Imperial Cultivation

Chapter 169: Chapter 167 West Palace

```html

Duke An Mansion has indeed fallen.

A fallen Phoenix is inferior to a chicken; the declining Duke Mansion keenly feels the fickleness of the world and the coldness of human relationships.

The courtyard is deserted, and personal interactions are sparse.

Those attending banquets often come with the intent to ingratiate themselves for benefits.

Other Duke Mansions and nobles rarely interact.

The interactions are merely out of courtesy, maintaining ancestral traditions, just a façade.

Since the engagement with Prince Qing Mansion, the situation has changed abruptly.

Duke An seems to have become a very busy man.

He can only have breakfast at home in the morning; for lunch and dinner, there are always colleagues or friends who invite him for a drink.

He accepts it calmly.

This is when Prince Qing Mansion is still out of favor, and the Princely Heir has not yet taken on significant responsibilities. In the future, when the Princely Heir rises, he, as the esteemed father-in-law, will be even busier.

He is not overwhelmed by the favor and has long seen through human relationships and the ways of the world.

Being calm amidst prosperity and feeling prosperous when calm can also be a form of freedom and ease.

"Father is not coming back!"

"He said if he came back, we’d feel uncomfortable."

"... Heh, true enough." Xiao Ruoyu laughed, "As soon as Father returns, he pulls Brother-in-law to talk about major Court affairs, which makes one’s head spin."

"Xiao Hu, you still need to listen to Court matters," Xiao Ruoling laughed, "In the future, you will also eventually enter the Court as an official. Listening more now can only be beneficial."

"I don’t want to listen." Xiao Ruoyu quickly said, "I just want to focus on practicing Martial Arts now. When my skills improve, I’ll take up a position in the military and speak with military merits. Why care about these twists and turns?!"

The Duke title is hereditary and unalterable. As long as no major mistakes are made, the rules of officialdom and the human relationships within the Court need not be heeded.

Xiao Ruoling shook her head with a smile, "You..."

After all, he is still young, and it’s fine not liking to hear such things. When he grows older, even without being told, he will listen eagerly.

It’s not too late to learn then.

As a little duke, as long as he doesn’t make significant mistakes, his wealth and nobility are solid, without the need for excessive demands.

As they were talking, the steward of the Duke Mansion came running to inform them that their brother-in-law had arrived.

...

Chu Zhiyuan was welcomed into the mansion by Xiao Ruoling and Xiao Ruoyu, heading directly to the back garden.

Without Duke An in the mansion, one feels more at ease. There’s no need to adhere strictly to etiquette, so they opted to go directly to the back garden instead of the front hall for meals.

In a small pavilion by a small lake in the back garden.

Xiao Ruoyu was extremely curious about the journey, repeatedly asking questions, especially concerning Prince Ying, Chu Mingrui. He was particularly curious.

Chu Zhiyuan smiled, "Ruoyu, haven’t you met Tenth Uncle?"

"Only seen him from afar, but never had the chance to seek his counsel face to face."

"Tenth Uncle is actually quite approachable."

"Approachable?" Xiao Ruoyu quickly replied, "Prince Ying is famously stern and cold-hearted. Who dares to speak much with him? If one tries to talk to him, he also ignores them."

Chu Zhiyuan smiled, "On the surface, yes, but if you genuinely get close, he’s not that aloof."

Indeed, others find it difficult to get close to Chu Mingrui. As the military god of Da Jing, he always keeps people at a distance; otherwise, he would have endless social obligations.

I can be so close to him because of Chu Minghou.

The young dukes of the Duke Mansion would stand in front of him, feeling timid and too nervous to speak loudly.

Upon hearing about the journey, both became tense.

Especially upon hearing about the attack of the Stepping Cloud Iron Cavalry, Chu Zhiyuan led everyone in the charge, and both became excited.

Xiao Ruoling revealed her concern, subconsciously clutching his hand.

Xiao Ruoyu was filled with excitement, wishing he could take the place himself.

"With Prince Ying, why bother," Xiao Ruoling said softly.

Her clear eyes carried a hint of reproach.

Chu Zhiyuan held her jade hand tightly, smiling, "Tenth Uncle is unrivaled in strategy, but when it comes to leading the charge, he truly can’t compare to me."

With Super Sense, his insight is as Divine.

Finding flaws is incredibly easy, and as long as there are enough troops by his side, they can vanquish foes easily, prevailing over the many with the few.

But the situation hasn’t reached the point where I, as the Princely Heir, need to charge into battle. There’s no need to show off.

Xiao Ruoyu sighed, "Stepping Cloud Iron Cavalry, I’ve heard they’re incredibly formidable, but ultimately no match for the Chasing Wind Cavalry; just this situation... Fuyuan Town is easy to lose and hard to regain."

Chu Zhiyuan said, "This time, Tenth Uncle can quickly retake Fuyuan Town, resolving the Court’s crisis."

With an unexpected Thunder Spear Formation, they will certainly deliver a heavy blow to the Stepping Cloud Iron Cavalry.

With Chu Mingrui’s strategy, he will undoubtedly amplify such a victory and easily recapture Fuyuan Town.

"When will we Da Jing finally stop being passively beaten, only able to defend and never able to attack them," Xiao Ruoyu lamented.

This is a regret shared by countless Da Jing people, a regret that spans generations.

Xiao Ruoling said, "Unless our Iron Cavalry is stronger, but after all, we are not prairie people, so we always suffer losses in the prairies."

"Sigh..." Xiao Ruoyu sighed.

Chu Zhiyuan fell silent.

If Da Jing and Da Zhen truly allied, there would be hope to counterattack Da Meng, but as things stand now, maintaining the status quo might be the best outcome.

Just look at what Cheng Tianfeng has done to know.

Xiao Ruoling said, "Let’s not talk about these things. This time with the announcement, the Court should have some recognition of achievements, right?"

Chu Zhiyuan smiled, "I don’t know yet what grade the merit will be, but the harvest should be considerable. Also, this time Tenth Uncle gave me a Breaking Gang Divine Weapon."

He took the Evil Extermination Sword from his waist and handed it to Xiao Ruoling, "So you can have it for self-defense."

Xiao Ruoling was taken aback and quickly tried to decline.

Chu Zhiyuan smiled, "This is also Tenth Uncle’s intention."

"Big Sister, there’s no need for family to push this back and forth," Xiao Ruoyu enviously looked at the Evil Extermination Sword.

Chu Zhiyuan glanced at his waist, "The mansion should have some, right?"

The Breaking Gang Divine Weapon requires Third Grade Merit to acquire, but even if the Duke An Mansion is declined, it still has its foundations, incomparable to Prince Qing Mansion.

"There is, but it’s not our turn to have them," Xiao Ruoyu said helplessly, "They’re all in the hands of the guards."

Chu Zhiyuan nodded.

A Breaking Gang Divine Weapon indeed performs better in the hands of the guards.

Even so, too many people still leave it with themselves, even if their Martial Arts are lower and don’t need to use it.

Duke An indeed has extraordinary bearings.

Xiao Ruoling accepted the Evil Extermination Sword, gently drawing it from its sheath, feeling the sword’s coldness, lightly sighed, "A fine sword."

She thrust it a few times in the air, the cold light flashing, making the void slightly chilly.

Chu Zhiyuan, seeing her fondness, was also very pleased.

"Oh, right, West Palace Lady invited me to the palace tomorrow morning." Xiao Ruoling said softly, "I don’t know why."

"West Palace Lady? Have you met her?"

"Last time at the Imperial Palace’s night banquet, when Princess Ying was invited, I happened to be seated next to the West Palace Lady watching a play."

"West Palace Lady is a disciple of Yao Yue Palace," Chu Zhiyuan said.

"Could it be...?" Xiao Ruoling was slightly surprised, then frowned slightly.

Chu Zhiyuan pondered, "Could she also practice the Nine Heavens Mysterious Woman Technique?"

To detect Xiao Ruoling’s cultivation traces, it would be by someone also practicing the Nine Heavens Mysterious Woman Technique.

The Nine Heavens Mysterious Woman Technique’s ability to obscure one’s presence and aura is too formidable, able to evade even Super Sense, making it harder for others to detect.

"West Palace Lady is like white jade, untouched by mundane affairs, but makes me feel very close, a kind of inexplicable closeness." Xiao Ruoling nodded slightly, "It indeed resembles the Nine Heavens Mysterious Woman Technique."

She then wondered, "Why is the Lady seeking me out?"

Chu Zhiyuan said, "Perhaps she is curious about how you mastered the Nine Heavens Mysterious Woman Technique?"

"...Hopefully." Xiao Ruoling furrowed her brows slightly.

She felt it wasn’t that simple.

West Palace Lady seemed indifferent to everything, as if untouched by worldly matters, so why would she specifically want to see her?

Just because of the Nine Heavens Mysterious Woman Technique?

"You’ll know once you meet her." Chu Zhiyuan smiled.

In his mind flashed what Xu Yingying once said, that Yao Yue Palace was selecting a Holy Daughter, and wondered if West Palace Lady seeking Xiao Ruoling was related to this matter.

But he only pondered this and didn’t voice it to Xiao Ruoling.

```