"Halt! Who are you two? How could a mountain bandit come here to the Great General's residence?"
Two burly guards crossed their spears in front of the heavy vermilion gates, barring the way. Their eyes narrowed suspiciously at the young man and woman standing before them. Their faces veiled by the night's darkness
Long Xiaoyao froze, his posture slumping slightly as he casually swung over his shoulder his legendary stick
His left eyelid twitched
"Bandit?" Long Xiaoyao repeated, his voice tight. He slowly lowered the stick from his shoulder, trying to salvage a shred of dignity. "I am here to meet Meng Lin, the Second Young Master. Go and announce—"
"Silence!" the guard barked. "Second Young Master doesn't associate with vagrants carrying bindles! Be gone before we break your legs!"
Behind the Prince, the air temperature seemed to drop several degrees. Mo Qingqui, the beautiful palace maid, stood with her hands clasped, her face a mask of icy indifference.
She stepped forward, her voice crisp and cold, cutting through the guards' bluster.
"Watch your tongues," Mo Qingqui said, her eyes cold. Ready to neutralize the two. "This person is the 6th Prince of the Kingdom, His Highness Long Xiaoyao."
The guards blinked, seeing her face a bit clearly, a cold beauty, and a 'Handsome bandit' with the stick.
They were about to laugh when a third guard, an older man with a scar running down his chin, hurried over from the guard post to investigate the commotion.
He took one look at Long Xiaoyao and his face went pale.
"You idiots, lower your spears!" the older guard hissed, shoving his subordinates aside. He bowed deeply, his armor clanking.
"Forgive them, Your Highness! They are new recruits."
The older guard looked up nervously. "Please forgive them your Highness. The darkness of the night might have blinded them."
"... So are you letting us in or not?"
"O-ofcourse you Highness! Open the gates!" the older guard shouted. "Please, Your Highness, come in. Master Meng Lin is in the West Courtyard."
***
Moments later, they were ushered into a quiet, elegant study, adorned with calligraphy. Long Xiaoyao dusted off his sleeves as a young man in blue scholars' robes hurried in.
"Greetings, Your Highness, the 6th Prince!" Meng Lin exclaimed. He clasped his hands in greeting. "I heard a commotion at the gate. I apologize for my guards; they are on high alert since my father is currently away"
"It's fine," Long Xiaoyao waved his hand, taking a seat. "I've been called worse things than a bandit before. But enough of that. How is your mother's illness?"
Meng Lin's expression darkened, his shoulders dropping. "Did his Highness want to see me because of it? It is not good. The physicians say it is a poison of the cold yin variety, but they cannot identify the source. She grows weaker by the day. Sometimes, she just sleeps the entire day."
"Cold Yin..." Long Xiaoyao muttered again, rubbing his chin. His expression was grave, portraying the deep concern of a Prince worried for his subject's mother.
Internally, however, he was screaming.
'System! Hey, did you hear that?'
[The System is always listening, Host.]
'This Meng Lin said his mother has a Cold Yin poison,' a mischievous spark lighting up his consciousness. 'I possess the Primordial Yang Physique. So I could use my liquids to cure her, right?'
[Correct. The Primordial Yang Physique is the absolute nemesis of all Yin-based poisons. Your Yang Essence contains the purest concentrated life force. It would easily neutralize the poison]
'So, to save this beautiful, mature woman... I simply need to fuck her?'
[Yes. Give her your liquids. Fill her to the brim. Level up.]
He looked up at Meng Lin, his brows furrowed in deep, brotherly concern. The very image of a worried friend carrying the weight of the world.
"Brother Meng," Long Xiaoyao said, his voice dropping an octave to sound reliable and sage-like.
"I cannot sit idly by while your esteemed mother suffers. As you know, one of my hobbies is reading medical books..it has... has given me insight into medical arts. Specifically regarding Yin and Yang balance."
He placed a heavy hand on Meng Lin's trembling shoulder.
"Take me to her," Long Xiaoyao commanded softly, his eyes burning with 'righteousness'
"I believe I have a way to cure her."
Meng Lin's head snapped up. The despair in his eyes vanished, replaced by a desperate, blinding hope. He looked at the Prince as if he were a god descended from the heavens.
"You... you really think so your Highness?" Meng Lin's voice cracked. "Can you... truly?"
"I am ninety percent certain," Long Xiaoyao lied effortlessly. "But time is of the essence. We must go now."
"Oh, Your Highness!"
Meng Lin burst into tears, dropping to his knees and clutching Long Xiaoyao's robes. "I... I don't know how to thank you! If you save my mother, my life is yours! I will kowtow ten thousand times!"
"No need, no need!" Long Xiaoyao patted the weeping man's head, looking benevolently at the ceiling.
'Yes, cry, my friend. Cry tears of joy,'
Long Xiaoyao thought, fighting the urge to rub his hands together like a villain.
'I'm about to fuck your mother, fill her up with my liquids and you're kneeling here thanking me? Crazy. Everyone wins. I guess. But mostly me.'
Behind them, Mo Qingqui watched her master patting the crying Young Master Meng. She let out a tiny, almost inaudible sigh.
'He has no idea he is inviting a wolf into the sheep's pen. His highness is really good at this.'
She remembered what Long Xiaoyao told her when he was giving her the Perfect quality Qi Refining pill 'It might really be possible for his Highness to reach immortality….I just hope I'll be by his side to witness it'
The touching moment was interrupted by the sharp click of the doors sliding open.
An elegant woman swept into the room, followed by a trail of servants. She wore a deep purple robe embroidered with gold phoenixes, her hair piled high in an intricate bun that screamed status and authority.
[Wei Ruo]
[Cultivation: Mortal]
This was Wei Ruo, the official First Wife of General Meng Xiong.
Her eyes swept over the room, landing on the kneeling, tear-stained Meng Lin, and then shifting to Long Xiaoyao with a look of practiced surprise.
"Your Highness?" Wei Ruo dipped into a graceful, albeit stiff, curtsy.
"May I ask what the 6th Prince is doing here? I was under the impression you were with my son, Meng Hao, at the Lotus Pavilion? I was told he had arranged a banquet of fine wine and music for your enjoyment."
Long Xiaoyao straightened his robes, adopting a look of solemn nobility.
'So this is General Meng's First wife and that snake Meng Hao's mother.'
"Madam Wei. Indeed, the wine was excellent. But as soon as I heard that my dear brother Meng Lin was suffering due to his mother's condition, the wine turned to vinegar in my mouth. I could not in good conscience enjoy myself while a member of the General's household lay dying."
Wei Ruo's smile didn't falter, but the temperature in her eyes dropped to absolute zero. She glanced at Meng Lin with a flicker of disdain before turning her attention back to the Prince.
"Your Highness has a benevolent heart," she said smoothly, her voice dripping with honeyed poison.
"However, the inner court of the General's residence is a complex place. The illness of the Second Madam is... unfortunate, but it is ultimately a private matter regarding the Meng family. We have the best physicians attending to her. It would be improper to burden the Imperial Prince with such things"
Long Xiaoyao's eyes narrowed imperceptibly. He wasn't an idiot; he had read enough novels to know exactly what 'private matter' meant.
'She doesn't want me to interfere because she's probably enjoying the fact that the Second Wife is kicking the bucket. If I leave now, Meng Lin's mother will be dead by morning. And I'll be stuck at 1st level Qi Refining'
He let out a short, airy laugh, stepping around Wei Ruo as if she were merely a decorative vase.
"Madam Wei worries too much," Long Xiaoyao said lightly. "I have no intention of interfering with your family's governance. However, Meng Lin is my sworn friend. To deny me the chance to pay my respects to his mother... surely the General's household isn't so inhospitable?"
He didn't wait for her to answer. He turned his back to her, looking down at the dazed Meng Lin.
"Brother Meng," Long Xiaoyao said firmly "Stand up. Lead the way. I wish to see your mother immediately."
Wei Ruo opened her mouth to object, but Long Xiaoyao had already begun walking, radiating an aura of royal entitlement that made it impossible for her to stop him without causing an incident.
Meng Lin scrambled to his feet, wiping his face. "Y-Yes! Right this way, Your Highness!"
As they exited the room, Long Xiaoyao glanced back over his shoulder. He flashed Wei Ruo a charming, innocent smile that made the vein in her forehead throb