Chapter 106
Chapter 106
The reason Lin Zhuo was so confident was that while the Count of Xuanwu's Estate was a thorn in the King's side, the Count of Jing'an was the apple of his eye, a close confidant. Although the Count of Jing'an lacked a fiefdom and a private army, he commanded tens of thousands of troops, which made him look down on Count Jin Zhuo of Xuanwu. In his eyes, the downfall of the Count of Xuanwu's Estate was only a matter of time. If the Count of Jing'an was the King's attack dog, then Lin Zhuo was the Count's. It was only natural for him to pick a fight with Shen Lang.
"Shen Lang, they say a wise man knows when to yield. If you just bow your head and apologize to my father and me, you can take back the dozen or so cavalrymen from the Count of Xuanwu's Estate. Otherwise, I can't be sure what will happen to Jin Jianniang and the remaining soldiers tomorrow. Then everyone will say the Count of Xuanwu's Estate can't even protect its own men. Wouldn't that be a loss of face?"
Shen Lang looked at Lin Zhuo and smiled.
"I'll go back, think it over, and give you an answer tomorrow. How does that sound?"
"Excellent. Then I'll go prepare the official release documents and the firecrackers. I'll even invite witnesses to watch us bury the hatchet with a smile."
And with that, Shen Lang left the Thousand-Household command post. Seeing Shen Lang's dejected figure, Lin Zhuo felt immensely gratified.
*Hahahaha! Shen Lang, you too have days like this. It's great to have backing. I can do whatever I want. Shen Lang, your backer is no match for mine!*
In this moment of triumph, Lin Zhuo found himself thinking of Wang Lian in particular.
*Brother Wang Lian, where on earth are you? I miss you terribly. Remember how I used to fawn over you? And how you used to boast in front of me?*
Just then, one of Lin Zhuo's trusted men rushed in.
"Master, I've found out some news."
"Speak."
"On the day of Lord Zhang Jin's engagement banquet, after Wang Lian made a scene and left, he was reportedly kidnapped on the way. Someone at the banquet that day also saw the castle lord, Liu Chengyan, signal to one of his trusted warriors, who then promptly left his seat."
"So Wang Lian was kidnapped by Liu Chengyan after all. I hope he's not dead!"
***
Lin Zhuo's strike was so sudden that the Count of Xuanwu's Estate had no time to react. Once the King gave the signal, a multitude of people had indeed rushed forward, attacking as if to finish them off for good. Even a military magnate like the Count of Jing'an couldn't resist joining in, acting as the King's vanguard.
Under these circumstances, for the Count of Xuanwu to lead a large force to attack would be an act of madness. It would be tantamount to treason. The Count of Xuanwu's Estate had to be cautious, doing everything in its power to avoid following in the footsteps of the Count of Dongjiang.
The reason a mere Deputy Thousand-Household Commander like Lin Zhuo could act so fearlessly was because of the Count of Jing'an backing him. Moreover, there was an even more ominous sign. The Count of Jing'an and Zhang Chong had secretly allied, and in the north, the Jin Clan's old enemy, the Count of Jinhai, was also waiting. This wasn't just an attack from all sides; it was a siege from a hundred directions. But for Shen Lang, there was a way to break this encirclement without breaking a sweat!
***
Inside a secret room, Wang Lian, who had castrated himself, had already forgotten the pain of his emasculation. The pleasures of the flesh no longer held any appeal for him. This was because he had experienced a pleasure ten, a hundred times greater than anything carnal. He had opened the gates to a new world. After his self-castration, he had become addicted to the hallucinogen Shen Lang had given him. It was more potent than any narcotic. His body felt like it was floating through the cosmos, his soul detached and soaring, as if he had become an immortal.
*This feels good. Compared to this bliss, what is the love between a man and a woman? I, Wang Lian, have become an immortal.*
For half a month, Wang Lian became an immortal once every day, and nothing else felt meaningful. The moment of his daily ascension was the most beautiful time. For that moment, to receive the divine elixir from Shen Lang, he would do anything. If offered the emperor's throne, he wouldn't trade it for his immortal medicine. Perhaps all drug addicts were like him. They only desire the feeling of ascension, nothing else.
When Shen Lang found Wang Lian, his skin had become paler and smoother since his castration, and he was thinner, with a more feminine air. The various venereal diseases in his system had begun to act up, making urination an agonizing experience each time, but no rashes or symptoms had yet appeared on his body.
When Shen Lang appeared before him again, Wang Lian spoke fawningly.
"Benefactor... have you come to give me the immortal medicine?"
"I have. And starting tomorrow, I will triple your dose of immortal medicine."
Wang Lian was ecstatic.
"Thank you, Benefactor! Thank you!"
"Wang Lian, there is something I need you to do."
"I would gladly jump into a pit of fire for you."
"Your old friend Lin Zhuo has returned. He's made a name for himself as the son-in-law of the Count of Jing'an's Estate. He misses you dearly."
Though the drug had addled his mind, Wang Lian had a moment of clarity and said, "He'll want to show off in front of me. He used to grovel before me like a dog, so now that he's successful, he'll want me to grovel before him."
"Since he wants to see you, go and give him a surprise. Drink with him tonight, get him blind drunk, and in that state, slip the immortal medicine into his drink to make him lose consciousness."
Shen Lang paused for a moment before continuing.
"Then, sleep with Lin Zhuo, and the next day, scream and show everyone that Lin Zhuo has defiled you."
It would be a very interesting situation if someone from the Count of Jing'an's Estate happened to witness that scene. For a moment, Wang Lian's mind reeled. Even with his brain half-ruined, the thought still came to him: *My benefactor is truly vicious!*
Next, Shen Lang adjusted the dosage of the drug, getting Wang Lian high enough not to pass out. In an instant, Wang Lian once again threw open the gates to a new world.
*I, Wang Lian, have wasted over twenty years of my life. What use were my past achievements? What use is success? What use are women? They are all worthless. Immortality, this is immortality.*
For at least two hours, he felt as if there was nothing he couldn't do. His senses became acute, and everything around him seemed different. He looked at the sky through the window and walked with a light step. A few questions popped into his head.
*Who am I, Wang Lian? Where did I come from? Where am I going? What is the origin of time and space? What are the stars in the sky? When I, Wang Lian, die, will I become a star in the sky?*
After two hours, the feeling began to fade. Wang Lian went from a state of extreme, unparalleled excitement to one of endless despondency. He was the very picture of gloom and despair. In Shen Lang's plan, this was the best state for him to meet Lin Zhuo. Shen Lang handed a small pouch of powder to Wang Lian.
"You're not going to take this on the way, are you?"
"Benefactor, if you had given me this tomorrow, I would have certainly taken it. But since I just had a dose, I don't crave it yet. Besides, I want revenge on Lin Zhuo even more than you do."
*How could someone so insignificant in the past become the son-in-law of the Count of Jing'an's Estate and immediately be given a substantive Thousand-Household command? Why do you get to have it so good? If you're doing well, how can I be happy?*
Wang Lian bathed and changed into the silk robes he used to wear. His scholarly honors had been stripped and his official post was gone, so he was no longer qualified to wear official attire. He sat before a mirror and hesitated for a moment, but his hands, as if with a will of their own, ended up drawing his eyebrows and painting his lips. He then looked at his reflection in the mirror and gave a strange smile. It was a coquettish smile, like a woman's. The image of Jin Mulan came to his mind, but it wasn't her face he saw, but the clothes she wore. Wang Lian was inwardly horrified.
*Could it be? Has my body undergone a change?*
Next, unable to control his hands again, he applied rose-scented oil all over his body. Everything happened as if he were possessed. Two hours later, a different Wang Lian emerged from the room. Three or four horses awaited his choice. In the past, he would have chosen the largest and strongest among them. But now, for some unknown reason, as if possessed, he chose the most slender horse. It was so thin that its spine protruded.
Jin Zhong whispered quietly into Shen Lang's ear.
"Young Master, should we send someone to watch him? What if he tries to escape?"
Shen Lang was about to explain, but Wang Lian turned his head and spoke.
"Jin Zhong, how much longer do you think I have to live? Where could I possibly go?"
This was serious. Wang Lian's senses had all evolved to a heightened sensitivity; he could hear a soft whisper from that distance. What he said was the truth. Wang Lian would not live long, and having lost his honors and his post, where could he go? The only driving force in his life now was the daily hour of becoming an immortal. Real-life drug addicts would live with their enemies, even in a toilet, if it meant they could get their daily fix. That is why, for the sake of your family and your own life, you must never touch drugs.
***
Inside the barracks of the Yanshan Thousand-Household command post.
Lin Mo, the owner of the Gold Splendor Pavilion, came to see his son.
"Zhuo'er, are you sure this will be alright? In recent months, everyone who has become an enemy of Shen Lang has died."
"Father, the people Shen Lang killed all lacked backing."
Lin Zhuo had accidentally spoken the truth.
"Is Zhang Jin dead? What about Xu Qianqian? Or Zhu Wenhua? They're all still living well, aren't they? Now that the King has given the signal, they are all sharpening their knives, waiting to slaughter Shen Lang."
"I just wish we weren't taking the lead so much. Wouldn't it be better to let Zhang Jin deal with Shen Lang?"
"Father, my backer is the Count of Jing'an's Estate. My father-in-law is the General of the Northern Pacification, commanding an army of over thirty thousand. With everyone joining forces to attack the Count of Xuanwu's Estate, it's a great honor for me to be the vanguard. Do you think I need to be timid? Besides, Shen Lang already came to me, begging me to release the Count's cavalrymen. I refused him flatly, of course. He couldn't say a word in front of me. People like him are cowards in the face of strength."
Realizing he had been somewhat presumptuous in front of his father, Lin Zhuo picked up the teapot and poured a cup for Lin Mo, making up for his lack of courtesy.
"Father, how terrified were you because of Shen Lang? You even wrote a will and bought poison. You kept the doors of the Gold Splendor Pavilion shut for a month, not doing any business. Since you were so frightened because of him, shouldn't he pay the price? Our Lin Clan lost face because of Shen Lang, so we must get it back!
For our Lin Clan to regain its prestige and establish a foothold in Xuanwu City, we must rise by stepping on Shen Lang's head. Face must be reclaimed from where it was lost. Our Lin Clan will become a powerful and noble family in Xuanwu City, so our reputation is of the utmost importance."
Lin Mo agreed with his son's words, but a thought suddenly occurred to him, and he spoke up.
"By the way, Xu Guangyun came to see me yesterday. He proposed that our two families join forces to deal with the Count of Xuanwu's Estate and teach them a harsh lesson."
"Is that so! Attacking the Count of Xuanwu's Estate is the politically correct thing to do right now, so do it, even if it comes at a great cost. It seems Xu Guangyun has finally recovered from his dejection after the engagement banquet. The King's edict is truly powerful. In an instant, everyone's fighting spirit has soared."
"Have you heard that Li Wenzheng is dead? To think he slept with that Ha Wanwan... Now that Ha Wanwan is favored by the King, his death was inevitable, wasn't it?"
Lin Zhuo hesitated slightly before speaking.
"Not only that, but the fool didn't know his place and got involved in the power struggle between the Third Prince and the Crown Prince. He even secretly used sorcery to curse the Crown Prince. Because of that, the Third Prince had to kneel outside the King's chambers for six hours. Even if the King had spared that idiot Li Wenzheng, the Third Prince would have killed him. The King had him killed to prevent the curse incident from escalating into factional strife or civil unrest. The Crown Prince and the Third Prince must maintain a facade of brotherly love in front of the court officials, so the officials won't openly engage in factionalism."
Lin Zhuo quickly added, "Father, you must keep this to yourself. Do not, under any circumstances, spread this outside. The official story of Li Wenzheng's death is that he suffered a great shock that night and died suddenly of a heart attack. If his death were to be publicized, His Majesty might even issue a royal decree to posthumously promote him."
The matters of Li Wenzheng secretly cursing the Crown Prince or sleeping with Ha Wanwan would not be made public. Although he was killed by the King, the political signal the King was sending must not change.
"That's enough, Father. The person my father-in-law sent to discuss the wedding will be arriving at our home soon, so you should hurry back. It would be rude for you not to be there when a guest arrives."
Lin Mo quickly stood up and started walking out, then turned his head back.
"Zhuo'er, who do you think the Count of Jing'an's Estate will send to discuss the wedding with me?"
"They will probably send someone of a lower generation than my father-in-law from the main family."