Just as a major battle was about to commence...
Suddenly.
"Everyone, halt!"
A loud shout rang out.
Then, a group of people came galloping over from the other end of the street. Leading them were Xiao Chuchu, Huang Lao, a young man in a yellow robe, and an elder in a blue robe. Though small in number, every member of this group was incredibly powerful. Among them, there were four Heaven Realm experts alone—including Huang Lao and that blue-robed elder.
"Young Master Ye Yunfei is my benefactor!" the yellow-robed young man declared boldly, taking the lead. "Whoever dares move against him makes an enemy of me!"
"Who is this?" many of the onlookers wondered silently. "Such big talk! The Third Young Master of Chancellor Xiao is right here, and he dares speak such boasts?"
"Him?" Ye Yunfei was also a bit puzzled. Not long ago, in Lingzhen Pavilion, Ye Yunfei had helped this young man in yellow diagnose his illness. So he recognized him at a glance.
Just as the surrounding crowd was secretly guessing the yellow-robed youth's identity, the City Lord of Yuanyue City, utterly terrified, was stumbling forward in a blind panic to kneel with a thud before the young man.
"Kong Ren, City Lord of Yuanyue City, pays his respects to His Highness the Third Prince!"
Even Xiao Wuhen and the withered old man beside him had no choice but to brace themselves and bow respectfully.
"This lowly general, He Chong, greets the Third Prince!" A general in silver armor stepped forward from the crowd and also knelt before the yellow-robed youth.
His Highness the Third Prince?!
Could it be... the current Emperor's son?
Instantly, everyone present was stunned, overwhelmed with shock.
The current Imperial Prince... had personally come to Yuanyue City?
Some of the more timid onlookers were already trembling, their legs giving way, nearly collapsing onto the ground.
"Kong Ren, you have quite the audacity," the Third Prince said with a cold laugh. "A mere city lord dares to offend this prince's benefactor."
"Your Highness, spare me!" Kong Ren pleaded, his face pale with fear as he kowtowed repeatedly. "Kong Ren truly had no idea that Young Master Ye was Your Highness's benefactor. Had I known, no matter how great my courage, I would never have dared to offend Young Master Ye Yunfei!"
"Damn it!" Xiao Wuhen thought, his face turning extremely grim. "How could this be? Ye Yunfei is actually the Third Prince's benefactor?" Although he was the son of Chancellor Xiao, the young man in yellow before him was the current Third Prince. Within the Imperial Royal Family, his status and position were higher than Xiao Wuhen's own!
"Commander He," the Third Prince's gaze shifted to the silver-armored general as he spoke indifferently. "You are the commander of the Northwest Border. Instead of staying properly in your barracks and guarding the frontier, you brought the Empire's troops to Yuanyue City—quite impressive. You have abandoned your post without permission. If I report this matter to my Imperial Father, how do you think he will deal with you?"
"Third Prince, this... this was He Chong's mistake!" He Chong's face changed dramatically. "Please show mercy, spare me this once!"
Originally, he had no grudge against the Ye Family. Xiao Wuhen had sent someone to his camp, ordering him to bring troops to Yuanyue City. Xiao Wuhen was the son of the current Chancellor Xiao, a man of high position and great authority. Eager to curry favor, He Chong had immediately agreed. He never expected to encounter someone of even higher status—the Third Prince!
"He Chong, receive this order!" the Third Prince suddenly took out a golden waist token and raised it high, shouting.
The token was carved with a ferocious, claw-baring dragon, emanating an imperial aura.
"This lowly general awaits your command!" He Chong was startled and immediately dropped to one knee before the Third Prince, responding loudly.
This token of the Third Prince could freely mobilize troops in any military district of the Imperial Royal Family!
"Take your men and return to your barracks immediately!" the Third Prince commanded. "Without delay! As for the crime of abandoning your post, I will settle accounts with you later!"
"This lowly general obeys!" He Chong dared not offer the slightest resistance and loudly acknowledged the order.
"Withdraw!" He Chong stood up, waved his hand, and ordered loudly.
Instantly, the soldiers surrounding the Ye Residence began an orderly retreat, flowing away like a tide. In moments, they were far from the Ye Residence.
"Young Master Xiao, I must return," He Chong hurriedly greeted Xiao Wuhen, then led his men in a disgraced departure from Yuanyue City.
"The Ye Family has turned danger into safety once more!"
"Ye Yunfei actually knows the Third Prince? And the Third Prince keeps calling him his benefactor! This is simply astonishing!"
"With the Third Prince backing them, it's going to be impossible for the Ye Family not to rise now!"
"Today, the fate of the Ye Family has twisted and turned so dramatically, it can truly be called bizarre and convoluted!"
...
The distant onlookers whispered and gasped in amazement.
"Haha, Young Master Ye Yunfei!" The Third Prince strode towards Ye Yunfei. "Last time, thanks to your timely aid, you helped me rid myself of that potent poison. Otherwise, I'd probably still be lying in bed, unable to move!"
Xiao Chuchu, Huang Lao, and the blue-robed elder closely followed the Third Prince.
"Your Highness is too courteous," Ye Yunfei clasped his hands in return. "It was merely a trivial effort."
"The Ye Family pays its respects to His Highness the Third Prince!" Seeing the Third Prince approach, Ye Tianpeng immediately led all the Ye Family members in kneeling and paying their respects.
The Third Prince's status was far too exalted. The Ye Family of Yuanyue City was like an ant before him.
"Uncle Ye, you must not! Please rise quickly!" the Third Prince helped Ye Tianpeng up. "Young Master Yunfei saved my life. If you do this, it would shorten my lifespan. Just call me Zhu Tianzhang."
"Your Highness jests," Ye Tianpeng said, standing up with his family. However, there was no way Ye Tianpeng would dare call the Third Prince by his name—that would be a grave crime of disrespecting the sovereign!
"Young Master Ye Yunfei," Xiao Chuchu suddenly spoke with a light laugh. "Aren't you going to invite me and His Highness inside?"
"Please, you are most welcome!" Ye Yunfei made a gesture of invitation and led the way.
After all, this Third Prince had done the Ye Family a great favor. Ye Yunfei's nature had always been clear-cut regarding gratitude and grudges. Moreover, the Third Prince's attitude toward Ye Tianpeng had also left Ye Yunfei with a favorable impression.
Before stepping through the gate of the Ye Residence, Ye Yunfei turned his head and cast a deep, meaningful glance at Xiao Wuhen, his killing intent boundless!
This grudge, Ye Yunfei marked it down.
Whatever son of a Chancellor he might be, Ye Yunfei swore silently in his heart that he would definitely kill this Xiao Wuhen.
However, Ye Yunfei's body was currently at its weakest point, unable to act.
So, for now, Ye Yunfei would temporarily let Xiao Wuhen off.
"Third Young Master, we..." At this moment, Xiao Wuhen was completely ignored, with no one paying him any further attention. The withered elder whispered a question.
"Hmph! Let's go!" Xiao Wuhen turned his horse and galloped away, leaving with a flick of his whip.
The withered elder led a group of subordinates, closely following behind Xiao Wuhen.
"Third Young Master, who would have thought that kid Ye Yunfei actually knows the Third Prince," the withered elder said to Xiao Wuhen once they were far from the Ye Residence. "Dealing with him will be somewhat difficult now."
"Hmph," Xiao Wuhen sneered coldly. "I've heard that within this year, His Majesty will formally establish the Crown Prince. Several princes are fiercely contending for the position. I refuse to believe the Third Prince has the energy and time to constantly protect that kid Ye Yunfei. Most likely, after the Third Prince leaves Yuanyue City, he'll completely forget about Ye Yunfei in a short time. The Third Prince couldn't possibly truly want to befriend the scion of a minor clan from a small city! When the time comes, we'll find another opportunity to deal with Ye Yunfei and eradicate the Ye Family! I want everyone to know that those who dare offend me, Xiao Wuhen, will absolutely meet a bad end!"
"The Third Young Master speaks with great wisdom!" the withered elder nodded repeatedly in agreement.