Chapter 20

C20 – The Enemies of the past

“Brother Guangran, Choo Qin has arrived. He’s currently on the east side of the hall.”

“But do we really need to go to such extremes? He’s already quite pitiful. If we proceed, he’ll be completely ostracized in Long Song City.”

The speaker was a woman dressed in yellow, her skirt ending just above her calves, revealing her fair and shapely feet.

“Hejiao, let’s not bring this up again. That day in the Imperial City, the Loser Prince didn’t show me the slightest bit of courtesy.”

“Don’t blame me for kicking a man when he’s down. After what he did, he can’t blame me for being heartless.”

While speaking, Jiaang Guangran’s mind wandered back to the Imperial City years ago.

He had accompanied his father there and had a chance encounter with an extraordinary woman in a place of revelry.

He vividly remembered how the drunken Loser Prince had shown him no respect, nearly crippling him over that woman.

Few knew of this incident, and others were only vaguely aware of some bad blood between him and Choo Qin.

But Jiaang Guangran had not forgotten a thing!

He was determined to make Choo Qin pay!

......

“Today, I’ve called you all away from your busy schedules not only to mourn the passing of my big yellow dog but also to celebrate the arrival of the Thirteenth Prince from the Qilin Empire.”

“Feel free to mingle. The Thirteenth Prince is currently in that corner enjoying some food. Should you wish to, you’re welcome to go over and pay your respects. We wouldn’t want it said that Long Song City has been inhospitable to our guest.”

From the moment he began speaking, Jiaang Guangran’s tone was laced with provocation, and all eyes soon shifted to Choo Qin.

The arrival of this so-called Loser Royal Highness had been the talk of Long Song City. Now that they were seeing him in the flesh for the first time, he certainly piqued the interest of many.

Regrettably, the majority viewed him with disdain and contempt. A prince relegated to the countryside was indeed an unprecedented sight.

Following Jiaang Guangran’s pointed remarks, the air filled with the swell of music.

As per aristocratic tradition, a ball typically commenced with an opening dance.

This welcoming event was no exception; after the initial dance, the gathering of merchants and nobles would proceed to drink and network, basking in the glow of the honoree’s presence.

However, it was clear.

Choo Qin was unlikely to enjoy such accolades today.

He soon encountered an awkward predicament—he lacked a dance partner.

In the world of the aristocracy, attending a ball without a partner was a significant faux pas. Although Choo Qin wasn’t particularly bothered by it, standing alone with a wine glass while others paired off in dance did set him apart in an uncomfortable way.

Some women suppressed smiles at the sight of Choo Qin’s discomfort, their faces alight with curiosity, while the men couldn’t hide their smug, schadenfreude grins.

Witnessing the once-esteemed Royal Highness in such a state even stirred a sense of superiority in them.