The Rebellious Son Becomes a God

"Jiang Li, how dare you!"

Lady Wang's face darkened, her eyes filled with anger as her scolding echoed within the room.

"How do you speak to your elders!" Mrs. Qian chimed in.

"Jiang Li, you show no respect for your elders and harbor malicious thoughts. Today, I shall enforce the family law on behalf of the master and remind you that you are still a member of the Duke's household! Someone!"

[Finally, they can't hold back and are taking action against me.]

At this moment, six burly servants approached, armed with long sticks, pressing towards Jiang Li.

With a sweep of his perception, he identified four martial artists at a high stage and two at the peak of martial arts. He could handle them if it came to a fight, so he silently activated both his soul and martial powers, planning to strike first.

At this moment, the door was pushed open, and a servant rushed in, kneeling beside Lady Wang and reporting anxiously,"Madam, someone from Princess Le'an has arrived, saying they are here to take Jiang Li to an appointment."

Lady Wang and Mrs. Qian frowned,"Princess Le'an? Are you sure it's her people? What does she want with Jiang Li?"

"Your servant is certain they are from the Princess's mansion, they carry identity jade pendants, I didn't mistake it, they are waiting at our mansion's entrance right now."

Lady Wang and Mrs. Qian's expressions changed; they hadn't anticipated that Princess Le'an would send someone to pick up Jiang Li at such a critical moment.

Jiang Li, upon hearing that Le'an had come to pick him up early, was relieved and felt at ease, which also saved him from revealing his strength at home and giving Lady Wang more ammunition to use against him.

"Ladies, if there's nothing else, I'll be on my way to my appointment. You two can continue your chat."

Ignoring the seated Lady Wang and Mrs. Qian in the main courtyard, Jiang Li walked straight towards the courtyard gate.

Lady Wang was inwardly annoyed. Jiang Li, who usually seemed unremarkable, had somehow gotten involved with Princess Le'an. However, she also dared not to offend Princess Le'an lightly, as she held the rank of a princess, and the forces behind her were not something she could casually provoke.

Mrs. Qian, on the other hand, was seething with anger. She had intended to make Jiang Li suffer today to avenge her son, but this unexpected turn of events had disrupted her plans.

"Perhaps you've gotten lucky by getting involved with Princess Le'an, you little brat!" Mrs. Qian couldn't help but mutter under her breath.

Lady Wang glared at her, signaling for her to be quiet, and then called out to Jiang Li's retreating figure:"Jiang Li, you go ahead to your appointment, but when you return, we are not done with today's matter!"

Without stopping or turning his head, Jiang Li replied,"Madam, rest assured, Jiang Li has taken note."

With that, he quickly left the room and headed towards the mansion's entrance.

The sky had also conveniently begun to snow.

A gorgeous carriage was parked at the entrance of the mansion, its body carved with exquisite patterns, and the horses pulling it were extraordinary and spirited. Next to the carriage stood several attendants, all of whom were upright and energetic, clearly well-trained.

Upon seeing Jiang Li emerge, one of the attendants stepped forward and respectfully bowed, saying,"Master Jiang, the princess instructed us to wait here. Please board the carriage; the princess is waiting for you at the mansion to travel together to the venue of the competition."

Jiang Li nodded slightly, expressed his gratitude, and then boarded the carriage.

The interior of the carriage was arranged with great comfort, featuring soft cushions, exquisite curtains, and some delicate ornaments, all of which highlighted the luxury of the princess's mansion. Sitting inside the carriage, Jiang Li closed his eyes slightly to rest, contemplating the upcoming competition in his mind.

Although he had agreed to help Princess Le'an, his opponent, Wei Wanrou, was the daughter of the Prime Minister and her reputation as a talented woman in the capital was not unfounded. She was likely proficient in music, chess, calligraphy, painting, as well as poetry and song, making this competition far from easy.

However, Jiang Li was not intimidated. He had been diligently practicing his martial arts and had not neglected his studies, so he had some confidence in his own abilities.

Before long, the carriage slowly came to a stop in front of the Listening to Snow Pavilion.

The Listening to Snow Pavilion was a restaurant and also a place where literati often gathered, known for its elegant atmosphere.

An attendant lifted the carriage curtain, and Jiang Li stepped out to see Princess Le'an already waiting at the entrance.

Today, Princess Le'an was dressed in a gorgeous pink long gown, adorned with jewels and jade, looking exceptionally delicate and charming. Upon seeing Jiang Li, her eyes lit up, and she immediately greeted him.

"Brother Jiang Li, you're here at last, I've been waiting so eagerly!" Princess Le'an said with a beaming smile.

Jiang Li smiled slightly and replied,"I apologize for keeping the princess waiting. I'm grateful for the princess sending someone to fetch me; otherwise, I might have had trouble getting away."

Princess Le'an caught the implication in Jiang Li's words, furrowing her brows as she asked,"What's going on? Has someone been bullying you? Tell me, and I'll help you get even!"

Jiang Li waved his hand and said,"It's just a minor matter, not worth mentioning. Your Highness, there's no need to concern yourself with it. Let's focus on preparing for the competition first, as that is the priority."

Although curious, Princess Le'an did not press further when she saw that Jiang Li was unwilling to elaborate.

She took Jiang Li's arm and said,"Alright then, Brother Jiang Li, let's go inside. Today's competition is quite a spectacle, with many literati, scholars, and noble offspring coming to watch. But that Wei Wanrou hasn't arrived yet, hmph!"

Jiang Li followed Princess Le'an into the Listening to Snow Pavilion, and as soon as they stepped inside, they could feel the lively atmosphere.

The hall was filled with several tables and chairs, already occupied by a crowd of people who were either conversing in hushed tones or enjoying tea and alcohol, their gazes occasionally drifting towards the central competition area.

The competition area was set in the middle of the hall, slightly separated from the rest by screens, with exquisite carpets laid on the floor and various instruments needed for music, chess, calligraphy, and painting arranged on them.

As soon as Jiang Li and Princess Le'an made their appearance, they attracted the attention of many.

"Ah, isn't that Princess Le'an? She's truly radiant today," someone remarked.

"Who is the person next to her? A unfamiliar face, he looks dignified, but his attire is quite ordinary, doesn't seem like a noble's offspring," another person commented.

The murmurs of the crowd reached Jiang Li's ears, but he remained composed, following Princess Le'an to a private box on the second floor.

As they pushed open the door, there were already several people inside, mostly engaged in tea tasting and discussions. The action of opening the door drew the attention of everyone present.

Princess Le'an clapped her hands to get everyone's attention:"Ladies and gentlemen, I've brought in a strong ally this time. He is the fifth young master of the Duke of An's mansion. With him on our side, I'm confident we'll win this competition."

Le'an didn't explicitly mention that Jiang Li was the prodigy who had briefly captivated the capital with his talents five years ago.

Everyone stood up to welcome Jiang Li, and Le'an introduced them one by one:"This is the third young master of the Ministry of Revenue's family—Lin Anran, this is the second miss of the Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Justice's family—Zhuang Ziyan, and this is the fourth young master of the General's family—Cao Zi'ang, and..."

Jiang Li greeted each of them in turn. Although some of them appeared to be carefree and unrestrained, they were all well-dressed and full of energy.

From their posture and aura, it was evident that these individuals were cultivators. Although he didn't know them personally, he had heard of them.

They all had one thing in common: their reputations were not the best, often associated with rumors that they brought disgrace to their status.

However, with Princess Le'an as a precedent, he would no longer judge people by rumors. A sage once said:

"Practice is the sole criterion for testing truth."

The crowd did not display any contempt because of Jiang Li's simple attire, nor did they fawn over him just because he was the son of the Duke of An. They all treated Jiang Li with the proper etiquette customary among scholars.

Zhuang Ziyan pulled Le'an aside and quietly asked,"Is this the helper you've found? Is he really up to the task? We can't just bring someone in because of their impressive status; we need real strength."

Upon hearing this, Princess Le'an immediately widened her eyes and assured her,"Sister Ziyan, trust me, don't underestimate Brother Jiang Li! He's incredibly capable, and his knowledge is top-notch. He will definitely help us win this competition and leave Wei Wanrou and her group without a trace."

At that moment, the door to the box opened again, and two people entered.

"Brother Jiang!"

Without turning around, Jiang Li already knew who had arrived.

"Brother Yun, it's been a while."

All eyes turned to the entrance as a young man dressed in a green robe entered, exuding an elegant scholar's aura and a warm smile that made him seem like a piece of jade with a gentle luster— it was Yun Tian.

Yun Tian strode forward and clapped Jiang Li on the shoulder vigorously, saying,"Brother Jiang, it's been a long time! I didn't expect to see you here today. I always praise you in front of Le'an, and it turns out I really did bring you here!"

Jiang Li also laughed and replied,"Brother Yun, it indeed has been a long time. Since you speak so highly of me, I couldn't very well let you down, now could I?"

Everyone was surprised that Jiang Li knew the second prince of Yunhai Kingdom and, more importantly, seemed to have a good relationship with him. Although Prince Yun Tian was in Dahan to study, he was also a well-traveled and eloquent individual. The fact that he treated Jiang Li with such respect suggested that Jiang Li must have his own exceptional qualities.

It happened to be noon, and everyone chatted while they ate, with Jiang Li becoming more familiar with them and discussing the content of the upcoming competition.

After finishing their meal, it was almost time for the competition, and everyone left the private box, preparing to confront Wei Wanrou and her group.

However, even though the time had arrived, they had not yet made an appearance, and Princess Le'an was growing impatient.

"What's the deal? This woman is late again. I can let past things go, but this time she's really pushing it! Is there no end to this?"

[Again?]

Jiang Li picked up on the keyword, realizing that this woman indeed was not as rumored, and punctuality is a fundamental quality of a well-bred individual.