Chapter 845: Chapter 21: Emperor Longchang Appears! Spirit Treasure Qianqiu Takes the Stage

Upon hearing this, Old Yao looked at his nose, and his nose looked at his heart, pretending he hadn’t heard anything.

Although he joined the Emperor Longchang later in life, he had heard from the palace elders that the ancestors of Duke Dingguo’s Mansion had some conflicts with the Emperor Longchang.

This was one of the reasons why Duke Dingguo’s Mansion gradually declined over the millennia.

The Emperor had never mentioned this before, but now it seems that it was probably during the time when the Emperor vied for the title of Emperor’s Son, that Duke Dingguo’s Mansion had sided with the wrong faction... Over thousands of years of erosion, Duke Dingguo’s Mansion had fallen from a grand Second Grade to a Third Grade.

...

During the same time.

The Gui Long Shangguan Family was one of the eight Fourth-Grade Noble Families in Gui Long City.

In the entire Daqian, there were only five Upper Third-Grade Noble Families, including the Imperial Family, each of extraordinary status. Therefore, the actual status of Fourth-Grade Noble Families in Gui Long City was actually quite high.

The Gui Long Shangguan Family, being among the well-developed ones of the eight Fourth-Grade Families, naturally held a slightly higher status than the average Fourth-Grade Family.

At the very least, the Shangguan Family would certainly have a place among the Ten Great Noble Families of Gui Long City.

In the southern part of Gui Long City, at the main residence of the Shangguan Family.

By evening, lights were already lit in various parts of this vast architectural complex. The dim lights flickered across the main residence, creating a sea of lights when viewed from the night sky, seamlessly blending with the nightscape of the entire Gui Long City, vast and magnificent.

Deep within the main residence, at a slight distance from the inner courtyard where the Patriarch resided, there was another grand and spacious courtyard named "Cyan Cloud Courtyard," located along the central axis.

The owner of this courtyard was the current only Great Celestial Pride of the Shangguan Family, Shangguan Yunque.

At this moment, in the warm pavilion of the inner courtyard of the Cyan Cloud Courtyard, a man and a woman sat opposite each other, chatting over tea.

The man seated in the main position had handsome features and an impressive demeanor, exuding a calm and unrestrained aura. He was the master of this courtyard, Shangguan Yunque.

He looked quite young, and because he was at home, he did not wear a jade crown, instead tying his hair casually at the back of his head with a hairband, making him seem even more carefree and unrestrained.

Sitting opposite him was a woman with her hair styled in a matronly bun. She was elegant, with a charming presence, and every movement was filled with grace.

If Wang Shouzhe were here, he would immediately recognize this woman. For she was none other than his old acquaintance, Lady Bilian.

Lady Bilian, whose real name was Shangguan Bilian, was the legitimate daughter of the Gui Long Shangguan Family and also Shangguan Yunque’s younger sister. Although she was married and had many family affairs to attend to, Lady Bilian would occasionally return to her parent’s home to reconnect with her family.

This time, she had returned to celebrate her mother’s birthday.

"Sister, since you don’t have much to do when you return, why not stay a bit longer~" Shangguan Yunque gently suggested, sipping his tea, "Mother rarely gets to see you, and although she doesn’t show it, she often reminds me to think of ways to keep you here a while longer."

"Don’t worry, brother, I’m not leaving just yet." Lady Bilian smiled, taking a small bite of a pastry she picked up, "I have other matters to attend to this time. Moreover, the Prince Heng’s Mansion sent a message a few days ago, asking me to visit when I’m back to greet them."

After all these decades, she was now a Celestial Human Realm cultivator, her presence much stronger than when Wang Shouzhe first met her at the auction house, conveying the aura of a powerful figure.

However, being among her family now, she didn’t need to keep a stern composure like she did with the Yuwen Family, and she could be more relaxed, speaking with less authority and adding a touch more coquettish charm.

"I didn’t expect that after so many years, the old Prince Heng would still remember you." Shangguan Yunque was a bit surprised to hear her mention Prince Heng, "But then again, Prince Heng has always liked recommending the younger generation, especially those with character. You did make quite a stir at the White Cloud Tower back then, so it’s no wonder he remembers you."

"It’s also because our Shangguan Family has been developing well lately, so he often hears the name Shangguan, which occasionally brings me to mind. If we were like the Yu Family, practically invisible in Gui Long City, Prince Heng would have probably forgotten about me long ago." Lady Bilian knew this well and was not feeling overly proud.

According to that annoying Wang Shouzhe, this was called "memory binding."

The name Shangguan Bilian was inherently tied to the Shangguan Family. The more prominent the Shangguan Family’s reputation in Gui Long City, the more frequently her name would come up, and as a result, more people would remember her.

If someday the Shangguan Family declined with no outstanding young talents for generations, naturally, people would gradually forget Shangguan Bilian as well. This is how it is with Noble Families, shared glory and shared disgrace.

As they were speaking, there was a sudden knock on the door from outside, followed by a servant reporting in a low voice.

Shangguan Yunque acknowledged the servant, who then left.

Not long after, a heavy footstep was heard coming from the courtyard, and soon, a burly figure pushed the door and walked in.