How Dare You?! 成何体统 (Cheng He Ti Tong)
By 七英俊 Qi Ying Jun
Translation by Spider
The next day, she went to Xiahou Dan and said, “I want to do an experiment with those Imperial Exam candidates.”
“….what?”
“It’s like this. I have two theories right now, first is that Prince Duan is from a higher dimension than us, second is that he’s still at the lowest one. So I want to test him.” Yu Wanyin had come up with this plan overnight and in her excitement, she didn’t notice Xiahou Dan’s probing gaze. She said energetically, “Can you contact the candidates that Xie Yong’er mentioned?”
Xiahou Dan looked at her.
Didn’t she defect to Prince Duan’s side after their secret meeting last night?
“I’ve been looking for them so it shouldn’t be a problem. I had planned to go incognito to meet them soon and try to win them over.” Xiahou Dan said.
“Alright, we’ll leak info in advance, making Prince Duan believe the meeting will take place in location A. Then, on the day, we’ll secretly meet at location B. With Bei Zhou and the Shadow Guards, we should be able to keep it on the down low.
Xiahou Dan vaguely understood her strategy, “So, you want to see where Prince Duan will investigate?”
“Yes. If he gets information about location A and stays there, then he’s just a character in the story. If he sends people to both locations, he could still just be a character and our movements were discovered, because Prince Duan is cautious and wouldn’t leave either place unchecked.
“But there is only one situation where he would ignore location A and go straight to location B” Yu Wanyin continued slowly, “is if he’s from a higher dimension, and knows everything, and thus knows A can be ignored.”
Xiahou Dan clapped, “As expected of Yu-jie.”
Yu Wanyin chuckled, “Heeheehee, I’m only just so-so.”
“But have you considered, what if because he knows everything, including our current conversation, and sends people to both locations on purpose?”
“He wouldn’t pretend to be a character,” Yu Wanyin gritted her teeth and said, “He privately contacted me, wanting me to believe he’s from a higher plane and pledge my loyalty to him. Given the chance to prove himself, he’d jump at it.”
“And you’re just telling me this?” Xiahou Dan raised an eyebrow slightly.
Yu Wanyin felt a bit guilty under his gaze and unconsciously raised her voice as she said, “I don’t trust him. If I had a choice, I’d definitely stick with you.”
“Yu Wanyin.”
“Yes?”
Xiahou Dan rubbed his forehead, “What if the experiment proves he’s from a higher level?”
“….”
Xiahou Dan said, “If that’s the case, you can switch over to him. This is the honest truth.”
He had said similar things before, but Yu Wanyin had always taken those words as him trying to soften her up and didn’t pay much attention to them.
Xiahou Dan’s tone was flat, “I won’t stop you, but once you leave, you’ll lose my protection. You understand that, right?”
Was this… a threat?
“Then what do you want to do after?” Yu Wanyin asked carefully.
“Me?” Xiahou Dan seemed to seriously consider it, “I’ll probably kill as many people as I can within my power, and then wait for my fate.”
Yu Wanyin felt a chill, “…You sound a bit like a tyrant.”
“Can’t help it,” Xiahou Dan said wearily, “you try having a constant headache every day.”
Yu Wanyin couldn’t truly fear Xiahou Dan, no matter how dangerous his words were.
She had pondered why that might be. Perhaps it was his expression and tone. three parts complaint, three parts dejection, like a colleague venting about wanting to change jobs over hotpot. It was nothing like the tyrant he played in public, nor the high-and-mighty CEO.
He exuded an aura of “I’m one of you, you can trust me.”
She couldn’t even lie and casually assure him with a ‘Even if that’s the case, I won’t run away’ everyone knew that if the company went bankrupt, the employees would leave.
Compared to the heroines in the stories she read, her romantic instincts were only a third as strong, and her courage was twentieth. That ephemeral warmth couldn’t withstand the threat of death.
Yu Wanyin had long known her true nature, but facing Xiahou Dan, she still felt a little pang in her heart.
“Uncle Bei is testing for poison everywhere for you.” She changed the subject, “He even checked me. So, things will get better.”
In the following days, Xiahou Dan sent secret letters to the candidates while leaking false information to Prince Duan.
Several days later.
“The candidates have arrived at Location B. The Crown Prince’s men have only gone to Location A so far.” said Xiahou Dan.
Yu Wanyin relaxed, “Then it’s almost certain that the bastard is just pretending. Let’s go to the meeting and see what happens.”
The so-called location B was a lakeside spot.
It was overcast that night and there weren’t many people around, only a few boats floated sparsely on the lake. Xiahou Dan and Yu Wanyin disguised themselves as wealthy young gentlemen. Accompanied by their ‘household staff’, they rented a luxuriously painted boat and slowly drifted towards the centre of the lake.
After the boat had moved away from the shore, a small fishing boat approached it.
The Shadow Guards placed a plank between the two boats, and soon six people were brought on board.
The spider silk cave duo looked gentle and kind today. They stood fanning themselves and greeted their guests in a refined manner.
Five of the six candidates were thin scholars, with only one of them being more robust. After greeting them, they removed the human skin masks from their faces, revealing either young or weathered faces.
The robust leading scholar looked over thirty, with a proud yet slightly dissatisfied expression. He said, “We came here because we were moved by your letter and are willing to converse with a kindred spirit. But seeing you today, it seems that you don’t regard us as you claimed in it.”
We came to this meeting moved by your letter, willing to talk with a kindred spirit. But today, it seems that you don’t regard us as you claimed in the letter.”
As soon as this hot-tempered guy spoke, Yu Wanyin recognized him. This was Li Yunxi, the poorest of all the candidates. Though he possessed great talent, he repeatedly failed the exams. Righteous and incorruptible by nature, in East Wind he was eventually killed in the street for exposing the cheating of someone with connections. In Devil’s Consort he was recruited by Xiahou Bo and became a significant asset to him.
Xiahou Dan hurriedly cupped his hands in a respectful gesture and said, “I deeply apologise for the trouble and the indignity of covering your faces during your long journey. The reasons will be explained later. As stated in my letter, I have long admired your renowned talents. Your exquisite writings, especially those discussing taxation and statute labour, are often recited and pondered over in my mind.”
As if afraid he hadn’t shown enough deference, he immediately recited several passages from their works to them, with full emotion, nodding and shaking his head in admiration.
“……”
They felt a bit embarrassed.
After all, scholars are thin-skinned, and being praised like this, they had to put on a smile and return a few polite words.
Seizing the opportunity, Xiahou Dan invited them to sit, adopting a face full of concern for the country and the people. “You all undoubtedly have the talent to govern the nation, but in these troubled times, the imperial examination system is stagnant, corruption is rampant. Scholars from poor backgrounds have almost no chance to succeed. Seeing you all study hard year after year breaks my heart.”
Li Yunxi said, “Who doesn’t know that the so-called selection of the virtuous has long been a joke? But I refuse to give up. I’m indebted to the kindness of my fellow villagers and am unwilling to be utterly useless.”
His words struck a chord among the candidates, who echoed his sentiments.
Some said that capable officials in the court were dwindling and that the Great Xia Dynasty was doomed, and that they wished they could knock some sense into the tyrant.
Others suggested that Prince Duan was a wise and capable ruler, yet some sneered that Prince Duan was only concerned with self-preservation and dared not step forward.
Some argued that Prince Duan was innocent and the blame lay with the tyrant who plunged the people into misery.
Some even accused Yu Wanyin of being a demon consort who brought disaster to the country.
”Finally, someone, in the heat of the moment, raised his arm and shouted, “Kings are Made!!”
“And not born?” Xiahou Dan responded.
The scholars echoed, “Exactly!”
Yu Wanyin choked on her tea, elbowing Xiahou Dan.
When the scholars calmed down and realised what they said, they felt a bit of fear. “…You really dare to say that.”
Only Li Yunxi sneered, “Why wouldn’t I dare? How many of you, who have devoted your lives to studying, can actually save Great Xia?”
Xiahou Dan said, “That’s right, reading books alone can’t save the people of Great Xia.”
Li Yunxi continued, “Raise your head and see, do you see the blue sky, or just mud and filth? ‘Great rats, great rats, do not eat my crops! For the people, nothing is impossible!'”
Xiahou Dan clapped passionately, “Well said! With such ambition and vision as yours, Li-xiong* there is hope for Great Xia!”
*兄: xiong, means elder brother but it is also used to refer to others who are peers to you or are of the same age as you.
The scholars were moved, looking at him with admiration, “You truly live up to your reputation. Since we’ve come to this point, may we know your name?”
Xiahou Dan elegantly shook his folding fan and replied, “My surname is Xiahou.”
The boat fell silent.
The scholars all stood up, staring at him, “Em… Empe…”
Xiahou Dan finished, “My given name is ‘Dan’.”
Yu Wanyin’s toes curled with embarrassment.
She should be under the deck, not on the ship.
Xiahou Dan then pointed at her, “This is Yu Wanyin, the demon consort who brings disaster to the country.”
The Shadow Guards quickly surrounded them.
The scholars, frozen in place, finally moved, dropping to their knees in scattered disarray, their faces ashen. Only two remained standing, refusing to kneel. One was naturally Li Yunxi, and the other was Du Shan, who had been the most vocal earlier.
At this moment, Li Yunxi, knowing he was doomed, remained calm and glared defiantly at the pair of villains. Du Shan, though trembling, stubbornly refused to lose to Li Yunxi due to his pride.
Xiahou Dan waved the Shadow Guards away, saying, “Please, all of you, stand up.”
He seemed completely at ease, as if he hadn’t just heard these people openly declare their intent to rebel against him.
“You all know of the tyrant’s harsh rule and the suffering of the people, but you don’t realise that I, as the emperor, have long been rendered powerless. Half of the current government is controlled by the Empress Dowager, and the other half by Prince Duan. They gamble with my people as their stakes, one grand wager after another. My heart aches, but I am powerless to stop it. Today’s meeting is to bare my sincere heart to you.” He gestured again, and the scholars reluctantly sat down.
Only Li Yunxi remained standing defiantly, saying, “If Your Majesty truly has such intentions, why not reform the imperial examinations and recruit talents openly, instead of making us meet like thieves, with covered faces? Such a way of recruiting talents is unbecoming of a sovereign.”
“As I said, there are indeed difficulties,” Xiahou Dan replied. “Too many eyes are watching my every move. Even the slightest attempt to reform the examination system would be met with fierce resistance from many sides. If it weren’t for the Shadow Guards gathering your splendid writings, they would have never reached my desk. We had no choice but to contact you in secret and slowly plan to place you in suitable positions where you can truly shine.”
He sighed, “Once you enter the court, you will surely be targeted by the Empress Dowager’s or Prince Duan’s factions, either to recruit you, use you, or target you, dragging you into their political games. On that day, I only hope you do not forget your earnest words today and your lofty ambitions, standing tall as the backbone of the Great Xia Dynasty.”
Yu Wanyin was impressed.
Listening to him really made you misty-eyed. What kind of business does this CEO run to have such a talent for acting?
Among the scholars, two even had tears in their eyes. Yu Wanyin recognized them: one was the talented woman disguised as a man, Er Lan, and the other was Du Shan, who had earlier refused to kneel despite trembling.
Touched, Du Shan said, “Your Majesty places such great hopes on us, truly…”
“What nonsense!” Li Yunxi interrupted.
Xiahou Dan, “?”
Yu Wanyin, “?”
Li Yunxi, furious, exclaimed, “The Emperor’s words, how light they are! With just one sentence of ‘hardships,’ you want to make pawns out of the flesh of impoverished scholars, to shed our blood and sacrifice our heads! In order to overthrow the Empress Dowager, to eliminate Prince Duan. You claim that living in the cracks of power prevents you from achieving your aspirations? That, with so many obstacles, you can’t clean up the court? If an emperor lacks even this kind of resolve, why bother pretending to value talent when you’re just pushing others to be the backbone of the nation!”
Xiahou Dan, “…”
That’s quite poetic.
Bei Zhou, who had been standing in the corner with his arms crossed, seemed to want to kill him. Xiahou Dan subtly shook his head.
Li Yunxi raised his voice, speaking through gritted teeth, “The commoners in my hometown, in every household, work tirelessly from dawn to dusk all year round, yet their grain barely fills their bellies. My younger siblings, born during a famine, were starved to death by our parents with tears in their eyes… Such taxes, did they go where they should? The central army fights against the Yan Kingdom year after year, and yet the soldiers’ pay is mixed with gravel! Your Majesty, have you ever opened your eyes to see this?”
Du Shan panicked, “Li-xiong, there’s no need to go this far…”
Li Yunxi mocked, “Who was it just now that said if they could meet the Emperor, they would knock their head on the ground and remonstrate with him? The Emperor is right in front of you, why are you all suddenly mute?”
Du Shan turned red, speechless and humiliated.
Yu Wanyin truly felt a bit embarrassed now.
She came from an ordinary middle-class family, and school never taught her how to save a country. Being inside a book added a layer of unreality, making it hard to empathise with the plight of these ‘fictional characters’ Thus, when gathering these scholars, she hadn’t anticipated facing such questioning.
But now… she couldn’t be sure she wasn’t a fictional character herself.
So, was the suffering of other ‘characters’ really that unreal?
After Li Yunxi’s tirade, Xiahou Dan was clearly at a loss for words, remaining silent. Yu Wanyin couldn’t help but interject, “His Majesty did deal with the Minister of Revenue at the time. It was a big issue, you all should have heard of it.”
Du Shan hesitated, then, after struggling for a while, said, “When the news came a month ago, the commoners in my hometown were overjoyed, burning incense and praying for His Majesty.”
He said no more.
Yu Wanyin felt as if she had been punched in the face.
After the Minister of Revenue was executed, the Empress Dowager’s faction immediately replaced him with another lackey.
She could guess that there was no improvement in the people’s livelihood. All those households’ incense had been burned in vain.
Li Yunxi shook his head in disappointment, seemingly unwilling to say more, and turned to leave.
As soon as he turned, the Shadow Guards moved.
Everyone understood that this person couldn’t be allowed to leave. harbouring such hatred and knowing Xiahou Dan’s plans, he was like a ticking time bomb.
Du Shan trembled and called out, “Li-xiong…”
The Shadow Guards unsheathed their swords, but Li Yunxi remained unmoved, striding forward as if determined to spill blood on the boat.
“Wait!” Yu Wanyin shouted.
She ran up to Li Yunxi and, stumbling over her words, said, “Li… Li-xiansheng, His Majesty didn’t come here today to drag you all into the court faction struggles. To put it bluntly, those occupying positions without doing any work. even including the royal family. if they die, they die. But what fault do the common people have?”
The scholars stared at her in shock.
Who did she just include in that spiel?
Yu Wanyin continued, “But now the situation is as it is. unequal taxation, corrupt officials, rampant greed, and an empty national treasury. Our capabilities are limited, and even if we tried to remedy it ourselves, it’s already too late. We need your help.”
She bowed deeply and earnestly said, “I’m not eloquent and can’t speak grand theories, but I humbly ask all of you, not for the sake of a tyrant or a ‘demon concubine’…”
The scholars were shocked and looked at Xiahou Dan.
Xiahou Dan remained unfazed.
“…but for the sake of your hometown and your people!”
She bowed deeply again. When she straightened up, she noticed Li Yunxi staring at her with a strange expression.
Yu Wanyin wiped away her tears, surprised by her own acting. But on the other hand, she wasn’t sure if she was still acting at all.
“Your Majesty, Your Highness,” a quiet, thin scholar spoke up.
“I was born with a severe illness and have only two or three years left to live.”
Yu Wanyin remembered. This was Cen Jintian, an agricultural genius. In the original text, he wasn’t considered to be recruited as part of Prince Duan’s faction. He had a heart full of gold and had worked tirelessly for the country for two years.
Then the drought came. He watched the crops wither and die, and saw famine-stricken corpses everywhere. He breathed his last with the regret of having been born at the wrong era.
His brothers prayed to heaven with unparalleled devotion, and Prince Duan, in front of everyone, offered him a ceremonial drink, swearing to avenge him, and then rebelled.
Cen Jintian asked, “Your Majesty, in my remaining years, can I see a time of peace and prosperity, with harmonious seasons and abundant harvests?”
Xiahou Dan locked eyes with him for a moment, then solemnly said, “This is the promise of the Emperor.”
Cen Jintian smiled faintly and knelt down, saying, “I am willing to serve the Emperor with all my might.”
Eventually, all the scholars peacefully sat down and discussed with Xiahou Dan for two hours. In the end, they even called for strong liquor and shared a drink.
Xiahou Dan and Yu Wanyin personally escorted them back to the fishing boat, watching as they donned their disguises and set off.
Just as the two were about to turn back to the cabin, they heard a loud crack.
Not far away, the fishing boat started to sink rapidly before their eyes.
The sudden incident stunned everyone.
Xiahou Dan quickly turned and shouted, “Guards! Turn around and rescue them!”
Several scholars who were good swimmers immediately abandoned the boat and swam towards the painted boat, while the rest were still futilely trying to scoop out the water.
The calm water surface suddenly changed. The scholars swimming halfway began to struggle and choke. Several assassins suddenly appeared behind them!
Yu Wanyin let out a piercing scream as she saw dark red spreading in the water. Du Shan’s throat had already been slit by an assassin from behind.
Xiahou Dan’s Shadow Guards jumped into the water to engage the assassins and try to protect the scholars.
Standing at the bow of the ship, Bei Zhou’s eyes scanned the area like lightning. He pointed to a certain spot on the lake shore and succinctly said, “There.”
As soon as he spoke, without any visible movement, something shot out from his raised sleeve with a ‘swish’, darting towards the shore like a bolt of lightning!
Immediately after, a loud clang sounded from the shore as someone deflected the object.
It was only then that Yu Wanyin noticed the spot he had pointed out, indeed there were several figures, one of whom was being shielded by the others.
Although unable to be seen clearly, just thinking logically, it had to be Xiahou Bo.
From the boat, came repeatedly, attacks incessant that came whooshing by. Xiahou Bo’s guards wielded their swords to fend them off. They gradually struggled protecting Xiahou Bo who dodged left and right, soon causing one of the guards to fall.
In the water, the assassins sensed trouble and split into groups to hinder Bei Zhou.
Immediately, Xiahou Dan’s guards took the upper hand, protecting the students who were crying for their fathers and mothers as they swam towards the painted boat.
Yu Wanyin looked around, there were two life-saving barrels* on the boat, each with a rope attached. She quickly picked them up and threw them towards the others. “Catch!”
* I assume they’re like life buoys…
Li Yunxi was strong and didn’t need help from the guards, swimming fastest and grabbing a barrel. Yu Wanyin hurriedly pulled the rope back.
The slack rope suddenly tightened!
A wounded assassin in the melee was unable to keep their weapon and could only hold their breath in the water and waited for a chance to move. At this time, they suddenly appeared and grabbed Li Yunxi. Li Yunxi struggled violently, but the assassin held on tight, trying to drag him into the water.
Li Yunxi choked on water and screamed, “Help! Cough, cough, cough…”
Yu Wanyin exerted all her strength to pull the rope. “Don’t let go!”
She couldn’t hold the weight of the other end, and her whole person was dragged across the boat. Another pair of hands reached out from behind her and grabbed the rope together.
Xiahou Dan gritted his teeth. “I can’t pull him up either.”
Yu Wanyin yelled, “Shut up and pull!”
“Prince Duan has arrived. What are your experiment results?”
“I don’t care anymore.”
Whether he anticipated it or tracked them, either way, Xiahou Bo had finally arrived at this place.
He’s here, intending to kill all the students right before their eyes. It’s about control and intimidation. He wants to frighten them to the core, to ensure they never again muster the courage to resist again.
According to her naturally timid nature, she should indeed be terrified at this moment. But extreme situations breed defiance.
Yu Wanyin is furious to the point of losing her mind.
She has always thought from Prince Duan’s perspective, enduring abuse from the Empress since childhood, bullied by Xiahou Dan, barely surviving to leave the palace and establish his own residence after leaving the palace, and witnessing the corruption of the court and wanting to replace it. All of his actions had their reasons
However, these struggling people in the water are the pillars of the future, the backbone of the nation, holding the last hope of Great Xia steady.
If he is a fictional character, then he is massacring the innocent.
If he came from a higher dimension, knowing who they are and still ordering their execution easily, it’s sentencing countless lives to death in advance for his own ambitions in this chaotic world, even if they are innocent.
“I am no better than him, he wins this round,” Yu Wanyin grits her teeth, holding onto the rough rope tightly, her palms torn and bleeding, “But even if he were a god, I would never surrender!”
Xiahou Dan’s palms were also bleeding. Hearing her through clenched teeth he asked, “What did you say?”
Veins bulge on Yu Wanyin’s forehead as she roars to the sky, “Fuck him!!!”
This shout almost tears her throat apart, its echo spreading far across the empty lake surface.
Yu Wanyin stares straight at the figures on the shore. They are so far apart that they can’t see each other’s features clearly, but inexplicably, she suspects the other person is showing an amused smile.
Yu Wanyin’s courage grows in adversity; suddenly, a surge of brute force erupts between her hands. After a long tug-of-war between the underwater assassin and Li Yunxi, already exhausted, they didn’t expect her sudden attack, and she managed to pull them, drifting involuntarily towards the painting boat.”
Yu Wanyin’s courage surges, and with sudden brute force between her hands. The assassin in the water, locked in a struggle with Li Yunxi for a long time, was already exhausted, and didn’t expect her sudden yank, involuntarily drifting towards the painted boat.
Yu Wanyin’s blood was squeezed out through her fingers, dripping down the rope bit by bit.
The force pulling opposing her suddenly disappeared. She staggered back, bumping into Xiahou Dan.
The assassin, finally out of strength, released Li Yunxi and sank alone. Li Yunxi surfaced holding onto the wooden barrel, coughing uncontrollably.
Just as everyone relaxed a bit, they saw a pair of hands emerge from the water, viciously grabbing Li Yunxi by the neck!
The assassin had feigned death!
Yu Wanyin locked eyes with Li Yunxi, whose eyes bulged in terror. Her fear reached its peak, and she cried out in despair, “Help. “
In the next moment, a figure swept in like a flying crane, landing a kick on the assassin’s head with a crack, sending him to his demise.
Bei Zhou finally finished dealing with the enemy before him, with time to clean up the battlefield.
Trembling, Yu Wanyin scanned around. Apart from Du Shan, whose throat was slit at the beginning, the rest of the students were saved.
The assassins, originally outnumbering Xiahou Dan’s guards several times over, met a fierce but effortless end. The skirmish ended abruptly, leaving the few on the shore to retreat unnoticed.
The remaining assassins in the water completely lost their fighting spirit, turning to swim towards the shore.
Bei Zhou glanced at Xiahou Dan.
“Don’t leave any of them alive.” Xiahou Dan ordered.
Bei Zhou nodded, eliminated the fleeing enemies, and dove back into the water to search. He pulled up a straggler who was holding his breath and promptly dispatched him.
Bodies floated haphazardly, staining the lake crimson.
The scholars returned to the painted boat. Each of them was more or less injured. They curled up wet and dripping inside the cabin, relying on the Shadow Guards to treat their wounds.
Bei Zhou took out a bottle of medicine from his bosom and said to Xiahou Dan and Yu Wanyin, “Give me your hands.”
They spread both their hands out, and the Shadow Guards kneeled with a crash. “This one deserves to die.” They chorused.
Bei Zhou dabbed the medicine around their wounds, his eyes reddening. “I shouldn’t have let him die so quickly.”
Yu Wanyin shook her head and looked down beside her. There was a figure with a cloth covering its face. Du Shan’s body had been retrieved.
Just fifteen minutes ago, this person was full of ambition, drinking strong wine with them. In the original text, although he was somewhat timid, he was unwilling to lose to these peers, and in the end, gritted his teeth and accepted the hardships, growing into a good minister for the other side.
Yu Wanyin forced herself to look away and walked to the corner of the cabin.
Er Lan sat curled up there, refusing the Shadow Guards’ bandages, staring at the floor with a tense face.
Yu Wanyin took off her own coat and draped it over Er Lan’s shoulders, “Are you okay?”
Er Lan suddenly looked up, her face wary. Yu Wanyin smiled reassuringly and whispered, “It’s okay, just covering you up a little.”
Er Lan smiled back.
Xiahou Dan stood leaning against the cabin wall, lost in thought.
After the scholars bandaged their wounds, drank hot tea and calmed down, did he finally speak. “The assassins lurking in the water just now are all dead. Even if they had overheard our conversation, they wouldn’t be able to spread it. You were all disguised so none of you were recognised by Prince Duan but I can’t guarantee anything. If he finds out who I met today, your names might already be on his assassination list.”
Yu Wanyin and the scholars all looked up at him.
Xiahou Dan continued, “After this battle, do you still want to take the risk of infiltrating the court? Now, entering the court as officials, you must change your names and abandon your past reputations to avoid drawing attention. You may not be able to return home for a long time. Next year during the imperial examination, I will find someone else to use your old names, thus covering up this lie.”
This is indeed a clever plan. Yu Wanyin thought to herself. Prince Duan and Xie Yong’er have not seen the true faces of these candidates, only knowing their names. In this way, when Prince Duan looks for people according to the list given by Xie Yong’er, he will only find substitutes.
Xiahou Dan changed the subject, “If you have second thoughts now, it’s understandable. However, since you have been involved in this confidential matter, I cannot let you go home freely. I hope you can understand.”
Li Yunxi touched the purple-black fingerprint on his neck, looking considerably downcast, “Then what does Your Majesty plan to do? Will you draw your sword and kill me like earlier?”
Xiahou Dan smiled, “No. I will find a place far from this quagmire to settle you down, and I won’t force you to strategize or act as advisors. You just need to focus on studying. When the situation in the capital stabilises, no matter who secures the throne, you will still be valuable talents with clean hands.”
Several scholars exchanged glances.
After a while, in the carriage heading back to the palace.
“Is your hand still hurting?” Xiahou Dan asked.
After a two-second delay Yu Wanyin nodded, “Uncle Bei’s medicine is very effective. How about you?”
“I’m alright too. I’ll clean it with alcohol again when we get back.” Xiahou Dan didn’t notice any abnormality in her mood, still immersed in his own thoughts. “What do you think of Prince Duan?”
“He’s a character.”
“Are you sure this time?”
“Yes. Once I calmed down earlier, it became clear to me.”
“He lacks a higher perspective, which is why he sent people to both locations A and B. And he clearly didn’t anticipate Uncle Bei’s combat prowess. He chose to kill in front of us originally to intimidate us, right? If this was a calculated loss, I wouldn’t believe it. Today’s failure not only boosted the others’ morale, but also made me question his strength, which is not good for him…but it’s pretty advantageous for you.”
The last sentence carried a pointed hint.
Before parting ways, after Xiahou Dan’s words, all the students chose to enter the court as officials without exception.
In the original book, the radical Li Yunxi and Yang Duojie took the lead, followed by the more steady Wang Zhao and Er Lan. Finally, Cen Jintian said, “The common people are running out of time, and I can’t afford to wait as well.”
Even Yu Wanyin did not expect that today’s conversation would go so smoothly.
Although they lost one scholar, Xiahou Dan gained the loyalty of everyone.
Looking at their eyes full of ambition, Yu Wanyin’s anger gradually cooled down.
It went smoothly.
Too smoothly.
Xiahou Dan said, “Indeed, with these helpers, Yan millet can be introduced, and there are people to propose ideas for economic issues. Finally, it won’t just be the two of us brainstorming…”
Yu Wanyin struggled for a few seconds sitting opposite to him, but finally opened her mouth, “President Dan.”
“Yeah?”
“Since Prince Duan is just a character, he can only track our whereabouts if someone leaks it. But only Uncle Bei and the Shadow Guards knew what we were going to do today. And in the original work they were loyal to you until the end. The scholars didn’t know who you were before the appointment and couldn’t have leaked it so…”
Xiahou Dan pondered, “I’m also thinking about it. However, in the original work, Prince Duan wasn’t this ruthless, was he? When he was riding high as the male lead, he didn’t need to be a villain. But then we came, the situation changed, and so did he?”
Yu Wanyin slowly withdrew her gaze, “You’re right. It seems we need to investigate slowly.”
Did Xiahou Dan alert Prince Duan himself?
There is even another question, was the person on the shore really Prince Duan?
Is it possible that Prince Duan was kept in the dark throughout and only went to location A, while everything that happened in the lake at location B was orchestrated by Xiahou Dan?
Sacrificing a character for greater benefits… After all, even if Yu Wanyin ascended to heaven in a holy and pious manner, fictional characters would still die, and thousands or even tens of thousands would die. Die in droughts, die in wars, die on the road for the sake of Prince Duan’s ascension.
To prevent all of that, maybe sacrificing one Du Shan today…
Yu Wanyin suddenly felt a sharp pain in her palm and realised her hand had unconsciously clenched into a fist.
An inexplicable anger rose in her heart. She hadn’t found any evidence yet, but she was already making excuses for Xiahou Dan.
In the end, she shouldn’t have harboured any expectations of Xiahou Dan’s true goodness from the beginning. Corporate slaves don’t usually expect true goodness from their colleagues, and such expectations are usually from one person to another, and she didn’t want to know.
Since Uncle Bei Zhou had been seen displaying his skills by Prince Duan today, he used the bone-shrinking technique to change back to a female appearance, becoming a new maid in the noble consort’s palace.
Xiahou Dan couldn’t afford to accompany them back to the noble concubine’s palace due to his new role as favoured consort Xie Yong’er. So Yu Wanyin alone re-dress the wounds on her hands, casually making up a reason to placate with the alarmed Xiao Mei.
Xiao Mei asked anxiously, “Miss, with such a serious injury, how will you perform at the Flower Feast in a few days?”
“Perform? Why should I perform?”
“Of course it’s because His Majesty chose Consort Xie to dance. She’s been in the limelight lately, and we can’t let her outshine you, can we?” Xiao Mei said, “Or maybe sing a song?”
Yu Wanyin was not interested in actually performing and just wanted to take the opportunity to inquire about some skills of the original owner, “How do you think my singing is?”
Xiao Mei looked embarrassed, “…There are still a few days left, Miss can try her best to learn?”
Okay, no skills.
Zhang San has been here for some time now, still living in hell mode.
Every minute and every second, he silently observed the words and deeds of the ancients, fearing that a single wrong word would expose him. The little prince has daily schoolwork, and he had to catch up from calligraphy brush to the vague content of ancient Chinese texts.
Fortunately, the original owner of the little prince seemed quite taciturn, so that even if he played dumb every day, no one would find it strange. As for schoolwork, no matter how bad he wrote, no teacher dared to reprimand the crown prince. This is probably the only bright spot of his new life.
However, his soul is only a junior high school student, and now his body is even younger. Walking in this palace with a weird atmosphere, he constantly found it difficult to defend himself.
He had only briefly glanced at the novel he’d transmigrated into and vaguely remembered that the protagonist was a transmigrated as a concubine, but not what the concubine’s name was.
He tried to find this kind of similar person. Occasionally, when he encountered a concubine, he would carefully observe them. But as the crown prince, it was inconvenient to interact with the emperor’s harem, and those few seconds of scrutiny really didn’t reveal anything.
He took a risk once. During a time when the concubines were paying respects to the Empress Dowager, he brazenly followed her. When they were taking a break from their palace intrigues, he said in front of everyone, “Grandmother, the weather has been so hot lately that I feel like I want to live in an ice chamber and never come out.”
Was this hint obvious enough? Would another transmigrator pick up on it?
In the end, all the concubines lowered their heads and remained immersed in their palace intrigues, not even sparing him a glance. Only the Empress Dowager, with a stern expression, scolded him, saying, “As the crown prince, you should not fear heat or cold, nor indulge in comfort.”
“……”
This can’t go on.
He needed to make it more obvious, something only another transmigrator could recognize.
The theme of the Flower Festival banquet was quite creative. Each concubine selected a type of flower to wear in their hair, with their clothing and accessories matching the floral theme. This array of delicate blossoms made for a visually pleasing scene at the banquet, with fragrant and elegant women seated gracefully.
Perhaps the Empress Dowager thought the scene inappropriate for a minor, or maybe she just habitually avoided having Xiahou Dan interact with his son. In any case, she did not bring the crown prince to the event.
Xie Yong’er, dressed as a Begonia Flower fairy, gracefully stepped forward to perform a solo dance ‘To the Bright Moon*’. She had prepared thoroughly, even instructing the musicians on the accompaniment, though she had not remembered it entirely, causing the final piece to be somewhat off-key.
You can watch that performance here. It is quite modern, I’m surprised no one was sus
Xiahou Dan managed to maintain his composure this time, perhaps because he was unfamiliar with the song. He remained calm throughout, even feigning an expression of fascination.
After finishing her performance with a graceful bow, Xie Yong’er turned to the emperor.
“Good, good, sit here,” Xiahou Dan said.
Xie Yong’er moved past Yu Wanyin and sat to the emperor’s right. She cast a glance at Yu Wanyin and coquettishly said, “Noble Consort Yu, might this sister be fortunate enough to witness your dance as well?”
“……”
In the original text, it was Yu Wanyin, in her prime, who had deliberately asked Xie Yong’er to dance, hoping to see her make a fool of herself. Instead, Xie Yong’er had wowed everyone with her performance of ‘To the Bright Moon’ thwarting Yu Wanyin’s scheme.
Unexpectedly, even with the changed fate, Xie Yong’er made the same choice.
You have to fight even when you’re in power, you have to fight even when you’re out of power. Why are you so obsessed with fighting?
After her night with the emperor, Xie Yong’er had woken up with no memory, having been told by the palace staff that she had been in a state of panic, acting nearly deranged.
She knew she wasn’t that fragile; it must have been that contraceptive tea. Labelled as a contraceptive, it might have been another kind of poison. What had she said in her madness? Seeing that the tyrant had not been angry but had instead shown a clumsy interest in her, she figured she hadn’t said anything dangerous.
However, Yu Wanyin had coaxed her into drinking that drugged tea with ill intentions!
Understanding this, Xie Yong’er resolved not to show any mercy. Although she didn’t like Xiahou Dan, she was trapped in the palace. If she didn’t secure the emperor’s favour, she would surely be outmanoeuvred in the future.
Yu Wanyin sighed, hiding the wound on her palm. “Your Majesty, Your Highness, this concubine is not skilled in dancing and may not be able to perform.”
The Empress Dowager snorted, “What a high and mighty attitude from the Consort. Do you expect This One to personally invite you?”
Xie Yong’er’s new entourage exchanged knowing looks.
A phoenix fallen from grace is worse than a chicken. Yu Wanyin, with a sorrowful expression, bowed deeply and said, “Your Majesty, I… I have only recently learned a small tune, and my singing is poor…”
Xie Yong’er was taken aback, as if facing a great enemy.
‘East Wind’ never mentioned that the female lead could sing, did it?
Yu Wanyin took several deep breaths, recalling the tune she had hastily learned from Xiao Mei. She struck a pose and began to sing, “In Jiangnan, one can gather lotus, lotus leaves so lush and green…*”
She’s singing a called 江南 Southern Shore. I believe it’s a children’s nursery song. You can listen to it here
Her voice was raw and untrained, as robust as a barge hauler..
“……”
“……”
Yu Wanyin was intent on irritating the group, so she deliberately sang the entire song in a loud, off-key manner. She then weakly said, “Your Majesty, I have caught a cold, and my breath is short. Please, punish me!”
She looked towards Xiahou Dan.
Xiahou Dan, staring blankly at her, wore an expression that seemed to say ‘she is so pure and unpretentious, unlike the other foxy women.’
Yu Wanyin barely held his gaze for half a second before quickly looking away. She was afraid one of them would burst into laughter first.
Xiahou Dan cleared his throat and gently said, “Since Noble Consort Yu is unwell, you need not stay. Go and rest.”
Yu Wanyin fled in haste.
Xiahou Dan’s demeanour was so amusing in such moments that it was hard for her to imagine this person engaging in any nefarious schemes.
Yet, she also knew that such judgments were entirely emotional.
Yu Wanyin repeatedly reminded herself to stay alert, not noticing where she was headed. Suddenly, a familiar voice called out, “Wanyin.”
Yu Wanyin instantly became alert.
The inevitable had come.
Xiahou Bo led her to a familiar old room. the same one where he had secretly met Xie Yong’er last time. It seemed this was still his stronghold in the palace.
Yu Wanyin pretended not to know, “Where is this place?”
Xiahou Bo spoke softly, “When I was young and still in the palace, if I was beaten by the servants, I would run here to hide, enduring until late at night before returning.”
The monologuing phase of the villain had begun.
Now that she was certain he wasn’t an omniscient god but still needed her, Yu Wanyin felt much more confident. She could now leisurely act along with him. Feigning emotion, she said after a long pause, “Regarding what Your Highness mentioned last time…”
“Hmm, have you thought it through?” Xiahou Bo asked.
“Would Your Highness know my decision without me telling you?” Yu Wanyin tested him.
“What do you think?” Xiahou Bo mysteriously replied.
Yu Wanyin lowered her head and took out a sachet, “I was so frightened that day I spoke rudely. This is a gift of apology… I made it myself.”
She had hurriedly crafted it over the past two days. The embroidery was atrocious. a bright red background with a black, poorly stitched man and woman.
The man had one arm, but the craftsmanship was so bad it was unclear if this was intentional or a mistake.
They were riding an enormous bird, presumably an eagle.
Although she knew Xiahou Bo wasn’t at the highest level, she needed to confirm he wasn’t in the middle tier either, just a bottom-tier paper person.
However, she didn’t want to test him so simply and crudely by asking “how are you” in English. Prince Duan himself is still playing the demigod in a mysterious way, thinking that he had a fast one on her very well. If she asked “how are you” and he couldn’t answer, he would realise that he had been exposed.
She needs more sophisticated test questions.
This sachet is the puzzle she came up with. Any transmigrator who sees it would blurt out, ‘The Return of the Condor Heroes*?’
*The Return of the Condor Heroes is a Wuxia novel. ngl, I thought she was referencing the scene in Lord of the Rings: Return of the King, where Frodo was being flown back on an eagle after getting his finger bitten off.
“Swallows flying in pairs*? That is indeed, quite clever.” Xiahou Bo said.
*燕燕于飞: disappear with no hope of returning. It is a metaphor for a woman getting married.
“……”
Yu Wanyin immediately smiled and said, “As long as Your Highness likes it.”
Alright already, your pants are already on the ground.
Although she still couldn’t figure out how a fictional character could identify three transmigrators, she remained fearful in the face of this dangerous creature whose skills were clearly superior to her own.
But after these days of coping with challenges, her courage grew inch by inch. Finally, she decided to take a crucial step: she was going to deceive him.
She wagered that Prince Duan had no concept of “transmigrators.” Because in the original text, Xie Yong’er never revealed her background to him. Every time she proposed an idea, she only vaguely said, “I figured it out.”
So in his eyes, was Xie Yong’er a reincarnation of Zhuge Liang, or a cunning and mysterious entity?
Perhaps he himself was pondering this matter? Perhaps her slip of the tongue that day, “different species,” had sparked his imagination even more?
There was another question. Prince Duan already had Xie Yong’er, who served him wholeheartedly, yet he didn’t trust her entirely and still came to recruit Yu Wanyin. No matter how clever he was, he couldn’t just deduce himself to be one level above Xie Yong’er out of thin air. So why was he so determined about himself?
Yu Wanyin decided to probe into Prince Duan’s inner world.
She took a deep breath quietly and slowly asked a question she had been pondering for days.
“When did you open your divine eye?” She asked.
“……”
In that half-second, Yu Wanyin seemed to see the gears spinning so fast inside Prince Duan’s handsome head they were almost sparking.
“Not long ago.” Xiahou Bo calmly replied.
“I thought as much. Your Highness suddenly pointed out my ability to foresee some future events, which startled me. Upon reflection, I realised Your Highness has already glimpsed the greater truth. Yet Your Highness’s demeanour and actions showed no change at all, which was unlike us. That’s why I hesitated to acknowledge it.”
Xiahou Bo’s gears spun rapidly in his mind once again. “To avoid unnecessary complications, I had to disguise it a bit. My apologies if it seemed misleading.”
“I see. So, can we speak frankly now? I wonder, Your Highness, what else have you foreseen?”
Xiahou Bo remained composed. “Wanyin, how do you think I found you today?”
“Apart from that?” Yu Wanyin suspiciously asked.
Xiahou Bo hesitated, clearly cautious not to say too much.
Yu Wanyin’s train of thought was straightforward: according to the original work, Prince Duan should be focused on dismantling the Empress Dowager’s faction and not at all on the mad Emperor. His suspicions arose because he unexpectedly found that Xiahou Dan and the two concubines, Yu and Xie, were acting differently from usual. Moreover, Xie Yong’er’s prophetic advice made him further suspect that all three were far from ordinary individuals.
To continue concealing her abilities, she needed to allay his suspicions. However, asserting “I’m just ordinary” or “My abilities are insignificant” would only arouse further doubt.
Instead, she decided to tactfully deceive him, leading him to conclude that “so-called divine sight” wasn’t such a big deal after all.
Persisting in her approach, Yu Wanyin gently probed, “Your Highness has just opened your divine sight, and you’re still adjusting, right? Perhaps you sometimes see strange scenes in your dreams but aren’t sure what they mean?”
Xiahou Bo, taking the bait, replied, “Yes, they often appear vague.”
Yu Wanyin nodded knowingly, “Interpreting dreams is a profound art; no one can say for certain. It’s said that those with the highest attainment can see through all beings and phenomena, penetrating all illusions with a mere blink. But in reality, everyone’s aptitude varies, and what one can see differs greatly.”
Feigning deep concern, she inquired further, “As an imperial prince, can Your Highness foresee things of greater significance?”
Xiahou Bo understood her angle now. What he saw, she couldn’t see, so he could say almost anything.
Xiahou Bo teased, “I fear it might sadden you to hear.”
Yu Wanyin, “!”
“But please, go ahead.” Yu Wanyin nervously replied.
Xiahou Bo slowly clasped his hands behind his back, “I saw raging wars, countless casualties, and the end of our dynasty. Wanyin, I also saw Xiahou Dan hastily fleeing the palace, without you by his side.”
Well, their perspectives are indeed different. Even in the art of lying, their styles vary greatly, with Xiahou Bo effortlessly creating a grand scene as soon as he opens his mouth.
Yu Wanyin summoned all her acting skills, cultivating an expression of bewildered suspicion.
Xiahou Bo remained in character, “Didn’t you see it?”
“I…” Yu Wanyin hesitated, “I can only see some recent trivial matters.”
“For example?”
Yu Wanyin pondered for a moment. “Once, I saw in a dream that Xie Yong’er was meticulously embroidering a sachet. That seems like the one on Your Highness’s waist.”
Xie Yong’er embroidered this sachet in secret, even her closest maidservants were unaware. Yu Wanyin knew this because that’s exactly how it was written in the original book.
With a hint of jealousy, Yu Wanyin added, “Your Highness mentioned before that Xie Yong’er also has the ability of clairvoyance? How did she get to know you, and why would she embroider a sachet to show her goodwill towards you?”
Xiahou Bo found himself believing Yu Wanyin’s statement a bit more, but he maintained a gentle demeanour. “It must have been a mistake.”
“Impossible! I clearly saw the embroidery on that sachet!” Yu Wanyin insisted.
“Oh? Are all your visions that clear?” Xiahou Bo continued to assess.
“Um…” Yu Wanyin’s brain began to race at high speed. “I remember clearly, there was another time when I distinctly saw Your Highness being ambushed.”
Xiahou Bo, “?”
Yu Wanyin continued, “At that time, I had just entered the palace, and Your Highness should have still been stationed at the border. I saw a burly man attacking from behind. Fortunately, Your Highness reacted quickly and defended against it… After that, I woke up in a fright, worried sick. Luckily, Your Highness returned safely later.”
Xiahou Bo recalled what she had mentioned. She had seen General Luo, someone he was quite familiar with, as they often sparred together. The so-called “attack” was just a playful encounter.
So, she did have some sort of clairvoyance, but it only allowed her to see fragmented images. As for the meaning behind these images, it wasn’t always clear or accurate.
Analysing quietly, Xiahou Bo asked, “Wanyin, has His Majesty ever told you what he saw?”
Yu Wanyin was prepared with an answer to this question, saying, “Once he woke up startled, saying he saw me as his empress, bringing prosperity to the nation.”
Xiahou Bo remained sceptical. “Wanyin is clever. Even without clairvoyance, she must see that the Great Xia is currently facing internal and external troubles, far from signs of rejuvenation. Since His Majesty woke up startled, how was his expression at that time?”
Yu Wanyin bowed her head sorrowfully.
Xiahou Bo continued in a tone akin to ‘Your company is going bankrupt; come work for mine’. “After experiencing the ups and downs in the palace, do you still see His Majesty as a benevolent and wise ruler?”
“…I am just a poor soul who glimpsed a tiny bit of the divine plan by chance. The distant future is like a fog to me. What does Your Highness seek from me?”
Xiahou Bo narrowed his eyes, looking at her pale face hung low.
Today, she had dressed as the Peony Fairy for the Flower Feast, exuding a majestic aura in gold and red. Yet her expression resembled a frostbitten eggplant, seemingly obedient without any ideas of her own.
She was completely different from the woman at the lake that day.
That day, standing on the shore, he had heard her heartbreaking cry of “Fuck him!,” which he still suspected he might have misheard. But that fearless aura had pierced through, as if she had broken free from shackles from within, radiating a brilliance that made one inexplicably… want to seize that light.
A moment later, Yu Wanyin returned to the Noble Consort’s Hall with a grim face.
Xiahou Bo continued, “A few days ago, I dreamed of His Majesty and you boating on the lake, talking to several commoners. I was worried about your safety after leaving the palace, so I sent someone to check. Unexpectedly, there was a skilled person by His Majesty’s side who, without a word, killed many of my Shadow Guards.”
“……”
She had never seen such shamelessness before.
Xiahou Bo even asked her as if it were perfectly natural, ‘Who did you meet? Who was that skilled individual? Have you seen them before, Wanyin?’
Yu Wanyin wanted to evade a direct confrontation for now. She couldn’t afford to tear things apart just yet, so she reluctantly said, “I just wanted to learn a little tune, and His Majesty casually picked a few commoners to teach me. As for that skilled individual, I have never seen him in the palace.”
“Is that so? Can’t you use your ‘divine eye’ to find out where he is?” Xiahou Bo pressed on.
“Your Highness, surely you know that the images in dreams are fantastical, bestowed by the heavens, beyond our control.” Yu Wanyin hurriedly replied.
Xiahou Bo was momentarily blocked.
He fell silent for a moment, then reached out and gently touched her face with pity. “Try for me, alright? Perhaps soon you will realise who truly cares for you.”
Yu Wanyin summoned all her self-restraint to keep from stepping back. What he was really saying was ‘My patience is not unlimited.’
Once back in the Noble Consort’s palace, Yu Wanyin called a trusted Shadow Guard “Place more warding talismans and anti-evil artefacts along the path Consort Xie must pass.” she instructed him.
Yu Wanyin cryptically replied, “She knows herself.”
The guard asked again, “Are there any special requirements for these talismans?”
Yu Wanyin responded coldly, “Nothing special. The scarier they look, the better. Also, add some talismans that depict Taoist masters slaying demons. The worse the fate of demons, the better.”
Prince Duan was meticulous in his thoughts, trusting no one, not even Xie Yong’er completely, hence why he sought her out as a backup. If he bought her bluff, he wouldn’t accept everything she said outright and would turn to Concubine Xie for verification.
Therefore, she needed to intimidate Xie Yong’er beforehand, enough to keep her from spilling everything when confronted by Prince Duan later.
As for whether she would fabricate lies or her story would hold up, that wasn’t something Yu Wanyin insisted on. Since Prince Duan didn’t trust her anyway, truth and falsehood blurred together. Let him speculate as he pleased.
If he completely lost trust in Xie Yong’er’s predictions, that would actually be great news.
Throughout the day, wherever Xie Yong’er went, she encountered eerie and unsettling things. Books that appeared out of nowhere continued to threaten her, “You demon, you’re marked. You’ll be burned alive with talismans.”
Who was behind this? Who wanted to harm her?
Was it because the Emperor suspected the origin of her singing and dancing? No, with the Emperor’s temperament, if he had suspicions, he would have disposed of her directly without such elaborate hints.
Was it some jealous consort? No, a consort would only secretly report to the Emperor. There was no need to alert her.
It wasn’t until evening when Duan Wang came to meet her in secret. They were deep in poetic conversation under the moonlight when he suddenly asked, “Yong’er, have you ever mentioned that you often foresee things?”
Xie Yong’er froze completely.
Yes, she had only told him about that.
Could it be that people in ancient times couldn’t accept such claims and directly labelled her as a demon? Were those protective talismans used to suppress her?!
Xie Yong’er stuttered, “…not often… and they’re not always accurate…”
“When you foresee, what does it feel like? Do you hear celestial sounds?”
Xie Yong’er dared not tell the truth anymore. She vaguely replied, “It’s not that mystical, just a vague feeling.”
“A feeling?”
“Yeah…”
Xiahou Bo glanced at her, his gaze lingering on her clenched and pale fingers. He reached out and held her hand gently, saying softly, “Don’t be afraid. I will keep your secret.”
Then why did you test me? Amidst Xie Yong’er’s panic, she felt a sense of grievance. She had planned everything for him wholeheartedly, yet in the end, she couldn’t get a straightforward confession. This person’s thoughts were truly unfathomable.
“Yong’er, can you figure out what His Majesty is planning?”
Xie Yong’er hesitated, “It seems like nothing particularly special.”
In the original work, the Emperor basically did nothing but indulge in eating, drinking, and revelry, waiting to be overthrown.
Could it be that he recently did something, but she forgot after reading the original novel?
Fearful that Prince Duan might think she was slacking off, Xie Yong’er added, “Some things cannot be foreseen. Whether it’s accurate or not depends on the will of heaven… Actually, accuracy also depends on the will of heaven.”
Yu Wanyin persuaded Prince Duan to leave and kept a low profile for several days.
The library was still under repair, leaving her with no books to read, so she could only hide away and practice writing. Sometimes Xiahou Dan would accompany her in practice, but not every day.
To facilitate monitoring Xie Yong’er, his current role was to ‘swing between Noble Consort Yu, the White Rose, and Xie Yong’er, the Red Rose.’ One day he would bestow jewellery on her, and the next day he would push her on a swing. The palace knew that the tyrant’s spring had come, and even his temper had improved somewhat.
However, in reality, Yu Wanyin hadn’t found back the lively warmth of those early days spent eating hotpot together in private.
Prince Duan asked her about Bei Zhou, clearly intending to force her into becoming a spy.
The more she refused, the more wary Prince Duan became of Xiahou Dan. Once he realised that Yu Wanyin would not be manipulated, he would strike decisively, much like what happened to Xu Yao.
So now… was she going to be a double agent?
As a mere office worker, where did she get the ability to do this? Moreover, with two Xiahous involved, one being an iron-hearted ruthless man and the other now unpredictable to her.
But he didn’t really have clairvoyance. How did he find his way to the lakeside? Could Xiahou Dan have deliberately led him there?
Yu Wanyin felt increasingly lonely and weary.
Xiahou Dan clearly sensed her avoidance but didn’t say anything about it.
That day, he took Yu Wanyin into the study, replacing the guarding attendants with Shadow Guards, then spoke in a low voice, “Those five scholars have successfully entered the court and secured minor official positions in various departments. Today, I’ve called two of them here for a small meeting.”
Li Yunxi and the others were adept in administration or finance, but all came from humble backgrounds. They couldn’t find a way through official channels nor pass the seemingly illusory imperial examinations.
So Xiahou Dan personally intervened, changing their names, fabricating identities, and providing them with a sum of money to buy official positions with grain.
In the past, the scholars would have scoffed and walked away upon hearing about obtaining office in such a manner. But after experiencing the incident at the lake, they had clearly matured.
The visitors were Li Yunxi and Cen Jintian. Dressed in court attire with official hats, they looked completely different from their previous selves in plain clothes, now exuding an air of officialdom.
Xiahou Dan quickly waived their formalities, “Gentlemen, please be seated.”
Yu Wanyin was familiar with group meetings and took a seat at the lower end, arranging her writing tools ready to take notes.
However, Li Yunxi looked up and caught sight of her, incredulously widening his eyes, “Noble Consort Yu is also here?”
Xiahou Dan asked, “What?”
Li Yunxi’s stubbornness surged again, actively seeking trouble, “This humble official earnestly requests Noble Consort to withdraw.”
Xiahou Dan, “?”
Seeing this, Cen Jintian couldn’t stand it anymore and tugged at his sleeve.
Ignoring him, Li Yunxi continued, “Consort Yu listened in on the boat that day, which was already an overstep. Today, entering the Imperial Study, participating in palace politics. What decorum is this?”
Xiahou Dan casually smashed the tea cup near his feet, “Get out.”
Li Yunxi seemed almost eager for this chance to display his dignity, tears in his eyes as he knelt down and banged his head, “Your Majesty, this humble official is willing to die in remonstration!”
Xiahou Dan, “……”
Today, this arrogant showman had finally met his match.
Yu Wanyin didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.
She had read the original text and knew Li Yunxi’s stubborn temperament well. firmly believing he was the most just person under heaven, destined to die heroically for glory in the great hall.
So she leisurely turned her hand over, gently touching the scab that hadn’t completely fallen off yet. “I forgot to ask earlier, how was Minister Li’s injury after falling into the water that day? Is it much better now?”
Li Yunxi remained silent.
Yu Wanyin reached out to pour tea for him. “Minister Li, please calm down. It’s not too late to remonstrate again. Oh dear.” She trembled and spilled half a pot of tea on the table, sighing deeply. “Looks like this hand is useless now.”
“…”
Pouring another half cup of tea with great care, Yu Wanyin stood up and handed it to him personally. “Minister Li, please have some tea first. This Noble Consort will take her leave now.”
“…………”
“Wanyin!” Xiahou Dan sighed deeply, “You’ve devoted yourself for the country and the people, I have seen it all. Why bother with this ungrateful villain?”
Yu Wanyin smiled sadly. “This humble woman is just a woman. Perhaps there is no place for me in this nation and family affairs. Great kindness and righteousness have nothing to do with me.”
Xiahou Dan said, “Sit down, come sit next to Us. For someone who can’t grasp even this basic principle, let him knock himself out if he wants to.”
Li Yunxi’s face turned as red as a pig liver, unable to utter a word for a while.
Yu Wanyin thought this person still had some usefulness; she didn’t want him to burst a blood vessel and die. Just as she was about to say something comforting to placate him…
Bang! He forcefully knocked his head on the ground again, making a loud sound, “Your Majesty is righteous, this humble official is willing to die to apologize!”
Yu Wanyin, “?”
So, you just want to die?
In the end, everyone settled down with their tea and began the meeting.
Yu Wanyin raised the most important question first. “Minister Cen, I heard that you… um, are very skilled in farming?”
According to the original description, this sickly scholar’s interests were uncommon. Perhaps because he knew he wouldn’t live long, he didn’t waste time on poetry and essays, nor did he enjoy discussing politics generously. Since his youth, he had travelled extensively, not just for leisure but also with a hoe on his shoulder, farming whenever he arrived at a new place. though Yu Wanyin wondered how this frail man managed to farm.
Cen Jintian hurriedly replied, “This humble servant is not good at farming. These years of visiting fields were for this reason.” and presented a thick volume to Xiahou Dan.
Xiahou Dan flipped through it and exclaimed, “How long has Minister Cen been keeping this record?”
Cen Jintian replied, “Approximately ten years.”
“What the Ministry of Revenue hasn’t been able to achieve, Minister Cen has accomplished. I am truly ashamed,” Xiahou Dan said with admiration.
In fact, Yu Wanyin roughly knew about Cen Jintian’s research methods. Simply put, he had established small experimental fields across various regions of Great Xia, planting a variety of staple crops, then controlling variables to study the effects of soil, climate, planting times, irrigation methods, and other factors on crop yields.
Ten years later, he had developed a theoretical framework on what crops should be grown in various regions and how they should be cultivated.
When Yu Wanyin was reading, she didn’t pay much attention to someone like Cen Jintian, the only part that left any impression was his regretful death.
Now she held his notes like a lifeline, hands trembling she said. “Minister Cen, do these crops include Yan millet?”
“Yan millet? There are only scattered records of it. This plant is not commonly seen in Great Xia; it’s mostly considered a weed used for feeding livestock…”
Yu Wanyin grew anxious. “Then what about other drought-resistant crops?”
Cen Jintian’s expression shifted slightly. “Why does Lady Yu ask about this?”
Yu Wanyin glanced at Xiahou Dan.
Xiahou Dan, massaging his temples with one hand, replied, “According to the Qintian Observatory’s calculations, the celestial omens are unfavourable. There are signs of a severe drought in the next two years.”
Both officials turned pale instantly.
Xiahou Dan glanced lightly at them. “This matter is top secret.”
Historically, natural disasters were seen as punishment for an unjust ruler, often accompanied by political upheaval or even regime change. Yet now the ruler himself had spoken, as if predicting his own demise.
But Yu Wanyin still sought to establish something, “Your Majesty, are the Qintian Observatory’s predictions accurate?”
Xiahou Dan replied calmly, “They haven’t been wrong for many years.”
Even Yunxi dared not advise further. “I will never divulge a word.”
Xiahou Dan chuckled. “What’s there to fear? It hasn’t arrived yet. Let’s start preparing now so no one will starve when it does. Minister Cen?”
Cen Jintian gazed steadily at Xiahou Dan, as if inspired by something, he smiled, “I’ll go back and organise it. Although Yan millet may not taste good, it yields two to three crops a year. If widely planted, it can indeed be a lifesaver during drought.”
Yu Wanyin felt somewhat reassured by his calm demeanour, sensing that he wasn’t entirely clueless.
However, Yunxi interjected, “The Great Xia doesn’t have Yan millet. If we want to start planting now, we’ll need to collect seeds first.”
Yu Wanyin asked, “So we’ll have to obtain them from Yan Kingdom?”
Yunxi frowned. “Your Majesty, this is not the time to start a war!”
The Yan Kingdom’s constant invasions have strained the weakened Great Xia, making it difficult for the country to cope. The central army barely managed to repel the enemy once, and everyone was hoping for a peaceful few years on the border.
Moreover, with almost all military power in the hands of Prince Duan, Xiahou Dan couldn’t make any moves even if he wanted to.
Xiahou Dan waved his hand. “No need for warfare.” He knew that when Yu Wanyin mentioned ‘obtaining’, she was definitely thinking about diplomacy. It seemed another big drama was about to unfold.
But that matter didn’t require consultation with these two. Xiahou Dan deflected for now. “Let’s set aside the issue of seeds for the moment. Minister Li, assuming we have obtained enough seeds, what’s the next step?”
“The next step?”
“We can’t let anyone know about the impending drought. How do we convince the people to plant Yan millet when the time comes?”
Li Yunxi echoed Yu Wanyin’s previous words. “Perhaps the court could purchase…”
“The treasury is empty. The court has no money,” Xiahou Dan stated emotionlessly, dropping another bombshell.
Silence followed.
Cen Jintian glanced silently at the tightly closed doors of the study.
Would they both walk out of here alive after today’s discussion? How many more years could this dynasty endure, and would it be enough for him to farm?
Li Yunxi furrowed his brow, deep in thought, and remained silent for a while.
Yu Wanyin had put in a lot of effort to find these experts, only to see them helpless. She couldn’t help but feel disheartened. “Minister Li…”
Li Yunxi raised his head. “How about using the Zhongfa* method?”
*The exact terms were 中法如何 Zhong fa ru he. I have no idea what it means and internet search has lead me to chinese-french related things because 中法 can be short for 中国和法国 which means china and france.
Xiahou Dan, “…”
Xiahou Dan, “Using the what?”
In the end, Li Yunxi spent two hours explaining details and answering questions.
After he and Cen Jintian left, Xiahou Dan slid down from his seat, groaning, “My head…”
Yu Wanyin’s expression was solemn. She paused for a few seconds before asking, “Does it hurt a lot?”
Half-leaning on the chair, Xiahou Dan glanced at her with a hint of expectation. “A bit.”
Yu Wanyin paused again, then silently sat beside him, gently massaging his temples with her hand.
Xiahou Dan closed his eyes, his face relaxing slightly, a faint smile curling his lips. “Thank you, beloved consort.”
“It’s all within the duties of this humble concubine.”
Xiahou Dan chuckled softly.
Yu Wanyin rubbed her temples and commented, “I think these few ministers are quite reliable. We should follow their suggestions step by step. Who knows, we might really be able to prevent the drought.”
“And Prince Duan.”
“And Prince Duan.” Yu Wanyin repeated.
Xiahou Dan, feeling weary, tilted his head and closed his eyes, murmuring, “I’ve been thinking lately, now that we have Xu Yao’s book, and have gotten extra assistance, can’t we thwart Prince Duan’s actions one by one?”
“No way. At most, we can thwart him once.” Yu Wanyin then recounted the joke about ‘opening the divine eye’ to him. “Prince Duan is already watching me closely, but he’s uncertain of my abilities and whether I can be of use to him. If I fail once, he’ll blacklist me completely. After that, he’ll change all his plans again and add a bunch of deceptions just to guard against me.”
“So, we can only let him do his thing.” Xiahou Dan remarked.
“It’s no big deal. Most of his current plans are aimed at the Empress Dowager. Let them fight each other for now, while we lay low and develop quietly. We’ll reserve that one opportunity to thwart him for a critical moment.”
Xiahou Dan remained silent.
Yu Wanyin stared at the notes on the table, lost in thought for a moment, before realizing it had become too quiet and looked down.
Xiahou Dan had already lifted his eyelids, his ink-black eyes quietly looking at her.
Yu Wanyin stiffened. “What’s wrong?”
“Today’s progress was significant, yet you don’t seem very happy.”
Yu Wanyin forced a smile. “Not at all. Congratulations to you for finally getting strong allies. You won’t be fighting alone anymore.”
Xiahou Dan smiled slightly and slowly straightened up. “Wanyin, who do you think leaked the news of our meeting on the lake to Prince Duan?”
Yu Wanyin’s heart skipped a beat. “I haven’t figured it out either.”
“You think it was me, don’t you?”
“……”
Xiahou Dan understood. “You think that to compete with Prince Duan in ruthlessness, I would sacrifice a close confidant and all the people who could potentially benefit him. Oh, by the way, do you also think that I had set fire to the library? After all, the result forced Xu Yao into a corner, and he did hand over the book.”
Yu Wanyin was shocked. “Absolutely not.”
Xiahou Dan’s expression was very unfamiliar to her at that moment. His eyes seemed especially dark, so dark that they lost all reflection. His already vividly dramatic features looked as though they belonged to a ferocious painted mask. “Your thoughts are written all over your face, Wanyin.”
The hairs on the back of Yu Wanyin’s neck stood on end, a reflex that was usually reserved for Prince Duan.
She wanted to laugh it off and ask him, “Why are you acting in front of me too?” but her lips and teeth seemed suddenly frozen.
Xiahou Dan looked at her for a long time before softly speaking. “Have you ever thought that maybe your suspicion was also part of Prince Duan’s plan? He didn’t know who we met on the lake, and he wanted to kill them to intimidate us. But when he heard your outraged cries, he suddenly realised that it was a perfect opportunity to sow discord between us.”
“What…”
“He deliberately retreated, making the outcome advantageous for me. Because he judged that, compared to a few commoners, your loyalty was more crucial to him. And when you saw how much I benefited from Du Shan’s death, how could you still cooperate with me without any reservations?”
Yu Wanyin was speechless.
Xiahou Dan spread his hands. “A person can prove they did something, but they can’t prove they didn’t do something. If I say I didn’t leak the location, would you believe me?”
Yu Wanyin knew what she had to do now.
She should put on an expression of sudden realisation and heartfelt repentance, cursing Prince Duan’s treachery in front of Xiahou Dan, and then reconcile with him.
She had performed this act several times in front of Prince Duan and was already very skilled at it.
But she didn’t want to.
Even in front of this obviously unusual Xiahou Dan, she didn’t want to.
Perhaps the mental stress of acting on both sides had finally reached a breaking point that she could barely control the words rushing from her lips. “It’s not because of Du Shan. not just because of Du Shan.”
Perhaps because the mental strain of acting on both sides had finally accumulated to a breaking point. She could hardly control the words that came out of her mouth. “It’s not because of Du Shan. not just because of Du Shan.”
“Hmm?”
“That day on the boat, we talked with the scholars for two whole hours. Today in the Imperial Study we talked another two hours about taxation. You said a lot, displayed much knowledge, but your economic understanding is almost as poor as mine.”
“……”
“Which company are you the CEO of? What business does that company do? When did it go public? What was its stock value before you came here?”
“……”
I can’t keep asking, Yu Wanyin thought. He’ll kill you.
But she distinctly heard her own voice asking, “Who exactly are you?”
For a long five seconds, a thought flashed through Xiahou Dan’s mind: just tell her everything.
But he couldn’t.
Even if Yu Wanyin had no choice but to cooperate with him, he couldn’t.
Telling her everything would mean that her small, fragile trust and closeness would be completely shattered from then on.
Translation by Spider
Next: Chapter 7
Previous: Chapter 5