Chapter 56: Kidnapping the Crown Prince

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Xinzheng

World Bank

In the third month since opening, as more and more people happily showed off their interest earnings, those who withdrew their principal and interest in the second month were filled with regret.

Once unleashed, human greed is hard to rein in.

To reward loyal customers, the World Bank directly raised its interest rate to twenty percent.

Now, the entire population of Han was in a frenzy.

With the backing of the royal court,

Everyone began to madly deposit their money in the bank.

Nowadays, if a household has no glassware, they almost feel embarrassed to greet their neighbors.

Yanfei stood by the window of the Purple Orchid Pavilion, gazing at the frenzied citizens of Han next door.

"Husband, why can't they see this is a trap?" Yanfei knew this was Li Yu's plan, but was curious seeing so many fall for it.

"Greed is human nature. One can overcome illness, conquer external obstacles, but it's very hard to defeat one's own nature," Li Yu explained the basics of modern psychology.

"Take gamblers, for example. They know they'll lose in the end, yet can't control themselves. That's human nature." Li Yu watched the crowds flowing in and out of the World Bank, excitement like gamblers etched on every face.

"Husband, is your other self really unharmed?" Yanfei was still concerned about Li Yu's counterpart in another world.

"It's fine! I'm thinking of ways to recall him." Li Yu looked at Yanfei with a complex expression.

"Since my three counterparts appeared, I've felt some changes in my body. Can't say if it's good or bad." Li Yu spoke about the sensations he'd been experiencing lately.

Yanfei listened and, worried, took Li Yu's hand to examine him.

The breathtaking sword strike of that day lingered in her memory.

Li Yu had become so strong without even realizing it; she couldn't say whether it was good or bad.

"It's nothing. I just discovered I can now look inward—feel a golden little sun inside me, slowly rotating, very mysterious." Seeing Yanfei's concern, Li Yu shared his thoughts; with Yanfei, he always trusted her fully.

"No matter what, I'll always support you," Yanfei looked at Li Yu, her gaze unwavering.

"My beloved Feiyan, you're going to move me to tears." Li Yu, hearing this, kissed Yanfei.

...

Han Royal Palace

Today's morning court

Li Yu reported the recent income of the World Bank.

King An of Han could not stop smiling, delighted to have someone as talented as Li Yu.

Seven million six hundred thousand gold—Ji Wuye's heart skipped a beat at the figure.

Such a staggering sum would shake anyone.

After the court dispersed, Li Yu sought out Fourth Prince Han Yu.

"Does the Fourth Prince have time? I have a matter to discuss."

Han Yu was surprised; since Li Yu entered the court, he'd kept his distance.

Yet today, Li Yu initiated contact?

"Let us speak in the Chancellor's carriage," Han Yu, ever the cultivated middle-aged man, replied.

"Please," Li Yu bowed to Han Yu.

When Han Qiancheng saw Han Yu bring Li Yu into the carriage, his face was full of disdain, as if looking at a traitor.

"The Fourth Prince's kindness, I've always remembered," Li Yu whispered to Han Yu.

"I wish to present the Fourth Prince a great gift, to clear a major obstacle from your path to the throne. Would you be willing?"

Han Yu's eyes sharpened, staring at Li Yu.

Li Yu calmly returned the gaze.

"Chancellor, I'm not sure I understand. My royal brother is benevolent and—"

Before Han Yu could finish, Li Yu laughed and prepared to leave.

Han Yu hurriedly grabbed him: "Chancellor, why?"

"You claim to act for the Fourth Prince, yet you play coy with me," Li Yu said with disdain.

"I wanted to honor you as my mentor, but lately you've ignored me," Han Yu voiced his concerns.

"I just entered the court; if I openly align with you, how would others see it? I'd be surrounded by enemies and unable to help you," Li Yu spoke nonsense.

"You've worked hard," Han Yu feigned emotion, unsure of Li Yu's sincerity.

Li Yu waved his hand: "Hardly. To help the Fourth Prince is enough for me." Even he felt nauseous at his own words.

"What do you plan?" Han Yu inquired.

"Recently, the Ba Yue woman caused trouble in the royal palace. You heard of it?"

Han Yu: "I was there."

Li Yu: "Good. I've learned the Blood-clad Marquis released the Ba Yue woman's master, named Tianze. They're planning to kidnap the Crown Prince. The Fourth Prince only needs to—"

As Li Yu spoke, he leaned in and whispered to Han Yu.

...

Evening

A luxurious carriage rolled through the streets, guarded by several soldiers.

The occupant's status was evident.

As they approached a stone bridge,

Because the bridge was narrow, ten soldiers crossed first.

The carriage then began to move onto the bridge.

When the carriage reached the center, the railing suddenly broke and collapsed inward, startling the horses into chaos.

The driver struggled to control the panicked pair.

Suddenly, a fireball fell from the sky and smashed into the carriage.

The captain drew his sword: "Enemy attack! Form ranks!"

A violent explosion erupted from the water.

Like a water demon, Tianze swung his horrifying iron chain, smashing the carriage to pieces.

When the soldiers cleared a path, they found their charge had vanished.

King An of Han was drinking chicken soup with Lady Hu when he received the news.

He abandoned his soup and immediately summoned his ministers to discuss countermeasures.

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"Ninth Prince, as Minister of Justice, you should be responsible," Ji Wuye stepped forward, shifting blame to Han Fei.

"The General is responsible for city defense; you can't escape responsibility," Han Fei retorted.

King An listened to their mutual blame, slammed the table in anger: "You both—find the Crown Prince!"

He swept away in fury.

Li Yu noticed the Fourth Prince remained silent throughout, unfazed.

He was shrewd, though somewhat lacking in strength.

...

Abandoned residence, broken roots and tiles.

Wild grass, poisonous insects and snakes.

The Crown Prince of Han was presently safe, with all limbs intact, but severely traumatized. He lay limp on the ground, his trousers soaked, exuding a foul stench.

This was not simply wetting himself, but complete loss of control.

A nation's Crown Prince reduced to such a state by a handful of Ba Yue assassins was truly pathetic.

He'd witnessed these men dispatch every wave of soldiers sent to rescue him—three waves, all killed.

If Li Yu were here, he'd be speechless.

The Han Crown Prince crawled on the ground, groveling before Tianze, begging for mercy—these people seemed to him too terrifying, like demons. The earlier giant was impervious to blades, immensely strong, and hideous.

Then appeared a monster able to manipulate corpses.

The leader was even more terrifying, surrounded by black, murderous energy, space seeming to warp, like a fiend from the abyss.

One glance sent the Crown Prince trembling uncontrollably.

"Mercy, mercy! Whatever you want, I'll give it to you!" he pleaded, knocking his head on the ground, oblivious to his own filth.

He did not want to die.

Death meant losing everything.

He was the Crown Prince of Han—one day, all of Han would be his. If he survived, he'd have everything.

If Li Yu saw this, he might praise him as talented. For a prince, a royal scion, to grovel for survival—few could do it. Han Yu and Han Fei, for example, would not.

They'd rather die.

Some might say

Kneeling is easy, standing is hard.

But to Li Yu, kneeling isn't easy either.

For the Han Crown Prince, though, it was no issue. Kneel enough times, and it becomes second nature; it's either once or countless times.

"So this is the Crown Prince of Han? Ridiculous," Tianze approached, his scaled face flashing with sadness and ridicule, sneering.

This groveling prince was Han's heir.

One of the destroyers of his own country, Han's successor.

He himself had been the Crown Prince of Ba Yue, equal in rank. Now he had nothing, while the other's country still existed, a giant.

Yet this Crown Prince of Han was so pitiful.

Tianze felt mocked, endlessly so—by himself and the circumstances, by an inexpressible sense of indignation.

He wanted to laugh, but couldn't.

His heart was full of wrath, yet he couldn't vent it, stuck within.

"I am, I am! Mercy, sir, mercy! Whatever you want, I'll give it to you. If I can't, my father will. Just don't hurt me," the prince crawled through his own filth to Tianze, pleading.

"Take him away. Don't let him escape," Tianze said coldly to the corpse-controller beside him.

He had come partly for revenge, but also to see what Han's Crown Prince was like.

He himself had been Ba Yue's Crown Prince, now a prisoner; he wanted Han's prince to know that taste.

But seeing this pathetic creature,

Tianze lost all interest.

For a pile of excrement, even if produced by a nation, Tianze had no desire to step in it—it would dirty his shoes; he had his pride.

"Ding—"

With Tianze's command, the corpse-controller's staff rang, and the surrounding corpses stirred, dragging the terrified prince away.

"Hu—"

Tianze took a deep breath; his revenge was just beginning.

...

Han Yu's mansion

Fourth Prince Han Yu sat in the main seat,

Pouring a cup of wine for his guest.

"Qiancheng, how has your foster father treated you?" Han Yu asked the youth who had followed him for years.

"Foster father has treated me like his own, as if giving me a new life!" Han Qiancheng replied sincerely.

"Good! Tonight, I need you to handle something for me. If you succeed—"

Before Han Yu finished, Han Qiancheng knelt: "Foster father need not say more. You raised me for years; now it's time I show my loyalty."

The young are easily impassioned.

"Good! I knew I could trust you. If I ascend to the throne, I will not forget you," Han Yu said, rising and patting Han Qiancheng's shoulder.

...

The ruined residence, ravaged by Tianze and his companions, was now hell on earth. Silence reigned, the air thick with blood, occasional corpses stumbling about.

The entire compound was shrouded in darkness, even the moonlight unable to penetrate, all light swallowed.

From afar, it looked like a massive shadow.

Cold, bloody, evil, suffused with violence.

It inspired fear, keeping people away.

...

Purple Orchid Pavilion

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Han Fei, seeing Li Yu and others present,

Got straight to the point: "Brother Fang already told you, didn't he?"

Zi Nu covered her mouth with a smile, retorting, "With all the commotion outside, do you think we wouldn't know?"

"Do you know who did it?" Han Fei shrugged and asked.

Wei Zhuang slowly lifted his gaze, sharp eyes fixed on Han Fei, who wore an awkward, clumsy expression. Wei Zhuang spoke in a low voice, "I don't know who did it, but I do know this troublesome matter has landed squarely on your shoulders."

That was almost a given.

Han Fei gave himself away so easily, Wei Zhuang could see through him at a glance.

No matter what happened to the Crown Prince, anything concerning the royal succession was never a minor issue; a single misstep could spell disaster.

For the newly founded Quicksand organization,

The Crown Prince's residence was a massive threat—a catastrophe waiting to happen.

"You understand me best, Brother Wei Zhuang."

Han Fei tried to play the clown, winking and smiling.

Wei Zhuang looked at Han Fei coldly, showing none of the tacit understanding Li Yu would have; his icy stare left Han Fei awkward and at a loss for words, forced to smile bitterly.

Fortunately, Nong Yu was kinder, noticing Han Fei's embarrassment, and changed the subject, "Is there any good news?"

"The good news is that Ji Wuye must now follow my orders and assist me in rescuing the Crown Prince," Han Fei quickly said, breaking the odd tension.

Wei Zhuang, truthfully, would rather see the Crown Prince harmed; if the prince didn't die, how could Han Fei rise?

Especially given how incompetent the Han Crown Prince was.

"The former Crown Prince of Ba Yue, the Red-browed Lord Tianze, has appeared, bringing his men."

Han Fei's expression grew solemn.

Zi Nu looked at the silent Li Yu with a strange expression.

She had a feeling Li Yu was involved.

She had met Tianze herself, back at Lanshou Manor.

"What is their aim? To kill the Crown Prince?"

Wei Zhuang had no interest in the case itself, only in the matter at hand. He looked at Han Fei, pressing for answers.

"Perhaps revenge. Han was among the nations that invaded Ba Yue. It's likely Tianze has been imprisoned somewhere secret in Han for years, only now escaping. A revenge-seeker held captive for over a decade..." Han Fei's expression was grave, leaving some things unsaid, but the others understood.

"If he was truly held captive, he wouldn't have escaped suddenly; someone must have let him out deliberately," Wei Zhuang's eyes flashed as he spoke.

"And the purpose is..." Zi Nu began to ask, then realized and looked at Han Fei.

Li Yu too looked at Han Fei.

Wasn't it obvious?

Only the Nightfall group had authority to imprison and release Tianze. The connection to Han Fei was clear.

Their motive was obvious.

"Your troubles really keep piling up," Wei Zhuang said coldly.

"Those who can, do more," Han Fei joked bitterly.

"Why is Brother Fang so quiet today?" Han Fei looked at Li Yu, who was hiding behind Zi Nu.

"I have a family to care for; I don't want to get involved," Li Yu said, absentmindedly playing with Zi Nu's slender fingers.

"In public—behave," Zi Nu couldn't bear Li Yu's public display and slapped his hand away.

"Wife," Li Yu ran to Nong Yu for comfort.

Everyone: "..."

The tense atmosphere was utterly destroyed by Li Yu.

...

General's Mansion

Ji Wuye paced the hall, his face twisted in rage.

The maids nearby dared not breathe loudly, lest they provoke his anger.

"Still no word from Bai Yifei?" Ji Wuye was at the brink of exploding.

"My lord, Master Mo Ya has gone to make contact but hasn't returned," a soldier replied.

"Useless! All useless!" Ji Wuye kicked over the tea table.

"Bai Yifei, you claimed to control everything—this is your so-called control?" Ji Wuye shouted into the air, venting his frustration.

...

Douluo Continent

A wasteland

Li Yu, riding a small white horse, played with a metal ring in his hand.

With a tap, a green sword appeared in his palm.

Now, Li Yu wore simple white attire; he couldn't stand the ostentatious clothes of the Douluo world.

After leaving the Martial Hall, he had new clothes made.

As for his destination,

Li Yu thought of Notting Academy.

Tang San should still be working there as a student.

He wanted to visit the little white rabbit.

Li Yu recalled the pink-haired, scorpion-braided little girl.

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