Troublemaker Prince C31 (Part 2)
Translated by Sylver (ko-fi)
Chapter 31.2
Finally, You Fengyun realized the Crown Prince had almost no one useful around him. Great families wouldn't do—they might develop too many entangled interests with the Crown Prince. Humble scholars lacked insight. Only Huo Xiling could be useful, and with Liu Ye there, Huo Xiling could only be a pure minister. As long as he wished, You Fengyun could take back the power in You Yusui's hands at any time.
You Fengyun smiled and said to An Hai, "How can Liu Ye's brother-in-law merely serve as a Crown Prince's attendant?"
His Crown Prince worried him too much. He didn't know how to win people's hearts, so he had to personally place people around the Crown Prince himself.
Immediately, You Fengyun had someone draft an imperial edict, appointing Huo Xiling Senior Official of the Crown Prince’s Household, in charge of the guards in the Crown Prince's palace, with the special addition of the position of Palace Attendant, allowing him free entry and exit from the palace.
With one imperial edict, You Fengyun gave You Yusui a useful person.
At this moment, You Yusui's heart had already flown to where Huo Xiling was.
The Crown Prince's first visit to the Grand General's Mansion should properly begin with paying respects to the mansion's master, but General Liu Ye was not present, and after Liu Ye's departure, the Eldest Princess rarely came to the Grand General's Mansion, residing instead with her daughter at the Princess's Mansion.
Therefore, after telling the gatekeeper not to announce him inside, You Yusui led his people toward Huo Xiling's room.
As You Yusui walked toward Huo Xiling's room, he felt somewhat anxious. Was he being too clingy? Would Huo Xiling be happy to see him? They had agreed on three days off, yet he came looking the very next day. Would he find him annoying?
Finally, You Yusui decided that since he and Huo Xiling had made a deal, Huo Xiling should pamper him for three years.
Thus, You Yusui immediately pushed open Huo Xiling's door with full confidence.
The moment the door opened, the handsome youth dressed in inner robes was holding a long blade and turning to look at him, his expression showing panic and fear.
You Yusui immediately sensed something was wrong and walked directly to Huo Xiling, asking, "Xiling, what's wrong?"
"Your Highness!" Huo Xiling couldn't quite believe You Yusui had actually come before him.
Finally, the long blade in his hand fell to the ground, and Huo Xiling came to You Yusui's side like a small beast that had suffered endless grievances, saying, "Your Highness, I had a nightmare."
The sense of reality in the dream was too intense. His and the Ghost-Faced General's way of using the blade were identical. Especially after several dreams connected together, the conclusion Huo Xiling deduced made him feel immensely panicked.
His Crown Prince would die in the near future, lying alone in a coffin, while he could do nothing. At this moment, no one wanted to gain power more than Huo Xiling did.
You Yusui held Huo Xiling in his arms and said softly, "This prince is here. Who dares bully you?"
You Yusui looked at Huo Xiling in his arms, aggrieved like a small beast, but wondered in his heart—who exactly had wronged Huo Xiling? Could it be the Eldest Princess? But wasn't she at the Princess's Mansion yesterday?
Huo Xiling embraced You Yusui, feeling the reality of this warmth in his arms. How wonderful—his Crown Prince was still here now.
"It would be good if Your Highness stayed by my side always," Huo Xiling said, inhaling the faint plum fragrance on You Yusui's body.
Hearing this, You Yusui's lips curved upward. See? It wasn't that this prince was clingy—it was his Xiao Huo who was clingy.
"This prince knew you couldn't be separated from this prince for even half a step," You Yusui said in excellent spirits. "This prince has decided—these two days, this prince will accompany you at the Grand General's Mansion during your rest."
Eunuch Fubao and Xie Ling, standing guard outside the door, looked at each other speechlessly. My Crown Prince, this isn't Attendant Huo who cannot be separated from you for half a step—it's clearly you who cannot be separated from Attendant Huo for half a step.
"Your Highness knows best. I can't even sleep well when separated from Your Highness," Huo Xiling quickly said.
Hearing this, You Yusui was extremely satisfied. Xiao Huo was truly so good at coaxing people.
Outside the door, Fubao and Xie Ling thought: ...Young General Huo, don't you feel you're being a bit too soft and flattering toward superiors?
Just as You Yusui wanted to say a few more words to Huo Xiling, the current emperor's imperial edict was delivered in a timely manner to the Grand General's Mansion. Huo Xiling could only busy himself with washing and grooming first before receiving the edict.
After everything was done, You Yusui helped Huo Xiling reward the eunuch who delivered the edict and had Fubao escort him out of the Grand General's Mansion. Only then did he extract the imperial edict from Huo Xiling's hand.
You Yusui narrowed his eyes, looking at the words "Palace Attendant" on it, and couldn't help but snort coldly, "Father Emperor is quite good at competing with me for people."
Palace Attendant was a position that could only be held by those close to the Son of Heaven, constantly accompanying the emperor. Although the rank wasn't high, his maternal grandfather, Minister Su, and General Liu had all held the position of Palace Attendant in their youth.
The first step to becoming a powerful minister was first becoming a Palace Attendant.
Huo Xiling smiled and said, "But His Majesty still has me serve as Senior Official of the Crown Prince’s Household and Crown Prince's Attendant, having me oversee the Eastern Palace guards and protect Your Highness."
Having said this, Huo Xiling had already figured out in his mind how to train that group of Eastern Palace guards when he returned—at least to the level where they could go to the battlefield.
You Yusui pointed at the words "Palace Attendant" on the edict and said, "This is the necessary path to becoming a powerful minister. Work hard to become a powerful minister, and when that time comes, for the sake of our relationship, remember to posthumously honor me."
You Yusui thought it was quite good. After Xiao Huo became a powerful minister, after his own death he could still claim an emperor title. A posthumously honored emperor was much better than becoming one while alive—no need to exhaust oneself dealing with government affairs, yet still having the emperor's title, and even getting a beautiful posthumous name for free.
But hearing this, Huo Xiling's breathing stopped. Why did His Highness always think his life wouldn't be long? He thought of his nightmare. Did His Highness himself also know something?