“The people who came were indeed people from the Crown Prince’s Residence and when they were here earlier, quite a number of people saw them and their words must have been heard by others as well. But, their words did not match the information Fei Yan had gathered which I can’t help feel is rather strange.
The Zephyr Academy and the Dragon Slayers Academy were no longer on equal standing and logically, the discerning eye would be able to know that meeting with the Dragon Slayers Academy would bring the Crown Prince a bigger benefit. But the Crown Prince had instead first sent news to the Dragon Slayers Academy and informed the Zephyr Academy after that. This would only keep the people all guessing.
“There’s no need to think too much on it. We’ll just deal with it as it comes.” Rong Ruo said with a slight smile.
“Little Ruo is right. If the Crown Prince comes here, we can take the opportunity to try to find some clues from him and we will not need to be so courteous to him when we take the map from him in future.” Qiao Chu said, shrugging helplessly. His brain was not capable of figuring out all these schemes and intrigue, and since even Hua Yao and the others were not able to figure out the Crown Prince’s intentions, he had naturally not wanted to rack his brains for nothing.
“What does Little Xie think?” Fan Zhuo raised his eyes and looked at Jun Wu Xie.
Jun Wu Xie said: “We’ll wait and see first.” She could not be sure why the Crown Prince would suddenly decide to see them and in Lei Chen’s position, intentionally driving a rift between the two academies would not yield him any benefits. Moreover, the Yan Country’s Crown Prince was known to be a rather fair and friendly person, so this sudden uncharacteristic change in decision baffled many of his real intentions.
Volume 8
Chapter 770: “The Crown Prince Arrives (1)”
That night, the companions did not continue to be concerned about the matter. From their point of view, it did not matter whether the Crown Prince came or not, what they cared about were different from other people. So what if that was the Yan Country’s Crown Prince? If it wasn’t for the fact that he had the map, they couldn’t be bothered with him in the least and they had no intentions to win his favour at all.
It was dinnertime, and the innkeeper of the Immortals’ Loft had earlier ordered the kitchen to get themselves well prepared as people from the Crown Prince’s Residence had come earlier and they would naturally not dare to drag their feet on it. No matter whether the Crown Prince was coming, they must be fully prepared so as they would not drag down the Crown Prince’s hospitality.
Night fell and the lanterns were lit and lifted. The Yan Country’s Capital city was aglow with high hanging lights all over the place. Bunches of lanterns lit the sparkling city pushing back the darkness of night, bringing out another side of the beauty of the prosperous Capital city.
A horse carriage bearing the Crown Prince’s Residence banner drove down the long street, finally coming to a stop before the main doors of the Immortals’ Loft. Many disciples from other academies were leisurely roaming nearby and when they saw the horse carriage from the Crown Prince’s Residence stopping, they all peered at it inquisitively.
They had earlier heard that the Crown Prince had originally sent out a message to the Dragon Slayers Academy, that he would be making an official call on them at their premises, but the Crown Prince had received the Zephyr Academy’s invitation after. All the other people had found it laughable. What kind of situation was it at the Zephyr Academy now? Already in a state of decline, they still had the cheek to initiate an invitation for the Crown Prince to go pay them a visit? And coincidentally, the timing of their invitation had clashed with the Dragon Slayers Academy’s meeting with the Crown Prince.
Almost nobody had expected that the Crown Prince would accept the Zephyr Academy’s invitation as the Zephyr Academy had already fallen into disrepute and they were not expected to have a single disciple in the top ten ranks in this year’s Spirit Battle Tournament. After the competition this year, the Zephyr Academy would be struck off from being one of the top three elite academies, so how could they possibly harbour hope that the Zephyr Academy would be able to stand against the high flying Dragon Slayers Academy?
Hence, when the horse carriage from the Crown Prince’s Residence had stopped before the doors of the Immortals’ Loft, all the youths who were outside suddenly found their jaws dropping with a loud clunk onto the ground!
The Crown Prince had actually turned up here!
That was just unbelievable!
Now that the Crown Prince’s Residence’s horse carriage was right before the Immortals’ Loft, it was believed that the Dragon Slayers Academy would receive the news very soon. Wasn’t this just a big tight slap to those people in the Dragon Slayers Academy! ?
All the people could not understand why Lei Chen had chosen to abandon and neglect the Dragon Slayers Academy but to respond to the weakened and now insignificant Zephyr Academy and they all stretched out their necks fully, carefully looking to see if the person coming out from the carriage is the Crown Prince, Lei Chen himself.
When Jun Wu Xie received the news, she was busy dealing with Lord Meh Meh’s wool on its body. The new coat of wool growing out from Lord Meh Meh’s skin was now fine and extremely curly, which tangled up very easily. Hence, Jun Wu Xie had another task daily for her to do….. to comb out Lord Meh Meh’s wool everyday!
Lying upon Jun Wu Xie’s lap, Lord Meh Meh was feeling so comfortable it had its eyes closed in joy, occasionally even letting out a gentle bleat or two.
“Little Xie, the horse carriage from the Crown Prince’s Residence has arrived.” Fan Zhuo said after knocking on Jun Wu Xie’s room door.
Jun Wu Xie paused in her actions a moment, and she put the comb down on the table. Fully immersed in his enjoyment of the attention, Lord Meh Meh found that it had been rudely interrupted as it found itself being carried down to the ground, its eyes fully aggrieved.
“Meh…..” It raised up it head and lifted a tiny hoof to scratch at Jun Wu Xie’s clothes, seemingly begging for more.
Jun Wu Xie bent down and rubbed the its soft and cuddly wool before saying patiently: “I’ll comb it tonight.”
“Meh…..” Lord Meh Meh was still feeling aggreived.
[Having been ugly for so long, and now that it was growing wool again that won it special treatment, it had suddenly been interrupted! Woe is “meh”!]
Volume 8
Chapter 771: “To Each Its Own (1)”
Lei Chen was seated on the first level of the Immortals’ Loft and was chatting with Fan Jin. When Jun Wu Xie and the others went down, that saw him dressed in finery seating straight up in his chair, a modest and gentle smile on his face. To be fair, Lei Chen’s looks were rather outstanding, attractive but not in the least bit frivolous or antagonistic, making people subconsciously feel that this person was refined and cultured, and was very approachable.
Fan Jin spotted Jun Wu Xie and the others walking over and he immediately stood up and said with a smile: “This gentlemen here is the Yan Country’s Crown Prince, His Imperial Highness, Lei Chen.”
Lei Chen stood up to nod at all the others, his demeanor gentle.
Qiao Chu and the others greeted him perfunctorily and take their seats at the side, secretly observing Lei Chen.
Lei Chen enjoyed a good reputation and high praise from his people in the Yan Country, regardless whether it was his courteous and considerate manners, or his rather outstanding gift. Lei Chen was twenty five years old this year and he had already attained a green spirit. Although he was not the most highly gifted or prodigiously talented, it was considered to be rather good as for a ruler next in line, what was considered more important was his mind and not his might.
“Should I assume these few individuals to be the elites of the Zephyr Academy? Every single one of them look really outstanding. Headmaster Fan Jin really knows how to select his talents.” Lei Chen cast his eyes over all the companions sitting on the si
de, his gaze gentle and polite.
Fan Jin replied: “Your Highness is too kind.”
“Are all of you used to it in the Yan Country? If there is anything that does not suit your needs, please let me know. The fact that all you ladies and gentlemen had come to the Yan Country to participate in the Spirit Battle Tournament, it is the Yan Country’s honour, and we would not want to be lacking in our hospitality for all of you.” Lei Chan exhorted politely.
The companions merely smiled and nodded, and Qiao Chu discreetly turned his body very slightly and whispered into Hua Yao’s ear: “Why do I feel that this Crown Prince is being a little too deferential and generous? A man of his position, isn’t he being a little excessively too polite?”
Hua Yao nodded slightly. If this had been before, it might still be understandable if Lei Chen was being so polite. But with the circumstances that the Zephyr Academy was in, with Lei Chen still being so courteous and polite, it might not look like anything is wrong on the surface, instead it would show that he still held them in high regard. But if you looked at it from another perspective, wouldn’t Lei Chen visit to the Immortals’ Loft here tonight be seen as a big slap to the Dragon Slayers Academy? The Yan Country had always enjoyed a good relationship with the top three academies and they had never played favourites. But Lei Chen’s actions tonight had instead displayed obvious signs of favouritism.
To be able to secure the seat of the Yan Country’s Crown Prince and win such great support from the people was not something that could be achieved by an average person. If they were told that Lei Chen did not have anything up his sleeves, they wouldn’t believe a word of it even if you killed them.
While Lei Chen continued chatting with Fan Jin, the corner of his eyes were secretly glancing at the silent and quiet Jun Xie in the corner. Earlier today at the auction house, his attention had been attracted by the handsome man next to Jun Wu Xie and he had not observed this delicate little youth carefully. Only after realising that his identity was extraordinary, had Lei Chen then wanted to scrutinise this youth a little more.
He had initially thought that the youth was delicately attractive looking, but he had not expected that upon closer inspection, he found on that delicate tiny face, there was a pair of alluring eyes that tugged at the soul. Cold and clear, as if isolated from all things on earth, but the eyes shone sparkling bright, as if one would feel a cooling sensation, whenever those eyes swept past you.
For a youth with such average looks, to possess a pair of eyes like that, it shocked Lei Chen quite a bit.
In order to not overtly reveal his underlying intentions, Lei Chen did not specially try to speak to Jun Xie, but would only mention Jun Xie in passing while chatting with Fan Jin, and he took note to mention all the others as well, without placing any emphasis on Jun Xie to prevent himself from being found out.
Volume 8
Chapter 772: “Each with Their Own Thoughts (2)”
“I believe our respected participants are here in the Yan Country for the first time and as the Crown Prince of the Yan Country, it is only reasonable that I should play host and I would like to invite all of you to join us at a banquet tomorrow where I will be inviting the disciples from the various disciples academies to admire the full moon.” Lei Chen threw out an invitation offhandedly as they chatted.
Fan Jin did not react strongly as that had been the Yan Country’s tradition all this while. After all the academies have gathered, the Yan Country would always hold a banquet inviting disciples from all the various academies. It was deemed to be sort of a feast to welcome all the different academies but in fact, it was through this banquet, that the Yan Country would observe the disciples to easily discover more talents who held great potential, that the Yan Country would try to recruit.
That was supposed to be welcoming news but…..
Fan Jin secretly glanced at Jun Wu Xie and the others at the side. After they came into the hall, they had not spoken much, and their attitude towards Lei Chen had been less than enthusiastic all this while.
Disciples from other academies would have rushed to be able to cling onto such a high branch like Lei Chen, but for Jun Wu Xie and her companions…..
Fan Jin did not feel that the bunch of them cared much for Lei Chen’s position as the Crown Prince.
Just as Fan Jin was contemplating whether to refuse or to accept the invitation, Jun Wu Xie suddenly spoke up and said: “We will have to trouble you then.”
Lei Chen’s heart leapt in joy, and he replied to Jun Wu Xie to say with a gentle smile: “No trouble, I would implore our distinguished guests to forgive my tardiness in sending out the invitation instead. This little brother looks rather young and you have have already won a spot to take part in the Spirit Battle Tournament, what an incredibly talented youth you are. May I ask what’s your name?”
Jun Wu Xie glanced briefly at Lei Chen a moment and replied: “Jun Xie.”
“Ah….. It’s little brother Jun. If I remember it correctly, you still have yet to turn fifteen I believe? I saw the namelist of the candidates from the Zephyr Academy taking part in the Spirit Battle Tournament from before and I was shocked when I saw the information about you, never expecting that we would have such a young contestant. Now that I see you, I must say that Headmaster Fan Jin really has an extraordinary eye for spotting talents.” Lei Chen said, trying to sound affable and familiar, his gentle tone even praising Jun Wu Xie in passing. He did not have time for the others in the Zephyr Academy and if not for Jun Xie here, he wouldn’t have bothered to appear at this place tonight.
But Jun Wu Xie had been silent and did not speak much, her eyes clear as water, which made Lei Chen assume that the youth was still naive in the ways of the world, possessing extraordinary skills and being incredibly talented, but pure and simple in mind, the type of person most easy to manipulate.
Lei Chen’s heart was immensely gladdened as he nonchalantly attempted to close up the distance between Jun Xie and himself. He strongly believed, that no one would refuse the offered friendship of a Crown Prince!
However, when Jun Wu Xie heard the Crown Prince address her as “little brother Jun”, her brow creased up, showing a tinge of displeasure, completely unaffected by Lei Chen’s title of being the Crown Prince.
Moreover, the two words “Crown Prince” had always only meant one thing to Jun Wu Xie….. Dumb!
Mo Qian Yuan had also been a Crown Prince, and if he had not met Jun Wu Xie, there would be no need to talk about ascending the throne at all, as he would not even have been able to retain his own life.
Lei Chen’s assumption might have been practical, but before Jun Wu Xie, that couldn’t have been more wrong.
As the hand who had personally lifted a completely wasted Crown Prince to finally ascend the throne as an Emperor, to the Eldest Young Miss of a Duke’s palace, Lei Chen’s title did not exactly impress her the slightest.
She had even overthrown an Emperor from his throne, what’s more a mere Crown Prince?
Having accepted the invitation, Jun Wu Xie no longer paid Lei Chen any attention and just lowered her eyes to stroke and cuddle the little black cat in her arms. Finding himself spurned so completely, Lei Chen felt as if he had been slapped, and what’s more it was when he had been smiling and cordial towards them. Lei Chen had wanted to speak more to Jun Wu Xie to bridge the gap between them, to draw Jun Xie closer, but those words were now all stuck right at the top of his throat!
Volume 8
Chapter 773: “To Each Its Own (3)”
Jun Wu Xie’s demeanor really went beyond Lei Chen’s expectations. He had thought that since the kid had already voiced his acceptance of his invitation, that would also mean that the youth was also keen in getting closer to him. But after just saying a couple of words, the kid had suddenly lowered his head and became fully absorbed with his cat! !
The smile on Lei Chen’s face became a little awkward and Fan Jin had quickly detected Lei Chen’s discomfort and sudden awkwardness. He turned his
head to look at the cold and distant Jun Wu Xie and suddenly felt a headache coming on.
Although he had known all this time that this Young Miss’ personality was not something the average person would find easy to accept, but Lei Chen here was at the very least the Crown Prince, and wouldn’t showing someone of his status and position such complete and total disregard in such a blatant fashion deeply embarrass him?
“Cough….. Jun Xie is still very young and is rather shy. I would implore Your Highness to forgive us.” Fan Jin knew at the back of his head that Jun Wu Xie would definitely have an ulterior motive behind her accepting Lei Chen’s invitation, but…..
[My dear Young Miss, this person is the Crown Prince for heaven’s sake! Even if you are not used to indulging in polite exchanges of formalities, can’t you at least say a word or two in acknowledgement? Just leaving Lei Chen’s words hanging ominously in the air might be just a tad bit overboard, won’t you agree?]
Having experienced the tumultuous incidents from before, Fan Jin had been forced to grow up quite a bit.
“Ah….. A shy personality.” Lei Chen said, rubbing at his chin, his half narrowed eyes glancing over Jun Xie’s face. The small face wouldn’t exactly be considered highly handsome, but could still be considered to be delicately attractive. Those looks wouldn’t be able to compare with the beautiful and alluring Fu Xuan, or the adorably sweet Qu Ling Yue in the slightest, but when that pair of cold distant eyes had swept past him earlier, Lei Chen had somehow felt his heart suddenly miss a beat, as if that one light and fleeting glance had gripped at his heart, causing his eyes to involuntarily glance briefly at that slender waist and those small delicate hands.
Genius Doctor: Black Belly Miss Volume 8 Page 19
