The Silly Alchemist

“If you can catch us all, I’ll reward you,” said the third princess with a joking smile.

“What reward? I don’t want something useless,” replied Ye Lang.

“What do you want?” continued the third princess.

“Treat me to a meal,” said Ye Lang.

“...”

Everyone expected Ye Lang to ask for something more, anything really, anything more than a meal.

“Ugh, even I can treat you to a meal. You should have asked the third princess for some money or a knighthood,” said Debbie as she shook her head.

“That means nothing to me, I don’t need money nor do I need a knighthood,” said Ye Lang. He was telling the truth although the others didn’t know that.

Anyone that actually knew Ye Lang’s identity would agree with him. He wasn’t short of money in any way, he was only short of places to spend his money. A knighthood also meant nothing to him as he himself was already a marquis. He was treated with the best hospitality anywhere he went.

“I know you have your pride but. Whatever, if you’re not willing then let it be,” said Debbie. She and Qi’er thought that Ye Lang only rejected everything because of his pride.

One could only wonder how they would have reacted if they knew the truth!!

“Whatever, you two need to leave now. It’s better to prepare earlier. I’ll save you, damsels, from distress after an hour,” said Ye Lang with a smile.

“Ok, we’ll wait for you!” said Debbie with a smile as she left with the others. The brides had it easy, they didn’t need to prepare anything they just needed to hang around the place they were told to stay in.

It was different for the red and blue teams, it was time for them to plot.

Ye Lang was supposed to go with the blue team with the other grooms to discuss their plans but he was nowhere to be found. The others gave up quickly in their search for him since it didn’t matter if one person was lost in a team of a hundred.

The two teams didn’t take much notice of his disappearance as they fell deeper into their discussions.

That was how the first unforeseen event of the day started...

Soon after the red team left, some members of the team stopped in their tracks some distance away from the square. The leaders of these people were high ranking young men if they weren’t princes, they were sons of ministers. They were the leaders of the red team.

Among them was the famous prince that was basically the successor to the throne. He was sort of the crown prince of the empire but not officially since he hadn’t had the ceremony yet.

This time, fate led him to the red team. He had no say in which team he was in or his teammates if he did, he would pick more familiar faces to be in the same team with him.

There were many “friends of the crown prince” in the blue team but they were not going to let the prince off the hook in the game. They were here to win, here to prove themselves.

The “crown prince” himself knew it and he knew their skills well too. Through his analysis, it was a fifty-fifty game for him and them.

He planned to use new tricks and try things people had never done. Of course, he won’t be breaking the rules.

He wanted to win honourably and not give anyone a chance to speak ill of him. It wasn’t just to prove himself to the emperor, it was to prove himself for all the civilians too.

“Brother, why are we stopping?”

The third princess saw the people in front of her stopping and looking at the “crown prince” which was her eldest brother.

Just like the third princess, Debbie and the rest looked at him in confusion too.

“You all continue on, the commoners and the warriors below level three will protect you! As for the rest, stay here, I have other plans,” said the prince. His voice carried a sense of authority which made it hard for people to refuse his orders.

“Why are you all staying back?” asked Princess Hyena, “You’re not going to protect us?”

“Brother, are you planning to do that?” asked the third princess as she thought of something.

“Hyena, listen to me and go be a good bride! Third sister, yes, you’re right but you can’t stay here. It’s the rules. You have to go to the courtyard and prepare,” said the prince as he looked at the third princess.

He knew well about her abilities, she was much more capable than Hyena. Even though she liked to play around, she was amazingly competent when she was serious. It came handy when she was helping him.

However, because of the rules of the game, she couldn’t help him this time.

“I shouldn’t have been a bride, brother, how did you come up with this?” said the third princess with regret.

“I need to thank that poor bum you’ve been talking to. I got the idea from listening to him. There isn’t a rule that stops us from attacking first!” said the prince calmly.

“So it was him. Maybe he isn’t completely useless,” said the third princess. She felt that Ye Lang couldn’t be able to think of something like this. He just merely inspired them, without knowing himself, coincidentally.

That’s right, it was a coincidence. Ye Lang didn’t put much thought in his words but of course if he was in the red team that would be his plan.

Simply because it was a much more direct approach!!

“What are you talking about? I don’t understand,” said Debbie.

“Let the third sister explain to you. Debbie, you look pretty like this!” said the prince with a smile.

It wasn’t a compliment out of politeness, the prince had always favoured her over the other girls. From their few interactions, he wouldn’t mind having her as a concubine.

At least she wouldn’t play mind games with him!!

That being said, just because he didn’t mind it didn’t mean that he wanted her to be his concubine!!