Two days pa.s.sed, and just as he was preparing to travel to the Black Turtle Territory, all of a sudden, Tang Lianxin came to see him.
"Elder Brother, the Headmaster has sent a summons. He wants us to go on a trip to the Main Hall."
Su Xing nodded. Subsequently, he and Tang Lianxin made for the Four Styles School"s main hall. Along the way, Su Xing asked her for what matter the Headmaster was seeking him. As the Four Styles School"s most pampered Great Disciple and Star Master, Su Xing already possessed the sect"s prerogative. Normally, no one would meddle with what he did inside the school. If Su Xing was missing something, he need only mention it.
Tang Lianxin shook her head, also unaware.
Main hall.
"Paying respects to Headmaster, Masters, and all Senior Teachers." Su Xing cupped his fist. Suddenly, he was astonished. Sitting on the seat beside the Headmaster was an absolutely beautiful young lady dressed in purple. Her brows were like smoke, and she watched Su Xing"s arrival with a seeming smile.
Ling Yan Princess Zhao Hanyan?!
Su Xing had never antic.i.p.ated that he would encounter her here.
"Your Highness Princess, this is Su Xing." The Headmaster said, making Su Xing sit on his other side.
"Many thanks to Headmaster. Can Hanyan take him now?" Zhao Hanyan"s gentle appearance made Su Xing feel that he had seen the wrong person.
"Of course you can. Su Xing, the Ling Yan Princess" birthday was several days ago. This time, she has something to ask of you. You must properly receive her." Ju Yueke kindly said.
Birthday?!
Su Xing"s heart pounded, and he suddenly recalled the promise he made to Zhao Hanyan inside Evil Smiting Hall. Because the matter of Buddha Kingdom was too complicated, he had completely forgotten this matter. However, he was still somewhat perplexed as to how Zhao Hanyan found him here.
Zhao Hanyan"s expression seemingly smiled yet did not.
"Disciple has some matters that he fears…" Su Xing felt that he had best first lay low for now.
"What matter could be more important than This Princess" personal invitation?" Zhao Hanyan"s smile appeared simply angelic to an outsider"s perspective. Each and every single one of those sect elders and hall masters were captivated.
Nevertheless, Su Xing could discern the demonic displeasure within.
"En, Su XIng, do not decline." Ju Yueke said, clearly also not wishing to offend the Great Liang Dynasty.
Su Xing could only begrudgingly comply.
"Su Xing, come with This Princess." Zhao Hanyan gracefully left the hall.
"En."
Their Flying Swords skyrocketed, and very quickly, they left the range of the Four Styles School.
"Zhao Hanyan, how did you find me?" Su Xing"s riding sword flew alongside her as he asked.
"Hmph."
Zhao Hanyan flung her head away, not minding him as if she was a spoiled child.
"Did you forget the Intertwined Sword you have with Princess? With this, how is finding you strange." Steadfast Star Dong Junqing emerged, her tone disdainful as she stared at Su Xing.
Su Xing understood.
"Junqing, do not mind this untrustworthy man." Zhao Hanyan coldly said.
Su Xing perspired. As expected, she was angry.
The Steadfast Star harrumphed, ruthlessly glaring at Su Xing. Then, she entered the Star Nest again.
Flying for a while, from beginning to end Zhao Hanyan did not speak at all, seething, somewhat like a daughter. When Su Xing saw the renowned Ling Yan Princess" daughter-like appearance, he actually felt this was quite cute, and he laughed.
"What are you laughing at." Zhao Hanyan glared.
"Your angry face is rather cute." Su Xing said truthfully.
"You unfaithful traitor…" Zhao Hanyan"s anger flourished. TheSeventy-two Outer Void Flying Immortals Swords flew out. Just as she was about to attack Su Xing, the Intertwined Branch Swords suddenly activated, and heart groaned in pain.
"b.a.s.t.a.r.d." Zhao Hanyan cursed, very unladylike.
"Alright, sorry. It was because I had some matters to attend to that I really couldn"t break free of." Su Xing was not fond of going back on his word, but what had happened in the Buddha Kingdom honestly could not have been avoided. Earnestly and sincerely, he apologized. "Your Husband has but experienced nine deaths and is still alive."
Su Xing saying this made Zhao Hanyan"s anger immediately quell, as expected. Seeing the concern in her eyes was not feigned, Su Xing"s heart actually was somewhat warm.
"Hmph, are you thinking of swindling This Princess?" Zhao Hanyan"s tone sunk.
"I can"t help if if you don"t believe me…Hanyan, you"ve known me for so long, when have you ever seen me smooth and steady?"1
Zhao Hanyan looked pensive. The Purple Thunder Monster had always been fond of provoking right and wrong. He had turned both the Azure Dragon Territory and Vermilion Bird Territory upside-down anyways. Seeing Su Xing"s wholehearted sincerity, Zhao Hanyan"s tone also softened. "This Princess" first invitation, you unexpectedly made This Princess look unsightly.2 Su Xing, what do you say we do?"
"We"re already husband and wife, just don"t fuss over the minor things. I have never fussed over that preference of yours." Su Xing shook his head.
Zhao Hanyan"s face turned red, and she spat. "b.a.s.t.a.r.d," conversing with this guy would always make her go mad. Obviously, he had previously missed his appointment, yet she now had wronged herself.
"Just where are we going now?" Su Xing asked her: "I"ve still got things to do."
"What, does being together with This Princess so unbearable to you?" The Ling Yan Princess was in quite the bad mood. At her birthday banquet, each and every one of those princes, dukes and marquis fawned over her, wishing to speak a little long with her. Others could not do so even if they requested. Though he was good, even when he was so close to one in a position of power, he unexpectedly gave that up. How could This Princess have initiated the Thousand Year Intertwined with such a man that did not love her. Truly, he makes This Princess angered to death.
Su Xing indeed was very pressed for time. Lin Yingmei and the other beauties were rushing about constantly on the outside. How could he have the leisure to engage in sentiments. His Flying Sword stopped, and he earnestly said: "Hanyan, if you don"t have anything, can I actually go?"
"You…" Zhao Hanyan originally wanted to curse him, but seeing that Su Xing"s expression was not seemingly joking, her wrinkled her brows and said: "You have made This Princess appear unsightly. Could it be that helping This Princess do some things is out of the question?"
"What things? How long will it take?" Su Xing asked.
Zhao Hanyan"s expression said, "Are you in a rush to go reincarnate?"
"Princess Highness wishes for you to go see a certain Lingdong Countess Ye Lingxi."3 Dong Junqing emerged again. Seeing Zhao Hanyan and Su Xing like this, she spoke.
"Lingdong Countess Ye Lingxi?"
"She is the daughter of Prince Shen Wu."4
"Oh? What would you have me do? I haven"t collaborated with her." Su Xing expressed innocence.
Zhao Hanyan coldly grinned: "Whether you can collaborate with the lady, This Princess has no opinion."
"…"
Things were like this. This Prince Shen Wu was one of the Three Great Princes that originally helped Emperor Liang establish the Great Liang Dynasty. The two were close friends, but the Lingdong Countess and Zhao Hanyan nevertheless did not get along at all. Zhao Hanyan"s birthday banquet, according to Great Liang custom, was to allow the Ling Yan Princess to select a husband. In short, the Lingdon Countess probably mocked Zhao Hanyan for something, and then Zhao Hanyan did not keep her cool and somehow mentioned Su Xing.
This actually was not much. Originally, Su Xing had wanted to come, and Zhao Hanyan had naturally spoken to Emperor Liang beforehand. In any case, Zhao Hanyan did not know what she was thinking and spoke of Su Xing with extravagant embellishments, even talking big that the Lingdong Countess was not to fancy him upon seeing him, and so on…Su Xing was speechless.
"How can you blame this on This Princess, that woman is honestly loathsome!" Zhao Hanyan was red-faced.
"So you sold out your Lord Husband like this?"
"Are you blaming This Princess? You yourself surprisingly missed This Princess" birthday banquet. Do you know how embarra.s.sing This Princess appeared at that moment, do you!!" Zhao Hanyan said furiously. Suddenly sensing an incorrect address, she hurriedly said: "What Lord Husband, you unexpectedly dare take advantage of This Princess."
Su XIng could imagine how embarra.s.sed Zhao Hanyan would have appeared at that time, and his heart softened.
"Then could it be that we are seeking her out now just to show me off?" Su Xing felt this ZHao Hanyan was too childish.
Dong Junqing gave Su Xing a very rare look of agreement.
"No, This Princess wants you to seduce her!" Zhao Hanyan"s words were earth-shattering.
Su Xing was wildly dizzy: "You"re treating me as a casanova, how could there be a wife like you."
"Hmph, since you can have that many Star Generals following you, what does this count as." Zhao Hanyan snorted, a little bit of jealousy in her words.
"These are two different things. Even if I were to seduce her, I"d have to do it slowly. How can anyone do such a thing at first sight." Su Xing shook his head.
Zhao Hanyan said, "You are a beast, sure enough. No matter, use as much time as you need. In short, you must help This Princess take back this disgrace. Otherwise…This Princess…will take you down with her."
"I"m about to faint."
She had even spoke of dying together in the name of love. Su Xing truly was defeated.
Muttering to himself, Su Xing suddenly recalled something. "Hanyan, wouldn"t it be better to compromise, how about it?"
"Do you have a plan?" Zhao Hanyan and Dong Junqing both were taken aback. Zhao Hanyan uttered those words of anger and was somewhat vexed she did not plan that Su Xing could do something, but hearing Su Xing apparently actually had some means, the Ling Yan Princess was immediately curious.
"First, you tell me the matters of her family, then I"ll do some thinking." Su Xing was not too certain.
"En."
Their Flying Swords were en route, and Zhao Hanyan told Su Xing about Lingdong Countess Ye Lingxi"s personality and livelihood. Because they had known each other since they were small, she could be counted as very understanding.
Hearing that Ye Lingxi"s personality was somewhat proud, Su Xing"s eyes lit up. "Perhaps I have a way."
"What way?"
"How about I have her and her mother voluntarily kiss me?" Su Xing said.
"Huh?"
These words made Zhao Hanyan dumb as a wooden chicken. She felt that she may have misheard. To make Ye Lingxi kiss of her own volition inherently was not too possible, yet Su Xing unexpectedly had designs on Ye Lingxi"s mother. He had to know that Madam Ye was but a cold and unreasonable person.
"In short, can I or can"t I?" Su Xing said.
"You will get exactly what you look for, but are you mocking This Princess" happiness?" Zhao Hanyan was doubtful.
"To be frank, there must be some other arrangements, as well. Let"s make a bet. If I can do it, you"ll send me a kiss." Su Xing said.
"Shameless."
"To be asked by you to do this sort of thing, Hanyan, don"t you feel guilty?" Su Xing spoke uprighteously.
"Fine! If you can do it, but if you are unable to?" Zhao Hanyan mockingly asked.
"Princess!" Dong Junqing had a bad feeling.
"If I can"t do it, then whatever punishment you see fit." She could not hurt him, anyways.
"Hmph, that is settled then, if you cannot accomplish it, then you will listen and obey This Princess for one matter…"
"…"
Upon meeting Madam Ye5 for the first time, Su Xing only felt that the woman before his eyes exuded a mature charm from head to toe. Her stature was tall, and her plump chest and that beautiful countenance could very easily make a man"s imagination run wild.
Everything was fine except for one small defect, which was that sort of cold and destructive sense of beauty that evolved from within her.
"Are you the man that Hanyan fancies so much?"
The lady of the prince was taken aback. Watching Su Xing, she gently smiled, her expression very curious.
"Your Servant is Su Xing, as you see." Su Xing presented his etiquette.
"You truly are very young." Madam Prince6 faintly smiled.
"Madam also appears very young."
A maid brought over black tea. Drinking a mouthful, Su Xing said to Zhao Hanyan: "Zhao Hanyan, go see your confidant7 Ye Lingxi. You may as well inform her that I await her inside the drawing room."
Zhao Hanyan affirmed, her expression suspicious, not knowing what medicine Su Xing had shown off before she rose and followed the maid into the other room.
The drawing room was very quickly left with two people.
"The Ling Yan Princess has named Your Distinguished Self Su Xing as her one and only best man." Madam Ye said. "However, Your Distinguished Self"s figure was nevertheless absent from the banquet."
"Your Servant was delayed because of an important matter. This time, Your Servant has come because he hears that Hanyan and the Madam"s daughter have a bet, so…" Su Xing set down the teacup, speaking apologetically.
The corner of Madam Prince"s mouth flickered with charm yet also with disdain, "I even heard Lingxi say that Zhao Hanyan could make Lingxi fall for you."
"Falling for me is impossible, making her kiss me is just about it!" Su Xing said.
"To think of having a little girl kiss you, you truly are very self-confident?" Madam Ye glanced at Su Xing. She was very proud of her daughter.
"If Madam does not mind, then I shall properly teach her a lesson. If Madam is willing to make a bet…" Su Xing thoughtfully asked.
"I shall wait and see." Madam Prince"s reply was neither fiery nor warm.
"Then that is very good."
Su Xing smiled very craftily.
When Ye Lingxi came to the drawing room, she caught sight of her mother talking cheerfully with a man for a long while now. This was the first time she had seen her mother smile so happily. Her heart warmed, and at the same time, she could not help but size up that man.
That was a very youthful man. His appearance was out of the question handsome beyond compare yet very clean. To describe him as warm was very apt, but any way she looked, that excessively frivolous face of his did not match too well with his steadfastness.
This was that man Zhao Hanyan spoke of?
Ye Lingxi"s heart suddenly had a sort of disdainful and mocking laugh. She honestly was incapable of believing that the man in front of her had any qualifications to be able to have her fancy him.
Forcibly suppressing her heart"s disdain, Ye Lingxi mockingly said: "So you are the man that Ling Yan Princess Zhao Hanyan spoke of? Hanyan showered praises upon you, but are not merely mediocre??"
"Ye Lingxi, do not be discourteous." Madam Fu chided her, showing Su Xing an apologetic face.
Su Xing looked at Ye Lingxi. She was more icily arrogant than he had imagined, a pair of blue eyes like ice. Although she had concealed it very well, Su Xing could still discern the contempt inside her heart.
This sort of contempt was a very good seasoning for defeat.
Su Xing reviewed in his heart.
"Su Xing, have a nice chat with Ye Lingxi. I am very eager to witness our bet!" Madam Ye indifferently said.
Zhao Hanyan blinked when she heard these words, thinking in her heart, "Just what is Su Xing planning?"
"Beautiful Madam, make ready your preparations." Su Xing"s words were very suggestive.
If it was any other person speaking like this to her mother, she long would have glowered at them with mutual aggression, but Ye Lingxi did not this time. She merely sneered, full of a sort of "a rogue like you has designs on my mother" taunting.
Laughing to himself, Su Xing looked at Ye Lingxi, from her face, to her swan-like neck down to her tall and straight twin peaks and further down to her slender jade legs.
This kind of gaze made Ye Lingxi a bit uncomfortable. She was increasingly certain of the conjecture in her heart – the man before her basically was a ruffian without any sort of ability, capable only of sweet talk and cajolery. No wonder Zhao Hanyan would be tricked into confusion. Actually, his cultivation was very genius at Supercl.u.s.ter Stage, but she did not know whether his bones were that of a several hundred year old elder.
Zhao Hanyan also wrinkled her brow. Su Xing"s appearance honestly was too frivolous.
"Whatever you want to say, say it quickly. Afterwards, disappear immediately from my sight. I do not wish to waste time on a boring person!" Ye Lingxi"s tone was disdainful.
"Ye Lingxi!"
Even Zhao Hanyan felt that Ye Lingxi"s words were a bit overboard.
"For the sake of waiting until you want to kiss me, never mind this time. In the future, remember that you must be a bit more courteous to others." Su Xing chuckled.
Ye Lingxi"s eyes widened, "Me kiss you?" She let out a disdainful jeer.
Truly a laughable delusion!
"I heard that you are a genius, omniscient in Liangshan"s knowledge. May I ask you several questions?" Su Xing took out a piece of paper.
"No problem." The Lingdong Countess was considerably self-confident. Taking that piece of paper, upon it were questions that were very easy, easy to the point of being somewhat ridiculous.
Does he wish for her to show off her knowledge and wisdom?
To other girls, this indeed was a very powerful lure, but to This Countess, this truly is boring.
"Another cup of tea, please." Su Xing signaled to the maid. He sat on the sofa, slowly sipping tea, slowly savoring it.
His current manner in Zhao Hanyan"s eyes was considerably calm and confident, as if he was completely unworried about the outcome.
Time seemed to cease its flow.
There was a bang.
"Regardless of whether or not you are putting on airs, disappear from my sight right now." Ye Lingxi gave her notice to leave. She already loathed this man. To surprisingly speak of having her kiss him? Dream on!
"Do you feel yourself a genius right now? Much of the knowledge on that is not something an ordinary person can figure out. You solve it." Su Xing leisurely said.
Ye Lingxi"s arrogant appearance was revealed no doubt.
Su Xing raised an exam paper. "Do you feel this world has nothing you can learn.?
"? Do you feel I need to learn something?" Ye Lingxi spoke very haughtily.
Su Xing blossomed with a splendid smile. He ripped apart the white paper, and a flame appeared out of thin air, immediately burning the exam paper into ash.
"Then I shall teach your talent some knowledge that is impossible possess."
Zhao Hanyan and Ye Lingxi expressed surprise one after the other.
"Knowledge that is impossible to possess? You speak nonsense. What knowledge does Liangshan Continent have that I do not know of!" Ye Lingxi sneered.
"If you feel you have lost, then in the future, treat people more courteously." Su Xing finally mentioned the subject.
"So long as you have the ability to make This Countess do so." The Lingdong Countess was disdainful.
"Will do." Su Xing said something to Zhao Hanyan, and the latter oddly walked outside.
Ye Lingxi locked her brow, baffled.
She followed Su Xing to the door. At this moment, Zhao Hanyan walked over and quietly said: "Su Xing, the preparations are already finished."
"Just what are you thinking of doing. Quickly, now, do not deceive me."
"The following test is very simple. I shall have Zhao Hanyan instruct the maid and butler to wait on call where they are. When the time comes, you will have them enter together. The maid and the butler will enter the room at the same time, and we will guess who will be the first to enter the room. That is all." Su Xing said.
Ye Lingxi was taken aback, not coming back to her senses. "What is the topic of this?"
"If you feel yourself very bright, then speak. The maid and butler are your family"s, you ought to have a greater advantage over me. This topic is very fair."
Su Xing smiled. "However, I can tell you beforehand, regardless of how you attempt this topic, you will always fail!"
"Hmph, you bluff. What do you think the result would even be." Ye Lingxi scoffed, "The butler shall be the first to enter!"
"Then call them into the room yourself." Su Xing shrugged.
The butler and maid did not understand, so they walked towards the room together. Ye Lingxi stared at each and every one of their moves. When she saw the maid behind the butler, her heart breathed a sigh of relief.
She could not help but cast a mocking expression at Su Xing.
Although the butler and maid entered the room together, he very clearly forgotten a fact. That was that a maid"s status was far lower than that of a butler"s. When the two advanced together, the maid would subconsciously place herself behind the butler.
By doing so, there was no question that the butler would be first to enter.
Sensing this fact, Zhao Hanyan tightly clenched her fists, praying to herself. However, the butler and the maid"s pace did not change at all.
When the distance to the threshold was less than half a meter, Zhao Hanyan thoroughly lost hope.
Ye Lingxi very much wished to admire this frivolous man"s angry expression, however, when what she saw was a nonchalant, tea-sipping countenance, her heart was very furious.
Just at the instant the butler was about to be the first to step across the threshold, Su Xing moved the cup away from the corner of his mouth and suddenly said: "Butler, your shoelace is loose."
"Huh?"
Having been suddenly given this reminder, the butler first paused. Then, he promptly lowered his head to inspect his shoelaces. He immediately discovered that the boots he wore did not have shoelaces.
In that instant he lowered his head, the maid behind the butler thus became the first to walk through the door.
This surprise turnaround suddenly made the two girls dumbstruck.
"I do not have shoelaces." The butler deferentially said.
The corner of Ye Lingxi"s mouth twitched. How she wished to blow her top.
"Oh, I was mistaken. You are dismissed." Su Xing apologetically said.
"Oh." When the butler and maid saw the unsightly expression of their young lady, they were baffled, but they knew now was not the time for them to trouble her.
When they left her line of sight, Ye Lingxi"s fury immediately exploded. She roared: "You cheat, how could you play such a trick!"
"Did I say I couldn"t?" Su Xing innocently shrugged.
Ye Lingxi was speechless. Indeed, he had only said to guess who would be first to enter, and he did not set a rule at all about not speaking. However, any way she thought about it, Ye Lingxi felt she had been played with. She indignantly said: "If it was not for you speaking, the I would not have guessed wrongly at all!"
"Now that you feel that what you have learned is not enough, have you started being tsundere?" Su Xing coldly said.
"This is a dirty trick, I do not concede!" Ye Lingxi ground her teeth.
"Fine, I will have you completely won over. Again, but this time, neither of us can say anything, how about it."
"No problem."
Ye Lingxi was confident that if he had not spoken to delay the butler"s pace, the victor right now would have been her.
Su Xing calmly continued to drink tea amidst the chaos.
This time, the butler and maid appeared to advance the same way as before, the maid still behind the butler.
"You cannot speak, let me see how you will manage this." Ye Linxi smirked in her heart.
Su Xing raised the cup at Ye Lingxi with a slight smile upon his face.
This sort of smile that was full of confidence made Ye Lingxi exceptionally angry. Why was this man so confident.
Zhao Hanyan had been left very dumbfounded by Su Xing"s actions. Asking Dong Junqing, the Steadfast Star also did not understand. Although using a bet to humiliate the other party was not a bad method, the problem was that you needed a certain chance of victory.
Now it appeared that Su Xing"s current way of doing things was somewhat baffling. She completely did not know what medicine he was selling inside his gourd.8
Especially now, what should Su Xing do?
Zhao Hanyan was very curious.
Could it be he actually could make a reversal like this.
Just at this moment, Su Xing smiled, and he made a movement that made the countess and princess dumbstruck again.
- As in not stirring up trouble somewhere. ↩
- To the high court and other important people attending the party ↩
- 靈動郡主葉靈曦, 靈動 literally means “quick-witted” ↩
- 神武親王 ↩
- Madam Ye refers to the wife of the Prince ↩
- Also referring to the Prince’s wife ↩
- 閨中密友, lit. close friend you share your bedchambers with. This phrase is used exclusively among women. ↩
- Trick up his sleeve, so to speak. ↩