How Dare You?! 成何体统 (Cheng He Ti Tong)
By 七英俊 Qi Ying Jun
Translation by Spider
Several years have passed since Zhang San ascended the throne.
The clematis arranged in the shape of SOS bloomed year after year, and new palace ladies entered the palace in waves.
Zhang San knew he couldn’t leave an heir. Over these years, he feigned madness and foolishness, openly and covertly opposing the Empress Dowager too many times. The Empress Dowager’s patience with him had worn thin. Once an imperial son was born, his life as a puppet would come to an end, and the next day he would accidentally fall into a well and die.
Yet, he couldn’t refuse the selection of concubines, because he didn’t know which among these consorts would be the one like him.
Among the women sent by the Empress Dowager to bear children, the ones sent by the Crown Prince to poison him, and those controlled by various factions, he had to identify her.
Where was that person? When would she appear? This obsession was like the last breath of a dying person, forcing him to stagger onward.
He learned to observe their every word and action without showing any emotion, subtly hinting and probing, avoiding intimacy under the guise of being too busy, and thwarting assassinations.
Even spies had infiltrated the palace guards. After that, he no longer trusted others’ protection, spending several months on his own, creating mechanisms controlled by pulleys in his bedchamber. Just press specific bricks hidden in various walls, and hidden arrows would shoot out.
Sometimes he would suddenly stop and think, even if he really found her, what could he do? He couldn’t help her, nor was he worthy of her help.
The female lead had to go find the male lead, and he was just the antagonist.
When he first arrived, he harboured naive dreams of changing his fate. Now he had almost forgotten his own name and appearance. Was that so-called modern life just a dream he had in the imperial study as a child?
If the female lead saw him like this, she would probably turn and run away.
Shani also entered the palace at that time. That year, the Yan Kingdom had sent her along with boxes of jewels and fur coats. Her name was written on the gift list. First she danced, then she served.
Different from the increasingly divine beauty of later legends, Shani was just called a beauty at that time, just because she was given the title of Lady of Beauty*. She was very young, almost not fully grown, with only a pair of very large eyes that looked confused and pitiful when she blinked.
*美人: Lady of Beauty is indeed a rank given to those in the harem. Though I’m unsure where exactly her standing is since the titles and ranking of concubines all differ depending on the dynasty.
She didn’t know how to speak Mandarin and couldn’t understand it well. Zhang San tentatively tested her for two sentences. She didn’t understand his modern slang and thought her Mandarin was bad, tearfully apologised, and begged him not to drive her away, otherwise the big people of Yan Kingdom would beat her.
“They can’t beat you.” Zhang San said.
Shani just begged, gesturing and saying, “I must sleep with you.”
“…”
He was at a loss. “Then lie down and sleep.”
Shani nodded blankly and really lay down quietly.
The last person he encountered with such a simple mind was his middle school classmates.
He turned over by himself.
Because of his headache and the presence of someone by his pillow, he usually found it difficult to fall asleep. But that day, the smell of rouge on her body was like a high-quality calming incense, and he inexplicably fell into a light sleep.
. Later he learned that it really was specially prepared for him.
What happened next, he actually had a very vague memory of it.
Because before he was conscious, his body had already moved first.
When he struggled to open his eyes, the smell of rouge was mixed with a strong rust smell. Shani fell on him, eyes wide open, holding a dagger in her hand, and arrows shot from the mechanism were embedded in her back.
Moonlight poured in through the carved window, splashing her whole body. Her empty eyes still showed a hint of confusion, as if she didn’t understand how there could be such a dream killer in the world.
Zhang San stared at her for a long time and smiled.
He threw her body off the bed, bathed in the moonlight with a strong rust scent, and closed his eyes again.
That was the twenty-seventh person he killed. He decided not to count anymore.
It’s nothing serious. They’re all fictional people, fictional, fictional.
The morning after the Qianqiu Banquet, the streets of the capital were particularly lively.
The passing vendors and pedestrians kept their steps, but they secretly glanced at a few particularly tall figures in the crowd, with a hint of vigilance in their eyes.
People from the Yan Kingdom.
Although it was said that they came for peace talks, the shadow of several years of war had not yet dissipated. Perhaps because of this, their messengers seemed to exude an aura that was not easy to provoke.
Hasina walked with his head down, and the sound of singing from a certain building floated into his ears. He hummed and said in Yan language, “Too weak, far less melodious than our singing…”
Beside him, his burly bearded follower suddenly raised his arm and stopped his steps. “Wait.”
Hasina looked up, and a group of people were coming towards them.
They were dressed as ordinary peddlers and thugs, carrying broken pieces of copper and iron as weapons.
“My brother said something was lost, and you stole it?” The leader said.
The people of Yan Kingdom had just experienced the slander of Lord Wang last night, and their eyes immediately flared up. “Where’s the evidence?”
“Evidence? Stand up straight and let us search you.” The man showed a fierce look and reached out to tug at their clothes.
The people of the Yan Kingdom couldn’t bear this humiliation, and immediately shouted in anger, starting a fight.
But unexpectedly, the people who came were all well-trained and didn’t look like ordinary thugs at all.
When Hasina entered the city, he was disarmed, and after a few moves, his arm was cut, and blood flowed.
He frowned.
This was a premeditated action, and the other party clearly came to kill!
Hasina tasted the bitterness and angrily cursed, “Crafty Xia people!”
The people of Yan suffered from their unfamiliarity with the terrain and were soon driven into a dead end by their pursuers.
Hasina leaned against the wall, looking at the horde of pursuers closing in, filled with sorrow and indignation, “Let’s die together! Take them all out, let none escape!”
But The bearded man* sighed, “Too bad, the plan isn’t finished.”
*络腮胡: Lao Sai Hu, it means net and beard. I have no idea if this is a descriptor or a name
Suddenly, a clear whistle came from behind them.
The bearded man turned abruptly, staring at the wall behind them, “There seems to be a way behind the wall. Let’s climb over.”
The Yan people used the narrow alley to hold off the pursuers while helping each other climb over the high wall. Indeed, there was a path behind the wall. Without further thought, Hasina guarded The bearded man and ran wildly for a distance. The pursuers did not follow.
From beyond the wall came an angry shout, “Get them all, take them to the authorities!”
Hasina, still catching his breath, uncertainly said, “The officials are coming.”
The bearded man replied, “The group that came to kill us must be from the Empress Dowager. The officials must be the Emperor’s people.”
“What about the one who whistled just now? Is he also the Emperor’s man?”
The bearded man squinted, “Maybe not. If he were the Emperor’s man, why wouldn’t he come out openly to meet us?”
Meanwhile, at the Prince Duan’s Mansion,
The person who had just whistled was kneeling and reporting, “In the envoy group, that Hasina seems not to be the real leader. I understand some Yan language. Earlier, Hasina called that burly follower “Prince”.”
Xiahou Bo frowned, “Yan has many princes. However, his burly follower seems suspicious, most likely to conceal his identity. Ordinary Yan people have never been seen by the people of Great Xia, so there is no need to hide their faces. Since they are disguised, it is probably an old acquaintance.”
“Your Highness means…” The scout asked.
Xiahou Bo smiled faintly, “It should be that they have crossed over the sands of battle with the Xia people. His skill is enough to be called the “Number One Master of Yan”.”
The scout was shocked, “Is that person Tur?! Tur and the Yan King are mortal enemies, how could he come as an envoy for the Yan King? No, he changed his name and disguised himself. Did you sneak here without telling the King of Yan?”
Xiahou Bo pondered, “It should be stealing the name of the real envoys. King Yan is trying to make peace but as for Tur…”
His advisors began to analyse, “I heard that he and the late Beauty Shani were childhood sweethearts. Shani died in the palace, but the Yan people did not recognize the assassination charge, but instead accused Great Xia of killing her, using it as a reason for war.”
“So Tur sincerely hates the Emperor and decides to emulate Jing Ke*?”
*荆轲: Jing Ke, celebrated in verse and fiction as would-be assassin of King Ying Zheng of Qin, the first emperor.
“No, Jing Ke stabbed Qin and was doomed to die. Tur has a bright future, why risk his life?”
Xiahou Bo thought for a moment, “Do you think something has happened inside Yan?”
“Your Highness means that Tur couldn’t defeat the Yan King, couldn’t stay in Yan, so he came to Great Xia to try to thwart his uncle’s grand plan?”
“Regardless of the truth, Xiahou Bo said slowly, “this peace talk is probably going to fail. The Emperor is already weak and alone. The skilled people around him have died, and Tur has brought a group of assassins with him, and he can’t get away if he’s suddenly attacked.”
The advisor hesitated, “Should we… tell the Emperor?”
As soon as he finished speaking, Xiahou Bo smiled and looked at him, “Are you so kind?”
The advisor knelt down in fear, “I am considering it for Your Highness! If Tur really kills the Emperor, the two countries will go to war…”
Xiahou Bo gently helped him up, “That’s true. Originally, I also thought so. But just now I suddenly thought, with Tur’s skills, while he kills the emperor, accidentally killing the Empress Dowager would not be difficult, right?”
The advisor was dumbfounded.
“By then, with no leader among us, strong enemies outside, and the Crown Prince so young, someone must act as regent to oversee the situation.”
Prince Duan blinked, “As for the war, I already know, I can make preparations early, and I won’t be caught off guard by a sudden attack from Yan.”
The confidants fell silent.
Evil man, he’s a real evil man.
The advisor said, “Impressively, Your Highness has a far-reaching vision.”
Xiahou Bo smiled, “So, there’s no need to inform the Emperor. When necessary, I can even lend Tur a hand. Next, just make sure that when they take action, the Empress Dowager is also present.”
“Come, drink.” Yang Duojie, whooshed the wine.
Li Yunxi quickly drained his cup, “Yang-xiong’s wine is good, then I won’t be polite.’
Yang Duojie didn’t say anything, sitting on the left hand side and smiling, said, “It’s rare to see Li-xiong drink so openly these days.”
Although Li Yunxi has now secured an official position, he’s accustomed to hard times and tends to be stingy, not willing to spend on himself. It’s only when he visits Yang Duojie that he breaks this habit.
When Cen Jintian teased him, Li Yunxi didn’t get angry. Instead, he suggested, “It’s been so long since the three of us gathered. Cen-xiong, how about joining us for a drink?”
Cen Jintian waved his pale hand, “No, no, I want to save my life for a few more days.”
He didn’t avoid mentioning his illness, but Li Yunxi wasn’t good at flattering. Under the influence of alcohol, he struggled for a long time before blurting out, “You… you look quite well recently.”
Cen Jintian knew his temperament well and laughed at his words, “Li-xiong, you’re so considerate.”
“Indeed.” Yang Duojie added.
Li Yunxi frowned and glared at him.
“What’s wrong?” Yang Duojie asked.
Li Yunxi said, “Since meeting today, you haven’t said more than ten words. I’m curious, aren’t you usually quite talkative? Why are you suddenly so economical with your words?”
“Yang-xiong, you seem a bit restrained today.” Cen Jintian also inquired, “Could it be that something happened?”
Yang Duojie poured himself a cup of wine and sighed, “Forget it. I don’t want to talk for the rest of my life.”
After half a pot of wine.
Yang Duojie continued, “You two have achieved what you wanted in the Ministry of Revenue. Do you know what I do in the Bureau of Astronomy? Divination. Assessing the fortunes of stars, predicting good and bad luck, every day spinning tales for people to read. Do you think I can just make things up? No! If a high-ranking person wants a divination to turn out bad, it must be bad. And it must be calculated to the minutest detail, understanding celestial movements, interpreting the gods. Do you think my literary talent is for this nonsense?”
Li Yunxi remained silent.
Cen Jintian：“……”
Yang Duojie burped after drinking, “That’s not even the worst part! Sometimes the Empress Dowager wants it bad, but His Majesty wants it good. There are factions in the Bureau of Astronomy, colleagues arguing like scholars over interpretations. I revise a thousand drafts, wearing out my pens, just to prove that the crack on that blasted tortoiseshell is better on the left! Alas, such tragic matters exist under heaven. I, Yang Duojie, spent ten years studying, honed my talents, only to end up as a fortune teller?!”
Li Yunxi, “…..”
Cen Jintian couldn’t hold back a laugh, “You know, you do have the look and the spirit.”
Yang Duojie, tall and fair-skinned, with two long whiskers fluttering in the wind, had a touch of ethereal grace.
Li Yunxi patted his shoulder, “Master Yang, please read my palm…”
Yang Duojie weakly cursed, “Get lost.”
After enjoying his laughter, Li Yunxi comforted, “His Majesty said it himself, he needs you now to write those spooky things to scare people. After a while, he’ll transfer you elsewhere.”
Yang Duojie leaned on his hand and murmured, “Let me ask something rebellious, do you believe in him?”
Cen Jintian was the first to pledge loyalty to Xiahou Dan, nodding straightforwardly at his words.
Li Yunxi fell silent for a moment, “He said for me to continue organising the land records from various regions, promising they’ll be useful one day. It’s also considered a promise from the Emperor.”
Yang Duojie was shocked, “That’s not what you said when you first joined the Ministry! Er Lan is thriving, mixing with the elite, and you didn’t mind?”
Li Yunxi showed a hint of discomfort, “I don’t see him the same way now.”
Yang Duojie was taken aback, sighed bitterly, and said despondently, “So I’m the only one still lost.”
“Yang-xiong…”
Yang Duojie lowered his voice even further, “Since our first meeting on the lake, we’ve seen his Holy Countenance several times. Have you noticed, sometimes… he truly lives up to his title.”
Like a strong wind sweeping through grass and trees, indifferent to joy or sorrow, heaven and earth unkind.
The other two were momentarily speechless.
Yang Duojie escorted his guests to the door, adding before parting, “That official from the Ministry of Rites, you know him, right? We’ve become quite friendly. Yesterday, he quietly told me that the Yan envoys were chased by bandits on the main street and barely escaped.”
Li Yunxi turned to look at him, “Is the Empress Dowager using the guise of bandits to eliminate them?”
Yang Duojie said, “Very likely. As a result, His Majesty ordered the Ministry of Rites to visit their lodgings and apologise, making a big show of it, trying to appease them despite their cold reception.”
Cen Jintian sighed, “That really gave them face. His Majesty genuinely wants to facilitate peace talks.”
Yang Duojie added, “That’s why I’m even more puzzled. When Wang-Xiong was sent alone to Yan, I was already worried. Now that he’s gone missing, it’s a bad sign. His Majesty himself suspects the Yan delegation’s ill intentions, yet he’s still bending over backwards to seek their favour. What exactly is he thinking? Does he truly have a plan, or is this just a pretext to wrest power from the Empress Dowager?”
He refrained from voicing his final thought: Are we just pawns and mouthpieces in Xiahou Dan’s power struggle?
That night, Tur woke up gasping for breath.
The beds at The Great Xia Mansion were very soft. Too soft, in fact, sinking deeply into them made movement difficult. Perhaps that’s why he had nightmares.
Tur sat up and glanced at the several guards sitting by the bed. “What time is it?”
“It’s the third watch.” Hasina lit a lamp. “Prince, are you alright?”
Tur washed his face with cold water, then glanced outside the window.
In the darkness, there were still many Imperial Army soldiers stationed outside the gate of the mansion. It was said that the Emperor of Great Xia had specially increased the manpower to protect them, preventing bandits from causing trouble again.
Whether they were guarding or surveilling, that was hard to say.
Hasina frowned, “With so many extra people, our plan…”
Tur remained calm, “Let’s watch and wait. This peace talk was privately arranged by Xiahou Dan himself. He will personally meet us. We’ll act then.”
But from the worried look in Hasina’s eyes, he could tell his own face wasn’t looking too good right now.
Was it because he dreamt of Shani?
Tur shook his head irritably, shaking off the water droplets on his face. In the dim candlelight, his clean-shaven face had a deeply handsome profile.
Tur blew out the candle, lay back in the darkness, and stared at the ceiling. “Do you think Zafervahan found out?”
When he left Yan, he was still officially confined at home, and no one came to visit. He left behind a body double with a similar appearance, as long as the Yan King Zafervahan did not summon him, he would not notice anything abnormal.
“There has been no news so far. The King does not often see you, so he should not find out.” Hasina replied.
Tur sneered, “He must be eagerly awaiting the results of the peace talks now, right?”
His subordinates burst into a suppressed laughter, like a group of panting wild animals.
Hasina laughed particularly happily, “He is an old wolf with broken teeth, only waiting to die.”
Tur knew that Hasina’s father had been killed by the King of Yan. Some of the men and women who came to Great Xia with him were blood debtors to the Xia people, and some had deep hatred for the King of Yan, so they were willing to embark on this road of no return.
What about himself?
If there were choices, he actually didn’t want to be a despicable assassin. What he had been seeking all his life was to raise his sword high and lead his troops into the capital of the Xia Kingdom, cutting off the head of the emperor.
But the King of Yan was old, weak and could not fight anymore. Encouraged by the lobbyist sent by Xia, he wanted to extinguish the war with his own hands, and to remove all the warriors who had died for him.
Rabbits die, and the dog dies* – this is what Tur heard from the Xia people.
*兔死狗烹: the rabbit dies and the dog dies. brutalised by the consequences of one’s actions
But at that time, he did not realise that he was also a dog.
The former Zafervahan was not like this. He also hated the Xia and took pleasure in abusing them.
Tur had heard rumours that when the Xia shot him blind in one eye back then, they actually shot him in the other place. So that was why he had no heirs of his own, only a nephew like Tur.
Zafervahan treated Tur very kindly, but did dutifully teach him to ride horses and hunt.
When the young Tur returned on horseback to the eager eyes of the girls, and presented the fruits of his hunting at his uncle’s feet, piece by piece: countless birds and birds, four rabbits, two deer, and an old wolf.
Someone bragged, “The prince’s hands are getting better and better, he’ll soon be the number one expert in Yan, won’t he!”
Tur smiled at his uncle but caught fleeting displeasure on his face.
At that moment, Tur didn’t understand the subtle meaning behind that expression. Even if he did, he couldn’t bring himself to flatter or fawn over it.
So, unaware, he bowed and left, hurrying over to Shani, who was waiting for him. Like performing a magic trick, he presented a fresh dewy flower and tucked it into her hair.
Unbeknownst to him, that invisible gap widened day by day. It continued until the King of Yan announced his decision to select a noblewoman as a peace offering to Xia.
Tur burst into his uncle’s chambers, “Why Shani? You know my relationship with her…”
The King of Yan only replied, “Her status was the most suitable.”
In the darkness, Tur turned over and whispered, “Hold on a few more days, don’t make any mistakes.”
Hasina replied softly, “Got it.”
The supporters of the Prince Duan held a late-night meeting, agonising over countless hair-pulling moments, overturning numerous plans, all to ensure that Tur not only successfully assassinated but also managed to take away the Empress Dowager on the side.
Gathering the Emperor, the Empress Dowager, and the Yan delegation together at this moment was as difficult as reaching the sky.
The Empress Dowager and the Emperor were at odds, with the Empress Dowager even seeking opportunities to kill the envoys. With such a strained relationship, even a fool of an Emperor would not let her near the envoy group.
Prince Duan had been cautiously advancing for so many years, seeking nothing but legitimacy, wanting to rightfully ascend the throne. Thus, leveraging the Yan people’s hand to eliminate two major rivals at once was crucial to him.
After much deliberation and countless strands of hair pulled out, they finally came up with a shocking strategy.
They reported this plan to Xiahou Bo in a such and such manner. Xiahou Bo couldn’t help but raise his eyebrows, “Fortune favours the bold.”
“This plan is indeed dangerous, with many variables. I am not confident of its success. Perhaps… Lady Xie can provide some insight?” One of his advisors said.
Xie Yong’er was a well-known figure within Prince Duan’s faction. Not only because of her rumoured tangled relationship with Prince Duan but also because her ideas often seemed like strokes of genius, bizarre yet strangely prophetic, hitting the mark every time.
Upon hearing her name, Xiahou Bo hesitated for a moment.
After Lady Xie slipped into a miscarriage during the Qianqiu banquet, it was widely known following the uproar between the Empress Dowager and the Emperor. Everyone had some speculations about the biological father of the child in her womb, and now, the Prince’s followers couldn’t help but sneak a peek at the Prince Duan to try to determine his feelings on this matter.
Xiahou Bo summoned a scout, “How is Lady Xie in the palace?”
“Since the miscarriage, she has been running a fever. The Emperor is furious and intends to thoroughly investigate and reorganise the harem. He even sent guards to protect her during her illness.” The scout reported.
While he said it was to reorganise the harem, there hadn’t been any births in the harem for years, and everyone understood who was responsible for it.
The curious glances from the Prince’s followers were even more intense, seemingly trying to see if their lord, who they served, had any human emotions like love or hatred.
Xiahou Bo paused slightly longer than usual, with a hint of worry creasing his brow.
His followers couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief, but heard him say, “The baby is gone. No one should harm her again. It’s a bit strange that people are still sent to protect her at this time.”
“…”
Is that your opinion?
Is he really still human?
“Anyway, find a way to pass a note in. I want to see her.” Xiahou Bo said.
At this moment, Xie Yong’er had no idea that she was at the centre of such a storm.
She slept heavily and woke up in a daze, tears streaming from her eyes, soaking into the pillow.
“Who did you dream about?” Someone asked by the bedside.
Xie Yong’er turned her head in a daze, and Xiahou Dan was looking down at her.
“You have been apologising all the time.” Xiahou Dan raised his lips slightly, mocking, “Dreaming about Prince Duan? You feel sorry for losing the child?”
Xie Yong’er stared blankly at him, “No.”
“Then who? It couldn’t be me, right?”
Xie Yong’er snapped out of her trance and fell silent.
Xiahou Dan clicked his tongue, “Come on, tell me. Anyway, now that everyone doesn’t need to pretend, you are doomed. “
“Alright, alright, let me handle this.” Yu Wanyin poked her head out from behind him, reached out to touch Xie Yong’er’s forehead, and said with relief, “Finally, the fever is gone. Medical conditions in ancient times really are terrifying. How do you feel? Do you want some water?”
Xie Yong’er still didn’t speak.
Yu Wanyin turned around to push Xiahou Dan, “You go out first. I’ll talk to her.”
Xiahou Dan was stunned, “Why are you pushing me away?”
Yu Wanyin gave him a meaningful look, “It’s okay, leave it to me.”
She closed the door and returned to Xie Yong’er’s side, “Still feeling uncomfortable?”
Xie Yong’er struggled to sit up, leaning against the headboard, and asked forcefully, “There’s no need for the both of you to play good cop, bad cop. Just say it straight, what do you want with me?”
Yu Wanyin smiled, “Alright, I’ll be direct then. Prince Duan sent a note, inviting you to a private meeting tonight in that broken house in the Cold Palace.”
Xie Yong’er closed her eyes and took a deep breath, “So, you need to let me out tonight to meet him.”
“Otherwise, do you still expect him to break in and save you?”
“No. If he notices anything unusual, I’ll lose his trust and become worthless to you, right? You want to win me over just to extract information from him, don’t you?”
Yu Wanyin paused for a moment and muttered, “You’re quite clever now.”
Xie Yong’er exclaimed angrily, “I’ve always been clever! I lost to you because of unbalanced information, don’t get it wrong!”
“Lost to me? Wait, we never had anything to compete over.”
“Talking like this now. “
Yu Wanyin earnestly remarked, “If we must talk about it, aren’t you losing to Prince Duan?”
Xie Yong’er remained silent.
Yu Wanyin looked at her pale face for a while, then suddenly ran to fetch a makeup kit, saying, “Turn around.”
“What for?” Xie Yong’er asked.
“Since we’re meeting tonight, I’ll do your makeup.” Yu Wanyin supported her shoulders, turned her back to herself, and lifted a comb to start styling her hair. “Girl’s dorm gossip time, haven’t you experienced it?”
“It’s no use, don’t try to appeal to my emotions.”
Unfazed, Yu Wanyin continued gossiping, “So you really dreamt of Xiahou Bo just now?”
Xie Yong’er tightly pursed her lips, displaying non-cooperation.
“Isn’t that pathetic?” Yu Wanyin shook her head repeatedly. “Do you still remember that you’re a modern woman? He knew you would be forced by the Empress Dowager to have an abortion and yet let you get pregnant. How can you apologise to such a heartless man…”
Xie Yong’er couldn’t hold back anymore. “I already said it wasn’t him.”
“Then who? It definitely can’t be Xiahou Dan either.” Yu Wanyin furrowed her brows in thought for a while, suddenly startled. “Could it be me? Have you finally realised my kindness towards you?”
Xie Yong’er remained silent.
Yu Wanyin appeared touched. “Sister, congratulations on finally waking up, but you don’t need to apologise to me. I’m quite open-minded…”
Unable to bear it any longer, Xie Yong’er blurted out, “It’s my mom.”
“?”
Xie Yong’er bowed her head slightly away from her, “Maybe because I learned about your identities, I dreamed about something from before. I remember arguing with her about trivial matters and never got a chance to apologise.”
Yu Wanyin had started chatting with her in a conquest mission mentality, but now she couldn’t help but stop her actions.
Previously, Xie Yong’er had been speaking in an ancient tone, but now she was speaking frankly and directly, giving Yu Wanyin a sense of “kindred spirit” for the first time.
Yu Wanyin pondered for a moment. “I did talk to my mom before I came here. She asked when I’d be coming home, and I said I’d visit on the weekend. She sounded secretive, maybe she learned to make a new snack and wanted to make it for me.”
Xie Yong’er’s head lifted slightly.
However, Yu Wanyin fell silent, her mood subdued.
Xie Yong’er asked, “Where are you from?”
Yu Wanyin’s heart jumped suddenly. Was the city name in ‘Demon Consort’ the same as in the real world?
She continued styling hair and tentatively said the most common one, “Beijing. How about you?”
“City A. Where’s Beijing?”
“Small county town. It’s normal not to have heard of it; it’s quite far from your place.”
“Oh? Is the street food there good?”
Yu Wanyin wasn’t from Beijing at all and was sure ‘Demon Consort’ hadn’t written about it, so she casually misled her, “It’s alright. Have you heard of soyabean milk*? It’s really delicious.”
*豆汁儿: Soyabean milk. It’s a kind of fermented bean drink.
“I haven’t had it.” Xie Yong’er regretfully said.
“You’ve missed out on a lot then.”
As Yu Wanyin styled Xie Yong’er’s hair, a grand scheme was slowly taking shape.
Before the grand scheme unfolded, every piece thought of itself as out of the game.
Like the Empress Dowager.
The Empress Dowager was trimming her beloved potted plant with scissors when a palace maid quietly announced, “Minister Mu Yun seeks an audience.”
Mu Yun was a humble courtier in the Empress Dowager’s faction, slightly stuttering in speech and appearing honest and reliable, often mocked by his colleagues.
Three days later was the day to sign the peace treaty, and the Empress Dowager was troubled because she couldn’t kill the Yan delegation. Irritated, she asked, “What does he want?”
The palace maid said, “He says he has a plan.”
The Empress Dowager clicked her scissors and cut off a stray branch. “Minister Mu, what is your proposal? Speak up.”
Mu Yun became even more nervous. “I-I think, Your Majesty, is now protective of the- the Yan people like a mother, it is not appropriate to directly confront…”
The Empress Dowager snapped off a twig with a ‘snap’. “Minister Mu, what are you suggesting? Speak frankly.”
Mu Yun became even more flustered. “Bei-Bei…”
He stuttered for a while without continuation, and the Empress Dowager had already figured it out herself, her eyes lighting up.
Mount Bei.
On Mount Bei there was a mausoleum was under construction, built by Xiahou Dan for the Empress Dowager, and it should be completed soon.
This was a big event, and the Emperor should accompany the Empress Dowager to inspect it.
Mount Bei was far beyond the capital, and Mu Yun had provided her with a legitimate reason to lure Xiahou Dan out of the city. Once the Emperor was far away, they would suddenly attack and kill the envoys.
By the time the Emperor realised, it would be too late. Once the envoys were dead, war between the two countries would be inevitable, and Prince Duan didn’t want to fight but had to.
Mu Yun continued to stutter, “M-mount B-Bei…”
“Excellent.” The Empress Dowager exclaimed.
Mu Yun, “?”
The Empress Dowager watched the Emperor become increasingly assertive day by day. The mask had already been torn, and her tolerance for him had reached its limit.
She pinched off a flower with her red nails, played with it between her fingers, and tossed it into the soil. “Usually, you can’t see it, and you’re quite clever.”
Mu Yun’s smile stiffened for a moment.
The Empress Dowager smiled, “Fine, when we leave, I’ll leave the city to you. If this matter succeeds, I’ll remember your contribution.”
Mu Yun ecstatically said, “Th-thank you, Your Majesty!”
He nodded and bowed out, casting a final glance at her with the look of someone who would soon be dead.
The Empress Dowager was busy instructing the palace maid to inform Xiahou Dan and didn’t notice.
Thus, a great storm began with a trifling matter.
Yu Wanyin had finished styling Xie Yong’er’s hair and was applying makeup to her face.
Yu Wanyin said, “Your eyebrow shape is good.”
Xie Yong’er replied, “It’s too thick for this era, some of it needs to be shaved off. Their aesthetics weren’t very good back then.”
Yu Wanyin, “…”
“Indeed.” Yu Wanyin said.
The gossip in the girls’ dorm had progressed to the point where Xie Yong’er’s tone had become thoroughly modern, and much of her indignation had dissipated from her eyes and brows.
Yu Wanyin pulled her into a conversation about eating, drinking, having fun, reminiscing about their student days, venting about horrible bosses and difficult clients. These distant topics intertwined in the air, creating a surreal atmosphere where Xie Yong’er found herself temporarily forgetting her predicament and slipping back into her role as a white-collar worker.
Xie Yong’er suddenly sighed, “Just thinking about it, life after coming here feels so unreal.”
Xie Yong’er didn’t know that even as a white-collar worker, she hadn’t lived a real life.
Every chess piece thought it wasn’t in the game.
Such as Tur.
An arrow pierced through the window paper of the inn, carried by a strong wind, and shot towards Tur.
Tur’s figure swayed slightly. Others couldn’t see how he moved, but the arrow was already in his hand.
There was a note on the arrow.
Hasina frowned deeply, “Your Highness, let go quickly, be careful, the arrow is poisoned.”
Tur followed suit, tossing the arrow away, turning to look at the hole in the window paper, “It was shot from across the street.”
Hasina hurried forward, wrapped her fingers in a cloth to pick up the note, and unfolded it. She looked surprised, “It’s in Yan language.”
Written in Yan language on the paper was, “Tomorrow, the Emperor goes to Mount Bei. Someone wants to kill you. Be cautious.”
Instead of words, there was a flower signature.
Hasina asked, “What is this person implying? Has our identities been exposed? Do they know we intend to kill the Emperor?”
Tur pondered.
If their identities were exposed, they would not be able to stay peacefully in the inn, indicating that the other party had not yet reported them.
Could there still be their compatriots in the city, quietly assisting them in this final battle?
Hasina said, “Your Highness, those Xia people are more treacherous than one another. Can we believe them?”
Tur continued to stare at the small flower outlined in ink, shaped like a bell.
This was Shani’s favourite flower. He had once pinned it in her hair. They called it the Camel Bell Flower. For some reason, it always made him vaguely hear the sound of Shani’s ornaments when she danced, jingling faintly and ethereally.
When she married into Great Xia, the women of her tribe embroidered this flower on her clothes.
A few months later, news of her death reached Yan.
The Xia people accused her of attempting an assassination, while the Yan King accused Xia of framing an innocent person and killing a noblewoman. The fragile peace lasted only a few months before the war reignited.
Shani was the most beautiful person in the world.
If she continued to grow older, perhaps she would also become tainted with the mundane, losing her lustre and no longer living up to the title of “the most beautiful.”
But she didn’t have that chance.
“So, what exactly do you like about Prince Duan? Do you admire his heartlessness or his ruthlessness?” Yu Wanyin asked.
Xie Yong’er didn’t answer.
Yu Wanyin nudged her, “Come on, tell me.”
“You also know he’s heartless.” Xie Yong’er spoke after a while, “I’m not very attractive, not smart enough, and he found out I’m different, but he still accepted me.”
“…” Yu Wanyin fell silent.
“I feel like I’m the special one. But the deeper I fall, the more he keeps his distance. The more he keeps his distance, the more unwilling I am.”
“Unwilling?”
Xie Yong’er bit her lip, “You’re also from another world. You should know that in the original story, your character had an intense and complicated relationship with him.”
For Xie Yong’er, the original story was ‘A Thousand Trees Bloom at Night in the East Wind’.
“….”
“Why can’t it be the same for me?”
Yu Wanyin felt a chill in her heart.
Xie Yong’er’s minor insecurities and entanglements sounded like they came from free will, but most of them were written in ‘Demon Consort’
Could it be… her infatuation with Prince Duan was just a part of the character’s design?
Yu Wanyin didn’t want to analyse in that direction. The sense of helpless destiny was too suffocating.
Moreover, if the character setting was unshakable, why didn’t Prince Duan, as the male lead, fall in love with Xie Yong’er? Yu Wanyin preferred to believe that free will existed, but Xie Yong’er’s wasn’t strong enough.
“I actually think you misunderstand Xiahou Bo,” she whispered like a demon tempting a monk, “How should I put it… he doesn’t seem to have such worldly desires.”
Xie Yong’er paused, her tone cold, “He has them for you. Even if I change the plot, I can still feel that his eyes towards you are different.”
“He doesn’t.” Yu Wanyin hated to awaken this romantic brain, “He doesn’t have them for anyone. He’s the kind of outstanding villain focused solely on his career!”
“?”
Every chess piece thought it wasn’t in the game.
Such as Xiahou Dan.
The Empress Dowager pulled out a headline like inspecting the mausoleum, and Xiahou Dan really couldn’t refuse. Even knowing that she was obviously intending to lure him away from the mountain, he couldn’t go against filial piety and refuse to accompany him.
News came, and he could only instruct the Shadow Guards, “Tonight, quietly make contact with the envoys, transfer them to another hiding place, go through several locations, and make sure to shake off the Empress Dowager’s spies. Outside the inn, add some guards as a diversion.”
The Shadow Guards took the orders, about to leave, when Xiahou Dan added, “While protecting, keep an eye on them too, don’t let them take advantage and run amok.”
In theory, he didn’t need to worry about the safety of the envoy group, because this time Prince Duan should also actively promote peace talks. If the Empress Dowager took action, Prince Duan wouldn’t sit idly by.
But vaguely, he always felt something was amiss.
Because there had been no message from Wang Zhao until now. From the beginning, they had harboured doubts about the intentions of the envoy group.
Because Prince Duan had been silent for a long time, quiet to an unusual degree. Observing from afar the contest between him and the Empress Dowager.
Or perhaps it was simply because, with the malice of this world towards him, peace talks were unlikely to proceed smoothly. When things go against the norm, there must be a hidden agenda.
“Where is Consort Yu?” Xiahou Dan asked.
“She is still with Consort Xie,” the attendant replied.
Isn’t this performance not over yet? Do they intend to perform all eighty-one episodes?
Xiahou Dan’s face darkened. He stood up and headed towards Xie Yong’er’s residence.
At the same time, in the Prince’s mansion, the person playing chess sat steadily.
Xiahou Bo was resting his eyes. The more critical the move in the game, the calmer he became.
A scout returned with a report, “Tur has received the note.”
Another person also returned with a report. It was My Yun who had just advised the Empress Dowager. “The Empress Dowager plans to go to Mount Bei tomorrow and has tasked me with killing the envoy group.”
Xiahou Bo opened his eyes and smiled, “You’ve all worked hard. Tomorrow is when we close the net.”
The sun was setting, and the time for Prince Duan to meet Xie Yong’er was approaching.
When Xiahou Dan entered the room, the conversation between Yu Wanyin and Xie Yong’er had reached an impasse.
Ignoring them, Xiahou Dan walked straight to Xie Yong’er, “The Empress Dowager asked me to accompany her to Mount Bei early tomorrow. Is Prince Duan involved in this?”
Xie Yong’er hesitated, “…I don’t know.”
Xiahou Dan sneered, turning to Yu Wanyin, “I told you, it’s a waste of effort.”
Xie Yong’er felt like she had been struck dumb but couldn’t refute him. If she were in their shoes, she wouldn’t trust herself either.
Yu Wanyin took a deep breath.
“Yong’er, there’s something I didn’t want to show you.” She took out a book from her bosom.
Xiahou Dan’s eyebrows raised slightly, his hand lifted in a gesture as if instinctively wanting to stop her, but halfway through, he controlled himself.
Yu Wanyin gave him a reassuring look, “Xu Yao, remember? This is what he recorded during his lifetime, it contains Prince Duan’s top-secret plans. You should know that we can’t forge something like this.”
Xie Yong’er’s face changed, “How did you get this?”
“You’re saying this, but we’re all in the same boat. Who do you think you’re looking down on?” Yu Wanyin replied calmly.
Xie Yong’er remained silent.
Yu Wanyin had hesitated to bring out this trump card earlier because it contained the last two crucial actions against Xiahou Dan, seemingly waiting to use it after overthrowing the Empress Dowager.
But just now, when Yu Wanyin heard that Xiahou Dan was going to Mount Bei, her eyelid suddenly twitched. Although she couldn’t explain why, she had an almost intuitive sense of urgency: tonight, they must ascertain the truth about Prince Duan. And for that, she needed to convince Xie Yong’er now.
Yu Wanyin gritted her teeth and handed over the book, “You read it yourself.”
At the Prince’s mansion.
At this moment, Mu Yun straightened up, speaking without stuttering, “Your Highness, will Tur believe that note?”
Xiahou Bo said, “It doesn’t matter if he believes it now. Tomorrow, when you go to catch them, feel free to make a big commotion that they can’t ignore. Then leak some information to let them escape. By then…”
Mu Yun added, “By then, Tur will realise that Mount Bei’s terrain is open, and their best chance.”
Whether it was the Empress Dowager or the Emperor, they were still in the dark, unaware that the foremost expert from Yan was coming for the Emperor’s head.
In other words, neither of them could make corresponding defensive arrangements.
If they were in the palace, they could fight through layers of guards. But once they reached Mount Bei, in the wilderness, the guards could watch the divine road but not the surrounding forests.
Tur was a figure who could single-handedly take on hundreds on the battlefield. This time, he was well-prepared, and Xiahou Bo had no doubt about his strength.
With a mind filled with schemes, the small number of people on the mountain could be completely wiped out.
Even if the people of Yan encounter difficulties, they have helpers. Along this journey, Prince Duan’s people would escort them.
“I’ll go arrange things at the city gate first. Also, should we send some people to ambush in the woods?” Mu Yun asked.
Xiahou Bo nodded in agreement, “In this way, forces from all directions should gather.”
This plan, hatched by Prince Duan’s faction, was an attempt to pull the wool over everyone’s eyes.
Inside the palace.
Xie Yong’er flipped through the book, gradually freezing in place.
There were many plans in Xu Yao’s book that looked very familiar, all stemming from her suggestions. Early plot lines had not deviated from the original work, and she could foresee many future events, detailed to the extent of ‘on a certain month, a certain day, encountering a certain person in a certain place.’
But none of the plans recorded by Xu Yao completely matched her suggestions.
Whether it was the date and time or the specific location, there were always subtle changes deliberately made.
Trapped deep within the palace, Xie Yong’er relied solely on correspondence and secret meetings with Prince Duan, making it impossible for her to know all of Prince Duan’s actions.
Once, she had suggested that Prince Duan persuade the deputy commander of the Imperial Army, seducing the commander’s concubine. The result was overhearing Prince Duan discussing with his strategist, changing the plan to drugging the horses and framing the deputy commander, then using this to blackmail him.
At that time, she had felt somewhat wronged, holding back from asking Xiahou Bo. Instead, she quietly convinced herself that indeed, the revised plan was more secure.
But today, upon closer inspection, the majority of changes had nothing to do with ‘security.’
“He has never accepted you,” Xiahou Dan delivered the final blow, “Not only does he not accept you, he’s also guarded against you.”
Xie Yong’er turned pale.
Xiahou Dan continued coolly, “Xiahou Bo is much more pragmatic than you. Since your first prophecy for him, you’ve become a timed bomb that might still be useful. An alien is an alien, no one develops feelings for an alien.”
When he spoke the word ‘alien,’ his enunciation was particularly harsh. Yu Wanyin found it grating and lightly jabbed him.
Xiahou Dan finished, “If he ascends the throne, you’ll be the first to perish.”
In the silence, Yu Wanyin picked up her brush again, applying the final touches to her lips, “Makeup’s done, go see him.”
Seeing her remain silent for a long time, Yu Wanyin held up the mirror to her, “Take a look, what do you think?”
Xie Yong’er looked at herself absent-mindedly, her pupils contracting.
This makeup compromised none of the aesthetic standards of ancient times, from contouring to eyeshadow, it was fierce and modern, almost allowing her to see her former self.
She practically wrote the word ‘alien’ on her face.
Yu Wanyin smiled, “I’ve wanted to do this makeup for a while now. Before, I was afraid you’d figure it out. But now that we’re open about everything, is there anything to hide? Are you afraid he’ll see you like this?”
At Prince’s Mansion.
“You’ve worked hard during this time.” Xiahou Bo said to Mu Yun.
Mu Yun was Prince Duan’s most capable strategist. He had been embedded in the Empress Dowager’s faction for years, acting discreetly, even more adept than the former Grand Tutor Wei. However, Prince Duan was meticulous and suspicious of his ability to forge connections.
To show his loyalty, Mu Yun had offered many brilliant strategies to Prince Duan, subtly replacing Xu Yao’s position. This current plan was also spearheaded by him.
Even so, there were inevitably some variables in the haste.
For instance, whether those Yan people would act according to their expectations, or whether Xiahou Dan or the Empress Dowager would catch wind of it early.
If they won this battle, the fate of the world would fall into Prince Duan’s hands, making him the first hero. But if anything went wrong…
Thinking this, sweat broke out on Mu Yun’s palms, “To ensure everything goes smoothly, Your Highness could ask Consort Xie again tonight.”
Translation by Spider
Next: Chapter 14
Previous: Chapter 12