NOVEL WEB Chapter 23 - Is the Third Prince a Dog?
Positioned across from each other, Teng Yu and Mo Hanshan engaged in a dialogue, exchanging questions and recounting their respective journeys of the past years.
At the tender age of ten, Teng Yu faced the demise of Empress Liu, still a mere child at the time. Compounded by his upbringing alongside the Emperor, his formative years were deeply influenced.
Were it not for the events that transpired at the age of ten, his trajectory might have veered irretrievably towards failure.
Swiftly coming to his senses, he spent the subsequent five years—nearly two thousand days and nights—introspecting, utilizing his animosity as a whip, and exploiting the vulnerabilities left by Empress Liu to clandestinely amass power.
Teng Yu's lips curled into a scornful smile, “Following the Queen Mother's passing, the true nature of the Emperor was laid bare. Not only did he harbor deep affection for Imperial Consort Yun and Teng Yi, but he also wrested military authority from her lineage. Were it not for the vigilance of her ancestors and their lack of flaws, the Liu Family would have faced utter destruction.”
In hindsight, his past belief in the man's benevolence seemed tragically misguided.
“Hmph!” Mo Hanshan snorted contemptuously, “The so-called Emperor ingratiated himself with his foster father and Ru'er to secure his throne. Once their utility waned, he cast them aside, severing all ties. I regret not being able to avenge Ru'er by ending that despicable Emperor's life!” With a forceful palm, he shattered the stone table before him.
Recounting these events, Teng Yu brimmed with resentment. Had he not witnessed it firsthand, he could never have fathomed that the father who once showered him with affection would swiftly transform into his mother's assailant.
Furthermore, the irony lay in the facade of indulgence. All those years of pampering were but a facade to incapacitate him and hone his lethal skills.
Who could have foreseen that the highly regarded direct descendant of the Third Prince was, in truth, the Emperor's forsaken son? Equally astonishing was the revelation that the First Prince, so harshly treated by the Emperor, held a special place in his heart.
Reflecting back, he could only lament his youthful naivety. Had he been more astute, he might have spared himself the agony of witnessing his mother's demise before his eyes.
Reflecting on my past ignorance fills me with deep regret now.
“How is your foster father's health?” Mo Hanshan interjected, interrupting his reminiscences.
“Following the downfall of the Liu Family, his maternal grandfather fell gravely ill and endured a prolonged sickness. Were it not for the aid of several court ministers, his survival would have been doubtful. He presently convalesces in his ancestral abode in Liu State.”
“Over the years, the influence of the Yun Family has steadily expanded. Yun Heran, son of the Yun Family's patriarch and blood sibling of the Imperial Consort Yun, now assumes Grandfather's position. Nonetheless, I suspect the Emperor harbors reservations about him.”
The support of the Liu Family facilitated Emperor Dechang's rise among the princes, enabling him to ascend the throne.
No matter how profound the father-son bond, it paled in comparison to imperial authority!
Teng Yu recounted his recent ordeals with remarkable composure, his demeanor belied the hardships he described.
Through the years, his most valuable lesson was “pretense”—feigning ignorance, acting frivolous and carefree. Failure to do so would have invited countless reprisals from that treacherous family.
Yin Xu had heard tales of the Third Prince's absurd behavior. Outwardly perceived as feeble and morally bankrupt, he was said to possess neither skills nor talents, causing his instructors to lament his lack of progress.
Emperor Dechang fathered only three princes in his lifetime: the gentle and refined Teng Yi, the rash and impulsive Teng Ji, and the slow-developing Teng Yu. Consequently, suspicion rarely fell upon the Crown Prince's legitimacy.
Yin Xu approached Teng Yu, encircling him and scrutinizing him from head to toe.
Yin Xu silently cursed, convinced that the Third Prince had deceived the world. Trusting his keen judgment of character, Yin Xu believed this man surpassed even the Great Prince residing at the mountain's base.
“No wonder you're concealing yourself so tightly, avoiding all encounters,” Yin Xu leaned in closer, their proximity allowing him to scrutinize the man's pores.
“Not bad,” Yin Xu mused subconsciously, drawing comparisons to the First Prince, noting a resemblance in their outer appearance. Was it pity he felt for the First Prince, or for himself?
“Who's there?” Teng Yu's demeanor shifted abruptly, his right hand poised forward, his senses heightened.
Caught off guard by Teng Yu's vigilance, Yin Xu swiftly retreated, pressing against the wall. He silently acknowledged his close call, relieved he hadn't been discovered.
Is this Third Prince a watchdog?
……
Yin Xu: “Are you acting like a watchdog?”
Teng Yu: “Get lost!”
Yin Xu: “Then how did you sense someone's presence here?”
Teng Yu: “No comment!”