Each person in this world has their own troubles and worries.

The sedan bearers silently trudged forward, earning their keep through sheer effort.

The butler, Xie Ping, was filled with trepidation, fearing he might lose his newly acquired position.

Only the Marquis Jiang, within the sedan, could finally quiet his mind and re-examine the Prince in the Palace of Eternal Joy.

It was not boastful of him to say that with his current strength, an ordinary Outer Chamber cultivator could not easily grab his sleeve. Let alone doing so almost without him reacting.

What this signified in battle was self-evident.

Yet, the Crown Prince was known to possess no divine abilities. This fact was known to too many people to be false.

So…

Had he found his own Path in the Outer Chamber?

Even with the same divine ability, different people cultivate it with varying degrees of strength.

With different personal Paths and different progress, vast disparities were inevitable. For instance, the Master of the Four Seas Merchant Association, Su She, was far inferior to Yin Guan.

To what extent had the Crown Prince reached?

Like Yin Guan in the past?

Jiang Wang knew clearly that the gifts were one thing, but the Crown Prince was also demonstrating his strength to him!

It wasn’t that Jiang Wang now possessed the qualifications to influence the Qi Kingdom’s court, but rather that the Crown Prince was already looking ahead, strategizing for the future.

The Great Qi Empire of today was indeed strong, having annexed the Yang Kingdom, pressed troops upon Great Xia, laid out plans for the near seas, and seized victory at the Yellow River. It could be said to be mighty in all directions. But to speak of unifying the world, the possibility truly remained unseen.

The world’s six powers, none were weak.

This meant that if the Son of Heaven were to take another step, he should also consider matters of transcendence.

According to the rules of the official system, the current Son of Heaven’s reign should not exceed a hundred years.

It was now the fifty-fifth year of Yuanfeng, which meant that in at most forty-five years, a new ruler would ascend the throne.

Forty-five years was long, yet short, merely the flick of a finger!

The nineteen-year-old number one cultivator in the Inner Mansion, his future was immeasurable.

The Crown Prince’s wisdom lay in the fact that from beginning to end, he didn’t even mention the word “recruit”. Because Jiang Wang was bound to refuse.

Even setting aside the relationship with Jiang Wuyou. A national talent like Jiang Wang, if he followed the established path, would naturally have a bright future and need not risk involvement in the struggle for the throne.

The Crown Prince merely expressed his goodwill, bestowed his favor, and had Jiang Wang accept it even if he wished not to.

Should he rule in the future, talents like Jiang Wang should remember the past favor of the Crown Palace and pledge allegiance to the new emperor.

Expressing goodwill was setting a piece for the future.

Demonstrating strength was telling him that the Crown Prince was worthy of his loyalty.

“To the Palace of Flourishing Brilliance!”

Jiang Wang said from within the sedan.

The sedan bearers silently changed direction.

Xie Ping, walking beside the sedan, his face grew even more bitter.

It seemed the matter the Marquis Jiang had committed this time was quite significant… He was even going to seek the Third Princess’s support!

And for Jiang Wang, going to the Palace of Eternal Life and the Palace of Eternal Joy were both by invitation, whereas the Palace of Flourishing Brilliance was a visit initiated by himself. The closeness and distance between these were self-evident.

He wished to inform the Third Princess that he remembered their agreement well. It was also to prevent others from speculating.

The Palace of Eternal Joy and the Palace of Flourishing Brilliance were not far apart, and the sedan soon arrived.

Although he had not sent a card in advance, Jiang Wang would not be turned away at the Palace of Flourishing Brilliance.

A female official from the Palace of Flourishing Brilliance led him to the side of the Thousand Carp Pond within the palace and then left.

Today, Jiang Wuyou, uncharacteristically, was not practicing martial arts. She held a jade bowl and was feeding fish by the pond.

At this moment, she concealed a hint of heroic spirit. Her gaze was somewhat distant, unsure of what she was thinking.

Sunlight shone on the water.

A handful of fish food was scattered, and hundreds of golden carp leaped, a truly spectacular sight.

Jiang Wang walked closer and cleared his throat: “Your Highness is truly enjoying yourself.”

Jiang Wuyou looked at the golden carp, not turning back: “Why the visit today?”

Jiang Wang answered honestly: “I have been to the Palace of Eternal Life and the Palace of Eternal Joy. Fearing misunderstanding, I came to visit Your Highness.”

Jiang Wuyou turned back and glanced at him: “Since you feared misunderstanding, why didn’t you come to my Palace of Flourishing Brilliance last night?”

“Uh.” Jiang Wang awkwardly said: “It was very late after leaving the Palace of Eternal Life yesterday, it wasn’t very convenient.”

Jiang Wuyou gave a hearty laugh: “You and I are upright and honest, what inconvenience is there?”

Jiang Wang said: “One must always consider Your Highness’s good name.”

Jiang Wuyou looked at him quietly for a while and said: “You are also a worldly person.”

She turned back and continued to sprinkle fish food: “You stayed in the Palace of Eternal Life until midnight, why did you not consider Jiang Wuqi’s good name?”

Jiang Wang: …

He had intended to say, how could that be the same?

But upon reflection, it seemed difficult to articulate the difference.

He finally mumbled: “The Eleventh Prince and I had a sparring match.”

Jiang Wuyou, however, seemed not to care about the outcome, only asking: “Do you know how many golden carp are in this Thousand Carp Pond?”

Jiang Wang was not misled by the name Thousand Carp Pond. He carefully counted and then said: “One hundred and sixty-seven.”

“You see.” Jiang Wuyou said: “You know it’s called the Thousand Carp Pond, yet you still counted it yourself. You only believe what you see, and not what you hear… I am the same.”

Jiang Wang merely smiled: “Then Your Highness can see for yourself.”

Jiang Wuyou asked again: “The one in the Eastern Palace, his cooking skills are not bad, are they?”

Jiang Wang said: “If the Crown Prince were to open a restaurant as a head chef, I would definitely visit daily.”

The Crown Prince would of course not actually open a restaurant, so he would not actually visit daily.

Jiang Wuyou’s jade fingers lightly pinched, scattering the fish food bit by bit. The golden carp in the water rose and fell, vying for food.

She slowly said: “Counting the years, it has been twenty years since I last tasted his cooking. I was still young then, and before that, I had always thought that the dishes he made were the world’s finest.”

“And now?” Jiang Wang asked.

Jiang Wuyou did not answer this question, only saying: “He is about to reach the Divine Arrival stage.”

This remark seemed somewhat out of the blue. Jiang Wang did not know how she came to this conclusion, perhaps through her own intelligence channels, or perhaps Jiang Wuhua had intentionally revealed something. But since she said so, it would be correct.

He thought for a moment and said: “My contact with the Eastern Palace is limited, but I also feel that his strength is not as ordinary as rumored.”

Jiang Wuyou did not continue this topic, turning to ask: “You are now a Third Rank official, it will be difficult to find leisure. If you were to take a substantial position, where would you want to go? If to the Maze Realm, Venerable Qi can look out for you.”

Jiang Wang asked with a smile: “Must I always be fighting and killing? Why can’t I govern a region? Back then, Chong Xuan Sheng even planned to secure me the position of 日照鎮撫使.”

There were no servants here.

By the edge of the Thousand Carp Pond, there were only the two of them.

Jiang Wuyou casually placed the jade bowl containing the fish food on the stone railing and walked forward along the pond bank.

“You are not quite suited for it,” she said.

Jiang Wang: …

“Does your cultivation need to rely on the official path?” Jiang Wuyou asked again.

“Didn’t Your Highness say I’m not quite suited?” Jiang Wang said sullenly, with a hint of indignation.

Jiang Wuyou laughed aloud.

“Go back,” she said, waving her hand casually: “I am going to practice.”

Regarding Jiang Wang’s visits to the Palace of Eternal Life and the Palace of Eternal Joy, she seemed indifferent and also suggested that Jiang Wang need not care.

Jiang Wang then stopped, watching the tall figure walk away. Direct, decisive, without any lingering.

These few imperial descendants of Great Qi were indeed not simple.

As Jiang Wang walked back, he incidentally glanced at the Thousand Carp Pond. Although the beautiful golden carp had finished eating, they did not immediately hide.

Instead, they swam on the water, and vaguely seemed to be forming some kind of character.

Although golden carp were valuable, they were merely playthings.

It was perfectly normal for their feeder to train them to do pleasing things.

Jiang Wang waited with interest for a while.

The group of golden carp swimming back and forth finally settled, forming the character “吉” (Jí), meaning auspicious.

In an instant, they scattered again.

Specks of golden light fell to the bottom of the water.