Chapter 124 - The Fox Makes A House Call

Xiao Yuan's estate was indeed fit for a Crown Prince, although he hadn't been one for long. Still, it was obvious it had always been the King's intention to crown him, just from comparing the sprawling, brand new estate, he had given Xiao Yuan in the centre of Haolin, close to the royal palace itself, with Chu Yun's and Xiao Zai's estate in the periphery, close to the city's gates.

Their carriage came to a stop inside the estate's main courtyard, where everything had been arranged to perfection. Every single tree branch was trimmed in symmetry to the next, the little pleasure lakes were filled to brimming with fat brocade carps. Even the dark tiles on the pavilion's sweeping roofs looked like they had been freshly oiled, as if they were supposed to serve as mirror for the sun.

A number of servants surrounded them the moment they stepped out of the carriage. Fan Jiang they ignored, but Chu Yun was swarmed with attention.

He got the impression that the servants were trying hard to show the First Prince how hardworking they were -- perhaps hoping Chu Yun would remark on how attentive they had been.

That gave Chu Yun a pretty good idea of the state of things in the First Prince's estate: utter chaos.

Fan Jiang ignored the servants and walked into the main pavilion, trailing familiar paths and leading Chu Yun deeper into the house. He came to a stop outside a dark door. His hand wavering on the wood, hesitating before knocking.

Chu Yun made his mind for him and knocked instead, announcing them.

The door flew open right away. A half-dressed Xiao Yuan greeted them at the doorway, his robes falling off his shoulders. He looked like he hadn't shaved since the day of the hunt, his eyes looked red and bruised and he smelled like a distillery -- completely overwhelming his natural alpha scent.

"A-Jiang," he sighed, as if the sight of Fan Jiang was the first good thing that happened to him in weeks. He pulled him up by the collar and kissed him right there in the open doorway.

Chu Yun paled. "Perhaps we should talk inside?" He pushed Fan Jiang into the room, unwilling to stand there and witness such an uncomfortable public display of affection.

Xiao Yuan stumbled backwards into what looked like an office, his gaze focusing on Chu Yun for the first time.

"The Fox? What are you doing here?" he asked, shooting Fan Jiang an inquisitive look.

Chu Yun ignored his drunken confusion and sat down at the low table in the middle of the room. It was almost impossible to tell what colour the table used to be. Almost every available space was covered in empty pots of wine, and everything else was stained beyond salvaging.

While the room was ostensibly an office; walls covered in remarkable pieces of calligraphy, Daoist maxims, paintings of epic battles, it was obvious that it hadn't been used like one in ages.

The shelf behind the low table was full of bamboo strip scrolls, but the thick layer of dust covering them made Chu Yun wonder if Xiao Yuan had ever glanced in their direction.

More importantly, it showed that servants were seldom, if ever, allowed in there to clean. That, together with Fan Jiang's certainty that Xiao Yuan would be inside, meant it was probably where they met in private.

At some point Xiao Yuan must have tried to hide how much Fan Jiang meant to him, up until he was forced to take a woman, who now laid dead, as his Consort.

If there had been any alcohol left, Chu Yun would be pouring himself a cup. 

"I'd like to express my condolences to his Royal Highness," Chu Yun said, and despite everything else he meant it.

Xiao Yuan dropped to the floor across from him with a grunt. "Did my brother send you here?"

"He doesn't know I'm here."

Xiao Yuan snorted. "Right, you're an alpha, you can go wherever you like," he shook his head in amusement, "how does my brother feel about that, I wonder."

That irked Chu Yun. "He trusts me," he said noncommittally, since he couldn't say the truth which was: I'd scalp him if he tried to stop me.

Fan Jiang looked between the two of them with a look of profound concern and took a seat next to Xiao Yuan.

Xiao Yuan reached for the nearest wine pitcher, but it was empty, so he let it roll onto the table with a grunt. "Well, I suppose he has reason to trust you, you've done a lot for him."

Chu Yun was surprised he had ever been sober enough to notice, but didn't let his surprise show. "His royal highness flatters me."

Xiao Yuan scoffed again. "You Foxes are really something," he smirked, "you know I spoke with your brother? He was very polite, like you...until I annoyed him and the politeness dried up." The memory seemed to amuse him, but he returned his reddened gaze to Chu Yun once again. "I wonder what would take to make you drop the pretence."

Chu Yun stood to attention the moment Xiao Yuan mentioned his brother. "What did his Royal Highness and my brother discuss?"

"Oh, just my father's intention to marry him to Xiao Zai," he picked an empty cup from the table and raised it to Chu Yun, "another thing that worked out perfectly in your favour with his sudden disappearance."

There was a lot of bitterness to his words, but no real malice. He didn't resent Xiao Zai, only that he hadn't been able to turn the King's schemes to his favour as he had.

"And what did Chu Hean say to that?" Chu Yun asked, trying to steer the conversation in a direction that could give him more information into what Chu Hean was planning.

"Not much, but he seemed disinterested about the whole matter, when I suggested he marry me instead, he grew angry. Called me a series of vile names," he chuckled, "when I next saw him he was talking with the Crown Prince of Su." 

Chu Yun smiled. "Maybe I should pay the Crown Prince a visit, perhaps he has some information regarding my brother's whereabouts."

Xiao Yuan grinned, listing into Fan Jiang's side and lowering his head onto his shoulder. "That's going to be complicated, the Crown Prince returned to Su on the day of the hunt."