099 The Down-to-Earth Second Prince

Chapter 099: The Down-to-Earth Second Prince

Once again, the familiar sight of golden-yellow boot tips entered the field of vision first.

The Crown Prince, Li Yin Cheng.

At this moment, however, Fang Rulai no longer held the honored position she had two months ago during the confrontation in the main hall, where as the abbot she could refuse to kneel with authority.

Fang Rulai withdrew her foot from the steps, her mind spinning rapidly. From Guan Shiyin’s perspective, wouldn’t she have to kneel now? But for her—a modern woman raised on twenty years of equalitarian, materialist education—to kneel before an ancient figure, especially one with opposing stances, was simply impossible. Yet if she refused to kneel, how could she enter the Guan family mansion as Guan Shiyin in the presence of the hostile Crown Prince?

The Crown Prince stepped out the door but did not descend the steps.

Guan Yi He was the first to kneel in obeisance. “Greetings, Your Highness the Crown Prince. May you enjoy eternal health and prosperity.”

The surrounding commoners all bowed in unison, including Guan Yue, except for Fang Rulai and Li Ling Cheng.

The Crown Prince stood with his hands behind his back, wearing an expression of justified displeasure. “Miss Guan, what is the meaning of your actions...?”

“Brother!” Li Ling Cheng suddenly interrupted, then quickly approached Fang Rulai and positioned himself protectively behind her. “Shiyin’s legs are just recovering, and soon we will be one family. For my sake, please spare her the grand gesture of kneeling this time, will you?”

“Very well, of course,” the Crown Prince’s expression softened into a friendly older brother’s smile, though the insincerity beneath his grin was unmistakable, a high and mighty demeanor not easily shaken. “But, brother, now that you’ve recovered, why not return to the palace first to pay respects at our late father’s temporary tomb? Instead, you come here, entangled in romantic affairs, and have even privately arranged your betrothal. Tell me, brother, have you no regard for your elder brother as a father figure? No respect for our late father? Or have you cast aside the Yao Tian Kingdom’s traditions of mourning for the deceased? Hmm, brother?”

A deathly silence fell before the gate.

The commoners who had just dared to comment on the second prince’s manners now dared not utter a sound in the presence of the Crown Prince. The memory of the brutal massacre of over a hundred people at the Shengjing Mansion's main hall two months prior was still vivid. What exactly had transpired that day was now unknowable—or if anyone knew, they dared not speak a word since then. After all, no one wished to face the barrel of a gun.

Except Li Ling Cheng.

After the burning of Fahua Temple, Jie Tang had relayed to him Fang Rulai’s preemptive strategies for potential fallout from the incident.

The burning of Fahua Temple, regardless of motive or intended outcome, clearly marked the second prince’s emergence, openly opposing the Crown Prince who lacked a formal edict to succeed. The recent main hall incident had already cemented the Crown Prince’s brutal image in the public’s mind. For the second prince to seize the initiative, he must first overshadow the Crown Prince’s reputation utterly.

Distributing grain to benefit the people was merely the beginning. Should these two publicly confront each other before the populace, it would mark the opening salvo of a counterattack.

The higher the Crown Prince places himself, the better. The more he magnifies his actions, the easier it becomes for the second prince to portray himself as the oppressed underdog, winning hearts with down-to-earth deeds and mannerisms.

“Brother, that’s harsh,” Li Ling Cheng complained softly, his tone tender and playful, conjuring the image of a younger brother who cannot bear his elder’s criticism before the kneeling crowd.

“How could brother not value father and the Yao Tian Kingdom? If he did not, how could he have dragged his ailing body to Fahua Temple to pray earnestly—morning and evening—for our father’s peaceful passing and for brother’s safety? If he did not hold Yao Tian dear, why would he be the first to distribute grain to the people upon recovery?”

The kneeling commoners unconsciously gripped their grain sacks tighter.

Li Ling Cheng’s eyes reddened as he spoke, “Brother, your words wound me deeply. How could I not know the tradition of filial mourning? If I didn’t, I would not have, at the risk of divine wrath, set fire to the golden Buddha statue after our father appeared in my dreams. Nor would I have dared to proceed with the betrothal to the Guan family, despite public disapproval. Brother, you must understand, everything I do now is under our father’s guidance in dreams.”

Li Yin Cheng was slightly taken aback. For the first time, he realized that the once frail, taciturn second prince spoke with such flawless logic. Humble in posture, sincere in words, the invocation of “father’s dream” deftly disarmed any suspicion of personal motive. When had this unremarkable second prince become such a silver-tongued political master? It was worth pondering.

Li Yin Cheng sensed a grave threat but quickly replaced his expression with a gentler, elder-brotherly smile. As the Crown Prince, deeply enmeshed in the web of court intrigue, he was keenly aware of every sign and gesture’s meaning. The second prince was seizing every opportunity to cultivate an approachable, amiable image before the people!

Should he succeed today in winning hearts, then marry into the Guan family, gaining both popular support and financial resources, would he not next covet political power?

Such a notion was absurd.

“Brother, you’re so confused! How can dreams be taken seriously? A few days ago, I dreamed our father told me you might not survive this Dragon Boat Festival. I was secretly heartbroken for a long time. But look at you now—not only did you defy that dream, you’ve fully recovered.”

Li Yin Cheng glanced at the kneeling crowd, his gaze icy and harsh, dousing cold water on their hopes. “Everyone dreams, and dreams leave traces. But everyone knows those marks are baseless and unreliable! As a prince, you’re expected to participate in court affairs. Do you intend to base your counsel on your dreams?”

If today you act on your dreams and arrange your betrothal, it means your future governance is utterly untrustworthy. Can you bear such a reputation?

Li Yin Cheng’s gaze darkened. Today, he would see to it that Guan Shiyin was barred from entering and that this betrothal was blocked.

The commoners shuddered at the thought of an emperor who judged by dreams—how unreliable that sounded.

Behind Li Ling Cheng, Fang Rulai subtly raised an eyebrow. A brilliant tactic to use dreams against dreams. Li Ling Cheng could clear his name this way, but Li Yin Cheng could just as easily blacken him with the same logic. Li Yin Cheng, over ten years his senior, was no easy opponent. Fortunately, they had prepared for this.

“Then how do you explain my sudden recovery without medicine or treatment?” Li Ling Cheng flushed and grew more resolute, not attempting to dispel his newly perceived recklessness, but instead embracing the image of a radical youth determined to follow his own heart. “I’ve been ill since birth; many imperial doctors said I could die any moment. But look at me now—how am I not like a normal person? Brother, if you think following dreams is reckless, then forbid me from attending court. This second half of my life is a gift. After sending Father to rest, I only wish to guard his tomb.”

The crowd sighed inwardly. Such a filial son. In contrast, the Crown Prince, who refused to pave the mountain road behind the palace and insisted on burying their late father in the temporary tomb rather than the royal mausoleum—ah, those reliable types are always the schemers.

Li Yin Cheng’s face darkened. How could he respond to that? His original intention was to remind the people that no matter how touching the second prince’s filial piety, someone so unreliable could never govern or bring stability. They might be disappointed in the Crown Prince’s brutality, but when it came to ruling, the second prince was unfit.

But since Li Ling Cheng openly expressed his refusal to govern, did that not imply his reliability was just another cunning façade?

Li Yin Cheng bit his lip in frustration. Every time he thought he had the upper hand, the second prince deftly turned the tables. Was this truly the same younger brother he had poisoned for over twenty years?

He knew well the damage he had inflicted. Even if the poison had been neutralized, the mind could never be as sharp as before. Yet the second prince spoke fluidly and acted naturally, as if fully prepared. Who had planned this for him?

Li Yin Cheng’s gaze passed over Li Ling Cheng to rest on Fang Rulai’s white veil. Was it her? The woman representing Guan Shiyin? Or the real Fang Rulai, rumored to possess special abilities? As he prepared to use the empty temple to exile Li Ling Cheng and burn down Fahua Temple to sever his path, this group had preemptively done so themselves, linking the incident to Li Ling Cheng’s filial image. Such a sophisticated plan—even an adversary had to admire its brilliance.

Only to sigh: why were such talents not on his side?

“Brother!” Li Ling Cheng shifted slightly, firmly blocking Li Yin Cheng’s look toward Fang Rulai. Whether true or false, none of those behind him could fall into Li Yin Cheng’s hands.

“I do not care how outsiders see me; I only care that Father’s spirit may rest in peace. Burning Fahua Temple led to my swift recovery, proving Father’s blessings are with us. How can I not follow his other dream instructions?”

Hmph. Trying to tarnish his newly built image of filial piety? Then he would cleanse it even more. If they refused us entry, we will announce our betrothal before all the people.

Turning, Li Ling Cheng took Fang Rulai’s hand and declared loudly to the kneeling Shengjing populace, “Father said his greatest worry when he left was that I was not yet married. He feared your elder brother would be too busy with state affairs to care for me properly. So he prayed to the deities to restore my health and commanded me to wed Miss Guan quickly, so he could rest assured. If brother does not believe me, citing ancestral mourning traditions to block me, I cannot deny its correctness. But time will prove all. In the days ahead, Shiyin and I will devote ourselves wholeheartedly to sending Father to rest.”

Bold commoners dared to glance up at the second prince. Though his adherence to dreams seemed foolish, upon reflection it felt genuine and comforting. They had also once trusted dreams after losing loved ones, but none had blindly obeyed every whim as he did.

By contrast, the Crown Prince’s earlier words—were they out of brotherly concern or a deliberate attempt to suppress?

They had heard that many court officials greeted the second prince upon his return. Anyone could foresee turmoil in the succession. When the second prince was ill, the Crown Prince, despite lacking a formal edict, was the sole heir apparent; but now the second prince was well, and so sincere and likable. No wonder the Crown Prince was anxious—first sealing the city, now barring entry—he did not want the second prince’s alliance with the Guan family to grow stronger.

They were simple folk with no say in succession or governance, but if given a choice, they would surely choose this honest, approachable second prince. Their Yao Tian Kingdom deserved a ruler they could love, so they could live peacefully without constant discontent.

In the second round of image battles—whitewashing and blackening—Li Ling Cheng triumphed again with his genuine, straightforward words.

Beneath her veil, Fang Rulai smiled contentedly. The eyes of the people were always sharp. Though oppression silenced them now, each knew the truth in their hearts. When one day they could speak freely—hmph—those voices would be more dependable than any thousand guards.

Having sown the seeds of hope in the people’s hearts, the Crown Prince standing at the gate was no longer a problem.

All that remained was for her to give him a way out.

Fang Rulai withdrew the hand Li Ling Cheng held on her wrist, turned, and smiled gently. “Your Highness the Crown Prince, your deep brotherly affection for the second prince was just a test of his sincerity regarding the betrothal, wasn’t it?”

Still refusing to yield? If they could not enter today, then the Crown Prince’s dark schemes to prevent the second prince’s alliance with the Guan family would be exposed before the people.

The Crown Prince’s face darkened like the bottom of a pot, fury barely contained, yet he admitted, “Ah, Miss Guan, you are indeed clever.”

Don’t be smug. You think entering this gate means it’s over? No, this is only the beginning.

The Crown Prince stepped aside. “I feared my brother’s recent recovery was a rash decision, but it seems not. Brother, Miss Guan, enter quickly. Tonight’s betrothal ceremony will be personally hosted by me.”

This battle for hearts has torn me apart... Last night’s writing was rough; I tried to smooth it out this morning, but there was a power outage... Truly, tears all the way...

Only now is it uploaded—late, and sincere apologies from Qing Ye!

If updates are late in future, please check the pinned notices in the comments first. Unless there’s a blackout, I will notify ahead of time!

Sorry, sorry. Seems I must prepare chapters in advance to be safe!

Lesson learned. I’ll improve.

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