Let Me Explain, Fairy
Chapter 328 - 236 Probing_2

Chapter 328: Chapter 236 Probing_2

"The battle has begun; it’s too chaotic outside. It’s safer here in the Government Office. But how did you know I went out with Li Yunqing?"

Li Zhaoyuan did not hide anything, and said straightforwardly:

"The Princess handed over the affairs of the Government Office to me, so of course, I knew that the Third Young Master and Yunqing went out together."

Xu Yuan looked at the Second Prince for a few moments and suddenly asked:

"Second His Highness, aren’t you curious about what I discussed with Li Yunqing?"

A smile appeared on the face of Li Zhaoyuan, with his sword-like eyebrows and starry eyes:

"Curious? Why be curious? Yunqing sought out the Third Young Master for nothing more than to find a way out of the city. Apart from that, what else could Yunqing discuss with the Third Young Master..."

At this point,

Li Zhaoyuan suddenly paused, staring at Xu Yuan with a meaningful smile:

"It must be about the stablemen of the Northern Border, isn’t it?"

Xu Yuan looked deeply at the Second Prince and sighed:

"You do understand Li Yunqing well."

"The Third Young Master has returned alone; it seems that you must have reached an agreement."

As he spoke, the two walked toward the desk inside the hall. Li Zhaoyuan sighed and shook his head, "Yunqing has always been like this since he was young, always suspecting that I, as his elder brother, would do something to him..."

"Was it you who suppressed the incident of Xu Mengxi killing the scion of the Spiritual Water Palace?" Xu Yuan abruptly interrupted Li Zhaoyuan’s reminiscences.

"......."

The topic took a big leap, but Li Zhaoyuan quickly adjusted his thoughts and nodded in response:

"Yes, the Spiritual Water Palace had been too presumptuous in the military affairs of the Northern Frontier, and both the Emperor and Minister Xu were quite dissatisfied. They needed a lesson."

Xu Yuan pondered for a moment and then suddenly laughed:

"With such support from Second His Highness, aren’t you worried about retaliation from the Northern Border Sects afterwards?"

Upon hearing this question, Li Zhaoyuan immediately frowned thoughtfully, but still said:

"Of course, it was routine support in her work, after all, the order within the city still needs to be maintained by the Secret Investigation Department’s personnel."

"....."

Xu Yuan shook his head and did not delve further into the matter.

Majestic and impeccable.

If Xu Yuan wasn’t aware of Xu Mengxi’s character, he might have actually believed it.

Although he did not know the details, Xu Mengxi was very likely used as a pawn by the Second Prince.

And her temperament certainly made it easy for others to use her as such.

Xu Mengxi killing an important figure from the Northern Border Sects, and the Second Prince taking responsibility on the surface—it seemed like a simple matter of official business.

But that’s not how others would see it.

Because Xu Mengxi’s identity was anything but simple, given that she had the Chief of the Secret Investigation Bureau, a powerful figure in the Imperial Court, standing behind her.

Xu Mengxi couldn’t do anything against him, Xu Yuan, because his father was a rebel-graduate Chancellor.

There was no one higher up to go to.

But this didn’t mean the Chief of the Secret Investigation Bureau lacked influence.

In the dramas and illustrated books of Dayan, such characters, even if they appear, can only be portrayed with an imposing figure from behind.

The Second Prince backing up Xu Mengxi was quite clearly aimed at this individual.

Should Xu Mengxi kill a few more high-ranking offspring of the Sects, the Secret Investigation Department, a powerful government body, might just end up tethered to the Second Prince’s ship.

Thinking this, Xu Yuan shook his head inwardly.

To understand but not reveal; this matter had nothing to do with him.

Xu Yuan did indeed admire Xu Mengxi, but he would not intervene and disrupt the Second Prince’s plans just out of appreciation.

If he were to slap Li Zhaoyuan, the latter might just offer the other cheek, but if this matter were to be ruined, it would probably upset him greatly.

After all, in matters of succession, where it’s a life-and-death struggle, each prince would show their full capabilities, stopping at nothing.

The hall was silent for a time,

the Second Prince looked contemplative with his eyes cast down, while Xu Yuan rather nonchalantly took the Second Prince’s seat for himself.

"......"

Li Zhaoyuan’s eyelid twitched, but he said nothing and just stood beside Xu Yuan, watching him without any objection.

Xu Yuan glanced at him, and very familiarly picked up a few documents from the desk, swiftly scanning them, and then suddenly smiled and said:

"The Second Prince sure knows a lot."

Li Zhaoyuan stood there with an unchanged expression and smiled:

"I know a little, but it’s mainly because the Princess trusts me."

Xu Yuan shook his head while seated:

"Second His Highness is modest. Commanding troops is difficult, but even harder is managing the logistics during wartime, especially in the Northern Border City where the military command system is not unified."

Li Zhaoyuan sighed helplessly:

"The Third Young Master is succinct; our people cannot enter the Sects’ storerooms, so many items are unaccounted for, these things..."

Xu Yuan smiled and tossed a scroll to the Second Prince from the Sumeru Ring.

Li Zhaoyuan took it, understanding in his heart, but still he asked:

"Third Young Master, this is...?"

Xu Yuan smiled faintly:

"It’s something Lou Ji asked me to pass on to Wu Yuan. Though not very accurate, it should give a rough estimate, which might be useful to the Second Prince."

Li Zhaoyuan’s eyes twinkled for a moment as he bowed in thanks:

"I thank the Third Young Master again."

Xu Yuan waved his hand and said with a smile to Li Zhaoyuan:

"Now that Northern Border City is under military governance, planning for the daily needs of four hundred thousand soldiers and civilians in the city, coordinating the Source Crystals required for various Formations, and managing the complex maintenance of the city’s defenses—it’s daunting just to think about it. To handle it all so smoothly within less than a day’s takeover..."

As he spoke, Xu Yuan pondered momentarily, as though choosing his adjectives carefully, eventually breaking into a grin:

"Your Highness is truly talented in statecraft. I’ll speak highly of you to my father when I return to the Capital."

"...."

Li Zhaoyuan, upon hearing this, maintained an unchanged expression and smiled slightly:

"Third Young Master, surely you have not reserved such words for me alone?"

Xu Yuan frowned slightly, showing a hint of displeasure:

"Hey, such words, I’ve only ever said to Your Highness alone."

"Is that so? Then perhaps I’m just being paranoid."

Li Zhaoyuan neither confirmed nor denied it, bowing slightly: "In that case, I thank the Third Young Master for the kind words to Minister Xu."

Though he said this, Li Zhaoyuan didn’t believe it in the least.

This Xu Changtian and his imperial brother Li Yunqing were cut from the same cloth: both quick with words, charmers that could spin tales as effortlessly as a carriage rolls along. He definitely hadn’t said this to him alone.

At the very least, the Third Young Master must have said the same to that kid Li Yunqing.

"......"

Seeing this, Xu Yuan shook his head and slowly stood up:

"Your Highness, I admire you."

Li Zhaoyuan still wore his businesslike smile:

"I’m flattered by the Third Young Master’s regard."

"I’m serious."

Xu Yuan’s gaze was earnest as he looked into Li Zhaoyuan’s shining eyes:

"Among all the Princes under His Majesty today, the Crown Prince and the Sixth Prince are both esteemed because of their mothers. You alone, Your Highness, are esteemed because of yourself."

The other Princes eligible for succession either had the backing of thousand-year-old sects from the Imperial Capital or the support of powerful military lords. This Second Prince was different, his mother was merely an ordinary palace maid in the Palace City.

It was only after her great beauty caught the Emperor’s eye and she bore Li Zhaoyuan that she was conferred the title of consort, offering no aid to Li Zhaoyuan’s cause.

In the struggle for succession, there is no room for family affection. The moment you entertain the thought, others will aim to destroy you, dragging your mother down with you.

Yet, Li Zhaoyuan has risen step by step amidst such predicaments.

His side is now surrounded by a retinue of aides, with a few key ministers in the Imperial Court backing him.

He truly lives up to the Prince who resembles Li Yaoxuan.

"......"

Li Zhaoyuan did not promptly respond to this compliment, fell silent for a moment, then replied softly:

"The Third Young Master exaggerates, my gap with the Crown Prince is still significant."

’Gap’ could mean the support within the court or even capability.

Ambiguous, without a clear response.

Being too watertight makes one somewhat uninteresting.

Xu Yuan mentally rolled his eyes upon hearing this:

"Acknowledge the gap and strive to bridge it; I have high hopes for you."

Having said this, Xu Yuan got up and yielded his seat to the other party, patting his shoulder before striding into the rear hall and its corridor...

"......"

Li Zhaoyuan stood there watching Xu Yuan’s departing figure, his gaze as calm as still water.

After a long while,

he chuckled softly, shook his head, and murmured soundlessly:

"Acknowledge the gap and strive to bridge it, eh..."

The Crown Prince enjoys the adoration of many, with a deep-rooted and vast interest group behind him from the moment of his birth.

So vast it’s stifling.

The Deputy Minister, the Commander of the Imperial Guards, the royal merchants, and even that legendary Marquis Wucheng of the military...