Chapter 68 - The Fox Hears Something Shocking

Chu Yun could feel the Minister's steady gaze, from the corner of his eye. He raised his fan to hide the lower half of his face and shuttered his eyes demurely, pulling away from Xiao Zai and returning his attention to the food in front of him.

"I hope curiosity wasn't the only thing that prompted Minister Hu to extend us this invitation," Xiao Zai said, filling his wine cup once again and raising it to his lips.

The Minister cleared his throat, and laughed, sharing a look with the two concubines on his side in a week attempt to dispel the awkwardness.

"No, I...of course not," he adjusted the collar of his fine robes, "perhaps his second highness has heard of this, but...not everyone is satisfied with his first highness as heir apparent." His expression darkened. "It his rumoured that his Majesty plans to officially announce him as the crown prince on the day of his wedding to," he gestured vaguely, "...that young miss."

Minister Hu didn't approve of Xiao Yuan as an heir, and couldn't even be bothered to remember the name of his future principal wife -- it all sounded very promising, but Chu Yun wasn't one to sing victory before the battle.

Xiao Zai made only a noncommittal sound, while Chu Yun ate his food.

After letting the Minister sweat for a while, Xiao Zai finally said, "It's of course my father's decision, as his subjects it falls to us to accept it."

Chu Yun smiled a little to himself behind his fan. Xiao Zai might not be a strategist, but he was sharp too. Perhaps it was his dislike for the Minister, but he had been saying all the right things.

The man himself fidgeted in his seat, making his voluminous robes sway around him. "I would never imply that his Majesty doesn't know what's better for our great nation," he cleared his throat, "however...some people say that his second highness would be the better choice, as crown prince."

Xiao Zai leaned across the table and met the Minister's gaze head on, "And why is that?"

The Minister laughed again, the same loud, booming laugh as before, but now there was a hint of desperation to it. "Well, his second highness should know better than anyone his own accomplishments," another anxious chuckle, "however, several people fear that the First Prince is perhaps too hedonistic to properly rule the nation..."

Chu Yun cast his eyes around the table, at all the beautifully dressed omegas, each looking more pampered than the next. Minister Hu was clearly a man who understood restraint...

"Minister Hu, please be frank with us," Chu Yun said, cutting off the Minister with a half smile. He fanned himself and flashed a split-second of the inside of his fan, just enough to make the Minister's eyes go wide as he wondered if he had just seen what he thought he saw. "Do you wish to support my husband as crown prince instead of the First Prince?"

The Minister stuttered, still at a loss for words from the glimpse he'd caught of the inside of Chu Yun's fan.

If he thought he would make them uncomfortable with his parade of omegas he had another thing coming. Chu Yun would have him squirming on his seat before the end of dinner.

"Well, well, in a word yes," he said, casting suspicious looks at Chu Yun's fan, as if he expected to see the image of the two naked men at any moment. 

Obviously it wasn't the image itself that left him uncomfortable, someone like Minister Hu probably engaged in all kinds of libidinous behaviours behind closed doors -- but he couldn't wrap his mind around that the fact that Chu Yun had worn it to a formal dinner at a court official's house.

He didn't know what to make of it, and kept trying to convince himself his eyes had deceived him.

Which was exactly Chu Yun's goal. 

It also meant he was less likely to notice Hua Nanyi skulking around the upper floors of his house, more likely to ignore any unusual sounds. 

He had been so determined to impress Xiao Zai, that he had called all his concubines to dinner, all his servants to attend them, stationed all his guards at the gate. And in doing so had left the rest of his house completely defenceless.

Chu Yun run a hand down Xiao Zai's arm. "Minister Hu is right to put his fate in my husband, there's no one more competent than him."

Xiao Zai said nothing, and hummed.

Minister Hu was looking between the two of them in open confusion. 

Chu Yun let out a rueful laugh, and said, "Perhaps Minister Hu would like to have a word in private with my husband?"

He shot Xiao Zai a meaningful look that he hoped conveyed: say as little as possible but keep him talking.

Minister Hu immediately rose to his feet. "Yes, that sounds like a wonderful idea, I'm sure political talk would bore your Grace, anyway."

Chu Yun grit his teeth behind his fan. However, when he said, "almost certainly," his voice was pleasant enough.

Xiao Zai rose, and followed the minister out of the hall. Chu Yun remained seated, contemplating how much these Zui wolves never missed a chance to offend him. 

The Minister's concubines were all shooting him curious looks, as if he were a rare and wild bird they were seeing for the first time.

The one seating closest to him, a boy who looked scarcely older than Chu Hean, finally spoke up, "Is the Second Prince making you say all those things?"

Some of the other concubines shot him anxious looks. The boy was speaking out of turn, but it led to Chu Yun's first genuine laugh of the day.

"No, I'm saying them of my own volition."

The young omega's eyes went wide, then he lowered his eyes and whispered, "Master said he's going to gift one of us to the Second Prince, I hope he chooses me."

Chu Yun's smile fell the very same moment.