Chapter 55 – The Quality of One’s Heart (1/2)

Looking at this young man with a handsome complexion and generous aura, Chen Chang Sheng greeted him calmly, but his mind wasn’t as calm as his expression was.

Prince Chen Liu was of the royal bloodline and his talent was extraordinary. Since he grew up in the royal palace and had a high status, he never participated in the Great Trials and didn’t have any chances to show his strength. The principal of the Heavenly Academy and the guests of the Royal Palace all said that it would be easy for him to enter the Honor Roll of Green Cloud based off his strength when he was young. Now that he’s more than twenty years old, if he was willing, there would be a spot on the Honor Roll of Midas for him as well.

But the reason that he was respected by an important General like Xu Shi Ji wasn’t because of his royal bloodline or his strength, but rather because the Divine Queen treated him differently and allowed him to stay in the capital. This decision led to countless theories – perhaps the Divine Queen was thinking about letting him become the next emperor of the Zhou Dynasty?

Many people believed this theory but these recent years, the Family of Tian Hai has been acting arrogant and prideful. Although Prince Chen Liu belonged to the royal family of Chen, the Divine Queen never expressed her true attitude and no one knew what kind of character he would be in the future of Zhou Dynasty. Therefore, everyone in the capital treated him with a complex attitude; they respected him but isolated him.

Xu Shi Ji was one of the Generals of the Zhou Dynasty and was deeply trusted by the Divine Queen. Because of the old event where he massacred the royal family rebellion, he made a lot of enemies in the government court. For this reason, he exercised even more caution when dealing with Prince Chen Liu. He needed to do something and not trouble the mentioned prince.

He knew Prince Chen Liu was representing the Divine Queen and hosting tonight’s Ivy Festival while greeting the southern ambassadors who traveled far to get here. However, he never knew that he would encounter the prince outside of the palace. In addition, the prince was showing hints of reminders of a certain thing and in the meanwhile, sort of protecting Chen Chang Sheng.

Xu Shi Ji was sure that the marriage vow between Chen Chang Sheng and his daughter was unknown to the world so the purpose of Prince Chen Liu’s sudden appearance and protection of Chen Chang Sheng would be helping the Tradition Academy. This reminded him of certain rumors going around the capital lately which made him feel insecure.

Prince Chen Liu looked at Chen Chang Sheng and smiled, “Can I help you with anything?”

His voice was neither fast nor slow. His expression was friendly and gave off a feeling of the wind of spring. It was warm and relaxing.

At the beginning, Chen Chang Sheng didn’t understand the reason for this prince’s protection but after hearing this sentence, he became relaxed. Now hearing the warm words of the prince, he was thankful and said, “Thank you for worrying about us.”

“No need to thank me. In fact, you were just dragged into unnecessary trouble. We are the ones who should apologize because we are just sitting in the walls of the capital and doing nothing.” Prince Chen Liu smiled while looking at him. His words were causal but his tone was sincere.

When the city gates go down, it will trouble the people inside as well.

If it wasn’t for the two powers of Zhou Dynasty causing trouble from the recruitation of Tradition Academy, Chen Chang Sheng would just be a normal youngster unknown to the world. He wouldn’t be watched by the entire capital and attract so much attention.

Prince Chen Liu didn’t know about the stories between Chen Chang Sheng and Dong Yu General’s Mansion and so, he thought Xu Shi Ji was bothering him on purpose. It was also one of the troubles he talked about earlier. It made logical sense for him to apologize to Chen Chang Sheng because he was a member of the royal family.

Of course, to be able to apologize to an ordinary person as a prince showed that he was truly a friendly person. Plus he didn’t mind covering up the struggles between the old royal family and Divine Queen in front of Xu Shi Ji in the royal palace which showed that he was a carefree person.

“You are too generous.”

Chen Chang Sheng really liked this prince and said, “If I do need to trouble you with any help, I will ask you.”

“Very good, I like your personality. I’m not afraid of troubles.”

Prince Chen Liu smiled and patted his shoulder and then he continued to proceed into the palace with his guards. before leaving, he peeked at Xu Shi Ji for a short moment. His eyes were calm and soft, but it showed warning.

The soft light emitted by the Nightly Pearls pierced through the papers in the window and became unstable.

Xu Shi Ji’s face was brightened by the light, but his expression was changing by the moment.

Prince Chen Liu had left, but his words stayed in the hallway before the entrance to the palace. No matter how hard the night gales blew, they didn’t fly away.

Xu Shi Ji couldn’t bother Chen Chang Sheng any further, but he said coldly, “Your luck is very good.”

Chen Chang Sheng thought for a moment and said, “Perhaps, it’s because of my good heart.”

After saying this, he laughed.

In many people’s eyes, Chen Chang Sheng was way more mature than his actual age because he always acted calm and never had extreme emotions. He never really talked much with strangers and always followed rules and had good manners. He doesn’t smile much either.

But right now he was laughing very happily, because he was in front of Xu Shi Ji.

Xu Shi Ji was laughing too, perhaps he thought the response from a child was funny and naive, but his laughter wasn’t a pretty sight.

Wei Yang Palace wasn’t a main building and it wasn’t a palace where Divine Queen lived in either. There were gardens in ruins a little farther from the palace. Right now, the night was getting darker and from the unmaintained gardens, a black goat slowly walked out. Its eyes were reflecting the starlight and appeared to be gloomy.

Xu Shi Ji looked at this sight in the darkness and raised his eyebrows a little. He didn’t speak any further and entered the palace.

Chen Chang Sheng also saw the black goat.

That black goat quietly looked at him and walked towards another direction away from the palace. During its walk, it stopped and turned its head toward Chen Chang Sheng. It seemed like it wanted him to follow.

Chen Chang Sheng understood the black goat’s intention — it want him to leave the palace.

Although they couldn’t communicate, he could faintly feel and determine that this black goat was friendly towards him. Perhaps this meant that tonight’s troubles haven’t ended yet or possibly that the true tasks and danger has only started.

But he didn’t follow it because he wanted to participate in tonight’s Ivy Festival.

He was yet to decide on what to do when the southern ambassador proposes, but he wanted to see the action with his own eyes.

Perhaps when he saw it, he would know what to do.

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The black goat disappeared into the darkness of night.

Chen Chang Sheng stood in the light outside of the palace and thought back to the terrifying aura that Xu Shi Ji gave off earlier. He knew it was very dangerous.

Xu Shi Ji said his luck was good because of Prince Chen Liu’s sudden appearance.

He answered that perhaps it was because he had a good heart.

A good heart means that karma is not harming him in anyway, but rather helping.

A person with good karma will be helped by all sources.