The prince is fierce: Who dares to steal my woman?

Chapter 149 Su Changmei, the Pavilion Master of Langya Pavilion

Upon hearing this, Liu Huan's expression changed drastically, and his fear was palpable.

He hurriedly got up and looked around the pigsty, fearing that Ruan Dianfu's "outrageous" words might have fallen into the ears of Liu Kun's henchmen. If that happened, his and Ruan Dianfu's lives would be as precarious as candles in the wind.

After confirming that no one was around, Liu Huan lowered his voice, barely audible, and whispered cautiously into Ruan Dianfu's ear, "Alas... Ruan Dianfu, to tell you the truth, as long as that scoundrel Liu Kun remains seated on the dragon throne, I am like a caged bird, unable to return to my homeland of Xiangyang. You and I are both trapped here, our fates are truly tragic."

"If I were to return to Xiangyang and enjoy the carefree life of a prince, it would be nothing but a pipe dream. Therefore, if I want to escape this endless sea of ​​suffering and find a glimmer of hope, the only way is to eliminate the traitor Liu Kun, put on the crown myself, and thus control my own destiny! However, in my current situation, I am like a caged bird, struggling to survive, let alone plotting a great cause and conquering the world. The difficulties and obstacles involved are truly not easy!"

Upon hearing this, Ruan Dianfu felt an indescribable joy welling up within him. He thought to himself, "Truly, Heaven is helping me! It turns out that the Prince of Xiangyang had already harbored the idea of ​​rebellion." Although he was imprisoned, experiencing the harsh realities of life in a filthy pigsty and enduring countless hardships, his indomitable will not diminish but instead grew stronger in the face of adversity. Like Goujian, he endured hardship and humiliation, and deep within his heart, the flame of overthrowing tyranny never went out but instead burned fiercely in silence.

Thinking of this, Ruan Dianfu's eyes gleamed with determination, and he quickly bowed to Liu Huan, saying, "Your Highness, if you truly have such lofty ambitions, I am willing to give my life and follow you to the death, doing everything in my power to assist Your Highness in achieving a great and lasting legacy!"

Upon hearing this, Liu Huan's heart sank into an icy abyss, utterly despondent. He gave a bitter, self-deprecating laugh. A grand undertaking? What a glorious phrase, now reduced to the irony of being imprisoned in this filthy pigsty. How could he possibly speak of any grand ambitions while keeping company with a few stupid pigs? Forget it, finding a way to escape this wretched place was the most important thing.

Thinking of this, Liu Huan couldn't help but sigh deeply, and said to Ruan Dianfu with a gloomy expression, "Alas... Ruan Dianfu, at this moment, I truly cannot live, nor can I die. Do you have any brilliant plan to help me escape this sea of ​​suffering?"

After hearing this, Ruan Dianfu remained silent for a moment, then let out a long sigh and said to Liu Huan with a helpless expression, "Alas... Your Highness, this matter is truly thorny. But please rest assured, Your Highness, I will do my utmost to seek a glimmer of hope for Your Highness."

Upon hearing this, Liu Huan was enraged. He turned sharply to Ruan Dianfu, his voice trembling with anger: "Back in Xiangyang, I treated you well. Now that I am in dire straits and desperately need your help, you keep making excuses and refuse to lend a hand. What use are you to me? Could it be that you see my bad luck and are plotting to find a better position elsewhere?"

Looking at the furious Liu Huan, Ruan Dianfu felt a mix of emotions, a bitterness that was hard to describe.

Ruan Dianfu quickly explained to Liu Huan, “Your Highness, I had no such intention. My loyalty to you is as clear as day. However, I am indeed limited in my abilities and cannot think of a way to rescue you for the time being. But there is one person who might be able to help you overcome this difficulty and even replace Liu Kun to inherit the throne. This person possesses extraordinary talent and unparalleled strategies throughout history!”

Upon hearing this, Liu Huan immediately became interested and excitedly asked Ruan Dianfu, "Oh? There is such a genius in the world! Who is this person?"

Upon hearing this, Ruan Dianfu quickly replied, "The head of Langya Pavilion is Su Changmei."

At this time, a mysterious rumor was circulating among the people of Jiankang City. It was said that atop Qixia Mountain, there was a place called Langya Pavilion, whose master, Su Changmei, was exceptionally wise and possessed a wealth of knowledge. A single strategy he devised could either bring prosperity to the country or overturn the world.

However, to obtain such a brilliant plan, one must pay the price with the rare sword—the Xuanming Sword, which is currently lying quietly in Xiao Jinyan's hand.

Ruan Dianfu had already made up his mind to seize the Xuanming Sword. He would personally go to Langya Pavilion to ask Su Changmei for a plan to achieve his great ambition.

Ruan Dianfu then turned to Liu Huan, his words carrying a hint of江湖传说 (jianghu legend): "Among the common people, there is a strange tale that says Su Changmei possesses a strategy for the rise and fall of a nation. However, those who wish to obtain this strategy must first present the Xuanming Sword with both hands before Su Changmei will reveal a fraction of it and thus secure the world."

"Your Highness, consider this: the Xuanming Sword is entirely black, shrouded in a chilling aura, and incomparably sharp; it can easily cut through even iron and stone. It's just a pity that such a divine weapon is currently in the possession of Xiao Jinyan..."

Upon hearing this, Liu Huan's brows furrowed with worry. He sighed and continued to Ruan Dianfu, "Alas... that Xuanming Sword was originally a generous gift from the late emperor to Xiao Jinyan. How could he easily give it up? This matter is truly troublesome."

After hearing this, Ruan Dianfu thought for a moment and then said to Liu Huan, "Your humble servant will use a large sum of money to go to Xiao Jinyan to purchase this sword. Even if it means going bankrupt, I will buy it!"

Liu Huan asked softly, "Ruan Dianfu, in your opinion, would Xiao Jinyan be the kind of person who is troubled by money?"

Upon hearing this, Ruan Dianfu slowly lowered his head, lost in thought. The surroundings seemed to freeze, with only the gentle sound of the wind breaking the silence.

A moment later, he suddenly looked up, his gaze fixed firmly on Liu Huan: "Your Highness, when I first arrived in Jiankang, I heard that Xiao Jin said this man was ambitious and extraordinary. Why not be honest with him and tell him our grand plan to get rid of the tyrant Liu Kun? Perhaps he can take up his sword and help us."

Upon hearing this, Liu Huan's expression changed drastically, and he hurriedly tried to dissuade him, saying, "Absolutely not! Ruan Dianfu, can you please think twice before you act? We can't fathom the nature of Xiao Jinyan. If he harbors any ulterior motives, the consequences will be unimaginable! You, me, we will all die! We will all die without a burial place!"

Ruan Dianfu slowly lowered his head, his brows furrowed in worry, his tone tinged with self-reproach and regret: "Your Highness is absolutely right. I was careless in my planning, and this plan is indeed risky. However... Your Highness, without Xiao Jinyan's help, how can we obtain the Xuanming Sword?"

Upon hearing this, Liu Huan's lips curled into a cold smile, a smile full of mockery and disdain: "Ha, incompetent fool! Do you need me to enlighten you on such trivial matters? If you really can't do it, why not spend some money to recruit a few thieves and carry out a clandestine operation? I want to see what problem in this world can stump a living person!"

Upon hearing this, Ruan Dianfu was startled and his heart skipped a beat. He muttered to himself, "Why is His Highness so out of control today? He actually suggested such a terrible plan. He is not as composed as he usually is."

Liu Huan, the late emperor's son who should have been dignified in his royal status, harbored grand ambitions to overthrow tyranny and restore order to the court. Yet, at this moment, he completely disregarded his noble lineage, acting like a nobody from the marketplace. The moves he made showed no trace of the decorum expected of royalty; rather, they resembled those of a wandering swordsman driven to the brink of desperation, resorting to any means necessary to survive.

When people are in dire straits, they seem to be able to unleash extraordinary potential and determination. Liu Huan thought to himself, even his life is hanging by a thread, so why bother with those ephemeral things like face and dignity? As long as he can escape from this pigsty that is like a cage, even petty theft is just a small episode on the road to freedom.

Upon hearing this, Ruan Dianfu pondered for a moment before finally speaking slowly: "Your Highness, regarding the Xuanming Sword, I believe it would be more appropriate to make separate plans..."

Liu Huan flicked his sleeve, his voice urgent: "Go and return quickly! After obtaining the Xuanming Sword, you must go to Langya Pavilion without stopping to seek advice from Su Changmei. I do not wish to linger in this gloomy place for even a moment longer!"

Ruan Dianfu bowed and accepted the order, his expression resolute: "Your Highness, please rest assured, this humble subject will depart immediately!"

After saying this, he turned to leave, but Liu Huan called him back as soon as he took a step.

"Wait!" Liu Huan's voice trembled slightly.

Ruan Dianfu stopped and looked back in confusion: "What are your orders, Your Highness?"

Liu Huan swallowed hard, a look of helplessness and longing in his eyes, and whispered to Ruan Dianfu, "Find some more sesame cakes for me, the more the better."

Upon hearing this, Ruan Dianfu quickly nodded. Although he found it amusing, he dared not show it on his face and simply said, "Your humble servant obeys."

The following day, in a side hall of the Duke of Qi's residence.

Xiao Jinyan was determined to overthrow Liu Kun and restore order to the court. He secretly wove a tight net, winning over court officials, gathering his former students and subordinates, and intensifying the training of the Imperial Guards, waiting for the opportune moment to launch his attack.

He knew that if he was not careful at this moment, he would lose everything. Although Liu Kun had not yet suspected him, his confidant Wei Wuji was a suspicious and cunning man who was always wary of him. Like the eyes of a hawk, he was always watching his every move, making him feel extremely pressured and uneasy.

Therefore, Xiao Jinyan acted cautiously and did not readily resort to force. He understood that once he made a move, it would be a thunderous and earth-shattering act that would shake the court and the public. In this covert power struggle, he needed to proceed step by step, patiently awaiting the decisive moment.

Just then, Guan Lingxuan quietly entered and whispered to Xiao Jin, "Prefect Ruan Dianfu of Xiangyang is outside requesting an audience with you, my husband."

Ruan Dianfu and Xiao Jinyan had no prior dealings, so this sudden visit must have been for ulterior motives. Xiao Jinyan saw through this perfectly and secretly thought that this might be the "turning point" he had been searching for. So, he smiled faintly and readily agreed to the meeting.

In a short while, Ruan Dianfu walked briskly into the side hall with a humble smile on his face. Upon seeing Xiao Jinyan, a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes, but then his flattery was evident: "Ah, I have long admired Commander Xiao for his wisdom and courage, and his reputation has spread far and wide. I have long admired him, and it is truly an honor to meet him today."

Xiao Jinyan smiled calmly and returned the greeting, saying, "Prefect Ruan is too kind. I am but an ordinary person and dare not accept such high praise."

Ruan Dianfu smiled broadly, his eyes gleaming with shrewdness, and said, "Today I have seen the true face of Protector Xiao, and he is indeed extraordinary in demeanor and heroic in bearing, which is truly admirable. I am filled with respect and have come here to establish this friendship with the Protector. I hope the Protector will not find my abruptness offensive."