Xu Tianran: Guards, escort my cousin away

"Really, Cousin Crown Prince?" Kong Bo put on the expression of a child looking at an older brother he was close with. "Cousin Crown Prince, if I come here to play, you must not tell my mom and dad. They would definitely scold me severely. 'His Highness the Crown Prince has a thousand things to attend to, how can you delay His Highness from handling state affairs? Kong Bo, we cannot do that.'"

"Rest assured," Xu Tianran said. "For a brilliant young genius like you, your affairs are the nation's affairs. If they come looking for you, just come to your Cousin Crown Prince. I care for my younger cousin; what is wrong with you coming to the Crown Prince's Mansion to chat with your cousin?"

"That's great, Cousin," Kong Bo said.

"However," Xu Tianran's tone shifted, "Cousin Kong Bo, your cousin here treats you like a real younger brother, and you must treat me like a real older brother as well. (Kong Bo's inner thoughts: Of course, I will certainly treat you with the 'brotherly love and filial piety' of your Xu Family.) As an older brother who has seen much, if you encounter anything you cannot tell your parents, tell your cousin. After all, I am the Crown Prince."

Then, Ju Zi chimed in to support Xu Tianran. "Kong Bo, your cousin and I have both heard that you are so young, why aren't you focusing on your studies? Your cousin manages the affairs of the Royal Soul Engineer Academy, and I heard you have taken a liking to some pretty girls and even brought them into our Royal Soul Engineer Academy. Not just one, but two."

Ju Zi's tone became significantly more serious. "Your cousin-in-law is a soul engineer herself. Kong Bo, no matter how talented you are, you cannot neglect your proper duties at such a young age. You have so much talent; it would be a pity if you wasted it!"

Hearing Ju Zi say this, Kong Bo knew the real business had arrived.

"Oh, Ju Zi, you can't say it like that," Xu Tianran said, playing the good cop. "Kong Bo is under the guidance of Elder Kong; perhaps his great-grandfather even approved of it. Cousin, your cousin-in-law is just concerned about you. She is a woman, and we are men. (Kong Bo: I believe you, you snake. Do you even count as one now?) Does your great-grandfather know about this? If Elder Kong doesn't know, your cousin can put in a good word for you. Ah, men—we are successful men, after all."

Kong Bo realized this was Xu Tianran trying to fish for information. After all, in Xu Tianran's eyes, Kong Bo was just a child. If Xu Tianran wanted him to repeat Kong Deming's words, he wouldn't know how to fabricate them and would surely repeat exactly what Kong Deming had said.

"Cousin, Cousin-in-law, my great-grandfather definitely knows, and he approves," Kong Bo said.

"How is that possible!" Ju Zi had to play along with Xu Tianran; it seemed they had planned this out—Xu Tianran would play the good cop, and Ju Zi would play the bad cop.

"How is it not possible?" Kong Bo retorted. "Cousin-in-law, let me mimic how my great-grandfather speaks. 'Kong Bo, you spend your days at school drawing diagrams, and in the afternoon you follow your master to cultivate. You are still just a child. You might not understand this yet, but a person needs to have a bit of humanity. Since you like those two girls, your great-grandfather agrees.'"

Xu Tianran had dealt with Kong Deming before, and these words were indeed in Kong Deming's style. Furthermore, Xu Tianran knew that Kong Bo used to spend his days at school holding a pen and drawing, which dispelled his suspicions about Kong Deming. In Xu Tianran's view, Kong Bo was hardworking and talented, but he shouldn't become obsessed with soul device research to the point of becoming a cultivation maniac. After all, Kong Deming still held an official position in the Sun Moon Empire, a position Kong Bo would inevitably inherit. Since Kong Bo liked girls, let him be; interacting with them might make him more "human."

However, Xu Tianran still had one lingering doubt: who had encouraged a child like Kong Bo to seek out pretty girls? He immediately asked, "Alright, since your great-grandfather agrees, your cousin and cousin-in-law won't say anything more. But Kong Bo, your cousin is older than you and has more experience dealing with people. With your status, many people are watching you. Don't let yourself be deceived. Has anyone been saying anything to you?"

"Cousin, that's impossible. My master is the one overseeing things, and Sister Long'er likes them both very much. As for me... Cousin, you must not tell anyone or do anything. I know you manage our academy," Kong Bo said.

Xu Tianran's expression turned serious, thinking the truth was about to come out. Then, Kong Bo pulled several comics from his storage ring. "Cousin, I saw in a classmate's comic that liking girls is very normal. Cousin, please don't take the Royal Inspection Squad to investigate; otherwise, they will definitely know it was me who let it slip."

"This..." Xu Tianran wore a helpless expression. So that was it—it was all because of this.

"Fine, fine, your cousin promises you. I am the Crown Prince, and a Crown Prince's word is worth its weight in gold. If I say I won't investigate, I won't." Xu Tianran realized he had been overly suspicious. The whole situation was simply that while Kong Bo was cultivating with the Evil Emperor, he had taken a fancy to two young girls. The Evil Emperor and Kong Deming felt Kong Bo needed to be more "human," and since the girls didn't have prominent backgrounds, they just let them accompany him. That was the whole story.

Then, Kong Bo began to improvise. "Cousin, I read in storybooks that Crown Princes have many concubines. Why don't you find a few more? When I grow up and become a powerful soul master, I'll make you marry eight or ten of them! Whoever disagrees, I'll just drag them over!"

"Kong Bo!" Ju Zi and Xu Tianran were flustered. Xu Tianran put on an angry face. "You're not learning anything good at such a young age! Your Cousin Crown Prince has to worry about His Majesty's affairs! I intended to let you stay at the mansion to play and skip your afternoon cultivation, but now your cousin and cousin-in-law are angry. Go back and cultivate!"

"Cousin, I finally came to your mansion, and you're chasing me back to cultivate?" Kong Bo complained.

"Go back!" Xu Tianran said. "Someone, escort Young Master Kong home!"

After sending Kong Bo away, Xu Tianran immediately went to report to Xu Cong. He recounted the entire conversation. Xu Cong nodded after listening. "Hmm, it seems you were overthinking it, Ran'er. It's just a great-grandfather doting on his great-grandson."

"That seems to be the case," Xu Tianran said. "However, Father, Kong Bo's hobby... tsk tsk. When it comes time to arrange a marriage for him in the future, it would be better not to let Tianzhen go. It would be better to find someone from a collateral branch."

Xu Cong waved his hand. "Kong Bo is still young. We'll talk about that later."