Chapter 206: The Unruly and Capricious Crown Prince

Chapter 206: Chapter 206: The Unruly and Capricious Crown Prince

At Duke Chen’s Mansion in He Yi State, the gates were bustling from the crack of dawn. It was Duke Chen’s grand birthday, and guests arrived in an endless stream. Whether for fame, fortune, or simply to be seen, they came early to offer their congratulations.

In contrast, the courtyard where Crown Prince Long Jingyao was staying was exceptionally quiet. Only the occasional boom of ceremonial cannons from the main gates disturbed the peace.

Today, there wasn’t even any music or dancing in this courtyard.

Long Jingyao, his robes half-open, was sprawled on a lounge chair in the courtyard as if he had no backbone. On the small table beside him were fruits, pastries, and tea.

It seemed this Crown Prince was not particularly fond of wine.

There were no serving maids by his side. He tilted his head back, staring at the banyan tree canopy above, not even blinking for a long while.

"Reporting to the Crown Prince, Mr. Luo asks for an audience."

A maid called out softly from the Moon Gate.

Long Jingyao’s eyes lit up. He waved a hand and said, "Let him in. I will see no one else until Mr. Luo has left."

"Yes!"

Before long, an old man with a square cap and a long, graying beard entered the courtyard. From a good distance away, he knelt and bowed.

"Luo Xingyu pays his respects to Your Highness!"

"Mr. Luo, you’ve arrived. Please, dispense with the formalities."

The old man stood, took three steps forward, and then stood with his head bowed.

"News has arrived from both fronts. Which would Your Highness like to hear about first?" Luo Xingyu asked.

"Start with the Eastern Domain."

"According to the reports from the Eastern Domain, this person crashed a wedding at the Celestial Derivation Sect nearly three years ago. He was subsequently hunted by the Six Sects and Eight Gates of the Eastern Domain and forced into Ten Thousand Beasts Mountain, after which he vanished. Everyone in the Eastern Domain who knew of him presumed him dead."

Hearing this, Long Jingyao murmured, ’No wonder she was like a completely different person after returning from her trip to the Eastern Domain last October. So that’s the reason.’

"However, upon closer investigation, I found clues indicating that he actually only stayed in Ten Thousand Beasts Mountain for a little over two months. After emerging, he stirred up a storm in the Eastern Domain, sowing discord between the Six Sects and Eight Gates and the Red Blood Mansion. A month ago, the sects of the Eastern Domain even held the Tengxing Grand Assembly with the goal of discussing a joint annihilation of the Red Blood Mansion."

"Was the Red Blood Mansion destroyed?" Long Jingyao asked.

"That’s precisely what I was about to report. No one could have imagined how formidable this young man truly is. He started laying the groundwork to destroy the Red Blood Mansion years ago. The Celestial Heart Hall, Earth Universe Pavilion, Mr. Hong’s Auction House, Bu Huang Grain Store, the Dark Night Envoys—they are all his enterprises."

"He emerged after two months in Ten Thousand Beasts Mountain, stirred up a storm, and then vanished again until a few months ago. He then pushed for the founding of the Great Xia. At the Tengxing Grand Assembly, he had the Eastern Domain sects dancing in the palm of his hand, forcing them to cooperate with the unification of the domain. He also plotted the destruction of the Blazing Fire Sect and used the Red Blood Mansion as a borrowed knife to kill the Sect Leaders of the Celestial Derivation Sect, the Wuji Sect, and the Celestial Sect. Then, he schemed to have the reclusive grandmasters of those three sects lead their core forces to attack the Red Blood Mansion. In the end, while the snipe and the clam fought, he was the fisherman who reaped the rewards. The Red Blood Mansion was destroyed, and the three sects that opposed unification have effectively lost their heritage."

"Oh?" Long Jingyao’s interest was piqued. "Tell me in detail."

Luo Xingyu immediately recounted the details of what he had learned. After listening, Long Jingyao praised, "Truly formidable. He is ruthless when necessary and never hesitates. He knows how to leverage momentum and how to make trade-offs. He’s a real character."

If Chu Fan knew that Long Jingyao had investigated his activities in the Eastern Domain so thoroughly, one wonders what he would think.

"Unifying the Eastern Domain can’t be that easy, can it?" Long Jingyao asked.

"The situation in the Eastern Domain is not optimistic. Although the major obstacles have been removed, it will still take some time to truly establish the nation and stabilize the situation."

"He truly doesn’t covet the position of Monarch of Great Xia?" Long Jingyao asked.

Luo Xingyu shook his head. "I do not know for certain, but based on the current situation, it appears so. In his heart, the girl named Yun Xi is more important than anything."

"So much for the Eastern Domain. What about this region? Where is he now?"

"Qingyun State. He’s staying at a branch of Mr. Hong’s Auction House. Yesterday, he had the Shopkeeper purchase various ranking lists from Heroic Journey and all the official gazettes from the past three years. I estimate he will stay in Qingyun State for a few more days."

"Now this is interesting. ’Does this kid intend to stir up a storm in our Hua Xu Empire too?’ Give the order: have that... auction house gather all the gazettes he wants as quickly as possible. And while you’re at it, look after that auction house from the shadows. If they ever decide to open a branch in the Capital City, give them a helping hand."

"I will, of course, obey Your Highness’s command. It’s just... I do not quite understand. I hope Your Highness might enlighten me."

"Heh..." Long Jingyao gave a crooked smile but didn’t reveal his purpose. From that laugh alone, however, Luo Xingyu could tell that the Crown Prince’s actions definitely had a hidden motive.

Those who didn’t know the Crown Prince could never hope to fathom his schemes. Even those who did could only make a rough guess after seeing a few of his moves play out.

This Crown Prince was deeply calculating, his actions were eccentric, and his ideas were wild and unpredictable, making it nearly impossible to follow his logic.

"Your Highness, shouldn’t we create some obstacles for them in the Eastern Domain? If the Eastern Domain truly unifies, I fear it could become a threat to the Empire."

Long Jingyao’s gaze flashed like lightning. An oppressive aura descended, and Luo Xingyu couldn’t help but shudder.

"I have misspoken!"

"The Barbarian Land of the Eastern Domain... wishes to become a threat to the Empire? Are you implying that His Majesty is a fool? Or that I, your prince, am incompetent?"

Luo Xingyu immediately prostrated himself on the ground, trembling.

"Get up. And think before you speak next time. Today, it’s just the two of us. Had a third person been here, I would have had to punish you for disrespect. As for the unification of the Eastern Domain, not only will I not stop it, I will even have men secretly give them some assistance. Otherwise, how could he possibly contend with *those* people? I have been lonely for so many years. It’s rare that I get to watch a good show. If it isn’t spectacular, what’s the point of anticipating it?"

Luo Xingyu got to his feet, wiping his face with a sleeve, his hand still trembling.

The Crown Prince’s temper was truly as fickle as the weather.

As for the "good show" he mentioned, Luo Xingyu didn’t dare to speculate, but he was sure it had something to do with Chu Fan.

"You may leave," Long Jingyao said, waving his hand. "See to the matters I just mentioned. And report everything that boy does in the Central Domain to me, down to the smallest detail, without delay."

"As you command!" Luo Xingyu retreated through the Moon Gate.

Long Jingyao resumed staring blankly at the banyan canopy, an occasional sinister smile gracing his lips.

"Attendants!"

After a long while, Long Jingyao called out without lowering his head.

Seven or eight young, beautiful maids hurried in through the Moon Gate.

"Help me change. It is my uncle’s grand birthday. As his nephew, it is only right that I go and offer him a cup of tea. And I might as well see who else is in attendance."

Two maids knelt before him with a chamber pot, attending to him as he relieved himself, while the others brought his princely regalia from the room.

Long Jingyao stood before the lounge chair with his arms outstretched. Without him having to lift a finger, from relieving himself, to changing his clothes, to having his hair arranged, he was perfectly attended to.

As the saying goes, clothes make the man. After changing into a white robe embroidered with a four-clawed dragon, the Crown Prince’s entire demeanor underwent a heaven-and-earth-shaking transformation.

His formerly dissolute and unrestrained air was completely replaced by one of refined elegance, wisdom, and dignity.

If the Crown Prince from moments before was inscrutable, the man standing there now seemed incredibly approachable and kind.