Chapter 21: The Eldest Prince

In an instant!

The two released their limbs, fists and feet colliding and striking each other more than a dozen times.

“Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!!!”

The sound of fists clashing erupted like drumming.

“Ding! Wang Yu’s Martial Valor Effect Two activates: When the opponent’s base martial power exceeds his own, his own martial power increases by 3, raising his current power to 101.”

“Crash!”

Wang Yu grew more valiant with each exchange, and with yet another skill effect triggered, his strength had reached a new level, albeit temporarily.

Power surged continuously within him, making his attacks increasingly fierce. Although it was Xiao Buyu who had proposed the duel, it was Xiao Buyu who held back in his attacks, hesitant to strike any vital points.

But Wang Yu was different; his strikes were uninhibited, unafraid to injure his opponent severely.

“Boom!”

Suddenly, he summoned his internal energy, a majestic force channeling through his fists, launching a powerful assault on Xiao Buyu.

In terms of internal energy, Xiao Buyu could not compare to Wang Yu; coupled with the fact that Wang Yu’s strike had been long prepared, Xiao Buyu was caught completely off guard.

The impact forced Xiao Buyu to retreat several steps, a bitter taste appearing at the corner of his mouth.

Seizing the moment, Wang Yu pressed his advantage. With a powerful push from his feet, his body shot forward like an arrow released from a bow, his iron fist striking heavily on Xiao Buyu’s body. Within a few blows, under Wang Yu’s full strength, Xiao Buyu spat out a mouthful of fresh blood, collapsing to the ground unable to rise.

Wang Yu, sensing victory, chose to stop—continuing to strike until death would have been unbecoming.

“Master Wang Yu truly deserves his place as one of the Ten Talents of Great Cang!” The surrounding voices erupted in applause after the outcome.

“Brother Xiao, I think there’s no need to continue, right?” Wang Yu squatted down, lowering his voice. “If we keep going, one wrong move and you might get killed—that wouldn’t do!”

“You…” Xiao Buyu’s eyes were bloodshot as he fixed his gaze on Wang Yu, struggling to stand, but whether from exhaustion or injury, he suddenly lost consciousness.

“Master! Master!” Several servants hurried over, hastily lifting Xiao Buyu, then fled in a panic.

……

“Waiter, two more baskets of buns!” Seeing Ling Donglai arrive, Wang Yu called out to the waiter inside the shop.

“Right away, sir! Please wait a moment!”

More than two hours had passed since the duel. After Xiao Buyu was carried away by his household servants, Wang Yu had already signaled Ling Donglai to follow discreetly.

There must be someone behind Xiao Buyu. With Ling Donglai tailing him, apart from the Emperor himself, anyone who met with Xiao Buyu could be investigated or even overheard.

After all, within the Great Cang Dynasty, aside from the Sovereign, not even the Crown Prince had a Tianren-level expert constantly shadowing him.

Once Ling Donglai left, Wang Yu wandered nearby, not venturing too far to avoid losing contact. When tired, he happened upon a bun shop and ordered a basket of steamed buns, sitting quietly to wait.

“Have you found anything?” Wang Yu asked casually while eating.

After being reborn and living for a time as a noble heir, coming to the common folk again today gave him a different perspective.

“The Crown Prince went to see that person!” Ling Donglai’s face was always expressionless, as if nothing could move his features; his tone was calm and steady.

“The Crown Prince!” Wang Yu murmured.

It seemed less likely now that the Crown Prince was behind the assassination attempt. Anyone who resorted to assassination wouldn’t bother with such small measures as today’s.

Still, regardless of whether the Crown Prince had sent the attackers, Wang Yu and the Crown Prince did not seem destined to get along.

Women have a strange way of turning strangers into enemies.

Fortunately, the Crown Prince was still just a Crown Prince.

“Did they talk about anything?” Wang Yu pressed again, and Ling Donglai understood what he meant.

“No.”

Hearing this, Wang Yu fell silent. To this day, he had no clue about the truth behind the attack.

After deep thought, Wang Yu knew he might have to start the investigation from the beginning. Whoever that person was, during their dealings with the Forbidden Army and the Devotion Hall, Wang Yu refused to believe there was no clue left behind.

……

“Your Highness!”

“What is it?” The speaker wore a blue robe with floral patterns, his features delicate and refined, eyebrows lightly darkened, eyes shining like water, long hair tied back with a stern demeanor. He was none other than the current Eldest Prince, Huangfu Mingze.

The Eldest Prince Huangfu Mingze, along with the Third Prince Huangfu Mingxin, posed the greatest threat to Crown Prince Huangfu Mingzhao.

The other princes were either too young to gather strength to compete with these three or lacked the backing of a powerful maternal clan, making it naturally difficult to contend.

“The Crown Prince’s confidant Xiao Buyu and the eldest son of the Eastern General, Wang Yu…” The long report detailed today’s events between Xiao Buyu and Wang Yu.

“Interesting. Wang Yu actually defeated Xiao Buyu!” The Eldest Prince said with some surprise.

Had Wang Yu been two or three years older, this result would not have been surprising. But Wang Yu was two or three years younger, and those few years made all the difference, which caught Huangfu Mingze off guard.

“Looks like the Crown Prince intends to confront Wang Yu!” As if realizing something, Huangfu Mingze smiled faintly, his recent displeasure seeming to vanish.

“I believe, by relation, I should address Wang Yu as my cousin?”

His attendant said nothing. Having served Huangfu Mingze for years, he knew this was not a question but the prince’s own musing.

At times like this, the prince pondered aloud; anyone who dared interrupt risked a beating. No one wished to suffer pain without cause, so the attendant simply became invisible.

“Send Wang Yu an invitation to the poetry gathering three days from now!” Suddenly interested in Wang Yu, Huangfu Mingze planned to meet him under the guise of the poetry event.

Every late August, Huangfu Mingze held several poetry gatherings. This was when the capital’s talents gathered most densely and the best opportunity to recruit them.

Thus, princes always used this period to seek out and recruit talents for their own purposes.