Chapter 177 – Hiding Something

Translator: Coca5156

Editor: Drea

It was night time yet it was busy in the infirmary of the Royal School.

This was because the Fifth Prince from the North Qiu Kingdom had forced Lady Qin from the Qin Clan to bring him around the Royal School. As a result, she had caused him to dislocate his jaw and break a leg. He then had no choice but to pay a visit to the infirmary.

Outside the infirmary, the subordinates that had accompanied Pan Yue from the North Qiu Kingdom were standing around. Qin Xinran curled up pitifully on a chair in the corner of the room. The head of the Qin Clan, Qin Yue looked solemn as he stared at the infirmary as if he wanted to break through the walls and beat up everyone inside.

Rong Yuan stood in the middle of the group wearing a warm smile on his face, taking on the role as mediator.

“Leader Qin, don’t worry, Xinran is just scared. She is not hurt in any other way. What is most important now is to ensure the Fifth Prince’s safety. After all, the Fifth Prince is the victim tonight.”

“Hmph, if he didn’t have any ill intentions, why would our Xinran beat him up?” Saying this made Qin Yue enraged once again.

He was in the capital city to check on the finances of the Qin clan and never thought this would happen while he was here. How could a prince of a country actually do something like this? Thankfully, Xinran was not weak and could defend herself, otherwise...

Thinking about what could have possibly happened made Qin Yue want to barge in and kill someone.

“Leader Qin, you might have misunderstood.” The person in charge of Pan Yue’s meals claimed, “If Lady Qin did not want to bring His Highness around the Royal School, why would she agree to his invitation? Even if she changed her mind at the last minute, there was no need to be violent right? His Highness is our Majesty’s favourite child. If anything were to happen, I am afraid that the Royal School alone would not be able to handle the consequences, the entire Xia Kingdom would have to bear the consequences.”

“So, according to you...Xinran getting violated is her fault?” Qin Yue sneered.

Although the Xia Kingdom was not as strong as the North Qiu Kingdom, it was possible that they would declare war against the Xia Kingdom for this small matter. The North Qiu Kingdom had been reigning for years and the Xia Kingdom would naturally have a response strategy. If they really were to go into war, the neighbouring Dayin Kingdom and the Shu Kingdom would not just turn away. Instead, it would cause the entire Tianyuan Continent to go to war. This was the reason why Qin Yue had the courage to question Pan Feng.

“If not, how do you explain why Lady Qin was in His Highness’ residence?” Advisor Pan Feng rolled his eyes as he pushed the blame onto Qin Xinran.

“That is because your prince’s mind is filled with filth and turned my daughter’s good intentions into something scandalous!”

Seeing the two sides argue, Rong Yuan let out a small cough as he grinned, “Leader Qin, Lord Pan, this is the school’s infirmary. The injured students and the Fifth Prince need a quiet environment to rest. I think we should drop this matter. Luckily, nothing happened to Lady Qin and the Fifth Prince’s injury is also not too serious. Both of you should give in a little and drop today’s matter.”

“Drop it? The prince of the North Qiu Kingdom is injured and you want to drop it?”

“If I am not given an explanation for today’s matter, my Qin clan will not let it go!”

The minute Rong Yuan stopped talking, both Pan Feng and Qin Yue bellowed at the same time. They both looked at each other, refusing to give in.

Qin Yue was trying to protect his daughter’s interest and did not want Pan Feng to simply push the blame onto her and ruin her reputation. On the other hand, Pan Feng was just fulfilling his responsibilities.

As the representatives of the North Qiu Kingdom, if they were to just let it go, they would sully the reputation of their own country.

As the two of them persisted and were about to start another argument, Pan Yue’s weak voice could be heard from the infirmary.

“It’s too noisy out there, shut up!”

Pan Feng immediately shut his mouth.

Qin Feng however, glared furiously at the door. If he were to hear anything bad said about his daughter, he will ignore whatever consequences the Qin Clan might face and beat the prince up.

However, a struggling and breathless sound floated out from the room as he was surprised to hear, “Pan Feng, today’s incident was my fault. There is no need to report to my father. When I am recovered, I will personally go to Lady Qin’s residence to apologise.”

What was happening? Why was he speaking up for Qin Xinran?

Not just Pan Feng, but even Qin Xinran who was still pretending to be pitiful, lifted her head in surprise.

“Hai... is whatever I say no longer important? Aren’t you going to escort Lady Qin back to rest?”

Pan Yue spoke once again, scaring Pan Feng for the second time.

Could it be that the Fifth Prince had injured his head? If not, why would the Fifth Prince, who only knew how to play and wish for the world to be in chaos, suddenly speak up for someone else? Furthermore, for Qin Xinran?

There was a problem. A huge problem!

Pan Feng immediately decided that once he sent Qin Xinran back, he would send a letter to his kingdom to send a few doctors over. It seems like the Fifth Prince was seriously ill.

“Since the Fifth Prince has already apologised, Leader Qin, you should drop the matter,” Rong Yuan stated under everyone’s surprise. He exchanged glances with Qin Yue, indicating for him to let the matter go.

Although Qin Yue was not completely satisfied with this outcome, he considered the status of Pan Yue and forced himself to accept it. He walked towards the ‘severely affected’ Qin Xinran and headed towards the student dorms.

Qin Xinran did not hold back when she beat Pan Yue and caused him to be bedridden in the infirmary for three entire days. If not for Pan Yue’s orders, his bodyguards would have captured Qin Xinran back to the North Qiu Kingdom to receive punishment.

“Do you think the Fifth Prince of North Qiu is really like that or is he trying to act dumb?”

After ending a day of lessons, Gu Lingzhi sat in the living room, her face unchanging.

The minute Pan Yue gained back his movements, he went back to his old behaviour. He could not stop teasing any female student from the Royal School he came across that was somewhat pretty. He did not even let the feminine-looking male students go. In a mere few days, he had become the public enemy of the Royal School. The number of Challenge Letters he received were even more than Gu Lingzhi had gotten.

Unfortunately, his skin was so thick that even after receiving so many Challenge Letters, he could go on pretending nothing was wrong. He treated the Challenge Letters like rubbish and threw them on the floor, forming a small mountain of letters in the process. He continued teasing girls as if nothing had happened.

The girl that he was teasing was also the one that beat him up previously, Qin Xinran. In the meantime, Qin Xinran had been frequently skipping class as a result.

“From the information I got, the North Qiu Kingdom’s Fifth Prince is the son of an unfavored concubine. He is not thought of highly in his own kingdom and outside his kingdom, no one is on good terms with him. If not for the protection of the North Qiu Kingdom’s Emperor, he would have long been set up by the other princes.”

Gu Lingzhi clicked her tongue as she had already guessed that Pan Yue was not that well-liked. However, she did not expect that he was so disliked to the point that outside the North Qiu Kingdom, there was not a single person that was on good terms with him.

“Do you think this information is inaccurate?”

“No, I think it is true.” Rong Yuan knocked the table with one hand as he grinned meaningfully, “It is just that he is too disliked that makes me think it is weird?”

“Oh?” Gu Lingzhi thought that with Pan Yue’s personality, if anyone actually liked him, that would be even weirder. Of course, that was excluding his father.

Gu Lingzhi’s curious expression was so adorable that Rong Yuan could not resist stretching out his hand to pat her head. He messed up her soft and fine hair as he explained, “No matter how annoying someone is, he would always have someone that sides with him. However, this Fifth Prince was never liked his whole life. With his personality, by right if he has not been plotted against and murdered in the Royal Palace, living would be equivalent to torture for him. However, he has been living perfectly fine these past ten years and is even favored by the King. Don’t you think... there is something strange?”

Hearing Rong Yuan’s analysis, Gu Lingzhi started to think that something was not right as well and became serious.

“If he doesn’t show his feelings, will he take revenge on Xinran for what she did to him?”

After that day, the moment he regained his independent movement he abided by what he said and went to apologise to Qin Xinran. Thereafter, using the excuse of apologising he had gone to find her numerous times. If Pan Yue was a dumb wastrel, it would be fine. However, if he really had other intentions, and managed to fool everyone around him, that would be scary...

“That won’t happen.” Rong Yuan replied confidently.

“Why not?”

Rong Yuan narrowed his eyes at her and pointed out, “Can’t you feel it? The way the Fifth Prince behaves around Xinran is different.”

“What is different?” Were the frivolous words he said to annoy people different?

Sensing the loathing from Gu Lingzhi, Rong Yuan shook his head but could not be bothered to explain what it meant by a guy’s instinct.

The way Pan Yue looked at Qin Xinran reminded him of himself. He wondered how Pan Yue had fallen for Qin Xinran? Could it be that the beating had caused him to fall in love?

As Rong Yuan had to entertain Pan Yue, he did not have much time for Gu Lingzhi. Whenever Rong Yuan was not around, she would head to the Town of the Brave for a few matches.

On this day, as per normal, Gu Lingzhi headed to the Town of the Brave as Black Thorn.

When it was her turn to fight, Gu Lingzhi sensed someone examining her.

However, when she turned her head, she did not find anyone suspicious. Pushing this aside and thinking that it was due to her being tense, Gu Lingzhi focused on her opponent.

Zhu Yonghao, Peak Level Martial Practitioner. He had obtained an Emblem of the Brave as well.

This was the first time Gu Lingzhi was fighting someone that had the Emblem of the Brave. She wondered who would win when two extremely strong opponents fought each other.