Chapter 39: Do Chu Meng and the Ghost King Know Each Other?

"I advise you to do as she says; Miss Chu is not one to speak idly."

Suddenly, Fu Heng’s voice was deep and resonant. Having spoken, he calmly returned to his tea.

Cui Shi was stunned. He had never expected the Prince of You to speak up for her, and his thoughts became abruptly tangled.

Chu Li was equally surprised that Fu Heng had stepped in to defend her. She could not help but remark, "To earn the Prince’s validation is truly this commoner's honor."

Her words were entirely sincere; she knew Fu Heng well, and gaining a word of praise from him was harder than ascending to the heavens. It seemed that the few displays of her skills on their journey had finally earned his recognition. It was no wonder he had pursued her all this way, insisting she use her occult arts to help him find someone. The man had an impeccable eye; he knew exactly what kind of practitioner possessed real talent.

While Chu Li was lost in thought, Cui Shi had already hurried out of the private room toward the auction item on the central platform.

The guests on the second floor, who had been observing them, caught a glimpse of the interior through the gap in the screen as Cui Shi stepped away. In Rong City, the number of distinguished guests who could be personally received by the young master of Qibao Pavilion was few and far between. Since those individuals were either absent or had already been accounted for, everyone was certain that the people inside were high-ranking guests from outside the city.

After a moment of scrutiny, they finally made out the occupants: a man and a woman. The man exuded an air of nobility that the young scions of the city could never hope to match.

"Such an imposing figure, and receiving the personal attention of Young Master Cui—could he be a nobleman from the capital?"

"Look at that silk and the accessories at his waist; they are unmistakably from the capital. No wonder Young Master Cui is catering to his every need. Qibao Pavilion has many branches, but none in the capital. It’s likely the Cui family is eager to get a bite of that lucrative market."

"Need you ask? Which merchant family doesn't dream of expanding into the capital? Take the Chu family, for example. They dared to accept that wastrel from the Fang family as a son-in-law, wasn't it for this very reason? The Fang family has connections in the capital; the Chu family certainly has that intention."

"Alas, it's just a shame that Chu Meng is likely being thrown into the fire pit that is the Fang family. That poor girl is truly miserable..."

The crowd had been discussing the mysterious guest, but the conversation had gradually drifted toward Chu Li. Meanwhile, in the private room occupied by the Fang and Chu families, Fang Zhenshan and Chu Zhonghe were listening to a report from their subordinates.

"What? That mysterious man is the Prince of You, the legendary god of war who dominated the battlefield?" Fang Zhenshan was so shocked he nearly fell from his chair. As he struggled to steady himself, he heard Chu Zhonghe let out a sudden, strange cry that startled him.

"Chu Zhonghe, what are you doing?! You’re a grown man, can’t you be more composed?"

Chu Zhonghe could not hear a word Fang Zhenshan was saying. He stood rigid, his eyes locked on the room slightly ahead, his heart churning with turbulent waves. Just a moment ago, he had seen that the woman sitting with the mysterious guest was none other than his adopted daughter, Chu Meng, who had disappeared three years ago and suddenly returned!

And the Fang family servant had just said the mysterious man was the Prince of You.

Chu Zhonghe stood frozen, a surge of complex emotions washing over him. He did not know whether to be ecstatic or terrified.

"Hey, Chu Zhonghe, what are you staring at? Didn't you hear? It’s the Prince of You! The Prince of You is in Rong City!"

Fang Zhenshan felt like smashing the dazed man to wake him up. How could he have no reaction to such earth-shattering news?

Finally shaken by Fang Zhenshan’s words, Chu Zhonghe pulled himself together. He desperately controlled his expression, ensuring Fang Zhenshan detected nothing amiss. Fang Zhenshan merely assumed he had been intimidated by the Prince’s reputation and couldn't help but look at him with disdain.

"Brother Chu, you haven't dealt with the nobles of the capital, so this reaction is normal. But you must be more steady in the future. If you want to become an imperial merchant, you will inevitably have to deal with people from the palace. With your current level of courage, you won't accomplish anything great."

Fang Zhenshan’s tone was dripping with sarcasm, and Chu Zhonghe understood his meaning perfectly. Yet, at that moment, Chu Zhonghe felt his spine straighten. In the past, being a merchant, he had often been mocked for his "smell of copper," and any scholar in the family would look down upon the Chu house.

But now, it was different. His daughter was on familiar terms with the Prince of You. Did that not mean the Prince held some sentiment for the Chu family? No matter how proud the Fang family was, they only had a few minor officials in their ranks. Could they compare to the Prince of You?

Chu Zhonghe wanted nothing more than to go back immediately and demand an explanation from Chu Meng. If that girl truly knew the Prince of You, he would have to re-evaluate her worth entirely.

Chu Li was unaware that her sitting at the same table as the Prince of You had been witnessed by Chu Zhonghe. Her mind was heavy, preoccupied with the matter of the white ermine fur.

The fur had been stripped from a living creature, stained with the blood curse of the ermine. All living things possess resentment, and as the ermine belongs to the lineage of the Great Immortal Huang, the curse born of its grievance was not to be underestimated.

If she did not act in time, everyone who had touched that fur would meet a tragic end. It would be one thing to curse the cruel man who peeled the skin, but she feared the pelt would pass through many hands and implicate the innocent. Resentment upon resentment—the consequences would be endless.

When Cui Shi retrieved the ermine fur and prepared to return to the private room, several guests on the floor who had intended to bid on it grew anxious.

"Young Master Cui, why is this item being taken away? Winter is approaching, and my wife is in need of a warm shawl. I was just about to place a bid."

"Indeed, I had my eye on this sable material as well. Why are you taking it?"

Seeing more and more people inquiring—as it was the start of winter and many in the city were coveting such furs—Cui Shi sighed. He had intended to make a profit, but he could not slight the Prince of You, nor did he dare gamble that the object was truly safe. After a moment of thought, he could only weave a lie:

"My apologies, everyone. I have already promised this item to a distinguished guest; one of my staff brought it out without checking."

Cui Shi had no choice but to say this. If he told everyone that this fur might bring great disaster, wouldn't he be smashing his own reputation?

Hearing this, the crowd immediately understood. Clearly, the mysterious guest had taken a fancy to it, and the young master was pandering to his preferences by pulling the item at the last minute. Such things had happened before; as long as the price was right, the seller rarely cared how the deal was made. Qibao Pavilion had always allowed for such behind-the-scenes maneuvers. Though disappointed, no one dared to offend the pavilion over a single item.

Cui Shi carried the tray back into the private room and, after ensuring the surrounding screens were tightly sealed, spoke with caution: "Miss Chu, the item has been brought back. Should I destroy it, or...?"

Chu Li ignored him. She reached out, picked up the ermine fur, and held it to her nose. A faint, bloody scent drifted out. She whispered a spell under her breath. In the next second, a layer of eerie, blood-red mist began to rise from the snow-white fur.