Chapter 1563: The Regent Prince Dotes on Me Too Much—What Should I Do? 32

The temporary palace banquet's first half was no different from an ordinary palace feast—string and bamboo music, a dance in rainbow robes, toasting and exchanging cups, and mutual greetings.

Yet tonight, an extra hint of danger lurked beneath this beauty and harmony, and everyone present was highly alert.

Jin Chen, seated high on the dragon throne, took it all in; at his feet lay…… a lion.

Jin Chen glanced at it disapprovingly; the little lion had always grown fast, and with this martial world's bonus, plus the palace keepers' indulgence… it went from being something Jin Chen could lift to now, when it lies down, it's a mountain‑shaking presence.

Likewise, the rainbow‑headed white‑furred Zero Egg, which was also often complained about for growing too fast, felt deeply: 【Host, does this comparison make you feel I'm especially petite!】

【Promising, why don't you compare your true form with it.】

【……】Chirp!

Jin Chen yawned, no longer sitting upright, he pulled the hand of the person beside him and played with it, whispering: "Everyone down there is looking forward to the second half."

They were all absent‑minded, yet they thought he wouldn't notice?

"Your Majesty has long been ready; why bother worrying about this?" Xie Zhiwei also liked doing little intimate gestures, so she leaned her head on his shoulder; the faint plum wine and agarwood scent actually gave her a sense of déjà vu.

On a tall tree outside the heavily guarded palace banquet, this was the best concealed spot.

Liu Feng and the Heaven Concealed Guard A arrived almost simultaneously; unable to see each other's identity, they each assumed the other was an emissary sent by Mu Zhongzheng or Prince Su, and almost came to blows.

At the critical moment, Liu Feng realized the uniform belonged to the Dark Dragon Army Heaven Concealed Guard, quickly stopped, and said in a strained voice: "It's one of us—don't fight."

The Imperial Attendant's dignity still had to be respected, so the Heaven Concealed Guard A could only sit with him on the tree branch and chat: "Why aren't you guarding His Majesty's side?"

"Isn't there a mission? Besides, with the Prince at His Majesty's side, His Majesty won't come to harm." Liu Feng squatted down, hands in his sleeves.

Heaven Concealed Guard A: "……"

What nonsense! The Prince is the Regent Prince, not the little emperor's personal guard!

"Hey, are you going to report to Prince Su?" Liu Feng probed, "I'm also preparing to tell His Majesty—why don't you just go straight there, and I'll keep watch at the eastern gate."

Heaven Concealed Guard A pondered, then nodded: "All right."

The two reached a brief agreement; Liu Feng did not show himself in the hall, but sent the more elusive Heaven Concealed Guard inside.

This actually let Han Zhou, who had been watching the shadows, breathe a sigh of relief—at least it showed his suspicion that day might not be true.

Xie Zhiwei heard the Heaven Concealed Guard's secret signal, and by rubbing her ear against his, let Jin Chen know, but she didn't want to rise from his embrace, muttering softly: "His Majesty nearly kept even me in the dark."

"The fewer who know, the safer; I wasn't deliberately hiding it from you." Jin Chen raised an eyebrow slightly, wagged his finger hooked on Xie Zhiwei's, and said, "Little Imperial Uncle……

"……All right." Xie Zhiwei, who hadn't heard that title in a long time—especially after their hearts had intertwined—now found it carried a few extra flirtatious, affectionate, coquettish notes whenever she heard it.

Just as they exchanged a few intimate words, the elderly officials below kept coughing, their glares wishing they could rush over to separate them, almost hanging the accusation of corrupting morals on their lips.

No matter how thick‑skinned Jin Chen was, he couldn't withstand those old elders' steady stares, but making him obediently listen was utterly impossible.

With a mindset of "I shouldn't be angry to death," Jin Chen simply buried himself in Xie Zhiwei's embrace and muttered: "These old geezers are loyal, but far too stiff."

Xie Zhiwei spoke with a smile, fondly stroking Jin Chen's hair: "What does it matter what they do?"

The scarcely noticed string‑and‑bamboo performance of the first half ended quickly; as cups were exchanged, even the officials of Mu Zhongzheng's faction who were about to doze perked up, wishing they could fast‑forward time straight to the evening banquet's second half.

The second half was a martial arts tournament.

Although Jin Chen didn't know what escaping the heat had to do with martial arts, after all this was a continent where martial arts were held every New Year, so it wasn't exactly strange.

But today was different: the martial artists and warriors from the various jianghu sects were to challenge Xie Zhiwei—hailed as the number one who had already dominated the world ten years prior.

His cultivation method is still revered as a divine text by novice martial artists, though no one knows it's a fragment—let alone the side effects of Xie Zhiwei's own training.

This was also a proposal put forth by Mu Zhongzheng's faction; Jin Chen hesitated for a long time before agreeing.

"It's been a long time since we've heard the title Regent Prince; if we brothers have offended you today, please forgive us, Your Highness."

The burly, muscular leader clasped his fists toward Xie Zhiwei, his eyes utterly devoid of hidden killing intent, and the eight men behind him did the same.

Nine against one, and everyone present seemed to think nothing was amiss.

Xie Zhiwei wore a dark‑black long robe, stunningly pure and noble, as if she'd merely come to watch, showing no tension at all; her gloomy gaze made several warriors dare not lift their eyes.

"Life or death, please." Xie Zhiwei gave a ruthless curl of her lips, chilling to the bone.

Below the stage, Yu Huayao quickly caught Mu Zhongzheng's eye signal, then outright ignored Song Yanwen's still‑jealous look, rose a little shyly, adjusted her robes, and slowly walked toward Jin Chen.

"Your Majesty, I, the attendant, will accompany you to watch the Prince's martial bout." As an attendant, Yu Huayao ought not to care about the officials' gazes, especially with Jin Chen present.

As a favorite attendant, Yu Huayao ought not to care about the officials' gazes, especially with Jin Chen present.

Jin Chen didn't refuse either; instead, he patted the spot where Xie Zhiwei sat, signaling Yu Huayao to come sit beside him.

"Your Majesty, let me peel grapes for you to eat." Yu Huayao, ever encroaching, drew even closer, paying no heed to Xie Zhiwei's murderous stare from the stage.

But Mu Zhongzheng didn't miss it; inwardly delighted, everything now proceeded exactly according to the plan he and Xian Ming had devised!

Of course, the grape‑peeling was just talk; Yu Huayao dared not peel grapes for Jin Chen nor eat them, merely sipping cup after cup of wine, uttering sweet nothings for others to hear.

Soon, the drunk‑to‑oblivion Jin Chen clung to the Noble Attendant, blissfully oblivious, and had no mind to watch the stage.

Seeing this, Xie Zhiwei's spirit quickly fell into disarray; she had to contend with the nine elite warriors Mu Zhongzheng had picked, while also dividing her attention to watch the boy emperor whom others so doted on— for a moment she couldn't gain the upper hand, and even felt a faint sense of being suppressed.

The officials of Xie Zhiwei's faction were also frightened by this decline, losing all the confidence they'd initially had in her.

It was as if no one noticed that the people Mu Zhongzheng had brought in had, amidst the splendid fighting, silently taken over the entire banquet.

It's time to proceed to the next step.