Chapter 203: The Unruly Crown Prince

Chapter 203: Chapter 203: The Unruly Crown Prince

A dozen or so house servants carried a canopied bed into the courtyard. The pale red drapes enveloped the entire bed, making it look like a small house.

"Mr. Chu, let your wife rest here for the time being. Come with me to see the Crown Prince," the lead official whispered to Chu Fan.

Chu Fan nodded. He helped Yun Xi inside the bed canopy and, after settling her in, followed the official toward a pavilion.

"This humble commoner pays his respects to Your Highness, the Crown Prince!"

Standing outside the pavilion, Chu Fan bowed to the Crown Prince with his fists cupped.

"How audacious! You see the Crown Prince and do not kneel?"

The maid kneeling before the Crown Prince rebuked Chu Fan.

Chu Fan ignored her, lowering his hands. He then sized up the Crown Prince with an air of composed dignity.

According to the etiquette of the Hua Xu Empire, a mere commoner like Chu Fan was not permitted to scrutinize the Crown Prince in such a manner.

The Crown Prince waved a dismissive hand at the maid and shifted his posture, still lounging on the long bench. As he moved, his already unfastened robes fell open, revealing most of his chest.

His gaze was electric as he, too, sized up Chu Fan.

"Quite young. After I heard about the incident at the inn last night, I thought about it all night. In the entire Central Domain, there are no great Noble Families named Chu. Among the three top-tier Sects, the sixteen Level 1 Sects, and the sixty-four Second-tier Sects, there are no famous disciples with the surname Chu, either. You said you’re an Independent Cultivator, and it appears that is the truth."

The Crown Prince’s voice was soft, as if he were musing aloud, but his true meaning was plain: he was curious about Chu Fan’s identity.

Chu Fan smiled faintly and said, "To answer Your Highness, my junior sister and I have served our master since childhood. This is the first time in over twenty years that we have descended the mountain. Our master is a man who loves his peace and quiet. If not for my junior sister’s illness, he would never have permitted us to leave."

"I see." The Crown Prince nodded, plucking a grape from the fruit platter held by the maid before him and popping it into his mouth.

"I hear you’re headed to the Hundred Flowers Valley?"

"Indeed."

"Chu Fan, you’re not being sincere at all. I am asking you with such candor, yet you haven’t spoken a single truthful word." A sharp glint suddenly flashed across the Crown Prince’s previously calm face.

Even with his Level 30 Spiritual Power, Chu Fan still felt immense pressure under the Crown Prince’s gaze.

’So this is his aura?’

’I’ve heard the Crown Prince of the Hua Xu Empire has held the title for decades. The aura he’s built up from so many years in power is truly extraordinary.’

"I don’t understand what Your Highness means."

"I see you’re a man of talent. Why not join my Chamberlain’s Office? With your Cultivation at your age, you could one day reach the highest ranks of the court." As the Crown Prince spoke, his gaze held an undisguised, sinister smile.

"Your Highness flatters me. I am just a humble Independent Cultivator, ignorant of etiquette and courtly manners. I’m used to a life of freedom. If I were to enter your service, I’m afraid I would only cause you trouble."

"Trouble? HAHAHA!" The Crown Prince stood up from the bench, shaking out his loose robes. He rubbed the short beard on his chin.

"I am the Crown Prince. More than that, I am the current Emperor’s only legitimate son. What trouble could you possibly cause that I couldn’t resolve?"

His words were arrogant, but he indeed had the right to be.

The Long Clan’s Royal Family had ruled the Hua Xu Empire for over ten thousand years; their power was deeply entrenched.

"My ambitions do not lie in such things. I only wish to live freely in the mountains, to seek the Way and pursue truth. Having my junior sister by my side is enough for me. Worldly power and wealth are not what I desire."

"One learns the arts of literature and war to serve the house of the Emperor. Don’t you understand this principle?"

"Your Highness, you jest. With your status, you need only say the word, and every capable person in the world would flock to you. I am a man of no talent or virtue. How could I possibly have caught Your Highness’s eye?" Chu Fan said, his tone self-deprecating.

"Interesting, very interesting. No wonder that girl is so fixated on him," the Crown Prince muttered softly.

Chu Fan heard the muttering but didn’t understand its meaning. Of course, not understanding was one thing, but he certainly couldn’t ask for clarification.

"You haven’t been in Hua Xu for long, so you don’t yet understand our Empire’s power and prosperity. I can understand your reluctance to join my Chamberlain’s Office. But what if I told you the current whereabouts of the Hundred Flowers Wanderer, Lao Yisheng, in exchange for you pledging your life to my service for ten years? What then would you choose?"

Hearing this, Chu Fan’s heart shuddered.

"Chu Fan, don’t!" From within the nearby bed canopy, Yun Xi’s voice suddenly called out.

Clearly, Yun Xi had heard every word of their conversation.

Chu Fan was naturally unwilling to pledge ten years of his life to this Crown Prince. For one, he knew nothing about the man’s character or methods.

Even if the Crown Prince were a paragon of virtue, a dragon among men, Chu Fan would still be unwilling to submit to anyone.

It was a matter of the pride he carried in his very bones.

’But what were ten years of service compared to Yun Xi’s life?’

In the end, it was Yun Xi who knew Chu Fan best.

Chu Fan thought he was hesitating, but in reality, his heart had already made its choice.

"I won’t make this difficult for you. I will tell you the Hundred Flowers Wanderer’s whereabouts. You can take your wife to see him, and only after he has successfully cured her illness do you need to come to the Eastern Palace to fulfill your promise. If the Hundred Flowers Wanderer cannot cure her, then we’ll treat this promise as a joke. Consider it my way of fostering some good karma. How about it?"

"Fine. I accept. It’s only ten years; they’ll pass in the blink of an eye," Chu Fan agreed at once.

The Crown Prince looked Chu Fan up and down, a smile in his eyes. He then produced a Silver Token. One side was engraved with a Four-Clawed Python Dragon, while the other had a single character: "Yao."

"Take this. It’s my token. With this, you can travel unimpeded throughout the Central Domain, save for the Palace City and the Emperor’s Traveling Palaces. Otherwise, once you pass He Yi State on your way to the Capital City, you’ll find it impossible to move a single step without a Passage Document."

The Crown Prince tossed the Silver Token to Chu Fan. As Chu Fan caught it, his confusion deepened. Yao was the Crown Prince’s given name.

The Crown Prince’s name was Long Jingyao, and the Four-Clawed Python Dragon was the symbol of his station.

’Why would he give this token to me?’

’Is it really some kind of protagonist plot armor? Did the Crown Prince just take a liking to me at first sight and decide he absolutely had to recruit me?’

’That’s ridiculous, isn’t it?’

There’s no such thing as a free lunch, and good things don’t just fall into your lap.

But regardless, so far, though the Crown Prince’s actions were eccentric, they had been consistently benevolent.

’How could I possibly refuse?’

"Thank you, Your Highness the Crown Prince!"

"I do not know the current whereabouts of the Hundred Flowers Wanderer, but he has an arrangement with the Palace Master of the Celestial Dao Palace to discuss the Dao on Laojun Mountain on the fifth day of the fifth month. Therefore, if you wish to see the Hundred Flowers Wanderer, you will certainly be able to find him if you can reach the Celestial Dao Palace before then."

It was currently the sixth day of the second month. That left almost three months until the fifth day of the fifth month. And even then, there would still be two months to spare before Yun Xi’s six-month deadline was up.

Therefore, he would have time to get to the Celestial Dao Palace and still attempt to comprehend the Supreme Dao.

Besides, with the Crown Prince Token, he could travel unimpeded and avoid a great deal of trouble.

Chu Fan himself had never expected things to go so smoothly.

As for what this Crown Prince, whom he was meeting for the first time, was truly plotting, Chu Fan couldn’t be bothered to dwell on it. Curing Yun Xi was the priority; he would deal with everything else later.

"I thank you, Your Highness the Crown Prince!"

This time, Chu Fan’s thanks were sincere. He cupped his fists and performed a deep bow.

"On the sixth day of the sixth month, I will be waiting for you in the Eastern Palace. You will either join the Chamberlain’s Office or return this token. Either way, you are to come."