162: showdown

Although Geng Yun's attitude toward Long Yuan had already changed significantly after receiving guidance from Qi Huaiyi, he still hadn't made that identity clear when facing Long Yuan because he hadn't yet confirmed Long Yuan's true identity. His attitude remained neither humble nor arrogant, maintaining the posture an official should have.

But... ever since Zhu Nan called him to investigate the whereabouts of Dragon Snow and her son, and subsequently, he learned the truth and finally confirmed that Long Yuan was the ninth son of Prince Fu, this thin layer of identity was finally punctured. Now, he naturally displayed the attitude a grassroots official should have when facing a direct Imperial Grandson, being extremely respectful and not daring to show the slightest neglect!

As he sat beside Long Yuan and observed him secretly, he found that Long Yuan's temperament seemed to have undergone a huge transformation, which was very different from the impression of a sunny youth he had given before. How should he put it? If he felt Long Yuan was an extremely pure young student when he saw him not long ago, now he seemed like a different person. Although the youth was still the same youth, what emanated from him was a feeling that was slightly pressuring, yet as indifferent as a chrysanthemum and as refreshing as a spring breeze... "What's going on? Why does Long Yuan seem a bit unfamiliar now? Is this the Aura of a superior? Or is it his 'Noble Air' at work?" Geng Yun muttered in his heart. Thinking of the "Noble Air" issue Qi Huaiyi had mentioned to him before, he couldn't help but have a sudden realization. Yes, it must be the effect of the Noble Air on Long Yuan's body, making him appear to have added a certain temperament of a superior!

"As expected of someone with a dense Xuanhuang Bloodline... For Prince Fu to have such a Genius son is probably his greatest wealth!" Geng Yun sighed inwardly.

"Long Yuan, aren't you going to ask who the Distinguished Guest is that wants to see you?" Geng Yun asked curiously.

"I wonder who it is?" Long Yuan asked along.

"According to him, he's one of your relatives!" Geng Yun smiled mysteriously.

"My relative? Does he also have the surname Dragon?"

"His surname isn't Dragon, but rather..." Geng Yun pointed his finger toward the sky.

"Surname Shang? Or surname Tian?" Long Yuan asked.

Geng Yun shook his head and smiled: "Guess again..."

"Could it be... Zhu?!" Long Yuan said in "surprise."

"Smart!!!" Geng Yun praised.

"Since his surname is Zhu, then at most he is a distant relative of mine?"

"This... I expect so too, but the master behind him is likely someone very close to you..."

"Really? How come I didn't know?" Long Yuan feigned "surprise."

"Haha, you'll know when you see him! However, I'm sure you already have an idea in your heart by now, right?" Geng Yun laughed.

"Oh? What does the County Magistrate mean..."

"What I mean is that you don't need to hide it from me anymore, Ninth Young Master of the Prince Fus Mansion!!!" Geng Yun spoke plainly.

"Ah?!!! The County Magistrate wouldn't be mistaken, would he?!"

"Of course not! Your mother is Dragon Snow, the Side Consort of Prince Fu. She returned to our Fengyang more than ten years ago, and you came here with her! Dragon Snow unfortunately passed away less than three years after her return, and after you handled her funeral, you lived alone in Fengyang for many years until now..."

Faced with Geng Yun's direct showdown, Long Yuan thought for a moment and felt there was really no need to hide it anymore. Since he had already been exposed, continuing to hide it was meaningless and would only make people feel he was putting on an act. So he nodded and said, "I didn't expect the County Magistrate to have known about my situation for so long!"

"Haha, Ninth Young Master, please don't call me County Magistrate anymore in the future; just call me by my name!" Geng Yun said hurriedly upon seeing Long Yuan finally admit it.

"How can that be? The etiquette between elders and juniors is still necessary; how about I call you Uncle Geng?" Long Yuan said.

"That... works too... Additionally, I want to clarify one point: it wasn't that I wanted to investigate you, but rather Prince Fu himself who asked me to help him find the whereabouts of you mother and son. That's how I searched through all the records and discovered your secret..." Geng Yun said.

Long Yuan nodded and said, "It's fine! In fact, my mother and I left the Prince Fus Mansion long ago and are no different from ordinary people. This is also why I have been hiding this situation from the school..."

"Aha, an Imperial Grandson is an Imperial Grandson. Xuanhuang Bloodline flows in your veins; how can you be the same as ordinary people? Even if you want to be the same, others won't think the same as you!" Geng Yun laughed.

"There's nothing I can do if Uncle Geng says so, but I really did want to live a life like an ordinary person. Unfortunately, I was discovered by you... I wonder how Uncle Geng discovered this secret of mine?"

"Actually, the first one to discover your identity was Qi Huaiyi! When you came to the county office that night, he had already sensed the Xuanhuang Aura on you!" Geng Yun said.

"So that's how it is..." Long Yuan said "realizingly."

"Later, Zhu Nan, the steward of the Prince Fus Mansion, called on the orders of Prince Fu to ask me to help him check the whereabouts of you mother and son. I exhausted all efforts to search through various records and finally discovered that you are the person they are looking for! Now, this Eunuch Zhu is waiting for you at our county office Reception Office!" Geng Yun revealed the true identity of the "Distinguished Guest" Long Yuan was to meet this time.

"Oh? I wonder what that Eunuch Zhu wants with me? Didn't my mother and I leave the prince's residence long ago?"

"I'm not quite sure about that, but Eunuch Zhu is now waiting for you at the Reception Office within the County Government Building. I think he must have something important to discuss with you; it seems quite urgent..."

"Alright, thank you for telling me, Uncle Geng!"

"Haha, I thought I'd tell you first so you can be a bit prepared. Also, there's one more thing to inform you about..."

"What is it?"

"I have already reported the Evil Cult's intent to cause chaos to the Jianxuan Envoy Department and our Geng Family. Qi Team Leader and the others are expected to arrive in Fengyang tomorrow morning, and my father will arrive tonight. However, we have not received any new information from that mysterious person so far, and we don't know the current situation of the cultists..." Geng Yun said.

"Didn't that person say the cultists intend to act against the students of our Inter-school Competition? The Inter-school Competition is held Acquired. Even if there is news, it should be tomorrow or the day after, right?"

Geng Yun nodded and sighed, "So time is very tight. We still don't know what kind of actions those cultists will take. If we are under-prepared when the time comes, won't we be very passive?"

"Indeed!" Long Yuan agreed.

"Therefore, if you receive any information from that mysterious person, please forward it to me as soon as possible. Additionally, if there is no new information, I suggest you'd better not participate in the Inter-school Competition to avoid any accidents!" Geng Yun said.

"Alright... but the Inter-school Competition should be a good opportunity to lure out those cultists, and I am currently the Anchor of the school team. I'm afraid I can't not participate!"

"Anchor? No, I will talk to Principal Lu. Your precious, noble body cannot have the slightest accident!!!"

...