"The prince is here!" At this time, a clear voice of call was heard outside Suiyi Garden.
Upon hearing the arrival of the prince, everyone immediately stopped talking and stood up to welcome the arrival of the current prince Jiang Haotian.
Qu Feiqing raised her head slightly and glanced at the garden, only to find that the ladies from prominent families all had surprise in their eyes, and everyone had an eager expression on their faces. She immediately understood why these young ladies who never left their homes were willing to travel such a long distance to come to the Sea King's Palace today. She thought that they had heard that the prince would come to attend the birthday banquet today, and they wanted to be chosen.
It seems that although the matter of selecting a concubine for the crown prince that the emperor mentioned before has not yet been implemented, it has already aroused the desire to fight in the hearts of these young ladies.
Looking at the excited expressions on the faces of those young ladies, Qu Feiqing couldn't help but shook her head, thinking to herself that the imperial palace may look prosperous, but inside it is full of swords and spears, and one can lose one's life if not careful. It would be better to marry into an ordinary family and live a stable life.
Qu Feiqing was daydreaming when a bright yellow figure slowly walked in, surrounded by the Sea King, the Prince of Hai and others.
"Greetings to the Crown Prince." Everyone immediately put aside what they were discussing and stood up to salute in unison, their voices in unison and loud.
"Everyone, please stand up. Today's birthday boy is the Prince of the Sea. I and all of you are guests, so there's no need to be formal." Jiang Haotian spoke in a deep voice, his face calm, his demeanor dignified and not at all stage-frightened, invisibly showing everyone his demeanor as the crown prince.
"Thank you, Your Highness." Everyone stood up upon hearing this, and only sat down after a few people had sat down.
Everyone was finally able to get a good look at Jiang Haotian. He was dressed in a bright yellow brocade robe, a four-clawed golden dragon on his chest, a symbol of exceptional nobility and distinction. A four-clawed golden dragon was entwined around the golden crown on his head. Though only thirteen or fourteen years old, he showed no sign of timidity while sitting with the Sea King and other senior officials. This showed that Emperor Yugan was very attentive in his daily instruction.
What surprised everyone even more was that the person guarding Jiang Haotian today was actually Lord Wu, the commander of the Imperial Guard.
Lord Wu was protecting Concubine Rongxian in Puguo Temple, but now he was recalled by Emperor Yugan to protect the crown prince. It can be seen that Emperor Yugan is very fond of Jiang Haotian as the crown prince.
As for the Rong family, because Concubine Rong was sentenced to death, even Concubine Rong Xian was no longer valued by the emperor. Not to mention the withdrawal of Lord Wu, no one from the Rong family even attended today's birthday banquet.
Even though there is a flood in Jiangnan now, the emperor ordered Rong Yunhe to go there to provide disaster relief. I'm afraid he only values the Rong family's wealth and wants to save some money for the national treasury.
It is truly a pity that the once prosperous Rong family has fallen into such a state today. It is truly unpredictable! When Rong Rong was first named a noble concubine, she was so honored, but now she is a beauty with a tragic fate, and the entire Rong family has fallen into a trough.
However, such sighs were only temporary. After all, the Rong family had nothing to do with everyone present. They were now thinking about how to curry favor with Neptune and Jiang Haotian in order to pave the way for their own future.
"Yue'er, go and bring Rui'er to meet the prince." The courtyard was silent. The King of the Sea spoke first, but he asked Hai Yue to bring Hai Rui to meet Jiang Haotian. This move was a bit strange.
After hearing Hai Quan's words, Jiang Haotian smiled heartily, "Your Highness is really too polite. The last time I met the young master, I knew he was a rare talent. The Sea Prince's Mansion is truly a place of great feng shui."
Seeing Jiang Haotian praising his son right away, Hai Yue, who hadn't even sat down yet, immediately stood up, bowed, and said, "Your Highness, thank you for your kind words!"
"Please take a seat, Prince! I am only speaking the truth." Jiang Haotian was as talkative and easy-going as ever.
Such a good temper immediately attracted the ladies present to secretly look at the future monarch of Western Chu. The cheeks that were originally covered with white powder were now dripping with blood, but the ambition and determination to win were flashing in those shy eyes.
"Thank you, Prince." Hai Yue stood up, with a refined and elegant appearance, and sat down gracefully. His smiling eyes glanced at Hai Chenxi who was sitting below him, and a hint of hatred appeared in his eyes.
However, Hai Chenxi raised his eyes with a smile and looked at Hai Yue for a while. Suddenly, a sneer appeared in his cold eyes, as if he was mocking Hai Yue's behavior.
Hai Quan has been watching everyone in the field, with a subtle and restrained smile on his elegant face. He knew that his two sons were competing with each other, but he never exposed it in a formal occasion. The minds of the important officials in the court were really unfathomable, so no one dared to discuss anything in front of the King of the Sea.
After taking a look at all the guests who had arrived today, Hai Quan finally withdrew his gaze and said with a smile, "Your Highness, you are truly too flattering. How can a child tell the difference between a dragon and a phoenix in a man? I only hope that my child will grow up healthily, and I will be satisfied. After all, the Sea Palace can also ensure that he grows up. As for his future prospects, it depends on his own ability and luck. I am an old man with limited mobility, and I really don't have the energy to plan a future for my children and grandchildren. The future depends entirely on their own abilities."
Jiang Haotian listened to Hai Quan's words with a smile on his face, but did not respond immediately. His sharp eyes swept over the guests in Suiyi Garden and he spoke calmly, "Alas, I am not seeing Prince Chu and the Seventh Uncle today. Thinking back to the last time we had the Young Master's first birthday party, it was so lively with everyone together. Today, without them, it feels a little less fun."
Upon hearing this, Hai Quan smiled heartily and continued, "Prince Chu and Prince Chen are lively people, but it's a pity that Prince Chu's stepmother just passed away, and Concubine Yuande is in poor health. Prince Chen, being a filial son, is naturally worried about Concubine Yuande. If they were here today, we would have all the people."
Jiang Haotian listened to Hai Quan's words with half-closed eyes, the corners of his mouth slightly raised, revealing an impeccable arc, and said calmly, "Your Highness is absolutely right. I see that the guests who have come to Suiyi Garden today are even more complete than those at the palace banquet. The Sea King really has prestige."
As soon as these words were spoken, all the guests' expressions changed. They all lowered their heads silently, not daring to look at Jiang Haotian's narrow eyes that were filled with a hint of coldness. They intuitively felt that those eyes, which were as powerful as arrows, were filled with a murderous aura that made people tremble and went straight to their hearts, forcing everyone to lower their heads. No one dared to look into Jiang Haotian's eyes.
Seeing that everyone seemed to lower their heads guiltily, Lord Wu, who was standing behind Jiang Haotian, looked even more solemn and cold. His eyes, which were always serious, swept across all the guests in Suiyi Garden, and he already had a plan in his mind.
At this time, in Suiyi Garden, the only one who could chat and laugh without fear of Jiang Haotian's power was Hai Quan.
Hai Quan wore a humble and polite smile, undeterred by Jiang Haotian's provocation. With one hand, he lifted the teacup on the small table to his right, and with the other, he lifted the lid of the bowl, gently scraping the rim to remove the foam. Then, Hai Quan's gentle voice rang out, "Your Highness, you're joking. How can a banquet at the Sea Prince's Mansion be compared to a palace banquet? It's only out of the kindness of my colleagues in the court that they are accompanying me on my birthday. Actually, I'm also very nervous, fearing that this will lead to gossip. It's not a big deal if it humiliates me, but if it damages the relationship between me and the emperor, wouldn't that be a small loss for the greater good? I'm terrified. I hope Your Highness will say a few good words for me when you return to the palace."
Having said that, Hai Quan's face showed only a humble smile, without any worry or fear. Although he had a chronic leg disease, his back was as straight as a pine tree, and he did not look like he would bow to the imperial power at all. In the eyes of everyone, he looked like a loyal minister.
Jiang Haotian listened to Hai Quan's words with a smile on his face, and did not refute Hai Quan. He just looked at Hai Quan with his eyes without dodging or evading, and there was no intention of retreating at all, which showed the aura of the crown prince.
"Your Highness is too cautious. I am just saying this, Your Highness does not need to be so cautious. Besides, in the heart of the Emperor, he still relies on Your Highness very much, why should Your Highness be so despised? What's more, I think that the Crown Prince and Prince Hai are both outstanding talents, and they will definitely achieve something in the court in the future. What is there for Your Highness to worry about? Yangming Mountain is also a good place to cultivate one's body and mind. In our Western Chu, Your Highness is the first person who can be so blessed by Your Highness." Jiang Haotian looked directly into Hai Quan's eyes full of gentle smiles, and spoke with dignity in his voice, as if he was praising Hai Quan, but the deeper meaning in his words was shocking.
The people sitting in the main seats were talking in a back-and-forth manner, like the flashing of swords and the shadowy arrows. Everyone in the oppressive garden had to smile cautiously, and no one dared to respond at this time.
"In my opinion, the emperor loves the prince very much. He even asked Commander Wu to escort the prince here today. It is really a great favor from the emperor." Hai Quan suddenly changed the subject and turned everyone's attention to Commander Wu who had been standing silently behind Jiang Haotian.
Commander Wu rarely spoke, but he commanded the imperial guards, traditionally protecting the emperor. Now, he had been recalled from Puguo Temple by Emperor Yugan to escort Jiang Haotian to the Sea Palace. This revealed not only the emperor's immense favor, but also his concern for the Sea Palace.
Hai Quan didn't say everything, but everyone knew it clearly in their minds. How could they not understand it?
Jiang Haotian leaned slightly to the side, his eyes glancing imperceptibly at Commander Wu, who was guarding him from behind. A faint, amused smile curved the corners of his beautiful lips. He wasn't angered by Hai Quan's allusion, but instead, he put on the magnanimous demeanor of a crown prince and spoke slowly, "Your Majesty, I am truly grateful for your kindness. If it weren't for the fact that Prince Chu and the Seventh Imperial Uncle were both busy and unable to come, Lord Wu wouldn't have had to travel all the way back from Puguo Temple, and then follow me to the Sea Palace without even having a chance to rest."
In just a few words, Jiang Haotian pushed all the blame onto Chu Feiyang and Jiang Muchen, but he also reminded everyone that compared to Commander Wu's status as the commander of the Royal Guard, Chu Feiyang and Jiang Muchen were either rich or noble. He also made everyone understand what it meant to have the protection of the two kings!
At this time, the butler walked in quickly from outside the garden. After respectfully bowing to the people in the main seats, he respectfully reported, "Your Majesty, the princess and the crown prince's wife are here with the young master."
Hearing the butler's reply, Hai Yue frowned slightly, while Hai Chenxi sneered sarcastically, glancing at Hai Yue, whose face was slightly gloomy, with a look of obvious sneer in his eyes.
How could Hai Yue not notice Hai Chenxi's mocking face? A surge of anger suddenly surged in his heart, but Jiang Haotian was present at the time, and today was his father's birthday. If he made mistakes because of him, the King of the Sea would probably like his son even less, and then the bastard Hai Chenxi would be the one who benefited.
Thinking of this, although Hai Yue's hands had already been clenched into fists under his sleeves, his facial expression had long since returned to normal, with a faint smile on his face, gentle and elegant.
"Let them in quickly. How can we let the prince wait for them?" Hai Quan raised his eyebrows slightly and spoke in a stern voice.
Seeing that Neptune rarely showed a stern expression, the butler bowed and saluted, then quickly retreated.
As for Hai Quan, she immediately put on a faint smile after the housekeeper left, but said to Jiang Haotian with a slightly reproachful tone, "I am a woman who is ignorant. Please forgive me, Your Highness."
Jiang Haotian smiled along with Hai Quan and said magnanimously, "Your Highness is truly too polite. It was only a blink of an eye. There's no need to take it so seriously."
As he was speaking, a group of people walked in from the gate of Suiyi Garden.
Princess of the Sea was still walking in the front, her noble princess dress made her look very noble, and coupled with her outstanding beauty, she looked even more noble and dignified now.
Following closely behind Princess Hai was naturally Princess Qian. As she walked, she glanced sideways at the little prince who was held in the arms of his wet nurse behind her, her eyes filled with a mother's tenderness and concern.
However, when her gaze turned back to the main seat, it instantly fell on Xiahou An'er, who was sitting not far away. A hint of determination and hatred suddenly appeared in those beautiful eyes that were originally gentle and motherly, but it was fleeting. She quickly turned away from Xiahou An'er and continued to follow the Sea Princess forward as if nothing had happened.
Xiahou An'er naturally felt the extremely unfriendly gaze of Princess Qian. She frowned slightly, and she knew in her heart that the beautiful maid was indeed sent by Princess Qian. She was afraid that today's matter would not end so easily.
"I haven't seen you for a few days. I didn't expect that the young master has changed so much. I can hardly recognize him." After a round of greetings, Jiang Haotian looked at the young master in the arms of his wet nurse with a smile in his eyes and said.
Everyone's eyes were now focused on the child. The child was fair and clean, with big round eyes looking around curiously. I don't know what new things he saw, but he raised his little finger and pointed at something not far away, smiling foolishly. He looked very cute and lovable.
Those unmarried ladies were already very excited to see such a cute-looking child, and they were whispering to each other about the child's every move.
When Princess Qian saw the Crown Prince praising her child, she immediately put on a polite smile and bowed, saying, "Thank you for the compliment, Your Highness. However, children are inevitably naughty, so I hope Your Highness will not take it personally."
"You are too polite, Princess. I actually think the young prince is very cute. The Sea King is so lucky. Now he has three generations living under one roof. In a dozen years, it will be four generations. Then the prince's birthday will surely be even more lively than today." Jiang Haotian then turned his gaze to the Sea King.
"Then I, this old minister, would like to borrow the Crown Prince's good words!" Hai Quan laughed out loud. For a moment, the Suiyi Garden was filled with joy. The oppressive and cold atmosphere just now was instantly broken. The guests couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief, and they felt a little more relaxed while chatting and laughing.
"Your Highness, the time has come." The butler had already prepared everything and came to Hai Quan to remind him.
Hai Quan looked up at the sky and saw that the sun was already at its highest point. He nodded slightly and said to the housekeeper, "I believe everyone is hungry. Let's start the feast."
Maids filed in, carrying plates of delicious food and fine wine, which they carefully placed in front of the guests.
After all the delicacies were served, the Sea King sat in his wheelchair, raised his wine glass, and said to everyone with a smile: "Thank you all for coming to the Sea King's Mansion today."
Everyone immediately raised their glasses and said in unison: "I wish the Sea King all the best."
After he finished speaking, everyone drank the wine in their cups, and the birthday banquet officially began.
Male and female guests sat on both sides, leaving space in the middle for singing and dancing girls to entertain the guests.
After everyone had celebrated the Poseidon together, the dancers had already entered Suiyi Garden. The musicians sitting in the corner had already started playing music, and the dancers danced gracefully to the accompaniment of the stringed instruments.
The guests and hosts in the garden were drinking and talking freely, enjoying themselves immensely.
At this time, Hai Yue led the Princess Qian, and together they held a jade Guanyin statue. Behind them, Hai Rui, who was held in the arms of his wet nurse, came forward. They both knelt before the Sea King, and the couple said in unison: "The son (and daughter-in-law) wish the king good fortune as vast as the East Sea and a long life as long as the Southern Mountains."
Xiahou An'er looked at the jade Guanyin statue, and her mind couldn't help but recall the last time Hai Chenxi had an argument with the Hai Yue couple in Fugui Hall.
A closer look revealed the jade Guanyin, a emerald green throughout, without a speck of impurities in the sunlight. It must have taken considerable effort to find this treasure. Not only was Xiahou An'er seeing such a translucent jade for the first time, but many of the officials present were also stunned.
The Sea King put down the wine glass in his hand and looked at his son and daughter-in-law with a faint smile in his eyes. He quickly asked someone to take the Jade Guanyin from them and said gently, "You are so thoughtful. Get up quickly."
Then, the King of the Sea took three red envelopes from the tray held by the servant beside him and handed them to the butler. The butler quickly walked down the stairs and put the red envelopes into the hands of Hai Yue and Princess Qian.
"Thank you, father." Hai Yue and Princess Qian stood up at the same time, but before they retreated to the table, they heard Jiang Haotian's voice.
"I guess this is the beautiful jade that Prince Hai found in Fugui Hall in the capital before?" It sounded like a question, but Jiang Haotian used an affirmative tone.
Upon hearing this, everyone's eyes flickered back and forth between Hai Chenxi and Hai Yue. The capital wasn't a big deal, but it wasn't a small one either. The guests present had all heard about the dispute between the Prince and his wife of the Sea Prince's mansion and the Prince of Hai County in the Hall of Wealth and Honor. They hadn't expected it to be a show of force to win praise and present treasures to the Sea Prince. It seemed the Sea Prince's mansion, seemingly peaceful, wasn't entirely at peace.
Jiang Haotian's clear knowledge of what's happening outside the palace further demonstrates that the royal family knows everything about the ministers in the court. Jiang Haotian is also using the Jade Guanyin incident to sound a warning to everyone.
When Jiang Haotian exposed the family affairs of the Sea Palace, Hai Quan's smiling eyes flickered slightly. The smile in his eyes faded a little, but he said with a smile, "The children are filial, but they didn't want to make such a joke and let the prince laugh."
With just one simple sentence, he brushed aside all the awkwardness and Jiang Haotian's ill intentions. Plus, today was Hai Quan's birthday, so why would anyone dwell on the past? Wouldn't that be embarrassing for the Sea King?
Jiang Haotian smiled faintly, but spoke earnestly, "Filial piety is a good thing, but Your Highness, a harmonious family is the root of all prosperity. Your Highness has been loyal to Western Chu his entire life, and after achieving success and fame, he retired to Yangming Mountain and ignored worldly affairs. Such a thing is always dishonorable. I understand that the Crown Prince and the Prince of Hai are filial, but the people outside don't understand. Isn't this a disgrace to Your Highness's reputation?"
"Of course. Have you two heard the prince's teachings?" Hai Quan still had an elegant smile on his face, without a trace of displeasure. Instead, there was a hint of sharpness in his eyes as he looked at Hai Yue and Hai Chenxi.
Princess Neptune sat aside, watching her son being scolded instead of praised. She felt very unhappy and a certain idea in her mind became more firm. She raised her head and glanced at the gate of Suiyi Garden.
"Your son has taken note of this. Thank you for your instruction, Your Highness." Hai Yue and Hai Chenxi clasped their fists and spoke at the same time, their attitudes showing great respect, which made Jiang Haotian nod with satisfaction.
The next three men to come forward were the three men who had met Xiahou An'er and Qu Feiqing last time. They also brought their wives to wish the Sea King a happy birthday, and Hai Chenxi was the last one to come forward.
He walked up to Haiquan, knelt down, and said in a loud voice: "Your son wishes you good health and a long life."
Just one sentence made everyone in the garden stop what they were doing, and a hint of displeasure flashed across Jiang Haotian's smiling eyes.
Jiang Haotian's eyes narrowed. "Longevity equals the heavens"? Wanting to live as long as the heavens would conflict with the emperor's "Long Live the Emperor"! It seems this Sea King has serious ambitions. Is he trying to use the pretext of celebrating his birthday to make his ambitions known?
Jiang Haotian gently turned the wine glass in his hand. The sunlight shone on the glass, reflecting colorful light. Although beautiful, it was very easy to dazzle people's eyes and make it difficult for people to see the truth beneath the flowers.
After hearing what Hai Chenxi said, Lord Wu's usually smooth brows were unconsciously furrowed, and his cold eyes stared straight at Hai Chenxi who was kneeling not far away, as if with an imperceptible murderous intent.
The King of the Sea looked at his most beloved son with a look of satisfaction in his eyes. After all, among so many sons, only Hai Chenxi dared to speak like this in front of Jiang Haotian, which earned enough face for Hai Quan. How could Hai Quan not love Hai Chenxi deeply?
The smile on his face rose again. This time, the gentle look in the Sea King's eyes was no longer there. Instead, it was tinged with lust and ambition for power. The Sea King smiled and said, "Hurry up. Human life is limited. What nonsense are you talking about, child? As long as you brothers are united, your father will be satisfied."
Of course, these words were said to Jiang Haotian. Although it was a tactful way of speaking, it did not deny Hai Chenxi's congratulations just now, and for a moment Jiang Haotian could not find a way to vent his anger.
It can be seen that Aquaman is really a shrewd and calculating person. Everything he says and does is flawless, and no one can find any fault with him.
"Thank you, father." Without looking at Jiang Haotian's slightly ugly expression, Hai Chenxi stood up with a flamboyant smile.
"Your Highness, please take Rui'er back to the backyard. I'm afraid the child will make a fuss and might miss Your Highness' birthday banquet." As soon as Hai Quan finished speaking, everyone heard Princess Hai suddenly speak.
Upon hearing this, everyone looked at Hai Rui. The little guy was giggling in his wet nurse's arms, and didn't look sleepy at all. Moreover, the Princess of the Sea and others had just arrived and they had someone take Hai Rui back to the backyard. This behavior was really puzzling.
However, everyone changed their minds and thought that Hai Rui was the grandson of Princess Hai, and it was natural for a mistress to love her grandson, so they couldn't help but smile.
"Go." The King of the Sea nodded without hesitation and agreed with the Princess of the Sea's opinion, which made everyone see the grandfather's love for his grandson.
"Fifth brother really knows how to please father. One sentence is worth more than the Jade Guanyin that this prince went through so much trouble to find." Seeing Hai Chenxi retreat to the table, Hai Yue covered his thin lips with the teacup, but sat upright. His low voice reached Hai Chenxi's ears, and there was a bit of sourness in his tone.
"It was found with so much hardship? Haha, doesn't the prince feel embarrassed when he says this? The Jade Guanyin was found by the prince? How come this prince doesn't know?" Hai Chenxi had a smile on his face, and his voice was neither too loud nor too soft, just reaching Hai Yue's ears, making Hai Yue blush slightly with anger.
But remembering that everyone had seen with their own eyes that it was him who presented the Jade Guanyin to the King of the Sea, Hai Yue sneered and then said, "Fifth brother, why are you feeling aggrieved? You killed the girl in my yard, and I haven't settled the score with you yet. What do you think my father would feel if I told him about this? His most beloved son killed a living being on his birthday." After he finished speaking, a sinister smile flashed across Hai Yue's eyes.
"This prince is a little curious. If my father knew that the prince was still thinking about the beauty in his arms on his birthday, how would he feel? Do you really think that you can touch Xiahou An'er without Chu Feiyang and Yun Qianmeng?" Contempt appeared in Hai Chenxi's half-closed eyes, as if he was mocking Hai Yue's fantasy.
"You..." Hai Yue was furious. He was a little annoyed when Hai Chenxi pointed out his inner thoughts. However, in front of so many guests, he couldn't lose the demeanor and courtesy of the Prince of the Sea. He could only be annoyed in his heart, but his face was gentle and elegant. His thin lips half opened and he immediately retorted sarcastically, "Why, you also like Xiahou An'er? Otherwise, why would you stand up for her just now? What this prince can't get, do you think you can get it with your status as a bastard of the Sea Palace? Don't think that now that you have been conferred the title of a county prince, you can be on equal footing with this prince!"
"Your Highness, don't worry about that! This prince is just warning you. Today is a happy day, and it is an extremely important day for your father. If you delay your father's important event for your own selfish reasons, do you think your father will forgive you?" Hai Chenxi's expression did not change, but his words became more and more sharp.
Hai Yue naturally understood the meaning of Hai Chenxi's words. His face turned slightly pale and his gaze instantly turned to Neptune. After confirming that Neptune's expression remained the same, he finally let go of his anxious heart. However, he no longer had the mood to compete with Hai Chenxi and just sat at the table in deep thought.
"Your Highness, the Crown Prince of Northern Qi and Princess Heshun heard about your birthday and sent gifts." At this time, the butler walked in quickly, knelt in front of the King of the Sea and reported.
"I never thought Princess Heshun and the Crown Prince of Northern Qi were so well-informed that they could actually send gifts to His Majesty on his birthday. You two are truly thoughtful. His Majesty is so blessed!" Jiang Haotian put down his wine glass and spoke with a faint smile. However, his eyes, as he looked at the Sea King, shone with a hint of coldness, and his tone was no longer as friendly as when they had just chatted.
Neptune frowned slightly. How could he not understand the meaning of Jiang Haotian's words?
The capital of Western Chu is quite far away from Northern Qi, and the Sea Palace has only been sending out invitations for the past half month.
Qi Jingyuan was able to send a gift on the day of the Sea King's birthday. No wonder Jiang Haotian had wrong thoughts. I'm afraid he had already determined in his heart that the Sea King's Palace was colluding with Northern Qi.
However, Hai Quan was also full of doubts because of Qi Jingyuan's actions, and he didn't understand what the other party was up to.
However, after today's birthday banquet, it is hard to say who the kingdom of Western Chu will belong to.
Hai Quan sneered in his heart and was too lazy to explain the matter. He looked at Jiang Haotian with a faint smile and said to the housekeeper, "Please ask them to come in."
"Yes." The butler quickly retreated.
"I guess the princess is thinking about her father's birthday, and since this is the first year of her marriage, she specially sent a gift." Princess Hai looked at Jiang Haotian's slightly gloomy face and Hai Quan's slightly complacent face. Her heart was already hanging in the air, and she couldn't help but give a dry explanation.
However, her explanation immediately drew a reproachful gaze from Neptune. On the other side, Jiang Haotian seemed not to have heard her explanation. He just sat at the table with a slightly cold face, drinking tea, without touching the delicacies on the table in front of him.
When the Sea Princess received the Sea King's dissatisfied look and saw that no one responded, her face immediately became a little ugly. She smiled awkwardly and stopped talking, but her expression looked a little ugly.
A moment later, the butler came in with two sword-wielding guards.
This phenomenon caused Jiang Haotian to frown slightly again, and he couldn't help but glance at Commander Wu who was standing beside him. He saw that his sword had been asked to be handed over to the Sea King's Palace for safekeeping as early as when he entered the Sea King's Palace.
But Qi Jingyuan's men stepped into Suiyi Garden with their swords in full view. This scene made Jiang Haotian look embarrassed immediately, and a sense of uneasiness rose in his heart, causing him to turn his head slightly and exchange glances with Commander Wu beside him.
Commander Wu also noticed this strange phenomenon. His already vigilant eyes were filled with solemnity. His gaze towards everyone in the Sea King's Mansion was as sharp as a knife, as if he wanted to see through what the Sea King was up to. The dagger that was originally hidden in his sleeve was now in his hand and he took a step silently towards Jiang Haotian.
But how could Hai Quan be easily seen through? He always had a gentle smile on his face, and the people who saw Qi Jingyuan smiled even more happily.
"Greetings, King of the Sea. This is a gift our prince has ordered us to bring to you." The two guards were not vague and stated their purpose right away.
After greeting each other, the two men took out a scroll from the bag behind them and handed it to the steward of the Sea King's Palace.
"Thank you both for your hard work. It is an honor for me that the prince still remembered my birthday despite his busy schedule. Come, please take a seat." The King of the Sea waved his hand, and the maids had already set up the table and chairs and served fine wine and delicious food to entertain the guests.
But the two guards refused expressionlessly, saying, "Thank you, Sea King, for your kindness. However, I have to hurry back. Farewell."
Having said that, the two turned and left without waiting for Neptune to speak.
"The Crown Prince of Northern Qi really treats Western Chu as the back garden of his Crown Prince's Mansion, and can come and go freely." Seeing that the two guards didn't even look at him, Jiang Haotian said with a sneer.
No one dared to respond. Although Yangming Mountain was the residence of the Sea King, which piece of land in the vast land of Western Chu was not owned by the emperor? Even if Qi Jingyuan was the son-in-law of the Sea King, such arrogant behavior was really too presumptuous.
"It was my oversight. Please forgive me, Your Highness. I never imagined that the Northern Qi Crown Prince and Princess Heshun would choose today to send their gifts. I have offended Your Highness. This is truly my fault." Hai Quan was as surprised as Jiang Haotian. Qi Jingyuan had always been courageous and resourceful. Although both sides had expressed interest in joining forces, Hai Quan was still observing Qi Jingyuan and was puzzled by his sending of the gift today. Just in case, Hai Quan immediately instructed the butler before Jiang Haotian could speak, "Put the gift away."
"Since the Sea King has given you such a great favor, why not open the scroll and let everyone appreciate what kind of treasures the Crown Prince of Northern Qi has sent." Seeing Hai Quan asking the butler to put away the scroll, Jiang Haotian suddenly spoke, his sharp eyes shooting at the scroll, but in his heart he was speculating whether it contained treasures or information about the collusion between the Sea King's Palace and Qi Jingyuan.
Seeing Jiang Haotian's cautious approach, Hai Quan's half-closed eyes flashed with a cold gleam. He calmly turned to look at Jiang Haotian, and seeing the same cold glint in his eyes, Hai Quan smiled calmly and declined, saying, "It's just a scroll. I'm afraid Princess Heshun created it on the spur of the moment to celebrate this old minister's birthday. I'm afraid it won't be acceptable to the Crown Prince."
The reason for such a refusal was that Qi Jingyuan would send someone to deliver a gift today, which was beyond Hai Quan's expectation.
Hearing Haiquan's refusal, Jiang Haotian smiled nonchalantly and continued, "Your Highness, you are wrong. Even if it was just Princess Heshun's impromptu work, it is full of father-daughter love. It is a priceless treasure. Who would dare to use it to mock Your Highness? I'm sure the young men and women present are also very curious. Princess Heshun is a pure and filial example for everyone to learn from. Why should Your Highness refuse? This is a good thing."
Jiang Haotian was not at all inferior. He shut Neptune up with just a few words, leaving him with no excuse to refuse. He could only nod slightly to the butler and let him open the scroll in public.
The housekeeper called over a servant, and the two of them held the two ends of the scroll and slowly opened the scroll that Qi Jingyuan had sent in front of everyone...
"Ah..." exclamations suddenly rang out from the crowd, and the guests who were not familiar with the situation were already discussing the painting skills and conception of this masterpiece.
Upon seeing the landscape painting, Qu Feiqing and Xiahou An'er exchanged glances, understanding each other's meaning. They were both horrified. Qi Jingyuan was truly audacious, presenting such a rebellious scroll at the Neptune Palace's birthday banquet. Was he intent on destroying the Neptune Palace, or had the two of them teamed up? It was truly unpredictable.
In Suiyi Garden, the person with the ugliest expression was none other than Jiang Haotian.
This seemingly ordinary splash-ink landscape painting, however, held a hidden mystery. The vast, two-meter-long, one-meter-wide scroll depicted the vast expanse of green hills and flowing water, representing the territory of Western Chu. How could Jiang Haotian remain so cheerful after viewing this painting?
The speculation just now has become a reality. Jiang Haotian's hand holding the wine glass tightened slightly, and the white knuckles showed the anger in his heart at this moment.
Commander Wu, who was standing beside him, also frowned suddenly. He didn't expect that the King of the Sea would be so bold that he had colluded with Northern Qi in just half a year. If this source of evil was not removed, the emperor would probably have trouble sleeping and eating.
The smile on Hai Quan's face had faded to a point where it was no longer visible, and cold sweat was forming in his palms. He hadn't felt this nervous since his battles, but today, because of Qi Jingyuan's painting, he felt the same fear again.
Qi Jingyuan actually sent this painting to me at this time. Even if he wanted to tell me that he would give me the kingdom of Western Chu, he chose to do it when I hadn't done anything yet. If things fail, even if I kill Qi Jingyuan, it will not be able to relieve his hatred.
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