Let Me Explain, Fairy
Chapter 318 - 231 Heart-to-Heart_2

Chapter 318: Chapter 231 Heart-to-Heart_2

The biting cold of the Northern Frontier was left outside the pavilion.

Li Junqing shook his head rather nonchalantly:

"The city will fall in a few days, might as well eat as much as you can while it’s still possible."

Xu Yuan sat down with an odd expression and consciously took out a cup, pouring himself a drink:

"Currently, Northern Border City isn’t completely surrounded. If the Third Prince wishes to flee... cough, wishes to leave, I reckon it wouldn’t be too difficult, would it?"

The Third Prince smacked his lips and shook his head:

"I wish I could, but my imperial sister is stern and unyielding. If it’s lockdown, it’s lockdown—no one is allowed to leave."

Xu Yuan took a sip of the warm wine:

"But you are her dear brother, surely you deserve some special treatment."

"Tch..."

Li Junqing let out a derisive laugh, his eyes glinting with mirth: "Third Young Master, in our family, the bonds of blood aren’t as influential as they are in yours. My imperial sister grew up in the Northern Frontier, and our relationship as siblings is barely better than that of strangers."

The directness of his words made it difficult for Xu Yuan to respond.

The Third Prince did not seem inclined to continue the subject and suddenly asked with a sly smile:

"By the way, Third Young Master, I just saw a Great Grandmaster named Zhou Chen from your Prime Minister’s Mansion at the Government Office... Do you recognize him?"

"Zhou Chen?" Xu Yuan raised his eyebrows slightly, showing an apt trace of surprise: "He’s actually in Northern Border City?"

"It seems you do know him." The Third Prince laughed mischievously.

Xu Yuan stared at Li Junqing for a few moments, then shook his head, changing the subject:

"Where is your imperial sister?"

The Third Prince, as if confirming something, shrugged expressively:

"Because of that unheralded mastermind from the Prime Minister’s Mansion, the Black Scale Army sallied forth recklessly, which infuriated my imperial sister. She should be at the Communication Crystal now, contacting reinforcements."

"Really?"

Xu Yuan narrowed his eyes.

The Third Prince seemed to have realized something, but since he voiced it, it meant he had no intention of leaking the information.

With this in mind, Xu Yuan smiled slightly:

"What about the Second Prince?"

"He’s helping our imperial sister manage military affairs."

"Military affairs?" Xu Yuan was somewhat surprised.

The Third Prince waved his hand, explaining:

"Not the specific matters of city defense, but assisting my imperial sister in overseeing the Government Office, coordinating supplies, maintaining public order within the city, and dealing with logistics like the reserve defense forces."

Xuan Yuan’s eyes showed a hint of contemplation: "He understands all that?"

"Of course. Our Emperor always says my second brother takes after him."

The Third Prince showed a glimmer of admiration, pinching his thumb and index finger close together:

"He has basic knowledge of almost everything, much better than my eldest brother, who only knows propriety and righteousness."

Xu Yuan had never met the current Crown Prince, so he wasn’t sure about the truth of the statement and chuckled lightly:

"Since you hold your second brother in such high esteem, in the struggle for succession, why did you choose to follow your eldest brother? Blood relations don’t seem that important in your family anyway."

"......"

The Third Prince fell silent for a moment, then sighed deeply:

"Third Young Master,

"After my father ascended the throne, my imperial uncles either committed suicide or went mad."

"...."

The snowstorm served as a backdrop to Li Junqing’s helpless expression.

Xu Yuan asked with a smile:

"Then how can you be sure that your eldest brother wouldn’t move against you upon ascending the throne? You control all the royal businesses and the Shadow Guard, and that’s a threat... Tsk tsk."

With no one else present, the Third Prince spoke bluntly:

"Neither my eldest nor my second brother supports me. I can hardly go support my sixth brother, can I? His maternal grandfather, the Marquis of Langya, only commands thirty thousand Langya Army troops. That’s not even enough to get stuck in the teeth of Marquis Wucheng’s Northern Border Army. How can I support him?"

Xu Yuan, left speechless, raised his glass.

The two wine glasses clinked together in the snowy wind before being emptied.

Xu Yuan set down his glass, sighing leisurely:

"You really are in a tough spot."

The Third Prince exhaled a hopeless sigh and took another drink alone:

"Indeed, it’s very tough. ’The most heartless is the royal family.’ My only bet is that if my eldest brother truly intends to target me, my mother might persuade him. Besides, we grew up together, and I’ve diligently helped him for so many years. Someone who’s willing to delegate power should at least be able to live as a carefree prince."

Xu Yuan glanced at the warming grill near him and suddenly asked:

"So Yunqing, you’re content to leave your fate in the hands of others?"

The Third Prince squinted, smiling:

"Third Young Master, are you suggesting..."

"Since it’s difficult, why don’t you go yourself?"

"......"

Silence suddenly descended in the pavilion.

After a long pause,

The Third Prince suddenly burst into laughter, pointing to himself and said, "Me? What do I have to compete with my second and eldest brother? In terms of birth, I was born over twenty years after my eldest brother, and in terms of ability, I fall short of my second brother..."

Xu Yuan silently raised a finger and pointed to himself.

The Third Prince’s voice faltered, and his gaze grew sharp.

This guy actually admitted it directly.

Well, whether he admits it or not it’s all the same to him, he wouldn’t dare to speak out anyway.

The gravity slowly faded, and the Third Prince leaned back in his chair, grinning at Xu Yuan:

"Third Young Master, as for me, just a commoner, I’m well aware that some desires, once unleashed, can never be put back."

"Do you really not want to sit on the throne?" Xu Yuan asked with a strange look in his eyes.

"Of course I do—I’ve said I’m a commoner. Of course, I’d like to if I could."

The Third Prince locked eyes with Xu Yuan, enunciating each word: "But I don’t want to be a puppet that could be discarded at any moment, so Third Young Master, stop trying to sow discord. If I survive this mission, I’m going to muster some soldiers and be a local emperor over on Yingzhou Island."

Xu Yuan sighed and said:

"Your Highness is indeed aware, knowing to keep a distance from the whirlpool."

The Third Prince sighed:

"I have to be aware. On this journey to the Northern Frontier, my second brother, by relying on his performance, is likely to garner some support within the army and make an appearance before our father the Emperor.

"Even if we win the current chaos in the Northern Frontier, it won’t look too pretty. With our father’s health deteriorating, and with my eldest brother’s gentle disposition, ascending the throne and taking full control might be difficult. And if my second brother takes the throne, my fate... tsk tsk."

"...."

When Xu Yuan heard this, he chuckled lightly but did not speak.

He understood.

The Crown Prince is preparing for the Emperor and his own father to clean up the sects and bring a respite to the world.

The chaos among the sects is not yet over, so it’s natural for the ruler to change.

However, after so many years as regent, the Crown Prince probably wasn’t as incompetent as the Third Prince described.

If he was really that bad, the Second Prince wouldn’t have come to the Northern Frontier so eagerly.

Thinking this, Xu Yuan picked up his wine cup and drained it, casting a glance at Li Junqing across from him.

This young man’s ability to spout nonsense is not weaker than anyone else’s.

Li Junqing seemed to have completely given up and turned to ask with a smile:

"Third Young Master, do you want to check out the Hook Bar in the south of the city tonight? The girls at the Hook Bars in the Northern Border are much taller than the ones we have in the capital."

Xu Yuan rolled his eyes and said:

"The city is under siege, will the Hook Bar even be open at this time?"

The Third Prince waved his hand and laughed,

"Third Young Master, the more chaotic it is, the more money profiteers can make. Now with so many high-ranking children of the sects trapped in this isolated city and unable to leave, under such pressure, they need a place to vent. The Hook Bars in the city will double their prices but will definitely be open."

As the words fell,

In the midst of the snow outside the pavilion, a figure in red landed in the snow behind the Third Prince, crossed a long leg, and entered the pavilion without a sound.

Xu Yuan glanced at the red-clad woman discreetly, his expression immediately becoming serious:

"Too expensive, can’t afford it."

The Third Prince sighed with a playful tone:

"Tsk, Third Young Master, you really are a miser. How about I be the host tonight?"

Xu Yuan looked once more at the red-clad woman behind the Third Prince, her complexion so cold it could form ice:

"Tonight may not be convenient. Your imperial sister might need me."

The Third Prince was about to speak when he suddenly noticed Xu Yuan’s look, his expression changed, but after a pause, he still insisted with a smile:

"No matter, with the military situation so urgent, my imperial sister must surely be going to the city gate tower for inspection; she can’t possibly stay overnight in the Government Office......"

"Smack!"

Li Qingyan raised her hand and slapped the back of Li Junqing’s head.

"....." Xu Yuan’s eyes signaled it had nothing to do with him.

"....." The Third Prince covered his head and played dead.

Li Qingyan took a deep breath and cast a cold glance at Xu Yuan:

"Come with me, I have something to ask you."

Having said that, she turned and left.

Xu Yuan subconsciously glanced at Li Junqing, who directly played dead on the stone table without a peep.

After Li Qingyan left the pavilion, Xu Yuan was about to follow, only to see the "dead" suddenly look up at him and blink, with his lips slightly moving:

See you—tonight

"....." Xu Yuan.