Chapter 784: Not Bothered with His Nonsense

"So, it wasn’t Old Prince Feng who ordered this after all," Gu Shuo sneered.

"I am a dignified prince. I would never do such a thing."

"Oh, so it wasn’t you?" Gu Shuo’s gaze fell on the mob of vandals. "You people..."

Old Prince Feng, sensing Gu Shuo’s intention, spoke first. "Now, why don’t you all explain why you vandalized the port?"

The people looked at one another...

How were they supposed to answer?

They were all uneducated folk from remote villages and, for a moment, couldn’t grasp what Old Prince Feng was getting at.

The butler’s eyes shifted, and he walked over. "The Old Prince is asking you a question. Speak up! Why did you vandalize the port?"

"Er... Butler, wasn’t it you who..."

"The Old Prince has already agreed to pay for the damage you caused, so stop trying to drag him into this. Just answer truthfully—did you vandalize the port because you’re unhappy with Boss Gu?" The butler stared at the men in front. With his head lowered so others couldn’t see, his eyes were practically bulging from their sockets.

The men at the front met his murderous gaze and ferocious expression, and they instinctively shrank back.

"Y-Yes... Yes, yes."

"Yes, we were unhappy with Boss Gu... so we vandalized the port."

"For the Prince’s birthday banquet, Immortal Sea Building refused to let His Highness hold it there. It’s infuriating!"

"That’s right! The Prince is a great hero of Nanyuan. Gu Shuo earns his fortune in Nanyuan, yet he shows no respect for the Old Prince. We won’t stand for it!"

Once the first person spoke, the others gradually chimed in.

Soon enough, they all caught on, raising their hands to shower him with flattery and profess their loyalty.

Only then did the butler straighten up, satisfied. "Your Highness, they have all confessed."

Old Prince Feng clearly enjoyed such adulation. He raised an eyebrow at Gu Shuo. "Boss Gu, you heard all that, didn’t you?"

"Heh." Gu Shuo returned a cold scoff.

’Such silver-tongued flattery.’

’Playing the whore yet still wanting a monument to his virtue.’

’Anyone with eyes could see right through it.’

’And yet he was completely immersed in it. What was there to say?’

"Boss Gu, how can you be so rude to the Old Prince?"

"Nanyuan must have been blind to sign a contract with you in the first place."

"All merchants are treacherous..."

Knowing that Old Prince Feng was paying for the damages, the people of Nanyuan grew even more defensive of him.

Old Prince Feng raised his hands to quiet the crowd. "I am aware of everyone’s loyalty to Nanyuan. As for what Boss Gu has done... I am a member of the Imperial Family. I will not stoop to the level of squabbling with a mere merchant. Rest assured, I have already sent someone to fetch the money for the damage to the port. You may all return to your homes now."

In that moment, the people of Dayu City felt their Prince was a god—

"Thank you, Your Highness! Thank you, Your Highness..."

"Thank you, Your Highness..."

The crowd kowtowed repeatedly. Then they rose, grabbed the makeshift weapons they had used for the vandalism, and fled the scene as if escaping.

Old Prince Feng managed to regain some of his dignity amidst the adulation. As the crowd departed, he scanned over them, quite satisfied with the outcome.

"Boss Gu..."

"Your Highness need not say more. The Dayu City port is damaged, so ships cannot dock and seafood cannot be shipped for the time being. Since this is the fault of Nanyuan’s people, please inform the fish farmers that all trade in aquatic products will be suspended for the next half-month." Gu Shuo cut him off, not bothering to listen to his nonsense. "When the money arrives, give it to Luo Feng. I have other matters to attend to, so I’ll be leaving."

Just as Old Prince Feng was about to gloat, Gu Shuo finished his piece and turned to leave.

He fumed inwardly, making a mental note. ’Once the Four Countries Chamber of Commerce meeting is over and he loses Nanyuan’s business, we’ll see what he has left to be so arrogant about.’