The Power of the Purse

Long Fanyun came to see Prince Dudun with a heavy heart. "The Dragon King is at a critical point in his seclusion. He won't emerge for at least three days. Please forgive him, Your Highness."

After drinking for most of the night, Dudun showed no trace of fatigue or drunkenness. He fixed Long Fanyun with a haughty, cold stare. "Three days? At a gallop, that's about how long it takes to get from Jade City to Xiaowan Kingdom, isn't it?"

Long Fanyun pretended not to catch the implication in Prince Dudun's words. "Unless you're riding a Flame Colt, three days won't be enough."

"Haha. So he won't emerge for another three days. Is that your guess, or did the Dragon King tell you himself?"

"The Dragon King told me himself..."

The moment the words left his mouth, Dudun sprang to his feet. His close companions seemed to have anticipated the prince's move; they surged forward and surrounded Long Fanyun, as if they meant to seize him on the spot.

There was no clash. Long Fanyun merely moved his hand without touching the hilt of his sword. The men only meant to separate him from the prince completely. Dudun said, "Good. Since the Dragon King can talk to you, he can spare a few words for me too. I don't have much to say, but I need to hear his answer from his own lips. We'll go into the city now, and I'll be back at Tongtian Pass before noon."

Long Fanyun looked flustered and glanced at Shangguan Ru and Shang Liao. But they both knew they couldn't stop Prince Dudun. The more they tried to talk him out of it, the more suspicious he would become.

Several hundred people set out at dawn and soon entered the city.

Gu Shenwei