OL CH4

Chapter 4: Counterattack of the Disabled General (4)

Perhaps it was because Chen Tian’s gaze was far too focused; Bai Su couldn’t have ignored it even if he tried.

But when he finally couldn’t help but turn his head, he saw King Ning merely lowering his eyes and quietly drinking his tea. Thinking it had probably just been his own illusion, he turned back to continue watching the martial arts tournament.

Truth be told, Bai Su had no real interest in the tournament either. In fact, deep down, he was far more tempted to steal a glance at the man sitting beside him.

It was just that some emotions came inexplicably, and he was, at his core, a rational person.

Moreover, there was a stark difference in their status.

At this thought, Bai Su’s eyes darkened. He picked up a bright red fruit from the plate—one that Chen Tian had carefully selected for him—and bit into it.

The juice was sweet, yet mingled with that sweetness was a hint of sourness and an undeniable bitterness.

Seeing Bai Su focused on eating his fruit, Chen Tian finally shifted his gaze to the others. Initially, he had merely thought that Bai Feizhang was ugly; looking at him now, the man was simply repulsive.

However, every world had its own rules. This fractured world simply couldn’t contain his origin power. He could only force this world back onto its proper track to gather enough luck to nourish his lover’s soul.

He glanced down at the Fifth Prince, who was reluctantly munching on sour grapes, rather surprised that this little brat turned out to be the male lead.

Having reviewed the entire plot, he knew Situ Chen wasn’t bad by nature—he was just young and still somewhat unruly.

But so what? Today, the boy had sided with that Bai Feizhang and made his precious darling unhappy.

Without a shred of guilt, Chen Tian tapped the table. When Situ Chen turned his head, he said to him, “You go down there too. Let your Imperial Uncle see how much you’ve improved these past few years.”

Situ Chen froze for a moment, not expecting Chen Tian to suddenly order him into the arena. However, being at an age where the desire to win was at its peak, he immediately agreed. He hurriedly changed his clothes and rushed into the inner grounds.

Seeing this, Chen Tian turned directly to the guards beside him and ordered, “You lot go as well. Spar with the Fifth Prince, and there’s no need to hold back too much. Also, take care of that ugly one in white who got beaten into a one-eyed panda while you’re at it. I find him an eyesore.”

After pointedly singling out Bai Feizhang, Chen Tian casually pointed out a few others who had blatantly spoken out of turn to Bai Su earlier, instructing the guards to deal with them all together.

He didn’t bother hiding any of this from Bai Su. He was blatantly farming favorability points—living life with absolute transparency!

Ordinary people wouldn’t dare face off against the Fifth Prince, so Chen Tian sent his own men. Even though he had told them not to hold back, he knew they still wouldn’t dare strike the prince too ruthlessly. As for Bai Feizhang and the rest, however, the guards would show absolutely no mercy.

Hearing this and watching Bai Feizhang get beaten into an even more miserable state in the blink of an eye, Bai Su raised an eyebrow and cast an inscrutable look at Chen Tian. He knew the man was clearly venting his anger on his behalf.

Seeing his precious darling finally paying attention to him, Chen Tian felt immensely smug. Smiling, he immediately had someone bring a fresh pot of hot tea and continued to pour for Bai Su.

“Autumn is turning cold. Heir, drink more hot tea to warm your body.”

“Thank you, Your Highness.”

Though Bai Su spoke respectfully, his heart trembled when swept by Chen Tian’s smiling gaze. As the warm tea slid down his throat, his entire body warmed up. Yet, noticing the man’s meticulous care beside him, he felt an even deeper sense of peculiarity.

Bai Su felt that he was finding this King Ning increasingly impossible to read.

It wasn’t that he was needlessly self-deprecating; the entire capital knew of his current situation.

His martial arts were ruined, he was out of favor at home, and he would likely fail to keep his title as Heir. He lacked nation-toppling beauty, and he couldn’t see any value in himself that warranted such special treatment. He simply couldn’t fathom what ulterior motive King Ning had for treating him this way.

Unaware that his “wife” was currently weaving conspiracy theories about him, Chen Tian casually glanced at the Fifth Prince, who had just been flipped onto the ground by the guards again but was fighting with growing courage. He took a sip of tea, smacked his lips, and felt completely guilt-free.

Though most would argue that the Fifth Prince was, at most, fourteen or fifteen—still just a brat—and that a normal adult shouldn’t stoop to a child’s level, Chen Tian did not think that way.

As the saying goes, a sapling won’t grow straight without pruning. Good kids should be spoiled and pampered, while bratty kids need to thoroughly experience the brutal beatings of life.

Besides, couldn’t they see that his lover was watching with far more relish than before?

If it made his precious darling happy, never mind a teenager—if there was a proper excuse, he’d be perfectly capable of doing something as unhinged as bullying a toddler.

Call him shameless?

What is face? Could having “face” bring him a perfectly synced, flawlessly unmatched partner?

Once the men below who had previously shot their mouths off were thoroughly taught a lesson, and Bai Feizhang was sprawled on the ground without a shred of dignity—his face swollen like a pig’s head and his body covered in dirt—Chen Tian finally stood up and walked over.

He looked at the panting but bright-eyed Situ Chen. He knew the boy hadn’t really gained any advantage, but seeing the miserable states of everyone around him, the prince clearly felt his own strength was quite decent. Feigning ignorance, Chen Tian smiled and said, “How about it? Care to spar a bit with your Imperial Uncle?”

“How could I? Chen’er cannot be disrespectful to Imperial Uncle!” the Fifth Prince acted compliant, but his eyes were practically gleaming with eagerness.

Chen Tian scoffed, directly drew two swords, tossed one to the boy, and beckoned him to attack.

Situ Chen had spent time under Situ Chenye a few years prior, so he knew this Imperial Uncle possessed decent martial skills, though not comparable to a true master. Having made his own progress over the past few years, he felt this was his chance. He struck a stance and charged forward.

Seeing the boy’s boundless energy, Chen Tian found it amusing. Noticing Bai Su’s eyes fixed tightly on him, he smiled and deliberately executed a few dashing moves with effortless grace, stringing the kid along like a cat playing with a mouse.

He gave Situ Chen the illusion that he might find an opening to turn the tables, only to quickly toy with him until the boy was left looking utterly disheveled.

Realizing his Imperial Uncle seemed much stronger than in the past, Situ Chen was a little surprised. But seeing the smile on Chen Tian’s face, his heart relaxed, and he attacked with even greater audacity.

The two played back and forth for a while. However, after comprehensively displaying his solid physique, perfect figure, and radiating pure masculine charm in front of his sweetheart for a good while, the now fully satisfied man naturally lost his patience for playing with a child.

The man’s expression suddenly turned cold. With the flat of his blade, he struck a nerve in the Fifth Prince’s thigh; with a slight application of force, he sent the boy crashing to the ground.

Killing intent erupted from him in an instant, the tip of his sword pointing directly at the youth’s throat.

With a sharp blade pressed against his neck and Chen Tian exuding overwhelming murderous intent, Situ Chen broke out in a cold sweat. Having never set foot on a battlefield, how could the youth have ever witnessed such a terrifying presence? Even knowing his Imperial Uncle certainly wouldn’t truly hurt him, his lips trembled, and he didn’t dare move an inch.

“Imperial Uncle, Chen’er has lost!”

Situ Chen opened his mouth cautiously, not breathing a massive sigh of relief until Chen Tian sheathed his sword. He felt his arms and legs turn to jelly, finding himself practically unable to stand.

The bystanders, seeing King Ning’s icy expression, were similarly intimidated into silence, not daring to act out of turn. It wasn’t until Situ Chen actively raised a hand for help that Bai Feizhang, not far away, hastily snapped out of it and obsequiously helped the Fifth Prince up.

But just as Situ Chen steadied himself, he heard his Imperial Uncle speak: “Chen’er, you did indeed lose. However, this martial arts arena is merely a place for sparring and refining one’s skills; here, things can stop before blood is drawn.”

“But do you know that the soldiers and generals on the battlefield know no such restraint when slaughtering the enemy? They are fighting and struggling with their very lives. If this were a battlefield today, and I were an enemy soldier, your head would have long since been severed from your body.

“Old Marquis Bai guarded Xiling for decades. Though he earned the title of Marquis of Zhongyong, his body was covered in countless scars. Beneath his military merits lie piles of enemy bones; every single one of his achievements was earned by treading through blood.

“A few years ago, when Great Yan invaded, the Old Marquis marched into battle to slaughter the enemy at the advanced age of sixty. It was because of the severe wounds he suffered then that he departed so prematurely.

“Knowing all this, do you still think the reputation of the Marquis of Zhongyong is exaggerated?”

Situ Chen had never been a fool. He knew his Imperial Uncle’s true motive this time was to teach him a lesson, and he felt grateful in his heart.

He had only misspoken out of petulance earlier, but now, thinking of those soldiers spilling their blood on the battlefield, his face flushed red with profound shame.

Hearing these words, Bai Su’s long-deadened heart suddenly surged with emotion.

In an era that valued scholars over soldiers, his grandfather had served the country his entire life, yet very few ever spoke of his merits. In fact, an occasional sour remark would still pop up. How could he not feel disappointed and resentful?

He never expected that the first person to step up and speak for his grandfather would be King Ning.

Though the weather was turning cold and his clothing wasn’t thick, he felt as if his entire body had been soaked in a warm spring, the warmth seeping all the way into the depths of his heart.

Bai Feizhang, however, saw the Fifth Prince’s flushed face staring blankly at Chen Tian and assumed the boy was flying into a humiliated rage because of King Ning’s lecture.

Although he felt some lingering fear toward the Prince, he recalled the plot of the book he had read—this very Fifth Prince was destined to inherit the throne in the future.

As for this King Ning, he barely had any screen time in the book. He likely wasn’t an important character and therefore didn’t warrant too much wariness.

After weighing his options, he took a step forward and said to Chen Tian, “Quell your anger, Your Highness. His Highness the Fifth Prince’s earlier words were merely unintentional. I beg Your Highness not to take them to heart.”

Bai Su’s face turned instantly icy upon hearing Bai Feizhang’s words, and even the bystanders looked at the man with strange expressions.

If anyone else had said it, it wouldn’t have been a huge issue. Others might not care, but he was different. He was a member of the Marquis of Zhongyong’s household—how could he lack such backbone?

Chen Tian glanced at Bai Feizhang, who was feigning composure across from him, thinking to himself that this transmigrator was even more arrogant and stupid than he’d imagined. Restraining his expression, he asked coldly, “And who might you be?”

There was no overt disdain or sarcasm in his tone; it was just a coldly indifferent question, yet it made Bai Feizhang choke as if a fishbone were stuck in his throat.

He had put on such a deliberate display, yet the other party didn’t even know his name, treating him like nothing more than an insignificant, jumping clown.