Chapter 21: Chapter 21: The Plan Succeeds
After securing the funds, Nan Feihuang's next step was to send someone to the Star Luo Empire.
Being the Crown Prince of the Gulei Kingdom and only six years old, both his age and status made it inappropriate for him to go personally.
He would have to send someone else, but whoever was dispatched would need to be of equal standing with a Spirit Douluo. This meant sending a Spirit Douluo-level expert.
As mentioned before, before Lan Xue joined, the Gulei Kingdom had only one Spirit Douluo. When Nan Feihuang first heard his name, he was pleasantly surprised—it was Jia Chong.
Nan Feihuang had thought that perhaps the famous strategist Jia Chong from Romance of the Three Kingdoms 2 had somehow transmigrated here too.
But when they met, he realized that they were completely unrelated, just two people who happened to share the same name.
This Jia Chong came from a sect called the Barbaric Strength Sect, where he was the current sect leader.
On the Douluo Continent, sects were everywhere, with the Upper Three Sects at the top, followed by the Four Lower Sects. Below them were sects like the Rock Antelope Sect and the Hornet Sect, which were slightly weaker but still competitive.
If any of the current Four Lower Sects were to decline, these sects had the potential and resources to take their place.
Below that were the Four Single-Attribute Clans and smaller sects like the Barbaric Strength Sect.
The Barbaric Strength Sect was based in the Gulei Kingdom and maintained a solid relationship with the royal family.
Their inherited spirit was a beetle-type martial spirit, a giant stag beetle with enormous strength and a large horn on its head. It looked remarkably like a Bug-type Pokémon.
The first time Nan Feihuang saw the spirit, he had blurted out instinctively, "Heracross!"
Jia Chong had found the name quite pleasant and decided to adopt Nan Feihuang's suggestion, renaming the sect's inherited spirit from the rather crude "Large-Horned Beetle" to "Heracross."
"Grandpa Jia Chong, are you home?" Nan Feihuang arrived at the Barbaric Strength Sect, conveniently located within Gulei City, so it didn't take long to reach.
"Haha! Your Highness, what brings you to this old man's humble abode today?" A burly man emerged from inside, greeting Nan Feihuang with a hearty laugh.
His face was adorned with a short beard, and his build was rugged and muscular. His chest was bare, proudly displaying his well-defined muscles.
Aside from the name, this Jia Chong was the complete opposite of the scheming strategist Nan Feihuang had initially imagined.
One was a boisterous, straightforward man, while the other had been a sly, shadowy tactician.
However, Jia Chong's beetle martial spirit seemed fitting enough for his personality.
"Grandpa Jia Chong, I came today to ask for your help with something," Nan Feihuang said politely.
Although he was the Crown Prince, Jia Chong was a Spirit Douluo, so their statuses were comparable.
"Ah, Your Highness, no need to be so formal! You gave my sect's martial spirit such a fine new name. I still haven't properly thanked you for that. Whatever you need, just say the word. As long as it's within my power, I'll see it done!" Jia Chong boomed, his voice loud and full of energy, without a hint of hesitation.
Nan Feihuang nodded and took out a Gold Soul Coin card. "Grandpa Jia Chong, you've probably heard by now that I sold everything in our royal treasure pavilion. All the money I have is on this card. I need your help to travel to the Star Luo Empire, to Kassna Village, and find the Min Clan's leader, Bai He. I want to buy a certain herb from him, the Crystal Blood Dragon Ginseng."
"An herb? What kind of herb costs that much?" Jia Chong asked, puzzled.
"Sigh, Grandpa Jia Chong, I'll explain its effects to you, but please don't tell anyone else. This herb's greatest effect is to strengthen the foundation and cure hidden injuries," Nan Feihuang whispered, letting out a sigh. "Do you remember recently when my father suddenly brought a lot of concubines into the palace and ordered large amounts of whale glue? Well... sigh."
Jia Chong immediately understood. "Ah! So that's it. His Majesty has been foolish. The Queen is as beautiful as a goddess, virtuous and kind-hearted. And yet, he wasn't satisfied and brought in more concubines, overindulging himself. I even tried to advise him against it, but it seems I was too late—he's already damaged his health. Whale glue isn't something you can just consume recklessly. Even Titled Douluo can't withstand its aphrodisiac effects!"
"Indeed!" Nan Feihuang forced out a few tears. "Honestly, I feel it's unfair to my mother, but after all, he is my father. For the sake of my mother's happiness, I must heal his body. But if word of this got out, the royal family's reputation would be ruined. That's why I came to you, Grandpa Jia Chong—you're the only one I can trust with this. Please, you must help me, and keep this secret!"
"Rest assured, Your Highness, I know how important this is," Jia Chong vowed. "Leave it to me. I'll make sure to bring the Crystal Blood Dragon Ginseng back. Your filial piety will surely touch the heavens, and when His Majesty learns of this, he'll be deeply moved as well."
"Time is of the essence. I'll set out immediately!"
Jia Chong acted decisively, packing only a few changes of clothes before setting off.
Before he left, Nan Feihuang handed him a few letters that Xun Yu had written.
If Bai He refused to sell the herb, Jia Chong would simply follow the instructions in the letters.
Of course, Nan Feihuang told Jia Chong that these letters were written by Nan Tianchen. There was no way around it—his age was still a significant limitation.
All he could do now was hope to grow up quickly. Being a six-year-old child made so many things inconvenient.
As Jia Chong's strong figure disappeared through the city gates, Nan Feihuang and Xun Yu exchanged a smile.
"Heh, the plan worked perfectly!"
---
"Achoo, achoo, achoo..."
Back in the palace, Nan Tianchen suddenly sneezed several times. Given his strong physique as a Spirit Saint, he hadn't been sick since his Soul Master days.
To sneeze this much, it wasn't illness. He felt more like someone was talking behind his back.
"Someone must be badmouthing me again," Nan Tianchen frowned.
"Well, that's not surprising," Lan Xue laughed. "You did bring all those concubines into the palace. People who don't know the truth would think you're just a lustful, foolish king. Not everyone is as understanding as our Feihuang. He knows your reasons."
Nan Tianchen nodded. The decision to bring in the concubines had been a ruse, but it had still drawn much criticism.
Not only from those stubborn old ministers, but even his daughter, Nan Feiling, sometimes pouted in displeasure whenever she saw him.
He'd heard that recently, Nan Feiling had been complaining in the rear palace, saying he no longer cared for her mother and consorts, favoring the new concubines instead.
If it weren't for Nan Feihuang's affection for his sister, he would've already given Nan Feiling a good thrashing to set her straight.
This time, it was likely that his unfilial daughter had been spreading rumors behind his back again. She truly didn't know how to be considerate. She should learn from her brother—though his actions were sometimes puzzling, Feihuang always stood by his side.
It seemed it was time to assert his authority as a father once again.
"Prepare the carriage! I'm going to see Princess Feiling. I need to check on her studies, and if she's not doing well, I'll have no choice but to enforce the family rules."
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