LIGHTNOVELONLINE Chapter 8 - Can You Even Utter a Single Word?
“Honored guests, how may I assist you?” Yin Xu felt a sense of impatience in dealing with them. Given his current state, he was no match for them and found their presence unpleasant.
“Hmm, it's been quite some time since our last encounter, and it seems our wit has sharpened considerably. Quite a change from our prior meetings where silence reigned supreme!”
Yin Xu blinked in disbelief and questioned, “Brother, do you even know how to hold a conversation?”
Silence lingered briefly in the hall before erupting into laughter.
Huo Yiloong's expression darkened considerably as he seized the nearby teacup and hurled it towards Yin Xu. “You need guidance; this estate belongs to the Huo Family. If I order you to leave, you obey! Speak clearly!”
Dodging the flying teacup, Yin Xu watched it shatter on the ground and sighed, “Brother, those were the finest teacups in the entire village.”
Huo Yiloong regarded him with disdain, tossing a small piece of silver towards him. “Take it. Consider it compensation for your loss, although it's merely a mediocre piece from a standard kiln. You seem to cherish it.”
Surprised, Yin Xu recalled the attendant mentioning that the teacup was a tribute from the palace, instructing him to safeguard it. “If not for our esteemed guest's visit, I wouldn't have dared to use it!”
Laughter echoed once more. Someone pounded the table, exclaiming, “Yiloong, your attendant is quite the character! But your seventh brother is even more amusing! This is quite entertaining!”
The First Prince disdainfully tossed aside the teacup in his hand. “Calling this a tribute is an insult to the royal family!”
Huo Yiloong's emotions fluctuated rapidly. He silently resolved to confront the attendant upon his return and deliver a severe reprimand.
“You're utterly clueless, lacking any semblance of experience!” he bellowed.
Yin Xu tugged at his clothing, casting his gaze downward sorrowfully. “Indeed, brother, growing up in the countryside has left me inexperienced compared to you.”
The contrast between them was stark; Yin Xu's attire showed signs of wear and tear, while Huo Yiloong was clad in the finest brocade and adorned with luxurious accessories.
Tension filled the air in the hall. Some of the young masters looked down upon Yin Xu, an outsider who couldn't even secure a place on the family tree. While they disregarded his background, the guards accompanying them began to murmur amongst themselves.
Marshal Huo's illustrious reputation echoed far and wide, yet her own son, lacking martial talent, found himself abandoned and relegated to a remote manor, a fate worse than those they deemed inferior.
Observing his grimy, torn attire, still marred by dried bloodstains, one could surmise he had ventured out to hunt wild game due to insufficient sustenance.
Rumor had it that even a mere trickle of Huo Family resources, slipping through his fingers, would afford this young master a life of opulence and abundant food. How heartless must one be to subject his own son to deprivation?
The guards, now harboring newfound sympathy for Seventh Young Master Huo, refrained from vocalizing their thoughts.
Huo Yiloong furrowed his brow as he pondered the items discarded on the roadside. Seizing the opportunity while passing through An County, he took on the responsibility of delivering the items to Huo Tian.
Initially intending to showcase brotherly solidarity before the First Prince, fate intervened as the carriage malfunctioned, scattering its contents.
Thus, Huo Yiloong contrived an excuse to discard the items en route, ensuring they remained unseen by the First Prince and his entourage.
“Very well, very well, you've lost your belongings. Here's a hundred silver coins to remedy the situation. Go procure replacements.” Huo Yiloong magnanimously settled the matter, adopting a haughty demeanor. “Father has returned triumphant and is occupied. I shall instruct Mother to arrange for replacements presently.”
Accepting the banknotes with a sense of relief, Yin Xu inquired with genuine concern, “Has Father returned? Is he in good health? Were there any injuries?” If only fate would claim him in battle!
“Father is in excellent health, naturally. It would serve you well to attend to your own condition.” Huo Yiloong cast a disdainful glance at Yin Xu's corpulence. “You truly are dim-witted. If martial arts elude you, can you not excel elsewhere? Father's favor has waned!”
“Indeed, what Fifth Brother says holds merit. Recognizing my shortcomings, I've enlisted a tutor's aid. Unfortunately, my aptitude is lacking, grasping only a few rudimentary concepts.”
“Hmph, slight progress at best. But do not assume you can bask in Father's favor solely by acquiring mere knowledge. Even our female relatives boast superior intellect to you,” Huo Yiloong scoffed.
Yin Xu merely chuckled, offering no retort.
“Never mind. Even if you study diligently for another two decades, you'll never attain the highest scholarly honors. Consider our Second Brother, a bookworm who toiled for twenty years, only to secure a modest rank. Utterly foolish! The Huo Family is renowned for martial prowess, yet he strays from tradition, a disgrace to our lineage!”
Yin Xu chuckled inwardly, reflecting: It appears this so-called Second Brother harbors lofty aspirations. The pinnacle of strength lies in martial prowess; such rarified pursuits may elude Huo Zhengquan's son, abandoned by the Martial Arts Club.
“Young Master, the meal awaits.” Wu Sheng materialized outside the hall like a specter, his voice quivering.
The highest-ranking official he'd encountered was merely a county magistrate. Now, with a prince unexpectedly gracing their home, particularly the eldest, the thought alone sent shivers down his spine.