NOVEL ONLINE FREE Chapter 335: The Family Banquet
Chapter 335: The Family Banquet
“Feng, I heard that your exclusive cultivation resource zone has successfully refined the Metamorphosis Elixir?”
The Marquis Qin symbolically picked up his chopsticks, took a small bite of food, and only then did everyone begin to eat and drink. Even though it was said that there were no strict formalities among family members, everyone still adhered to this basic etiquette.
Xu Lian replied, “That’s right. After the elixir was successfully refined, Master ordered us to take some time off. That’s why I had the opportunity to return home.”
The Marquis Qin nodded thoughtfully. “In that case, the Fifth Prince has a good chance of ascending to the Sage Realm and securing the position of Crown Prince. Our Marquis Qin House can no longer afford to remain neutral. Tomorrow, I will petition His Majesty to officially appoint the Fifth Prince as the Crown Prince before the palace trial. It’s better to show our support early than wait until after the trials. When the Fifth Prince eventually ascends the throne, he’ll remember that our house contributed to his rise.”
Qin Song quickly interjected, “Father, I believe it’s still too early to declare our stance. I’ve heard that both the First Prince and the Seventh Prince have also successfully refined the Metamorphosis Elixir. Both of them are likely to ascend to the Sage Realm soon. Only the Third Prince hasn’t made any progress yet. If we publicly support the Fifth Prince now, we risk offending the First and Seventh Princes. Should either of them secure the position of Crown Prince instead, our Marquis Qin House would find itself in an awkward position. In my opinion, we should wait a few more days to see which of the three princes breaks through to the Sage Realm first before making a decision.”
The Marquis Qin shook his head. “Adding flowers to the brocade is never as effective as offering charcoal in the snow. If we wait until one of the princes ascends to the Sage Realm before declaring our support, it will appear insincere and come too late. By then, many others will have already pledged their allegiance to the first prince to break through, making our support meaningless. Song’er, you still need to improve your ability to assess situations strategically.”
Qin Song frowned. “All three princes have the potential to ascend to the Sage Realm. So why should we choose the Fifth Prince? In terms of seniority, the First Prince is the eldest legitimate son, outranking the Fifth Prince. In terms of talent, the Seventh Prince is the youngest and may reach the Sage Realm the fastest, surpassing the Fifth Prince in potential. All things considered, the Fifth Prince doesn’t seem to have much of an advantage. What reason do we have to support him?”
The Marquis Qin calmly explained, “The news about the First and Seventh Princes refining the Metamorphosis Elixir and preparing to ascend is merely hearsay – we cannot confirm it. However, Feng personally witnessed the Fifth Prince’s successful refinement of the elixir, making it verified information. Should we trust unconfirmed rumors or confirmed facts?”
Qin Song’s eyes widened with realization. “Father, I understand now.”
The Marquis Qin continued, “There is another reason. Years ago, I sent Feng to the Fifth Prince’s Exclusive Cultivation Resource Zone to study under Chi Sui. We had already begun to establish a relationship with the Fifth Prince. Now that he shows promise of securing the position of Crown Prince, it’s only logical for us to seize this opportunity and declare our support early. This is the most prudent decision.”
Qin Song nodded. “So Father has already made arrangements a long time ago.”
The Marquis Qin added, “As the future head of the Marquis Qin House, you must also learn to make such strategic plans in advance. Only then can our house maintain its prosperity for generations to come”.
The meaning of the Marquis Qin’ words was clear: Qin Song had been chosen as the next heir of the Marquis Qin House, leaving no room for Qin Feng. Unsurprised, Xu Lian ate his food silently. Qin Feng, the legitimate second son, was nothing more than a pawn in the Marquis Qin’ grand strategy – a figure of little importance.
The Marquis Qin looked at Xu Lian and sighed. “My plans were sound, but unfortunately, Feng hasn’t earned Chi Sui’s favor. Chi Sui favors Zhao Ming of the Marquis Zhao House. If the Fifth Prince secures the position of Crown Prince, he will undoubtedly promote Zhao Ming, possibly granting him control over an exclusive cultivation resource zone. At that time, the Marquis Zhao House will rise above us and overshadow the Marquis Qin House. This is something I couldn’t foresee.”
Qin Song echoed his father’s sentiment. “If Second Brother had earned Chi Sui’s favor, he would have been the one to oversee an exclusive cultivation resource zone. Our Marquis Qin House’s influence with the Fifth Prince would have been stronger. It’s really unfortunate.”
Why are they picking on me? Xu Lian thought as he continued to eat without answering. After all, it was Qin Feng who was being criticized, not him. When there were benefits to be gained, it was “him”. But when the criticism came, it reverted back to “Qin Feng”. The double standard was crystal clear.
Qin Song continued to push, clearly dissatisfied. “Second brother, allow me to speak frankly. You’re not young anymore. Instead of marrying a proper woman, you insist on keeping these low-born women locked up in your courtyard. It’s shameful. Although our Marquis Qin House isn’t enormous, it’s not small either, and gossip spreads easily. News of your… collection has already reached every corner of the imperial capital. While you may not care about your reputation, the Marquis Qin House still values its dignity. Now that you’re home, clean up this mess. I didn’t dare touch it while you were away, fearing that you’d be upset”.
The entire imperial capital knows? Xu Lian’s lips twitched involuntarily. This was truly a “massive social death”. He had already found Qin Feng’s actions distasteful, so he simply replied, “Alright, I’ll deal with them later.”
At the other tables, the younger generation couldn’t help but snicker quietly, inwardly mocking their Second Uncle or Granduncle.
After the banquet ended:
Xu Lian went to see the Marquis Qin privately and directly requested half of the Yin-Yang Dual Malevolence Technique. He had interrogated Qin Feng extensively, but Qin Feng had no idea where the technique was stored. Without knowing where to steal it, Xu Lian decided to ask the Marquis Qin outright.
The Marquis Qin looked surprised. “Why do you suddenly want the Yin-Yang Dual Malevolence Technique? What do you intend to use it for?”
“I plan to join forces with Senior Sister Ning Meixue to eliminate Zhao Ming,” Xu Lian stated bluntly. After all, the Marquis Qin was Qin Feng’s father. Even if he knew, he wouldn’t betray his own son. Winning the support of the Marquis Qin would make things much easier.
The Marquis Qin’s pupils contracted sharply as he stared intently at Xu Lian, as if seeing him for the first time. “Is this really my Feng?”
Xu Lian was momentarily startled. Had he been discovered? Impossible – he hadn’t made any mistakes, and his words and actions aligned perfectly with Qin Feng’s personality.
Clearly, the Marquis Qin wasn’t truly suspicious; he was merely expressing his astonishment. He asked, “Was this your idea or Ning Meixue’s?”
Xu Lian honestly replied, “It was Ning Meixue’s idea.
The Marquis Qin sighed in disappointment. “I thought you had finally grown up and developed the courage to take on such a task. It seems that the girl from the Marquis Ning House still has more courage than you.”
Xu Lian asked, “So should I continue or not?”
The Marquis Qin placed half of an ancient scroll on the table. “Proceed. Why hesitate? Once you’ve made your decision, act decisively!”
“Thank you, Father.”
Xu Lian felt a pang of emotion. Despite Qin Feng’s belief that he was overlooked at home, the Marquis Qin still cared deeply for him.
The Marquis Qin’ expression turned serious. “Be thorough and discreet. Success is mandatory – failure is not an option. Remember, if you fail and the matter is exposed, the Marquis Qin’ house will not and cannot protect you. You will have to face the consequences alone. Whatever punishment the court imposes on you and Ning Meixue will be entirely at His Majesty’s discretion.”
“I understand.”
Xu Lian picked up the half-scroll, bowed deeply, and left.
Back to the courtyard where Qin Feng resided:
Xu Lian freed the pitiful women who had been chained like dogs in the underground chamber. As compensation, he provided each of them with a small amount of cultivation resources before sending them on their way. Initially, he had no intention of killing Qin Feng, merely planning to temporarily impersonate him to obtain cultivation resources. However, his plans had changed. He now resolved to kill Qin Feng and fully assume his identity!
His previous “alt account” in the Yi Sect had been exposed, leaving no room for advancement there. As someone aspiring to become a top-tier powerhouse, how could he afford to lack an alt account? Thus, he decided to establish Qin Feng as his new alt in the Qian Dynasty. By doing so, he could simultaneously exploit the cultivation resources of the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands and the Qian Dynasty-two fronts for maximum efficiency.
Moreover, having a secondary identity would prove invaluable in dealing with unpleasant matters in this unpredictable world. Maintaining dual or even multiple identities was essential in such treacherous times.