Who Let Him Cultivate?!-Chapter 847 - 846: The Fourth Prince’s Strategy
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The Fourth Prince had planted spies among the Second Prince's guests, and knew every detail of the banquet held in honor of Lu Yang.
"Lu Yang managed to turn the tables in a very short time. His cunning is truly admirable, so much that even my brother, known for his meticulous scheming, fell into the trap."
Knowing that Lu Yang was a tough opponent, the Fourth Prince consequently sent gifts to the Meng Residence for several days, expressing his goodwill.
Now he felt that he had shown enough goodwill and could proceed to the next step of his plan.
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"Brother Lu Yang, I have long admired your reputation, and seeing you today, indeed, your bearing is extraordinary!" Just like the Second Prince, the Fourth Prince stood at the entrance to express his importance, yet he behaved according to the customs of the rivers and lakes, not like a noble prince but more like a chivalrous bandit standing up for justice.
It was commonly said that he was forthright in his dealings, not caring about the status of those with whom he formed friendships, but in reality, each person he befriended was of use to him. To this end, he even became sworn brothers with many unremarkable cultivators, in order to conceal his real intentions.
Meng Jingzhou had gone into closed-door cultivation on short notice, and Fairy Eternity did not summon him.
Moreover, Fairy Eternity felt that whether or not Meng Jingzhou was called made little difference, as she had the Second-in-command in her Spiritual Space to offer counsel and devise strategies.
Although the Second-in-command's wisdom was not equal to her own, he could still serve as a reference.
The Fourth Prince covertly observed Fairy Eternity's attitude and found that she was indifferent to his praise, which he inevitably found somewhat strange.
Fairy Eternity also thought that the Fourth Prince was odd. Why speak so much truth in front of me. Isn't this common knowledge? Isn't it redundant?
The Fourth Prince felt that Lu Yang was indeed elusive and had to continue saying, "Brother Lu, please come inside quickly."
The Fourth Prince's official residence was elegantly sorrowful with flowing water and picturesque gardens, complemented by the music of musicians, creating a charming atmosphere.
Many cultivators gathered at the Fourth Prince's official residence, among whom members of influential families only made up a small part, with the majority being brothel masters, teahouse owners, painters, doctors, and even matchmakers.
These were friends who had shared life-and-death experiences with the Fourth Prince and were absolutely trustworthy.
Unlike the tunes played by the musicians, Fairy Eternity could feel that ever since she arrived, the crowd had been looking at her with a tense expression.
The Fourth Prince escorted Lu Yang to the secondary seat, while he sat in the seat of honor.
Once the Fourth Prince was seated, the atmosphere seemed to relax considerably, and fine wine and dishes were served as if money were no object, even more lavish than the offerings at the banquet held by the Old Dragon Emperor of the East Sea.
Of course, this was partly because the Fourth Prince's guests were significantly fewer than those at the Old Dragon Emperor's banquet.
Although the quality of the Spirit Food was mediocre and Fairy Eternity disdained it, considering that eating these dishes could indeed help Lu Yang increase his cultivation level, she reluctantly ate them.
The alcohol flowed, and entertainers would intermittently liven up the mood with their magic skills and Divine Abilities, creating a continuous flow of laughter and conversation.
Suddenly, the Fourth Prince became sentimental, putting down his bronze wine cup and letting out a long sigh.
"What a pity, I'm afraid we won't have many opportunities for such gatherings in the future."
As soon as these words were spoken, the atmosphere of the venue immediately became heavy, and the guests all put down their chopsticks and turned their gaze en masse toward the Fourth Prince.
Before coming, they had roughly guessed the reason why the Fourth Prince had gathered them here: they were to conspire for a significant cause.
"Your Highness, why do you say that?" someone asked loudly.
The Fourth Prince looked at the crowd with a complicated gaze, cast another glance at Fairy Eternity, who was still eating quietly, picked up his wine cup, and drank a cup in one gulp.
Perhaps the words that followed were so treasonous that he needed the courage that only wine could bring.
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"Father's lifespan is running out, and I, as his son, am unable to offer any help. Watching Father age day by day has robbed me of peace in both sleep and appetite."
"In my dreams, I often see Father passing away to the heavens, and my elder brothers, fighting over the throne, render the people's lives a misery. Waking up in the middle of the night, I am drenched in a cold sweat."
"I often think that Father, who loves his subjects as his children, would never want to see such a scene. I want to change all of this, yet I, alone and lacking strength, how could I intervene in the struggle for the throne?"
"When that time comes, with Great Xia in turmoil, we who care deeply about the world, how could we sit here and drink merrily?"
Thinking of the scene described by the Fourth Prince, everyone lowered their heads, some even shedding tears of genuine sorrow.
Fairy Eternity raised her head slightly, unable to understand why they were suddenly engaged in a theatrical performance.
Never mind, it had nothing to do with her. Fairy Eternity continued to lower her head and help Lu Yang eat.
Of course, the Fourth Prince was unaware of Fairy Eternity's thoughts. Seeing Lu Yang raise his head, he thought Lu Yang was beginning to take an interest in them.
A middle-aged gentleman, who appeared to be well-educated, said, "If we are to speak of a way, there is indeed one, but this method is so treacherous and against the Dao that it must not be used."
The Fourth Prince eagerly said, "Mr. Lu, please speak."
"It must not be said," Mr. Lu continued to shake his head.
"How can such treachery compare to the peace and well-being of the millions of people in the world?" Pressed by the continuous questioning of the Fourth Prince, Mr. Lu finally revealed his plan.
"If you desire peace in the world, then there must be an undisputed sovereign of all to succeed the throne; naturally, that should be the Crown Prince. However, the Second and Third Princes certainly will not stand idly by, and that's why there's a struggle for the throne."
"As long as the three princes lose their eligibility to compete for the throne, it naturally belongs to you."
Upon hearing this, the Fourth Prince wanted to voice his objection but, as if Mr. Lu had already anticipated what the Fourth Prince was about to say, he continued, "I know Your Highness has no intention of competing for the throne, but for the sake of the people of the world, there is no other way."
The Fourth Prince opened his mouth, wanting to say something in rebuttal, but the words seemed so feeble on his lips. Furthermore, his loyal friends looked at him with such earnest gazes that he couldn't bring himself to utter a word of refusal.
"Enough, enough," the Fourth Prince capitulated, lowering his head.
Then he asked, "But how are we to make my three elder brothers give up their claims to the throne?"
Everyone fell silent; this was the most difficult part.
The Fourth Prince turned to inquire of Fairy Eternity: "Brother Lu, do you have a way?"
Upon being asked, Fairy Eternity slurped up a mouthful of noodles, then looked up at the Fourth Prince: "It's simple, isn't it? Just start a rebellion."
Lu Yang had expected the Fourth Prince to show a shocked expression, but the Fourth Prince, as if he had anticipated Fairy Eternity's response, continued to inquire.
"Would you be willing to help me?"
The Fourth Prince was waiting for this very response from Lu Yang. According to the intel gathered from the Second Prince, Lu Yang often bragged about rebelling and establishing a new dynasty, cleverly evading the issue of competing for the throne, which made the Second Prince wary of engaging too deeply with Lu Yang.
But the problem was, he really did entertain thoughts of rebellion!
Without rebelling, he would never have a chance to succeed to the throne.
If Lu Yang answered "unwilling," it meant he was acknowledging that he was just talking big and had other methods, thus forcing him to take sides.
If Lu Yang defiantly claimed he was "willing," then even better, it would directly involve Lu Yang, making him stand on the Fourth Prince's side.
"Sure," Fairy Eternity agreed enthusiastically, which perfectly aligned with her desire.
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