Chapter 26: The Crown Prince

"So, my cousin has arrived!" The voice preceded the man. Upon hearing the term "cousin," Wang Yu realized that the First Prince had likely made his entrance.

His mother, Huangfu Yuwei, was the younger sister of the current Emperor Cang. It was only natural for the First Prince to address him as cousin. However, despite the familial title, one had to wonder how much genuine affection existed within the royal family—especially since this so-called cousin and older cousin had never actually met before.

Ordinarily, the First Prince would not handle such trivial matters personally, preferring to leave them to his trusted strategist, Wu De. Yet, upon hearing that it was Wang Yu causing a disturbance at the gate, he had decided to come himself.

"Greetings, Your Highness..."

"Cousin, no need for such formalities. Besides, today is a poetry gathering. I have declared that today, I am merely a common lover of poetry, just like all of you. There is no need for anyone to bow to me!"

As the First Prince approached, Wang Yu had naturally intended to pay his respects, but the prince had stopped him with these words. It had to be said that the First Prince possessed a certain charisma. Combined with the gentle smile he had maintained since his arrival, his words were enough to make others instinctively feel a sense of favor toward him.

"He is my cousin, and we are family. Today, as I host this gathering, my cousin is just as much a host as I am. What harm is there in letting in a mere guard?" Taking Wang Yu by the hand, the First Prince spoke to the steward, simultaneously explaining his exception to the surrounding crowd. "You have performed your duties well today; go to the estate and see Master Wu for your reward."

His actions were flawless. Not only was the steward filled with gratitude, but the scholars watching the scene also began to praise the First Prince’s wisdom and benevolence.

"Elder brother, wait a moment." Just as the First Prince moved to lead Wang Yu into the garden, a voice drifted from a carriage that had been parked nearby for some time. A man stepped out, speaking slowly. "You once decreed that no one attending this poetry gathering could bring guards inside. If my memory serves me correctly, at the last gathering, you even turned away the Seventh Brother’s guards at the gate. To act in such a manner today... would that not be somewhat inappropriate?"

"Greetings, Your Imperial Highness!" At the appearance of this man, everyone present—including the First Prince—knelt in obeisance, with the sole exception of Leng Donglai.

Wang Yu followed suit and knelt as well. Only a few people were entitled to call the First Prince "elder brother," and only a few were capable of making the First Prince himself kneel. Comparing the two, the identity of the newcomer was not difficult to guess. Despite being a beat slower, Wang Yu followed the crowd’s lead.

"Audacious! Who are you, to dare remain standing in the presence of the Crown Prince?" Before the Crown Prince could speak, an elderly, clean-shaven man behind him, his back habitually hunched, launched the first attack against Wang Yu.

The carriage had been parked before the garden for a while; its occupant surely knew that Leng Donglai belonged to Wang Yu. Thus, while the rebuke seemed directed at Leng Donglai, its true target was Wang Yu.

Yet, despite the old eunuch's outburst, Wang Yu felt no anger, only a surge of secret delight: "Truly, when the road seems to end in mountains and rivers, a new path emerges!"

Everything he had done today was a test. The previous attempt on his life had involved one and a half Heaven-realm experts, four Grandmasters, and one Heaven-tier general—a total of six Heaven-tier forces. For such a powerful group to vanish without a single survivor meant he was either facing several times their number in Grandmasters, or someone even stronger at the Heaven-realm.

Wang Yu had not forgotten his chance encounter with the "Cang War God," Lü Shenmo, immediately upon entering the capital. He did not believe in such coincidences. Furthermore, Leng Donglai had told him that both of them had sensed the other's strength. Wang Yu inferred that Lü Shenmo had been sent to gauge their group’s power. Consequently, the mastermind likely already knew that Leng Donglai was a Heaven-realm expert. This had led to today’s test—to see how the First Prince would react to Leng Donglai.

The First Prince had performed too well, leaving Wang Yu unable to discern much. But the arrival of the Crown Prince provided a new turning point, and a new target for his probe.

"Elder brother, I have told you many times, there is no need for such formality between us brothers!" The Crown Prince stepped forward to help the First Prince up, wearing a sincere expression. A bystander might have thought they shared the deepest of fraternal bonds.

"You are the Crown Prince; the rituals cannot be ignored!" The First Prince stared into the Crown Prince’s eyes, equally earnest.

"Elder brother, I have come uninvited to your poetry gathering today. Surely you will not turn me away?" The Crown Prince looked at the First Prince with a half-smile.

"Your Highness jokes. If you wish to attend, I would naturally not dare refuse," the First Prince replied softly, though he placed a sharp emphasis on the word "dare," giving his words a distinct, confrontational edge.

*Not dare*—not *willing*.

The Crown Prince ignored the hidden barb and turned his attention to Wang Yu. "This must be my cousin, then!" He helped Wang Yu up with the same feigned warmth he had shown the First Prince.

Everyone of status in the capital knew the Crown Prince had designs on Bai Ruolan, the daughter of the Minister of Rites. Yet, news had broken of a long-standing engagement between Wang Yu and Bai Ruolan, just as Wang Yu was set to enter the capital. As the heir apparent, offending the power of the General of the East for a woman would be unwise—it would be akin to pushing that power into the arms of his brothers.

However, to concede Bai Ruolan to a subordinate, when the entire capital knew of his interest, was impossible. If he did so, he would lose all prestige. How would the world view him then?

Thus, the Crown Prince had sent Xiao Buyu, a top expert of the younger generation of the Imperial Guard, to challenge Wang Yu. Wang Yu was hailed as one of the Ten Great Prodigies of Great Cang; if he lost, objective reasons or not, he would fall from his pedestal and lose his reputation. With that, the Crown Prince could use further means to pressure either Wang Yu or the Minister of Rites into calling off the engagement, resolving the matter perfectly.

Afterward, he would offer the General of the East some benefits and promises. Even if he couldn't win the General over, he could at least ensure they did not become a pillar of support for his brothers.