Confused

“But... I’m not willing to accept this!”

Li Juntang gritted his teeth, his eyes flashing with deep resentment.

He was so close to succeeding --- why did his father have to interfere at such a crucial moment?

Could it be that his father never intended to make him the crown prince?

Had all the previous favoritism and preferential treatment just been an act?

“Son, to accomplish great things, you must have patience. You must never act impulsively,” Consort Spanner advised him earnestly.
“One defeat is nothing; losing a bit of treasure isn’t worth mentioning. As long as you are safe, there will always be another opportunity. The Spanner family and I will always support you.”

Hearing this, Li Juntang’s expression finally softened a little.

Although he did not have the dragon source energy and the national destiny, he still had his mother, the powerful Spanner clan, and the network of connections he had painstakingly built over the years.

With all these advantages, he could still compete against Li Guanglong and Li Wenxing for the throne.

“What’s done is done; there’s no point dwelling on it,”
Consort Spanner continued, “Logan Rhys has great potential and might even inherit the title of King of West Lucozia one day. Your father holds him in high regard. Even if he did something that wronged you, for the sake of the bigger picture, you must act as if nothing happened. Not only that, you must show goodwill and try to win him over. A true heir to the throne must have the magnanimity to embrace others --- that’s the demeanor of a future crown prince!”

Li Juntang took a deep breath to calm himself and then nodded firmly:
“Mother, I understand. Thank you for your guidance. I know what I must do now.”

“You’re a smart boy. As long as you work hard, there’s nothing you can’t achieve,”
Consort Spanner smiled warmly.

Her son was exceptional in every way --- intelligent, strong, outstanding in every field --- only his lack of tolerance was a weakness.

If he could overcome this flaw, his chances of becoming the crown prince would greatly increase.

---

The next morning.

Li Juntang personally brought Hongniang along to visit Dustin.

Gone was the grim expression from the previous day; instead, his face was full of a warm smile, as bright and gentle as the spring sun.

“Brother Logan, I greatly offended you yesterday. I hope you won’t hold it against me,”

Li Juntang strode into the courtyard. As soon as he saw Dustin, he bowed deeply with a very sincere attitude.

Dustin was slightly startled. He quickly put down the book in his hand, stepped forward to help him up, and asked with a puzzled look,
“Your Highness, what’s the meaning of this? I’m sure what happened yesterday was all for the safety of the residence. How could I bear any grudge?”

Li Juntang straightened up and looked at Dustin with genuine eyes, sighing:
“Alas, I was too impatient and almost ruined everything. Today I’ve come specifically to apologize, hoping you’ll be magnanimous and forgive my rashness.”

Saying that, he stepped aside and brought Hongniang forward,
“Moreover, I’ve brought Hongniang as an apology. I know she’s quite talented. If she could stay by your side, she could keep you company and ease your boredom.”

“Your Highness, I cannot accept this. Lady Hongniang is a distinguished guest in your household. How could I dare take what belongs to you?”
Dustin hurriedly declined.

He found it strange --- yesterday Li Juntang looked as if he wanted to devour him, but today he was completely changed?

Could there be a hidden plot?

“There’s no need to refuse, Brother Logan. I have many talented people in my residence; losing one won’t matter. But if Hongniang can serve you, then her talents will truly be put to good use,”

Li Juntang said with a broader smile, pushing Hongniang forward slightly.

Hongniang kept her head down, tightly clutching the hem of her dress. Her slender fingers were so tense they turned pale.

She secretly lifted her gaze to peek at Dustin, her eyes filled with pleading and anxiety --- silently begging, desperately wishing to break free from her current life.

Dustin’s heart softened. Seeing her so pitiful, remembering how she had helped him before, he could only nod helplessly,
“Since Your Highness is so gracious, I will respectfully accept.”

Li Juntang immediately laughed heartily, “Good! Good! Brother Logan is indeed straightforward. If you need anything in the future, just say the word --- I, Li Juntang, will spare no effort to help you!”

Outwardly, Dustin stayed calm, but deep inside, his confusion only deepened.

He had thought Li Juntang would harbor resentment and look for a chance to retaliate after losing the treasures. Instead, the man was trying to make peace and even gifted him the clever Hongniang.

There was definitely something fishy going on.

“Well then, I’ll take my leave first. Brother Logan, please get along well with Lady Hongniang,”
Li Juntang said, bowing again and leaving with his entourage.

After his figure disappeared, Dustin looked at Hongniang and asked softly,
“What’s going on with him?”

“I don’t know either,” Hongniang shook her head.

“This morning, His Highness suddenly dragged me here to apologize and insisted on giving me to you.”

“A honey trap?”
Dustin narrowed his eyes, still unable to make sense of it.

Could it be that Li Juntang saw him with Hongniang the night before and wanted to grant them a favor deliberately to buy goodwill?

“Though I’m not sure what His Highness is scheming, this outcome seems pretty favorable for both of us,”
Hongniang said, flashing a charming smile.

If Dustin accepted her, her status would rise accordingly, and she would no longer have to lower herself and force smiles to please others.

At the very least, she would have freedom at last.

With the wealth she had quietly accumulated, she could live a life of comfort for several lifetimes. - Ton