Chapter 80: The Prince of Zhen Nan’s Manor!
Cheng Lingsu glanced around at the lavish décor but paid it little mind. Instead, she asked: “Big Brother Fang, since when do you have connections with this Prince of Zhen Nan?”
Could it be that the ‘Yi Yang Zhi’ manual came from him?
Mu Wanqing blinked curiously at Fang Han as well.
She wasn’t interested in the Prince of Zhen Nan, but anything about Fang Han intrigued her.
Fang Han replied: “When I first entered Wanjie Valley, remember how I disappeared for a while? That was when I met the Prince of Zhen Nan.”
Cheng Lingsu sipped her tea and smiled knowingly: “From his attitude just now, it seems far more than a brief meeting. Big Brother Fang must have done them quite a great favor.”
Fang Han smiled, nodding: “Something like that.”
As they were speaking, hurried footsteps approached outside.
A middle-aged man with a square, dignified face and an aura of authority entered, his face alight with joy. Behind him followed a beautiful woman in Daoist robes and a young man in fine silk.
At the sight of Fang Han, Duan Zhengchun exclaimed: “Ah! Master Fang’s arrival brings brilliance to my humble home! My greatest fault was not knowing in advance, else I would have welcomed you personally. Forgive my discourtesy, forgive my sins!”
Fang Han rose to return the courtesy, his expression calm though he felt a touch of strangeness inside.
Truth be told, by normal standards of history, one side was a prince of the realm, the other merely a commoner. Their paths should never cross.
Even counting the small estate in Lingshui City, Fang Han was at most a local landholder. How could he be received with such deference by a Prince?
But this was not normal history. This was a world of martial heroes, where strength commanded respect.
Especially in Dali, where martial prowess was revered.
The Dali Duan clan had founded their state upon martial skill, with great prestige in the jianghu.
Even the highest officials of the Dali court all practiced martial arts.
The three grand ministers like Ba Tianshi, the Marquis Gao Shengtai—every one of them was a formidable fighter.
Even the reigning Emperor Baoding himself, aside from being ruler, was counted among the foremost martial artists of the age!
In Dali, martial valor flourished.
Thus, Duan Zhengchun’s attitude toward Fang Han was perfectly natural.
He had seen Fang Han’s martial arts with his own eyes that day.
Though it was only a glimpse, he had witnessed Fang Han stop the Crown Prince of Yanqing’s killing strike with a mere pebble. From that alone, he knew Fang Han’s martial strength was extraordinary.
Moreover…
Unlike Duan Yanqing, who thought Fang Han’s pebble-throwing displayed brute strength but mediocre skill, Duan Zhengchun had realized that Fang Han had deliberately chosen not to strike with lethal intent.
Later, seeing Fang Han’s ethereal lightness skill, his belief was confirmed.
This man’s martial arts were truly out of the ordinary—far beyond his own!
But it wasn’t only martial skill.
Fang Han had saved Duan Yu’s life. That was something far greater.
A debt of life saved!
That was both deep respect and boundless gratitude.
So when Zhu Danchen informed him, Duan Zhengchun was overjoyed and immediately brought Dao Baifeng and Duan Yu to meet him.
Upon seeing Fang Han, his eyes also noticed the two young ladies beside him.
Seeing Miss Cheng serene and elegant, and Miss Mu graceful and refined, both of them truly blessed with beauty from heaven, he couldn’t help but inwardly marvel.
And then, looking at Fang Han, his gaze grew all the warmer.
So Master Fang too is a man of romance! Truly a kindred spirit!
Inwardly, he felt an affinity, as though sharing the same taste.
What’s more…
He noticed with some amazement that the two young women seemed at ease together, conversing with gentle smiles.
So harmonious!
He couldn’t help but secretly cheer and admire Fang Han. Envious indeed!
He himself was romantic, yes—but he never dared allow two women to meet openly. Would that not end with heads cracked open?
But this… this was true happiness that he himself could never achieve.
So his respect for Fang Han grew yet higher.
A man who can do what I cannot!
Fang Han, of course, had no idea that this Prince, famous for having daughters all across the land, was having such tangled thoughts. He only saw him enthusiastic and sincere, and responded politely in kind.
Duan Zhengchun introduced those behind him:
“This is my wife, and this… well, I needn’t introduce myself.”
“Yu’er, pay your respects to the man who saved your life!”
His tone grew stern at the end.
Back at Wanjie Valley, when Fang Han had said Duan Yu had made friends with him, Duan Zhengchun had believed it.
But when Duan Yu later awoke and recounted the events at Wuliang Sword Sect, Duan Zhengchun had been both shocked and furious.
In the jianghu, grudges and killings were ordinary.
But what business did his son, knowing nothing of martial arts or the world, meddling with others’ affairs and trying to lecture them?
Had Fang Han not been merciful, Yu’er might not have survived.
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