The Second Prince had not found an immortal herb in the East Sea to prolong one's lifespan.
Yet this did not affect his plans in the slightest.
If he had managed to find such an herb in the East Sea and extend his imperial father's life, his standing in his father's heart would have risen considerably, perhaps even surpassing his eldest brother and securing his appointment as crown prince.
Failing to find the herb was of little consequence either. His imperial father would still witness his filial devotion, which remained a distinct advantage compared to an eldest brother who did nothing at all.
Moreover, journeying to the East Sea had indeed been fraught with peril. When the battle between two immortals erupted at the Dragon Palace, the slightest stray shockwave would have snuffed out his life. Having braved such extreme dangers, there was no way his imperial father could remain unmoved.
Thus, whether he actually found the immortal herb was irrelevant; what mattered was that he had gone to the East Sea.
Even so, after returning and waiting for a full year while his imperial father grew increasingly frail and haggard, there was still no sign of an heir being named, leaving the prince unavoidably anxious.
It was precisely at this juncture that Lu Yang arrived in the Imperial City. Relying on their acquaintance from the East Sea, inviting Lu Yang over to his manor for a gathering to cultivate their rapport and enlist his aid in ascending the throne was only natural.
Very few knew that the Second Prince was a man of meticulous scheming.
***
"Hmm? The Jiang family's second son wants to invite this immortal over?" After receiving the invitation, the Immortal Fairy found the Imperial City quite lively indeed. Invitations arrived every day. Aside from the one from the Jiang family's second son, invitations from literati and scholars flooded in one after another, all asking her to compose verses and lyrics, though they had all been politely declined in accordance with Lu Yang's wishes.
"Your Majesty, you have to call him the Second Prince," Lu Yang reminded her. If she called him the Jiang family's second son to his face, she could certainly expect an unpleasant glare in return.
"Oh, alright then." The Immortal Fairy was a qualified emperor who accepted counsel readily, obediently following whatever Lu Yang said.
"Then let's pay a visit to the Jiang family's second son's manor." The Immortal Fairy was fond of lively gatherings, and the invitation stated that the Jiang family's second son was hosting a banquet in Lu Yang's honor.
"Let's bring Old Meng along too. He's quite familiar with the affairs of the Imperial City, so once we arrive at the Jiang family's second son's… the Second Prince's manor, we won't be entirely in the dark," Lu Yang said, nearly slipping into the Immortal Fairy's manner of address.
When Meng Jingzhou learned that the Second Prince was hosting a banquet for Lu Yang, he frowned slightly. Based on what he knew of the prince, this banquet was bound to be far more than a simple meal.
Yet since the immortal wished to go, he dared not stop her. If anything went wrong, he would simply step up and shield her.
This time, Meng Jingzhou did not bring Meng Jingyu along, as such an occasion was unsuitable for her.
The Second Prince's banquet was set for three days later. Once the three days passed, the Immortal Fairy, accompanied by Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou, set off for the feast.
The Second Prince placed immense value on Lu Yang. On the day of the banquet, he personally welcomed Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou at the main entrance.
Spotting the two from afar, he jogged over with a warm yet measured smile, clasping his hands in greeting. "Gentlemen, a year has passed since we parted at the East Sea. I have missed you dearly!"
Returning the gesture with an identical smile, Meng Jingzhou cupped his hands. "Your Highness is far too courteous."
"Please, step inside."
"After you."
The purpose of the Second Prince's banquet was to welcome Lu Yang, and now that the key guest had arrived, the feast naturally commenced.
Perhaps worried that the gathering might not be lively enough, the Second Prince had also invited many noble young masters. Lu Yang recognized a few, but most were complete strangers, meaning not all of them were peers of their generation.
Once the three took their seats, the Second Prince took the initiative to speak. "I heard long ago that Fellow Daoist Lu Yang had arrived in the Imperial City. Regrettably, I was overwhelmed with official duties and lacked the leisure to host you properly. Today, I have finally managed to spare some time to hold this welcome banquet for you. I hope you will not take offense.
"Fellow Daoist Lu Yang has truly caused a sensation in the Imperial City, not only besting every genius of your generation here, but also composing a lyric poem at the Lotus Tower that earned the acclaim of the entire hall. Even the Great Confucians of the Hanlin Academy were full of praise, declaring that your verse possessed the power to illuminate the mind and reveal one's true nature.
"Come, let me introduce you to these gentlemen.
"This is the grandson of the Minister of the Imperial Treasury, Hong Guanshan.
"This is the son of the Chief Clerk of the Grand Commander's Office, Kong De.
"This is…"
The Second Prince introduced them one by one. Hong Guanshan and the others wore proud smiles, their family lineages being their greatest boast.
The Immortal Fairy merely offered polite nods to each. She had no interest in their identities, nor did she have any clue what a Minister of the Imperial Treasury even did.
Listening from the side, Meng Jingzhou's expression shifted slightly. While the Immortal Fairy did not grasp the significance behind these people, he understood perfectly.
These individuals spanned every facet of Great Xia—the military, the treasury, imperial city security, and more. If all of them could be rallied to the Second Prince's cause, it would represent a formidable faction.
This was the Second Prince displaying the depth of the support behind him to Lu Yang.
Growing somewhat impatient, the Immortal Fairy finally couldn't help asking, "When you introduce them, why do you always mention who their fathers and grandfathers are? Aren't they famous themselves?
"Look at me. Whenever I introduce myself, all I have to say is that I'm Lu Yang, and everyone knows who I am without needing to add anything else."
The moment these words left her mouth, the smiles on Hong Guanshan and the others froze, striking right at their sore spot.
In merely a single exchange, he had reduced them to utter embarrassment. Such piercing insight was truly terrifying—no wonder His Highness the Second Prince went to such lengths to win Lu Yang over!
"Besides, what does their status have to do with me anyway?" the Immortal Fairy asked in confusion. She didn't even care what their names were, so why should she bother about who their fathers and grandfathers were?
It would be far better to finish the introductions quickly and get on with the feast.
The Second Prince's heart stirred. He refused to believe Lu Yang couldn't see through his intentions; by claiming he didn't care about their backgrounds, was Lu Yang indicating that he was unwilling to participate in the struggle for the throne?
Seeing this, the Second Prince simply refrained from continuing to showcase his supporting faction, proceeding with the banquet according to Lu Yang's wish.
The banquet unfolded as customary, with dancing girls enlivening the atmosphere, cups clinking in toasts, and everyone indulging in food and drink.
The dancers moved with grace, but compared to Ye Mengyin, they paled into insignificance, and compared to the Immortal Fairy, they were not even fit to carry her shoes. The Immortal Fairy possessed little interest in watching them dance.
*If it were Zhu Tian, that would be another story.*
Nor was the Immortal Fairy fond of drinking. She remembered that Immortal Suiyue had once steeped his own body to brew a jar of immortal wine. Its fragrant aroma was so potent that even a Tribulation Transcendence stage cultivator would grow dizzy and feel as if stepping into an immortal realm just from catching a scent. Back then, Immortal Kirin and the Ninefold Immortal had guzzled straight from the jar, only to drunkenly run amok afterward in an utterly undignified spectacle.
The Immortal Fairy felt that, as the head of the Ten Ancient Beauties, she had to maintain her dignity and could not engage in such degrading behavior, which left her with a lasting aversion to alcohol.
"By the way, Little Yangzi, do you want to see Immortal Kirin and the Ninefold Immortal drunkenly making fools of themselves? This immortal still has projection recordings of it."
Hearing this, Lu Yang frantically shook his head. Anyone who laid eyes on such a thing would surely be silenced forever; he still wanted to live a few more years.
Having drunk heavily until he was thoroughly inebriated, the Second Prince took advantage of the alcohol's influence to lean in close to Lu Yang and pour out his grievances.
"Fellow Daoist Lu Yang, my heart suffers so.
"My imperial father's time draws near, yet the throne remains undecided. My eldest brother claims to hold no attachment to the imperial seat, but familial warmth is scarce in the imperial household—who can truly say for sure?
"And then there are Fourth and Fifth Brother. While they pay lip service to having no interest in the throne, they have secretly been making preparations of their own."
The Second Prince shook his head with a sigh, baring his genuine feelings. "The winds and clouds of the Imperial City shift unpredictably. As an outsider, Fellow Daoist, you see things most clearly. Tell me, in the end, who will seize the throne?"
Overhearing the Second Prince's drunken remarks, the guests feigned casual conversation while covertly watching Lu Yang's reaction.
His Highness was using the wine to lay his cards on the table, eager to see whether Lu Yang would join their faction.
Meng Jingzhou's expression darkened slightly as he realized the same. If the answer contained the slightest flaw, it might drag both the Meng Family and the Dao Seeking Sect into the struggle for the throne!
Yet the Meng Family and the Dao Seeking Sect had always maintained neutrality and never involved themselves in imperial succession!
No such precedent could be set!
Lu Yang realized this as well. This was the true purpose behind the Second Prince's invitation.
He wanted to force him to pick a side!
He had to answer with absolute caution and leave no loophole for the Second Prince to seize upon.
Just as both Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou were wracking their brains over how to respond, the Immortal Fairy wore an expression of astonishment and asked:
"Wait, so who gets to be emperor is decided by me?"
Chapter 920