Let Me Explain, Fairy
Chapter 294 - Two Hundred and Seventeen: The Vessel_2

Chapter 294: Chapter Two Hundred and Seventeen: The Vessel_2

"Four months..."

Xu Yuan murmured to himself.

In four months, Tianyan would arrive in Imperial Capital without hiding.

Given the attitude when they last parted, that Washboard Saintess wouldn’t do something too extreme to him, right?

Contemplating, Xu Yuan suddenly let out a careless chuckle.

It doesn’t matter, he would sway people.

This is Imperial Capital.

With so many high-ranking experts in his family, how could he possibly be bullied by that washboard?

Observing the changes in Xu Yuan’s expression, Xu Yinhè’s eyes were somewhat complex as she softly said,

"Changtian, the relationship between you and the Jiatiange Saintess..."

Upon hearing this, Xu Yuan came back to his senses and chuckled,

"It’s a bit complicated. I suppose I experienced something with that woman in the Illusionary Realm, but I don’t remember those things after coming out of the realm."

Xu Yinhè softly said,

"I can ignore your relationship with that Jiatiange Saintess, as well as Ran Jianli’s prized apprentice, but I hope you will consider it carefully."

Ran Jianli was Dayan’s State Preceptor and the Sword Sect Leader, but he represented an interest group that was completely opposed to the Prime Minister’s Mansion.

If a marriage alliance could solve the problem, there wouldn’t be so many wars in the world.

Unless he was to abandon the ideals he had fought for all his life.

Xu Yuan’s demeanor became serious, and he nodded,

"Father, I understand."

Xu Yinhè did not ask further, quietly walking towards the main hall.

Silent along the way, when they arrived at the entrance of the main hall, Xu Yuan spotted a familiar old man.

The President of Tian’an Commerce Assembly, Hua Hong.

With his long beard and white hair, and wearing a loose robe—if it were not for those slightly uncomfortable squinting eyes, he could have been considered to possess an ethereal aura.

Standing at the entrance of the main hall with a child, it seemed as though they were waiting for them.

Seeing this, Xu Yuan’s eyes slightly narrowed,

"Father, this is..."

"The vessel Luo Daofan wants." Xu Yinhè’s voice was flat.

Xu Yuan glanced at his father with a hint of surprise.

At this moment, Xu Yinhè had regained his usual composure and dignity,

"Luo Daofan has gone to great lengths to survive. Naturally, he would not raise an apprentice just for succession. What he wants can only be a vessel for possession. The conversation before the Sword Pavilion with your uncle has made this clear."

Xu Yuan fell silent for a moment,

"You, really going to give it to him?"

"I was planning to stall for a while."

As they walked, Xu Yinhè spoke softly, "But the situation has changed. The emergence of Jiatiange and his identity as a defector from Jiatiange, both make it possible for us to fully win him over."

Xu Yuan did not speak again, looking at the child over there with a sigh.

Rosy lips and pearly teeth, but his eyes were empty, likely having suffered some ordeals.

Perhaps in ten years, he would completely become Old Man Luo.

Seeing Xu Yuan’s expression, Xu Yinhè said nothing.

He went straight to Hua Hong, speaking softly,

"Old Hua, you’ve worked hard."

As the Feng Family’s old butler, Hua Hong had labored for the Prime Minister’s Mansion his entire life, practically managing all its finances. He truly deserved such a title.

Upon hearing these words, Hua Hong curled his lips with a hint of sarcasm in his tone,

"I’m not the one who has it tough. It just cost me one million seven hundred and thirty-nine thousand two hundred fourteen silver to find a few hundred promising disciples for Wu Zigeng’s Tian’an Martial Hall. Spending so much silver just like that...tsk tsk..."

Although the two men were talking just a breath away, outsiders could hardly hear them.

But Xu Yinhè had let Xu Yuan in on the secret, so he could hear as well.

Listening to this familiar tone, Xu Yuan rolled his eyes with a smile,

"Hey, didn’t I give you, old man, three million silver when I was with Myriad Manifestation Sect? And there were so many properties too. Is it necessary to be so petty?"

Upon hearing this,

Hua Hong’s squinted eyes instantly opened wide, and he began to glare, bulging with pent-up resentment,

"Do you have the nerve to say that? How much did you give me? And how much did you give that woman Lou Ji? Fifteen million silver! Do you have any idea what fifteen million silver means?

"Ah, you ungrateful little brat, Lou Ji was good to you, but the old man also picked up the tab for you when you were little! Xu Changtian, you owe the old man here an explanation today, or I won’t..."

"Ahem!"

"...." Hua Hong shut his mouth.

"...." Xu Yuan looked innocent.

Xu Yinhè looked at the child and asked indifferently,

"What constitution?"

Hua Hong finally glanced at Xu Yuan, took a deep breath,

"Out of the constitutions you mentioned, we only found one with the Profound Life Yin Constitution. This child’s village was slaughtered by horse bandits. After we took revenge for him, he agreed to follow us. What, do you plan to train him?"

"Luo Daofan needs a vessel." Xu Yinhè was flat-toned.

Hua Hong frowned slightly, as if he wanted to say something, but seeing Xu Yinhè’s indifferent expression, he ultimately sighed,

"Although I know you won’t listen, my advice is to keep and train him yourself. Our training might not reach the heights of that Saint who survived for ten thousand years, but at the very least, we can ensure loyalty."

The night breeze gently brushed against Xu Yinhè’s black dragon robe as his eyes, deep as ancient wells, were undisturbed:

"Hua Hong, we don’t have much time left. We’re no longer allowed the luxury of slowly nurturing the next generation. Luo Daofan will stand on our side."

Hua Hong glanced at the child beside him, whose eyes were hollow, and said no more:

"Suit yourself."

"...."

After speaking,

Xu Yinhè gave Xu Yuan a look before turning away. Accompanied by the child and the Soul Ring, he stepped through the door and entered the council hall.

Bathed in the pure moonlight, his retreating figure was as it had always been.

Yet, for a fleeting moment, Xu Yuan thought he saw his father exhale a sigh like a breath...

...

...

...

The early summer night was still slightly cool as an elder and a youth stood quietly at the entrance of the palace,

watching Xu Yinhè disappear. Hua Hong then snorted lightly:

"Turning down steady profits in favor of taking a risk, it’s a pity to waste such a promising seedling."

Xu Yuan remained silent for a long time, then sighed and shook his head:

"High risk, high return."

Hua Hong chuckled lightly, squinting at Xu Yuan’s expression:

"You’re surprisingly compassionate for a bad seed."

The old immortals in the mansion all had keen and critical eyes. Xu Yuan, however, made no attempt to hide his feelings:

"If one lacks compassion, then one does not deserve to be human."

Hua Hong’s aged wrinkles trembled as he chuckled and scrutinized Xu Yuan:

"Since that’s the case, why didn’t you try to stop your father? He might have listened to you, and that child could have been saved, no?"

Xu Yuan turned to walk toward the Inner Court as he spoke:

"You old man know nothing, so don’t talk nonsense. Trading a child for a powerful and stable Transcendence Realm fighter in a short time—father won’t change his mind about this matter. Okay, goodbye, I’m going back to my chamber now."

Seeing this, Hua Hong didn’t leave but quickly followed and said as he walked:

"Sacrificing one to potentially save thousands does seem like a calculated trade."

"...."

Noticing that the other party had followed, Xu Yuan frowned and looked a bit perplexed:

"What are you following me for, you decrepit old man? Your Tian’an Commerce Assembly..."

"Smack—"

Xu Yuan felt a hit on the back of his head.

Hua Hong pointed at himself, speaking irritably:

"Your old man calls me Hua Hong, and you, boy, call me a decrepit old man?"

"...."

Xu Yuan opened his mouth as if to curse outright, but upon seeing the free-floating Origin Qi around Hua Hong, he thought better of it and kept quiet.

After a moment of silence, Xu Yuan said with a forced smile:

"Hua Hong, may I inquire what you need me for?"

Without Sister Lou Ji there, if this old man wanted to beat him, there was probably no one in the Prime Minister’s Mansion who would take his side.

Seeing his response, Hua Hong gently stroked his white beard, satisfied, and nodded:

"I’ve heard there’s someone named Zhou Chen who’s quite knowledgeable about trade and business dealings..."

"...."

Hearing that, Xu Yuan instantly understood this to be another arrangement by his old man.

Sending Hua Hong personally and then giving him time alone with Hua Hong,

His old man... he’s preparing for him to gradually take over the reins, and the first step is to make the subordinates accept him as the "Crown Prince."

In the silence that followed, Xu Yuan cracked a grin:

"Oh, right, there is someone named Zhou Chen, but he’s been sent to the Northern Frontier."

"...." Hua Hong’s eyes twitched.

Taking a deep breath, simple and straightforward, he said:

"But I’ve heard that Zhou Chen is you, boy."

"Ah...."

Xu Yuan showed no surprise at the words, the most shameless among the Prime Minister’s senior officials was this old man:

"That’s right, it’s me. What about it?"

"Can you write?"

"Of course, I can."

"Then, can you write down the trade knowledge..."

"Headache, it got bad when I was hit just now, I forgot."

"...." Hua Hong.