Chapter 506: Chapter 506: Almost Got You Exposed

Gongyang Puyu kindly explained: "Your Highness, do you remember? A few days ago, I mentioned something to Your Highness?"

Prince Zhuang said: "Sir taught me that if you calculate and act within three days, great things can be achieved. If it cannot be done within three days, then you must stop."

Gongyang Puyu nodded and said: "The day Your Highness took action was within three days, wasn’t it!"

"Yes!"

"Then there’s no need to worry, no matter how the situation changes, it won’t affect Your Highness’ fundamentals."

"But Father has already issued the Holy Decree to depose the Crown Prince. After tomorrow, the decree will spread across the nation!"

Gongyang Puyu still maintained a mysterious appearance and said: "When we last met, I measured it, and there’s only a small calamity for Your Highness. That small calamity corresponds to this matter!"

Prince Zhuang was extremely anxious: "Sir, how could losing the Crown Prince position be a small calamity? It’s a great calamity."

Gongyang Puyu glanced at him and said: "Your Highness, please calm down. I ask, although Your Highness lost the Crown Prince position, did you lose your princely title? Were you severely punished? Did the Emperor order Your Highness to return to the Vassal Land?"

Prince Zhuang shook his head.

Gongyang Puyu smiled slightly: "Then what is there for Your Highness to worry about? The celestial fate belonging to the Crown Prince is still on Your Highness. Getting your Crown Prince title revoked is temporary; the Emperor won’t appoint a new Crown Prince soon. Your Highness needs to respond cautiously and win back the royal favor. The Crown Prince position is still yours, so don’t worry!"

Prince Zhuang widened his eyes: "Are you sure, Sir?"

Gongyang Puyu maintained the demeanor of a transcendent sage and said: "As long as the celestial fate remains, the Crown Prince position remains! I’ve verified, there’s been no change in fate. If Your Highness remains worried, I can perform a major ritual at the Astronomical Observatory for Your Highness."

"Then I’ll trouble you, Sir!" Prince Zhuang’s heart was overjoyed hearing that his fate hadn’t changed and was still his own.

Gongyang Puyu hesitated a moment and said: "The major ritual can stabilize Your Highness’ celestial fate. But during the ritual, the one performing the ritual must not meet with Your Highness, even accidentally. Otherwise, not only will the ritual fail, but it will also incur blame."

Prince Zhuang was startled and asked: "How long is the major ritual going to take?"

Gongyang Puyu replied: "Stabilizing fate with a major ritual is intricate and lengthy. At least forty-nine days, at most one and a half years!"

Hearing such a lengthy duration, Prince Zhuang hesitated.

If anything happens, he still wants to use Mr. Gongyang’s Stargazing Method,

he asked: "What if the ritual isn’t performed?"

Gongyang Puyu calculated again, gently sighed, and said: "This small calamity for Your Highness, though the celestial fate is still present, is somewhat unstable. If this sign of instability persists, the Emperor might change his mind. If the Emperor appoints another Crown Prince, the celestial fate will transfer to the new Crown Prince. Then for Your Highness, it won’t be a small calamity but a great calamity!"

Prince Zhuang’s face changed drastically; if the fate transfers, what relevance will he have?

As long as the fate remains with him, what’s the harm in not being seen for a year and a half? Previously unknown of Gongyang Puyu’s existence, didn’t he manage just fine and attain the Crown Prince position anyway?

Thus, safeguarding the fate is the priority.

With this in mind, Prince Zhuang immediately said: "Then I’ll trouble you, Sir."

Gongyang Puyu smiled slightly: "Your Highness must think it through. Once the ritual begins, unless necessary, I won’t leave the Astronomical Observatory. Once complete, I’ll send someone to inform Your Highness. Until the ritual concludes, Your Highness must avoid meeting with me. Otherwise, previous efforts will be in vain!"

Prince Zhuang nodded repeatedly and said: "Rest assured, Sir! I won’t hinder you while you labor over my matters."

Seeing his self-reference as ’this palace,’ Gongyang Puyu inwardly sneered but showed no trace of it on the surface and said: "Now, the capital is strictly under curfew. Your Highness must continue working hard to regain favor and exercise caution in words and deeds!"

Though this sounded lecturing, Prince Zhuang took no offense. He held some hope in his heart: "Sir, is my Crown Prince position truly unsalvageable this time?"

If your Crown Prince position were secured, all the plans and efforts of the Second Young Master would be wasted, wouldn’t they?

Gongyang Puyu inwardly snorted, but outwardly remained mysterious: "It’s a pity Your Highness didn’t inform me before acting. I had no prior knowledge, and now it’s urgent, leaving me powerless. Yet Your Highness need not worry; fate is uncertain, and perhaps the Emperor may revoke his decree." This was initially a comforting statement, but Prince Zhuang heard it and raised his eyebrows, filled with hope.

Yes, he’s already informed Father that Old Fifth was behind this scheme, and Old Fifth’s arrogance disregards Father. His crime is greater than mine.

His offense was solely against Old Fifth, but Old Fifth offended Father!

With hope and luck, Prince Zhuang returned the same way, narrowly avoiding the patrol guards enforcing curfew.

He thought he was discreet enough, unaware that after he returned, someone promptly appeared at the Astronomical Observatory.

This time, Gongyang Puyu abandoned his previous enigmatic, transcendent demeanor and politely greeted: "Second Young Master, it’s turbulent tonight, why did you come personally?"

The man, clad in black brocade clothes with an elegant and noble aura, carried a sense of pride and indeed had an extraordinary demeanor.

He frowned and said: "That fool, Prince Zhuang, almost exposed you."

Gongyang Puyu was shocked: "Second Young Master, what happened?"

Huangfu Yuxuan said: "Prince Zhuang thought he could casually point to a Bodhi Temple monk to dispel Grandfather’s suspicions, unaware that Grandfather had people following him. He believed he’d avoided the night patrol guards and was foolproof, yet didn’t know Grandfather’s Hidden Guard was still trailing him."

Gongyang Puyu felt a chill on his neck; if the Emperor learned that he incited Prince Zhuang to act against Huangfu Jingchen, he’d soon face a brutal death!

Seeing Gongyang Puyu’s pale face, Huangfu Yuxuan said: "No need to worry. When I sensed something amiss, I immediately sent people to divert that Hidden Guard. Grandfather won’t discover you, and I won’t let Grandfather discover you. Those who belong to me will be protected readily."

Gongyang Puyu felt immense gratitude, previously feeling superior in front of Zhuang Wang. Now he had none of that feeling, and genuinely kneeled, expressing deep gratitude and submission: "Thank you, Second Young Master, for your life-saving grace!"

Huangfu Yuxuan remarked coolly: "No need for such courtesy." 𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮

Still puzzled by Huangfu Yuxuan’s earlier words, Gongyang Puyu asked: "Second Young Master said that Prince Zhuang casually pointed to a Bodhi Temple monk previously, what does that mean?"

How could this matter tie to a Bodhi Temple monk?