Chapter 308: Chapter 308: The Eccentric Prince

Among the four great Princes of Yanhuang Country, Prince Taihe was definitely the most eccentric. He was famously domineering, yet he loved the people of Taihe County as if they were his own children.

You could even say that in all of Yanhuang Country, the people of Taihe County were the most prosperous.

Some might wonder how a domineering person could possibly love his people like his own children. But in truth, being domineering and loving one’s people weren’t mutually exclusive, as Prince Taihe himself proved.

Watching the three of them argue endlessly, Lin Yun found this Prince Taihe quite amusing. Facing two great dandies like Guan Renjie and Lu Tao, Prince Taihe didn’t give an inch, the three of them trading insults back and forth.

A full fifteen minutes passed, and the three showed no signs of stopping. Seeing them all red in the face and panting for breath, even Lu Bingning and Lan Xi could barely suppress their laughter.

"Lu Tao..." Seeing that this could go on forever, Lu Bingning had no choice but to interrupt.

Hearing his sister’s sharp tone, Lu Tao, who had been in the middle of enjoying the argument, gave a sheepish smile. Lu Tao was utterly terrified of Lu Bingning. A single word from her was enough to make him wilt.

"Haha, and here I thought you were so tough. Turns out you’re just another spineless wimp," Prince Taihe boomed with laughter when Lu Tao fell silent.

Mocked by Prince Taihe, Lu Tao’s face turned beet red with suppressed anger. But with Lu Bingning sitting right there, he wouldn’t dare defy his sister, not even if his life depended on it.

"Haha, two little brats think they can take me on? Don’t you know who you’re dealing with? Come, come, since we’ve run into each other, let’s eat together. This one’s on me." Prince Taihe was already walking over to the table and sitting down as he laughed.

The private room was luxurious and the dining table enormous. Even with the addition of Prince Taihe and his companion, it didn’t feel crowded in the slightest. By now, Prince Taihe had sat down as if he owned the place.

With his arm around the woman beside him, Prince Taihe had a guard behind him pour a cup of wine. Raising the cup, the Prince grinned at Lin Yun’s group. "Come on, drink up, drink up! Don’t stand on ceremony. Order whatever you like."

Watching Prince Taihe, Lin Yun was inwardly amused. ’This guy really is something else. One second he’s at Lu Tao’s throat, and the next he’s drinking with everyone, making himself completely at home.’

"You’re Prince Taihe?" As a disciple of the Wang Family, Wangcai recognized many of the powerful figures in Yanhuang Country. He hadn’t had a chance to ask earlier, but now that the Prince was seated, Wangcai spoke up.

"Haha, I’m surprised a little brat like you knows who I am. Which family are you from?" Prince Taihe replied with a hearty laugh.

"The Wang Family," Wangcai said.

Upon learning Wangcai’s identity, Prince Taihe became even more familiar. The man was a natural at getting chummy with people.

Throwing an arm around Wangcai’s shoulder, Prince Taihe said, "So you’re from the Wang Family! Hahaha, excellent, excellent! I’ve come to the Capital City this time to discuss a big business deal with the Wang Family. I’ll come looking for you at your family’s estate."

With Prince Taihe’s addition, the atmosphere in the room, though a bit strange, was still lively. Lin Yun nearly choked on his wine, especially when the Prince mentioned wanting to discuss a "big business deal" with Wangcai.

’You’re a Prince. If you want to talk business, you should be talking to Wang Yi. What’s the point of talking to Wangcai?’

During the meal, Li Ji found a moment to tell Lin Yun more about Prince Taihe. As scions of powerful families in the Capital City, Li Ji and Wangcai knew a thing or two about him.

According to Li Ji, although Prince Taihe was domineering, he wasn’t a bad person. In fact, you could say he was the most beloved of the four great Princes among the common people.

Li Ji recounted many of Prince Taihe’s deeds, such as reducing taxes despite pressure from the Royal Family, traveling incognito to inspect his domain, and genuinely observing the lives of his subjects.

After hearing Li Ji’s words, Lin Yun suddenly found Prince Taihe much more agreeable. At the very least, he was good to his people. That was how a Prince ought to act.

"Haha, little brat, I still don’t know your name. Introduce yourself, and these two little lasses next to you as well." Lin Yun had just been about to raise a cup to Prince Taihe when the man started talking again. Hearing himself being called "little brat," the corner of Lin Yun’s mouth twitched. ’Little brat?’

Not dwelling on it, Lin Yun gave his name. The moment Prince Taihe heard it, he first froze, then looked as if he’d discovered a new world. He unceremoniously shoved Lu Bingning aside and plopped down right next to Lin Yun.

"You’re Lin Yun? The Lin Yun who slaughtered half the Forbidden Guard Army?" Prince Taihe stared at Lin Yun with an excited expression, clearly very interested in him.

Having been rudely shoved aside, Lu Bingning pouted. She was a renowned beauty, after all; she had never met such a boorish man. Most importantly, Lin Yun was her man, and this Prince Taihe had just forcefully squeezed her away from his side.

"Sis, don’t be mad. I’ll go teach him a lesson," Lu Tao said, trying to console the pouting Lu Bingning. But he had barely finished speaking when Lu Bingning let out a cold snort. "Scram."

Shot down, Lu Tao sulked off to the side and started drinking sullenly. ’What did I do to deserve this?’

"Lin Yun, you’re really something else! I admire you! To think you could turn the Imperial Palace upside down! Hahaha, so satisfying! Those bastards have had it coming for a long time."

Prince Taihe chatted with Lin Yun, looking not the least bit angry about the slaughter of the Forbidden Guard Army. On the contrary, he seemed quite pleased.

According to Prince Taihe, the people in the Royal Family had it too easy for too long. They had no idea about the suffering of the common folk and were just asking for a good thrashing.

Listening to this eccentric Prince, Lin Yun found himself torn between admiration and exasperation. The man had no filter and his words could be truly foul sometimes, but his heart was in the right place, which made it impossible to really fault him.

Thanks to Prince Taihe crashing the party, the meal took on a different flavor, but overall, it was still very enjoyable. The eccentric Prince, in particular, brought a lot of laughter to the table.

"You two little rascals! I’m off to the Imperial Palace now. If you’re ever in Taihe County, come visit me!" the group was leaving the Celestial Star Tower when Prince Taihe shouted at Lu Tao and Guan Renjie. 𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺

After arguing with the two, Prince Taihe found that their temperaments were very much to his liking. It was just as the saying went: dandies and princes make a fine pair.

Hearing this, Lu Tao and Guan Renjie replied almost in unison, "You shameless old codger! If we young masters ever go to Taihe County, you’d better find the most beautiful women to keep us company, or we’ll tear down your palace!"

"Haha, you two little rascals! So young, yet so lecherous! Hahaha, excellent!"

Laughing, he bid farewell to everyone, climbed into a waiting carriage, and headed toward the Imperial Palace.

"It’s not so bad for Yanhuang Country to have a Prince like him," Lin Yun mused with a smile as he watched Prince Taihe’s carriage depart.

(First update of the day! Please subscribe, add to your library, vote with a Monthly Pass, leave a tip, and recommend the story!)