in2ebook Chapter 147 The True Colors Are Revealed
Chapter 147 The True Colors Are Revealed
Chapter 147 The True Colors Are Revealed
At the entrance of the Second Prince's residence, a long line of servants waited to welcome Lin Fei. The entire residence was filled with a joyous atmosphere, showing no sign of any murderous intent.
If Lin Fei hadn't already known that the Second Prince harbored ill intentions, he probably would have been completely deceived by this hypocritical facade.
Greeting Lin Fei at the entrance was Mr. Xue, the chief strategist of Li Longqian's residence. Upon seeing Lin Fei arrive, Mr. Xue took the initiative to come forward, bowing so low that he almost touched the ground: "This humble servant greets Your Highness the Crown Prince!"
"The Emperor hasn't acknowledged my identity yet, Mr. Xue, are you trying to put me on the hot seat?" Lin Fei refused his overly polite gesture and simply stepped aside, saying, "Mr. Xue, just address me by my official title."
Lin Fei knew that Lu Dingyuan was secretly colluding with Li Longqian, so he was naturally aware of Li Longqian's position as the Second Prince's top strategist. Li Longqian's recent connections with powerful figures and his deeply entrenched influence were largely due to Lin Fei. Although Li Longqian was no match for him, Lin Fei dared not underestimate Mr. Xue.
"I never imagined that my humble name would even catch Your Highness's ear," Mr. Xue said with a smile.
"Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will never be defeated!" Lin Fei also smiled and said, "I believe you have done a lot of research on me, sir."
Although the two were enemies, they appeared to be on good terms, like old friends who hadn't seen each other for many years. Together, they entered Li Longqian's residence.
Although Li Longqian hosted a banquet for Lin Fei, he clearly lacked sincerity and naturally did not come out to greet him, but simply waited for Lin Fei's arrival in the courtyard.
Compared to the shrewd and calculating Mr. Xue, Li Longqian's cunning was far inferior. His hostility towards Lin Fei was written all over his face; he forced a smile, but it looked worse than crying.
"Brother, I haven't had a proper chance to entertain you since you returned to the capital," Li Longqian said with a forced smile, cupping his hands in greeting. "Today, I've specially prepared a banquet to welcome you back and wash away the dust of your journey!"
His acting was quite clumsy, and while he was speaking, his eyes kept glancing to the side, as if he was afraid others wouldn't know he had someone lying in ambush nearby.
This is understandable, after all, Lin Fei is a top-ranked figure on the Wind and Cloud Ranking. Li Longqian was afraid that Lin Fei would take a risk and strike first, as his cultivation level was no match for Lin Fei's.
Such clumsy acting was so bad that even Mr. Xue, who was standing to the side, couldn't bear to watch anymore. He coughed awkwardly and said, "Now that our distinguished guest has arrived, Your Highness, please take your seat!"
Once the guests and hosts were seated, fine wines and delicacies were served in an endless stream. However, those seated at the banquet clearly had no appetite for these delicacies.
Li Longqian appeared very nervous, his eyes darting around, and he kept giving Mr. Xue meaningful glances.
Lin Fei, who had ventured deep into the tiger's den, appeared relaxed and at ease, as if he had laid a trap and was waiting for Li Longqian.
Seeing this, Mr. Xue sighed inwardly—his own prince was no match for the other.
This is understandable, as one is a prince who has been pampered since childhood, and the other is a person who was sent to the Jade Emperor Sect and was able to rank twenty-third on the popularity list within a few years.
Lin Fei's ability to leave his mark on the list of influential figures in just a few years demonstrates his courage and insight, which are unmatched by ordinary people.
"It's a pity I've already pledged allegiance to the Second Prince; otherwise, the First Prince might also be a good candidate." Mr. Xue sighed inwardly and said, "Your Highness, how long do you plan to stay in the capital this time?"
Lin Fei took a bite of food and replied calmly, "If you're comfortable here, then you can stay as long as you like."
He glanced at Li Longqian with a half-smile: "Perhaps one day the Emperor will acknowledge my identity, and I might even be able to sit in the seat that some people dream of!"
Upon hearing Lin Fei's words, Li Longqian's eyes twitched, and Mr. Xue's face also darkened.
Although Mr. Xue admired Lin Fei's courage and insight, he was still Li Longqian's strategist: "There are a few things I must remind Your Highness of."
"Courtesy first, then force?" Before Mr. Xue could finish speaking, Lin Fei interrupted him: "No need for courtesy, let's go straight to force. Anyway, I'm not one to be swayed by soft or hard tactics, so you don't need to waste your breath."
With that, Lin Fei put down his chopsticks: "Those eight experts at the Acupoint Realm in the side courtyard, are they the desperate criminals you recruited by taking advantage of your positions in Tianmen Prefecture? No need to waste time, let them all come at me at once!"
Lin Fei is now at the fourth level of the realm, with keen hearing and sharp eyesight. No movement within a radius of several miles can escape his notice.
Upon entering Li Longqian's residence, he had already sensed that there were eight experts at the Acupoint Realm in the side courtyard. They were like ferocious beasts lurking in the darkness, their bodies filled with murderous intent.
Clearly, these eight experts at the Acupoint Realm were not there to welcome Lin Fei; their hidden purpose was self-evident.
Among these eight people, four have three apertures, three have two apertures, and one has four apertures. With the strength of these eight people, dealing with ordinary four-aperture people is more than enough.
Lin Fei was also fully aware of the origins of these eight men. Lu Dingyuan of Tianmen Beifu had long ago colluded with Li Longqian, using his position to exonerate some martial arts masters who had committed crimes. The price was that they were made to serve Li Longqian.
Although the Southern Prefecture doesn't have any real power in the capital, Su Wuming is known as the "Blue-Eyed Catcher," a capable henchman of Su Lie back in the day. This prestigious title is not to be underestimated.
All the shady dealings they were doing in secret could not escape Su Wuming's eyes, and Lin Fei had already learned of this information.
Mr. Xue's smile froze, and he said rather awkwardly, "Your Highness is joking. Those people were merely people I invited to entertain Your Highnesses. They had a sword dance, which was quite impressive. I'm not some idiot; how could I dare to harm Your Highness?"
He had barely finished speaking when he was unexpectedly contradicted by his own people.
With a loud "bang," Li Longqian, having reached his limit, smashed the teacup in his hand and abruptly stood up: "If you want to inherit the throne, don't you even know your own worth?"
Li Longqian shouted sternly, "Let me tell you frankly, once you've entered this door today, don't even think about leaving here alive!"
Mr. Xue hadn't made all the necessary preparations and wanted to stall for time, but he didn't expect that his master would reveal his true intentions first.
"All of you, come out here!" Li Longqian roared. "Whoever takes his head today will be rewarded with 100,000 taels of gold, a thousand beautiful women, and his freedom!"