370 The Fourth Prince

"Lord Sheng, this should be our first meeting, shouldn't it?"

Escorted by the blood-forbidden guards onto another warship, He Ping was led into the ship's council hall, where the first person he saw was a young man.

The man was tall and slender, with refined features. He wore a golden hair crown adorned with pearls and phoenix wings, a black silk cloak, and a brocade robe cinched with a jade belt.

The young man gave a soft laugh. "I often hear Lord Sheng's name from Marquis Lieyu. I know that Lord Sheng is a hero of this age, having rendered great service to the court while still so young. I had thought Marquis Lieyu's words were merely praise born of affection, but seeing you today, I now know his words were no exaggeration..."

Marquis Lieyu was Situ Haoxing, one of the Twelve Marquises.

Hearing how this man addressed him, He Ping immediately bowed in salute. At the same time, he sharpened his vigilance to the utmost.

"This subordinate, Sheng Yuzhou, greets the Fourth Prince."

At the end, he added another sentence.

"Your Highness truly overpraises this subordinate. This subordinate merely has a little luck. As for serving the court, that is simply this subordinate's duty."

He knew this man was the director of the Blood Law Bureau, the fourth imperial son of Great You. His surname was You, and his given name was Yao Xi.

Prince Yao Xi was also a formidable figure in the court. In particular, after receiving the emperor's approval and becoming director of the Blood Law Bureau, he held the power of life and death in his hands. His authority and status fell only slightly short of the current crown prince's.

In truth, Prince Yao Xi had entered the Dao even earlier than the crown prince.