Finest Servant

Chapter 583

Chapter 583 The Right Prince

‘Kill me?!’ The sudden utterance from Zhao Kangning startled Lin Wanrong.

In the dim firelight reflecting off the water, ripples gently swayed the flickering flames. The area was enveloped in silence, broken only by the soft crackling of burning firewood. Zhao Kangning sat opposite a handsome Turkic man, periodically lowering his head in deference as he listened to him speak. Only when the name Lin San was mentioned did the young prince look up abruptly, grinding his teeth as if he wished he could tear him apart.

Lin Wanrong hid himself within a clump of floating aquatic plants. He was diagonally positioned from Zhao Kangning and the Turk, only about forty to fifty feet away. The Turkic men had not expected anyone to eavesdrop from underwater, and with the dim lighting, they could see nothing but the vague shapes of plants in the water.

Zhao Kangning's face, illuminated by the bright fire, was focused intently on the handsome Turkic man, hoping for an approving response. It was pitiful and lamentable that the once noble prince now had to rely on the whims of foreigners for survival, forsaking even his ancestors. Lin Wanrong secretly scoffed at this young prince, filled with contempt.

The handsome Turkic man burst into laughter. "Is this Lin San you speak of the consort of Princess Nishang of Great Hua, the man who recently burned down Bayanhot?"

Despite the Turk's stiffly accented Great Hua language, Lin Wanrong had no difficulty understanding him. He had traveled far and wide and was accustomed to all sorts of dialects.

"Yes, that's him," Zhao Kangning said viciously. "He's an illiterate, lazy, chauvinistic scoundrel—the most notorious villain in all of Great Hua. His hands are stained with countless blood; his crimes are too numerous to document. The people of Great Hua hate him to the bone and wish him dead."

‘Damned hypocrite!’ Lin Wanrong nearly burst out swearing. ‘Just when I thought I was the most shameless person under heaven, I encounter this young prince and realize I'm a saint by comparison. All his wrongdoings are dumped on my head as if I committed them. May he get hemorrhoids on his head and fungus on his feet!’

The handsome Turkic man laughed uproariously, and his entourage joined in, laughing wantonly. They looked at Zhao Kangning with disdain and contempt.

Zhao Kangning turned pale but couldn't refute the Turkic man's comments. He clenched his teeth and forced a laugh. "Right Prince, you speak the truth. This Lin San relies solely on deception and flowery language to gain the trust of the foolish Great Hua Emperor. He became the prince consort merely by trickery. When it comes to real ability, he's not even as good as a three-year-old. To be honest, among all the people in Great Hua, Lin San is the worst!"

Right Prince?! At Zhao Kangning's utterance, Lin Wanrong's face changed, his fury at the slander momentarily forgotten.

Tursun? This young man was the famed Right Prince Tursun of the Turkic Khanate? He was such a young and handsome Turkic man? Dammit. He always thought Tursun would be like Lu Dongzan—full of bushy beard!

Stunned beyond words, Lin Wanrong lifted his eyes to study this young Turkic Right Prince more closely.

Tursun was likely around twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old. He had thick eyebrows and large eyes, a prominent nose, and a robust physique that emanated an air of gravitas. The gleam in his eyes was radiant; he was undeniably a handsome Turkic man. He had always heard that the Turkic Left and Right Princes were at odds, their tribes having been in conflict for many years. However, he had never thought to inquire about their ages. Truly, experiential bias could be deadly.

Tursun chuckled briefly, but then his expression turned cold. "You've been a unified nation for several centuries. The only man from Great Hua capable of leading troops deep into our grasslands, burning Bayanhot to the ground, slaughtering my kin, and then returning unscathed, is this Lin San. You say Lin San is incompetent, yet my forces have repeatedly suffered defeat at his hands on the grasslands. By that logic, wouldn't that make us Turks even more incompetent? Young Prince, you are quite bold!"

Zhao Kangning was taken aback, cold sweat trickling down his face. He quickly waved his hands, "Your Highness, the Right Prince, you misunderstand. I didn't mean that. Lin San excels in cunning schemes and treacherous plots. Any failure on the Turkic side is due to his excessive craftiness and malevolence. Moreover, the losses have been mostly on Left Prince's side. You, Right Prince, have yet to take action. I believe the Khan will certainly take note of this."

Tursun roared with laughter. He tore a leg off the golden roasted lamb on the table, not even bothering to wipe off the grease, and handed it to the visibly perturbed Zhao Kangning. "Young Prince, don't take it to heart. I'm merely jesting with you. I've heard about your enmity with Lin San. He captured your father and stole your woman. That's a great humiliation. If I were you, I would definitely kill him."

As he spoke, Tursun gave Zhao Kangning's shoulder a comforting pat with his greasy hand. The young prince's face turned pale as he respectfully bowed, saying, "Your Highness, the Right Prince, I am endlessly grateful for your kindness."

Lin Wanrong, who had been observing all along, clenched his teeth secretly. Was Zhao Kangning's spine naturally so soft? Bowing and scraping before these nomads, he had truly shamed the Great Hua blood running in his veins.

Seeing Zhao Kangning's anxious expression, the Turkic Right Prince nodded and smiled. "Young Prince, did you call me here to the shores of Uvs Lake just to discuss these matters? Couldn't we have simply talked at Kyzil?"

Zhao Kangning glanced around and lowered his voice. "Your Highness, I asked you here because I have something important to tell you. Lu Dongzan, the National Tutor, is always by my side in the Royal Court, making it difficult for me to speak freely. Besides, the more people involved, the greater the chance your interests may be jeopardized."

Intrigued by the young prince's mysterious tone, Tursun replied, "So it's inconvenient to talk at the Royal Court? Well, tell me, what is the matter?"

Biting his lip, Zhao Kangning said, "Some time ago, I joined your noble clan's twenty-thousand cavalrymen that went to Bayanhot. You must be aware of this, yes?"

Lin Wanrong had a moment of realization upon hearing this. So, Zhao Kangning was also among the twenty-thousand Turkic cavalry that had rushed to Bayanhot's aid that day. No wonder these Turks had become so crafty.

"I've heard," Tursun nodded without hesitation. "I also heard you later went to Wuyuan. So, what does this have to do with me?"

Young Prince Zhao Kangning solemnly said, "Of course, what happened to Kangning has nothing to do with you, Right Prince. However, I assume you've heard about the situation with Left Prince Batur?"

"Batur?!" Even the usually composed Turkic Right Prince changed his expression. "What happened to him?"

The temperament of the Turkic people was indeed straightforward. From the look on Tursun's face, it was clear that he had some animosity with Batur. This was likely a result of internal strife among the various Turkic clans.

Seeing the Right Prince so surprised, Zhao Kangning felt invigorated. "Right Prince, you must have heard about Batur's defeat at the front lines. He attacked Helan Mountain and was repeatedly unsuccessful. The Turkic cavalry he lost probably exceeds a hundred thousand. I heard that most of those casualties were brave warriors from your own clan!"

"Nonsense!" Tursun glared, his aura commanding. "The battle report from Master Lu Dongzan stated that both Batur and I suffered casualties, each accounting for half. Turkic had fifty thousand losses, while Great Hua lost well over a hundred thousand. Do you dare lie to me?"

His eyes flickered, his demeanor imposing. Zhao Kangning quickly took a few steps back and said hastily, "Perhaps I was misinformed about the number of casualties. But, Right Prince, consider this: if you were at the front lines, how would the battle report read? Batur is the one leading the fight; do you really think he would treat warriors from both clans fairly?"

Lin Wanrong, who was listening, couldn't help but suck in a breath of cold air. This young man was clearly trying to sow discord between the Turkic Left and Right Princes. And he was doing it in a manner that left much to the imagination—a typical scheming minister. Could it be that he was a spy sent by the old man to the Turk?

He splashed around in the water and couldn't help but chuckle sinisterly. Suddenly, he felt a tickle in his nose—a faint, unusual fragrance drifting by. It smelled pleasant but also had a hint of spice.

"Xu Zhen, did you smell that?" Lin Wanrong gently tapped Xu Zhen beside him.

Xu Zhen quickly shook the water droplets off his face and whispered, "General, smell what?"

Lin Wanrong sniffed a few times at the aquatic plants beside him. The fragrance seemed to have faded; he could barely detect it now. Strange, he thought. Puzzled, he could only shake his head in resignation.

On the other side, Tursun pondered and said, his expression noticeably darker, "Do you have any evidence for what you're saying?"

Zhao Kangning shook his head bitterly. "As a foreigner, everyone is wary of me. How could I obtain any evidence? But, Right Prince, consider this: over three hundred thousand Turkic cavalry could not take Helan Mountain. Moreover, they were repelled by Lin San, who burned Bayanhot and even penetrated into the prairie. Doesn't that strike you as odd? Is this the true fighting power of the nobility?"

"Hmph," Tursun's eyes flashed coldly, "Are you suggesting that Batur is in cahoots with the Great Hua? That's impossible. We are the invincible Turk, not like you people from Great Hua!"

Zhao Kangning's face turned pale at this unforgiving sarcasm. He laughed awkwardly and said, "You're absolutely right, Right Prince. Left Prince Batur would never secretly ally with Great Hua. However, no one can guarantee that he doesn't have his own agenda. Right now, three hundred thousand Turkic cavalry are stationed at the border of the desert and the prairie. Left Prince Batur has even called for an additional hundred thousand troops from Master Lu Dongzan to reinforce the front line. Forgive my bluntness, but with four hundred thousand troops under Batur's control, it would be effortless for him to preserve his own strength while sacrificing the warriors from your clan. If this really happens, Right Prince, who will you turn to for justice?"

Lin Wanrong listened to the young prince's insinuations and felt a shiver down his spine. ‘Good heavens,’ he thought, ‘I never realized this before. When it comes to sowing discord, this young prince is a hundred times better than me—a born master of intrigue.’

As he pondered this, a faint scent wafted over the water again, gradually intensifying. Lin Wanrong glanced at the lake, its surface smooth as a mirror, with a few random strands of flowers and weeds floating on it.

Tursun's face darkened, lost in contemplation. Zhao Kangning, brimming with joy, continued, "Batur has been losing battles and, citing lack of supplies, has retreated to the plains without making a move. Xu Zhiqing has also stationed her troops in Wuyuan, avoiding confrontation. The frontline seems tense, but there seems to be some unspoken agreement. I've also heard that when Master Lu Dongzan visited Great Hua, he became quite friendly with Lin San, enjoying food, drink, and entertainment. There's even a rumor that Lin San had intended to gift Lu Dongzan one of Great Hua's latest F*ck cannons, but it was thwarted by our feeble Emperor. Prince Tursun, one should not harbor ill intentions, but it's equally important to guard against others—"

With a "smack," Tursun abruptly stood up, kicking the roast lamb on the wooden stand into the air and pointing furiously at the young prince. "Batur and Lu Dongzan would never be as despicable as you make them out to be. What are you really trying to accomplish by sowing discord among us, you Great Hua person?!"

Zhao Kangning jumped to his feet. "Please, calm down, Right Prince. I've been acting in your best interest, with no intention of sowing discord."

"No intention of sowing discord?" Tursun sneered. "You Great Hua people are always so greedy, and every word you speak carries a hidden agenda. What are you really after?"

Zhao Kangning clenched his teeth and mustered the courage to say, "Everything I've said is true. You should definitely guard against Batur's underhanded tactics. Of course, I do have some personal motives. I have sworn that in my lifetime, I will return to Great Hua to personally behead Lin San and our incapable Emperor to avenge my father. Batur is sabotaging from within while also hesitating in battle. After more than a month, he hasn't even captured Helan Mountain, let alone march into the Central Plains. Only by replacing Batur with you, Right Prince, leading the troops, can we hope for a decisive victory. Forgive my frankness, but now is the best time for you to enjoy unparalleled glory among your people by ousting Batur!"

"And what is this 'best time' you speak of?" Tursun's eyes flashed sharply.

"Batur's repeated failures have already led to widespread discontent among the tribes. All you have to do is to make a public call, unite everyone to accuse him before the Khan—there's plenty of evidence, so the Khan won't protect him. Once Batur is dismissed, it would weaken his tribe. You can then lead an invincible army into the Central Plains. As one gains and the other loses, Batur will never have a chance to turn things around. From then on, the tribes will only recognize you and not the Left Prince."

Zhao Kangning truly lived up to his status as a royal prince of Great Hua. His understanding of intricate power struggles was so profound that even Lin Wanrong began to admire him.

Tursun paced back and forth, a glint flashing in his deep blue eyes, seemingly swayed.

Zhao Kangning grew increasingly smug, hastily sidling up to the man next to him. He said with a sycophantic smile, "The timing is perfect. Just raise your arm and shout, and you will have an army at your command. Additionally, when I fled Great Hua, my father left behind a hidden treasure. I am willing to offer Right Prince fifty thousand taels of silver as a token of my goodwill."

"Fifty thousand taels of silver?!" Right Prince was visibly stunned, his eyes sparkling. In all of the Turkic Khanate, probably no one had ever seen so much silver.

"Exactly, fifty thousand taels!" Zhao Kangning confidently extended five fingers. "Furthermore, if you lead the troops south and reclaim Great Hua, I am willing to offer ten more cities to be permanently incorporated into Turkic territory and sign a perpetual alliance."

Take my money, invite the foreigners to seize my land and take my life—what a bastard! Lin Wanrong was infuriated. If it weren't for the inopportune timing, he would've shot Zhao Kangning by now.

"What a strong fragrance!" Xu Zhen, hiding nearby, suddenly sneezed and quickly dove underwater, reemerging only after a long while.

Lin Wanrong's eyes widened, "Little Xu, did you smell it too?"

As they spoke, the strong scent gradually intensified. It spread gently across the lake surface and into their surroundings. Lin Wanrong looked around and focused his gaze on the approaching bunches of flowers. The charming smile of Yu Jia slowly appeared before his eyes...

Right Prince was silent for a long time, yet his eyes betrayed his thoughts. Zhao Kangning chuckled, "With these fifty thousand taels of silver, Right Prince, you could do whatever you wish. If the Khan disobeys, you can dethrone him and take the—"

Before he could finish, a sharp "slap" echoed, and a bright red whip mark appeared on his face.

Right Prince, holding his whip, was furious. "You mongrel, dare to disrespect my Great Khan! Do you think the Turkic Khanate is like your treacherous, despicable Great Hua? I've never trusted any of you Great Hua people!"

A red mark was imprinted on his cheek, and Zhao Kangning's handsome face twisted in that instant. His face alternated between red and white as he lowered his head, his teeth grinding but daring not to make another move.

"Coward of Great Hua!" Right Prince coiled up his whip and slapped it against his palm, disdainfully snorting as he looked away from Zhao Kangning.

A faint but intense fragrance wafted from the water, gently floating into the tent. Right Prince took a few sniffs, and his expression changed dramatically.

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