Prince Li and the Crown Prince watched gleefully, with expressions eager for drama, thinking it was deserved to get reprimanded for daring to fight outside when attending a banquet in the Imperial Palace!

Moreover, don’t think being an Imperial Grandson is anything special; the Emperor is more attached to this Imperial Nephew than to many of the Imperial Grandsons!

In the face of the Emperor’s indifference and unfamiliarity, Huangfu Jingchen neither resented nor rejoiced, exhibiting calm composure when spoken to, he responded frankly, "Grandfather, it is indeed me!"

The Emperor’s eyes fixed on him briefly before shifting away; that glance was plain and bland, lacking the warmth that his gaze towards Huangfu Jinxuan possessed.

He kindly asked Huangfu Jinxuan, "Why did you get into a fight?"

Huangfu Jinxuan replied nonchalantly, "I ran into Prince Jing when riding my horse. In my opinion, a man should have a martial spirit and not be overly cautious to truly display manhood. What’s the point of riding a carriage at this age? Riding a horse is the way to go! He disagreed and hit me!"

The crowd watching the commotion: "..."

Utterly shameless, he was the troublemaker and the complainer, yet he still looked so smug.

The Emperor laughed heartily, "Whether riding a horse or sitting in a carriage, what’s the difference? Kids can really bicker over anything!"

The tone was indulgent.

The crowd echoed with laughter.

Huangfu Jinxuan said, "That’s not the case. Prince Jing bet with me that if I win, he will only ride horses and no longer sit in carriages."

Though it was an imperial banquet, attended solely by princes, grandsons, and the royal clan, it was a family gathering essentially. Watching Huangfu Jinxuan clowning around, the Emperor engaged him in conversation, making the atmosphere lively.

He asked with a smile, "So who won?"

"Of course, it was me!" Huangfu Jinxuan replied straightforwardly and unabashedly.

The crowd: "..."

Couldn’t they see that he was wearing a swollen face? Meanwhile, Huangfu Jingchen, seated nearby, appeared calm and unscathed. How could he claim victory?

The Emperor also found it amusing, "Are you sure?"

Huangfu Jinxuan grew even more conceited, "Absolutely, Your Majesty, despite the injuries on my face, he only managed to land two punches on it, without touching the rest of my body. I firmly struck him a dozen times. If my elder brother hadn’t stopped me, I’d have hit him a few more times!"

Huangfu Jingchen: "..."

Wouldn’t this be a deception to the Emperor?

As long as he’s happy!

The news of their brawl had already reached the palace and into the ears of those with a stake in it, but no one truly knew who won or lost.

At this moment, everyone believed Huangfu Jinxuan’s bold claims, considering his reputation as a scourge in the Capital City, adept not only in causing trouble but also in fights.

If not, with so many nobles and royal members, why would no one dare conflict with him?

The Emperor smiled, "Your skills are impressive!"

The Crown Prince thought that after dispatching several waves of assassins, all of whom never returned while Huangfu Jingchen remained alive, he had assumed him to be a great martial artist. But now it seems luck was on his side, or he had help.

No wonder this boy hadn’t left the gates since arriving in the Capital City; his protector was likely not in the city.

Mr. Gongyang urged him to act within three days, possibly because the one assisting him would arrive within that timeframe?

Therefore, it’s imperative to act today. But seeing Huangfu Jingchen wasn’t as capable, the Crown Prince felt no need to proceed with the subsequent plans. The previous arrangements would suffice.

Prince Li continually observed the Crown Prince, suspecting that Huangfu Yuxuan’s deliberate absence meant today’s banquet might be problematic.

If a mishap occurred during the Imperial Palace’s banquet, what would become of the Concubine Zhou who organized it?

Proudly receiving the Emperor’s praise, Huangfu Jinxuan beamed, "Your Majesty is truly wise and discerning. I might lack academic skill, but my martial prowess is no bluff. Even the Palace General might not be my equal."

What a bold and shameless boast that was.

Understanding the capabilities of a Palace General, how dare a playboy boast such skills?

Upon consideration, one might think if Huangfu Jinxuan indeed challenged the Palace General, the latter might refrain from exerting his full strength. Given his status, gaining notoriety for his troubles, taking umbrage with such a playboy would’ve disturbed their peace indefinitely.

King Kang and Prince Kang both looked grim, shouting, "Jinxuan, be quiet. It’s one thing to be reckless, but how can you speak so irreverently before His Majesty?"

The Emperor wasn’t angered but laughed, "Nephew Mian, don’t be so serious. Today is merely a family banquet among the Imperial Family; a bit of banter is harmless!"

Huangfu Mian, King Kang, answered awkwardly.

Seizing the moment, Huangfu Jinxuan added, "Your Majesty, you must intervene on my behalf. Isn’t it unreasonable to expect perfection? My martial skills are already outstanding, yet my father scolds me daily, calling me uneducated and unskilled. These standards are too high. I’ve already excelled; he merely fails to see it. Criticizing me unfairly, clearly, he is being greedy. Isn’t having my big brother with literary skills enough?"

King Kang: "..."

He suddenly felt an overwhelming embarrassment.

How did he father such a shameless offspring? Is it still possible to retract him?

Prince Kang: "..."

Feeling as if his younger brother was again treading a dangerous path, trying to court disaster in unnecessarily novel ways. Concerned if ever the Emperor got angry... The consequences were unimaginable!

The crowd: "..."

His ability to embellish self-praise was something they had to acknowledge.

Claiming his martial skills were high, does that mean enduring a beating that left him with a swollen face? Surely, he must have forgotten having to rely on his father to rewrite the last memorial sent back.

Moreover, daring to criticize his father as greedy in front of the Emperor—he really had the gall!

Doesn’t he realize the Emperor’s thoughts are unpredictable?

If things went poorly, and the Emperor indeed held King Kang accountable, he would definitely regret it!

The Emperor, amused by it all, said, "I will stand by you. However, your handwriting is indeed quite poor. It should be improved!"

Under Huangfu Jinxuan’s jesting and banter, the atmosphere livened up instantly.

The banquet also commenced.

Throughout the entire banquet, the Crown Prince remained quiet like a chicken, even as Prince Liang showed some liveliness, the Crown Prince sat resolutely, neither impatient nor indifferent. The most vivacious was Huangfu Jinxuan, making King Kang and Prince Kang extremely anxious.

Prince Li found the Crown Prince’s silence unusual, though he couldn’t piece it together.

The Emperor, Empress, and Crown Prince shared a table.

Imperial Concubine Zhou and the titled concubines sat together.

The princes sat together.

The grandsons sat together.

For those concubines with children, it was rare to see their descendants even once a year. Especially Consort Yang and Consort Liu, who were Prince Xin’s and Prince Lu’s mother consorts.