512: Chapter 376 512: Chapter 376 “Young General, you finally came out.
Did you convey my intentions to Father King?” Princess Long Feifeng was the first to speak.
“My royal sister, are you kidding?
What would the general have to say to our father?”
A prince interrupted their conversation.
What followed was a chorus of chirping voices, both men’s and women’s.
Their language was all about probing the intentions Princess Long Feifeng wanted to express.
In fact, they had known all along; now, they just wanted to see a joke unfold.
“Shut up, what business is it of yours?”
In front of Ye Tian, Long Feifeng could boldly express her love without shame.
However, she didn’t want these brothers and sisters to laugh at her, for after all, she was born of the Empress and where was their place to speak?
Princess Long Feifeng had always been the most valued by the Empress and the King, but there were some princes who weren’t afraid of her; after all, it wasn’t a princess who would inherit the throne.
To them, a princess was merely a tool for political marriage.
How could it be their father’s priority to cultivate princesses over the princes?
There were a couple of her full brothers, but they couldn’t silence so many mouths.
Their ultimate goal wasn’t really about what Princess Long Feifeng confessed; as they clamored now, not one of them voiced their true intentions.
In truth, they all desired the same thing: the Supreme Elixir that the King wanted, and how could they, as princes, not want it too?
Even the other princesses coveted it.
Only Long Feifeng, foolishly focused on confessing her love, hadn’t thought to leverage her relationship to ask for the Supreme Elixir.
Amidst her siblings, Long Feifeng’s angry words couldn’t withstand the numerous mouths arrayed against her.
Furiously stomping her foot, the floor tiles beneath her cracked and split.
Ye Tian looked at these usually dignified and proud royals who now resembled a flock of crows; he really felt like swatting them away.
This was never-ending…
“You keep chatting, I, the Young General, have things to do and won’t stay to talk with you any longer!”
With a slight curve of his mouth, what did it matter that he was in the Imperial Palace?
He could fly away anytime without using the main gate—could anyone here stop him?
They might be arrogantly proud now, but they couldn’t withstand even a single move from him when all combined.
“Young General, don’t leave so quickly; I, the prince, need to speak with you.”
“Young General, I heard you possess the Supreme Elixir; you can’t keep it all to yourself!”
The men grew anxious; they had planned to speak privately, but under these circumstances, if they didn’t speak up, they would miss their chance.
Ye Tian had already ascended to the sky and vanished from sight.
All that remained were the anxious princes, incessantly calling out.
Princess Long Feifeng was on the verge of tears, her efforts to keep her beloved by her side ruined by her meddling siblings.
Even the naive could eventually see through their siblings’ intentions.
They wanted her beloved’s possessions and had disrupted her plans.
Long Feifeng glared fiercely at her brothers and sisters, swearing in her heart that if she could one day marry Ye Tian,
she would ensure that Ye Tian didn’t gift a single Supreme Elixir to these people who held her back.
Having witnessed Ye Tian flying away through the air, she knew such an act was only daringly performed by those with special privileges within the Imperial Palace.
The palace had its mechanisms, and one wouldn’t dare to fly within it unless they were true experts.
The princes, princesses, and other occupants of the palace, aside from walking, would ride in carriages at old sites, and though they could fly, they wouldn’t dare to soar high in the sky within the palace.
All of them had rules to follow in this place.
No matter how noble the palace ministers were, they wouldn’t behave recklessly within the palace.
Perhaps the Array of the palace had no effect on those with too high a level of Cultivation.
Someone of Ye Tian’s level wouldn’t be bound if not for his respect for the fact that this was the Imperial Palace; the last few times he had entered, he had stopped at the palace gate and walked through it on foot.
But why break the rules this time and choose to fly away?
Princess Long Feifeng didn’t think too much, recklessly chasing after him, convinced that Ye Tian must be returning home.
As long as she waited at his home, she was certain to see Ye Tian.
Princess Long Feifeng couldn’t bother to call for her carriage, running swiftly, with her maids calling out behind her, struggling to keep up with her pace.
Her siblings were annoyed to see Princess Long Feifeng running so desperately.
Not in the mood to mock Princess Long Feifeng, some watched what others did, while others began to scheme, leading to many princesses pleading to see the King.
Long Hong in the palace really didn’t want to wait for Liu Xu and the Chief of Staff, these two old men making the King wait for them was truly insufferable.
In his arms, Long Hong held two Supreme Elixirs and he was eager to start his cultivation; however, he had invited these two men, who were currently en route.
Once he started his seclusion, he would be gone for a day or two, and these two old men might take advantage of that to cause trouble in the Imperial Palace or plot against the Imperial City.
He thought about how Ye Tian, who had always protected the Imperial Palace and Imperial City, had taken up a task and left.
He was also aware that there were princes and princesses at the palace gates, and had been informed by the guards that Ye Tian, to avoid entanglement, had chosen to fly away.
Long Hong knew that this matter would be endless; his princes and princesses would definitely want the Supreme Elixirs.
Ye Tian ignoring them and flying away would only leave his children discontent, coming to him to complain.
Contemplating his many children and their various desires, Long Hong was quite vexed – having many children was indeed a source of trouble.
His anxiety was not about raising them, but rather the impossibility of satisfying their numerous demands, these children who lacked initiative.
He preferred his Great Princess Long Feifeng, who still endeavored to fight for what she wanted on her own.
Long Hong did not agree with Princess Long Feifeng’s desire to marry Ye Tian, yet he admired her courage to love fiercely and her determination to strive for what she wanted.
Just as he was growing irritated, the guards came to report that the princes and princesses were requesting an audience.
For Long Hong, dealing with his now grown-up princes and princesses, who were each seeking to marry and start families, he had delegated most of these arrangements to his subordinates.
He was too preoccupied with state affairs, let alone his own cultivation and his children’s marriages; perhaps he would just need to help choose from the options arranged by others.
The process of selecting consorts and Consort Princes was just as elaborate and added to the pile of headaches.
He waved his hand to signal the Chief Steward to invite all the princes and princesses to come in together, to save him from their incessant disturbances.
The Chief Eunuch, envying Long Hong’s possession of two Supreme Elixirs, knew all too well that a King with such treasures would never bestow them upon others.
He did not believe the King would give the Elixirs to his princes and princesses.
With so few Elixirs and even if they were to be distributed, it would not be enough for all, leading to relentless competition among them, certainly another silent war in the making.
Actually, the Chief Steward was also troubled by the thoughtless behavior of Long Hong’s children, which added to his own annoyances, irritating him though he had no choice but to cope with it.
In their eyes he was of lowly status, a eunuch – a position they looked down upon.
Following the King’s command, the Chief Eunuch ushered in the group.
Thus, each prince and the princesses paid their respects to Long Hong.
Looking down, Long Hong saw the princes and princesses who normally did not gather together.
Hearing of over thirty did not seem like much considering the harem of 3,000 – were a few dozen children really that many?
Yet now, assembled together in the grand hall, it seemed like a crowd of grownups.
Some had already chosen their consorts, others had married them, and still others were growing up.
None of these princesses had been married off; they were all still in search of their worthy partners.
Without a better resolution for the princesses, and with the Great Princess Long Feifeng’s marriage still unsettled, the other princesses were dragging their feet.
Before Long Hong could speak, one of the princes began:
“Father, that Ye Tian is too presumptuous, daring to transgress in the Imperial Palace.”
Another prince added, “Father, I heard that Ye Tian brought back many Supreme Elixirs from his family.
This cannot be allowed – surely we are more noble than his family!”
“Exactly, Father, a supreme Alchemist from the common folks didn’t pay tribute.
We should tax them, punish their crimes.”
Each prince spoke out against Ye Tian one after another.
While the princes voiced their complaints, the princesses remained silent, but their expressions showed support for the princes’ words.
How could Long Hong not be aware that every region had its taxes, and every place with something valuable had to pay tribute?