Meanwhile, the Second Prince, Fang Yan, Wen Zihao, and the others all heaved a sigh of relief. Everything had happened too fast, leaving their hearts hanging by a thread, wound so tight they felt as though they could snap at any moment.
"Father Emperor sent me to welcome the family heads. How can there be such horseplay before the Imperial Palace gates? Everyone, make your preparations quickly. The Fang Family Head and Wen Family Head have already arrived, and the time is nearly upon us." Seeing that the hour had come and that Ren Jie had put down his blade, the Second Prince spoke as if trying to smooth things over.
Yet no one paid any attention to him, because the decision was entirely out of his hands.
When had this fellow become so bold? He had actually forced Gao Peng, renowned throughout Jade Capital City, into such a state. Apart from Lan Tian, no one had ever done this before. Fang Qi had been about to deal with him earlier—could it have had something to do with this? As Fang Yan watched Ren Jie, a thought he had never previously considered flashed through his mind.
"Awesome!" Fatty Gao Ren clenched both fists excitedly at the side and waved them slightly, as though he were cheering Ren Jie on. In truth, he himself was so thrilled and exhilarated he could barely contain it. This was a hundred times more satisfying than setting Fang Qi's courtyard ablaze or smashing Gao Fei with an Iron Wood Bench.
Especially seeing this famous Gao Peng of Jade Emperor Academy, Scholar Gao, forced to his knees and driven to tears. Thinking of his earlier arrogance and that hateful smile, Gao Ren felt incomparably refreshed. It was fucking exhilarating.
Thinking back on recent events, Gao Ren suddenly realized that whenever he followed Ren Jie out now, he no longer returned with a bellyful of pent-up anger as he had in the past. Instead, every outing left him feeling utterly satisfied. When had things changed without him even noticing?
With a wave of Ren Jie's hand, Tong Qiang moved like a machine, ignoring everything else as he released Gao Peng directly. The instant he let go, members of the Ren Family Guard Squad took Gao Peng away. Yet they still kept Ren Jie and his carriage protected within their formation. Even the Second Prince, Fang Yan, and Wen Zihao were cleared away from Ren Jie's side by the guards.
As captain of the Ren Family Head's Guard Squad, Tong Qiang had only one supreme mission: the family head's safety came before all else. Every great family tried hard to instill this principle, but few could carry it out as thoroughly as Tong Qiang.
"You... have you caused enough trouble? Do you know what you were doing just now?" At this point, Ren Junyang, Ren Hanlin, and Ren Wenxu, the Ren Family elders, finally had the chance to enter. The moment Ren Hanlin came in, he pointed at Ren Jie, his hand trembling.
Though the Five Great Families led by the royal family had never truly been harmonious, they generally did not tear off all pretenses. Surface-level balance still had to be maintained. But Ren Jie's actions were equivalent to publicly slapping the Gao Family across the face. Gao Peng was a peerless genius, a talent the Gao Family had not seen in centuries, practically the future candidate for family head. Once he inherited that position, one could easily imagine what he would do.
"This is the Imperial Palace! Look... look at what you did before the Imperial Palace! You are openly provoking the royal family's dignity and the laws of the nation. You... you... as the Ren Family Head, you must understand that every word and action of yours represents the Ren Family."
Ren Wenxu was shaking all over with fury as well.
Ren Junyang looked at the Amnesty Jade Token in Ren Jie's hand, his expression dark and ugly to the extreme. "How can the Amnesty Jade Token be used like this? It belongs to the entire Lineage. Do you know what consequences this will bring? Do you know that this will cause the forces led by the Gao Family to completely tear away from our Ren Family? It will also make the other great families wary, perhaps even force them to join hands. You... you..."
"What about me?" Ren Jie waved the Amnesty Jade Token in his hand before the three agitated elders. "If I don't use it this way, how should I use it? Worship it every day? Besides, the Lineage's shared Amnesty Jade Token was passed down by the Old Ancestor. This one was obtained by my father, Ren Tianxing. He gave it to me, so it is mine. I can use my things however I please."
"Join hands? Haven't they joined hands against us enough times already?" Ren Jie sneered. Ignoring the three elders who only knew how to throw their weight around at home, he waved his hand. "Alright, the time has come. This family head is attending His Majesty the Emperor's Imperial Banquet. Go back."
"What... go back?" The Second Elder Ren Junyang, Third Elder Ren Hanlin, and Fourth Elder Ren Wenxu were all stunned. Ren Jie was actually telling them to go back. They had spent so long preparing to bring Ren Jie to the Imperial Banquet.
Moreover, they had many things prepared for the Imperial Banquet, but Ren Jie's single sentence had left them all dumbfounded. At that moment, they suddenly realized something: this tradition truly only invited family heads, who could bring whomever they wished.
Just then, two more groups approached from afar. They were precisely the convoys of Wen Yong, the Wen Family Head, and Fang Tianen, the Fang Family Head.
"Second Prince, the time has come," Fang Yan softly reported.
The Second Prince's expression was ugly as well. Everything just now had been far too tense—even the Amnesty Jade Token had been used. But the more he thought about it afterward, the worse it felt. He was the dignified Second Prince, yet that fellow had berated him like that. He was also responsible for receiving the guests, and Ren Jie had not given him the slightest bit of face. Was that not the same as ruining his assignment and slapping him across the face?
But there was still serious business at hand, so he could only order the gates opened.
"The Bright Jade Dynasty and the five families stand as one. By His Majesty's decree, the Ren, Gao, Fang, and Wen Family Heads are invited to discuss affairs of state. Open the gates! Play the music!" At that moment, the Inner Palace Eunuch's distinctive voice rang out. The Imperial Palace's main gates opened, and musicians began to play, raising the curtain on the Bright Jade Dynasty's thousand-year-old tradition of the Imperial Banquet.
"Wait... you have not yet come of age... The Imperial Banquet concerns the Lineage's interests, so the Council of Elders must accompany you..." Seeing Ren Jie board the Spirit Beast Carriage and prepare to enter, Ren Junyang immediately shouted to stop him.
Go back? If they went back like this, they would lose all face. Then he remembered his reason—yes, the three of them were members of the Council of Elders. They were the ones who truly had the authority to decide the Ren Family's affairs now.
Ren Hanlin and Ren Wenxu nodded at once. Even this family head's pocket money was controlled by them—what could he possibly do now?
"This family head is only bringing one personal guard, Tie Ta, and one food expert who loves to eat into the banquet today. This family head is in no mood to concern himself with anything else. If you wish to discuss important matters with His Majesty, go find His Majesty yourselves. Beast Uncle, let's go." Ren Jie called Fatty Gao Ren and Tie Ta aboard the carriage, then directly urged it onward into the palace.
"You..." Ren Hanlin raised a hand as if to call Ren Jie back, but it was already too late. He could only watch helplessly as Ren Jie entered.
This Imperial Banquet had been passed down for a thousand years. Though it was mostly ceremonial nowadays, its significance remained immense. When Ren Junyang, Ren Hanlin, and Ren Wenxu had first been able to attend it over a year ago, the three old fellows had been excited for days. After returning, they had felt incomparably honored. Through their conversations there, they had even secured many benefits, allowing quite a few people from their respective branches to rise in rank. This had greatly elevated their status within the family.
This Imperial Banquet was held only once a year unless something special occurred. This time, they had come fully prepared and full of hope, never imagining they would now be left standing outside the Imperial Palace gates, watching Ren Jie's carriage enter...
Though they had arrived in grand fashion, entry into the Imperial Palace for the banquet was extremely strict. Only the family head's Spirit Beast Carriage could enter; no one else was permitted to go in privately. On this day, the Emperor ignored all other matters. Anyone who trespassed would be executed without mercy.
Since Ren Jie had not allowed them onto the Spirit Beast Carriage, there was no way they could enter now even if they wanted to.
Ren Junyang's chest rose and fell with fury. The matter from earlier had not even been settled, and now Ren Jie had actually left them outside the gates. I'm furious, absolutely furious...
Ren Hanlin and Ren Wenxu also felt their old faces burning, wishing they could find a crack in the ground and crawl into it.
But no matter how they blew their beards and glared, no matter how furious they were, they had no way of following him inside.
"Zihao, get on." The Wen Family Head's Spirit Beast Carriage passed by at that moment. It was drawn by a Seven-Colored Spirit Deer at the Mid Stage of Level 4. Wen Yong called Wen Zihao aboard as if he had no idea what had happened here, then entered the Imperial Palace directly.
The Fang Family Head Fang Tianen's carriage was drawn by a massive Spirit Wolf. It was said to have been born from two Late Stage of Level 7 demon wolves that had been subdued in the past. Although its level had fallen to Level 6 after maturing, it was said to still be at the Late Stage of Level 6, equivalent to True Qi Realm Great Perfection. Fang Tianen's carriage also passed straight through. Watching Ren Jie's Spirit Beast Carriage enter the Imperial Palace, then seeing the carriages of Wen Yong and Fang Tianen enter one after another, Ren Junyang and the other two felt as though they were standing atop volcanic lava.
Their blood boiled with rage, misery, and embarrassment. "Outrageous... this is utterly outrageous! We must convene a Council of Elders meeting immediately... we must..." Ren Wenxu was beside himself with fury and could barely stop himself from shouting.
"What are you making such a racket for? We escorted the family head in, now we go back. Whatever needs to be discussed can be discussed at the family estate. Let's go!" Had they not lost enough face already? Seeing Fang Yan's gaze, as well as those of the Second Prince and the other guards nearby, Ren Junyang roared angrily. Too ashamed to remain any longer, he immediately led Ren Hanlin and Ren Wenxu back to the Ren Family.
Seeing the Ren Family's three elders leave in anger, a strange glint passed through the eyes of the formerly furious Second Prince and the thoughtful Fang Yan. If Ren Jie were truly clever, how could he make enemies both inside and out? At this rate, he would find it difficult to accomplish anything. It seemed he truly was a madman who did not even know his own surname. There would be a good show to watch next.
Tong Qiang raised a hand, and the Guard Squad members immediately formed ranks outside the Imperial Palace to await Ren Jie's return.
"Ren Jie, you brat... Peng'er, rest assured, I will definitely seek justice for you. Men, send Young Master back to the residence at once..." Gao Zhanyuan, the Gao Family Head, looked at Gao Peng. Normally handsome and elegant, calmer and more composed than Gao Zhanyuan himself, unflustered even when mountains collapsed before him, Gao Peng was now covered in blood, with blood continuously spilling from his mouth. Gao Zhanyuan's heart ached so badly that tears nearly fell.
"I'm fine. I will make Ren Jie repay this hatred tenfold, a hundredfold. When that time comes, even if he wants a quick death, I will not grant it to him. I will make him beg to live and beg to die." The flames of hatred in Gao Peng's eyes were about to erupt. Hatred—he hated more deeply than anyone.
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