I Have A Qi Fortune Altar.
Chapter 684: 443: Making the List Amidst Turbulence!!!_2

Chapter 684: Chapter 443: Making the List Amidst Turbulence!!!_2

They were inevitably going to show up for a fight that day and create some chaos, something that simply couldn’t be hidden. As long as their true identities were well concealed, it wouldn’t matter even if they were exposed.

It would even add a layer of mystery to them.

After giving a brief explanation of some plans, Chu Changfeng’s tone shifted as he inquired about Chen Yuan’s Physical Body Cultivation, clearly having heard about Chen Yuan displaying ‘Vajra Unbreakable’ Physical Body Cultivation before.

He wasn’t surprised, just thought that Chen Yuan indeed had exceptional comprehension.

How long had it been since his last Core Formation? Not even two full months, and his body had improved to such an extent. On top of that, he was about to make it onto the Fengyun List after one battle. Truly, Predecessor Moluo’s insight was as terrifying as ever.

Chen Yuan confessed truthfully and sought advice from Chu Changfeng on many aspects of cultivation. The latter informed him of everything and even pointed out a few critical techniques.

Besides making contact with a few Daoists during these days, the Duke Wuwei Mansion also welcomed several esteemed visitors who came to pay their respects. Eldest Prince Sima Qian and Second Prince Sima Ke had both personally visited to congratulate Chen Yuan after he had established his residence.

After Fourth Prince Sima Ke was severely punished by Emperor Jingtai, his power base was greatly diminished. Although it wasn’t completely uprooted, the gap between him and the others had widened significantly.

Therefore, in their view, as long as there were no accidents, the position of Crown Prince would arise between the two of them.

They also took this opportunity to expand their influence considerably.

The person they most wanted to win over now was Chen Yuan.

He had talent, power, authority, and fame.

If they could persuade Chen Yuan to join either of their sides, it would undoubtedly give them a favorable position, not to mention the support from the Heavenly Patrol Bureau and Qingzhou’s Jiang He, the Golden Envoy.

However, Chen Yuan was not keen on this and merely went through the motions.

In his view, Emperor Jingtai was in the prime of his life and had not established the position of Crown Prince, which was a clear indication of his own stance. Would he be crazy enough to get involved in a succession battle?

Besides, any scheming would be futile at this point. The best time would come when Emperor Jingtai announced his intention to appoint a Crown Prince.

So, Chen Yuan’s approach was to befriend both parties.

Even in casual conversation, he would only discuss the typical subjects of poetry and odes or, at worst, the latest Oiran figure in the capital. He never touched upon matters of the court or the chaos in the Capital.

If they wished to talk about those topics, then he would just lend an ear and keep out of it.

Eldest Prince Sima Qian and Sima You were well aware of Chen Yuan’s attitude but were powerless to change it, so they had to continue making overtures without daring to assume any royal airs.

After all, the lesson from the fourth brother was right in front of their eyes.

Although the fourth brother’s downfall was a result of his own doing, breaking the court’s laws, and with their behind-the-scenes abetting, Chen Yuan played the greatest role.

He was the first to have a falling out with the fourth brother and the first to directly handle his uncle, causing the fourth brother’s mental state to be in disarray and rushing to deal with Chen Yuan.

As a result, he tried to steal a chicken only to lose the rice, trapping himself instead.

Copying Taoist and Buddhist scriptures in the palace required him to write them out personally, a significant amount of work that would take months to complete.

But most importantly…

He had incurred the Emperor’s displeasure.

This was the most critical issue.

They did not wish to follow in the fourth brother’s footsteps and tried their best to befriend Chen Yuan.

Besides the two princes, Princess Pingyang, the Eldest Princess, also joined the fray, keen on befriending Chen Yuan while completely avoiding mentioning the matter of Sima Ke, which caused Sima Qian and Sima You to feel uneasy.

With her royal status and currently still unmarried, Chen Yuan, who was now highly celebrated and held the title of Earl, could be considered a Noble. If something were to happen between the two of them…

That would not be a good thing for them.

It could even turn into a bad thing.

After all, Pingyang and the fourth brother were full siblings. If Emperor Jingtai decided to grant Chen Yuan a marriage, wouldn’t that mean Chen Yuan would make peace with the fourth brother?

Worried, they thought of sending women to Chen Yuan to prevent him from being swayed by Pingyang and occasionally even dropped hints about the perils of being a Prince Consort.

Chen Yuan, who realized this later, could only laugh and shake his head, thinking that Sima Qian and Sima You were overthinking it.

He had long understood that indulgence in wine and women was damaging to one’s health.

Thus, he rarely drank alcohol, except when moved by genuine enthusiasm.

As for the company of beautiful women…

As everyone knows, Chen Yuan has never been one to indulge in the pleasure of women.

But they did not see it that way, assuming that perhaps Chen Yuan was just hard to impress. Indeed, what man doesn’t like women?

There might be a moment when one doesn’t.

But that would be the time of a Saint, and it would soon pass.

They were even arranging to bring Chen Yuan some novelty experiences from the Western Regions, Japan, Northern Barbarians…

Leaving Chen Yuan at a loss for words.

Do they still act like princes?

Especially Eldest Prince Sima Qian, who was most enthusiastic about it.

Second Prince Sima You, on the other hand, was somewhat more reserved, never speaking openly and instead, when in public, would only ask Chen Yuan for guidance on poetry.

Claiming to admire Chen Yuan’s literary talent greatly.

Chen Yuan’s response to this was…

It comes naturally when inspired.

He usually had little interest in these trivial pursuits.

Time passed quickly, and in the blink of an eye, several days had flown by. The hubbub in the Capital began to die down slightly, but discussions about the previous challenge could still be heard everywhere among the common folk and Martial Artists.

In this world with so few amusements, a pleasurable topic was something many people immersed themselves in, otherwise, they could only blow out the candles and go to bed.