Madam’s words were deliberately meant to arouse speculation in the others.
Once that speculation took hold, his identity would no longer be hidden.
The imperial city was vast, but the circle itself was not large.
Now that the madam had said as much, whether Chen Chu showed himself tonight or not, by tomorrow the news that the Ninth Prince had appeared at the Heavenly Palace to rendezvous with courtesan Shangguan Liuli would spread all over the imperial city.
If Chen Chu tried to hide his identity, it would only make him look guilty.
However, what was Heavenly Palace’s reason for deliberately doing this?
Did they want to make him the target of every man in the imperial city’s jealousy, or to ruin his marriage to Flying Flower Army Young Commander Xu Zhaoyue?
You have to know, ever since Shangguan Liuli first appeared at Heavenly Palace, she had never personally gone down to accompany anyone. The princes, nobles, and high officials of the imperial city had spent fortunes and exhausted every possible means, yet they had not even managed to get Shangguan Liuli to share a single drink with them.
As a courtesan, Shangguan Liuli was even more proper than the most proper young lady.
Yet Chen Chu could be alone with Shangguan Liuli without lifting a finger. Tell me, how could those rich noble heirs possibly be satisfied?
And if they were not satisfied, what could they do?
Naturally, they would spread rumors and smear his name!
Chen Chu could already imagine the whole imperial city discussing him tomorrow.
Was this the result Heavenly Palace wanted?
Although Chen Chu had guessed that this banquet would be trouble, he truly had not expected Heavenly Palace to stop pretending altogether and lay its scheme out in the open.
At that point, Chen Chu simply strode to the window and let them look their fill.
In an instant, he drew everyone’s attention.
But the vast majority of those present did not recognize this sharply handsome unfamiliar face.
“It’s the Ninth Prince!”
However, among the Heavenly Palace flower guests tonight, there were still a few court officials in plain clothes who cried out in surprise.
The atmosphere was ignited at once.
“It’s actually the Cursed Blood prince?!”
“Doesn’t Madam Liu know the Ninth Prince has half wasteland bloodline? What kind of honored guest is he?”
“If Liuli receives Chen Chu tonight, I’ll never come to Heavenly Palace again!”
“Get back to the wasteland!”
“Chen Chu, get back to the wasteland, you son of a b****!”
“The imperial city does not welcome you!”
At first, these guests were only voicing simple dissatisfaction. Then someone suddenly took the lead and started cursing, and like a powder keg being lit, the crowd erupted into furious condemnation.
At this point, Madam Liu Chahua actually stepped forward to defend Chen Chu and declared to everyone, “The Ninth Prince is Heavenly Palace’s most honored guest tonight, and absolutely must not be insulted! Whether or not you all come to Heavenly Palace in the future is your own business, but if anyone utters even half a word of disrespect toward the Ninth Prince, leave immediately. Heavenly Palace does not welcome you!”
Her words were firm and fierce, nothing like the speech of a merchant.
However, these people were willing to spend over a hundred spirit stones per ticket, so how could they be the type to swallow such humiliation? More than half the guests rose in anger and were ready to leave together.
“Heavenly Palace isn’t the only brothel in the imperial city. My spirit stones don’t have to be spent here! Everyone, I’ve booked out Piaoxiang Pavilion. Those willing to come, follow me! I, Du Heng, disdain sitting under the same roof as Cursed Blood!”
A young master in fine clothes stood up and shouted loudly.
“Well said, Young Master Du! That’s the spirit! No loss of face! Everyone, follow him!”
“Since Young Master Du invites us, how could we refuse! I’ll go with Young Master Du! What Ninth Prince? I spit on him!”
“Let’s go together!”
“Heavenly Palace must be making too much money if it has started driving customers away! I want to see whether Heavenly Palace can still keep going without us supporting it!”
Even in this situation, the madam still showed no sign of anxiety and allowed those flower guests to leave.
Just then, more than a dozen threadlike strands of spiritual light drifted down from the second floor and shot into more than ten figures. It was as if they had been struck by a binding curse, and all of them were unable to move.
“I… why can’t I move?”
“Me too!”
“Liu Chahua, what kind of sorcery did you use on us?!”
Chen Chu walked slowly down the wooden stairs, arrived in the main hall, and admitted openly, “I did it.”
Du Heng was the first one immobilized, but he was not afraid. Instead, he shouted in fury, “Chen Chu, do you know who I am? How dare you do anything to me?!”
“I don’t know.”
Chen Chu came before Du Heng, sat down gracefully, and said lightly, “Whether you want to leave has nothing to do with me, but you should apologize for being disrespectful to me. Kneel and apologize, and I’ll let you go. Young Master Du, you sound like you have quite a background, so let’s start with you.”
The others who had not been immobilized had already retreated to the corners.
“Chen Chu, I am the current Empress’s own nephew! My father is Du Hanhai, the Overlord Sword of the World! You want me to kneel? Dream on!”
Several court officials present that night also stepped forward one after another to support him.
“His Highness the Ninth Prince, Young Master Du is the Empress’s nephew. You absolutely must not humiliate him!”
“Exactly. If Young Master Du is humiliated at Heavenly Palace, the Empress will never let it go.”
“Your Highness, turning a big matter into a small one, and a small one into nothing, would be the wisest course.”
Seeing this, Du Heng became even more smug and arrogant.
“Trying to establish authority by choosing me, Du Heng? You picked the wrong target.”
“Shut up.”
Chen Chu merely flicked his finger lightly, and a bloody hole appeared in the center of Du Heng’s forehead. His body fell stiffly to the ground.
Even in death, Du Heng still could not understand: his father was the Overlord Sword of the World, and his aunt was the current Empress. Why would Chen Chu dare kill him?
The main hall instantly fell silent.
The heads of the plainclothes officials were buzzing, and they felt as if the sky were about to collapse.
Even Madam Liu Chahua, who had seen plenty of great occasions, was stunned by Chen Chu’s ruthless decisiveness.
Everyone qualified to come to Heavenly Palace had an extraordinary background, and Du Heng’s background was extraordinary even among extraordinary backgrounds.
His aunt was the current Empress, and his father’s reputation as the Overlord Sword of the World had spread across the four seas and eight wastelands. That was a Land Immortal!
And yet the Ninth Prince had killed him on the spot, without the slightest hesitation.
“Next.”
Chen Chu raised his hand and lifted the restriction on everyone.
Soon, one person after another tremblingly walked up to Chen Chu, dropped straight to their knees, and slapped themselves twice. “This one will never dare disrespect the Ninth Prince again! Please, Lord Ninth Prince, be magnanimous and spare me!”
“Get lost.”
“Yes, yes!”
The man felt as if he had been granted amnesty.
Soon, these people came forward one after another, knelt to admit their mistakes, and were then let go by Chen Chu.
In the end, only two people remained in the hall. They gritted their teeth and refused to bow their heads, but they were terrified and did not dare say another word.
Chen Chu became interested and said to them, “Why not tell me your identities and backgrounds, and let me see whether I dare kill you.”
The two men’s four legs were trembling uncontrollably.
“Xu Hao, hold steady! Don’t lose the prestige of the duke’s estate, understand?”
The young master named Duan Chao hissed at the sixteen- or seventeen-year-old youth beside him, who was almost about to drop to his knees.
“Xu Hao?”
Chen Chu asked with a smile, “What is your relationship with Xu Zhaoyue?”
Xu Hao answered in terror, “I-I am Xu Zhaoyue’s younger brother!”
Chen Chu suddenly understood, and his tone became especially gentle. “So you’re my little brother-in-law. Go home quickly, or your family will worry.”
“T-thank you, brother-in-law!”
Xu Hao felt as if he had been pardoned and left in disordered yet rapid steps.
Only Duan Chao remained.
“And you? What’s your identity?”
Duan Chao said very stubbornly, “Do with me as you wish. If you want me to kneel, don’t even dream about it!”
“Then as you wish.”
Chen Chu had no more patience and flicked his finger, about to end Duan Chao’s life.
“Don’t kill him!”
Suddenly, an extremely anxious voice stopped him from outside. Everyone looked over and saw Xu Zhaoxing rushing into the main hall, accompanied by Xu Hao, who had returned after leaving.
Xu Zhaoxing decisively stood in front of Duan Chao and glared at Chen Chu with an angry puffed-up face.
“Don’t kill him! I’m begging you!”
Chen Chu was slightly stunned. Why had this girl Xu Zhaoxing come here?
Still, she was at least his sister-in-law, so he should give her some face.
Besides, killing Du Heng had already served as a deterrent. Killing one less person made no difference.
He withdrew his hand and nodded. “Fine. Take him away.”
“Brother Chao, go first.”
“I…”
Duan Chao had acted fearless, but that did not mean he truly was not afraid of death. Since he could leave without kneeling, though he was unwilling to lose face, he still left in disgrace.
“I’ve let him go. What else do you want?”
Seeing Xu Zhaoxing standing there without moving, Chen Chu asked.
“You are not allowed to meet Shangguan Liuli. You must come back with me!”
Xu Zhaoxing said stubbornly.
The flower guests in the corners sneered.
The Ninth Prince had been so ruthless, killing even the Empress’s nephew without hesitation. Agreeing to spare one person for Xu Zhaoxing was already an enormous favor. Yet she still thought she could control the Ninth Prince’s comings and goings. Wasn’t that thinking too highly of herself?
No one believed Chen Chu would agree.
And yet the fact was that Chen Chu stood up briskly and nodded. “Fine, let’s go back.”
The entire hall froze. He actually agreed!
Other men are controlled by their wives, but you, Ninth Prince, are controlled by your little sister-in-law?