so I came up to offer my greetings.”

Chu Muji nodded repeatedly. In his heart he already understood that Zhao Yixiao must have had dealings with them before, and from the looks of it, he also seemed to want something from them. Come to think of it, the Hidden Rapids Manor was the foremost manor in the martial world; even that one would harbor great caution toward them. Besides, the court situation was changing by the day. If one could gain the support of the Hidden Rapids Manor, it would undoubtedly be a powerful guarantee.

“Since the greetings have already been exchanged, Your Highness may leave now.” In a rather foul mood, Northern Palace Qiyi naturally had no pleasant attitude toward Zhao Yixiao.

Offering warm face to cold buttocks, and in front of his own subordinates at that, Zhao Yixiao’s smile stiffened, and his face darkened. If this had been anyone else, they would surely have rushed to apologize, but he was facing Northern Palace Qiyi and Northern Palace Juechen, two men who did not even place his father in their eyes.

Seeing Zhao Yixiao’s sour expression and the two great lords across from him showing no intention of moving, Chu Muji had no choice but to smooth things over. “Please calm your anger, Your Highness. Northern Palace is fond of joking. Please, have a seat.”

As he spoke, he pulled out the stool beside him.

Given a way down, Zhao Yixiao was not the sort to fuss over it. He swept his robe and sat down. Northern Palace Qiyi leaned against one hand and gave him a lazy sidelong glance. With a smile that was not quite a smile, he said, “How rude of us. We did not know Your Highness would come, and failed to prepare bowls and chopsticks for you.”

Zhao Yixiao did not care about the hidden meaning in his words. He only smiled and ordered another set of bowls, chopsticks, and wine cups to be brought up.

“Manor Lord Northern Palace, it has been many days. I wonder how your younger brother is doing?”

Your younger brother? Northern Palace Juechen’s brother... was that not Northern Palace Qiyi? Chu Muji looked at Northern Palace Qiyi in confusion, only to see the young man suddenly sit upright, his smile turning somewhat... chilling...

Northern Palace Juechen lifted his eyes to glance at him and said lightly, “My younger brother is sitting right beside me. Whether he is well or not, Your Highness can see for yourself.”

Receiving a rebuff, Zhao Yixiao still only smiled without concern. “Manor Lord should know very well that the one I am asking about is not Young Master Northern Palace.”

With a sharp crack, porcelain met the table. Northern Palace Qiyi narrowed his eyes at Zhao Yixiao and said in a deep voice, “Does Your Highness really think that man is just some ignorant hothead newly entered into the martial world? That you can make use of him? Your Highness, he is a man of Jade Blossom Palace.”

Zhao Yixiao’s expression changed.

Within the deep palace, power struggles and hidden contests were everywhere. Having lived in such an environment since childhood, he was not someone who could claim perfect judgment, but his eye was still fairly sharp. In his view, Zhu Sha had indeed seemed like a hothead who knew nothing, but his identity was rather special, and he was certainly a useful piece. Yet... he was actually a man of Jade Blossom Palace.

Disciples of Jade Blossom Palace rarely set foot in the martial world, so it was only natural that they knew little of its affairs. But if one wished to make use of him, it would likely be no easy matter.

Northern Palace Qiyi took a slow sip of wine and continued, “Besides, he is the direct disciple of Master Yinji. Your Highness’s little scheme was probably aimed at the wrong target.”

Zhao Yixiao’s face changed again. He had truly not expected it. The person he had thought he could easily grasp in his hand turned out to have such a formidable background.

“I would rather ask how Zhu Sha came to know Your Highness?” Northern Palace Juechen asked calmly.

Zhao Yixiao adjusted his expression and said, “We merely happened to meet. I saw that he looked very much like Manor Lord Northern Palace, and assumed he must have a close relationship with you, so...”

“So you went to the trouble of arranging a recognition scene in a pleasure house? A rescue by a beauty, a fine little drama?” Before Zhao Yixiao could finish, Northern Palace Qiyi cut him off with a sneer.

A rescue by a beauty... Zhao Yixiao also wanted to rub his forehead. “That day I asked that young hero, and he only said he was looking for his elder brother. I merely wanted to help.”

“Help?” Northern Palace Qiyi laughed coldly. “I am afraid Your Highness intended to use him to sow discord between my brother and me.”

The words were spoken with complete certainty, without the slightest hint of question.

Even Zhao Yixiao, who had always worn a false mask as his face, was nearly forced to break it by Northern Palace Qiyi’s merciless pressure. “What exactly does Young Master mean by this? Whatever the case, the Hidden Rapids Manor and I have already been regarded by others as being on the same side. What good would it do me to drive a wedge between Young Master and Manor Lord?”

“Who is on the same side with you?” Unexpectedly, this time it was Northern Palace Juechen who spoke. His eyes half-narrowed as he looked at Zhao Yixiao, coldly saying, “It is you who need the help of the Hidden Rapids Manor, and you, whether to the Hidden Rapids Manor or to me, are of no use at all.”

After Northern Palace Juechen finished speaking, the entire private room fell utterly silent. Chu Muji silently curled himself into a ball and tried his best to reduce his presence. Northern Palace Qiyi lowered his eyes and toyed with his wine cup. Zhao Yixiao’s entire face had already darkened. The heavy tension in the air grew thicker and thicker. Chu Muji even felt that if anyone were to make a sound at such a moment, something would explode.

But none of the blood-soaked scenes of violence he had imagined came to pass. Zhao Yixiao stared straight at Northern Palace Juechen, his eyes utterly cold, yet after a moment he slowly smiled. “The manor lord speaks truly.”

He was, after all, the one seeking something from the Hidden Rapids Manor. If a momentary concession could win him what he wanted, then why not?