Chapter 7 A Prince of Jin Kingdom

Yushi Restaurant was a well-known restaurant in Can City, famous for its numerous menu options and first class environment, which attracted not only high officials but also refined scholars.

Yun Canglan stood at the impressive entrance of the Yushi Restaurant, the aroma coming from within made his mouth water as he read the plaque above the door.

He rolled his round eyes with an evil smile on his face and then entered the restaurant without hesitation.

As Yun Canglan stepped in, the owner immediately noticed him and greeted him with a warm but tight smile on his fat face.

"Welcome Your Royal Highness!" he said with flourish, "It will be my honor to serve you today."

Yun Canglan praised the owner with his head held high, "You're a good man!" He had the air and expression of an adult which looked odd on the childlike face.

The owner winked at a nearby waiter, and the waiter immediately led Yun Canglan to a private room on the second floor.

"Please have a seat, Your Royal Highness. The owner has said the meal is on him, so please, order whatever you would like." said the waiter with great respect.

'The owner must know my reputation, ' Yun Canglan thought. He pretended to be an adult, but most people merely saw him as a pretty-faced child. Those who heard of his character learned, even though he looked like an angel, he was a real devil deep inside. Yun Canglan nodded with satisfaction.

"Your boss is great! Tell him, my brothers in Gaibang* won't bother him this month." said Yun Canglan.

(TN: Gaibang refers to a gang made up of beggars.)

"Your Royal Highness, I'd like to thank you on behalf of our boss!" said the waiter in a cheerful voice. He tipped his head nodding at the owner, who sighed and wiped the sweat from his forehead.

Everyone tended Yun Canglan's wants carefully, and no one dared to offend him. He not only tyrannically abused his power and the Emperor's affection, but also led a notorious gang of young beggars in Can City. The beggars were all orphans. They stole from vendors, escaping swiftly and no one could catch them. Moreover, if a shop owner offended any of them, they would vandalize the shop, wrecking havoc.The owner of the Yushi Restaurant had suffered at their hands before.

Yun Canglan entered the private room and climbed up onto a chair, while the waiter placed a variety of morsels on the table.

"Your Royal Highness, your main course will be served shortly, please enjoy these complimentary appetizers while you wait. I'll be just outside, let me know if you have want for anything." said the waiter, as he wiped the sweat from his brow and stepped out of the private room.

Yun Canglan immediately grabbed the food with his fat fingers and put a handful in his mouth.

Soft music and chattering came from the next room, which made Yun Canglan scowl.

He thought about his month long grounding, and all the trouble caused when he sneaked out which led to being without his bodyguards as he wandered the streets. The cheerful voice from the next room darkened his mood.

'Now you have put me in a bad mood, and you won't be happy either!' thought Yun Canglan.

He sprang up and sauntering next door. He kicked the door open angrily.

The music stopped suddenly. The people present turned attention to the furious face of Yun Canglan in the doorway.

Yun Canglan stepped into the room slowly with his hands authoritatively behind his back.

"I was wondering who was in here making merry, and here I find you, Mister Feng Gui, most exceptional boy of the Can Kingdom! " Yun Canglan's smile was vicious. "I haven't seen you for a few days. You look more handsome." He said to the boy of 14 or 15 whose mood visibly slumped as Yun Canglan moved closer to him.

Feng Gui wore white with a jade hairpin. His face was sculpted looking as if it belonged to an immortal.

"You...you..." he stammered.

The boy had a look of terror which grew when Yun Canglan stepped closer.

"What's the matter with you, cousin? He is just a kid!" questioned a boy of 12 to 13 who sat near Feng Gui.

The boy, was dressed in blue and as he stared at Yun Canglan it was clear he was confused.

"He...He... He is..." Feng Gui leaned nearer his cousin in blue, attempting to avoid Yun Canglan's gaze.

"Feng Gui, what's wrong? Are you afraid I will eat you up?" said Yun Canglan, "Don't worry. I'm still young. It will take a few years for me to be able to. Hahaha." He finished, chuckling.

"Don't talk nonsense! I...I..." Feng Gui trembling became more obviously.

"You can't wait?" asked Yun, "What can I do then? I'm unable to satisfy you. Feng Gui, just hold it now. Don't worry. I keep my word."

The boy in blue looked from Feng Gui to Yun Canglan, trying to figure what was happening.

Yun Canglan stepped in front of Feng Gui, and stared at him harshly. Feng Gui had nowhere to hide. Yun Canglan held Feng Gui's chin in his chubby hand, with an expression that didn't match his age.

"I haven't seen you for a few days, and you do look more handsome." said Yun Canglan.

"Stop it! Don't be rude to my master!" said a maid, who had stopped playing the music Yun heard earlier. She threw herself between Yun Canglan and Feng Gui, trying to shield him from Canglan.

"It's you! Feng Gui's maid! Why you look lovelier as well?" Canglan said as he looked her over, "How about you join Feng Gui in my home, so Feng Gui won't be lonely?" Yun Canglan made her the target immediately and burst out a vicious laughter. He rubbed his chin and gave the appearance of a playboy.

"You...you are shameless!" scolded the maid. The color left her face, and her chest heaved as she tried to suppress her rage.

"Shameless?" Yun Canglan questioned, "I take your words as a compliment." Yun Canglan laughter sound like an innocent child.

The boy wearing blue snorted with laughter.

Hearing the laughter, Yun Canglan turned his head and stared at the boy, his eyes getting bigger and mouth opening as if he was unable to hide his greed.

The boy in blue had a pair of bright eyes dark as the black sky, lips pink as blossoms, and skin white as snow, his beautiful face was flawless. Yun Canglan thought Feng Gui was the most handsome boy in the world, but with this boy in blue next to him, he paled.

The boy became uneasy under Yun Canglan's glare, and asked, "Who are you?"

"I didn't see you a moment ago. Please excuse my manners. What's your name, handsome boy? I have no idea why such a handsome boy could exist in the world!" Yun Canglan adjusted his clothes and acted like an adult.

He was silent for a moment, before responding. The young child in front of him piqued his interest.

"I'm Xi Zhiyao." He stated, "Who might you be...?"

Xi Zhiyao?

Xi was the royal surname of Jin Kingdom.

Yun Canglan thought, and although he was impressed, he wore the same obsessed look as before.

"Master Xi, he is Yun Canglan, the son of Dingguo Duke." said the maid angrily.

"Yun Canglan?" asked Xi Zhiyao.

"Yes. Two years ago, Young Master Feng was voted as the most exceptional boy of the Can Kingdom. This playboy slipped into Feng's House by climbing the wall and peeped at young master who was taking a bath. He took liberties with young master and asked him to marry him. Moreover, he sent a picture of young master taking a bath to the Feng's House the next day to insult him."

The maid became angrier as she recanted Yun Canglan's list of atrocities against her master who shivered as he was reminded.

Feng Gui had quite an ego, and the emotional trauma he felt, cut deeper than a physical wound could. That was two years ago, when Yun Canglan was all but three years old and in truth, he could not have done anything to Feng Gui. Still, he was frightened every time he saw Yun Canglan since those incidents.