Young Master Ye Xuan

Seeing the malicious look on Wang Bingyan's face, it was obvious she wanted to bring Su Chen into the banquet inside and make Jiang Tingyi lose face. After all, everyone attending Young Master Ye Xuan's welcome banquet today was among the prominent younger generation of Clear River City, while Su Chen was merely a discarded disciple expelled from the Orthodox Unity Sect for theft. If word got out that such a person was Jiang Tingyi's cousin, she would surely lose all face among Clear River City's younger generation.

"Su Chen, don't go in. Wait outside." Fine beads of sweat seeped across Jiang Tingyi's snowy forehead as she tried her utmost to stop Su Chen from entering the Human-Class Private Room and disgracing her.

Wang Bingyan spoke loudly instead. "Oh my, Tingyi, how can you be so cold-hearted? He's your cousin, after all. How could you not let him join the banquet?"

Su Chen frowned. He had not expected to run into Jiang Tingyi at Drunken Immortal Residence, much less for her to completely misunderstand why he was there and assume he had secretly followed her.

However, Su Chen could not be bothered explaining at the moment. He calmly looked at the two women. "Is there anything else? If not, I'm going upstairs."

"Upstairs?" Wang Bingyan was first taken aback, then covered her mouth and snickered. "You said you're going upstairs?"

"Do you know what's upstairs? The Earth-Class Private Rooms and Heaven-Class Private Rooms! Don't tell me you're going to dine in an Earth-Class Private Room or a Heaven-Class Private Room? Jiang Tingyi, your cousin is really amusing. He doesn't even bother drafting a script before boasting, hehe..." Wang Bingyan laughed so hard her body swayed like a flower branch in the wind.

Jiang Tingyi's face turned livid beside her, and she cursed Su Chen hundreds of times in her heart. Su Chen had utterly disgraced her, actually shamelessly boasting here. The second floor of Drunken Immortal Residence housed the Earth-Class Private Rooms, while the third floor contained the Heaven-Class Private Rooms. Only figures at the level of major lineage heads or above were qualified to reserve them. What right did an ordinary junior like Su Chen have to set foot there?

But things had already reached this point, and Jiang Tingyi could not simply stand by and watch Wang Bingyan mock Su Chen without end.

Suppressing the fury in her heart, she walked up to Su Chen and said with a cold little face, "Since you're already here, then come in!"

As she spoke, Jiang Tingyi seized Su Chen's sleeve and forcibly dragged him into the Human-Class Private Room.

Wang Bingyan was stunned for a moment. She had thought that, for the sake of her own reputation, Jiang Tingyi would certainly not allow Su Chen to attend the banquet. She had not expected Jiang Tingyi to actually let him in.

Still, it was better this way. With such a cousin who could not be presented in polite society, and with Wang Bingyan fanning the flames from the side, Jiang Tingyi would definitely lose all face today.

Su Chen had not expected Jiang Tingyi to take matters into her own hands and forcibly pull him into the Human-Class Private Room. Raising his eyes, he saw that a dozen or twenty young men and women surrounded the table inside. Every one of them was lavishly dressed, chatting and laughing merrily.

With one sweep of his gaze, Su Chen sneered inwardly. What a coincidence. At this small banquet table, there were actually quite a few "old acquaintances" from his previous life.

When everyone at the table saw Jiang Tingyi dragging Su Chen inside, they all turned to look.

Wang Bingyan followed them in and deliberately announced loudly, "Let me introduce a new friend to everyone. This is Jiang Tingyi's cousin, Su Chen!"

"Su Chen? The disciple who failed to steal a sect elder's pills, got thrown out by the Orthodox Unity Sect, and could only come to Clear River City to seek shelter with relatives?" a richly dressed youth asked in surprise.

"Tingyi, so this sort of person is your cousin?"

Everyone burst into laughter, teasing Su Chen with one remark after another.

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Jiang Tingyi's little face flushed bright red. Never in her life had she felt such embarrassment. How could she not know that letting Su Chen enter the banquet would cause her to be ridiculed as well? But in the situation just now, if she had truly left Su Chen standing outside, she would have felt unable to bear it. No matter what, he was still her cousin.

Thinking this, Jiang Tingyi shot Su Chen a vicious glare, having long since cursed this disappointing cousin of hers hundreds of times in her heart.

Su Chen, however, paid no heed to Jiang Tingyi's expression. It was not as if he had wanted to come to this Human-Class Private Room. He was still waiting to attend the banquet in the Heaven-Class Private Room, yet Jiang Tingyi had dragged him in by force. Who could he blame?

Wang Bingyan took everything in and secretly found it amusing. Deliberately pouring a cup of tea and placing it before Su Chen, she said, "Young Master Su, have some tea. This is Snow Mountain Tea unique to Drunken Immortal Residence. You can't drink it anywhere else."

A youth with an arrogant look immediately picked up the thread, gazing at Su Chen with mockery. "That's right. This tea is quite valuable—a single cup costs a full ten taels of silver! A country bumpkin like you has probably never tasted tea like this in your entire life, right?"

His words were exceedingly blunt, without the slightest politeness. Yet after saying them, the youth put on an act and slapped his forehead. "Look at me. I didn't mean to look down on Young Master Su. I was merely stating the facts. Don't take offense, don't take offense, hahahaha..."

The others at the table also sized Su Chen up with all manner of looks. They were all favored children of heaven in Clear River City, while Su Chen alone was merely a discarded sect disciple. Furthermore, he had traveled thousands of miles to Clear River City to seek relatives, which was enough to show that his own background was far from noble.

In their eyes, someone like him was merely a country bumpkin to be mocked and used for their amusement.

"I'll pass on the tea," Su Chen said flatly. He recognized this youth with the arrogant air as the son of the head of a minor lineage in Clear River City, named Zhou Rong.

A chill flashed through Su Chen's eyes. He pushed Zhou Rong aside and sat down in the nearest chair.

Zhou Rong froze, then his face darkened. "Not drinking? Are you looking down on me, Zhou?"

The atmosphere in the room suddenly became tense at Zhou Rong's words.

Su Chen remained utterly fearless. He looked calmly at Zhou Rong, with no intention whatsoever of yielding.

At that moment, a refined and gentle voice rang out. "A guest is a guest. Why draw swords and bend bows? Let's drink some wine, eat some dishes. We're all friends here."

The voice was not loud, but it sounded especially clear amid the noisy private room.

Zhou Rong immediately turned around and cupped his hands toward the owner of that voice, looking extremely respectful. "Yes, Brother Ye Xuan!"

As he spoke, Zhou Rong promptly returned to his seat and did not look at Su Chen again, as though that voice was an imperial decree to him.

Su Chen looked toward the owner of the voice. He wore a moon-white brocade robe and a purple-gold jade crown atop his head. His sharply defined face held handsome, deeply sculpted features, red lips and white teeth, sword-like brows and starry eyes. Like a jade tree amid fragrant orchids, there was not a single flaw to be found on him.

Su Chen watched this perfectly handsome young master without revealing anything. His expression was exceptionally calm, yet waves surged within his heart.

This man was an extremely important figure in Su Chen's memories of his past life: the number one genius of Clear River City's younger generation, the idol in the hearts of every youth in Clear River City, who had just returned from Skyreach Academy in the imperial capital—Ye Xuan. Seeing the malicious look on Wang Bingyan's face, it was obvious she wanted to bring Su Chen into the banquet inside and make Jiang Tingyi lose face. After all, everyone attending Young Master Ye Xuan's welcome banquet today was among the prominent younger generation of Clear River City, while Su Chen was merely a discarded disciple expelled from the Orthodox Unity Sect for theft. If word got out that such a person was Jiang Tingyi's cousin, she would surely lose all face among Clear River City's younger generation.

"Su Chen, don't go in. Wait outside." Fine beads of sweat seeped across Jiang Tingyi's snowy forehead as she tried her utmost to stop Su Chen from entering the Human-Class Private Room and disgracing her.

Wang Bingyan spoke loudly instead. "Oh my, Tingyi, how can you be so cold-hearted? He's your cousin, after all. How could you not let him join the banquet?"

Su Chen frowned. He had not expected to run into Jiang Tingyi at Drunken Immortal Residence, much less for her to completely misunderstand why he was there and assume he had secretly followed her.

However, Su Chen could not be bothered explaining at the moment. He calmly looked at the two women. "Is there anything else? If not, I'm going upstairs."

"Upstairs?" Wang Bingyan was first taken aback, then covered her mouth and snickered. "You said you're going upstairs?"

"Do you know what's upstairs? The Earth-Class Private Rooms and Heaven-Class Private Rooms! Don't tell me you're going to dine in an Earth-Class Private Room or a Heaven-Class Private Room? Jiang Tingyi, your cousin is really amusing. He doesn't even bother drafting a script before boasting, hehe..." Wang Bingyan laughed so hard her body swayed like a flower branch in the wind.

Jiang Tingyi's face turned livid beside her, and she cursed Su Chen hundreds of times in her heart. Su Chen had utterly disgraced her, actually shamelessly boasting here. The second floor of Drunken Immortal Residence housed the Earth-Class Private Rooms, while the third floor contained the Heaven-Class Private Rooms. Only figures at the level of major lineage heads or above were qualified to reserve them. What right did an ordinary junior like Su Chen have to set foot there?

But things had already reached this point, and Jiang Tingyi could not simply stand by and watch Wang Bingyan mock Su Chen without end.

Suppressing the fury in her heart, she walked up to Su Chen and said with a cold little face, "Since you're already here, then come in!"

As she spoke, Jiang Tingyi seized Su Chen's sleeve and forcibly dragged him into the Human-Class Private Room.

Wang Bingyan was stunned for a moment. She had thought that, for the sake of her own reputation, Jiang Tingyi would certainly not allow Su Chen to attend the banquet. She had not expected Jiang Tingyi to actually let him in.

Still, it was better this way. With such a cousin who could not be presented in polite society, and with Wang Bingyan fanning the flames from the side, Jiang Tingyi would definitely lose all face today.

Su Chen had not expected Jiang Tingyi to take matters into her own hands and forcibly pull him into the Human-Class Private Room. Raising his eyes, he saw that a dozen or twenty young men and women surrounded the table inside. Every one of them was lavishly dressed, chatting and laughing merrily.

With one sweep of his gaze, Su Chen sneered inwardly. What a coincidence. At this small banquet table, there were actually quite a few "old acquaintances" from his previous life.

When everyone at the table saw Jiang Tingyi dragging Su Chen inside, they all turned to look.

Wang Bingyan followed them in and deliberately announced loudly, "Let me introduce a new friend to everyone. This is Jiang Tingyi's cousin, Su Chen!"

"Su Chen? The disciple who failed to steal a sect elder's pills, got thrown out by the Orthodox Unity Sect, and could only come to Clear River City to seek shelter with relatives?" a richly dressed youth asked in surprise.

"Tingyi, so this sort of person is your cousin?"

Everyone burst into laughter, teasing Su Chen with one remark after another.

</di

br>

Jiang Tingyi's little face flushed bright red. Never in her life had she felt such embarrassment. How could she not know that letting Su Chen enter the banquet would cause her to be ridiculed as well? But in the situation just now, if she had truly left Su Chen standing outside, she would have felt unable to bear it. No matter what, he was still her cousin.

Thinking this, Jiang Tingyi shot Su Chen a vicious glare, having long since cursed this disappointing cousin of hers hundreds of times in her heart.

Su Chen, however, paid no heed to Jiang Tingyi's expression. It was not as if he had wanted to come to this Human-Class Private Room. He was still waiting to attend the banquet in the Heaven-Class Private Room, yet Jiang Tingyi had dragged him in by force. Who could he blame?

Wang Bingyan took everything in and secretly found it amusing. Deliberately pouring a cup of tea and placing it before Su Chen, she said, "Young Master Su, have some tea. This is Snow Mountain Tea unique to Drunken Immortal Residence. You can't drink it anywhere else."

A youth with an arrogant look immediately picked up the thread, gazing at Su Chen with mockery. "That's right. This tea is quite valuable—a single cup costs a full ten taels of silver! A country bumpkin like you has probably never tasted tea like this in your entire life, right?"

His words were exceedingly blunt, without the slightest politeness. Yet after saying them, the youth put on an act and slapped his forehead. "Look at me. I didn't mean to look down on Young Master Su. I was merely stating the facts. Don't take offense, don't take offense, hahahaha..."

The others at the table also sized Su Chen up with all manner of looks. They were all favored children of heaven in Clear River City, while Su Chen alone was merely a discarded sect disciple. Furthermore, he had traveled thousands of miles to Clear River City to seek relatives, which was enough to show that his own background was far from noble.

In their eyes, someone like him was merely a country bumpkin to be mocked and used for their amusement.

"I'll pass on the tea," Su Chen said flatly. He recognized this youth with the arrogant air as the son of the head of a minor lineage in Clear River City, named Zhou Rong.

A chill flashed through Su Chen's eyes. He pushed Zhou Rong aside and sat down in the nearest chair.

Zhou Rong froze, then his face darkened. "Not drinking? Are you looking down on me, Zhou?"

The atmosphere in the room suddenly became tense at Zhou Rong's words.

Su Chen remained utterly fearless. He looked calmly at Zhou Rong, with no intention whatsoever of yielding.

At that moment, a refined and gentle voice rang out. "A guest is a guest. Why draw swords and bend bows? Let's drink some wine, eat some dishes. We're all friends here."

The voice was not loud, but it sounded especially clear amid the noisy private room.

Zhou Rong immediately turned around and cupped his hands toward the owner of that voice, looking extremely respectful. "Yes, Brother Ye Xuan!"

As he spoke, Zhou Rong promptly returned to his seat and did not look at Su Chen again, as though that voice was an imperial decree to him.

Su Chen looked toward the owner of the voice. He wore a moon-white brocade robe and a purple-gold jade crown atop his head. His sharply defined face held handsome, deeply sculpted features, red lips and white teeth, sword-like brows and starry eyes. Like a jade tree amid fragrant orchids, there was not a single flaw to be found on him.

Su Chen watched this perfectly handsome young master without revealing anything. His expression was exceptionally calm, yet waves surged within his heart.

This man was an extremely important figure in Su Chen's memories of his past life: the number one genius of Clear River City's younger generation, the idol in the hearts of every youth in Clear River City, who had just returned from Skyreach Academy in the imperial capital—Ye Xuan.