"Yes."

"The Eighth Prince’s mother is the least favored imperial consort in East Shu. Her situation is much like the Eighth Prince’s. Who would bother poisoning someone so out of favor?" Dean Chen couldn’t figure it out.

"The envoys from East Shu are here to offer birthday congratulations. In any case, the banquet won’t be peaceful." Ye Qianning had sent people to watch them for days but had found no useful information.

Princess East Shu was very tight-lipped. She hadn’t spoken a word about Sang Zhi or East Shu’s affairs since entering the Capital City.

"Tomorrow, I will find an opportunity to have the Eighth Prince accompany me. Rest assured, I definitely won’t let him come into contact with Princess East Shu."

"That’s exactly what I was planning, too." ’Only her master could so naturally take a Prince under his wing.’

"What was that medicinal herb you just mentioned?"

Ye Qianning thought for a moment, unsure if her master would have heard of it. "Sovereign Ginseng."

"Sovereign Ginseng? What’s that?"

As expected, Dean Chen had never heard of it.

"It’s a plant that grows in the deepest parts of the great snowy mountains. It’s incredibly hard to find."

’It was a precious medicinal herb recorded in the ancient books of special abilities—something nearly extinct.’

"I’ve never heard of it, but I do know of the snowy mountains. They’re on the northernmost border of Beili, a place where the snow never melts. It’s so cold that almost no one ever goes there."

"Sovereign Ginseng thrives in extreme cold. The colder the place, the easier it is to find. After some time passes, I’ll send people to scout the area first."

If it were to be harvested, Ye Qianning would have to go herself.

Sovereign Ginseng was difficult to store. A few minutes after being picked, it would dissolve into water. She would need to use the power of her spatial dimension, as well as a special storage method, to bring it back.

"When you have time, draw it for me. I’d like to see it." Dean Chen was very curious.

"Alright."

"When I’m around you, it makes me feel so ignorant."

"As they say, you live and you learn. I suppose that’s how it is."

"Haha, indeed. There is no end to learning," Dean Chen chuckled. "Come on, it’s already noon. After we eat, you can draw the Sovereign Ginseng for me."

"Master, are you going to the front hall to eat?"

"Why do you ask?"

"Father and the others have started fighting in the main hall. Are you sure you want to go?"

"They’re really fighting?"

Dean Chen had thought she was joking.

"Yes. The butler said it’s quite serious."

"How did they end up fighting? Let’s go take a look." Dean Chen took her small hand.

Ye Qianning didn’t refuse this time. ’They all have to get together and sort this out eventually. Master is of a higher generation, so they’ll be more inclined to listen to what he says.’

The main hall was in complete chaos. The younger generation—Zhan Chi, Xiang Minghou, Qian Fanji, and Gu Shuo—had all come to blows. The elders tried to pull them apart but couldn’t.

The crowd had split into two groups: the young ones fighting, and the elders shoving and blaming each other.

Mr. Gu was the oldest and the most sharp-tongued, so naturally, no one was his match. He completely dominated the older generation.

"Whoever tries to steal her from me, I’ll fight you to the death! The little girl is closest to me, so she should come back to the Gu family with me! The rest of you can go back to wherever you came from!" Mr. Gu yelled at the top of his lungs.

"Mr. Gu, you can’t be so unreasonable..."

"Not only are you trying to steal my great-granddaughter, but you also have the nerve to call me unreasonable? What, am I not even allowed to voice my grievances?"

"It hasn’t even been confirmed that she’s from the Gu family yet..."

"That little girl looks exactly like Gu Shuo did when he was a child! She has to be from my Gu family."

"..."

’Just like Gu Shuo? He must be blind...’

Zhan Yi’s wife was a refined woman. Surrounded by men, she felt it was improper to step forward, so she placed all her hopes on Zhan Yi.

Zhan Yi had the nerve to argue with Qian Fu, but he wouldn’t dare provoke Mr. Gu.

Qian Fu wished he could just throw Mr. Gu out. Everyone said the old Mr. Gu was a handful, and today he was truly experiencing it. ’It’s all my fault for running my mouth,’ he thought.

"Chi’er, stop fighting! Stop it!" Zhan Yi’s wife’s heart ached as she watched her son’s face become battered and bruised.

Zhan Chi was sent to the ground with a flying kick, but he scrambled back up, ready to charge in again.

"Stop fighting!" Zhan Yi’s wife quickly grabbed him.

"Mother, don’t hold me back! I’m going to settle this with them today!"

Among the four, Zhan Chi had the worst martial arts skills, so of course, he was taking the worst of the beating. His face was already swollen.

Although Xiang Minghou was a skilled fighter, he couldn’t withstand being ganged up on by three opponents. His face was also covered in scrapes.

Qian Fanji had been injured the other day and hadn’t fully recovered yet. But with the four of them fighting, he absolutely couldn’t show any weakness. His wounds had been torn open, and small specks of blood dotted his clothes.

Gu Shuo was the most formidable of them all. By now, everyone else had sustained some injuries, but not a single hair on his head was out of place.

Before Dean Chen and Ye Qianning even stepped into the front hall, they could hear the boisterous sounds of arguing. Confused, he quickened his pace and entered the main hall.

A chaotic crowd filled the room. Some were arguing, some were fighting. Zhan Yi’s wife was holding back a stubborn Zhan Chi, who was glaring at the brawling mass of people, ready to charge back in...

"Stop fighting! All of you, stop!" Dean Chen’s brow furrowed deeply.

The main hall was so noisy that no one heard Dean Chen’s voice, nor did they notice that the little girl they were fighting over had arrived at the entrance.

Ye Qianning pressed a hand to her forehead. ’I really want to leave. This is a complete mess.’

Still, after listening for a while, she was rather impressed with Mr. Gu. He was holding his own against two people and was clearly winning.

Dean Chen let go of Ye Qianning’s hand and walked into the middle of the room. "Stop fighting! Can someone please tell me what is going on here?"

’These are all prominent figures in the Capital City. What a sight, brawling and shouting like this.’

"Dean Chen... HISS..." Xiang Minghou was the first to see Dean Chen, but as he spoke, someone punched him in the left eye.

Immediately after, Qian Fanji and Gu Shuo also noticed Dean Chen and stopped fighting.

"Chi’er, stop fighting! Dean Chen is here!" Zhan Yi’s wife pulled Zhan Chi toward a seat.

Qian Fu and Zhan Yi had been so thoroughly verbally thrashed by Mr. Gu that they could barely form a coherent sentence. They were on the verge of a breakdown, so their eyes lit up when they saw Dean Chen.

"Dean Chen, you have to be the judge for my Qian family! Mr. Gu is being utterly unreasonable!" Qian Fu hurriedly walked over.

"You’re the one who’s unreasonable! Using your Buddha Beads like an abacus, you’ve really got some big schemes, don’t you? You want my great-granddaughter? Why don’t you just go ascend to the heavens?" Mr. Gu put his hands on his hips, his verbal assault at full blast.

"You... You..." Qian Fu’s hands trembled with anger. ’This old man has no respect for his age!’

Zhan Yi didn’t dare provoke him any longer. With a troubled look, he said, "Dean Chen, you’ll have to be the one to decide this."

"What exactly is this about?" Dean Chen asked, curious.

"It’s about my granddaughter..."

"What do you mean, your granddaughter? She’s my great-granddaughter!" Mr. Gu cut him off, crowding closer to Dean Chen and pulling on his arm. "Your apprentice, Ye Qianning, is my great-granddaughter. These people are trying to steal her! Just because they don’t have granddaughters of their own, they think they can snatch someone else’s. Tell me, isn’t that infuriating?"

"My apprentice... is General Xiang’s daughter, isn’t she? What does she have to do with you?" Dean Chen was utterly confused.

"That’s not right! The little girl is my grandson Gu Shuo’s daughter!"

"...Alright, alright, stop talking." The more Dean Chen listened, the more confused he became. He knew Mr. Gu’s temperament; you could only believe a third of what he said.

"Dean Chen, you’ve come at the perfect time. Please, take the seat of honor. We’ll explain everything to you in detail. The Zhan family only has this one granddaughter. No matter what, I have to bring her home." Tears welled up in Zhan Yi’s wife’s eyes.