Chapter 223

Chapter 223: His Territory

Shang Xing Yu did not look disappointed when Shang Xing Yu heard that. Shang Xing Yu said, “Then forget it.”

Shang Xiu Yuan stared at him, stunned that Shang Xing Yu was serious and truly ready to skip it.

During the Flower Festival Literary Gathering, Gathering Sages Teahouse’s inner courtyard invited Han Lin Grand Academicians and famous great scholars to lecture and debate. So many scholars were willing to spend huge sums just to get a seat, yet Shang Xing Yu would not go.

[Trash really was trash… and still didn’t know what was good for him.]

In the past, if Shang Xing Yu did not want to go, Shang Xiu Yuan would have let it drop. But this time, Shang Xiu Yuan could not.

Shang Xiu Yuan stood there, his expression shifting.

Shang Xing Yu acted as if he did not see him at all and kept talking with the craftsmen about how to tear down Rao Yin Court.

Rao Yin Court was Mother’s courtyard. Shang Xing Yu said to demolish it, and it would be demolished just like that.

Shang Xiu Yuan’s eyes turned cold.

Did Shang Xing Yu want the Red Coral? Fine. Shang Xiu Yuan would give it to Shang Xing Yu. Shang Xiu Yuan only hoped Shang Xing Yu would not even get the chance to use it.

Shang Xiu Yuan forced down his anger and spoke as if he had no choice. “Fine. I’ll send the Red Coral to you tomorrow as part of your prince consort betrothal gifts, but you must go to tonight’s gathering.”

Shang Xiu Yuan stepped forward like a brother worn out by his brother’s lack of ambition and offered the invitation again.

Shang Xing Yu still did not take it. Shang Xing Yu stared at Shang Xiu Yuan with suspicion. “Elder Brother keeps insisting I attend. Is it because Elder Brother knows I’m bad at poetry, and Elder Brother wants me to embarrass myself in front of everyone?”

Shang Xiu Yuan was speechless. Did Shang Xing Yu still need help embarrassing himself? Everyone in the capital knew Shang Xing Yu was unlearned and useless.

Shang Xing Yu seemed to realize that too and pouted. Shang Xing Yu said, “Fine. If Elder Brother truly means well, then I’ll go tonight.”

Shang Xiu Yuan felt a surge of joy.

Then Shang Xing Yu added, “But Elder Brother should send the Red Coral first. I need to inspect it in advance, or I won’t feel safe.”

Shang Xiu Yuan said nothing.

Shang Xiu Yuan never meant to give him the Red Coral. After tonight’s gathering, Shang Xing Yu would be charged with deceiving the throne. When that happened, Shang Xing Yu’s name would be ruined, Shang Xing Yu would not become a prince consort, and Shang Xing Yu might not even keep his life.

Shang Xing Yu narrowed his eyes. “Elder Brother doesn’t want to? So Elder Brother was just fooling me.”

Shang Xing Yu flung the invitation straight into Shang Xiu Yuan’s face.

The invitation was stiff and gilded, grand and imposing. It also hurt like hell when it hit a person’s face.

Shang Xiu Yuan covered his nose.

With no other choice, Shang Xiu Yuan went back and secretly carried that pot of Red Coral out from the storeroom himself. Anyway, once tonight passed, Shang Xing Yu would have nothing left, and Shang Xiu Yuan could simply return the Red Coral to the storeroom.

The moment Shang Xing Yu saw the Red Coral, Shang Xing Yu beamed. Shang Xing Yu said, “Elder Brother can rest assured. I’ll definitely go tonight.”

After all, Shang Xing Yu had planned to go from the start. If Shang Xing Yu did not go, wouldn’t that waste the Princess’s careful plan?

As for what those people wanted to do to him at the gathering…

This Flower Festival Literary Gathering had been a money-making gimmick Shang Xing Yu created in the first place. How many invitations went out, and who received free ones, from the inner courtyard to the first, second, and third floors of the outer building-every bit of it was arranged by Shang Xing Yu.

Yet those people actually planned to scheme against him on his own territory.

There were rules at the teahouse. A Licentiate could enter the first floor, a Metropolitan Graduate could enter the second, and a Jin Shi could enter the third.

If a scholar had no degree and no invitation but still wanted to go upstairs, it was not impossible. The scholar could pay silver.

The first floor cost thirty taels, the second cost one hundred, and the third cost three hundred. That was only for the outer teahouse.

If you wanted to enter the inner courtyard and listen to Great Scholar Lin and high officials and famous gentlemen teach, it was not something a little silver could buy. You needed a lot, a lot of silver.

For example, for this year’s inner courtyard invitations, many people present had quietly paid over a thousand taels just to beg for one.

Thinking of that, Shang Xing Yu looked at everyone with an especially kind gaze, and the smile on Shang Xing Yu’s lips never fell. But the way others looked at Shang Xing Yu was different-some frowned coldly, and others stayed far away.

If it had been anyone else, they would have been ashamed to death. But Shang Xing Yu’s nerves were thick, and Shang Xing Yu did not feel awkward at all.

Shang Xing Yu simply sat down in the seat listed on the invitation.

Before long, others filed in and took their seats as well.

Then a burst of shocked cries spread through the room.

Someone shouted, “Crown Prince?!”

Another voice answered, “It really is the Crown Prince! The Crown Prince actually came to the literary gathering!”

A third voice asked, “Who are those people beside the Crown Prince? And that handsome young lord speaking with the Crown Prince-who is he the son of?”

Someone else said, “No idea. But anyone who can follow the Crown Prince and be treated like that by the Crown Prince must be someone important.”

The scholars chattered nonstop, all wishing the Crown Prince would choose their table.

Shang Xing Yu heard it all. Shang Xing Yu also felt a gaze cutting through the crowd and staring straight at him, and Shang Xing Yu’s lips curved a little.

To please Ming Jia Commandery Princess, the Crown Prince had truly paid a heavy price. The Crown Prince not only brought Ming Jia Commandery Princess in, but even brought two of Ming Jia Commandery Princess’s manor soldiers with her.

Soon, as the headmaster great scholar of Azure Cloud Academy and Han Lin Academicians arrived one after another, the gathering’s mood reached its peak.

People spoke of the past and the present, of wind and moon.

A few people, having heard Shang Xing Yu was the future prince consort, came over to strike up conversation. Shang Xing Yu did not slap away a smiling face and answered each of them.

Of course, far more people mocked him with cold sarcasm, and Shang Xing Yu accepted that even more calmly.

Shang Xing Yu smiled and said, “If no one envies you, you’re mediocre. Since you all envy me so much, that just shows my talent.”

His tongue was sharp, and he had no shame at all.

The people who came to sneer left with dark faces.

Shang Xing Yu smiled and turned his head.

A figure brushed past Shang Xing Yu. Shang Xing Yu’s fingers twitched once, and the smile on Shang Xing Yu’s face did not change.

Very quickly, Shang Xing Yu felt a rising heat from his lower abdomen.

Shang Xing Yu picked up his teacup and drank several cups, but Shang Xing Yu’s face only grew redder. Shang Xing Yu stood up, swayed unsteadily, and walked toward a quiet pavilion where there were fewer people.

So it really was an “exciting” drug.

They drugged him like this so that he, a future prospective prince consort, would humiliate himself at the literary gathering, in front of countless talented scholars and court ministers.

If that happened, could Shang Xing Yu still be a prince consort?