Chapter 297: The Prince, Chen Zhi
The Prince, Chen Zhi . . .
[What on earth! What's the point of that question? What is he getting at? It's already an enormous favor for Cha Eun Xiao to donate those dan beads. It's not his responsibility to provide for all the soldiers. He's already been incredibly generous, so why is this question even coming up?]
[To be honest, it's quite an audacious question!]
Cha Eun Xiao felt taken aback and somewhat surprised by the unexpected query.
The three princes were powerful contenders in the struggle for the throne. They had no personal ties to Feng Zhiling at all. Their assumption that Feng Zhiling was a close friend of the Kingdom of Chen, based solely on his generous donation, led them to believe he would be equally friendly to the kingdom's future ruler. Hence, they eagerly sought to align themselves with him, unconcerned about the ongoing war and the fate of soldiers in the other three battles.
The youngest prince, who had no chance of claiming the throne, suddenly posed this question.
His entire life had been determined by the king's decisions from the moment he was born!
While it wasn't a well-considered or reasonable question, it clearly mattered to him.
"It takes time to produce these dan beads, and they require many materials," Cha Eun Xiao responded, testing the waters. "At the moment, I don't have the means to provide more... However, you can discuss the matter with Lord Lan to see if he can allocate some of them to the soldiers in the other battles. I've already given him the dan beads, so they are now his to distribute as he sees fit. I won't object to whatever he decides."
Chen Zhi pouted and shook his head upon hearing this. "Never mind. These dan beads will save lives in the south and might alter the course of the battle. If we distribute them to the other fronts, the south will end up with significantly fewer dan beads, rendering them less effective. Likewise, the other three fronts will face shortages."
Cha Eun Xiao was genuinely surprised by the boy's reasoning. He inquired, "Does the southern front truly require such a large quantity of dan beads?"
Chen Zhi appeared stunned for a moment, then his eyes brightened. He exclaimed, "I get it now... I see."
Cha Eun Xiao praised the boy silently and probed further, "What do you see? Why are you speaking in such an unusual manner?"
The other princes, as well as Lan Langlang and Zuo Wuji, turned their attention to the Monarch of the Ling-Bao Hall, perplexed by his evident interest in this young prince, who had not yet reached the age of ten. It was an unconventional line of questioning, yet the Monarch chose to respond.
Chen Zhi may have been a prince, but he held the lowest rank among them. Had the Crown Prince or the King of the Kingdom of Chen been present, Cha Eun Xiao would likely not have displayed such kindness.
Chen Zhi evidently lacked extensive knowledge of these matters, but his eyes sparkled as he continued, "The Kingdom of Chen is under threat from enemies on all four sides, making this a perilous moment. The situation took an unusual turn after the strange occurrences in the south. Conventional military tactics no longer prove effective. Instead, we witness daily clashes between formidable cultivators from both sides. Enemy cultivators forcibly breach our defenses, launching surprise attacks that minimize casualties among our soldiers but result in a higher number of casualties among our superior cultivators..."
"Given this, even though having two Leading Generals in the southern battle may seem wasteful, we can't hastily recall either of them. If something were to happen, and the divinely bestowed boundary fell into enemy hands, it would be a catastrophe for us."
"Now, with these miraculous dan beads, General Lan can rotate the duty of our superior cultivators, ensuring that injured individuals receive care. General Lan can singlehandedly safeguard the south. Prince Hua-Yang and his forces can return to either the east or west. This will avert a significant crisis for the kingdom."
Once again, the young prince had a revelation, saying, "I understand why you instructed Lord Lan to deliver the dan beads to General Lan rather than Prince Hua-Yang, who currently oversees the southern front. You're subtly prompting Prince Hua-Yang and General Lan to recognize that one of them must return. It's inefficient for both to remain there."
With the boy's explanation, everyone grasped the profound implication behind the Monarch of the Ling-Bao Hall's gift. They had no idea that Cha Eun Xiao's donation of three bottles of dan beads held such a layered significance.
At this point, Zuo Wuji interjected, "Your Highness, do you know why Feng Monarch didn't state it explicitly?"
Chen Zhi contemplated for a moment, his eyes wide open, before responding, "Well, Feng Monarch is not a member of the court. He must avoid raising suspicion on certain matters, even if he personally doesn't care. Someone else might."
Zuo Wuji's eyes brightened as he clapped and commended, "Exactly. You have a keen understanding."
He then added, "Very well put."
Cha Eun Xiao glanced at Chen Zhi, pleasantly surprised by the intelligence of this young prince.
...
Meanwhile, the auction had reached its midpoint and was growing increasingly intense. All the supreme-level Pei-Yuan Dan beads had been sold, with the final one fetching a staggering sixty million.
The other dan beads were also selling rapidly. Their starting bids had reached a minimum of one hundred million!
Even though these dan beads were all more valuable than the Pei-Yuan Dan, the fact that the lowest starting bid was one hundred million remained a stunning development!
This particular auction had etched itself into history as the most grandiose and opulent event of its kind. The total expenditure at this auction was poised to surpass the cumulative spending of all other auctions held throughout the year. In fact, it might very well exceed even that lofty estimation.
In stark contrast to the fervent atmosphere downstairs, occupants of Sky No. 2 Room and Sky No. 3 Room exhibited somber and disheartened expressions. It had become abundantly clear to them that Ling-Bao Hall had no intentions of extending any favorable treatment to them.
The threats they had issued earlier now seemed hollow and meaningless. If they chose to remain passive, they would leave this auction empty-handed. Thus, they were resolved to take action.
They needed to secure a share of the dan beads, and they were determined not to let Ling-Bao Hall's perceived slight slide without consequence.
"How dare they humiliate the Starlight Sect/Sunlight Sect? It won't be forgiven... Humph!"
The group that had initially paid little attention to the auction and had remained silent was the occupants of Sky No. 1 Room. Since Cha Eun Xiao's departure from the room, Master Bai had maintained his silence. However, he finally broke his reticence.
"Wan-Er, what are your thoughts?" Master Bai inquired.
Wan-Er was taken aback for a moment, but then she grasped the essence of the question. She replied, "Feng Zhiling? He is undeniably a highly capable individual."
Master Bai wore a knowing smile. "Merely capable?"
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