Chapter 100
In the capital, Princess Anping was well-known. She enjoyed mingling with scholars and artists, and had established an elegant society where she frequently held garden parties and literary gatherings. These events attracted many prominent figures from the capital.
Many young, talented scholars considered it an honor to receive an invitation from the princess. They eagerly flocked to her gatherings, hoping to showcase their talents and earn her favor, which was seen as a great opportunity.
As for the noble ladies in the capital, being on Princess Anping’s guest list was enough to show their prestigious family backgrounds. They were well-versed in literature and renowned for their talents. Gathering together, they would often discuss and critique the young scholars, making the event both a refined and intellectual affair.
Thus, the princess’s gatherings were filled with handsome young men and beautiful women.
“Is that all?” Princess Anping asked, a little confused. She couldn’t understand why Ming Yu needed to approach her personally for such a simple request. He could have just had someone send the message.
Ming Yu nodded earnestly, “Yes, that’s all. I’m just curious to see what these gatherings are like.” He certainly couldn’t admit that he was bringing Xie Yixiu along to admire the beautiful ladies, so he took the matter upon himself.
The Eldest Princess pondered for a moment, seemingly thinking of something. Her gaze toward Ming Yu turned a little strange. Ming Yu was puzzled and instinctively reached up to touch his own face. Had he accidentally gotten something on it during the banquet?
Little did he know that what the Eldest Princess was thinking was entirely different from him. Ming Yu had grown up now. Although he was the youngest among the princes, his elder brothers all had consorts or concubines by now. Yet, he remained alone. Could it be that he wanted to take this opportunity at the gathering to find a suitable match? Hmm, this was indeed something that needed consideration. His mother had passed away early, and although the emperor favored him, he was always busy with affairs of the state. Such trivial matters had likely long been forgotten. As the saying went, “An elder sister is like a mother.” Back when she was young, she had also received kindness from the late empress. It was only natural that she now helped arrange something for her younger brother.
“If Eldest Princess thinks it’s inappropriate…” Ming Yu assumed that she was unwilling to agree, thinking he would have to find another way.
To his surprise, Princess Anping covered her mouth and laughed before responding warmly, “If Fourteenth Brother wants to attend the gathering, he is more than welcome. In fact, five days from now, our Yaqu Society is holding a small garden party. I will send someone to escort you there.”
Had she just agreed? Ming Yu’s eyes lit up with joy. “Thank you, Eldest Princess!” Then he quickly asked, “Should I prepare anything in advance?”
The Eldest Princess smiled and shook her head, reminding him, “Just show up on the day, but it would be best to dress properly and present yourself with the dignity befitting a Wang Ye. Don’t be too casual, or others might look down on you.”
Ming Yu suddenly understood and nodded repeatedly. She was right—he must not forget to mention this to General Xie later.
After Princess Anping and her entourage left, Ming Yu leisurely made his way back to the prince’s residence. However, he had barely walked a few steps before his path was blocked at a corner by a group of people.
When he looked closer, he sighed. Trouble had come knocking. The ones standing before him were none other than the Eleventh Prince, Ming Zhen, and the Twelfth Prince, Ming Chao.
Ming Zhen was the full younger brother of the Third Prince, Ming Tao, and had always been particularly close to the Twelfth Prince, Ming Chao. The two were of similar age and had grown up practically inseparable, as if they had worn the same pair of pants.
Ming Zhen was a classic smiling tiger—harmless on the surface but full of schemes in private. Ming Yu had suffered losses at his hands before. Meanwhile, the Twelfth Prince, Ming Chao, was hot-tempered and had been egged on by Ming Zhen to hold quite a grudge against Ming Yu.
Clearly, Ming Chao had been manipulated into making the first move again.
“Ming Yu, you little fatty, do you not even know how to greet your elder brothers?” Ming Chao tilted his chin up, speaking in an arrogant and commanding tone.
Ming Yu chuckled and said, “Ming Chao, why is it that you never learn? I’ve been away from the palace for so long—I thought you might have matured a little. But I see you’re still acting like someone asking for a beating.”
“What did you say?!” Ming Chao was instantly enraged by his words. “Don’t think that just because Father favors you, you can do whatever you want! Who do you think you are, daring to challenge me?”
Ming Yu clicked his tongue twice and looked at him with pity. “You must have forgotten what it felt like to be roasted like a suckling pig, haven’t you?”
If he hadn’t mentioned it, it might have been fine. But as soon as he did, Ming Chao became livid. Back then, he had fallen into Ming Yu’s trap and had yet to settle the score. Now, the moment Ming Yu brought it up, old grudges surged back. Fine, today he would not let Ming Yu off.
“Ming Yu, you little fatty! Back then, you ran fast, so I didn’t get a chance to deal with you. But now that you’re back, I’m settling this today!” Ming Chao threatened fiercely.
Ming Yu glanced around. Ming Chao had brought quite a number of people, completely blocking his retreat. Judging from the eerily quiet surroundings, it was clear that all unrelated people in the vicinity had already been driven away by Ming Chao’s men.
Even the palace attendants he had brought with him were now trembling as they were held under control by Ming Chao’s people. There was no way for them to escape and call for help.
“So, you’ve come prepared,” Ming Yu mused. There was no way Ming Chao had come up with such a detailed plan on his own. It was obvious that the mastermind behind this was Ming Zhen. He turned his gaze to the Eleventh Prince and asked in a calm tone, “Eleventh Brother, are you just here to enjoy the show?”
Ming Zhen smiled, showing no intention of getting involved. “Little Fourteen, don’t blame your big brother for not helping you. You’re both my younger brothers—I can’t favor one over the other, can I? I’m just accompanying Little Twelve to take a look. This is between the two of you, and as your elder brother, it wouldn’t be right for me to interfere.”
Ming Chao was already losing patience. “Why waste so many words on him? I was the one who dragged you here—this has nothing to do with you.” After saying that, he turned to Ming Yu and threatened, “What? Are you scared? If you kneel now and beg for mercy, there’s still time. Otherwise, hmph! Don’t blame me for being ruthless!”
Ming Yu chuckled. In the palace, he had always been the one making others beg for mercy. Expecting him to kneel and plead? Ha! Did Ming Chao even have any idea of his own worth?
“Ming Chao, you must still be half-asleep. What do you want? I’ll play along.”
That single sentence completely ignited Ming Chao’s fiery temper. “Alright! Fatty Yu, since you refuse to take the easy way out, don’t blame me for what happens next. Everyone, get him! I don’t care if he ends up injured or crippled—I’ll take responsibility!”
A cold glint flashed in Ming Yu’s eyes as he glanced around at the restless people surrounding him. He spoke icily, “You dare defy your superiors?”
That one sentence was like a bucket of cold water poured over them all. The man standing before them had a notorious reputation in the palace. Forget about bullying other princes—even the imperial consorts and noble ladies of the palace had suffered at his hands, causing endless misery. And yet, after every incident, he always walked away unscathed, free to continue stirring up trouble.
When he had been sent to Liangzhou by imperial decree, the entire palace had been one step away from throwing a grand farewell banquet. Typically, princes who weren’t valued by the emperor were the first to be sent away, but what about this Fourteenth Prince? Was he favored or not?
Everyone exchanged uneasy glances, unsure of what to do.
Ming Yu casually flexed his wrist, then raised a single finger at Ming Chao in a taunting gesture. “All this time, and you still haven’t improved? Come on, let’s settle this one-on-one.”
Ming Chao was so furious he was about to explode. How could he possibly tolerate Ming Yu’s provocation? Every time they fought in the past, he had never lost—except that Ming Yu always had too many underhanded tricks up his sleeve, catching him off guard. This time, he wanted to see what Ming Yu could possibly pull!
Ming Chao shrugged off his cloak and tossed it to the ground. “Fine, a duel it is. But let’s get one thing straight—if you lose, don’t go crying to Father.”
Ming Yu grinned. “Deal!”
He had indeed been no match for Ming Chao in the past. After all, Ming Chao’s maternal family was a noble military household, and he had grown up training with weapons. His brawn far exceeded his brains, which made it easy for others to egg him on into going against Ming Yu. Every time Ming Yu was picked on, he would avoid the fight if possible. If he had no choice but to face it, he would send someone to call for reinforcements—usually by tattling to the emperor. Of course, Ming Chao had been scolded by the emperor countless times because of this.
Before Ming Yu had been sent away, he had seized an opportunity to thoroughly humiliate Ming Chao. He hadn’t expected Ming Chao to hold a grudge for so long. Now that he was back, Ming Chao wasted no time trying to make trouble for him.
This time, Ming Chao wasn’t going to let him off easily. He had even taken control of Ming Yu’s people to prevent him from escaping and calling for help. Hearing Ming Yu agree to a duel played right into his hands.
Ming Chao couldn’t wait any longer. He was determined to beat Ming Yu until he was left crawling on the ground. Without hesitation, he lunged at him.
Having spent so much time on the borderlands, Ming Yu had personally planned and established the Guard Battalion. Whenever he felt the itch, he would spar with his men. After a kidnapping incident, he had trained even harder, learning several self-defense and combat techniques to avoid becoming a liability in the future and to ensure such a thing would never happen again.
Now that Ming Chao was offering himself up as a sparring partner, there was no reason to turn down the opportunity.
As Ming Chao charged forward, Ming Yu swiftly sidestepped, avoiding the attack. Seizing the moment, he gave Ming Chao a shove from behind, causing him to lose balance and nearly fall flat on his face.
Barely managing to steady himself, Ming Chao turned back, only to see Ming Yu standing there leisurely, a mocking smirk on his lips. “See? I told you you haven’t improved at all. You still don’t believe me? Weren’t you supposed to be unbeatable in the palace? And this is all you’ve got?”
Ming Chao was completely enraged. His mind went blank, and he abandoned all the fighting techniques he had trained in since childhood. He simply charged at Ming Yu in a blind fury, flailing wildly.
This was exactly what Ming Yu wanted. He had deliberately provoked Ming Chao into losing control. With such a reckless, chaotic fighting style, what did Ming Yu have to fear?
Ming Chao’s attacks were a mess, leaving countless openings. Ming Yu seized the chance, landing a series of swift, precise punches. He specifically targeted the most sensitive and vulnerable spots on the body—the kind that made people tear up from sheer pain.
Ming Zhen, who had been watching with amusement, had initially thought that Ming Yu was doomed the moment he faced off against Ming Chao. To avenge his third brother, he had planned everything meticulously, ensuring that Ming Yu wouldn’t have a chance to escape. All he had wanted was to see Ming Yu’s utterly humiliated and miserable state.
But something felt off—those two were locked in a scuffle, yet Ming Yu was clearly gaining the upper hand. Ming Zhen frowned. What was going on? Could it be that Ming Chao was holding back? But this situation didn’t seem like that at all.
Ming Zhen’s lips twitched. Had he overestimated Ming Chao? Looking at it now, he was nothing more than an embroidered pillow—decorative but useless.
To be fair, it wasn’t entirely Ming Chao’s fault. His maternal family was indeed from a line of military generals, but the techniques he had learned were all traditional and rigidly structured. Moreover, he had only grasped the basics, nowhere near the level of those who trained relentlessly through summer’s sweltering heat and winter’s bitter cold. Even if he practiced with the guards, who among them would dare to challenge him with full force? He had bullied Ming Yu so effortlessly before that he had actually started believing himself to be unbeatable.
However, Ming Yu had undergone training at the border, seen bloodshed, and taken lives. His growth had been rapid—he was no longer the same person as before.
The situation was turning unfavorable, and Ming Zhen was unwilling to let such a good opportunity slip away. Once Ming Yu returned to the border, dealing with him would become much more difficult. He couldn’t bear the thought of letting Ming Yu go unpunished today.
With this in mind, Ming Zhen discreetly signaled to one of the guards.
The guard understood the message and quietly retrieved a small iron caltrop from his sleeve. Seizing the right moment, he flung it towards Ming Yu. Despite its size, if it hit, it would cause significant injury. The guard had no intention of holding back—his aim was to make Ming Yu fall hard.
Ming Yu and Ming Chao were grappling with each other, making it easy for him to be accidentally harmed. But that didn’t matter—Ming Zhen was merely using Ming Chao. As long as the two were fighting, the emperor would dismiss it as a trivial squabble between brothers. However, if one of them got injured, both would be held accountable by their father. That was the real objective.
And what fault could he possibly have? He had only been a bystander. Even if their father reprimanded him, at most, he would be blamed for failing to intervene in time.
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