From Joy of Life, the Tian Gang is reversed

Chapter 210 A Show of Force Leads to a Setback

Qingzhou, Jing'an Prince's Mansion

After three years of peace, the Jing'an Prince's Mansion became lively again.

The Crown Prince has returned.

This Prince Jing'an's heir is considered a legendary figure in Qingzhou.

His aptitude for martial arts was extremely poor. He tried to study literature, but after consulting several teachers, they all concluded that he was dull-witted. Only his handwriting was passable. This kid was really arrogant, actually believing that his handwriting was good. At the age of eight, he ran to Shangyin Academy to study, but unsurprisingly, he was sent back by Shangyin Academy.

I thought he had given up on the idea, but who would have thought that after going to Shangyin Academy, this guy would suddenly have a breakthrough. He stopped practicing calligraphy and started painting instead, and he even made a name for himself in painting.

In just six months, he created his own school of calligraphy and painting, and used the Eight Methods of Sketching to open the door to Shangyin Academy. At the age of nine, he entered the school of Master Yulei of Shangyin Academy and studied for three years. He also wrote the Seventeen Methods of Light and Darkness, which greatly advanced the technique of sketching. He successfully graduated from Shangyin Academy and became the youngest scholar in the history of Shangyin Academy.

A twelve-year-old scholar of the Yin realm? Can you believe that?
But that was the truth. So, after the Prince of Jing'an returned to Qingzhou, the entire Prince of Jing'an's mansion became lively, with a constant stream of visitors. However, Zhao Heng handled all of this, while Zhao Xun simply greeted them briefly.

Next came a grand banquet for the guests.

Although the Liyang Dynasty was wary of the various vassal kings, it was significantly different from the Ming Dynasty in that the vassal kings here truly held real power.

Taking the Jing'an Prince's Mansion as an example, it was based in the ghost city of Xiangfan and had direct jurisdiction over its fiefdom, controlling the local military, political and financial power. His mansion had extremely high authority in the local area and could mobilize local officials and troops.

This may be related to the current situation, but in Zhao Xun's view, it is actually due to the lack of foundation of the ruling class and the fact that it has not yet formed a mature set of ruling methods.

In Zhao Xun's words, this is simply a lack of discipline.

But since he is now a beneficiary of this unruly society, he naturally won't say much.

After the banquet ended and the guests left, the Jing'an Prince's Mansion gradually quieted down.

Then, Zhao Xun was summoned to the study.

"Sit down," said Prince Jing'an, who reeked of alcohol and looked somewhat tired, gesturing to a chair in the study.

Zhao Xun had just sat down when a sharp scream suddenly shattered the tranquility of the night, followed by a series of harsh rebukes and the clanging of metal.

Prince Jing'an, Zhao Heng, changed his expression and suddenly stood up, while Zhao Xun raised his eyebrows and straightened up before he could fall.

"what happened?!"

Zhao Heng walked a few steps to the door and angrily demanded an explanation.

Before long, a guard rushed over, knelt down, and said, "Your Highness, Granny Qin has been...!"

"By what?!"

"He was stabbed by the woman brought by the Crown Prince," the guard replied, glancing furtively at Zhao Xun's calm expression.

"What?!" Zhao Heng glanced at Zhao Xun in surprise. He knew about Yu Xuanji's background. She was an orphan of Western Chu and only eleven years old. How could she have such audacity?
“Xuanji has a good temperament, how could she hurt anyone?!” Zhao Xun’s lips curled up. “Besides, she’s been staying in my courtyard ever since she came back. What was Granny Qin doing there?!”

“I sent her. This is the Jing’an Prince’s residence. The people you brought have unknown origins, so we naturally need to investigate them,” Zhao Heng said, twirling the prayer beads in his hand.

Zhao Xun glanced at him, said nothing, and simply walked out of the study, heading towards his courtyard without looking back.

Zhao Heng's expression changed slightly, a hint of displeasure flashing through his mind, and he quickly followed him out.

In the courtyard, a dozen guards surrounded Yu Xuanji. A white-haired old woman, her shoulder stained with blood and her face contorted in a ferocious grimace, sat on the ground, pointing at Yu Xuanji and cursing, "You little slut, how dare you injure someone in the Jing'an Prince's Mansion! Guards, seize her!"

Yu Xuanji stood in the courtyard, radiating an unsettling chill. Although young, her brows revealed a sharpness beyond her years. Her gaze swept over the guards surrounding her, and a cold smile curled at the corner of her lips.

"Get started!"

The old woman hissed sharply, and two guards rushed forward first. Yu Xuanji swayed, and a small jade sword appeared in her hand without her noticing. With a flash of light, the guards' weapons snapped in two, leaving bloody gashes on their arms.

"How dare you!"

The old woman was furious at the sight, but dared not get up. She could only stare at Yu Xuanji with venomous eyes, "You little slut, I want...!"

"What do you want?!" Zhao Xun slowly walked over from outside the courtyard, looking at the scene inside, and said with a dissatisfied expression, "No one is dead, Xuanji, have you forgotten what I told you?"

"I...!" Yu Xuanji's cold face fell, and she retorted with dissatisfaction, "This is your home, I was just worried about making things difficult for you."

“It’s not difficult at all. Here, I am the crown prince. Apart from my father and mother, I am the eldest. You are fourth in rank after me. So, you can kill anyone who offends you. It won’t be difficult.”

"You're so arrogant!"

Zhao Heng, who was standing behind, came over and, upon hearing Zhao Xun's words, was so angry that he almost choked. How could Zhao Xun have become so arrogant after three years?
Zhao Xun glanced at him and said, “Yu Xuanji, I’m sure you’ve already investigated her background, Father. But there’s one thing you don’t know: she’s a sword genius, the true successor of Gongsun Jianwu of Western Chu. Although she’s only eleven years old, she has already broken through the threshold of the third rank and is now my bodyguard.”

Eleven years old, a third-rank official?!
Are you kidding me?

At this rate of cultivation, wouldn't he become a second-grade minor grandmaster in two years, on the same level as that butcher Xu Xiao?
Then, first grade?
How old was she at that time?
Sixteen? Seventeen? Or even twenty?

When did the legendary swordsman Li Chungang reach the first rank?

Entering the First Grade Vajra Realm at the age of sixteen?

But how many Li Chungangs are there in this world?

Even if she entered the realm later, at twenty years old, she would still be at the first-grade Vajra Realm!
The most skilled master in the world!
As his thoughts raced, Zhao Heng's gaze visibly softened, and a smile even appeared on his face. "So it's Miss Yu. It's a pleasure to meet you. The men below are ignorant and have frightened you."

At this point, he turned his head and looked at Granny Qin and the group of guards, his face stern, "What are you doing? Miss Yu is the young master's guard, have you gone too far?!"

Granny Qin's face turned pale, and she immediately knelt down, crying, "It's all my fault, Your Highness, please spare me! Your Highness, please spare me!!"

She's in her forties, not a teenage girl. If she hadn't been a proper nanny in the Prince's mansion, she would have been dead long ago.

She knew very well that compared to an eleven-year-old third-rank master, her status was nothing but a pile of excrement, which had nothing to do with the cause, motive, right or wrong, or responsibility of the incident.

"Hmph, I think you're getting senile..."

"Alright, Father, let them go. I have something to say to Xuanji." Zhao Xun was very impatient to watch Zhao Heng, this ancient tortoise, put on an act. Without his tacit approval, or even his secret orders, Qin Mama would not have been able to come to his courtyard to abduct people.

Zhao Heng's face stiffened. He glared at Zhao Xun and waved his hand, "Take her away, and all of you, get out."

"Yes!"

Instantly, all the guards responded in unison. Two young and strong guards came over and helped Qin Mama, who had collapsed on the ground, to her feet. In just a few breaths, only Zhao Xun, his son, and Yu Xuanji remained in the courtyard.

"Xuanji, go and brew two cups of tea. My father and I have something to discuss."

Yu Xuanji nodded obediently, the jade sword in her hand nowhere to be found.

“Father, it’s just as good to discuss things in my study,” Zhao Xun said with a smile, pointing to his study in his courtyard.

(End of this chapter)