Chapter 179

Chapter 179: Thankfully, We Didn’t Offend the Qin Family

Within the vast Empire, the Chen family was considered a first-rate aristocratic family.

They had deep roots in Anxi Province, with an extensive lineage of five generations of governors and over a dozen provincial councilors—all rising from their ranks.

The Imperial Ministry of Internal Affairs was a department of real power.

Unlike some governors who were transferred to watered-down agencies like the Ministry of Water Resources or the Department of Labor, positions that held rank but little authority, the Minister of Internal Affairs wielded genuine influence.

Thus, Chen Qishan, the newly appointed Minister of Internal Affairs, was set to play a crucial role in the Empire.

Yet, despite their status, there were still powers within the Empire that the Chen family could not afford to provoke.

Among them, the Qin family was the one they feared the most.

The middle-aged butler, Kang Hui, was a cautious man. That was why Chen Qishan had handpicked him to serve as Chen Liu’s personal butler.

And now—he had recognized Qin Xian. The sole heir of the Qin family, the only son of Qin Ming—the ruler of the Empire!

Kang Hui’s face immediately paled.

He had always heard that the Imperial Capital was treacherous, filled with countless high-ranking officials, where even an unassuming man on the street might turn out to be the head of a powerful department.

At first, he thought this was an exaggeration. But now—he realized how frighteningly true it was.

A mere female celebrity turned out to be backed by the Qin family’s eldest young master!

Initially, Kang Hui hadn’t cared much for Su Keqing. Even though she was the hottest star in the Empire, in the eyes of true aristocratic families, even the most famous celebrity was just an entertainer—a mere performer.

If necessary, a simple flick of their fingers could send such people into ruin and despair.

So when Chen Liu developed an interest in Su Keqing, Kang Hui hadn’t thought much of it.

After all, how difficult could it be to acquire an actress? If she didn’t know her place, a small lesson would be enough to make her recognize reality.

But never in his wildest dreams did Kang Hui expect that Su Keqing was backed by the Qin family!

At that moment, Kang Hui finally understood everything.

It wasn’t that Su Keqing had strong connections within the Imperial Ministry of Culture and Entertainment.

It was the Ministry itself that was trying to please her!

Meanwhile, Chen Liu still hadn’t grasped the situation. With a cold expression, he glared at Qin Xian, his heart filled with resentment and hostility.

Especially after seeing Su Keqing’s intimate behavior with Qin Xian. His jealousy was reaching a boiling point!

That man… was he really Su Keqing’s boyfriend?!

Yet, despite his frustration, Chen Liu had no intention of abusing his status or forcing Su Keqing into submission.

He was a true believer in pure love—he wanted a fair competition! Just as he was about to say something, Kang Hui grabbed him firmly.

Chen Liu turned in displeasure, frowning at Kang Hui’s serious expression.

But Kang Hui tightened his grip and said in a low, urgent voice, “Young Master, we need to leave. Now.”

Qin Xian, on the other hand, didn’t even spare Chen Liu a glance. Surrounded by his entourage, he simply turned and walked away with Su Keqing at his side.

To him, whether it was Chen Liu or anyone else—They were all nothing more than clowns dancing for his amusement.

They weren’t even worth dealing with personally. After all, there were plenty of people willing to take care of such matters for him…

Once Qin Xian and Su Keqing left, Chen Liu finally turned to Kang Hui, frustration evident in his voice, “Why did you stop me just now?”

Kang Hui’s face was deathly pale, “Young Master, you just caused serious trouble.”

Chen Liu froze, “Trouble? What trouble?”

He had been careful ever since arriving in the Imperial Capital, keeping a low profile aside from pursuing Su Keqing.

He hadn’t offended anyone. And besides—with his status, who could he possibly offend?

Kang Hui’s voice deepened, “That man is Qin Xian—the eldest young master of the Qin family.”

“Qin Xian?!” Chen Liu’s face changed instantly.

He couldn’t believe it. Of course, he had heard of Qin Xian’s name before.

“Su Keqing is Qin Xian’s girlfriend?”

Kang Hui didn’t even know what to say. To him, Su Keqing was just an entertainer—how could she possibly be Qin Xian’s actual girlfriend? She was probably just one of his playthings.

But Kang Hui simply shook his head and said, “Young Master, whether you ‘did anything’ or not doesn’t matter.”

“In the Imperial Capital, offending someone isn’t always up to you to decide.”

Kang Hui knew—this needed to be reported to the Chen family’s patriarch immediately.

What worried him even more was the obvious longing still visible on Chen Liu’s face. That was bad news for the Chen family…

Meanwhile, at the Imperial Cardinal Council…

Inside the halls of the Empire’s highest authority, Chen Qishan, Minister of Internal Affairs, had been waiting for over twenty minutes.

Finally, he was granted an audience with Qin Ming.

The two spoke in private for nearly fifteen minutes before Chen Qishan was dismissed.

At that moment, his official appointment was finalized. Now, with the Imperial Cardinal Council’s approval, he was officially the highest authority within the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

Leaving the place, Chen Qishan boarded his personal vehicle, exhaling deeply. The tension in his expression eased slightly, though his sharp eyes remained vigilant.

Despite his white hair and near-century-old age, his mind was still razor-sharp.

His eyes narrowed in deep thought. Then, he turned to his secretary and said in a low, firm voice, “Restructure the Internal Affairs Department.”

“Also, notify Anxi Province—I need more reliable people sent here.”

Even though he had just arrived in the Imperial Capital and hadn’t even officially taken office,

someone was already trying to undermine him.

Qin Ming’s meeting had been scheduled for 6:15 PM. Yet, the Internal Affairs Department had deliberately told him 7:15 PM!

Had he not been cautious—had he not personally double-checked the time through his trusted secretary from Anxi—

He would have kept Qin Ming waiting for an hour. And that would have offended the Qin family!

There was no way this had been an accident. Someone had orchestrated this—someone was trying to sabotage him.

After all, Imperial power struggles were like a deadly chessboard.

As soon as he took this position, he had blocked someone else’s path—and that person was now his enemy.

Chen Qishan pinched the bridge of his nose, feeling a rare moment of exhaustion. Even for an old fox like him—navigating the Imperial Capital was exhausting.

Here, every step was dangerous. Every move felt like walking on a tightrope over a pit of knives.

But thankfully, he avoided disaster today.

By arriving half an hour early, he had avoided offending the Qin family—and survived another day in the Imperial Capital.