Chapter 147: Gaze
When Prince Shou’s gaze fell upon Hua Changxi and the others, they all lowered their heads in silence, making no further moves.
The eunuch behind him, seeing that they did not step forward to pay their respects to Prince Shou, reprimanded them sternly, “How dare you! Why don’t you quickly step forward and pay your respects to His Highness.”
Gu Jin Fan heard this and glanced at Mu Qingying and Yuan Tianchou. They were the Director’s disciples, so it was their turn to go first.
Yuan Tianchou received Gu Jin Fan’s look and then looked at Gu Qiming. Seeing that his Master had given him no instructions, he pondered for a moment before stepping forward and cupping his fist in a salute towards Prince Shou.
“First-Rank Alchemist Yuan Tianchou, greetings to His Highness.”
Prince Shou saw that Yuan Tianchou only bowed and did not kneel, his expression turning displeasured. “Is your father the Director of the Imperial Astronomical Bureau?”
Yuan Tianchou replied, “Yes.”
Prince Shou knew that there were several powerful families in the Capital City that even the Royal Family could not easily provoke, and the Yuan Family was one of them. He sized up Yuan Tianchou and let him withdraw without asking further questions.
Next was Mu Qingying.
She also saluted like Yuan Tianchou, cupping her fist, “First-Rank Alchemist Mu Qingying, greetings to His Highness.”
Prince Shou knew she was the Director’s disciple. He glanced at Gu Qiming standing beside her and, finding it difficult to make things too hard for her, coldly told her to withdraw.
“First-Rank Alchemist Gu Jin Fan, greetings to His Highness.”
Gu Jin Fan also cupped his fist in the same manner.
The Duke of Xin State’s Mansion had developed rapidly in the past two years and was an object of close attention from the Royal Family. Prince Shou sized up Gu Jin Fan and said with a half-smile, “This Prince has heard that the Duke of Xin State’s Mansion even has a Third-grade Alchemist. Why are you only First-Rank? Are you perhaps concealing your abilities?”
Facing Prince Shou’s questioning, Gu Jin Fan’s expression remained unchanged. “Replying to His Highness, alchemy requires comprehension, and my comprehension is insufficient.”
Prince Shou did not pursue the truth of this statement and abruptly asked, “You are not yet betrothed, are you?”
A slight change finally appeared in Gu Jin Fan’s expression. He looked up at Prince Shou and said, “I will not get betrothed, because getting betrothed means I have to marry. Marriage only allows one to marry one man, but there are so many excellent men in this world, one is not enough for me.”
Good heavens, upon hearing this, everyone present looked at Gu Jin Fan with either bewilderment, admiration, or shock.
Even Prince Shou was speechless.
After speaking, Gu Jin Fan quietly retreated. As his eyes shifted, he inadvertently noticed that Hua Changxi’s gaze towards him held a look of admiration, which made him feel a little strange.
The reason she responded to Prince Shou in that manner was because she knew that Prince Shou detested betrayal from women the most.
Whether Prince Shou’s question about betrothal was casual or had ulterior motives, she did not want any entanglement with him.
This was a mad dog who would stop at nothing to obtain the Divine Ability of Bloodline Ancestral Return, and countless people had been slaughtered by him.
After Yuan Tianchou, Mu Qingying, and Gu Jin Fan, only Hua Changxi, Zhu Qinghuan, and Shen Qianfan remained.
Shen Qianfan looked at Hua Changxi and Zhu Qinghuan, thinking that he was from the Disciple Hall, and stepped forward first, cupping his fist in a salute. “First-Rank Alchemist Shen Qianfan, greetings to His Highness.”
The first three individuals had such strong backgrounds that Prince Shou could tolerate their refusal to kneel. However, Shen Qianfan, a commoner, dared to be so disrespectful. Prince Shou’s face immediately darkened.
Although he said nothing, the eunuch behind him spoke, “How dare you! To see His Highness and not perform the kowtow?”
Shen Qianfan heard this and, instead of showing fear, displayed anger. “Your Highness, I am not convinced. All three of them did not kowtow, so why must I kowtow? Your Highness’s differential treatment is truly unfair.”
Prince Shou: “…”
Following Gu Jin Fan’s bold declaration, Prince Shou was once again rendered speechless, looking at Shen Qianfan as if he were an idiot. Did this fellow have a problem with his brain, actually demanding fairness from him?
Gu Qiming, standing nearby, quickly lowered his head, desperately suppressing the urge to laugh out loud.
He had put a great deal of effort into investigating the families of these individuals who had received the wooden tokens; they were all proud and arrogant.
Although Prince Shou was a Prince of the Royal Family, times had changed. Whether the Royal Family could continue to rule Great Jin in the future was uncertain, and many people’s reverence for the Royal Family was gradually eroding.
When faced with individuals who were not easily bowed from childhood, the more Prince Shou tried to assert his princely authority, the more they would resist.
Even the eunuch behind Prince Shou was stunned for a moment before reacting, “Presumptuous.”
Shen Qianfan stood with his back straight. “His Highness acted unfairly, and I pointed it out. How can that be considered presumptuous?”
The eunuch did not expect this person to be so bold and did not know how to respond, so he could only turn to look at Prince Shou.
Prince Shou’s brow twitched, and he directly unleashed his Spiritual Pressure, intending to force Shen Qianfan to his knees.
However, as soon as the Spiritual Pressure was released, it was blocked and sent back.
Prince Shou knew Gu Qiming had intervened and glared at him angrily.
Gu Qiming smiled respectfully and then directly said, “Next.”
“First-Rank Alchemist Zhu Qinghuan, greetings to His Highness.”
Prince Shou was very displeased with Gu Qiming’s attitude, but he knew Gu Qiming was someone from the Heavenly Department Minister’s faction. The Royal Family could not fully control the Dan Sheng Hall without the support of the Heavenly Department. He could only suppress his anger and turn his gaze to Zhu Qinghuan.
“Your surname is Zhu?”
“That is a good surname. You must not disappoint it.”
Prince Shou’s attitude towards Zhu Qinghuan was relatively gentle, and he let her withdraw without much trouble.
“First-Rank Alchemist Hua Changxi, greetings to His Highness.”
Hua Changxi introduced herself as the others had.
Prince Shou looked at Hua Changxi. “You are that Laborer who lectures at the Qihuang Hall?”
Hua Changxi replied, “Yes.”
Prince Shou asked, “Why do you lecture at the Qihuang Hall?”
Hua Changxi answered, “Because I enjoy teaching Medical Skills.”
Prince Shou inquired, “Is it not because you discovered something unusual at the Qihuang Hall?”
Hua Changxi stated, “I have only been in the Labor Department for two years. If there were anything unusual at the Qihuang Hall, others would have discovered it long ago.”
Prince Shou narrowed his eyes and scrutinized Hua Changxi from head to toe.
Such scrutiny made Hua Changxi’s brow furrowed. This gaze, like being appraised as merchandise, was the second time she had experienced it.
The first time was at the Great Clan Elder’s home, where the Great Clan Elder’s wife had used such a gaze to select them, her sisters.
Prince Shou suddenly said, “Are you willing to hand over the wooden token in your hand to this Prince?”
Hua Changxi replied expressionlessly, “I am not willing.”
Prince Shou’s expression turned cold. “This Prince will not take it for free. Ten thousand Spirit Stones for your wooden token is enough for you to cultivate for a long time.”
Hua Changxi was speechless. “The wooden token is my fortune. I will not exchange it for any amount of Spirit Stones.”
Prince Shou’s voice turned cold. “Are you not afraid that this Prince will make you leave the Medical Affairs Department?”
Hua Changxi retorted, “I am not in the Medical Affairs Department, but in the Dan Sheng Hall. His Highness can make someone leave the Medical Affairs Department, but he has no right to make someone leave the Dan Sheng Hall.”
Upon hearing this, anger clearly ignited in Prince Shou’s eyes, but it quickly subsided. After a long silence, he said, “Since you enjoy lecturing, then from now on, you will lecture at the Qihuang Hall every day.”
Hua Changxi replied, “That won’t do. I had time before, but I don’t now.”
Prince Shou’s face sank. “This is an order. You have no right to refuse.”
Hua Changxi looked directly back at him. “I am the one lecturing, so of course I have the right to decide whether to lecture or not.”
Seeing that Prince Shou was about to get angry, the Seventh Prince, standing behind him, quickly interjected, “Thirteenth Uncle, the Medical Skills that Hua Changxi teaches are all for mortals and Martial Artists, and are not of much use to us.”
Prince Shou snorted and swept his gaze over Mu Qingying and the others. “All of you are quite something!”
