A Beating!

Jia He noticed something was wrong at once. He saw Ya Fei's previously decent mood visibly worsen.

The smile on her face also faded. Jia He looked toward where the voice had come from.

A young man rode a blood-red warhorse at full speed from the other end of the street, followed by several imperial soldiers.

At first glance, Jia He sensed an unruly arrogance from the fellow, as though he held no one in regard.

Could this be Mu Zhan of the Mu Clan? Jia He wondered.

He naturally remembered that, in the original story, there was indeed a talented man in the empire who relentlessly pursued Ya Fei.

Ya Fei's trip to Wu Tan City might have been partly intended to avoid Mu Zhan.

The blood-red warhorse let out a neigh before coming to an abrupt halt in front of Ya Fei.

Mu Zhan dismounted, his gaze fixed passionately on Ya Fei as if he wanted to devour her whole.

"Ya Fei, I came to find you the moment I left the military camp!" Mu Zhan said with a grin.

Ya Fei felt disgusted by Mu Zhan's scorching gaze, but because of his status, she merely nodded and replied, "Since Young Master Mu has just returned from the military camp, you should be resting properly at home."

Mu Zhan seemed not to hear the distance in her words. Chuckling, he said, "How boring is it to stay at home? I'd rather come see you. We can take this chance to cultivate our feelings, too!"

"What feelings is there to cultivate between us? I already told you, I won't be with you. Not now, and not ever!" Ya Fei said, her pretty face darkening.

Mu Zhan's smile remained, but a chill surfaced in his eyes. Looking at Ya Fei, he said, "Ya Fei, I don't like hearing that. You're the wife I've already chosen. You can't run from it. The weather is nice today, so come out of the city with me to admire the flowers."

As he spoke, Mu Zhan reached for Ya Fei's arm.

Just then, Jia He pulled Ya Fei behind him and said coolly to Mu Zhan, "Since she isn't willing, I think you should stop pestering her."

Jia He's intervention finally made Mu Zhan notice there was someone else beside her.

Mu Zhan looked at Jia He with displeasure. "Who the hell are you? You dare meddle in my business? Let go of her hand, or I'll chop it off!"

Jia He raised his brows. "Is that so? Then come and chop it off if you can."

Anger appeared on Mu Zhan's face as he lifted a foot to walk toward Jia He. However, the two guards beside Jia He directly blocked his path!

"Move!" Mu Zhan said coldly.

The guards replied coldly, "Back off!"

"Courting death!" Mu Zhan felt as though he had been humiliated. His blood boiled, and pale green Dou Qi surged from his body.

An eight-star Dou Fighter was like a child before Jia He. Though Mu Zhan was probably older than him, Jia He could blow him apart with one hand!

Jia He quietly ordered, "Beat him up and throw him out. Warn him while you're at it: if he comes to harass Ya Fei again, beat him every time he comes!"

"Yes, Your Highness!" the guards answered respectfully.

Then one of the guards reached out and lifted Mu Zhan directly into the air.

When the imperial soldiers who had arrived with Mu Zhan saw their master being lifted up, they all rushed forward to rescue him. The guard's Dou Spirit aura suddenly erupted.

"A Dou Spirit expert?" The imperial soldiers backed away several steps in fear.

Mu Zhan was frightened as well. How had a Dou Spirit expert suddenly appeared?

Watching Mu Zhan being taken away, Ya Fei finally let out a breath of relief, though she soon began worrying about Jia He.

"Will you be all right?" Ya Fei asked Jia He worriedly.

Jia He smiled. "What could happen to me? He's the one who should be worried. Also, don't call me 'sir' anymore. I'm not even ten years old yet. It always feels strange being called sir. Just call me by my name."

Hearing Jia He's words, Ya Fei covered her red lips in surprise. "You aren't even ten yet?"

Jia He nodded with a smile. "I just turned eight. Maybe I absorbed nutrients well and grew quickly, so I look a little older than other children my age."

Looking at the youth before her, who was nearly as tall as she was, Ya Fei found it hard to imagine that he was only eight. His calm and steady bearing did not seem like that of an eight-year-old either.

In the end, Ya Fei could only attribute it to royal upbringing. Still, she had no idea when the royal family had gained such a young prince.

"Then I'll call you Jia He from now on?" Ya Fei asked with a soft laugh.

Jia He nodded. "Sure."

"Thank you for today. If it weren't for you, I really wouldn't have known what to do!" Ya Fei said, a trace of lingering fear still in her eyes.

Jia He smiled. "Don't worry. He probably won't come harass you again."

"I hope so," Ya Fei said.

Jia He did not say much more to Ya Fei and turned to board the carriage.

Inside the carriage, Jia He instructed the guards, "Keep an eye on that brat from the Mu Clan. Beat him up every time he shows up, understand?"

"Yes, Your Highness!" the guard replied.

"To the Alchemist Association!" Jia He ordered.

The carriage raced down the street toward the Alchemist Association.

Watching the carriage disappear into the distance, Ya Fei secretly laughed to herself. That little fellow certainly has quite the imposing manner. You really did intimidate me, little sister!

As she turned away, Ya Fei glanced toward a distant street corner before entering the Grand Auction House.

Jia He's guards took Mu Zhan to a street corner and gave him a brutal beating before tossing him back to the soldiers he had brought.

The soldiers hurriedly carried Mu Zhan back to the Mu Clan to beg forgiveness.

Elder Olin did not return with Mu Zhan. Instead, he headed toward Mittel Manor midway through.

The head of the Mittel Clan, Mittel Teng Shan, usually did not go to the Grand Auction House. He remained stationed at the manor.

After returning, Elder Olin went straight to Teng Shan's office.

"Clan Head, there's a huge deal!" Elder Olin called out to Teng Shan as soon as he entered the office.

Teng Shan looked up at Olin. "What huge deal?"

Olin took out the purple-gold card and the list, handing them to Teng Shan. "An order from the Mu Clan. They want everything on this list, with full payment due within half a year. This card contains the deposit they gave us!"

A look of surprise appeared on Teng Shan's face. He picked up the list and examined it, then frowned. "So many weapons, and all these medicinal ingredients. What does the Mu Clan want with them?"

"I don't know. They were being awfully secretive, but haven't we always avoided asking about such things?" Elder Olin said with a frown.

Teng Shan set down the list, leaned back in his chair, and said softly, "In recent years, the royal family has repeatedly intervened in the military. They've also begun exerting actual control over several major cities around the empire. I have a feeling something big is about to happen!"

"What big thing could happen? At most, the Jia Ma Empire wants to wage a war of expansion beyond its borders," Olin said dismissively.

For merchants, war was the best opportunity to make a fortune!

"No. I have a feeling the royal family's ambitions go beyond that!" As the head of the Mittel Clan, Teng Shan naturally possessed an exceptionally keen business instinct.

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