Chapter 693: Repercussion

Hearing the coachman's invitation, Prince Qi's heir's breathing suddenly became rapid. Very few people in the world had ever received an invitation from that lady.

He had always been conceited but had never had the chance to meet her. He had previously thought it was normal for her to ignore him, considering she was a woman whom even the emperor, his father, and various noble sons in the capital could not win over back then. But now, she was inviting Zuan, whom he despised, to meet her inside the carriage – something he wouldn't even dare to dream of!

"An intimate guest!"

That phrase even popped into his mind, though he immediately realized it wasn't what he thought. Yet, being invited to ride together in the carriage, and thus entering behind its curtains, could, in a way, still be considered "entering behind the curtain."

At this moment, the look in his eyes towards Zuan was no longer one of disdain, but a mix of envy and jealousy. Why? Why would the peerlessly beautiful Miss Chu choose this fellow! And now, even Yu Yanluo, the capital's foremost beauty, was favoring him?

Rage value from Zhao Zhi: 555555555...

What was crucial was that he suddenly remembered Yu Yanluo had just seen him in such a pathetic state – it was truly the ultimate social humiliation! He had originally thought there were no spectators around. The common folk had long since fled, locking their doors. As for Chu Youzhao and Murong Qinghe, they were, after all, affiliated with Prince Qi's faction, so they wouldn't spread rumors. And that carriage over there looked like it belonged to an ordinary family; he could just secretly deal with them afterward.

But as luck would have it, this seemingly ordinary carriage belonged to Yu Yanluo, the capital's former foremost beauty. Killing her was definitely out of the question; if he dared to entertain that thought, his father would probably be the first to kill him. And he couldn't bring himself to do it! He had once seen her from afar and often dreamt of her. Her peerless beauty seemed as if it shouldn't exist in the mortal world. What man could be so cruel as to destroy such a god-given work of art?

But the more he thought about it, the more upset he became, knowing she had witnessed him being trampled under Zuan's foot. Zuan, that bastard!

Rage value from Zhao Zhi: 102410241024...

Zuan, however, was a little puzzled at this moment. "Who is your mistress?" he asked.

The toothless coachman chuckled. "You'll know when you get there," he said.

Zuan glanced at Prince Qi's heir and Han Fengqiu, feeling a surge of curiosity. Who could this person be that commanded such deference from both of them?

At this moment, the woman in the carriage spoke. "My Lord," she said, "this young master did just save me. Would you grant me the favor of letting bygones be bygones for today?"

Her voice was soft and pleasing to the ear, not overtly cutesy, but it could melt one's bones when heard.

Murong Qinghe was filled with envy. "Oh, if only my voice sounded that good," she sighed.

"Your voice is clearly very pleasant," Chu Youzhao said indignantly, "much better than those who are just being affected." For some reason, she naturally felt hostile towards this mysterious woman, always suspecting she had ill intentions toward her brother-in-law.

"Really?" Murong Qinghe was both surprised and delighted to hear her beloved praise her like this, and two blushes immediately appeared on her face. *My voice clearly isn't as pleasant as hers, yet Brother Chu said that. He must care a great deal about me in his heart. Oh, I'm so embarrassed.*

Prince Qi's heir was somewhat excited. Yu Yanluo had actually spoken to him, and she initiated it! He was somewhat flattered and overwhelmed, instinctively trying to stand up and straighten his clothes. Only then did he realize his clothes had been scorched to charcoal by his own lightning. Fortunately, Han Fengqiu, who was nearby, reacted quickly, grabbing a robe and wrapping it around him just in time to prevent him from making a fool of himself.

He glared fiercely at Zuan, thinking, *If I don't avenge this, I'll be a complete disgrace!* However, when he looked towards the carriage, the fierce expression on his face was immediately replaced by a smile. "Since the Lady requests it," he said, "I must grant this favor. Zuan, someone will judge you later for attacking an officer. Let's go!"

Han Fengqiu breathed a sigh of relief. If they had to stay and face that mysterious master, he truly wouldn't know what to do. The heir was indeed worthy of his title, having truly inherited his father's wisdom. He had managed to leave so justifiably by leveraging the situation, ensuring it wouldn't look like they were fleeing in a panic.

But Prince Qi's heir, whom he so admired, was secretly regretting. *Damn it, why did I have to act so tough?* he thought. *I should have hardened my heart and refused Lady Yu. Maybe that would have drawn her attention even more, and at least I could have stayed longer and talked to her. Alas, I finally met her, but I didn't even get to see her face. Yet that Zuan fellow gets to be in the carriage, interacting with her at such close proximity. Zuan is truly a good-for-nothing who only hides behind women's skirts! But Lady Yu's skirts… I'd want to hide under them too. Argh, I'm furious!*

Rage value from Zhao Zhi: 924924924...

Zuan watched them leave. After a moment of hesitation, he decided not to act. A peak ninth-grade master wasn't easy to deal with, and Prince Qi, their father, was also a huge problem. Now was not the time for an all-out battle to the death.

"Ahem, our mistress is inviting you over," the toothless coachman said, coming up beside him, his tone a little displeased. *What a joke. In the capital, who wouldn't be honored to receive an invitation from my mistress? Everyone is eager to rush to meet her. Yet this fellow, who clearly looks like a lecher, is now as steady as a rock?*

"Haha, I was a little distracted," Zuan said, snapping back to attention. He quickly walked towards the carriage, very curious about who the other person truly was.

Chu Youzhao and Murong Qinghe subconsciously wanted to follow, eager to see who the person was, but they were stopped by the toothless coachman. "Young ladies, please wait here for a moment," he said. Murong Qinghe didn't mind too much, but Chu Youzhao was both angry and anxious. Unfortunately, the other party was at least a Grandmaster, so she was helpless. She could only watch helplessly as her brother-in-law walked towards the carriage, as if he were walking into a succubus's cave.

Zuan approached the carriage, cupped his hands, and said, "Thank you, Madam, for your assistance."

A soft laugh came from inside. "You also saved me just now," she replied.

From a distance, Chu Youzhao pouted. This woman laughed like a temptress, clearly trying to seduce men. However, she had to admit, the woman's voice was the most pleasant and charming she had ever heard.

Zuan chuckled self-deprecatingly. "If I had known Madam had such formidable guards," he said, "I wouldn't have interfered just now. I almost got hammered to death by Prince Qi's mansion guards."

Seemingly sensing his displeasure, the woman in the carriage said softly, "That only makes you more remarkable. Although others might see you as frivolous and cynical, I know that deep down, you've always harbored a chivalrous heart. No matter how numerous or powerful your opponents are, you will still rush in with passion to right wrongs. It was so then, and it is still so now."

Zuan felt his face warm. "Your praise makes me a little embarrassed," he said. "Hmm, judging by what you're saying, it sounds like you know me."

Silence fell in the carriage. After a moment, the woman inside spoke. "Come inside," she said.

From a distance, the toothless coachman, who had been listening with a gossiping expression, suddenly widened his eyes. *I didn't hear wrong, did I? The mistress actually told him to come in? To share such a private, confined space in the same carriage?*

As the mistress's coachman for many years, he knew that due to her unparalleled beauty, she had always been very careful about maintaining an appropriate distance when interacting with others, never allowing men to get too close. *But she actually let this young man into the carriage. Considering the various instances where she had shown him special regard before, could she have taken a liking to this young man? This young man did look quite good, but was the mistress someone who judged by looks? No one could be as beautiful as she was when looking in a mirror. The mistress didn't really care about appearance. Or was she admiring him like a junior? Hmm, that's not impossible...*

While the toothless coachman was lost in his various conjectures, Zuan had already lifted the curtain and entered. But before he could clearly see the other person's appearance, a wave of dizziness swept over his head.

*Oh no, is the backlash from the Key of Destiny this strong?* No sooner had this thought arisen than he involuntarily fell. Accompanied by the woman's startled cry, he landed squarely on a soft body.