Chapter 1270

"Your Highness, I've always believed that one should do what one's abilities allow. Your grand ambitions—I am but a blacksmith, unfit to comment, for I lack such talent; only you possess such leadership."

"All I can do is act within my limited scope, doing what I can! This speech both elevates the other and subtly diminishes my own role."

Regarding the power of speech, Lin Cheng had read relevant books; the most important thing in conversation is to let the other person fully display their sense of importance—that is, to highlight their significance, and naturally they will develop a favorable impression of you.

Especially since Lin Cheng had acquired Xiao Hong's fox charm, even if only partially.

Yet this combination of verbal and invisible charm gradually changed the Crown Prince Li Jian's impression of Lin Cheng, so much so that he even forgot what he had come to do.

That was no longer important; what mattered was that Li Jian was convinced that the Lin Cheng before him could surely help him!

"Lin Cheng, I hope you don't mind me calling you that," Crown Prince Li Jian ventured.

"Of course! Your Highness, if you wish to call me that, you're treating me as your friend—it's an honor, I'm delighted, how could I mind?"

Another silent compliment, coupled with the infiltration of charm, left Crown Prince Li Jian utterly refreshed, inwardly sighing that they had met too late.

"Lin Cheng, you and I are like old friends from the first meeting. I need your help."

"Your Highness, please speak."

The Crown Prince Li Jian's look of complete trust in him surprised Lin Cheng—he knew highlighting the other's sense of importance was a sure way to satisfy vanity, but he hadn't expected such a dramatic effect.

If he were to praise the Crown Prince's nonexistent talents even further, Li Jian might just want to swear brotherhood with him.

Had any ordinary person spoken to Crown Prince Li Jian like this—even highlighting his importance and satisfying his vanity—it would not have produced such astonishing results.

But Lin Cheng? He was himself an eighth-rank forge master, causing Li Jian to instinctively value him; combined with Xiao Hong's invisible fox charm and the art of speech, it overwhelmed Li Jian with the cumulative effect.

Being constantly flattered, he felt exactly as Lin Cheng had said—he was the true chosen sovereign!

His ascension was inevitable!

But before that, he must first eliminate that annoying younger brother who kept trying to seize his position.

Imperial Prince Li Chun!

"Lin Cheng, I want you to help me kill my younger brother! Imperial Prince Li Chun!"

Lin Cheng's eyes widened, his mouth agape in disbelief—he was clearly startled; even the attendant beside him stared in shock, astonished that his usually cautious master had so easily trusted Lin Cheng and revealed his long-held goal.

In a common tavern far from the Flying Fox Tavern.

Li Li Changan returned, face flushed with fury, eyes brimming with rage, desperate to gather men and expose Wu Hongtian's conspiracy immediately—but she couldn't act recklessly; to do so, she needed sufficient evidence.

Reluctantly, she gathered her entire team here, including Fan Qinghai, to discuss a strategy.

"Have you noticed any abnormalities lately?"

Still furious, Li Li Changan couldn't suppress a fist slamming onto the table, making bowls and dishes clatter sharply.

"There have been no abnormalities from Princess Perozzia," said the Heavy Sword and the Mighty Tiger, who exchanged glances before the latter reported.

It was Iron Fist's turn; he spoke plainly.

"On the night the Princess left, the city guards launched a night raid on the Xileshang Society's headquarters. In the haste, I rescued one of the society's managers—he's staying in my room—but he's been cooperative, as if he knew the governor's mansion wanted to kill him! Now there's a citywide warrant for his arrest."

"Hmm, General Wu Hongtian must have gotten wind of something in advance, and my hasty departure triggered his suspicion," Li Li Changan nodded, easily deducing Wu Hongtian's intent.

Add to that, he must have sent word to someone in court, which is why the next day a minister raised the matter of the Chierperie Kingdom being besieged.

She felt powerless, as the opponent moved too fast—so fast that even if she told her father, without evidence, he would never believe her.

And even if she did raise it, General Wu Hongtian clearly couldn't be the mastermind—it wouldn't benefit him. So who was the real mastermind?

Her second brother or her third brother?

"Your Highness, I've learned… though the minister who raised the kingdom's war in court is a turncoat with ties to both the Second and Third Princes, this time, during the rescue of the Chierperie Kingdom, the Third Imperial Prince voluntarily proposed going to the battlefield for training—and the Emperor agreed," Fan Qinghai's information matched Li Li Changan's.

And because Li Li Changan had been constantly traveling, he had even more information.

"Oh, you mean my third brother has secretly contacted Wu Hongtian?"

"It's possible… and there's another piece of news, Your Highness, that you'll find most interesting," Fan Qinghai added suddenly.