Chapter 260
Chapter 260
The Grand Eunuch said.
“His Majesty the King wishes to ask you whether Shen Lang's actions were sincere or merely an act.”
“Tell His Majesty that Shen Lang was both sincere and acting.”
“What do you mean?”
“Everything he said was what he truly thought. However, he didn't have to say those things. The fact that he said them, knowing someone was watching him, is the act. It was likely to make the King believe he is a man who acts on emotion.”
“When he had an audience with His Majesty at the Hall of Benevolence, the King asked what he planned to do after taking Raging Tide City. He said he would kill Marquis Su Nan. Was that true?”
“It was sincere.”
“His Majesty wishes to know if Shen Lang has ambitions, if he is capable of treason.”
“If he is not pushed, he will never commit treason. If he is pushed, he will certainly plot treason!”
At that moment, the King's handsome face turned as cold as ice. He could not tolerate hearing the word ‘treason’.
“His Majesty wishes to ask: what are Shen Lang's ideals and goals?”
Zhang Chong thought for a long while before answering.
“To enjoy wealth and glory, and to never suffer any injustice.”
“What do you mean by not suffering any injustice?”
“If anyone crosses him, he kills them all.”
The King finally spoke.
“Then why did he not kill you?”
“Because this servant did not cross him.”
That was the truth. From beginning to end, Zhang Chong and Shen Lang had only been political adversaries; there was no personal grudge between them. Thus, when the contest was decided, they could smile and resolve their enmity. The King was toying with a porcelain cup in his hand. This porcelain was exceedingly rare, not only exquisitely crafted but also nearly transparent. Though it was porcelain, a single cup that looked like jade was worth several hundred gold coins. But such porcelain, while beautiful to behold, was prone to shattering at the slightest touch.
Shen Lang was like this porcelain cup—exquisite and brilliant. Everyone said he was too vulgar to look at, but the King could glimpse a refined and meticulous nature in him. The most difficult thing to find in this world was a meticulous and brilliant person.
After toying with the porcelain cup for a moment, the King asked Zhang Chong.
“Zhang Chong, do you think I should kill Shen Lang?”
After saying this, the King casually dropped his gaze to the teacup in his hand. At that moment, Zhang Chong realized he should not deliberate but answer immediately. The King thought differently from others. He wasn't looking for the correct answer, or the best answer. What he wanted... was a sincere one.
“You must not kill him.”
“Why not?”
“It would be best to use him. He is a sharp blade. He will be a sharper blade than this humble servant.”
* * *
Huang Feng and Thirteen stood like gatekeepers on either side, guarding the entrance to the study. The Jin Clan's villa in the capital was only a few dozen acres, not particularly large. It had been vacant for a long time, with only four or five old servants looking after it. When over a hundred people moved in, the entire estate became crowded.
Jin Mucong had also stayed here at first, but later moved into the dormitories of the Imperial Academy. Living alone in such a large estate was too lonely for him. The fatty was quite pitiful. When he first came to the capital, he had brought nearly twenty people with him, but a dozen or so had returned home. In the end, fewer than five people remained by his side, so living at the Imperial Academy was much livelier.
Every three to five days, the Fifth Prince, Ning Zheng, would send someone to escort Jin Mucong to the prince's residence. This was a gesture to show that the Fifth Prince was protecting him. It was as good as announcing to everyone: “The heir to the Count of Xuanwu's Estate is under my protection. If you want to touch him, you'd better consider your own standing.” Of course, Ning Zheng was not a particularly influential prince, but he was the King's son, after all.
In his study, Shen Lang was organizing his thoughts. First, the King would not kill him. This was because his response today had been flawless. Though tinged with a bit of acting, every word had been sincere. He had no ambition, so as long as others didn't push him, he would never even think of treason. If the King were to kill Shen Lang, it would be an act that would drive the Count of Xuanwu to rebel.
Count Jin Zhuo was a stubborn and persistent man. He was incredibly upright, but also uncompromising. If Shen Lang died, he would immediately change his stance and defect to the northern State of Wu. This would trigger another Yan Province incident, but in reverse—just as Yue had gained Yan Province when it defected from Wu, it would now lose Raging Tide City to Wu. Therefore, the lives and safety of Shen Lang and Jin Mucong were guaranteed.
But while his life was not in danger, that didn't mean his days would be peaceful and smooth. The Third Prince, the Crown Prince, the Xue Clan, and the Ying Clan—these four enemies would not miss such a golden opportunity. After Shen Lang's arrival in the capital, his father-in-law's promotion had become a foregone conclusion. If Shen Lang's predictions were correct, the King would ennoble Jin Zhuo as the Marquis of Raging Tide, making him govern Raging Tide City on behalf of the State of Yue.
However, the title ‘Marquis of Raging Tide’ was practically synonymous with Qiu Tianwei. Although the King had never promised to ennoble Qiu Tianwei, both the Third Prince and the Crown Prince had promised to make him the Marquis of Raging Tide if they ascended the throne. So, would Jin Zhuo want to use that title? He would want the title of Marquis of Xuanwu.
The current King wanted to reclaim the title of ‘Xuanwu’. Every time he passed through the Xuanwu Gate, he felt as if he were passing through the gates of the Jin Clan, which was quite awkward. Therefore, the probability of Jin Zhuo being ennobled as the Marquis of Raging Tide was one hundred percent. If Jin Zhuo refused the title, the King would have a ready excuse.
‘I intended to make you a marquis, but you were the one who refused it. It is not I who am being stingy.’
If that happened, the matter of ennobling the Count of Xuanwu as a marquis could fizzle out. Of course, the Count of Xuanwu didn't care whether he became a marquis or not; all that mattered was gaining legitimate control over Raging Tide City. But Shen Lang thought differently. How he loved vanity! How grand would it sound to be the live-in son-in-law of a marquis's estate?
Moreover, among the old noble families of the State of Yue, there weren't even enough marquises to count on two hands; including the Marquis of Zhenbei, there were no more than three. And the Marquis of Zhenbei, with his family's small fiefdom and few private soldiers, wasn't even considered part of the old nobility. In the end, if the Jin Clan was promoted to a marquisate, they would stand alongside the Su and Zhong Clans, known as the three great marquisates of the old noble families. Therefore, Shen Lang had to secure this ennoblement.
Furthermore, the title he wanted was Marquis of Xuanwu. This would make the power struggle with the King even more difficult, so he had to tread carefully. If Shen Lang's predictions were correct, the royal edict ennobling Jin Zhuo as the Marquis of Raging Tide was already written and just waiting to be dispatched. Therefore, Shen Lang's first mission in the capital was to secure the title of Marquis of Xuanwu for his father-in-law, not Marquis of Raging Tide. The latter title was not part of his mission.
His second mission was to eliminate the Su Clan. This was a monumental task. The Su Clan was a colossal power, an old noble family second to none, and a leader among them. Marquis Su Nan held the posts of Junior Tutor to the Crown Prince and Grand General of the Pacification Army, and his younger sister was the King's consort, Consort Su.
His third mission was to build up the power of the Fifth Prince, Ning Zheng. To strengthen the Fifth Prince's influence, he had to help him establish an office to handle military and state affairs and get him ennobled as a duke. Even Ning Jin, the son of a palace maid, had been made a duke, so how could it be that Ning Zheng still had no title at all? Of course, building up Ning Zheng's power was an incredibly difficult task.
Ning Zheng was a son neglected by the King, so he held no status whatsoever. Moreover, he had married the daughter of a mere merchant, so he had no powerful allies to support him. Raising such a prince to a high position was as difficult as climbing to the heavens. But wasn't creating miracles what Shen Lang did best?
But was Shen Lang the type of person who enjoyed helping others like this? Was he trying to build up Ning Zheng's power because he was moved by him? Of course not. To destroy the Su Clan, Shen Lang needed a powerful shield. He couldn't rely on the Third Prince or the Crown Prince, so he needed a protector. And if he didn't have one, he would just have to create one himself.
The Crown Prince had designs on Mulan, so Shen Lang would never stop fighting him until one of them was dead. The Third Prince was the backer of the Xue Clan, making him an enemy who also had to be killed. Whether it was destroying the Su Clan or the Xue Clan, the Fifth Prince, Ning Zheng, had to serve as the fulcrum. Therefore, the second and third missions were essentially intertwined.
Today, in the royal palace, before the King and countless eunuchs, Shen Lang had declared that he would kill Su Nan. Did he do this out of arrogance and recklessness? Of course not. His words would surely spread outside, and Su Nan, the Crown Prince, and the Third Prince would all hear them. Shen Lang had, in effect, declared war on them all.
‘Everyone, step aside. Our Jin Clan is about to go head-to-head with the Su Clan. Don't get involved; just stand by and watch.’
In the struggle for the throne, neither the Su Clan nor the Jin Clan had currently aligned with a specific prince. Therefore, a fight between these two families was a good thing for both the Third Prince and the Crown Prince. Even if they had been sharpening their blades to attack Shen Lang, they would pause after seeing this development. After all, everyone loves to reap the rewards of others' conflicts.
Shen Lang took out a brush, thought for a long time, and then wrote a name on a white sheet of paper. This was the name of the first ally he would make in the capital.
The Third Princess, Ning Yan.
That's right. The thrice-widowed princess whom Shen Lang had described as having a large, perky bottom and a decent waist, but thick thighs. Of course, she wasn't a real widow, but her relationship with her husband had long since soured beyond repair. She had declared in front of all the people of the capital that from that day on, she was a widow. This was tantamount to cursing her husband to death.
The current situation was one where they could neither divorce amicably nor reconcile. Feeling guilty toward her, the King let her do as she pleased. As a result, she had become a major troublemaker in the capital. Nevertheless, with her noble status and the King's trust, no one dared to scold or control her.
Shen Lang had chosen her as an ally after careful consideration. That was why, upon entering the capital today on Xuanwu Avenue, he had commented on Princess Ning Yan's large, perky bottom and thick thighs. And as if that weren't enough, he had even added a remark about how he'd been abstinent for so long that even a woman like her was enough to get him hard.