What Jiang Chen didn't expect was that the series of disturbances at the Longteng Marquis's manor would send hidden undercurrents surging beneath the surface of the otherwise calm Royal Capital.
Inside the Longteng Manor, the Marquis Longteng, Long Zhaofeng, was naturally the most furious. Having been refused by Jiang Feng, he could perhaps endure it temporarily for the sake of the bigger picture.
But being refused so forcefully by the Jiang father and son, he, the Marquis Longteng, felt his face had been slapped.
Although he didn't explode on the spot or fly into a rage, it wasn't out of magnanimity or broad-mindedness, but because as a superior, he understood that in such a setting, he had to control his anger.
When all the guests had departed and only his trusted confidants remained, Long Zhaofeng's first words were: "Those who follow me will prosper; those who defy me will perish. I don't care what methods you use, at this Gathering of Hidden Dragons, the Jiang family must be eliminated!"
"Let's see them talk about half-vein land without the Marquis's token, and let's see them act arrogant towards me without it!"
"Also, look into what's going on with the Alchemist Hall," Long Zhaofeng said, very displeased. The Alchemist Hall had openly stood up to support the Jiang family in such a setting. No one had anticipated that scene.
The trusted confidants who had stayed all nodded repeatedly.
"This Jiang father and son truly don't know their place. If we don't suppress them this time, Marquis Long's prestige will certainly suffer!"
"There must be something odd between the Alchemist Hall and this Jiang Chen. That day, I was at the Alchemist Hall..." Long Juxue recounted what had happened at the Alchemist Hall that day: the Third Hall Master had refused the heirs of all the top marquises, sold the Dragon Bone Sun Grass to Jiang Chen, and even treated him as an honored guest.
Recalling that scene made Long Juxue feel it was quite strange as well.
Upon hearing this, Long Zhaofeng gave a bitter smile. "Xue'er, why didn't you mention such an important matter that day?"
Long Juxue also felt regret. "At the time, Xue'er thought that mere wastrel son wasn't worth reporting to you, Father Marquis. Who could have imagined that the Alchemist Hall would..."
Actually, Long Juxue had a point. The competition for the Dragon Bone Sun Grass that day was, after all, a minor matter—an incident among the heirs of the marquises. Although Long Juxue hated Jiang Chen because of it, she didn't feel such a small thing was necessary to tell her father.
But in the Royal Capital, a small matter often reveals larger patterns and contains significant implications.
If the Marquis Longteng had known about this beforehand, he could have made extra preparations regarding the invitation to the Alchemist Hall and at least wouldn't have suffered such a great loss today.
The Alchemist Hall's unexpected intervention had instantly robbed Marquis Longteng of the initiative.
"Ah! Marquis Long, there's one thing—did you all notice? It's quite strange." The speaker was the Marquis Yanmen, Yan Jiuzhuang.
Besides the Marquis Yanmen, at least a dozen or so marquises had gathered here. Everyone who remained at this moment was a trusted confidant of the Marquis Longteng.
This meant that among the hundred and eight marquises within the Eastern Kingdom, more than a dozen had secretly pledged allegiance to the Marquis Longteng.
This was a formidable force.
Furthermore, the Marquis Yanmen himself ranked among the top ten of the hundred and eight marquises. Therefore, within this group of marquises who had allied with Marquis Longteng, he still had considerable say.
"Marquis Yan, what have you discovered?" Long Zhaofeng asked.
"There are two oddities about tonight's banquet. First, why are Princess Gouyu and Princess Zhiruo so familiar with Jiang Chen? Second, why was the Marquis Tianshui's behavior so abnormal? Remember, the Marquis Tianshui is Jiang Feng's mortal enemy. Under normal circumstances, he would definitely be the vanguard opposing Marquis Jianghan. But today, did any of you see him make a statement?"
"Not only him, but his son, Shui Qingshu, used to bully Jiang Chen every time he saw him in the Royal Capital before. Did you notice any reaction from him tonight?"
This remark reminded everyone present.
Indeed, the behavior of the Marquis Tianshui and his son was too abnormal.
If the Marquis Longteng was suppressing Jiang Feng, it was aimed at seizing that half-vein land. The Marquis Longteng himself had not previously had any hostility towards Jiang Feng.
But the Marquis Tianshui was the mortal enemy of the Marquis Jianghan, Jiang Feng. Their territories bordered each other, and due to disputes over territory, resources, ranking, and merit, they were locked in open and covert struggles that were almost to the death.
Yet tonight, the Marquis Tianshui made absolutely no move, nor did he seize this opportunity to stand up and suppress Jiang Feng!
When things are abnormal, there must be a demon!
"I recall that after Jiang Chen was caned at the Heaven Worship Ceremony, the Marquis Tianshui accompanied the King to the Marquis Jianghan's manor to offer condolences. Why did this Jiang Chen come back from the dead, and what exactly happened that night? This matter has never been investigated successfully. Those few old fellows who went that day were even tighter-lipped than each other."
Various abnormal details were dug out one by one.
Long Zhaofeng fell into deep thought; he also found it strange. The King, Dongfang Lu, had capable people under his command in abundance. Caning a wastrel son, there was no reason for it not to be fatal.
Yet, this Jiang Chen had stubbornly survived. Moreover, it seemed the relationship between the Jiang family and the royal family, far from being affected by that incident, had actually grown closer.
"Your intelligence is very useful. In that case, could it be that I underestimated Jiang Feng? Has this man perhaps already latched onto the leg of the King, Dongfang Lu?"