Upon hearing that Crown Prince Xue Qinghe had arrived, Dugu Bo gave Xiao Yan a long, searching look and warned him, "Xiao Yan, there's something I must tell you. Xue Qinghe is by no means as simple as he appears. Often, you must look beyond appearances to see the true nature beneath."
"Old Poison, what do you mean?" Xiao Yan asked, startled.
Dugu Bo said evenly, "The current emperor of the Heaven Dou Empire, Xue Ye, had four sons. Xue Qinghe is the eldest, but the most outstanding wasn't him. It was Xue Ye's second son, Xue Luochuan. His political abilities were exceptional, and he had the potential to become a wise ruler of his generation. Yet a few years ago, he died young under mysterious circumstances."
"Shortly afterward, Xue Ye's third son, Xue Haicang, also died young. Of all his sons, he was exceptionally gifted in Soul Master cultivation. Now, only Xue Qinghe and Xue Beng remain."
"Old Poison, are you saying those two princes' deaths were connected to Xue Qinghe?" Looking at Dugu Bo, Xiao Yan felt faintly unsettled. He murmured, "The Imperial Family's internal struggles have nothing to do with me. Since Xue Qinghe helped me establish the academy, he's my friend. I won't get involved in their internal strife."
Only then did Dugu Bo's expression relax a little. He nodded silently and explained, "Prince Xue Xing once saved my life. I'm currently a guest retainer of the Imperial Family. That's how I know so much of what goes on behind the scenes."
As soon as he finished speaking, Xiao Yan beckoned to a nearby academy staff member and exchanged a few words with him.
"Old Poison, I had a quiet room prepared especially to your specifications. You're the honorary dean of Jia Nan Academy, after all.