Chapter 44: This Heir Apparent Is an Absolute Blockhead?

A horse dealer?

There is indeed a horse market in the East Suburb, not far from Mount Da-dong either, but the poisonous miasma of Mount Da-dong...

"Could Mister Pang be here to inquire about purchasing Mount Da-dong?"

Pang Shiyuan was in no hurry to reveal his intentions, replying instead, "Great undertakings rely on secrecy, so I cannot divulge the details just yet. I kindly request Head Steward Zhong to announce my visit."

Being a smooth and worldly man, Pang Shiyuan slipped a silver ingot into Steward Zhong's sleeve.

"Very well, please wait a moment, sir!"

Steward Zhong waved his hand in refusal, as he never accepted bribes. Instead, he hurried back into the manor and sprinted toward the Water-Cloud Pavilion.

"Your Highness, someone is here to inquire about the price."

Lu Lan was deep in study over an ancient tome. Receiving no response for a long time, Steward Zhong called out "Your Highness" once more, prompting Lu Lan to slowly turn his head:

"Invite Mister Pang to wait in the main hall."

"Understood!"

Huh?

Just as Steward Zhong was about to turn and leave, he made a puzzled sound. *How odd, how did Your Highness know the visitor's surname was Pang?*

Pang Shiyuan was escorted into the main hall, where he was served fine tea.

Lu Lan then instructed Yurong to summon Tong Yan.

"My Lord, what are your orders?"

Lu Lan pointed at the two delicate and alluring young maids: "You two, mess up your hair a bit, dishevel your clothes somewhat, and accompany me out to receive a guest."

"Ah?"

Tong Yan and Yurong were completely bewildered.

Shouldn't one make sure their makeup and attire were neat and proper when receiving guests?

Who on earth goes out to meet people looking all disheveled?

What on earth was His Highness up to?

"Hurry up, or do you expect me to mess them up for you myself?"

Blushing and casting shy glances at each other, Tong Yan and Yurong had no choice but to disarrange their hair buns and garments.

The two of them were certainly not concubine-maids. Although the Heir Apparent sowed his wild oats outside, he never touched the grass in his own backyard. No matter how captivating the flowers in the manor bloomed, he merely feasted his eyes and never reached out a hand.

Perhaps domestic flowers simply lacked the fragrance of wild ones!

Pang Shiyuan sat there growing somewhat restless and impatient before Lu Lan finally appeared leisurely in the main hall, striking the thoroughly punchable pose of someone who had just woken up.

He was followed by two maids with disheveled clothes and blushing faces.

Pang Shiyuan was immensely surprised. The person negotiating this business deal with him was not the Duke of Yu or Princess Consort Qiao, but rather the Heir Apparent Lu?

Rising calmly, he glanced at the appearance of the trio, and combining it with the rumors circulating in the streets regarding the Heir Apparent, the corners of his mouth couldn't help but twitch.

Good grief.

Engaging in debauchery in broad daylight—truly living up to his reputation as the Heir Apparent.

No wonder he was reduced to selling ancestral property to make ends meet.

To run into such a foolish, wealthy, and easily gullible prodigal today was truly a stroke of immense good fortune.

"This humble person, Pang Shiyuan, pays his respects to Your Highness."

Before the conversation could even begin, Lu Lan slouched lazily in the master seat, spinning a jade thumb ring out of sheer boredom without even raising his head:

"You may go back now."

Hmm?

Pang Shiyuan's smile froze, and he stood rooted to the spot in a daze.

Notices had been plastered all over the streets, and now that he had come in person to inquire about the price, why was he suddenly being chased away?

"Your Highness, why is this?"

Could it be that there were already other buyers?

Impossible. Mount Da-dong was a poisonous mountain, and the people of Shengjing City turned pale at the mere mention of it. Only he knew the true utility of the black stones.

For a moment, Pang Shiyuan lost his footing, shedding his previous composure and certainty.

Lu Lan toyed with the teacup lid, his tone indifferent: "To put it simply, I no longer wish to sell it."

The true purpose of posting the notices was to draw someone out, not to sell.

"But this notice..."

The one he had torn down was the very latest one pasted up just this morning.

Pang Shiyuan felt he was still in the right.

Your Lu family proclaimed to the entire capital that you were selling Mount Da-dong, yet when a merchant came knocking to inquire, you suddenly declared you weren't selling. Weren't you afraid outsiders would point fingers and accuse you of lacking integrity?

High and noble families cared most about their reputation.

Holding the notice up with both hands, he still wanted to reason it out, but before he could finish speaking, Tong Yan walked over and snatched it right out of his hands.

Lu Lan swept a bored glance over him: "A tattered notice, so what?"

Tong Yan tossed the notice straight into a brazier, where it burned to ashes.

Pang Shiyuan was left utterly speechless.

A wave of fury surged within him.

He looked up, saw that the person before him was Lu Lan, and thought better of it. *Forget it!*

What could he possibly do?

Dealing with a scoundrel who indulged in daylight debauchery and disregarded all laws of propriety and decorum—who could he possibly appeal to for justice?

Seeing Pang Shiyuan's dumbfounded expression, Lu Lan judged that the time was ripe and changed the subject:

"It wouldn't hurt to tell you. This prince recently read a book, and the book stated that black stones can be used as fuel. Winter is fast approaching; if these were substituted for charcoal and sold to the common folk, how much money do you think one could make?"

Tong Yan and Yurong experienced a sudden flash of enlightenment. So His Highness's recent obsession with black stones was because he had discovered a massive business opportunity!

Upon hearing this, Pang Shiyuan trembled all over, gripped by the crisis of having his trump card seen through.

However, with his years of rich experience in business, he quickly regained his composure.

"Your Highness is truly... truly fond of joking. When black stones burn, they emit a pungent, toxic gas; at the very least it causes dizziness, and at worst it can poison people to death. How could they possibly replace charcoal?"

"Do you take me for a greenhorn making my first foray into the world? Since it's a poisonous mountain, why did you want to buy it?" Lu Lan wore an expression that said he had seen right through him.

"This humble person wanted it for raising horses. In recent years, my horse-trading business has grown larger and larger, and the horse market in the East Suburb can no longer hold so many steeds. I wanted to expand the ranch and took a fancy to the Mount Da-dong area."

Lu Lan wore a look that plainly stated, *Do you think I'm an idiot?*

Pang Shiyuan added:

"Oh, the environment of Mount Da-dong cannot raise premium horses, so this humble person planned to stable inferior horses used merely as beasts of burden over there. Naturally, I wouldn't care about any poisonous miasma."

To pull the wool over people's eyes, Pang Shiyuan had long since prepared his excuse. In the horse-trading industry, many merchants rented out entire mountains for raising horses, making this explanation perfectly plausible.

Yet, for some reason, whenever he met Lu Lan's gaze, he felt a lingering pang of guilt in his heart.

Raising horses?

Heh!

Lu Lan let out a dry laugh: "Do you take this prince for a complete fool?"