Translator: Transn Editor: Transn
Standing on the top of the Flying Pavilion and looking at Huang Yanchen beside Zhang Ruochen, Qianshui Commandery Prince’s expression had a subtle change.
A weird thought came to his mind. “Does Yanchen also have a crush on Zhang Ruochen?”
Qianshui Commandery Prince couldn’t believe that Prince Huo Xing was indeed killed by Huang Yanchen. He thought Huang Yanchen was just helping Zhang Ruochen out.
Although Qianshui Commandery Prince loved Huang Yanchen dearly, he wouldn’t allow her to mess things up. After all, Zhang Ruochen won first place in the Sword Technique Conference, so he must become the Prince Consort of the Thirteenth Commandery Princess.
There was no such thing in the world as an older sister robbing her younger sister’s Prince Consort.
Qianshui Commandery Prince looked serious with indistinct golden light shone on him. His eyes shined like two pink golden fireballs. He said coldly, “Yanchen, the death of Prince Huo Xing has nothing to do with you. You’d better stay out of it.”
Huang Yanchen was very stubborn. Standing straight like a graceful lotus, she replied bravely, “How can I stay out of it as I am the one who killed him? I was practicing with my junior fellow, apprentice Zhang when Prince Huo Xing led his army to attack us. I killed Prince Huo Xing, but Square Commandery Prince was too timid to take revenge on me. They entirely blamed Zhang Ruochen. Many witnessed this. If you look into it, you will find the truth.”
Qianshui Commandery Prince frowned slightly and said, “Huo Ming, Zhang Ruochen, and Commandery Princess Yanchen, you’re allowed to enter the Flying Pavilion and explain this to me.”
Zhang Ruochen glanced at Huang Yanchen, gave a grateful look, and said, “Thank you for helping me.”
Huang Yanchen’s attitude remained cold. She stared at Zhang Ruochen with her beautiful bright eyes and said, “Do you really think this is the end of the story? You won first place in the Sword Technique Conference, so you must marry the Thirteenth Commandery Princess, or else my father will deal with you hard. Unless…”
Zhang Ruochen asked, “Unless what?”
Huang Yanchen murmured, “Unless you tell my father that your real purpose for coming to Qianshui Commandery is to ask him for my hand.”
Zhang Ruochen stepped back slightly, alertly glanced at Huang Yanchen, and said, “I don’t see any difference in marrying you and marrying the Thirteenth Commandery Princess. But if I have to choose, I’d rather choose…”
Looking at Huang Yanchen’s cold eyes, Zhang Ruochen bit the latter half of the sentence back in order not to embarrass her. After all, it was Huang Yanchen who helped him out just now.
Huang Yanchen said seriously, “Don’t be an ingrate. I’m trying to help you. Can’t you see what my father wants? He wants you to be a part of the Royal Family here. If you refuse, he will definitely kill you to avoid trouble later on. Apart from that, do you really think that I want to marry you? I just want to help you because we are on good terms.”
Zhang Ruochen thought about it and realized there was truth in it.
“She is such a cold and arrogant person, and she hates me to the core. Of course, she doesn’t really want to marry me. Is it possible that she is just trying to help me?”
Zhang Ruochen couldn’t think of any other reason why Huang Yanchen chose to do that, but with the current situation, it would be exceptionally easy for Huang Yanchen to kill him if she wanted.
“I’m still too weak! If I can be an internal student of the School of the Martial Market, even Qianshui Commandery Prince has to think twice before he decides to kill me.”
Zhang Ruochen was eager to become stronger in his martial cultivation and become an internal student of the School of the Martial Market as soon as possible.
Since he had made up his mind, Zhang Ruochen no longer hesitated. Staring at Huang Yanchen, he said, “I must return you a favor someday!”
An unusual light flashed across Huang Yanchen’s eyes. She rolled her eyes and said arrogantly, “It’s no big deal. I did bring a lot of trouble to Yunwu Commandery by killing Prince Huo Xing. I must take the responsibility and face the consequences. How dare Square Commandery stand against you? They must pay ten times more for the land they took from you. Now, let’s go inside and meet my father!”
In the distance, Xun Guihai alertly watched them whispering.
He couldn’t believe the beautiful Commandery Princess Yanchen with cool charm would ever fall in love with a freshman of the School of the Martial Market. Even if Zhang Ruochen was highly talented, he was still in the Medium State of the Black Realm. What’s more, he was just a prince from an inferior commandery. There was no way for him to be a fine match for Commandery Princess Yanchen!
In Xun Guihai’s eyes, Zhang Ruochen was still as weak as an ant, unworthy of mentioning.
However, he had to stay alert that it would be too late to regret if Zhang Ruochen won Commandery Princess Yanchen’s heart first.
“Zhang Ruochen, I won’t spare you if you dare to rob Commandery Princess Yanchen from me!” Seeing them walking towards the Flying Pavilion, Xun Guihai stood up from his seat and followed.
He decided to propose to Commandery Princess Yanchen now and ask Qianshui Commandery Prince to approve the marriage.
The Flying Pavilion landed on the ground and turned in to a 40-meter violet gold palace. Many purple pillars stood in the palace with lines of bright inscriptions shining on the wall.
The moment Zhang Ruochen stepped into the Flying Pavilion, he felt a sense of invisible force on him.
The farther he got, the stronger the force was. If he was an ordinary person, who had never practiced the Genuine Qi, he might be crushed down by that force.
In Flying Pavilion, Qianshui Commandery Prince sat on the highest place in the crown and golden robe, looking very majestic and divine.
If an ordinary warrior saw Qianshui Commandery Prince, he must believe that there was a god sitting up there, and he would be forced to kneel by the invisible power of Qianshui Commandery Prince.
Ten Powerful Ministers were sitting on two sides
The ones sitting in the first places were Left Prime Minister and Right Prime Minister. They were the most powerful officials in Qianshui Commandery.
Minister Ning sat at the third place on the right side.
These 11 people sitting in the Flying Pavilion were significant to Qianshui Commandery to a large extent. They could destroy an inferior commandery easily with just one order.
Although Huo Ming was a Warrior of Division Profound with strong cultivation, he trembled and didn’t dare to look at Qianshui Commandery Prince.
“Greetings, your… Your Majesty!” Huo Ming walked to the center of the palace. He couldn’t withstand the force anymore and knelt down on the ground. He bowed down to Qianshui Commandery Prince.
Zhang Ruochen and Huang Yanchen remained calm. They went past Huo Ming shoulder to shoulder and stopped when they were only 30 meters to Qianshui Commandery Prince.
“Greetings, your Majesty!” Zhang Ruochen didn’t kneel down. Instead, he just made a bow with his hands.
“Greeting father.” Huang Yanchen stood there casually and didn’t even bother to bow.
Seeing these three young geniuses, Ten Powerful Ministers all nodded slightly.
Huang Yanchen was the favorite daughter of Qianshui Commandery Prince, at the same time, she had been given birth by the Queen. She was loved by everyone since she was born. She was not afraid of Qianshui Commandery Prince at all.
Even Ten Powerful Ministers had to show some respect to her.
Although Zhang Ruochen was only a warrior in the Medium State of the Black Realm, he was able to stay calm in front of Qianshui Commandery Prince, which was very rare among the young warriors. His bow with his hands already showed his respect to Qianshui Commandery Prince.
Huo Ming, however, was not satisfactory despite the fact that he was a warrior in The Completion of the Black Realm. His performance was much worse than Zhang Ruochen’s.
Qianshui Commandery Prince asked seriously, “I need you to explain to me who killed Prince Huo Xing. Huo Ming, since you are Prince Huo Xing’s brother, you should be the one who knows the truth, right?”
The voice of Qianshui Commandery Prince cracked like thunder to Huo Ming.
Huo Ming was all sweat. He didn’t dare to lie in front of Qianshui Commandery Prince. He answered in a shaken voice, “Your…Your Majesty, I…I heard it from my father that…my brother was indeed killed by Commandery Princess Yanchen. But…But we believe it was justified. It was nobody’s fault but his own. Commandery Princess Yanchen was doing the duty on behalf of the Heaven.”
Qianshui Commandery Prince smiled and asked, “Then why did Square Commandery Prince invade Yunwu Commandery under the banner of revenging Prince Huo Xing’s death?”
“Well…I…”
Under the strong force of Qianshui Commandery Prince, Huo Ming fainted directly in the center of the palace.
Qianshui Commandery Prince shook his head with disappointment. He looked at Zhang Ruochen and said, “Since Prince Huo Xing was killed by Commandery Princess Yanchen, she should be held responsible. I promise that I will give Yunwu Commandery an explanation. But today, you won first place in the Sword Technique Conference, which means you must marry the Thirteenth Commandery Princess, and there will be no excuse for that. Do you understand me?”
Huang Yanchen coughed and tipped Zhang Ruochen a wink.
Zhang Ruochen stared at Qianshui Commandery Prince. Dignified and imposing, he replied calmly, “Your Majesty, I…”
Just at that moment, the Thirteenth Commandery Princess walked inside quickly and knelt in front of Qianshui Commandery Prince. She cried, “Father, I don’t want to marry Zhang Ruochen! I beg you to withdraw your order! I would rather marry a dog than marry him!”
Hearing this, Zhang Ruochen let out a long sigh of relief.
Of course, Zhang Ruochen also realized something funny. “What did she mean by marrying a dog than to marry him? What’s wrong with him?”
Hearing this, Qianshui Commandery Prince’s countenance fell, and he said, “This is something beyond your control! I have already given you the privilege to choose the suitors. You are the one who allowed Zhang Ruochen to participate in the Sword Technique Conference. Now, he won first place, and you should marry him without any precondition. Do I make you clear?”
This was the first time that the Thirteenth Commandery Princess saw her father being so strict. She was also a little frightened. And therefore she dared not to say another word.
If Qianshui Commandery Prince was really angry, she would also be punished severely despite their relationship.
Since it was so, she had to resign herself to fate.
“Qianshui Commandery Prince is too mighty!” Looking at the kneeling Thirteenth Commandery Princess, Zhang Ruochen thought to himself, “If I refuse the marriage, I won’t even be able to walk out of the Flying Pavilion. Do I really need to use my senior sister apprentice Huang’s strategy?”
Qianshui Commandery Prince was in a bad mood. Without a smile on his face, he asked in a low voice, “Zhang Ruochen, what is your answer?”
