Everyone in the Shen family froze.
Before this, they really hadn't taken Yang Cheng seriously.
So what if he was the Crown Prince?
He was just a stinky little three-year-old brat, probably still needed help dressing and using the toilet.
Shen Muxue was already eleven years old and had to serve as a maid to a three-year-old?
It wasn't just the younger generation—even the elders of the Shen family felt embarrassed by Shen Muxue.
They'd once had high hopes for her, thinking she could marry into power and help strengthen the family's standing.
But now, as the Crown Prince's maid, her future was practically ruined.
Wait for him to grow up and make her a concubine?
First off, he wouldn't even be able to take a concubine for at least another thirteen years.
Second, in the eyes of the Shen elders, Shen Muxue had thrown away her dignity. The royal family would only look down on her.
She might not even be qualified to become his concubine someday.
So, in their eyes, all their investment in Shen Muxue was going down the drain.
That's why they'd quietly approved of Shen Huiyang's actions.
But…
That was before.
Now they were starting to regret it.
"The Crown Prince is actually this strong?"
"Huiyang is a Martial Grandmaster, and the Crown Prince beat him in just two moves."
"I thought the rumors were exaggerated, but he's even stronger than the stories say."
"And most importantly, the Crown Prince came to defend Muxue. That means he doesn't look down on her at all—he actually values her highly."
The Shen elders exchanged thoughts in silence.
Right now, their entire view of Yang Cheng and Shen Muxue had changed.
Shen Muxue couldn't hold back her tears.
The brother who once looked down on her and bullied her lay curled on the floor like a dead dog.
The elders who used to scold her coldly and show their disappointment didn't even dare speak up for Shen Huiyang—and their eyes now showed respect when looking at her.
And the one who stood up for her… was a three-year-old Crown Prince.
"I… I…"
Shen Huiyang's face was pale.
He wanted to salvage his dignity, but deep down, he knew the gap between himself and Yang Cheng was massive.
Up to now, Yang Cheng hadn't even used any martial techniques—he'd crushed him purely with strength.
If he took that third strike, he'd likely be crippled.
Faced with the choice between pride and becoming a cripple, he had to decide.
"Muxue, I apologize to you."
Shen Huiyang gritted his teeth, dropped to his knees before Shen Muxue, and slapped himself a few times.
After more than ten slaps, he looked even more miserable.
Shen Muxue's heart softened.
But since the Crown Prince hadn't spoken, she held herself back.
If she stepped in to forgive Shen Huiyang now, it'd look like she was playing the good cop while letting the Crown Prince be the bad one.
What kind of person would that make her?
Shen Huiyang had brought this on himself.
Yang Cheng originally said ten slaps. But Shen Huiyang, because he looked down on him, declared he'd do one hundred and kneel.
By the time he finished the one hundred slaps, Shen Huiyang fainted on the spot.
Yang Cheng turned to Shen Santong, whose face had gone ashen. "Minister Shen, do you have any objections to what happened today?"
Shen Santong's lips trembled, but in the end he bowed deeply. "This old servant… has no objection."
A regular three-year-old Crown Prince and a three-year-old with Martial Grandmaster strength—those were two entirely different concepts.
This Crown Prince… he no longer dared to offend. He had to treat him as a true Crown Prince now.
"Good."
Yang Cheng nodded, took Shen Muxue's hand, and said, "Let's return to the palace."
Lin Shu quickly followed behind.
The golden dragon chariot slowly left the Shen estate.
Behind them, the members of the Shen family stood still, watching the golden dragon chariot disappear into the distance, completely stunned.
"Father-in-law," Shen Huiyang's mother, Shen Xueshi, said angrily, "Are we really going to let His Highness humiliate my son like this?"
Shen Santong's eyes were deep. "Daughter-in-law, what do you want to do?"
Shen Xueshi said with agitation, "We need to submit a petition to His Majesty and demand an explanation!"
Everyone nearby exchanged glances.
Smack!
The next second, Shen Santong slapped Shen Xueshi across the face.
She held her cheek and looked at him, confused and speechless.
Shen Santong didn't bother explaining. He turned to his eldest son. "Changzhi, don't bury yourself in managing the family business. You need to keep your wife and son in check."
Shen Changzhi broke into a cold sweat. "Yes, Father."
That was a warning—if he couldn't manage his own wife and son, he had no business managing the family's assets either.
"Father-in-law…"
Shen Xueshi still didn't give up.
Shen Changzhi slapped her twice. "Shut up!"
This woman… really was a bit stupid.
With the Crown Prince showing such potential, the Shen family shouldn't be thinking about revenge—they should be figuring out how to fix the damage in their relationship with him.
Yet she was still causing trouble. No wonder Father was furious.
"Hmph."
Shen Santong didn't say another word and turned to walk back inside.
Out on the street.
Inside the golden dragon chariot—
"Muxue, you didn't speak up when Shen Huiyang was slapping himself. That was good," Yang Cheng said.
Shen Muxue replied, "Your Highness, I just didn't want to play the good guy and leave you to play the bad guy."
Yang Cheng blinked. He hadn't expected that.
After a moment, his satisfaction deepened. 'No wonder she rivaled Lin Shu in the past,' he thought.
"I said you did well because I wanted to tell you this: when someone offends you, either kill them, or make them so afraid they never dare again," Yang Cheng said. "If you'd stopped Shen Huiyang halfway, he wouldn't be grateful. He'd think you were being fake and find a way to get back at you."
"But if you don't step in, he'll fear you. Even if he still wants revenge someday, he'll have to think twice about the consequences."
Shen Muxue was stunned for a moment, then said, "Your Highness, I understand now."
Both she and Lin Shu couldn't help but admire this. The kind of education the royal family provided… ordinary clans couldn't compare.
The Crown Prince was still so young, yet he already understood these things.
The next day—
"Your Highness, my grandfather asked me to deliver a message to you," Shen Muxue said.
"What message?" Yang Cheng asked with a hint of curiosity.
"The Shen family's trade guild has assets in the Skyfeather Empire. Some time ago, they received news," Shen Muxue said. "The top genius of Skyfeather, the number one prodigy of Taoshan—Tian Congxuan—has learned that you killed Baili Guan. He's furious."
Tian Congxuan?
Yang Cheng's eyes narrowed slightly.
He remembered this man from his previous life—a hundred years later, Tian Congxuan had become the sect master of Taoshan, a world-famous powerhouse.
His talent and strength far outclassed Baili Guan's.
"He wants revenge on His Highness?" Lin Shu said coldly.
"Tian Congxuan is currently in seclusion, preparing to break through to Martial King. So he won't be coming for now," Shen Muxue explained. "But he's already declared publicly that within a year, once he reaches the Martial King realm, he'll make His Highness pay for Baili Guan's death."
"Just barking. Not worth worrying about," Yang Cheng replied.
Still, when he heard "one year," something important came to mind.
One year later, he and Yang Xiu would be turning three.
For ordinary martial artists, that was when their martial bone aptitude would be tested and their path of cultivation would begin.
But for prodigies, it marked the official start of their martial journey.
In his past life, when they turned three, the royal family threw a grand banquet for him and Yang Xiu.
But at that banquet, Yang Xiu was the star, the center of attention.
He was just a side character—no one paid him any mind.
More than that, something major happened during the banquet.
A divine decree, the "Qingqiu Decree," descended from the heavens.
This decree could open the ancient Qingqiu secret realm—an incredible opportunity.
The decree fell into Yang Xiu's hands, further confirming his identity as Heaven's Mandate Emperor.
Yang Cheng suspected it had been summoned by Lin Xinglan.
Perhaps the entire Qingqiu secret realm had something to do with her.
In the days that followed, Yang Cheng continued to train daily.
During the day, he practiced the Tai Sui Breathing Technique with Tang Xingyu at Autumn Water Courtyard.
At night, he silently cultivated the Soul Refining Ancient Method, tempering his mental strength.
Both his true qi and spiritual power were growing stronger and stronger.
At the same time, he quietly observed the innate gourd.
Every ten days, the gourd would produce a single drop of innate spirit liquid.
Yang Cheng wasn't in a rush to use it. He chose to store it, saving it for key moments in the future.
Unknowingly, ten months passed.
During this time, he occasionally received minor tasks and got some common rewards.
Nothing major happened.
And in just one more month, he would be turning three.
"My cultivation has already reached the eighth layer of Martial Master," Yang Cheng murmured with some emotion.
His current talent really was monstrous.
For an ordinary martial artist, even with all sorts of resources, advancing one layer in a year was uncertain.
But he, relying purely on his own training, had jumped five layers in just ten months.
And the Soul Refining Ancient Method was unbelievably powerful.
Now, his spiritual strength had reached the peak of Martial Grandmaster level.
Even more impressive than his true qi cultivation.
"Your Highness, Madam Pei, the head lady of the Guanzhong Wei family, has brought her daughter Wei Roujia to visit. Her Majesty has asked you to step outside," a palace maid reported.
Wei Roujia?
Yang Cheng's eyes flickered, though his voice remained calm. "Got it."
Then he stood and walked out.
How could he not recognize that name?
She was Yang Xiu's wife in the previous life—the Empress of Heaven's Mandate.
Among royals, marriage alliances were often arranged in childhood for political purposes.
According to his past memories, around this time the Wei family and the Zhuang clan had already formed a secret alliance, preparing to arrange a marriage between Yang Xiu and Wei Roujia.
By the time she turned fifteen, she officially married Yang Xiu.
If Yang Xiu was the Heaven's Mandate male lead, Wei Roujia was the destined female lead.
Her entire life followed the template of a grand empress.
So why was Wei Roujia suddenly appearing in Splendid Radiance Hall?
This definitely hadn't happened in his past life.
Full of curiosity, Yang Cheng stepped into the outer hall—and sure enough, there was Wei Roujia.
She was only four years old now. Bright eyes, pearly teeth, her fair cheeks glowing like a little lucky doll.
But she'd clearly been raised with the strict etiquette of a noble family.
So even at just four, she sat up perfectly straight, eyes forward, posture flawless.
When she saw Yang Cheng walk out, she glanced at him with clear eyes like spring water, then quickly looked away as if nothing had happened.
[This is Empress An Yi, Wei Roujia. Host, now reunited with Empress An Yi in the palace, you must feel deeply moved.]
[The Heaven's Mandate Emperor is ruthless, but Empress An Yi is graceful and kind. Back when Host escaped from Fengtian City, she offered some assistance.]
[Empress An Yi has the backing of the powerful Wei and Pei clans in Guanzhong. She was a major source of support for the Heaven's Mandate Emperor. If Host intends to fight Yang Xiu, bypassing Empress An Yi is impossible.]
[Host must find a way to drive a wedge between them and try to win Empress An Yi's support.]
[This is an achievement task. The stronger Empress An Yi's support for the Host, the higher the achievement points gained.]
[Task reward: Void Great Hand Seal (Levels One to Nine).]