Comprehending Myriad Techniques as Woodcutter

"Sister Qin, you’re finally here!"

"Greetings, Your Highness the Crown Prince."

Situ Qin gave a slight curtsy.

Situ Qin had already told Xie Yuan that the host of this banquet was the Crown Prince of Prince Cloud Mountain, Xue Yanwen—the very man standing before them.

"Sister Qin, why be so formal with me? Heh, and you’ve brought a friend today?"

Xue Yanwen waved his hand dismissively, then his gaze shifted to Xie Yuan, a hint of scrutiny in his eyes.

His eyes were slightly downcast, yet his presence was formidable, naturally carrying the air of a superior.

Xie Yuan bowed and said, neither servile nor overbearing:

"I am Xie Yuan, an Escort Master from the Longteng Escort Agency in Yunzhao County. It is an honor to meet Your Highness the Crown Prince."

’An Escort Agency’s Master?’

Xue Yanwen was rather surprised.

Seeing Xie Yuan’s refined bearing and disposition, he had assumed he was a young master from some family he didn’t recognize. But it turned out he was just a common escort?

’With Situ Qin’s status, how could she be friends with someone like him?’

Though a myriad of thoughts flashed through his mind, Xue Yanwen’s expression remained impassive as he smiled.

"All who come are guests. Please, come in!"

Xie Yuan and Situ Qin followed Xue Yanwen into the manor and entered the grand banquet hall at its center.

The hall was already filled with many young men and women, all dressed in lavish attire and carrying themselves with an air of distinction.

When they saw Situ Qin enter, they all greeted her one after another, but their gazes inadvertently drifted to Xie Yuan, who had clearly arrived with her.

The young ladies’ eyes lit up when they saw Xie Yuan, while many of the young masters harbored a hidden hostility.

Xie Yuan’s expression was serene as he and Situ Qin took their seats at the guest of honor’s table. Before each person was a low table set with jade plates of fruit, glazed wine cups, and gold and silver tableware.

Once everyone was seated, Xue Yanwen clapped his hands, signaling for silence.

"Thank you all for gracing us with your presence at the banquet hosted by this Crown Prince..."

After a few pleasantries, he clapped his hands again, and the music of strings and bamboo immediately began to play.

A troupe of dancing girls entered and began to dance gracefully in the center, while serving maids filed in, carrying all sorts of delicacies.

"Sea cucumber, shark fin, and fish maw; leopard’s gall and bear’s heart..."

Watching the rare dishes being served one by one, a portion for each person, even Xie Yuan, whose will grew stronger by the day, couldn’t help but marvel at the extravagance of the second-generation elites.

"That’s the son of the Salt and Iron Transport Commissioner... That’s Peng Wei, the younger son of the Inspector General...

"That tall one is Du Jian, the son of the Governor-General of Yunzhou. He’s on the Hidden Dragon List, but only at number seventy-two, hehe. The one next to him is his sister."

While enjoying the music and dance, Situ Qin quietly introduced the guests to Xie Yuan.

Xie Yuan couldn’t help but take a second look at the burly, broad-shouldered man.

Although the man had a full beard, his features still appeared youthful.

’The Hidden Dragon List... that means he’s at least at the Qi Blood Second Transformation...’

Xie Yuan glanced at the large man, then nonchalantly swept his gaze across the other young people in the hall.

The fathers of these people, gathered together, controlled ninety-nine percent of the power in Yunzhou.

At a gathering of Yunzhou’s highest-level elites, Xie Yuan felt rather out of place.

In his previous life, as a mere university student, he probably would have been sitting on pins and needles. But despite having transmigrated only half a year ago, he had already experienced more than he had in the previous twenty uneventful years.

Having faced death several times and fought in one bloody battle after another, Xie Yuan’s will was no longer that of the student he once was.

Even though many were secretly sizing him up, he remained perfectly at ease, content to listen to the music, watch the dance, and enjoy the fine food.

"Miss Qin wasn’t wrong. This stuff looks weird, but it’s actually pretty good,"

he said in a low voice.

Situ Qin beamed.

"I told you so!"

Seeing Situ Qin and Xie Yuan laughing and talking so freely, countless people in the hall exchanged glances, all somewhat astonished as they secretly tried to guess Xie Yuan’s identity.

After one dance concluded, the guests began to toast each other. Aside from the host, Xue Yanwen, Situ Qin naturally received the most toasts.

Just then, someone finally spoke up:

"Miss Qin, who is this friend of yours? Why not introduce him?"

"This is Master Xie Yuan, an Escort Master."

Situ Qin looked at the man and said curtly.

"Master Xie? Oh... which Escort Agency is that? I was just drinking with the young masters of the Feihu and Yunyang agencies not long ago,"

the young master continued.

The Feihu and Yunyang Escort Agencies were the two largest in Yunzhou Prefecture. They were extremely powerful, with business spanning the entire territory of the Great Li Dynasty.

Xie Yuan looked at the slightly drunk, silk-clad young master, remembering his name was Peng Wei.

He shook his head.

"It’s neither of those. It’s the Longteng Escort Agency from Yunzhao County."

"Yunzhao County? Longteng Escort Agency?"

Peng Wei furrowed his brow, thought for a moment, then curled his lip.

"Never heard of it. Forgive my ignorance. Master Xie, may I ask about your background?"

"I have no notable background. I grew up in a small mountain village under Yunzhao’s jurisdiction. The agency only operates in a few counties in northern Yunzhou, so it’s normal that Young Master Peng hasn’t heard of it,"

Xie Yuan said calmly.

’A small mountain village?’

The expressions of the surrounding guests, who had been eavesdropping, turned strange.

Peng Wei’s expression became even more exaggerated. He looked Xie Yuan up and down, his tone dripping with insinuation.

"Master Xie, you... a mere commoner. How did you come to know Miss Qin?"

"Peng Wei, are my friends any of your business?"

Situ Qin suddenly spoke, silencing the surrounding area.

Peng Wei sobered up instantly, a hint of embarrassment on his face.

"That’s not what I meant..."

"Then it’s for the best,"

Situ Qin said coolly.

Having been rebuffed, Peng Wei coughed twice and scurried off to the side.

The banquet continued with lively toasts and drinks.

Although many were curious, they were deterred by Situ Qin’s attitude and hesitated to approach Xie Yuan. His common status, combined with his ambiguous relationship with her, made the naturally aristocratic youths feel a mixture of superiority and jealousy, leaving them with no desire to engage with him.

Situ Qin was soon pulled away by her female companions to the garden to whisper secrets, leaving Xie Yuan alone, seeming to drift apart from the rest of the banquet.