"Then thank you, City Lord," Ye Tian said with a faint smile. "Are those your attendants? Why don't they join us for a drink? It doesn't seem right for them to just stand there."
"That won't be necessary for them," City Lord Xue Jinshan said with a smile, his eyes ceaselessly sizing up Ye Tian and Zhang Xinlan. "I ca today specifically to get acquainted with you two. We've been talking for so ti, yet I still don't know your na or where you're from, young man."
"City Lord, let's toast before we talk!" Ye Tian said. "Since you're being so sincere, allow to drink first to show my respect." After speaking, he raised his wine cup and drained it in one gulp.
When City Lord Xue Jinshan heard this, he felt too embarrassed to refuse. He also raised his wine cup, preparing to drink. Just as the cup touched his lips, the shopkeeper shouted,
"City Lord, don't drink it! There's poison in the wine!"
But it was too late. As he was speaking, the poisoned wine had already been swallowed. His words, however, struck the restaurant like a clap of thunder on a clear day. Instantly, all the patrons stopped what they were doing.
First, it was because the shopkeeper had addressed the man as "City Lord." Very few people had ever seen the City Lord of Wei City, as he usually remained in the City Lord's Mansion and rarely went out. His appearance in this restaurant was naturally shocking.
Second, there was the claim that the wine was poisoned. Soone actually dared to try and poison the City Lord right here? It was an act of audacious insanity; they must have a death wish. Every gaze landed on Ye Tian and Zhang Xinlan.
There was one more point: how did the shopkeeper know there was poison in the wine? 'Could he have been the one to poison it?' 'He actually put poison in the wine?' The patrons had all drunk quite a bit. 'Does that an we're all poisoned too?'
In an instant, everyone's expression turned ugly. They all wanted to demand an explanation from this shopkeeper. If the City Lord hadn't been here, they would have surely wrecked the restaurant. For now, all they could do was watch and see how the City Lord would handle the matter.
"What did you say? This wine is poisoned?" The City Lord's face flashed with anger. "Just who are you, and why would you poison , the City Lord?" An aura befitting a powerful expert erupted from his body and bore down on Ye Tian.
Ye Tian, however, just gave a faint smile. "City Lord, you must be mistaken. I have no idea whether there's poison in this wine. Didn't you see drink it just now? Besides, I had absolutely no idea the City Lord was planning to join for a drink. Or do you think I can predict the future?"
"Since that shopkeeper knew there was poison in this wine, doesn't that an he was the one trying to poison ? Your arrival is quite fortunate, City Lord. Shouldn't you uphold justice for ? And who's to say whether the other guests' wine is poisoned?"
At that mont, the shopkeeper ran over, his expression unsightly. He took a porcelain vial from within his robes and said to the City Lord, "City Lord, don't listen to his nonsense. How could I possibly poison my own guests? When you entered, I personally saw him drop a pill into the wine pot. That's why I said there was poison in the wine."
"This porcelain vial contains my restaurant's antidote. It can neutralize most common poisons. You should take one first, to avoid any harm to your esteed self!"
"Hahahaha! How absurd! You dare to slander in front of the City Lord? When did I poison anything? Don't spout such baseless accusations! If this is because I gave you a hard ti when I first entered the restaurant, then I could almost understand. But if that's not the reason for you slandering , then I will demand an explanation."
"If this isn't handled properly, you can forget about keeping this restaurant open. Weren't you asking about my identity? I'll tell you all: my surna is Long. Is that na enough for you?" Ye Tian imdiately shot to his feet, his voice laced with anger.
"Your surna is Long? You said your surna is Long?" The City Lord's expression suddenly grew tense, as if he had just thought of sothing.
"City Lord Xue, wasn't it? I'd like to ask how you intend to handle this matter! If I don't get a reasonable explanation, forget this Xiangmantang—I'll turn this entire Wei City upside down. And you can forget about being the City Lord anymore!" Ye Tian said.
"What audacity! To dare and use poison!" Zhang Xinlan interjected. "Imperial Brother, we must tell the Emperor and have them all put to death!" Inwardly, however, she nearly burst out laughing.
'Since things had already happened, why not blow it up even bigger?' she thought. 'In any case, they were thousands of miles from the Imperial City. No one here could possibly know their real identities.'
Upon hearing Zhang Xinlan's words, the City Lord's face turned ashen. He never imagined they were actually a Prince and Princess traveling incognito. This situation had just blown up.
"This humble official was unaware of the arrival of the Prince and Princess! Please, Your Highnesses, forgive ! I have been derelict in my duty to protect you! I have been derelict in my duty to protect you!" Xue Jinshan said, hastily dropping to his knees.
The shopkeeper, anwhile, was dumbstruck. 'How could I have done sothing so foolish?' He could only kneel on the ground, not daring to make a sound.
When the other patrons heard that Ye Tian and his companion were a Prince and Princess, they too fell to their knees in obeisance. The scene suddenly beca quite comical. The corners of Ye Tian and Zhang Xinlan's mouths nearly twitched into smiles. It felt pretty good to have thoroughly duped these people.
"Get the antidote and give it to the Prince, now! Do you have a death wish? You might want to die, but I certainly don't!" Xue Jinshan said to the shopkeeper, his voice and expression severe.
The shopkeeper replied helplessly, "The antidote is in your hands! If anyone's going to give it to him, it has to be you!"
"All of you, rise," Ye Tian announced. "The Princess and I are traveling incognito through Wei City to see for ourselves if you oppress the common folk. I now have a clear understanding of the situation! As for this antidote, it is not needed. I have an Elixir that can neutralize ten thousand poisons!"
After saying this, he took a white Elixir from his Storage Ring and swallowed it. Of course, this wasn't an antidote Elixir at all, but a healing Elixir. It was, however, more than enough to fool these people.
"Your Highness is a man of great magnanimity. Please forgive this humble official's offense," Xue Jinshan said in a groveling tone. "For this shopkeeper to dare poison a Prince and Princess, death would be too good for him. I implore Your Highness, on account of my ignorance in this matter, to spare !"
"Since the City Lord has said as much, I won't pursue the matter any further," Ye Tian said nonchalantly. "As for that shopkeeper... just cripple his cultivation and expel him from Wei City."
Upon hearing Ye Tian's verdict, the shopkeeper was utterly dumbfounded. He was a Martial Artist at the Four Veins level. If his cultivation were to be crippled, it would be tantamount to ending his life.
He shot to his feet and confronted Ye Tian. "You say you're a Prince? Then what proof do you have? Take out your Prince's Token and let us all see it! What if you're an impostor? I refuse to die without knowing the truth!"
His words were like a single stone stirring a thousand waves. Just monts before, everyone had been convinced, but now they all looked at Ye Tian with doubt in their eyes. Many even began to whisper among themselves, wanting Ye Tian to take out the supposed Token that represented his status as a Prince for everyone to see.
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