Chapter 833: The Fourth Prince's Scheme

The Fourth Prince had informants among the Second Prince's retainers. He knew every detail of the Second Prince's banquet for Lu Yang that day.

"Lu Yang managed to turn the tables in a very short time. His cunning is truly admirable; even my Second Brother, who is usually so shrewd, fell for it."

Knowing Lu Yang was a difficult opponent, the Fourth Prince sent gifts to the Meng Manor for several consecutive days, signaling his goodwill.

Now, he felt his goodwill had been sufficiently demonstrated, and it was time to proceed with the next phase of his plan.

"Brother Lu Yang, I have long admired your reputation, and seeing you today, your extraordinary bearing truly lives up to it!" Like the Second Prince, the Fourth Prince stood at the entrance to greet Lu Yang, showing his respect. His manner was that of a martial arts figure, not a dignified prince, but rather a heroic outlaw who upheld justice.

Everyone said he was magnanimous and befriended people regardless of their status. In reality, every person he befriended served a purpose for him. To conceal his true intentions, he even swore brotherhood with many unremarkable cultivators.

Meng Jingzhou had entered a temporary cultivation retreat, so the Immortal Fairy did not call for him.

Moreover, the Immortal Fairy felt there was no difference whether Meng Jingzhou was present or not, as Second-in-Command was in her spiritual space, strategizing for her.

Although Second-in-Command's wisdom was inferior to her own, he could still provide some reference points.

The Fourth Prince secretly observed the Immortal Fairy's reaction and found her indifferent to his compliments, which he found a bit strange.

The Immortal Fairy also found the Fourth Prince odd. "Why are you stating so many obvious truths in front of me? Isn't this common knowledge? Isn't it tedious?" she thought.

The Fourth Prince decided Lu Yang was indeed unfathomable and continued, "Brother Lu, please come in."

The Fourth Prince's residence featured winding streams, exquisite garden landscapes, and musicians playing, all complementing the ambiance and creating a charming mood.

Many cultivators had gathered at the Fourth Prince's residence. Among them, aristocratic family members constituted only a small portion; more were brothel madams, teahouse owners, painters, physicians, and even matchmakers.

These were all close friends with whom the Fourth Prince had shared deep bonds, making them absolutely trustworthy.

In contrast to the atmosphere set by the musicians' melodies, the Immortal Fairy sensed that everyone present was looking at her with nervous expressions after her arrival.

The Fourth Prince invited Lu Yang to the guest seat, while he himself sat in the host's position.

After the Fourth Prince took his seat, the atmosphere seemed to ease considerably. Fine wine and delicious dishes were served generously, as if unlimited, even more lavish than the banquet at the Old Dragon Emperor's birthday celebration in the East Sea.

Of course, this was partly because the Fourth Prince had fewer guests than the Old Dragon Emperor's birthday banquet.

Although the spiritual food was of ordinary quality and the Immortal Fairy found it quite displeasing, she ate it, considering it could indeed help Lu Yang cultivate.

Glasses clinked, and performers occasionally used magical abilities to liven the atmosphere. For a while, laughter and joy filled the air.

Suddenly, the Fourth Prince was moved by the scene. He put down his bronze wine cup and sighed deeply.

"Alas," he said, "I fear we may not have many opportunities for such gatherings in the future."

At his words, the atmosphere instantly grew heavy. The guests all put down their chopsticks and looked uniformly at the Fourth Prince.

Before arriving, they had already roughly guessed why the Fourth Prince had gathered them: it was to conspire on a major undertaking.

"Your Highness, why do you say that?" someone asked loudly.

The Fourth Prince looked at everyone with a complex expression, then glanced at the Immortal Fairy, who was still eating with her head down. He picked up his wine cup and dramatically drained it.

Perhaps the words he was about to utter were too rebellious, requiring alcohol for courage.

"His Imperial Majesty does not have much longer to live, and as his son, I can do nothing to help. Watching him age day by day leaves me restless and unable to eat or sleep."

"In my dreams, I often see His Majesty pass away, and my Eldest Brother, Second Brother, and Third Brother fighting for the throne, causing immense suffering among the common people. I wake up in the middle of the night, drenched in a cold sweat."

"I often think that His Majesty, who loves his people like his own children, would absolutely not wish to see such a scene. I want to change all of this, but alas, I am too weak and isolated. How can I intervene in the struggle for the throne?"

"When that time comes, with the Great Xia in turmoil, how can we, who care deeply for the world, simply sit here and enjoy ourselves?"

As everyone imagined the scene described by the Fourth Prince, they bowed their heads. Some even shed sorrowful tears, their emotions seemingly genuine.

The Immortal Fairy looked up slightly, not understanding why they had suddenly started acting.

"Never mind," she thought. "It has nothing to do with me." The Immortal Fairy continued to lower her head and help Lu Yang eat.

Of course, the Fourth Prince was unaware of the Immortal Fairy's thoughts. Seeing Lu Yang look up, he assumed Lu Yang was starting to take an interest in them.

Below, a seemingly learned middle-aged gentleman said, "To be frank, there is indeed a method, but it is too treasonous to be implemented."

The Fourth Prince eagerly said, "Please speak, Mr. Lu."

"I cannot say," Mr. Lu continued to shake his head.

"No matter how treasonous, can it be worse than the well-being of the common people?" After the Fourth Prince's persistent questioning, Mr. Lu finally revealed the plan.

"If we wish for peace under heaven, there must be an undisputed sovereign to inherit the throne. Naturally, this would be His Royal Highness, the Eldest Prince. However, the Second and Third Princes will certainly not stand idly by, leading to a struggle for the throne."

"As long as the three Imperial Princes lose their qualification to contend for the throne, the imperial seat will naturally fall to you."

Upon hearing this, the Fourth Prince wanted to interject and stop him, but Mr. Lu seemed to have anticipated his words and continued, "I know Your Highness has no intention of vying for the throne, but for the sake of the common people, this is the only way."

The Fourth Prince opened his mouth, wanting to offer a rebuttal, but the words felt powerless as they reached his lips. Moreover, with his close friends gazing at him with earnest anticipation, how could he bring himself to refuse?

"So be it, so be it," the Fourth Prince said, lowering his head as if resigned to fate.

Immediately, he asked, "But how are we to make my three brothers relinquish their claim to the throne?"

Silence fell among the group; this was the most challenging part.

The Fourth Prince turned his head and asked the Immortal Fairy, "Brother Lu Yang, do you have a solution?"

Hearing the question directed at her, the Immortal Fairy slurped a mouthful of noodles, then looked up at the Fourth Prince. "It's simple," she said. "Just rebel, isn't that enough?"

Lu Yang had expected the Fourth Prince to show a shocked expression. To his surprise, the Fourth Prince seemed to have anticipated the Immortal Fairy's answer and continued to ask.

"Then, are you willing to help me?"

The Fourth Prince was waiting precisely for this answer from Lu Yang. According to intelligence gathered from the Second Prince, Lu Yang often used "rebellion" and "establishing a new dynasty" as casual remarks to cleverly avoid discussing the struggle for the throne, which prevented the Second Prince from engaging in deeper conversations with him.

But the problem was, he *did* have thoughts of rebellion!

If he didn't rebel, he would have no chance of inheriting the throne.

If Lu Yang answered "unwilling," it would mean he admitted he was just speaking casually, and the Fourth Prince would then have other ways to force him to take a side.

If Lu Yang, out of pride, said "willing," that would be even better; it would directly implicate Lu Yang and bring him to the Fourth Prince's side.

"Alright," the Immortal Fairy readily agreed, as this perfectly aligned with her intentions.