Chapter 366: So Immortal Qi Drifts in the Eyes, Our Third Prince Has Used Quite a Bit of Medicine!
The Third Prince of the Great Yan Dynasty, Yan Xinghe, sneaked away.
However, he didn’t give up; instead, he arranged to meet Lin Beifan inside a restaurant.
Upon seeing Yan Xinghe, Lin Beifan quickly bowed and apologized, “Your Highness the Third Prince, I must apologize for any offenses today! But as a high-ranking official and being in the court, I can only speak in this manner. I hope you understand!”
“It’s alright, Mr. Lin, you’re also constrained by circumstances, and I understand,” the Third Prince of the Great Yan Dynasty managed a forced smile.
In reality, he felt quite frustrated and annoyed. He was upset from the altercation in the court, yet the person causing him distress was still someone on his side, and that person was also constrained. So he couldn’t get angry without seeming petty and intolerant of others…
What a troublesome situation!
“It’s good that Your Highness understands!” Lin Beifan said happily. For some reason, upon seeing Lin Beifan’s smiling face, the Third Prince had the urge to punch something.
Thankfully, he managed to control himself and didn’t throw any punches. Instead, he congratulated, “I haven’t congratulated you on your promotion, Mr. Lin! Not only have you become the Prime Minister of the Great Wu Court, but you’ve also become the Supreme Commander of the Great Wu Army, superior to all others in both military and political matters. Congratulations!”
Lin Beifan modestly replied, “It’s just a small accomplishment.”
“You’re being too humble, Mr. Lin!”
“This is a small token of my appreciation!” The Third Prince presented a large, translucent black pearl and said, “This is an unparalleled pearl called ‘Black Night Star.’ It was excavated from the depths of the sea, and it’s invaluable. Firstly, it’s to celebrate Mr. Lin’s promotion, and secondly, I hope you can speak favorably in court to persuade the Great Wu Dynasty to withdraw its troops.”
“Your Highness, honestly, this matter is really difficult to handle!”
Lin Beifan looked troubled, “Expanding territories is a cherished dream for every emperor. Her Majesty has finally achieved this dream, and naturally, she’s holding onto it tightly. No one’s words can influence her. So, Your Highness, I understand your intention, but I hope you can understand the situation as well.” With that, he deftly took the Black Night Star from the Third Prince’s hand and placed it in his pocket.
The Third Prince was utterly perplexed!
This was the first time he had encountered someone who accepted his gift without hesitation, and even did so openly and without changing their expression. Where was their sense of shame?
The Third Prince blinked, subtly indicating to Lin Beifan that he should either take the gift to handle the matter or return it.
However, Lin Beifan politely smiled and said, “Your Highness, please take a seat. The food and wine are getting cold. Let’s eat and chat.”
Then, Lin Beifan engaged in polite conversation, discussing everything except the moment the priceless pearl vanished from his hand. The Third Prince felt extremely frustrated; it seemed that he wouldn’t be able to retrieve that pearl.
He held his chest, feeling a slight pang of pain. Eventually, the Third Prince resigned himself to the situation, pouring himself a drink while wearing a wry smile, “I also know that this matter is difficult to handle. But when His Majesty’s orders are given, it’s our duty to give our all.”
“That’s true…” Lin Beifan nodded repeatedly. The Third Prince continued, “Actually, I came here this time for another matter, and I hope you can assist me, Prime Minister.”
“Your Highness, what is it?” Lin Beifan asked curiously.
The Third Prince stood up, smugly turned around in front of Lin Beifan, and laughed, “Prime Minister Lin, take a close look. Can you see any differences between me now and before?”
Lin Beifan looked closely and noticed that the Third Prince’s eyes were sunken like a ghost’s, his complexion was as pale as a specter’s, his steps were unsteady, and there were traces of bloodshot eyes, yet he seemed incredibly excited…
It was evident that he looked like an addict. It seems that our Third Prince has used quite a bit of drugs.
Lin Beifan spoke sincerely, “It seems… there’s an additional touch of immortal aura.”
“That’s right!” The Third Prince exclaimed excitedly, clapping his hands, “There’s indeed more immortal aura, haha!”
The Third Prince jogged over to Lin Beifan and said proudly, “All of this is thanks to the divine pills bestowed by Empty Void Daoist! Since Empty Void Daoist’s arrival, he has refined these transcendent pills. They are truly divine pills! After consuming them, one’s soul can detach from the mortal body, freely roaming between heaven and earth, even conversing with heavenly immortals…”
“I often consume these transcendent pills,” the Third Prince continued, “my soul frequently detaches, and I feel ethereal and otherworldly. I often meet heavenly immortals, hence the additional touch of immortal aura!”
Lin Beifan sighed admiringly, “Congratulations, Your Highness, on encountering celestial fortune! Ascending to become an immortal and achieving immortality is just around the corner!”
“Haha…” The Third Prince lay down carefreely, pointing at Lin Beifan, “Prime Minister, you always say pleasant things! However, becoming an immortal and achieving immortality might be beyond my reach. According to Empty Void Daoist, regular consumption of these transcendent pills can only extend one’s lifespan, but it can’t truly make one an immortal. Only by refining a genuine elixir of eternal youth and immortality can that be achieved!”
“But such an elixir is not easily refined. That’s why our entire Great Yan Dynasty is collecting rare treasures and precious medicinal ingredients to provide for Empty Void Daoist’s elixir of eternal youth and immortality. Once the elixir is ready, my father will achieve immortality, undergo apotheosis, and become an immortal!”
“One person’s attainment will lead to chickens and dogs ascending to heaven! We princes and imperial grandchildren will receive my father’s blessing and also become immortals, attaining eternal youth and immortality. This way, the Great Yan Dynasty can perpetuate for generations, standing as the one and only immortal imperial court!”
As he spoke, he even became somewhat fanatical.
Lin Beifan could tell that the Third Prince’s drug-induced effects were taking hold, causing heightened excitement and almost manic behavior.
Shaking his head slightly, Lin Beifan realized how detrimental drugs could be. Wanting to achieve immortality and become an immortal?
It would be enough if he didn’t die early from some other cause!
At this moment, the Third Prince grinned triumphantly, “I’ve heard that Empty Void Daoist initially came to your Great Wu Court, but you failed to retain such a distinguished figure! It appears your Great Wu Court lacks the appropriate standing!”
Lin Beifan clenched his fists, expressing deep regret, “Indeed, it’s a pity we missed such a celestial opportunity!”
Seeing Lin Beifan’s regretful expression, the Third Prince’s smile grew even more smug.
“However, Prime Minister Lin, you still have a chance!”
“What chance?” Lin Beifan asked inquisitively.
The Third Prince leaned closer and whispered, “To refine the elixir of eternal youth and immortality, one must gather exceptional treasures from all corners of the world. The dragon bone in your possession is the most crucial ingredient! Empty Void Daoist mentioned that all other divine ingredients can be substituted, except the dragon bone. The more dragon bones, the better! So, Prime Minister, could you contribute the dragon bone you have?”
Moving closer once again, the Third Prince continued, “Once the elixir is refined successfully, you’ll earn great merit, and our Emperor will surely remember you!”
Lin Beifan opened his hands and sighed, “Your Highness, I truly don’t have any left! There was a bit of dragon bone remaining, which I intended to use for a memorial tablet, but in the end, I sold it all to you. There’s truly none left!”
“None at all?” The Third Prince asked, unwilling to accept it…
Lin Beifan shook his head immediately, “None, absolutely none. You can beat me to death, and it still wouldn’t change the fact!”
The Third Prince urged, “Prime Minister, don’t worry. We can buy them with money or trade valuable items. You won’t be treated unfairly!”
Lin Beifan looked conflicted, “Well… I could probably manage to spare a bit…”
The Third Prince looked at him disdainfully. This guy was as greedy as ever, only willing to part with something when money was involved!
It’s truly hard to fathom how someone without moral boundaries and who values money above all else managed to climb to a high position!
But regardless, having dragon bones is a fortunate thing.
The Third Prince rejoiced, “Prime Minister Lin, how much dragon bone do you have left?”
Lin Beifan asked, “Your Highness, how much dragon bone do you want?” The Third Prince boldly stated, “I want however much you have!”
Lin Beifan responded, “You want however much you want, and I’ll have however much you want!”
“Huh?”
“What I mean is, however much you want, I don’t have it either!” Lin Beifan lamented, raising a finger, “I only have a little bit of dragon bone left, truly not much…”
The Third Prince remained indifferent, “Add another bit.”
Lin Beifan was astonished, “I don’t have any left, how can I add more?” The Third Prince was unyielding, “I’ll add money!”
“Well… I’ll consider it! Although it’s a bit difficult, I can manage!”
The Third Prince: “…”
Finally, after some bargaining, Lin Beifan reluctantly offered 2.5 taels (weight), and the Third Prince reluctantly gave 8 million taels. Both sides finally reached a compromise.
Although he had completed the primary mission of this trip, the Third Prince didn’t leave. He stayed in the Great Wu Court to secure more advantages for the matters concerning Darro.
The Great Wu Court definitely wouldn’t withdraw its troops, so the Third Prince had to seek alternative solutions. “Darro doesn’t belong to your Great Wu Court or my Great Yan Dynasty. However, it’s currently unclaimed and situated between our two countries. My suggestion is to develop this area as a free trade zone for both nations, jointly develop it, and jointly station troops to manage it. This way, we can both benefit from its prosperity! It would reduce conflicts and greatly benefit both nations’ commerce.”
The Empress was firm in her response, rejecting, “Impossible! Darro is my nation’s territory. None of your troops should enter!”
The Third Prince urgently proposed, “We can offer you a larger share of the benefits!”
The Empress rejected once more, “Either fight or leave, there’s no third option!”
The Third Prince felt extremely frustrated. How could he make any logical argument? Was this Empress truly unafraid of war?
If the two major nations were to go to war, the consequences would be unimaginable!
“Your Majesty of the Great Wu Court, it seems there’s only one solution now.”
The Third Prince helplessly stated, “With tensions rising along the border, neither of our nations should withdraw their troops. However, war is not a trivial matter! Once hostilities break out, it will have profound and far-reaching effects on both our nations, affecting everything and everyone!”
“To avoid conflict between our nations from worsening, I propose a royal marriage alliance between our nations, converting swords into gifts of jade!”
“Marriage alliance?” Everyone present was taken aback, but soon the notion settled in.
Inter-country conflicts were always a serious matter. If they could avoid fighting, they would. A marriage alliance was one of the ways to resolve disputes.
A marriage alliance indicated that both sides were closely connected and considered one another’s kin. What was the point of continuously fighting?
Although a marriage alliance couldn’t resolve all conflicts, it was indeed a good way to ease tensions. It was frequently employed by nations.
