Chapter 965: Refused

Hearing the shocking news, Long Chen couldn't help but blurt out, "Dead man returned?"

Didn't Mingyu tell that her brother was dead? How did he return? 

"Dead man? What do you mean?" Fufu Lan inquired in confusion. 

"Ohh..." After a brief pause, he exclaimed as if he understood something.

"You mean to say that you assumed him to be dead? That's true. He was basically a dead man after he ran away from marrying Prince Qian Yu. He would have been killed brutally if he was ever caught. Am I right?" he asked Long Chen as he threw his head back and started laughing proudly at being able to guess Long Chen's meaning. 

"As expected, Young Prince is a genius. You understand my meaning," Long Chen let out as he nodded his head. "So, Prince of Esteria came here? And he didn't die yet?" 

"That's right. He not only died, but he even apologized. He agreed to marry Princess Qian Yu. He even confessed something shocking," Fufu Lan said. 

"What did he confess?" Long Chen inquired in surprise.  Did he tell them about Pei Zen scheming against him?

'He couldn't have exposed Pei Zen. Or I would be looked at weirdly when I went inside the Palace. There's no way they would treat me so normally. Who would not have seen Pei Zen's face before, after all? There's no way Pei Zen was exposed. I'm sure of it.' he thought as he refused to believe it. 

" He confessed that a girl had kidnapped him. He was drugged and kidnapped. He was kept in some kind of prison by a crazy psychopath. Apparently, that's where he was for months. Only now did he manage to escape after killing the psychopath girl," Fufu Lan explained. 

"He was kept a hostage?" Long Chen inquired in surprise. 

'Did Mingyu see wrong? Why did she say he was killed? Or could it be that she thought he was dead, but he survived, and he was kept in prison?' he wondered as he started coming up with theories. 

In any case, this was good news. If her brother was alive, then Mingyu was going to get a good surprise. He couldn't help but think that it was better for her if this was true. 

Even though Mingyu might blame herself for not knowing how her brother was alive and in prison, the overall happiness was still going to overwhelm her.

"Yeah. That's what I heard, at least. I don't know if he was telling the truth or lying, but he came alone with only one guard from Esteria. I think His Majesty believed him. That can only be the reason he was allowed to leave," Fufu Lan further added. 

"Hmm? That guy left as well?" Long Chen inquired. 

'I thought I could meet him and help him meet Mingyu. But he's gone already. It looks like I was a little late. It's good as well, though. If that guy had seen me with Pei Zen's face, he would have attacked me blindly without thinking anything. So it's good that he wasn't here.'

He also realized how lucky he had been because Mingyu's brother wasn't here. 

Long Chen thought that Mingyu's brother hadn't exposed Pei Zen because he didn't want his story to be doubted. Tricion and Esteria were close friends. And to blame Tricion, it was going to create suspicion on Esteria. It would also give Tricion a fair excuse to side with Qiandi.

That could be why her brother didn't name Pei Zen in his story but blamed the woman instead. 

'It's a good decision the more I think about it. Not only does he get close to Qiandi by apologizing for getting kidnapped. He also gets to marry Qian Yu and become the relative of the Qiandi Empire. That would bring both the Empires closer and create trouble for Tricion. Not bad,' Long Chen thought

He couldn't help but remember what Mingyu had said about her brother. He remembered her mentioning that her brother was a strategic genius. If this was actually what he did, then it made sense that her brother was alive. She must have thought wrong. He didn't die, but he survived. 

Not only did he survive, but he was back to stop the war.

"So the war is over now? How many losses did the two sides suffer? Did anyone from our Royalty or the Royals from Esteria die?" Long Chen inquired curiously. 

"The war seems to be on pause now. We'll know what happens next when His Majesty comes up with a decision on what to do. I do think that he'll marry the Princess. If Esteria Prince was actually trapped, he isn't at fault." Fufu Lan declared. 

"That would mean that our Empire was wrong for blaming Esteria and for the war without giving them the benefit of the doubt. The only way we can take responsibility is by turning this hostility into a relationship by marrying the Princess. But I hope that doesn't happen," he continued. 

'Why don't you want it to happen?" Long Chen inquired. A deep frown was on his face. Was there some other mystery as well? What was going to happen if the Princess was allowed to marry?

"Of course, If the Princess married Esteria Prince, she would have to leave. How will I be able to see her hot figure? I'll also lose the opportunity to make her fall for me here. That's not good," Fufu Lan explained as he grinned. 

He had started thinking of Long Chen as his trusted man and fan. He didn't think Long Chen would betray him, so he didn't keep his thoughts hidden.

Long Chen's face twitched as he heard his words. The answer was so stupid. He had thought that something mysterious was behind the man not wanting the Princess to be married, but it was only that the man was lewd. It was stupidity to think of this man as anything but stupid. 

"Young Prince, of course, only you deserve the Princess," Long Chen still maintained his persona of a fan. 

"Why don't you marry her?" he asked. 

"Meh. I already have too many girls behind me. I don't want more, but maybe if I'm in the mood, I'll meet Qian Yu and do the deed with her," Fufu Lan declared as he smiled. 

'This idiot... He's even better at bragging than the best braggart I know,' Long Chen thought as he shook his head. 

"Anyway, what more do you want to know. Ask me everything today. I'm in a good mood. Keep shooting questions," Fufu Lan told Long Chen. 

"That's all the questions I had. I think most of the blank in my memory had healed after talking to Young Prince for so long. Your wisdom must be rubbing off on me," Long Chen alluded to the man. 

"Hahaha, Is that so? What can I do? I'm just so talented," Fufu Lan laughed out loud as he declared proudly. 

He looked up at the sky. "Oh god, why did you make me so talented? Why am I such a young, handsome, and charming genius? Why did you have to place this heavy burden on me to make this world a better place?" 

It was as if he was actually blaming the gods for making him a talented genius. 

"Don't worry. Now that you made me this great, I'll follow your wishes and carry this burden," he added. 

'This guy truly is shameless. Man, I don't know about his wisdom rubbing on me, but his shamelessness would definitely affect me if I stay here for long,' Long Chen thought as he saw the chubby man shamelessly praising himself. 

"Young Master, You're really great. But your time is also precious. I can't do this world the injustice of taking more of your time. I'll take my leave now," Long Chen said as he turned back and started leaving. 

"Hey, wait! You don't have to go. It's fine. Stay with me. Become my servant. You can have my time in exchange!" Fufu Lan called out to Long Chen as he watched him leave. 

Long Chen resisted the urge to facepalm himself. He wanted to turn back and curse the guy openly for being an idiot, but he controlled his urge as he started talking to the man. 

He didn't respond or even turn back. He continued leaving. 

"Strange. Just what kind of fan is he? I'm giving him such an amazing opportunity to be my servant, and he isn't even turning back?"

Fufu Lan had seriously started thinking of himself as the young prince. His arrogance only increased, so much so that he couldn't believe Long Chen wasn't turning back. 

He scoffed as he rolled his eyes. "Fine. It's his loss." 

He also turned back and started leaving. 

*****

Long Chen walked for some distance before he looked inside the beast bag of Pei Zen to see which beast that guy used. There were Two ferocious beasts inside Pei Zen's bag. Both the beasts seemed fast as well as strong.