Pan Xian was wavering, and his advice to Luo Ye to remain calm also had a personal agenda.
Meng Qing retorted, “Going to the gambling house without gambling, are you saying it’s for composing poetry?”
At this moment, a servant brought in the meal. Meng Qing glanced at Yu Wenxin’s expression and smiled, “Sir, you probably haven’t eaten yet, right? Sit down and join me.” He then instructed the servant to set an additional place setting.
After Meng Qing was seated, Yu Wenxin sat below him, but his heart still doubted his previous words: “Your Highness, you have always been upright and never liked gambling before. How could you suddenly become so dissolute, lingering in gambling houses until dawn? What is the hidden reason?”
Meng Qing took a bite of food and said, “In the past, this prince lived too exhaustingly. Now I know there are many pleasurable things I’ve never experienced. Anyway, I don’t want to compete for the throne with my second brother anymore. I might as well enjoy life and live more leisurely.
“
Yu Wenxin, though he hadn’t eaten, had no appetite. He stared intently at Meng Qing and asked, “Your Highness, are you deliberately acting like this to guard against the Second Prince?”
Meng Qing chuckled lightly, “As expected, Sir understands Zhan.”
Yu Wenxin frowned, “Even if this is the purpose, Your Highness need not choose such a method that ruins your reputation.”
Meng Qing asked, “Sir, do you think Zhan would be spared if my second brother ascends to the throne?”
“This…” Yu Wenxin furrowed his brow, knowing that with Luo Ye’s suspicious nature, he might not act immediately before ascending the throne, but once enthroned, he would likely harm Luo Zhan to secure his position.
Yu Wenxin pondered, “Since Your Highness has such concerns, why not strike first? In fact, I believe with Your Highness’s talents, you could become emperor. Why repeatedly concede and end up with no place to stand?”
Meng Qing sighed softly, “Although my second brother might harm Zhan, Zhan cannot preemptively harm him. If he did, wouldn’t he be as unrighteous as the Fourth and Fifth Princes?”
Yu Wenxin still tried to persuade him that taking necessary preemptive action to protect oneself was not unrighteous.
In fact, Meng Qing’s reason was simple: the task required Luo Ye to become emperor.
