Simply Trading 169 Sibling Rivalry 1

Yet, the Second Ducal Prince himself was unsure of what his own father was up to, behaving in such a manner. It was up to him to decide how to deal with the Barbarian a.s.sault on the borders, and how he deployed his own armed forces, of course. But was there really a need to brush aside Qin Feng's warning in such a manner?

Was this some sort of a test? But if so, was it meant for Qin Feng or for himself? Li Changhai couldn't be certain, but his father's reaction to his storming-off like that was a little unusual. In previous cases of his losing his temper, he would have been hauled back without ceremony, and receive a dressing down straightaway! But this time, his father had actually held his tongue, and let him leave!

That was certainly unusual!

Then again, the last time that he did something like this was close to five, six years ago, when he was in his late teens. So it was more likely that he had managed to surprise the Duke with his outburst. If so he might be in for it later, when his father recovers from his shock to dream up some terrible punishment for him.

Still, he was rather hopeful, since his mother was present. It was possible that she come up with something that would stop the old man from being too harsh. Li Sanlang didn't turn his head to look, but it was the sort of thing that she would do. And from the look on her face, he could see that she was also seething inside. Clearly, she was upset, and at his father as well.

Perhaps that might help him get out of whatever punishment his father has in store for him. Li Changhai was rather sanguine about that. It was not the first time that something like this had happened.

But it was the first that one of his guests had left the table in a huff. The Second Ducal Prince had been surprised when Qin Feng actually did something like that. He knew that the younger man was proud, and with good reason, but he had never thought that the former disciple of the Heaven Sword School would actually lose his temper. He had certainly never done anything like that, not even after he got hurt in the South.

Was it because of him?

Li Sanlang could not help but wonder if it had anything to do with him. From his recollection of the earlier exchange between his father and the younger man, it seemed that Qin Feng had gotten incensed because of the Duke's disparagement, not of his abilities, but of Li Changhai's! At least, that was how it seemed to the Ducal Prince.

Was Qin Feng trying to help him win some recognition, in his father's eye? And had gotten upset because of his father's refusal to see?

More importantly, was this something that his maternal grandmother had asked Qin Feng to do? She was the one who had arranged for the younger man to accompany Li Changhai to the North. And she was also the one who had arranged for him to present the Green Shadow Sabre to his father, and to get Qin Feng to give an account of how he got his hands on the same.

If one took all of that into account, it was possible that Qin Feng was trying to boost his standing in his father's eyes! And probably on his grandmother's orders!

If that was so, it was no wonder that he had gotten so upset!

The Second Ducal Prince, Li Changhai, felt a sudden welling of tears in his eyes at the thought of what had just happened earlier, in his father's private garden. Had Qin Feng stormed off, just because of his grandmother? He doubted that!

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There was something that he saw, in the younger man's eyes as Qin Feng walked out of the dinner that he told Li Changhai that things were not as simple as he thought. But wasn't it clear that Qin Feng had left in a huff because of him? Because he could not tolerate how his father was treating him?

Although Li Changhai did not know if his father's act was genuine or not, it seemed rather clear that Qin Feng was on his side!

"Oh! Look at who it is! Isn't that Sanlang? But I thought you were having dinner with Father and Second Mother? Why are you leaving in such a flurry?"

The Second Ducal Prince stiffened at the sound of that feminine voice. But what was she doing there? Hadn't she always timed her visits to end well before the New Year, so that she could return to Huyue City where her husband was City Lord, and play hostess to all the minor lords and merchant princes there for the festival season?

Li Changhai had always timed it so that she would be gone by the time that he returned from the South. Since part of the reason he started visiting his maternal relations in Changqing City was to avoid his older sister. Who was also the Duke of the Westland's oldest child.

Then he remembered. He had returned earlier than usual this year, hadn't he? To bring word of the strange actions of the Barbarian Tribes in the South. He had forgotten that she would still be about. And doubtless waiting for an opportunity to make trouble for him.

It took a good bit of control on his part, to keep the frown from appearing on his face. And he cursed the fact that his eyes tearing up had made him miss spotting her earlier. Doubtless, she was going to go all out on him now, to make up for all those years that she had missed her chance.

Still, that bothered him less than the fact that he didn't have the time to 'play' with her! He still had to intercept Qin Feng before the younger man really leaves the Palace!

"Sanlang greets Eldest Sister. Sanlang has something urgent to attend to, so please excuse me."

He tried to move forward then, to push on past her and continue after his target. But, as expected, the woman deliberately stepped in his way. "Oh? What is the rush? Don't tell me that you have taken on some mission on our father's behalf? But from what I heard, you have barely returned! Surely you can spend a few moments with your own sister," she said, in her usual holier-than-thou manner.

"It would be impolite otherwise, don't you think? Or has your mother not taught you about the sort of manners that we are supposed to adhere to?"

Li Changhai bit down on a curse immediately. If he didn't have to catch up with Qin Feng, he would have turned about and left at once, rather than try to push past his infuriating Eldest Sister! Who was clearly out to make trouble for him!

Unfortunately, that was the way that Qin Feng had gone, according to all the servants that he had questioned earlier. And this part of the Ducal Palace was large enough, and complicated enough, that he was likely to lose all trace of the former Heaven Sword School disciple if he delayed. So he had no choice but to press on!

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