SLAP!

The sound of the emperor slapping his son echoed throughout the room.

“Stupid!” His anger was visible in the bulging of his nerves. “Your imperial grandfather gave you an exceptional gift, but you didn’t cherish it!”

Of course, the ‘exceptional gift’ he was referring to was not Lily, but the Pei family’s millions of armies.

Crown Prince Ace clenched his teeth but didn’t say anything. He had no choice but to bow his head and listen to his imperial father scolding him.

Even Empress Yen stood by and did nothing to assist her son.

“I have told you multiple times that I won’t care if you’ll take a concubine as long as you’ll give your first time to the girl, but you never listen at all! It’s alright if you’ve done it, but you’re too stupid to let the girl know about it!”

The emperor’s impression of the prime minister was beginning to deteriorate.

Good! Good! The prime minister had raised a scheming daughter! There was no way that he would let that woman enter the imperial family!

“Imperial father, this son regrets his actions and begs your forgiveness.”

Emperor Jun sneered. “You should be sorry; you are such a disappointment! But since you like that seductress, I’ll let her enter your palace as a concubine!”

A concubine has no social standing. She could only become a plaything.

Before leaving, Emperor Jun flicked his sleeve, with the head eunuch trailing behind. Since this son was useless, he didn’t mind looking for a useful one.

Those armies must be obtained by the imperial family!

---

The following day, the Immortal Dragon’s capital city was in chaos. The emperor issued an unexpected decree early in the morning calling off the engagement between the crown prince and the Pei family’s young miss. The emperor expresses his disappointment and regret over the crown prince’s behaviour.

He’d said a lot of things. All words, however, were stabbing the crown prince. It appeared that he was at fault.

The Pei family’s requirement for a spouse was not a secret. So, when they noticed the crown prince and the prime minister’s eldest daughter getting closer, even daring to stroll around the capital city intimately, they had already predicted this outcome.

Furthermore, the crown prince was the heir to the throne. He couldn’t control himself as a prince, so what would happen if he became Emperor? The Pei family would end the engagement sooner or later—-that much is certain.

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Now, the crown prince and the prime minister’s eldest daughter’s reputation had plummeted.

Meanwhile, Hugo’s trusted aide had just finished reporting to him about the recent event in the palace at his Prince’s Estate. He even found the Emperor amusing.

“Secretly announcing to his sons that whoever captures Miss Pei’s heart will become the future Emperor?” Hugo laughed as he repeated his aide’s words.

Shadow Guard Loid nodded. “Although none of his sons is now chaste, the emperor reasoned that Miss Pei wouldn’t mind if she developed feelings for one of them,” he explained.

Hugo couldn’t help it anymore and he chortled. Then, he shook his head in disappointment. “I yielded on the throne, and unfortunately, the most foolish brother won; if my other brothers were only a few years older, perhaps the one sitting on the dragon seat is not him.”

“It’s not yet too late. Our prince may still fight for it,” said Shadow Guard Loid with a straight face.

Hugo laughed again. His gaze on his aide was full of amusement. “I think so too,” he admitted. He stood up from his seat, took a glass of wine from the table, and then leaned on the side of his window, gazing at the view offered by his garden.

It wasn’t like he didn’t think of getting the throne. However, his desire wasn’t in that place anymore. The one that hooked his heart wasn’t the magnificent throne nor the power and influence it could offer. Rather, he was mesmerized by the newborn baby introduced to him by his imperial father at the age of fifteen. He had the urge to take the baby and raised her himself. Later, he began to admire her. He didn’t know when it began, but he became obsessive and possessive of her.

However, with the help of his years of physical and mental training, he successfully held himself. When the girl got engaged, he started to scheme.

He gave up the throne. And to his expectation, his eldest brother became the emperor. The one that the girl got engaged to became the crown prince. With such a title and promising future, the crown prince’s personality would inevitably turn into a crook. And he was right once again.

However, if the girl didn’t dissolve the engagement, he would respect her wish. Fortunately, she did. It was earlier than he had expected. But as long as she dissolves the engagement herself, he would be satisfied.

Sadly, the girl was still quite young. And even after years of visiting the Duke’s Estate on multiple occasions, the girl’s gaze would only linger on him for a second or two.

Was he not attractive enough in this regard?

“Do I look old?” he inquired, his curious gaze drawn to his aide.

The unexpected question caught Shadow Guard Loid off guard. “Our Prince is handsome and dashing. You are a gentleman who captured the hearts of all the empire’s ladies,” he replied honestly. Just as Hugo was about to nod his head in satisfaction, Shadow Guard Loid continued, “However, if we are going to talk about Miss Pei’s point of view, our prince’s position in her heart might just be an old uncle.”

He had been with the prince for nearly two decades. So, of course, he was aware of the prince’s feelings for the Pei family’s young lady. Shadow Guard Loid was even tasked with reporting Miss Pei’s daily movements. He could deduce the intensity of their prince’s feelings solely from this. It was just... The prince wanted to appear gentlemanly like a jade in front of the lady. For him, this kind of man was the right man standing beside Miss Pei. So, until now, he would only scheme from behind in order to get her.

Hugo glared at his aide after hearing his aide’s assessment of his presence. “Go to Spirit Spring Mountain, train yourself, and return in five days!” he commanded angrily.

“This servant is only telling the truth,” Shadow Guard Loid retorted, not afraid.

Hugo’s glare became even more intense as he exclaimed, “I don’t care. Go train!”

“This servant understood!” The shadow guard then left the estate without anyone noticing.

Hugo returned to his seat and sipped his wine leisurely. He began to ponder. Was he truly that old for her?