Eternal Night - Chapter 17
The person he killed was the heir of the Duan Prince's mansion? Xinghun smiled.
His smile puzzled Li Yannian: "Why?"
"I'm actually going to be the heir apparent!" Xinghun was a little excited, and his smile became even brighter.
Li Yannian couldn't help but chuckle: "Hehe, yes, you are the heir of the Prince's Mansion! The heir of the most powerful Prince Duan in Anguo!"
"Has he always been a man of few words?"
"The information is on the small table to your left; you can memorize it."
Xinghun had noticed a book on the wooden table and picked it up. The book was richly illustrated, covering everything from the layout of the palace to the location of the toilet in the bedroom, down to the smallest details like how he was three years old when he climbed into the artificial cave in the courtyard and was coaxed out by a maid with a piece of pork rib.
He watched with great interest, treating it as mere entertainment.
The son of the most powerful prince in Anguo died at his own hands? He didn't take any medicine before leaving... Xinghun suddenly felt the temperature of the carriage dropping rapidly, his mouth tasted bitter, and his head began to throb.
Youligu was too confident in himself. If he disobeyed, wouldn't the prince, whose son had died, chop him into mincemeat? If he was recognized, Shangu would kill him to silence him. He only had one path: to obey and imitate the prince perfectly.
"What are you thinking about?" Li Yannian asked calmly.
"The Crown Prince's temperament."
"He was originally sent to the valley for medical treatment. Once he is cured, his personality will naturally change."
Xinghun felt relieved. The most powerful prince in the world was worried about his son, and since there was a miraculous healer like Huihun in Youli Valley, he would naturally try to invite him. However, the people in the valley noticed that they looked too much like the prince and began to have designs on him.
"What do we need Star Soul for?"
"Be a good heir, and in the future, you will still be the most powerful prince in Anguo!"
Xinghun's eyes lit up; what a bright future! The question now is how to seize power for himself instead of leaving Youligu.
Dawn slowly broke. The only sound on the road was the clatter of horses' hooves on the snow. Xinghun put down his book, closed his eyes, and fell asleep.
He sensed that Li Yannian's breathing was long and steady, and that he was very patient.
Two hours later, the carriage slowed down, and Li Yannian got off.
Xinghun then opened his eyes. He put his hands behind his head and thought about things with peace of mind.
According to historical records, Prince Duan, Li Gu, was the emperor's younger brother and the Grand General who led the Northern Expedition, while Princess Duan was the only daughter of Prime Minister Zhang Qiling. The couple, one wielding military power and the other possessing extensive connections among officials, coupled with the emperor's deep trust, made it no exaggeration to say that Prince Duan was the most powerful prince in Anguo.
Xinghun was interested in why Youli Valley dared to plot against Prince Duan, and who was supporting them behind the scenes. Judging from Li Yannian's tone, he would inherit the throne and become the most powerful prince in the future, so why would he be willing to spend this time waiting for him to grow up?
He thought about it for a long time but still couldn't figure it out. He figured that the people in the Royal Palace and Youli Valley would tell him what to do, so Xinghun closed his eyes and really fell asleep.
As evening approached, the carriage stopped. Xinghun opened his eyes, assuming they were just setting up camp for the night. But when he got off the carriage, he found himself in a courtyard.
"This is a separate courtyard. Stay here for now. Remember, from the moment you enter, you are Prince Li Yongye!" Li Yannian said calmly.
Two large red lanterns lit up at the entrance of the villa in the night. A group of people stood at the entrance. Li Yannian walked over first, and Xinghun, with his sharp eyes, spotted Li Er.
"Steward, everything is ready. Shall we eat first or rest first?" Li Er asked cheerfully, taking Li Yannian's cloak.
Li Yannian glanced at Xinghun and instructed, "Please have the young master return to his room to rest. Bring the food to his room."
"Yes!" Li Er turned around and waved.
Two maids approached Xinghun, bowed to him, and said respectfully, "Your Highness, you must be tired from your journey. Please follow us!"
Xinghun glanced at Li Yannian, who stood at the gate with a friendly smile, gesturing for him to go first.
Li Yannian was nothing more than a steward of the Prince's mansion, his own servant and lackey. Xinghun was overjoyed, and walked in slowly and reservedly. As he passed Li Yannian, Li Yannian said softly, "Your Highness must be tired from your journey. Please rest early. I will show you around the villa tomorrow."
His tone made Xinghun very satisfied and happy. He nodded and left with the maid.
In the dim light, the courtyard appeared as shadowy figures, covering a considerable area. Turning past the covered walkway, Xinghun suddenly asked, "Sister, is there a moon gate ahead?"
A maid covered her mouth and chuckled, "The young master is so clever. Once you pass through the moon gate, you'll reach his residence."
Xinghun understood completely; this mountain retreat was modeled after a royal palace. Its purpose was to familiarize him with the surroundings. "Sister, are you Yihong?"
"Your Highness doesn't remember me? You've only been gone for half a year, and you're already mistaking Lan Cui for Yi Hong. I knew it. Your Highness has always preferred Yi Hong more." Lan Cui complained, blinking at Xing Hun, but she wasn't afraid at all.
Xinghun suddenly reached out and touched her face. Sure enough, it was different from her skin; she had disguised herself. Youligu was afraid he would mistake her for someone else when he returned to the palace, so she even thought of this. He admired her and chuckled softly, "Sister, please don't be offended. I will rely on you for reminders in the future."
Lan Cui smiled and said, "It is my blessing to serve the young master. But please don't be so frivolous in the future, or the prince will not be pleased."
Yi Hong watched this scene and chuckled to herself. Xing Hun's eyes darted around, and he walked up to Yi Hong and stood in front of her: "Carry it!"
Yi Hong was taken aback, then squatted down helplessly. "I heard the young master's illness has greatly improved, so why does he still refuse to walk like he did when he was a child?"
Xinghun suppressed a laugh and didn't answer. Being a prince was indeed different; he could get whatever he wanted, and even if a beautiful woman wanted to carry him, he wouldn't dare say no. It was just a pity... they were not people he could get close to.
Upon arriving at his lodgings, he walked around the room and, seeing that Yi Hong Lan Cui showed no sign of leaving, frowned: "I don't like anyone next to me when I sleep."
“Your Highness! When you were little, you were afraid of the dark and always needed someone to sleep with you,” Yi Hong reminded him.
"That was when I was a child. When I went to see a doctor, the miracle doctor said that to cure my illness, I needed to adapt to the darkness myself. Now I'm much better, and those bad habits are naturally gone too. Go out!" Xinghun laughed.
"But Steward Li said..."
"Is he the heir or am I? Get out!"
Yihong and Lancui smiled brightly when they first met Xinghun, who was still a child, but their expressions changed in the blink of an eye. They exchanged a glance, curtsied, and said crisply, "The young master is now cured of his illness and is very different from before. This servant should inform Steward Li of this good news; he will surely be delighted!"
Xinghun waved his hand; no matter what, he wouldn't keep two snakes beside him while he slept. He'd put on quite the airs of a prince today; he wondered if Li Yannian would be satisfied with his performance.