The Celebration Begins

"Why should I bow if he can't even see me?" Magnus asked, as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

"But… but he is the Peers King."

"I know…"

"Then how can you dare not to pay respects?"

"Ha... I brought gifts to enjoy the banquet, not to kneel and bow," Magnus replied casually.

Jeam Yew, bewildered by Magnus's audacity, tried to reason with him, "Brother Wei, the King is a war hero of Fengyun Kingdom. He has quelled rebellions and brought peace. We owe our prosperity to him. You should bow in respect."

Magnus just scoffed, "Bow to him? He doesn't deserve it!" Under his breath, he added, "At least, he doesn't deserve to be called a father."

Jeam Yew, startled by Magnus's bold declaration, almost dropped his wine glass, spilling its contents. Frantically, he tried to silence Magnus, "Brother Wei, you mustn't speak so recklessly. This is the royal estate!"

Magnus remained calm, gesturing for Jeam Yew to relax, "It's fine. Just feel at home."

In contrast to Jeam Yew's panic, Magnus seemed unfazed. Jeam Yew couldn't help but think, "Treating this place like home? This is the Peers King's estate, not ours."

"Anyway," Jeam Yew continued, "The man with the high stature and silver hair is Wan Bing, the current Marshal of Fengyun Kingdom. He and Jie Jing, the Prime Minister, represent the leading figures in Fengyun's civil and military sectors. Their presence here, alongside the Crown Prince and Princess, to celebrate the Peers King's birthday, speaks volumes of the Emperor's esteem and trust in his brother."

The significance of these high-ranking officials' presence at the birthday celebration underscored the special relationship between the Peers King and the Emperor, defying the traditional restrictions on interactions between royal family members and powerful ministers.

In addition to the distinguished guests, the nine most powerful county governors from the seventeen northwestern counties were seated at the lower end of the banquet hall. They marveled at the changes in the Crown Prince after his visit to Silver City three years ago. "Your Highness, ever since the Crown Prince returned from Silver City, he's been like a changed person. Not only has his temperament mellowed, but his mindset has also become much more peaceful. It seems your words have had more impact on him than my ten years of teaching," one of them remarked.

William Wong, the current Prime Minister, had a history of academic excellence, having progressed from local to imperial examinations. If not for the emergence of Shangguan Yunde, who snatched the top position in the final exam, Wang might have achieved the rare feat of topping three successive exams, a regret he still harbored.

Now a Prime Minister, he had surpassed Right Minister Shangguan Yunde in rank. Appointed as the Imperial Tutor to the Crown Prince ten years ago, he was responsible for educating the Crown Prince in etiquette and statecraft. In public, their relationship was that of minister and prince, but privately, they were teacher and student.

Initially, Wang found his student to be arrogant and dismissive, seemingly unchangeable despite his efforts. However, following the Crown Prince's trip to Silver City to celebrate the Peers King's birthday three years ago, something changed. The Crown Prince took a hiatus from his studies in the Eastern Palace, causing Wang some concern. Unexpectedly, one day, the Crown Prince visited Wang, inviting him back to resume teaching with great respect and humility.

Initially, Wang was puzzled by the sudden change in the Crown Prince's behavior, suspecting it was a facade to avoid complaints to the Emperor. To his surprise, this 'act' never ceased.

The Crown Prince, after his trip to Silver City, had seemingly transformed into a completely different person. This change, to this day, still amazed William Wong.