C20 – The Enemies of the past
“Brother Guangran, Choo Qin has arrived. He’s currently on the east side of the hall.”
“But do we really need to go to such extres? He’s already quite pitiful. If we proceed, he’ll be completely ostracized in Long Song City.”
The speaker was a woman dressed in yellow, her skirt ending just above her calves, revealing her fair and shapely feet.
“Hejiao, let’s not bring this up again. That day in the Imperial City, the Loser Prince didn’t show the slightest bit of courtesy.”
“Don’t bla for kicking a man when he’s down. After what he did, he can’t bla for being heartless.”
While speaking, Jiaang Guangran’s mind wandered back to the Imperial City years ago.
He had accompanied his father there and had a chance encounter with an extraordinary woman in a place of revelry.
He vividly rembered how the drunken Loser Prince had shown him no respect, nearly crippling him over that woman.
Few knew of this incident, and others were only vaguely aware of so bad blood between him and Choo Qin.
But Jiaang Guangran had not forgotten a thing!
He was determined to make Choo Qin pay!
……
The event was ostensibly a welco party, but Choo Qin had been eating for half an hour without recognizing him.
The elites exchanged pleasantries, and the rchants discussed their deals, making it seem like just another evening gathering.
“Thirteenth Prince, you’re a prince now, yet you eat like a refugee.”
Suddenly, a man clad in a purple brocade robe stepped forward, eyeing Choo Qin with a hint of scorn.
“It’s been a while. You’ve really changed.”
“Been a while? … Who are you?” Choo Qin rubbed his head, unable to place the man before him.
“I am?”
Jiaang Guangran paused, taken aback. He had anticipated countless ways to start this conversation.
But he never imagined that Choo Qin would have completely forgotten him.
The Loser he had resented for four or five years had never even regarded him as significant.
Suddenly, it was as if he had swallowed a bitter pill.
“Hmph, Thirteenth Prince, it seems your high status makes you forgetful. No wonder you’ve fallen to such lows, without even a single guard by your side.”
Jiaang Guangran flicked his hand dismissively and strode to the podium at the center of the hall, instantly drawing the attention of everyone present.
He had orchestrated quite the spectacle for today, determined to avenge past grievances.
“Today, I’ve called you all away from your busy schedules not only to mourn the passing of my big yellow dog but also to celebrate the arrival of the Thirteenth Prince from the Qilin Empire.”
“Feel free to mingle. The Thirteenth Prince is currently in that corner enjoying so food. Should you wish to, you’re welco to go over and pay your respects. We wouldn’t want it said that Long Song City has been inhospitable to our guest.”
From the mont he began speaking, Jiaang Guangran’s tone was laced with provocation, and all eyes soon shifted to Choo Qin.
The arrival of this so-called Loser Royal Highness had been the talk of Long Song City. Now that they were seeing him in the flesh for the first ti, he certainly piqued the interest of many.
Regrettably, the majority viewed him with disdain and contempt. A prince relegated to the countryside was indeed an unprecedented sight.
Following Jiaang Guangran’s pointed remarks, the air filled with the swell of music.
As per aristocratic tradition, a ball typically comnced with an opening dance.
This welcoming event was no exception; after the initial dance, the gathering of rchants and nobles would proceed to drink and network, basking in the glow of the honoree’s presence.
However, it was clear.
Choo Qin was unlikely to enjoy such accolades today.
He soon encountered an awkward predicant—he lacked a dance partner.
In the world of the aristocracy, attending a ball without a partner was a significant faux pas. Although Choo Qin wasn’t particularly bothered by it, standing alone with a wine glass while others paired off in dance did set him apart in an uncomfortable way.
So won suppressed smiles at the sight of Choo Qin’s discomfort, their faces alight with curiosity, while the n couldn’t hide their smug, schadenfreude grins.
Witnessing the once-esteed Royal Highness in such a state even stirred a sense of superiority in them.
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