The Crown Prince Arrives!

Everyone knew that "asking for a friend" usually meant asking for oneself. "It really is a friend. But she couldn't handle it on her own, so she came to me for ideas," He Lingchuan said with a chuckle. "You see, that leaves me with no choice but to ask for your help." "You're a newcomer to Lingxu City as well. Why would anyone ask you to get things done here?" "Fair point. So, can the National Preceptor help or not?" Xi Yunhe pondered for a moment. "If Nian Zanli goes to attack the Yuan Kingdom on his own, Lingxu City won't care. But if he marches out using Beijia's elite troops, that's equivalent to Beijia dispatching an army itself. The Emperor would certainly reprimand him." Launching an unauthorized assault on another country was a grave crime in Beijia; not even vassal demon kingdoms could make such decisions on their own. That was why the moment Fu Shanyue heard Nian Zanli's request, he had had no intention of looking to Xuluo Kingdom for a solution. He Lingchuan nodded. "Is there truly no way around it? I heard that when Nian Zanli attacked the Yuan Kingdom this summer, National Preceptor Shuangye allocated a great deal of origin power to him." Otherwise, with Nian Zanli's army, it would have been very difficult to use the Verdant Flask. "Allocating a bit of origin power is, after all, entirely different from mobilizing troops." Having served under two National Preceptors in succession, Xi Yunhe had a far deeper understanding of origin power allocation than ordinary people. "In truth, you're making two demands: securing an army for Nian Zanli, and obtaining the Emperor's consent to send troops against the Yuan Kingdom!" The former was already difficult, and the latter was several times harder on top of that! Thus Xi Yunhe said bluntly, "A single small lead isn't worth the National Preceptor going to such great lengths. Choose a different condition." "Hey, what's the rush? Nian Zanli is desperate to go back for revenge. As long as he can borrow troops, they don't necessarily have to belong to Beijia. Besides, borrowing the troops is one thing; whether they obey him when the time comes is another matter entirely." He Lingchuan spread his hands. "I hear National Preceptor Shuangye has widespread connections and maintains quite friendly ties with foreign envoys." Ever since receiving Li Qingge's request, he had been turning over the possibilities of obtaining the bamboo cylinder from Nian Zanli. Taking it by force was ill-advised. Even if he didn't end up snatching a fake, it would easily lead to mutually assured destruction. If Li Qingge met an untimely end as a result, wouldn't he have done more harm than good? He had to make Nian Zanli hand over the cylinder willingly. Simply put, it had to be mutually agreed upon: one gave it up, the other received it, completed through a safe handover. Since Nian Zanli was anxious to borrow troops, He Lingchuan had to cater to that urgency. That was likely the only way to sway Nian Zanli right now. Xi Yunhe looked at him with an odd expression. "Foreign troops will do as well?" "Can foreign troops not fight in a war?" Xi Yunhe seemed to smile faintly. "Wait until I return to report to the National Preceptor, and let his venerable self make the decision." "There's one more condition," He Lingchuan said quickly. "I noticed this divine skill of yours for passing messages through a puppet is quite handy. I'd like to learn it too." "...That can be arranged. It's a mere parlor trick." This time, Xi Yunhe agreed readily. He Lingchuan said crisply, "Then I have no further questions!" "I'll return tomorrow with an answer." As Xi Yunhe spoke, he took two steps back. The numbness on the servant's face faded. He blinked, looking utterly bewildered. He looked at He Lingchuan, then down at himself, having no idea what had just happened. Xi Yunhe was gone. He Lingchuan sighed, pointed to the dishes on the table, and instructed the servant offhandedly, "I'm done with these. Take them away." "Right away, sir." The servant gathered up the tray, bowed, and departed. He Lingchuan had only said to take them away, not to dump them. The servants would divide the food among themselves, so nothing would go to waste. At this moment, the soul-snatching mirror could no longer contain itself. "Hey, I overheard your conversation with the Master of Songyang Mansion. You're from the Yuan Kingdom, right?" "Yeah." "Didn't the Yuan Kingdom just fight a massive war against this Nian Zanli, one that left them severely wounded?" "That's right." He Lingchuan returned to his room, casually erecting another boundary before whispering, "I was in that battle too. I was the one washed into the Demon Nest by the Han River." "..." The mirror fell into a wave of gloomy sorrow. If He Lingchuan hadn't shown up, it would still be a carefree bachelor mirror, letting its mirror slaves carry it wherever it pleased, eating people whenever it wanted. Still, things weren't too bad right now either; having found a long-term meal ticket, it could slack off and get fed without lifting a finger... Huh? It had drifted off track! "You're a man of the Yuan Kingdom, yet you want to borrow troops for Nian Zanli to use against the Yuan Kingdom?" the mirror squawked. "Look, even Li Qingge didn't want Nian Zanli counterattacking." "That's just what she said. It might not be true." He Lingchuan patted his heart-protecting mirror. "Tens of thousands of elite troops can't just be tucked into a pocket and carried around. Wherever they're mobilized from, wouldn't there have to be a token of authority and credentials?" "You mean...?" "First get hold of the bamboo cylinder Li Qingge spoke of, and afterward make sure Nian Zanli can't bring any troops with him." "You've thought it all through?" The mirror was astonished. "You already have more than enough on your plate, yet you still have the mind to scheme this out?" If it were forced to handle so many troubles at once, every single one of them lethal, its head would surely explode on the spot. How could this kid sleep at night? "No matter how many matters there are, don't they still have to be handled one by one?" He Lingchuan chuckled. "It's not often National Preceptor Shuangye comes asking a favor of me. It would be a terrible waste not to borrow his strength." He was solitary and unbacked, a mere nobody in Lingxu City. If he wasn't adept at leveraging the power of others, he probably wouldn't be able to accomplish anything. He Lingchuan stretched his back and decided to practice his spear in the rear garden. That area was relatively open and convenient for maneuvering and leaping. Yesterday, a servant had even made him a straw dummy specifically for spear practice. However, as he passed by the side garden, he spotted a bird with brilliant plumage singing and dancing atop an arched doorway. When standing still and orderly, its back and wings appeared grayish-brown, with only its head an indigo blue and a bright yellow marking above its eyes, resembling eyebrows. Yet the moment it spread its wings, it transformed into an entirely different creature— The undersides of its wings were a vivid, intense crimson! Moreover, its tail feathers were long, flapping gently like soft fans with hanging tassels, possessing a naturally transcendent aura. With such a creature present, the bleak autumn garden gained several degrees of warmth. Naturally, this was a male bird. The object of its ardent display was an unremarkable, dull-white female bird perched on the rockery. He Lingchuan watched without blinking. "What kind of bird is that?" He had never seen one in the Yuan Kingdom. A gardener carrying water smiled as he passed by. "That's a xile bird. They're especially lovely when they dance. There are more than a dozen kinds, each with different patterns and colors. Every year before winter sets in, they pass through Lingxu City. I've heard the nobles on the Floating Isle use xile bird feathers to make round fans or craft jewelry." The price, of course, was exorbitant. "Oh." He Lingchuan harbored no untoward thoughts toward the singing and dancing bird. Once the gardener left, the little squirrel on the tree hopped onto He Lingchuan's shoulder. It was very timid. Even though He Lingchuan had already introduced this little demon to the servants of Panshan Residence, the squirrel never went near other humans. He Lingchuan pulled out a handful of pine nuts for it. "Freshly roasted yesterday." He was always good to the animals and demons around him, offering treats every few days, which had greatly increased the little squirrel's affection for him. It took the pine nuts, clutched them in its forepaws, and quickly cracked two open before whispering, "Baihuan birds often have big eagles following behind them. I don't like them." Bai... huan? He Lingchuan's heart skipped a beat. That character was in Venerable Muling's prophecy. "What Baihuan?" "This xile bird," the squirrel replied. "They were originally called Baihuan, but their name was changed later on due to a naming taboo. Because the nobles liked them, xile birds were hunted in large numbers, so they've rarely been seen in recent years." He Lingchuan froze in his tracks. *Meet Huan, leave your dwelling.* Did "Huan" refer to the Baihuan bird—the xile bird? Had the time to test the truth of Venerable Muling's prophecy arrived so soon? Now that he had encountered the Baihuan bird, what was the next step? Go out? Venerable Muling had specifically left him a note—no, a prophecy—over a thousand years ago. Surely it wasn't to play a prank on him? Faced with the pronouncements of such a master of divination, it was best to believe in them rather than dismiss them. In any case, going out for a stroll took little effort. If he had guessed wrong, he could ponder it again upon his return. He grabbed a nearby servant and asked, "Where did the prince go?" "They said he went to Tianliang Isle early this morning." He Lingchuan shrugged, changed his clothes, and headed out. Yet before he even reached the front entrance, a continuous clamor of clinking and clattering reached his ears. "What's that sound?" "They're repairing the main gate. His Highness said the facade ought to be touched up." He Lingchuan gave a faint smirk. Fu Shanyue was at least considerate enough not to stay here for free. After a moment's thought, he slipped out through the back door instead. For the rest of the day, as was his habit, he strolled, ate, and amused himself outside until the sun tilted westward. Old Shan was away on errands, but before departing yesterday, he had already told He Lingchuan where to have fun in Lingxu City, where to find affordable and delicious food, which Bewitching Formation scripts were novel, which opera troupe had the best performers... laying it all out in crystal clarity. *** That afternoon, an uninvited guest arrived at Panshan Residence. A large red sandalwood carriage drawn by four snow-white bo beasts halted before the gates of Panshan Residence. Bo beasts were common demon beasts, but their colors were mostly azure, purplish-blue, or red-and-white. Pure white ones were exceptionally rare. Behind the carriage followed over twenty mounted riders, two of whom were powerfully built giant apes, while the rest were guards clad in golden-red armor and brandishing halberds, radiating an aura of lethal intent. The old gatekeeper of Panshan Residence came out at the sound, bowed, and asked: "May I ask which lord has arrived?" "Blind fool!" A rider spurred his horse forward. "His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has arrived! Open the main gates at once!" Like other grand manors in Lingxu City, Panshan Residence had three gates: a large one in the middle and smaller ones on either side. Only when an important dignitary arrived would the central gate be opened. The gatekeeper uttered an "Ah?" and stammered, "Wh-Which crown prince?" He could hardly be blamed; the crown princes of all vassal demon kingdoms were addressed as His Royal Highness. The rider lashed his whip out, sending the gatekeeper spinning in place. Blood trickled from the old man's mouth, and he nearly tumbled flat onto his backside. This was only because the rider had held back; otherwise, a single strike would have whipped him to death. "This is the reigning Crown Prince of Beijia!" The air seemed to freeze. Passersby halted in their tracks at the shout and looked over. Soon, the main gates of Panshan Residence were swung wide open. The carriage drawn by four bo beasts slowly drove inside, and under the gaze of countless eyes, the riders spurred their mounts to follow. The carriage drove straight through, bypassing winding detours and trampling numerous flowers and plants, only coming to a halt directly before the main hall. The two giant apes leaped down to the ground, opened the carriage door, and reverently carried out a cushioned litter from inside.