When the crown prince was alone, a figure came in view. It was a man dressed in silver clothes as he wore a golden mask that covered half of his face, showing his attractive lips.
The crown prince's eyebrows wrinkled when he saw the man, he cursed himself for having such a bad day, even that man came to him for who knows what reason.
"My, my... Is this how you should greet me, your highness?" The man smirked.
"Fu Hanyu... What the hell are you doing here?" Disdain filled the crown prince's face, he was not happy to see him.
"I'm happy to see you too." The man laughed and continued, "I just heard that the fourth prince beat you once again. Is your brain even functioning? He already took two and look at you now, how many do you have? None. That's impressive of you!"
The crown prince's face darkened and he roared, "Fu Hanyu! Did you came here to make fun of this prince or what?!"
Seeing how angry he became, the man was delighted, it was just fun to play with him.
"You're overthinking!" the man exclaimed.
He walked to the crown prince, his face didn't fail to show his amusement but that just irked the crown prince as he knew that man was up to something. When the man was face to face with the crown prince, he extended his arm and then his hand reached to the latter's chin. He firmly held it and lifted it up so the crown prince's eyes would focus on his. The amusement in his eyes disappeared and he held a serious expression.
"I made you into a crown prince, you have that dog of an Emperor's favors, it wouldn't take long before he dies, and you would take over the throne. These opportunities you have had are all thanks to me. In return, you would collect the maps for me but what do I see? It has been 4 years and there's still no progress. What do you take me for, a fool?"
His cold eyes and attitude made the crown prince gulp in fear, his arrogant behavior was now gone.
"T-that... It's all that bastard's fault! I tried to collect them but every time a lead pops up, that guy immediately makes a move and finds the pieces before I can even take action..."
The man laughed but his eyes weren't laughing, "That there, isn't my problem. Time is ticking, if you aren't able to collect all the pieces before someone else does, I'll make sure you will regret it."
He looked at the fear the crown prince showed and he couldn't help but be excited. Before his hand moved away from the crown prince's chin, he leaned forward and his lips were right beside the latter's ear.
He slowly whispered, "Soon I will lose my patience and we will see how I will take care of you."
Every breath of the man hit the crown prince's ear, making him shiver not only in fear but also in disgust. The man retreated and disappeared, when the crown prince snapped back into the reality, he took a deep breath and yelled in anger:
"FU HANYU!" He called out the man's name, "This prince will make you regret sooner or later for ordering this prince around as you please!"
What the crown prince hated the most was being ordered by someone, he was born as a prince and he didn't tolerate other people thinking they were above him. He was going to show everybody how important and significant he was.
What politics and court work? He didn't have to care a thing about those kind of business when he would sooner or later become the Emperor and every single person would obey him as he wished.
What Fu Hanyu and Qiang Jingyi? He would show them they were nothing compared to him, they were just ants he would step on later in the future.
Yes, he would be an Emperor and rule over the Empire.... No! The whole East Continent!
...
"Kai, do you want some steamed buns?" Lin Xinglan asked the man beside her as she munched on a steamed bun she bought.
The third prince, disguised as a servant with a mask on his face, looked at Lin Xinglan before he declined her offer, "No. Also, don't call me by my name."
She shrugged in response, she would just had the steamed buns all for herself then.
But then she said, "I can't call you, you-know-what otherwise I will expose your identity and I don't want to call you Rong Kai because it's too mouthful so I'm calling you Kai."
He still had his eyes on her, he didn't say anything back so she took it as he approved it.
Because all Lin Xinglan had done for several days were working and reading the books she got from Qiang Jingyi, she decided to take a break and stroll around the capital with Qiang Rong Kai. When she made the third prince appear from the shadows and made him accompany her in the open, he obeyed silently without talking much. He was now Lin Xinglan's faithful slave so he could only listen to her.
They went to all kinds of food places and tried their food, although it was mostly Lin Xinglan who ate. Sometimes she would force Qiang Rong Kai to try eating some of the food. He watched Lin Xinglan as she kept eating happily in carefree.
How could she look so happy eating food all day long without feeling guilty for using his money? Qiang Rong Kai didn't know how he should feel about it. He knew clearly how much money Lin Xinglan actually had, and it was not little, but she didn't hesitate to use other's money.
"Do you only know how to eat?"
"Of course not, I just got myself a golden pouch. It would be a pity if I don't fully use it to my content." She replied, not caring how shameless she sounded.
"...." The golden pouch you're referring is me? How bold. But...
"Don't you already have a golden pouch?" He asked doubtfully.
"Huh? I do?" Lin Xinglan turned around to look at Qiang Rong Kai confused.
"Fourth prince."
She immediately blanked out and after a minute she replied, "Oh... I forgot about that."
The corner of his lips twitched and thought; This woman... Just what part of her is Qiang Jingyi interested in? She even forgot about him.
Shu Ya had always followed Lin Xinglan by the order from his master, and when he listened to Lin Xinglan and the third prince's conversation, he couldn't help but sweat a lot.
He didn't know how he would report it to his master... Should he tell that the young miss forgot she had Master or that the young miss sometimes would force feed the third prince? Either way, he felt he was in a crisis. This was a harder task than most of the tasks he ever did. He only hoped he wouldn't receive his master's bad treatment.
Young miss ah, young miss! Why do you have to make my job so difficult! My life is on the line here!
Suddenly, someone bumped into Lin Xinglan's shoulder, making her fall backwards. She wasn't prepared but fortunately, Qiang Rong Kai caught her before she landed on the ground. She gritted her teeth when she saw her steamed buns on the ground looking dirty. She grabbed the arm of the person who bumped into her.
"Hey, you." With difficulty, she smiled even though she was pissed off.
The person turned around and looked at Lin Xinglan with disgust.
"What? Let go of me, you whore!" He jerked his arm off her grasp.
The person was a middle aged man, his clothes were dirty and his expression was grumpy. He had just gambled and lost all of his money.
"You bumped into me, making me drop my steamed buns, you called me a whore and didn't even apologize. Is that how you should behave?" Lin Xinglan said with a mockery smile.
The middle aged man was getting irritated, and when he saw her smile, it made him explode in anger. He wanted to slap the annoying woman but he was stopped before he reached to her cheek. Qiang Rong Kai grabbed the man's wrist and twisted it painfully. The man let out a painful cry, he tried to escape from the stranger's grasp but he couldn't.
Qiang Rong Kai coldly said, "You do not have the authority to touch her. Scram."
He let go off the middle aged man and watched how he messily ran away from them.
Lin Xinglan exclaimed in admiration, "Woah, as expected from my faithful slave! You're so awesome!"
He gave her a glance before he took out a handkerchief and wiped cleanly his hand that had touched the middle aged man.
He snorted disdainfully despite his expressionless face, "Who does he think he is? Now that you're my master, I will not let other easily touch you."
Lin Xinglan chuckled, "Thank you. You're so faithful, Kai."
She was sad of having to waste her steamed buns but she got over it, she could buy more later. Besides, she didn't buy them with her money and Qiang Rong Kai was filthy rich so she reluctantly let go of her wasted steamed buns.
In a dark alley, there was the same middle aged man who bumped into Lin Xinglan. He walked towards the person who hid in the shadows.
"It was really the third prince... Yes, I collected information about the young girl that was with him. She is...." The middle aged man explained and told everything to the person who hid in the shadows.
When he was finished, his hands caught the filled pouch that was tossed by the other. His eyes showed greed and he thanked the person. As soon as he saw the person was gone, he happily walked out of the alley and went to the usual gambling place he would always go to. Too bad, he didn't noticed he was tailed by someone.
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Sorry for not updating lately, I've been busy with school. I have to submit my history essay due to Friday which I haven't even started, I also got a math test on Friday. Need to study...
I failed my other math test though haha, need to re-take it on my Easter Holiday ;w;