Free Web NovelChapter 1330: Chapter 22 "Luck
When he left the Long Life Palace, the moon was already high in the sky.
Jiang Wuqi had people prepare a palanquin to send him back to the mansion, but he declined.
It was fine on the way here, but taking a palanquin from the Long Life Palace back to the mansion would inevitably lead to suspicion.
It was Jiang Wuqi’s eunuch, surnamed Gao, who still escorted him to the palace gates.
"Son of Qingyang..."
"What is it?"
"Nothing." Eunuch Gao said politely: "Take care on your way."
Jiang Wang didn’t say much, he bowed his hands in thanks and then left.
Before the sparring, Jiang Wuqi had said that the fight was solely to test each other and that the outcome should not be spread outside.
Therefore, the result of this sparring session was only known to him, Jiang Wuqi, and this eunuch Gao who stood guard outside the hall.
Jiang Wuqi... truly extraordinary.
Having left the Long Life Palace, Jiang Wang walked home alone, replaying the fight in his mind.
Indeed...
In Linzi, he also had a "home."
If only An’an could come to live permanently, how wonderful that would be.
On such a night, despite Jiang Qingyang’s fame in Linzi, very few people on the road recognized him.
Entering the spacious and clean Shaking Light Quarter, Jiang Wang suddenly heard a voice—
"No problem, let him go first."
The voice was distant, but his excellent hearing made it clear.
Interestingly, it was the voice of Xie Baoshu.
Earlier he thought it unlikely to run into him, yet now they unexpectedly met so soon.
It seemed there was some fate at play.
As Jiang Wang walked on and rounded a street corner, he saw a big palanquin in the middle of a narrow alley, and not far in front of it, a trembling old man walking slowly with a cane.
This alley was a shortcut to the main street ahead, Zhengyang Street. It seemed that the Xie Family’s big palanquin taking this shortcut had ended up getting stuck here.
Seeing the scene before him, it appeared the Xie Family’s servants wanted to shoo away the old man but were stopped by Xie Baoshu inside the palanquin.
Unexpectedly, the usually annoying Xie Baoshu showed this other side.
He isn’t always irritating after all!
Jiang Wang shook his head and smiled, realizing that the character "human," written with one stroke resembling a bend and one a hook, is more complex than anything else in the world. The more people he met, the more human nature he encountered, the more he felt that the "human" character swordplay was far from encompassing enough.
His residence granted by the Son of Heaven was also accessible from Zhengyang Street.
With ease, Jiang Wang passed by the big palanquin, the alley though narrow, was not congested to the point of obstructing passage.
But just as he walked past, the palanquin curtains were furiously drawn close.
A voice, neither light nor heavy, came from inside the palanquin: "A petty person in high position!"
Instantly, Jiang Wang felt a prickle of irritation; indeed there was a misunderstanding, this was the real Xie Baoshu!
Right there and then, he turned back, sword at his waist, and stood in front of the Xie Family’s big palanquin.
He shouted: "You come out here!"
The Xie Family’s palanquin bearers surely recognized Jiang Wang; each of them looked a bit nervous.
And Xie Baoshu suddenly lifted the curtain and leaned halfway out, fierce and furious, scowling at Jiang Wang: "What do you want to do!"
He would never forget, after the grandmaster’s ceremony, how Jiang Wang and Zhongxuan Sheng, those two wretched scoundrels, especially went to the Imperial Medical Bureau to mock him. It angered him so much that he nearly couldn’t catch his breath. If he hadn’t been injured at the time, he would have fought to the death with these two.
Now, after a trip to the Yellow River Gathering, Jiang Wang came back and moved into Shaking Light Quarter, becoming his neighbor!
He had long felt indignant inside, but it was only because his strict uncle kept him in line, that nothing untoward happened.
But today, on his way back to the mansion, getting stuck in this little alley for quite a while and this Jiang walking past so casually, wasn’t this mockery?
Of course, Xie Baoshu could not stand for this!
So what if it’s the number one Inner Mansion? Isn’t it still just the Inner Mansion?
His Xie Family’s Outer Building was no empty shell!
If a fight were to break out, it would be good to let the world know, why there’s the Outer Building after the Inner Mansion!
At this moment, inside this small alley.
Four palanquin bearers stood silently, the big palanquin suspended, while the decent-looking Xie Baoshu, holding the palanquin curtain against the carriage door, leaned out halfway, glaring down at Jiang Wang fiercely.
And there stood Jiang Wang, tall and straight, hand on his sword, facing him. Behind him, gradually receding, was the old man who seemed a bit hard of hearing, staggering forward.
A full moon hung in the sky, and white snow spread upon the ground.
Quite the picture of a standoff in a narrow alley!
Jiang Wang grinned: "Such obedience!" freeweɓnovel.cøm
With a turn, he sauntered off, shattering the tense atmosphere underfoot.
Xie Baoshu remained standing there, so angry the veins on his forehead pounded visibly.
What was that about?
Are you a toddler?!
He wanted to curse, but his vocabulary was woefully lacking.
Just bitterly cursed instead: "Let’s see how long your luck lasts!"
"Ah, speaking of luck..."
Jiang Wang, who had already walked away, leisurely turned back around, looking at Xie Baoshu with a smile, clicking his tongue: "It’s your luck that’s good! Otherwise, with your capability ascending the Guanhe Platform..."
He appraised Xie Baoshu from head to toe, shaking his head with feigned regret, before walking away.
No more words were spoken, but there was no need.
To hit people right in the face, to censure by pointing out their shortcomings.
Being defeated by Zhongxuan Zun in a three-on-one situation during the master’s ceremony and knocked senseless was a humiliation Xie Baoshu was too ashamed to mention.
At this moment, he was so livid he couldn’t utter a single word.
At the end of this alley, a fork in the road lay ahead; to the left was Zhengyang Street, to the right led out of Shaking Light Neighborhood.
Jiang Wang strolled lightly towards the left,
With his current status as a third-rank official, he would be the first to act in any situation. If he didn’t strike first, even with ten times the guts, Xie Baoshu would not dare to attack him on the street.
Of course, he would not come to blows with Xie Baoshu on the street. Winning would bring no gains, and losing would mean a setback for himself.
Bullying him this way was quite enjoyable.
Since he would live in the Shaking Light Neighborhood for quite some time, it seemed this could be considered a long-term recreational activity.
In an area now where neither Jiang Wang nor Xie Baoshu could see, the elderly man who walked slowly with the help of a cane had already turned right and left the Shaking Light Neighborhood.
His cane had disappeared, and his hunched back straightened. A flash of cold light flickered between his fingers a few times before vanishing. Then, cloaking himself with a cape, he disappeared into the night.
Xie Baoshu’s luck was indeed very good.
It’s a pity he didn’t know it himself.
...
...
Upon returning to his residence, the housekeeper came to greet Jiang Wang: "My lord, there is an invitation for you."
All of the servants at home were arranged by Zhongxuan Sheng, and among the housekeepers recommended by him, Jiang Wang chose the one who was the most unassuming and simple. His surname was Xie, given name Ping, with a wife but no children, and a clean and uncontroversial background.
"Who sent it?" Jiang Wang casually asked as he walked inside.
"It’s from the Crown Prince’s Mansion," replied the housekeeper.
Today truly was unusual.
Having just met with the Eleventh Prince, and now the Crown Prince is seeking me out.
Is he trying to see if this First Inner Mansion officer could outshine the Outer Building?
Jiang Wang took the invitation, glanced at the time – it was asking him to enter the palace tomorrow morning – then handed it back, saying: "Put it away. I’ll go tomorrow."
"Yes," the housekeeper took care of the invitation. Later, he would have to visit the Chang Le Palace to send a reply, informing them that the Son of Qingyang had agreed to visit.
Jiang Wang then asked, "Is Master Zhongxuan in the mansion?"
Ever since he moved to the new residence, Zhongxuan Sheng stubbornly came over and occupied one of the courtyards, claiming his own mansion was too remote and he was unwilling to live in the Marquis of Bowang’s Mansion.
"He went out at noon and has not returned yet," the housekeeper said.
"Alright, noted."
He had nothing to worry about concerning Zhongxuan Sheng; that burly man could look out for himself. ƒrēewebnovel.com
Nodding his head, he continued walking in.
After the grand ceremony, Jiang Wang clearly sensed that his influence within Qi Country was skyrocketing rapidly.
Many people and affairs require a certain reaction time. And the feedback, when it reached Jiang Wang himself, was like continuous waves.
Truly at the forefront of attention.
What could the Crown Prince, who has never had private dealings with him before, want by inviting him?
