Let Me Explain, Fairy
Chapter 739 - 462 How the World Is

Chapter 739: Chapter 462 How the World Is

Upon handing over the jade token, Li Junqing turned away with an unfathomable smile and left the high pavilion of Xuan Yue Building.

In the serenity caressed by the night breeze, Xu Yuan stared at the jade token on the table for a long while before slowly reaching out to pick it up.

It felt warm to the touch and of fine quality; the jade alone was worth tens of thousands of silver pieces in the outside world, not to mention the significance behind the engraved words "Yu Cheng".

Guest Elder to the Crown Prince’s Government Office.

In the future, when the Crown Prince ascends the throne, this jade token will serve as proof of your contribution to the dragon’s success.

Of course,

if another Prince assumes the throne, then this jade token will also serve as the best proof of your forced suicide.

At this thought, Xu Yuanmo’s fingers caressing the surface of the jade token paused slightly, and the corners of his lips curled into an inscrutable smile before he slowly stood up.

Rationally speaking, he should not go see the Crown Prince.

After all, Li Junqing was right beside him, and one wrong word might give him away.

The problem was, the identity prepared by his father came with a pre-defined personality.

In other words,

this Master Wang from the household of the Ministry of War indeed existed before Xu Yuan started playing the role.

Talented and with potential for cultivation, he was never able to achieve his ambitions due to his illegitimate status.

Someone like that, when faced with such an opportunity, would likely charge ahead despite the uncertain path before him.

If he didn’t go, it would seem rather abnormal.

Of course, apart from that, Xu Yuan also wanted to see this Crown Prince, to see how the man differed from Li Zhaoyuan.

...

...

...

"Imperial Brother, I have delivered the jade token to that Master Wang as you instructed,"

Li Junqing pushed open the wooden door of the Tian Xun chamber, immediately saying with a playful tone, "But honestly, I don’t see why someone like the illegitimate son of a mere minister warrants your recruitment in person. This sort of task should have been sufficient for me to handle."

Inside the chamber, incense smoke curled in the air, and silk curtains swayed lightly. Behind the ink-washed screen embroidered with green mountains and rivers, a middle-aged man of gentle demeanor was deftly handling the teaware on his seated cushion.

Hearing Li Junqing’s voice, the man’s tone was very calm, giving off the impression of a courteous gentleman of the highest order:

"Only with my personal presence can I show adequate importance."

Li Junqing walked leisurely to the tea table and sat down. He picked up a cup of tea that had been prepared and drained it, then looked across at his elder brother, his voice slightly lowered, as he asked:

"Won’t our father, the Emperor, be displeased with your leaving the palace at this time?"

The man slowly raised his eyes, black pupils shining, and with a soft smile, he said:

"In the past, perhaps, but not now. Father has always treated all his sons equally. Since Zhao Yuan is leading the troops outside, much of the restrictions on me have naturally relaxed."

Li Junqing frowned slightly, gently placing the porcelain cup down. The man with the gentle demeanor quickly refilled the cup, his voice continuing in a soft cadence:

"If only Father had been this way sooner, many things would not have happened."

With a soft sigh, Li Junqing gently tapped his fingers on the porcelain cup, his eyes following the ripples in the tea as he murmured:

"If that were true,

"you would not have done it either."

"...."

At this comment, the man’s tea-pouring hand hesitated slightly.

The room fell into silence for a moment,

then the man continued his action and laughed lightly, shaking his head:

"Yunqing, your reactions are indeed much faster than your brother’s. Even with Father’s tacit consent, if I dared, I probably wouldn’t have survived until now."

After speaking,

the man set down the teapot, took a porcelain cup filled with fragrant tea, and gently sipped it before saying with a deep gaze:

"Sometimes, I... genuinely envy you and Zhao Yuan."

Li Junqing’s eyes twitched, and he immediately waved his hand, saying:

"Imperial Brother, I have not..."

"You’re this cautious even with your brother,"

the middle-aged man chuckled, giving his younger sibling a stern look. "I’m serious. You and Zhao Yuan can make many different choices, while I... had only one path since birth."

Li Junqing’s expression shifted, a complex tone to his voice as he replied softly:

"But Imperial Brother, you are the heir to the throne. Why speak in such a manner?"

"Why indeed?"

The man’s gentle gaze flickered with a hint of despondency, and he sighed through his handsome features:

"Although I have been the Crown Prince for many years, even practically ruling on behalf of the Emperor for nearly a decade, in reality, I have been merely a shadow of our father. Whatever Father tells me to do, I must comply.

"I have lived my entire life as Father’s shadow, but in the end, everything I have is still at the mercy of his thoughts.

"Yunqing, do you now understand why I said those words?"

"...."

Li Junqing fell silent upon hearing this.

If the Emperor and Prime Minister Xu’s initial plan had gone smoothly, his Imperial Brother’s life would have been incredibly smooth.

But the problem lay in the fact that the plans of the two elderly men had hit a snag.

This esteemed identity of the Crown Prince had turned into a restriction.

He could not interact with the people and matters the Emperor did not wish him to deal with; he could only passively accept everything prepared for him by the Emperor, which included the powerful Crown Prince faction currently in the court.

And all the aspects of the Crown Prince faction were only temporarily lent to his elder brother by the Emperor.

If the Emperor decided to take them back one day, it would just be a matter of his will.

Now that the Emperor has allowed Li Zhaoyuan to command the troops outside, it is clear that the succession to the throne is beginning to change in his heart.