God of Contracts: I Buy, I Rule

8. Sparks in the royal court

"Your Majesty, we searched everywhere in the Tianze clan. But we could not find Jin Yuchen," one of the warriors from the imperial army said as he knelt before the king.

King Xuandi sat on his throne and narrowed his eyes as he tapped his fingers thoughtfully.

"Are you certain he is alive?" he asked without any flicker in his eyes. He remained impassive as if he were talking about something trivial.

"Yes, Your Majesty. His body was not among the dead."

King Xuandi hummed lightly as his fingers continued moving.

"What about everyone else?" he asked, glancing at Marquis Li Xianming.

"Everybody is dead, Your Majesty. We spared no one," Li Xianming said with delight and pride. His eyes shone with victory, and King Xuandi's lips slowly curled up, joining him in their victory.

"Your Majesty, what do we do about Jin Yuchen?" the warrior asked, waiting for his next orders.

Sitting below on the right, Second Prince Shen Yujin fidgeted in his chair uneasily. He could not brush off the strange, ominous feeling in his heart. It was as if they had sinned, and their retribution was not far away.

But he did not say anything, his fear of his father's fury shaking his beliefs.

However, the Third Prince, Shen Qianyu, could not remain silent. "Forgive me for interrupting, Father Emperor. Could Jin Yuchen have absconded from the kingdom?"

"It is not possible, Your Highness. The watch guards at the kingdom borders did not see him," the warrior kneeling before the throne said immediately. "He must still be hiding somewhere in the kingdom."

"Pardon me for my impudence, Father Emperor, I think we should not disregard Jin Yuchen. We should continue to look for him," the Third Prince said resolutely.

"Third Brother, Jin Yuchen is nothing but trash, a cripple. It does not matter if he lives or dies," the Crown Prince, Shen Zhaoyan, countered, smiling in ridicule. 

The Third Prince smiled faintly, his eyes gentle and polite. "You are right, First Brother. Jin Yuchen may be a cripple. But he is still Imperial Protector Lord Jin's grandson. And there is a saying, 'A grudge left half-buried festers into war. Leave no seed behind."

The Third Prince then turned to his father and bowed slightly. "Father Emperor, Jin Yuchen resents us for what happened to his clan. He may be a cripple, but not merciful. We should still be cautious."

"You humor me, Third Brother. Jin Yuchen is powerless. He cannot even survive an attack from a cultivator in their Qi Initiation stage. He does not stand a chance against you or me, let alone Father Emperor."

The Fourth Prince, the Fifth Prince, and the Seventh Prince did not speak a word as they watched the two Princes argue before everyone.

King Xuandi nodded at the Crown Prince's words. Jin Yuchen was a cripple. He was not a threat to them. It did not matter to him if the cripple was dead or alive.

"But First Brother...."

"Enough!" King Xuandi raised his arm, and the Third Prince went silent immediately.

"There is no need to look for Jin Yuchen. He will not be able to survive for long without his clan," he remarked casually. "If you find him, kill him immediately. Otherwise, there is no need to waste time on him."

Although the Third Prince still felt that Jin Yuchen would be troublesome in the future, he remained silent, unwilling to go against his father in the court. Deciding to speak to him in private, he let the matter go for the time being.

"Li Tianming, you have shown great bravery today against the Tianze clan. Your courage and power are commendable."

King Xuandi paused before saying, "In recognition of Marquis Li's unmatched valor and loyalty, the imperial court bestows upon you a ceremonial robe woven with golden phoenix threads and fifty mid-grade spirit stones from the imperial treasury."

The royal court fell silent.

While the Seventh Prince looked on with interest, Li Tianming looked up slowly, disbelief flashing in his eyes. His hands clenched behind his back as he suppressed his dissatisfaction.

He had fought against the Tianze clan, the most powerful clan in the kingdom, and had even sustained injuries. He was almost killed in the fight.

Yet, all he got in return was a robe and a few mid-grade spirit stones, which were of no use to him.

Li Tianming was indignant. But he did not show it on his face.

"Your Majesty, this subject is grateful," he said with great difficulty. Bowing again deeply, he masked the fire in his chest.

The Seventh Prince's smile stretched, and he rubbed the cowrie shells in his palm.

'A wicked heart needs only a spark to unleash the evil.'

"You may leave now, Li Tianming," King Xuandi said with a dismissive flick.

Li Tianming's lips twitched in dismay. But he did not say anything and left the courtroom after giving his greetings.

"Imperial Preceptor Xuan, you seem to have something to tell."

King Xuandi had noticed the man's uneasiness from the beginning. But he did not address the matter until the irrelevant people were gone.

Xiao Junjie knelt before the throne and lowered his eyes. "Your Majesty, I do not think whatever happened was right."

King Xuandi narrowed his eyes and stared at the man coldly. "What do you mean, Imperial Preceptor?"

"Your Majesty, the Jin clan has been loyal to the throne since the beginning. Today, they were met with...."

"Are you saying I accused them of treason on baseless grounds? Are you calling me blind?"

"No, no, Your Majesty. That was not what I meant." Xiao Junjie shook his head immediately, his body breaking into a cold sweat.

"Then, what do you mean, Imperial Preceptor? Are you saying Father Emperor was wrong or that he plotted against the Tianze clan to strip them of their powers?" The Fifth Prince, Shen Wuyi, who had been silent all along, questioned suddenly.

Xuan Junjie's eyes widened in horror, and he shook his head fervently. His body trembled as he stared at the King with a fearful gaze.

"No, no, Your Majesty. That was not what I meant. I was just..."

"We all know of your friendship with Duke Jin Tianlong, Imperial Preceptor. Moreover, your daughter was married to the Duke's son. You must be feeling resentful for what happened."

The Seventh Prince glanced at the Fifth Prince, who was forcing the Imperial Preceptor into a corner. Again, he did not interfere and continued to play with his cowrie shells.

King Xuandi was swayed by the Fifth Prince's words, and he glared icicles at the kneeling man.

"Your Majesty, I..." 

"I have heard enough," King Xuandi said, his voice filled with anger and authority, and Xuan Junjie lowered his head immediately.

"Imperial Preceptor, I do not want to hear a word about this anymore. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Xuan Junjie did not dare speak a word until the court was dismissed. Although he was not punished for his impertinent behavior, he knew the King was vengeful.

It was only a matter of time before King Xunadi struck. With an uneasy heart, he returned home, hoping his thoughts were a mere presumption and nothing more.

Meanwhile, the Seventh Prince did not leave the court hall even after everyone had departed. He approached the throne slowly, his shadow falling before him.

His face was unreadable, as if he were staring at something insignificant.

Staring at the throne that was as majestic as ever, he tilted his head before he threw the cowrie shells on the ground.

All five shells were facing down.

The Seventh Prince smiled faintly when he saw the outcome. "So it has begun."

Picking up the shells, he glanced at the throne again before he vanished from the royal court.