Chapter 161: Aladdin, Your Father and I Were Best Friends!
Chapter 161: Aladdin, Your Father and I Were Best Friends!
In the bustling city, Qin Muye led a white horse, and everyone who saw him knew he was a prince at first glance.
"Excuse me, is this Mustafa the tailor's house?" Qin Muye looked at the dilapidated tailor shop. From the wizard, he knew that Mustafa had long since passed away.
A woman emerged, looking weary. She was surprised to see Qin Muye: "Honorable Prince, my husband Mustafa has already returned to the realm of the dead."
Qin Muye's expression changed when he heard this: "How could this be? I didn't expect to arrive too late."
Hearing his sad tone, the woman didn't think much about it. Instead, she inwardly blamed her deceased husband. Knowing a prince, why did he still live in such poverty, eventually working himself to death?
From the woman's features, Qin Muye could tell that she must have been a beauty in her youth. But with age and excessive hard work, she had aged and lost her beauty.
'Mustafa is Zeus with 90% certainty!' Qin Muye was convinced in his heart.
There were only two reasons for him to run away: either Hera found out, or he had grown old and unattractive while Zeus found a new love.
But Zeus didn't forget about his little offspring and naturally left a legacy.
That legacy was the magic lamp named after Aladdin.
"This is a small token of my respect, please accept it, madam." Qin Muye said, taking out a bag of gold coins.
Don't ask where the gold coins came from; the wizard had generously donated them before he died.
"This is too much, too much." The woman smiled with joy, though she verbally refused, her hands honestly accepted the coins. She was already living in poverty, so there was no way she could truly refuse them.
"Does Mustafa have any children? If possible, I would like him to study with me for a while. That way, he might have a better future, rather than following in Mustafa's footsteps as a tailor." Qin Muye carefully said.
He knew that only Aladdin could retrieve the magic lamp from the treasury, so he used this as an excuse.
The woman's expression instantly brightened with surprise. Aladdin had always been playful, and after Mustafa's death, she couldn't control him. If he could study with this prince from another city, he might become a court scholar in the future. Even if the money ran out, they wouldn't have to worry about their livelihood.
"Honorable Prince, I don't know how to thank you," the woman said. Though she didn't recognize him, she felt that someone who treated her family so well must have been a close friend of her deceased tailor husband. Otherwise, why would a prince want to teach a tailor's son?
"Madam, you're too kind. I was very close to Mustafa. Alas, I wonder how long he's been in the realm of the dead?" Qin Muye continued to probe.
"Mustafa has been in the realm of the dead for five years, and Aladdin has grown up," the woman said without suspicion, sighing.
"Five years, and I... Alas." Qin Muye fully expressed his sorrow for his friend.
He rated his acting a 9 out of 10, with the remaining 91 points being a lack of real power. If he had the power, he wouldn't need to act.
They chatted for a while, and soon they heard a commotion. A fifteen or sixteen-year-old youth with a wheat-colored complexion and handsome features returned.
Clearly, he had heard the news and rushed back.
"Your Highness, this is my son, Aladdin," the woman said before Aladdin could speak.
This left Aladdin confused. What was going on?
"Indeed, he looks just as handsome as Mustafa. He's a fine young man." Qin Muye examined Aladdin and then continued, "Your mother mentioned that you are quite mischievous. Why don't you study with me for a while? Are you willing?"
Aladdin glanced at his mother. He had something to say but ultimately held back. He felt that this prince might have ulterior motives.
"I will be staying here for about a month. I hope this month will change you, but I also have other matters to attend to. How much you learn will depend on your own ability," Qin Muye sighed, sounding helpless.
"Aladdin, quickly thank the prince," the woman urged.
"Don't worry, I actually have one more thing. Back then, I made an agreement with Brother Mustafa. This matter is crucial for me to inherit the throne, so I still need Aladdin's help. If I successfully inherit the throne, I will fulfill the agreement," Qin Muye suddenly changed the subject, catching both of them off guard.
Aladdin was a bit puzzled. What could he possibly help with? He felt a sense of caution creeping in.
"Back then, I offered a treasure chest filled with gold, jewels, and other valuables as a reward, asking Brother Mustafa to keep a lamp for me. This lamp is a symbol left by my great-grandfather, which is essential for me to inherit the throne. I was worried it might be stolen by others, so I entrusted it to Brother Mustafa."
"Now, I have come to retrieve this old lamp. Seeing how you and Aladdin are living, it seems Brother Mustafa never took out the treasure. Fortunately, I know where it is, and I will tell you now. When the time comes, Aladdin can dig it up, and you will have no worries about food and clothing."
Lying came naturally to Qin Muye.
Upon hearing Qin Muye's words, Aladdin and the woman's eyes widened. They never expected it to be like this.
The woman hurriedly brought out all the oil lamps in the house. This prince was honest; he was giving them the treasure. What if they delayed his inheritance of the throne?
Qin Muye didn't look at the oil lamps immediately but spoke.
"The treasure is roughly in this location. Back then, I had a magician set traps, so only Brother Mustafa could retrieve it. However, Brother Mustafa has now gone to the realm of the dead, and it might be a bit troublesome for Aladdin. The gold, jewels, and other valuables can only be obtained at the age of twenty."
"Moreover, to enter, you need to call out Brother Mustafa's name and the names of his father and grandfather to avoid being harmed by the magical traps."
"However, don't worry. Apart from the gold, jewels, and various treasures, you can pick some fruits and gems that have fallen from the fruit trees. These have no restrictions, and picking a little each time will be enough for Aladdin to become an adult."
These words didn't make Aladdin and the woman feel troubled; instead, they felt happy. This way, no one else could get their treasure.
Thinking about the upcoming wealthy life, both of them couldn't help but smile.
But their joy was short-lived as Qin Muye's voice interrupted their thoughts: "Madam, there is no oil lamp I need here."
This sentence broke their pleasant thoughts, and their expressions changed.
"Have you sold or lost any oil lamps in recent years?" Qin Muye quickly asked.
At this moment, both of them were a bit panicked. They felt that the treasure belonged to them because of the agreement between Mustafa and the prince. But now that they had broken the agreement, would the treasure still belong to them?
"No, no, we have not sold any oil lamps in recent years," the woman recalled and hurriedly said, fearing that Qin Muye would change his mind.
Qin Muye was actually relieved to hear this.
"That's good, that's good. Don't be alarmed, Madam. I trust Brother Mustafa and you."
"If it's not here, perhaps Brother Mustafa placed it in the treasure. Since he could freely enter and take treasures, he might have put it there to prevent it from being lost. If it's convenient, could Aladdin help me retrieve it?"
"You can also take some fruits from the fruit trees and gems scattered on the ground as money."
"Since this treasure vault was set up so that only Brother Mustafa and his descendants could enter, I cannot enter it either. I can only reclaim the vault if Brother Mustafa truly breaks the agreement."
Qin Muye's last sentence carried a subtle threat.
"No problem, Your Highness, I will definitely bring you the oil lamp," Aladdin said enthusiastically. This finally seemed to have a solution.
If it were earlier, a dusty old oil lamp in the treasure vault would have raised suspicions, but after Qin Muye's convincing lies, Aladdin had no doubts. He was fully committed to helping Qin Muye, knowing that if he broke the agreement, the treasure would not be his.
After all, the prince didn't look like he needed wealth. Once he inherited the throne, he would have all the wealth he needed.
(End of Chapter)
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