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“Your Majesty, you’ve misunderstood. You are the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen!” Oliver Sheng quickly switched to his charming persona.
“Really?”
Hazel Han looked at Oliver skeptically.
“Really, Your Majesty’s beauty is unparalleled, like a fish sinking in water, a bird falling from the sky, the moon hiding behind clouds, flowers closing in shame. You are naturally beautiful, with a face that could topple kingdoms, like a lotus emerging from water, truly enchanting…” Oliver rattled off a series of compliments.
“Stop, stop, that’s enough!” Hazel quickly interrupted.
Oliver’s barrage of praise made Hazel blush with embarrassment.
How could he be so good at this? Her heart was pounding, feeling like a deer caught in headlights.
Damn it, this guy must have deceived many innocent girls!
Hazel thought to herself.
Oliver finally breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed he couldn’t just casually recite poetry anymore. Seriously, he and the Empress had only met a few times, and she was already getting jealous. He was really in a pickle.
“Beloved Secretary Sheng, you wrote a poem for that Fox Demon, don’t you plan to write one for me?” Hazel’s eyes sparkled like blooming peach blossoms, her delicate face flawless, her beauty surpassing even that of Isla Su, the Fox Demon.
Oliver quickly shook his head and said, “Your Majesty, I don’t have any inspiration right now. I’ll write one for you when I do.”
“Hmph!”
Hazel snorted coldly, clearly displeased.
Sawyer Shangguan, Zane Wang, and the others lowered their heads, eating and drinking, not daring to look. Was this really something they could watch?
“What’s wrong with Her Majesty?” Xiao Chuyi whispered.
“How would I know!” Jade Han muttered.
“By the way, are you really planning to stay with the River West Army and not come back?” Jade asked.
“Yes, I think the River West Army is pretty good,” Xiao Chuyi replied.
“Let’s go, I have other matters to attend to,” Hazel stood up and left.
Oliver had no intention of asking her to stay: “Farewell, Your Majesty!”
He didn’t even bother to stand up.
Sawyer and the others quickly stood up: “Farewell, Your Majesty!”
Seeing Hazel leave, Jade had no choice but to quickly follow.
“General, I’ll head back too,” Xiao Chuyi said, taking her leave.
“As you wish!” Oliver waved his hand, indifferent.
After Empress Hazel and the others left, Oliver said, “Everyone, eat and drink to your heart’s content. Opportunities like this are rare. Once we’re back in the barracks, there won’t be any more chances.”
“General, what’s wrong with Her Majesty?” Zane asked cautiously.
“What’s wrong?” Oliver replied irritably.
Zane obediently shut his mouth, not daring to ask further, though his curiosity was burning.
“General, I plan to bring my parents over to stay at the Marquis’ residence for a few days, then take them with me to River West,” Sawyer said.
“Sure, make your own arrangements. The Marquis’ residence is spacious, with plenty of empty rooms,” Oliver nodded.
“Thank you, General!” Sawyer said happily.
Oliver waved his hand for Sawyer to sit down: “No need to thank me.”
“Come on, everyone, let’s drink,” Oliver raised his cup.
The personal guards raised their cups in unison and drank together.
After a night of revelry, everyone woke up around noon the next day.
Sawyer returned to the capital. He hadn’t been home for a long time. Yesterday, he was conferred the title of Viscount and appointed as Imperial General. Today, he returned home in glory.
He arrived alone at the Shangguan family mansion.
The gatekeeper saw him and immediately smiled.
“Young Master Sawyer is back!”
The entire Shangguan family knew that Sawyer had been conferred the title of Viscount of Wuxian by the Empress.
The head of the Shangguan family, Ulysses Shangguan, had already instructed that Sawyer’s branch be elevated to the main line.
Seeing the gatekeeper’s attitude, Sawyer was momentarily stunned, then a slight smile appeared on his lips.
How opportunistic. In the past, his status was no better than a servant’s, always entering through the back door. Now, these servants were calling him “Young Master.”
To him, this title was deeply ironic.
“I’m here to see my parents. Please inform them,” Sawyer said.
“No need, the family head has already instructed that Young Master Sawyer can enter directly,” a servant said ingratiatingly.
Since that was the case, Sawyer didn’t stand on ceremony and went straight into the Shangguan mansion to see his parents.
Today, he planned to take his parents away.
Now that he had been conferred the title of Viscount, he had the capital to establish a new branch of the Shangguan family.
He arrived at the small courtyard where his parents lived.
“Father, Mother, I’m back,” Sawyer called out.
“Sawyer is back,” a woman hurried out of the house upon hearing his voice.
“Mother!” Sawyer’s eyes welled up with tears upon seeing his mother.
A man in his forties, dressed in gray, came out of the house.
“Father!”
Oliver Shangguan looked at Sawyer, nodding with a smile, feeling very gratified.
He already knew about his son’s achievements. He was very proud that his son had done so well, surpassing him.
He himself had no abilities, being born of a concubine and a maid, looked down upon by others. Now, his son had finally made something of himself, better than his old man.
“Son, I have been unfilial, not being by your side all these years,” Sawyer said, kneeling down.
He had left nearly ten years ago, struggling alone in the borderlands until he chose to serve under Oliver Sheng.
“Get up, child. Your father and I are doing well. You don’t need to worry about us,” Xu Huiru quickly pulled her son up.
“Your mother and I are in good health. There’s no need for you to worry,” Oliver Shangguan said.
“Father, Mother, I came back to take you with me. Soon, we’ll be returning to the barracks with the General. I want you to come with me to River West,” Sawyer said directly.
“This!”
Oliver and Xu Huiru exchanged a glance.
“I heard our family’s prodigy has returned. Why wasn’t I informed?” Ulysses Shangguan’s voice rang out.
Seeing Ulysses enter the courtyard, Oliver quickly said, “Greetings, Family Head!”
Though they were cousins, with the same grandfather, one was born of the main line, the other of a concubine, making their statuses vastly different.
This was the way of great families, where the distinction between main and concubine lines was strictly observed.
Following Ulysses were several others, including Sawyer Shangguan.
“There’s no need for such formalities, Cousin Lin. I’m here to see Nephew Sawyer,” Ulysses said with a smile.
“What brings the Family Head here?” Sawyer asked.
“Why, won’t you call me Uncle?” Ulysses said, slightly displeased.
Sawyer shook his head, “Family Head, there is an order of precedence.”
“It seems you hold a grudge against the family. Though Fly Flow and the others were a bit harsh on you back then, it shouldn’t warrant such resentment. After all, the family raised you,” Ulysses frowned.
He was well aware of the main line’s attitude towards the concubine line over the years. But to him, these were minor issues. Even a country had internal strife; what was a little family squabble in comparison?
What great family didn’t have internal conflicts!
“Haha, don’t you find your words amusing, Family Head? Back then, when they oppressed and humiliated me, no one stood up for me. At that time, you didn’t say I was part of the Shangguan family. Now you want me to be magnanimous?” Sawyer laughed bitterly, pointing at Sawyer Shangguan and the others.
“You!”
Sawyer Shangguan and the others were displeased with Sawyer’s triumphant demeanor.
“What, did I say something wrong? Back then, you beat and kicked me at will, humiliated me, made me crawl through dog holes, stole my silver, made me steal a widow’s undergarments in West City, and then framed me, causing me to be punished. Didn’t you do all that?” Sawyer glared at them coldly.
And that was just part of it. He didn’t even want to mention the more egregious acts.
“Apologize to your cousin,” Ulysses ordered sternly.
“Sorry, Cousin,” they said reluctantly.
“No need, I can’t bear it. You are of the main line, noble and high-born. I am unworthy,” Sawyer refused their apology.
“Don’t be ungrateful!” Sawyer Shangguan glared at Sawyer.
A mere concubine-born, daring to show such attitude.
“Shut up!”
Ulysses scolded. These few were too unruly; it seemed they needed stricter discipline.
“Uncle!”
Shangguan Yancheng wanted to say something but shut his mouth under Ulysses’ glare.
“Our Shangguan family has stood for hundreds, even thousands of years. Only by staying united can we prosper.”
“Now that Nephew Sawyer has been conferred the title of Viscount, your branch will be elevated to the main line, enjoying the same privileges,” Ulysses said to Sawyer.
“No, Family Head, I came to take my parents away. Since you are here, I’ll say it directly: I want to take my parents and establish a new branch of the Shangguan family,” Sawyer said bluntly.
“Nephew Sawyer, this is inappropriate. You are trying to split the family!” Ulysses felt a surge of anger.
What, the grand Shangguan family can’t accommodate you?
You want to establish a new branch!
Wasn’t this saying he was failing to manage the family?
“Haha, what arrogance. Do you think you can establish a new branch of the Shangguan family?” Sawyer Shangguan and the others couldn’t help but mock.
Establishing a new branch wasn’t just about having a title. Without financial support and military backing, it was a pipe dream.
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