I became the God Brother of the Regent King after Transmigration!-Chapter 271 - 197: Turning Against Each Other

February 2, the dragon raises its head.

At the Magpie Workshop, as the first colorful lights of the evening were lit, various pavilions and towers sparked with a vibrant glow. The central high platform in the hall featured unceasing music of silk strings and bamboo pipes, accompanied by the enchanting and graceful dance of maidens, adding a layer of alluring ambiance to the place.

Yuan Lang frowned, coldly refusing a nearby woman’s attempt to talk to him, passing through the front hall and walking up to the second floor.

He wore an extremely understated gray robe, slightly lowering his head. His footsteps were silent, yet he couldn’t hide his handsome features.

It was Yuan Lang’s first time visiting such a place; he intended to meet Prince Kang, who had set the meeting place at a brothel.

However, his imperial uncle was known for his indulgent ways, with many wives and concubines in his mansion, and a brothel was a place where dragons and fish mingled. Meeting in such a place, no one would notice his identity... At this thought, Yuan Lang could only understand.

Thinking of Prince Kang, he couldn’t help recalling Prince Rui of Yan Country.

Both were prince of a country, yet his imperial uncle, given a sliver of financial power, became so inflated, while Rong Shuo, amidst thousands of troops, challenged the main general and put himself in the front of the array - this was the difference...

His father, the emperor, was benevolent, allowing several imperial uncles to hold power and remain in the Capital City, yet the major power slipped away, leaving them weak and incompetent.

If not for the Great General’s unwavering loyalty to his father, those few imperial uncles and veteran ministers might have long considered replacing the one seated on the dragon throne.

A benevolent ruler loses to a brutal monarch.

In Yuan Lang’s mind appeared that demonically enchanting and handsome face, of that emperor, who seemed gentle like a noble son but was truly sinister and cold, serving as his nightmare.

Yet, Yuan Lang pathetically found that he could instantly recall Rong Jing’s appearance.

His face, his expression, seemed engraved into his very bones.

Even though, since that day, Rong Jing hadn’t spoken to him again.

Finally, Yuan Lang reached the door of the private room he had arranged with Prince Kang. Without hesitation, he stepped forward and knocked on the door.

"Knock knock—"

As soon as he knocked, the room was opened from inside by a heavily made-up woman in a white dress.

"Please come in, sir," the woman in white was Xiang Yuan, the madam of the Magpie Workshop. She glanced at Yuan Lang’s face, a trace of amazement flashing in her eyes, and spoke with a smile, "Prince, your guest is indeed handsome. I have never seen such a beautiful young man before."

Yuan Lang did not respond, frowning as he looked into the room.

Yuan Lu was at the center of the private room, surrounded by women, his pale cheeks flushed from drinking.

Behind him was a large screen, painted with a map of mountains and rivers stretching over a thousand miles.

Seeing Yuan Lang arrive, Yuan Lu immediately pushed aside the women around him and quickly approached: "What sir, this is the Great Wei Crown Prince!"

He folded his hands, performing a formal salute: "Minister Yuan Lu, pays respects to the Crown Prince!"

Xiang Yuan was shocked, hastily pulling along the other two women to bow as well: "I have seen the Crown Prince of the Wei Country."

Yuan Lang’s furrowed brow slowly relaxed, personally stepping forward to help Yuan Lu up: "Imperial Uncle, please rise quickly. This is the Capital of Yan Country, and I am but a prisoner’s identity; there is no need for Imperial Uncle to offer such courtesy."

Yuan Lu said respectfully: "That’s different, Your Highness is still our Great Wei Crown Prince wherever you are, there is a distinction between ruler and subject, you are far more honorable than Yuan Lu."

"Imperial Uncle coming to such a brothel," Yuan Lang glanced at Xiang Yuan and couldn’t help asking, "isn’t there concern about revealing identities?"

He and Yuan Lu, one sent to Yan Country as a hostage, the other an envoy from Yan Country, meeting privately here in the Capital of Yan Country was prohibited.

This time, leaving the Imperial Palace of Yan Country, Yuan Lang exerted great effort, bribing various officials, just to arrive at the Magpie Workshop.

Unexpectedly, Yuan Lu immediately announced his identity to these three women and seemingly did not hide that he was Prince Kang in the brothel.

Yuan Lu’s cold gaze swept over to Xiang Yuan, his voice suddenly deepening, although still smiling, there was a hint of threat in his tone: "Rest assured, they will not speak recklessly, right?"

Xiang Yuan quickly nodded: "Yes, I have not taken any customers today, nor have I seen anyone."

Yuan Lu sneered dismissively: "Look, what sense of national duty do these brothel women possess? Rest assured, Your Highness, they wouldn’t dare disclose Your Highness’s visit."

Yuan Lang replied calmly: "I hope so."

He looked deeply at Xiang Yuan, thinking to himself, even if it were exposed that he left the palace, it wouldn’t be a matter of life and death, merely more cold ridicule and humiliation from the Yan people.

"Please sit, Your Highness," Yuan Lu respectfully gestured, then coldly reprimanded Xiang Yuan and the other two women, "Do we need you here? Get out of here!"

Xiang Yuan’s eyes flashed with a hint of coldness, and then, she glanced at the screen inside the private room:

"I shall take my leave first, Your Highness. If you need anything, you can call someone to find me. Du Ruo, Chanyi, you both should leave as well."

Call someone?

This madam was reminding him that there were other people inside the private room.

Yuan Lang followed Xiang Yuan’s gaze and also glanced at the green screen behind Yuan Lu.

He paid no heed; if anyone were there, it would only be Prince Kang’s subordinates.

Yuan Lu was his Imperial Uncle; back in Bian, he was always very respectful to him, and had even helped him impeach the corruption of the Fourth Prince’s ministers, firmly standing with the Crown Prince Faction. When he was sent to Yan Country, Yuan Lu wept bitterly and saw him off for ten miles.

Father sent Yuan Lu to Yan Country as an envoy to show him that Wei Country still cared about him as the Crown Prince.

Yuan Lang lifted his robe and sat opposite Yuan Lu.

"Imperial Uncle, I came to see you this time to understand the current situation in Bian," Yuan Lang asked.

"Ever since the famine at the Southern Border of Yan Country, all sorts of news started to break off, and I haven’t been able to receive any messages. If you hadn’t come this time, I would have thought something had happened in Bian."

Yuan Lu bowed and poured Yuan Lang a cup of tea, then took a sip himself and smiled gently, "Your Highness, please remain calm."

Although Yuan Lu’s complexion gave off a sense of paleness from indulgence, he inherited the grace of the Yuan Imperial Family, with every move being extremely elegant.

Seeing him drink it, Yuan Lang took a sip of the tea with reassurance.

"There is nothing happening in Bian, Your Highness need not worry. It’s just that Your Majesty’s health has worsened, and the Second Prince and Fourth Prince have been a little restless.

But rest assured, Your Majesty is very concerned about you, and with me and the Empress here, the court ministers are all on your side. They can’t stir up much trouble."

Yuan Lu’s long eyes slightly narrowed as he said with a smile.

Yuan Lang was the Crown Prince of Wei Country and also the Third Prince; his biggest enemies in the past were the Second Prince and Fourth Prince.

However, since childhood, he gained the trust and favor of the Wei Emperor, who had once implied to him that the other princes were merely whetstones for him and that he was the one and only Crown Prince of Wei Country.

This was the belief that sustained Yuan Lang, allowing him to live a lingering existence in Yan Country.

Hearing Yuan Lu’s words, Yuan Lang breathed a sigh of relief, "Father’s health..."

"It’s the same as always, though not very good, he’s still able to attend court and handle state affairs," Yuan Lu replied.

"Since there’s no problem in Bian, why have the contacts under my command within Great Wei lost touch, while the few secret contacts in Yan Country remain?" Yuan Lang asked, still filled with suspicion.

Since a few months ago, those contacts passing messages between Yan Country and Wei Country under his command suddenly lost contact one after another.

To this day, the contacts within Yan Country are still fine, but those within his own Wei Country have all mysteriously disappeared.

Yuan Lu’s eyes flickered as he asked, "Oh? The Crown Prince still has secret lines in Yan Country?"

"Those were given to me by Mother," Yuan Lang frowned, brushing over the topic, unwilling to discuss more.

Yuan Lu then said, "This matter is because Your Majesty, cautious with age, had the Martial Virtue Bureau investigate the secret followers under the Second Prince some time ago. The Empress was worried that Your Majesty might think you are... restless too, so your contacts were temporarily withdrawn, and when the storm passes, they will——"

Before he finished speaking, Yuan Lang suddenly stood up, his limpid, shallow eyes flashing with terror and questioning:

"Yuan Lu! Why are you deceiving me!"

"I... Is Your Highness joking? How could I deceive you?" Yuan Lu asked back with a strange expression.

Yuan Lang pronounced each word clearly:

"Father has personally told Mother and me that unless it’s treason, no matter what I do, I will always be the unchangeable Crown Prince of Great Wei.

The powers of Great Wei’s monarchy are dispersed among several Imperial Uncles, while state affairs and the military are under the control of the Great General. He wanted me to develop my own network of contacts, to justifiably surpass the Second Imperial Brother and Fourth Imperial Brother and thereby consolidate the power of the Crown Prince, so why would he take out his anger on my contacts!?"

The smile on Yuan Lu’s face melted like snow, turning into a deep chill:

"Since Your Highness has seen through it, I will no longer pretend."