Chapter 151: Willfully Offensive

Yun Yang's gaze flickered with indecipherable intent as he said, "Since Your Highness is in the mood, this subordinate will definitely be glad to offer you company. However, it would only be reasonable if this young brother plays the part of the host. Come, come, let us go to the Cirrus House. I am more familiar with the amenities there."

Han Wufei hollered in outrage, "How dare you! Have you forgotten the status that the crown prince holds - how can His Highness go to such a lowly place of dirt and carnal pleasures with you?"

A person of the crown prince's nobility would definitely be chastised by the censorship board tomorrow if he did actually go to the Cirrus House.

No matter how innocent and righteous the Cirrus House was in its business dealings, it remained a brothel in the eyes of the public.

The impression would not negate itself just because the people in the place did not sell themselves for pleasure.

Nonetheless, Han Wufei's words were offensive, as he had obviously intended them to be.

Yun Yang smirked after he heard his words. "If Your Highness does not wish to or can't go, you can just say so. Why resort to such unpleasant words? I am sincerely inviting the crown prince to drink and trying to be a good host. Are sincere invitations not to be accepted these days?"

The crown prince frowned slightly.

Someone beside him stepped in quickly and replied politely with a smile, "Perhaps Young Master Yun was unaware, but if His Highness were to go to the Cirrus House, his reputation would be tarnished. I am not entirely surprised that Young Master Yun was not aware of this, as Young Master Yun is not an official of the imperial court. It is a perfectly normal mistake, I wouldn't worry about it if I were you."

Yun Yang raised his eyebrows and said, "Do you mean to say I am an incapable idiot with a penchant for self-degradation? And that I harbor the ill intention to pull His Highness along into the mire?"

The crowd was taken aback upon hearing those words. No one had expected Yun Yang to be so sharp-tongued and tactless in his speech. The person who had stepped out in an attempt to defuse the situation flushed an angry red, rendered dumbfounded and speechless on the spot.

He had meant to contain the snip in his words but who would expose the implication behind them in front of everyone?

The crown prince remained smiling as he chuckled softly and said, "Young Master Yun has taken their words too literally. This orphaned one has long heard of the Cirrus House, but due to my social status, have been unable to visit the place. Young Master Yun is carefree in his temperament and free to move around as he will; this is being truly unfettered, a freedom that this orphaned one can only be envious of."

Yun Yang said in reply, "Your Highness' words have demonstrated yet again the bearing of a nation's future leader. Yun Yang is utterly impressed. Still, the two followers of yours can really anger someone with their ways of speaking. One uttered unpleasant words while another mocked that I'm not an official and can't be one. I am not a fool, how can I not discern the implications of their words? Please forgive my direct way of speaking but the constant company of these two people by Your Highness' side might only bring you detriment and no benefit. The only they can probably do is to help Your Highness to lower your status."

The expressions of both men in question twisted in rage but before they could speak, Yun Yang continued, "I am only speaking the truth. I have only had two encounters with Your Highness be it directly or indirectly but I've been offended both times. Of course, Your Highness can be forgiving and ignore it as Your Highness is immensely generous but I truly feel that these two fellows might actually have been sent to you by some hostile force as a means of sabotage by offending everyone for you. Your Highness must be wary of this; one must not harbor the heart to harm others but one must never be without the heart to guard against others! Who knows, others might just be waiting to benefit from one of your mishaps!"

The smile that had been hanging by the corners of the crown prince's lips disappeared completely once Yun Yang finished speaking.

It was a weapon of mass destruction - he had nicely roped in all the princes at once.

This uncouth youth's way with words was debatable, but his ability to stir up trouble was certainly formidable.

The crown prince inhaled and recovered his warm smile. "Brother Yun has spoken too seriously. Since it's not feasible for Brother Yun today, let us gather again another day. I shall send the invitation to Young Master Yun's residence and Young Master Yun must honor my invitation then!"

Facing such a fickle fellow, the crown prince was also unable to bear with him.

If this went on, he really had no idea what frightening words might be said in public.

Yun Yang replied, "I did not say that it's not feasible for me today. Didn't I just offer to be the host and entertain you? How can that be unfeasible? Your Highness has misunderstood me."

The spectators standing around gawked at this fellow like he was a lunatic. A majority of those present secretly felt that this child was an exotic fool, utterly unique in these parts!

His Highness the crown prince has already given you so much face and had spoken so courteously, yet you actually dared to say, "I didn't say it wasn't feasible for me."

This was outrageous.

The entourage from the crown prince's residence was looking on with murder in their eyes - Misunderstood? Misunderstood your *ss!

The crown prince tried his hardest to maintain the smile on his face as he replied, "Then what does Brother Yun mean to do?"

"It is fate that we met today. Since we are so fated, how can we not drink to our heart's content? Speaking of places to drink in Tiantang City, there is no place that can rival the Cirrus House. Since it is inconvenient for Your Highness to visit the place openly, why not disguise yourself? You wouldn't need to worry, I am very highly regarded in Cirrus House. I'll definitely make Your Highness feel at home and enjoy yourself so much that you forget about going back, as will yearn to return again..." Yun Yang grew excited in the telling of his idea.

The crown prince was utterly speechless as he watched the curious expressions of those around him.

Would it still work for me to go in disguise when so many people have overheard our conversation?

AS to feeling at home and enjoying myself so much that I forget about going back, as well as a yearning to return again... are these really the things you should say as the sole descendant of Marquis of Heavenly Clouds?

When the crown prince left, he felt his mind in a muddle.

He had long heard about this rascal's reputation as a popinjay but he had never expected that this bastard's emotional quotient was so low!

He was the sole descendant of Marquis Yun but he behaved like a boor. He was utterly hopeless!

In a nutshell, what in the blazes had just happened?

Han Wufei and the others who were beside the crown prince had their faces coated in anger.

As long as the crown prince gave his order, they could immediately turn and swallow Yun Yang whole even if the deed was to be done in broad daylight.

However, the crown prince was deep in thought as he walked.

He finally remembered something.

"This isn't right." His Highness frowned and muttered in a low voice, "Although Yun Yang's reputation as a popinjay has been spread previously, nothing bad about him has come out. This is the first concern. Number two, how can someone that Ling Xiaozui has acknowledged be so ordinary? His intention today was to anger me so as to confuse me and interfere with my judgment."

"But why does he want to anger me intentionally?" The crown prince was stumped.

A scholar, a young man just in his thirties who had not spoken beside him said smiling, "It might not be to intentionally anger Your Highness. Perhaps I should say that no matter which prince this Young Master Yun has met today, he'll do exactly the same."

The crown prince seemed to be enlightened but he was still perplexed. "Please explain, sir."

The middle-aged scholar said, "There is only one purpose of Yun Yang doing so... that is to have all the princes, including Your Highness, to give up looking for him."

"He's purposefully distancing himself from the royalty, refusing to be involved with anything to do with them."

The scholar continued, "What he has done today seems to have offended Your Highness greatly. The truth is that he has just angered Your Highness slightly, and Your Highness won't truly put him at fault nor resent him. After this, the other princes will know that it wasn't a success even when the crown prince has stepped up himself... Therefore, Yun Yang can bask in his peace from then onwards, watching the competition and doing as he pleases..."

"In any case, no matter how much a popinjay he is, he still has Marquis Yun to depend on. Marquis Yun is His Majesty's sworn brother after all. Regardless which prince it is who has won the influence, in the end, he can be carefree as long as His Majesty and Marquis Yun are here!"

The middle-aged scholar smiled. "The biggest significance of him doing so is still to pull Marquis Yun out of this gigantic whirlpool... This is a smart way to play safe, a way to survive as the sole descendant of Marquis of Heavenly Clouds! He may look like a popinjay but he can be said to be very wise indeed."

"I see." It finally dawned on the crown prince.

"However, since we now know of the intention of this Marquis Yun's young master..." The scholar continued with a smile, "It is a good thing that other princes dare not make their moves at this point in time. Your Highness can still afford to pull some tricks to win over the family of Marquis Yun. Furthermore, this can be accomplished through Young Master Yun."

The crown prince thought and asked, "How would I do that?"

"Your Highness has said something very ingenious just now." The middle-aged scholar tried to recall the conversation, "Yes, you said you would send him an invitation. That is a stroke of genius indeed."

The crown prince caught on as he chuckled and clapped his hands in delight. "Not bad, not bad at all."

A frown immediately followed the smile. "However, if another mishap crops up..."

"It will be fine. Your Highness can carry to send the invitations. It is his choice to decide what e does with it, but how we handle it is our bearing." The scholar smiled confidently. "Even if he remains unaffected, it's fine too. When Marquis Yun returns and finds out that his son has offended all the princes and only the crown prince has been forgiving all along, showing an effort to be friendly even... what does Your Highness think Marquis Yun's reaction will be?"

He smiled with squinted eyes and said, "There's been a saying that goes, 'regarding the child means regarding the parents'. It was an appropriate reference to Marquis Yun. By then, even if we can't win over Marquis Yun, at least he won't make an enemy out of Your Highness!"

The crown prince was truly enlightened this time as he smiled saying, "Wonderful, wonderful! Sir's tactics are marvelous indeed; subduing the enemy's army without even lifting a finger to fight. You, sir, are really this orphaned one's right-hand man, a constructive official!"

"No, no." The scholar smiled in self-deprecating modesty.

...

Yun Yang's gaze was deep and his thoughts unknown to anyone as he watched the crown prince leave. With some effort, he assumed an undisturbed manner and let his aristocratic grace roam his surrounding.

He then went to Cirrus House himself.

The middle-aged scholar had only gotten half of the reason behind Yun Yang's action right.

As for the other half...

"There is only discomfort and strangeness when being with these so-called princes..." Yun Yang muttered to himself, "Big brother fights in the war, bathing in blood and puts his life at stake. That costume should be his!"

Yun Yang was cranky and a little pushy regarding this issue.

He knew that if he apologized and went along with the crown prince, it would greatly benefit his plan but it was not in his mind to correct his obstinacy.

So what if I have offended you?

I can't bear to see those robes on you! What are you going to do about it? Even if you were a good person, I can't bring myself to look at you!

I'm pushy, so what?