Chapter 23: Not My Bro, You Really Dare to Provocate the Emperor?

Liu Hao was the son of a great noble family, and in the capital, he was accustomed to wielding great influence.

Peers of his age all addressed him as “Hao Ge.”

If anyone dared defy him, he would beat them until they submitted.

With formidable strength and powerful backing, bullying others was second nature to him.

Even elders from prominent clans treated him with great courtesy—this was the privilege of a noble scion.

But recently, his sense of superiority had been crushed utterly, all because the goddess he had pursued for years had been summoned into the imperial palace.

He didn’t need to think to know how things would unfold next.

For the first time, he had tasted the helplessness of being bullied himself.

His former rivals had been the mysterious and formidable Xiao Ming, and the enigmatic yet powerful Wu Qi.

Liu Hao believed he was no weaker than either of them, which was why he had clashed with them for so long.

But now came an opponent who crushed him from above—leaving him utterly miserable.

No, he didn’t even have the right to consider himself an opponent of the new emperor.

Liu Hao wasn’t being philosophical—he had no choice but to accept it.

What else could he do? Challenge the emperor for a woman?

If he so much as entertained that thought, he knew his father would eliminate him immediately.

The Liu family had held firm in the capital for centuries by clinging to the imperial clan’s leg.

If he clashed with the emperor, the entire Liu family would vanish overnight.

After a day’s pause, Liu Hao went to the capital’s luxurious commercial street to buy something to comfort himself.

There, he saw his goddess strolling with another man.

Especially the shy, delicate demeanor of Chu Ruoyan—he had never seen her like that before.

This was his ice queen goddess—how she behaved before those with power and influence!

Liu Hao immediately burned with rage and wanted to teach that man beside Chu Ruoyan a lesson.

But he cooled down even faster.

Liu Hao’s cultivation level meant he wasn’t a fool.

Chu Ruoyan had been summoned by His Majesty—and if she acted so bashful before this man, it could only mean he was the reigning emperor.

So when Li Chen and Chu Ruoyan passed by, Liu Hao could only hide in a corner, silently heartbroken.

Seeing Li Chen’s near-obsessive shopping habits, Liu Hao already understood the gap between them.

And the goddess being claimed was merely a matter of time.

“So, what are you doing here?”

Liu Hao asked the person beside him.

“Didn’t I already say my ancestral elder asked me to buy something in the capital? You think I’m joking?”

Wu Qi shrugged, expressing his helplessness.

He had been shopping here when he spotted Li Chen and Chu Ruoyan, and had hidden himself away.

Who knew he’d run into Liu Hao, who was also secretly observing.

In truth, Wu Qi’s inner turmoil matched Liu Hao’s exactly.

Two golden sons of the capital, rivals for years, now felt for the first time a shared sense of despair.

“I’ll probably be heading back soon. You’ve lived in the capital your whole life and pursued Ruoyan the longest—can you really just stand here and watch?”

Wu Qi instinctively stoked Liu Hao’s anger—but to his surprise, Liu Hao actually walked toward Li Chen.

Dude, you really dare to provoke the emperor?

On the other side, as Li Chen finished his afternoon shopping and grew hungry, a nobleman in lavish robes approached.

“What a coincidence—I never expected to meet you here. Who’s this?”

Liu Hao naturally greeted Chu Ruoyan and asked about Li Chen’s identity.

Chu Ruoyan was momentarily speechless, even slightly panicked—she feared Liu Hao might lose his temper and cause trouble before Li Chen; if Li Chen grew angry, disaster would follow.

She knew Liu Hao had pursued her for years—he wouldn’t give up so easily.

“I’m Li Chen, a friend of Ruoyan’s.”

Seeing Chu Ruoyan’s hesitation, Li Chen answered for her, simply stating his name.

“So you’re Brother Li! A pleasure, truly. I always said Ruoyan’s beauty was heavenly—no mortal could match her. But now I’ve met you, Brother Li, I see you’re equally divine—you two are truly made for each other.”

Chu Ruoyan was baffled—wasn’t he here to cause trouble? Why was he matchmaking for them?

Li Chen liked this answer, and his first impression of Liu Hao improved.

Seizing the moment, Liu Hao introduced himself as a noble scion, the son of the Liu family patriarch.

His demeanor was the very model of a refined gentleman.

Except for one fleeting glance at Chu Ruoyan, his eyes never left Li Chen.

Li Chen had only just become emperor and knew little of noble scions; recently, many memorials had raised issues concerning the nobility, so he seized the chance to ask Liu Hao.

!

Learning Li Chen planned to eat, Liu Hao eagerly claimed to know a restaurant with exceptional food—and generously offered to treat him.

To secure the meal, Liu Hao spun vivid tales of the dishes, making Li Chen’s mouth water; naturally, he won the right to pay.

The restaurant was soon decided: Zui Xian Lou, famed throughout the capital.

Liu Hao normally couldn’t afford such a place—his father had taken him there only rarely—but today was one of the rare chances to curry favor with the emperor.

So Liu Hao was determined to spare no expense.

Zui Xian Lou stood at the heart of the capital, its exterior ancient and elegant, its interior a world unto itself.

Its specialty was the unique “Immortal Brew,” said to be crafted by a secret master brewer using century-old spiritual springs and rare herbs—each drop infused with heavenly spiritual energy, capable of sharpening the mind and even aiding cultivation.

Each floor of Zui Xian Lou featured a different theme, offering everything from traditional Tian Ce Dynasty delicacies to exotic dishes from across the world, making it a coveted destination for the capital’s elite.

When the three entered Zui Xian Lou, Wu Qi, watching from the shadows, slapped himself hard.

“Damn it! Liu Hao’s groveling to the emperor! Why didn’t I think of this trick?”

Since the goddess was lost, winning favor through her man was a cunning strategy.

No wonder Liu Hao had such high cultivation—his insight was extraordinary.

Wu Qi grew anxious in secret—he felt he’d accomplished nothing in the capital, while other disciples in his clan waited to replace him.

But if he could curry favor with the emperor, who would dare challenge him upon his return?

He couldn’t miss this chance—once it passed, it would never return.

After Li Chen and the others entered Zui Xian Lou, Wu Qi made a “chance encounter.”

But Wu Qi went further—he directly greeted Liu Hao, using the moment to introduce himself to Li Chen, never even glancing at Chu Ruoyan.

Thus, Wu Qi joined the banquet.

In manners and conduct, Liu Hao and Wu Qi were flawless.

When Li Chen moved toward a private chamber, Liu Hao rushed ahead to open the door and pulled back the curtain so Li Chen could enter unimpeded.

Wu Qi adjusted Li Chen’s chair, moving it to the most comfortable position.

During the meal, whenever Li Chen swallowed or seemed thirsty, Wu Qi immediately rose to pour wine.

When Li Chen’s chopsticks hovered over a dish nearly finished, Liu Hao instantly ordered the waiter to bring more.

Especially when speaking to Li Chen, whenever he asked a question, Liu Hao and Wu Qi answered fully and without reservation.

Having lived in the capital for so long, they knew many things.

Even if some opinions offended powerful figures, they knew this was exactly what the emperor wanted to hear—the truth.

In casual conversation, they were careful, humble, and dripping with flattery.

Throughout the entire meal, Chu Ruoyan felt like an outsider, unable to interject a word.

Only as the meal neared its end did she finally realize.

Oh no—these two are here to steal my man!

(End of Chapter)