1996 The Fourth Highness of the Ultramarine Province

*Swish.* The man ruffled his robe as he stood up, and he made large strides toward the main hall. "Let's go."

"Y-Your Highness!" Looking at his slovenly and indolent highness, with his long hair undone and hanging to the waist, the junior eunuch wished for nothing more than to cry.

His Fourth Highness was too unparticular about appearances!

He casually flicked his sleeve as he stepped through the door in his pitch-black boots. He could see the three tall and refined young men standing inside the main hall at a glance.

The man's eyes flickered before he said out loud with a smile, "Duan Yue was unaware that Elder Brothers were coming to visit, so please excuse me for not going out to meet you all."

The three young men turned around. They all had elegant bearing and handsome countenances, with dashing eyebrows and bright eyes. However, the eldest one in front had a somewhat abnormally pale complexion.

"Fourth Brother." That man nodded at him with a smile. "How are you forgetting again. You have already returned to the palace with Imperial Father, and it has already been announced to the world that you are the fourth prince of the Ultramarine Province. Your original name is Rong Yue..."

"Oh?" Duan Yue cut off the crown prince's words wth a chuckle and waved it off. "It's only a name. The designation doesn't matter."

"Fourth Brother, Eldest Brother is right..."

"These twenty years, I'm already used to other people calling me Duan Yue. Suddenly hearing people calling me Rong Yue, ah Rong Yue, ha, I really have no idea who they're referring to." Duan Yue flicked his sleeves and sat in front of the table languidly. He pursed his lips and asked the three young men, "Elder Brothers made this long trip here to talk to Younger Brother about this trivial matter?"

"Of course not." The crown prince of the Ultramarine Province smiled faintly with his pale complexion, but his pitch-black eyes were staring straight at this younger brother of his.

Truthfully speaking, ever since Imperial Father brought back this younger brother several days ago. He had been unable to see through him at all.

If you said that he didn't bother about trifles, you could see that he had a meticulous mind from the finer points. If you said that he was reserved, he treated everybody carefreely. He gave everybody a breezy smile, as if he was openhearted and wasn't afraid of gossip.

Even though all kinds of legends revolving around this fourth prince who had met with misfortune were circulating on the streets, he seemed as if he didn't care at all.

"Ha, Fourth Brother. During the trip to the imperial ancestral temple tomorrow, Imperial Father will personally record your name and Her Highness Noble Consort Duan's name into the imperial genealogy. As your elder brothers, we have come first to congratulate Younger Brother."

Duan Yue laughed out loud and waved his hand. "Elder Brothers are treating me as an outsider like this, no? How could I trouble Elder Brothers to personally make this trip for such a small matter? It will do to send a messenger."

"This is a major event for Fourth Brother. How could we not come congratulate you," the second prince said with a smile.

"Then many thanks to Elder Brothers. Duan Yue... oh, that's not right. Rong Yue thanks Elder Brothers for your kind thoughts."

"Ah-Yue, actually, according to usual convention, any descendants of our Ultramarine Province's imperial clan, no matter male or female, will be brought to the imperial ancestral temple where the clan elders will carry out an inheritance ceremony."

Duan Yue smiled without saying anything, merely listening to them talk.

During times like this, he just need to listen. There was no need for him to cut in and express some other opinion.

"The origin of our Ultramarine Province's imperial clan can be traced to the ancient demon emperor. Unfortunately, ever since an almighty predecessor obtained this inheritance more than a thousand years ago, no one else has obtained it since."

"This almighty predecessor who obtained the inheritance of the ancient demon emperor is the founding emperor of our Ultramarine Province."

Duan Yue furrowed his brows slightly but did not say anything.