Chapter 96
Chapter 96
Wang Lian shouted at the top of his lungs.
“How was it? How was it?”
“Brother Wang Lian, you are magnificent. To castrate yourself with your own hands. A true man. I, your humble brother, am so impressed I could get on my knees and bow until my head touched the ground. But Brother Wang Lian, there’s something I forgot to mention. Before you woke up, I had already injected the poison into your bloodstream, so cutting it off is useless. In the end, the dreadful disease will spread throughout your body, and you will die a most miserable death.
Your misery is my delight, and now that I am satisfied, I shall take my leave! You can stay here and wait for the day you rot to death. I’ll have someone bring you meals. In your next life, never anger a handsome man like me. All handsome men are sensitive.”
After speaking, Shen Lang strutted away with a flourish. The door was firmly locked, and after a while, two physicians, clad in protective gear from head to toe, entered to stop Wang Lian’s bleeding and suture his wound.
“Ah… Ah… Argh…”
The physicians finished their treatment and left, leaving Wang Lian to his frenzied madness. Perhaps death would have been a kinder fate.
* * *
“Thank you, ladies.”
Shen Lang bowed to the four beauties. The one who seemed to be the leader spoke.
“It was nothing. It’s a pleasure to be able to help a man as handsome as you, Young Master, before we die.”
The second beauty gritted her teeth and wept.
“Young Master Shen, do you know where we caught this filthy disease? It was from a man that Wang Lian brought. In the past, when he lost a poetry competition, I couldn’t help but laugh once, and this was his revenge on me.”
So that was why she had kept her face covered—to prevent Wang Lian from recognizing her. Shen Lang spoke with a sorrowful expression.
“Ladies, if this were another world, I could have cured your illness. But here, I cannot. I am sorry!”
They didn’t understand his words, but they could see the pain in his heart. Shen Lang said gently,
“I have prepared a quiet house with a courtyard for you. It is filled with flowers and plants, and I will have someone deliver food, beautiful clothes, and even rouge and powder every day. You four may spend your remaining days there in peace. I will also send money to your parents and families so they can live out their twilight years in comfort.”
The lead beauty said with tears in her eyes, “Thank you, Young Master.”
Then, she smiled prettily.
“Young Master Shen, if there is a next life, and my body is pure then, I will meet you again and spend three days and three nights with you, without letting you sleep.”
“Your words are making me hard!”
Shen Lang’s words were the highest form of praise, showing that he did not discriminate against them for their illness but saw them as he would any other woman. The few pitiful beauties let out a “pfft” of laughter, but tears soon streamed from their eyes. They then took a step back, afraid that even their breath might infect Shen Lang.
‘What a lovely man. I’m so envious of Jin Mulan. To have a husband so handsome, intelligent, charming, warm, and gentle.’
* * *
After the engagement banquet last night, Zhang Jin had ridden to Nujiang Commandery without rest or sleep. He arrived at the Prefect’s estate before dawn. His father, Zhang Chong, had not slept either; he was staring blankly at an urgent dispatch from the capital.
‘Prince Gong has rebelled! What a terrifying storm this will unleash. How many people will be implicated and die? What changes will this bring to the court? Everything is shrouded in fog, I cannot see a step ahead!’
Zhang Jin rushed in and immediately knelt before his father.
“Father, we have failed in our joint attack on the Count of Xuanwu’s Estate. Please forgive me.”
Zhang Chong nodded. He had already anticipated this outcome. He had long since discovered the words Shen Lang had hidden in the book as an acrostic poem: “Heaven shall punish Prince Gong.” He had recognized it as an opportunity to kill Shen Lang and drag down the Count of Xuanwu’s Estate with him.
But instinctively, he had sensed not joy, but the strong scent of a conspiracy. The first thing he did was divide his men into several groups. The first group was sent to the Governor-General’s office, the second to the capital, and the third to the State of Nan’ou to investigate the truth. He had seen the possibility of Prince Gong’s rebellion in Shen Lang’s acrostic poem.
Prince Gong had gained widespread fame among the common people through his relationship with the King and Princess Ningluo. But while that image might deceive the common folk and newly appointed scholar-officials like Li Wenzheng, it could not fool a cunning and shrewd titan of power like Zhang Chong.
Although Zhang Chong found it hard to believe that Prince Gong would openly rebel, he had acted with caution. That was why he hadn’t ordered Zhang Jin to reveal the acrostic poem and deliver a fatal blow to Shen Lang himself, but had instead found an idiot like Li Wenzheng to do the job. Zhang Chong’s sense of crisis and political acuity were truly astonishing. When the dreaded event actually occurred, Zhang Chong was stunned. To think Prince Gong had truly and openly rebelled! This would drastically alter the political landscape of the State of Yue.
How could Shen Lang, a mere live-in son-in-law, have known this secret in advance? But more importantly, he had used this knowledge as an opportunity, setting a deadly trap in his book and waiting. Zhang Jin had nearly fallen into it. If Zhang Jin had fallen into that trap… the consequences were too terrifying to imagine. His own career path would have been jeopardized.
‘That son-in-law is truly remarkable!’
“Tell me everything that happened last night, in detail.”
Zhang Jin, still kneeling on the floor, recounted the events of the previous night from beginning to end.
“I have disappointed you, Father. Please forgive me.”
“No, it is not your fault. You have acted wrongly until now, but last night, you acted correctly.”
“But I was soundly defeated last night.”
“That is not your fault. It is because your opponent was too… formidable.”
That remark hit a sore spot, making Zhang Jin feel even more miserable.
“Remarkable, truly remarkable… It has been a long time since I have seen such a formidable young man. More important than talent is wisdom, and more important than wisdom is a ruthless heart and the viciousness to see things through. Truly astonishing. To think such a person is in the Count of Xuanwu’s Estate. A pity, what a pity!”
Zhang Chong caressed the copy of *Boundless Wind and Moon* in his hands, lavishing it with praise.
“If this man were with me, I could become prime minister within ten years.”
Zhang Jin gritted his teeth.
“I will find a way to kill Shen Lang.”
“You won’t be able to. Do you think a cunning fox like him would give you the chance to kill him? Has he slept with Jin Mulan? Did they say they have slept together?”
Prefect Zhang Chong’s question was so abrupt that it took Zhang Jin a moment to process it before he replied.
“I believe they have not.”
“Have they or have they not?”
“They have not.”
“Then go at once and call for your sister, Chunhua. Tell her to use any means necessary to get close to Shen Lang and sleep with him!”
Hearing his father’s words, Zhang Jin was both horrified and bewildered. But in the Zhang household, his father’s authority was absolute, so no matter how outlandish his words, he could not question them openly. However, he did not want Shen Lang to become his brother-in-law.
“Then what about Zhu Wenhua of the Viscount of Nanshan’s Estate?”
“Is he engaged to Chunhua? A woman is naturally meant to seize a better opportunity. What’s the big deal about meeting someone else?”
“Won’t we completely alienate the Viscount of Nanshan’s Estate by doing so?”
“In times like these, what is most important? Talent! If I can gain a talent like Shen Lang, what does it matter if I get on the bad side of the Viscount of Nanshan?”
Zhang Chong waved his hand and said, “Enough, we will not speak of this matter further.”
“Father, what about the joint attack on the Count’s estate?”
“We must continue the attack, but we will delay its execution for now. It is not strange that Prince Gong of the State of Nan’ou has plotted treason. His father was tricked and killed, and a century-old enterprise was stolen by the State of Yue; it is only natural that he would raise a rebellion. However, the incident happened sooner than expected, which will disrupt the implementation of the new policies and stir up a great storm.”
Zhang Chong understood the King’s intentions well. The plan was to marry Princess Ningluo to Prince Gong of the State of Nan’ou, and after a son was born, to have Prince Gong secretly die of illness. Then, the crown prince would be made the new king, with Princess Ningluo as regent. In this way, the State of Nan’ou would fall completely into the hands of the State of Yue.
But because Prince Gong had launched his rebellion early, the mask of harmony between them had been torn away. The fairy-tale story had turned into a complete lie. The entire State of Yue would be shaken by this event… and the political situation would undergo a drastic change.
“Back then, the first memorial to implement the new policies was submitted by Prince Gong. Now that he has committed treason, doesn’t that mean the new policies can no longer be implemented?”
“Not necessarily. When he submitted the memorial years ago, regardless of his own intentions, the new policies were originally the King’s will and hidden desire. However, there will be a change in the speed of their implementation.
Count Xuanwu will certainly not miss this opportunity. He will petition the King to completely strip Prince Gong of his honors. On the surface, this is an attack on Prince Gong, but in reality, it is an attack on the new policies. Since he was the first to propose the new policies, destroying his reputation is a way of signaling to everyone that the new policies proposed by Prince Gong are flawed…”
“Would a moderate conservative like Count Xuanwu engage in a power struggle with the King?”
“Do not underestimate Count Xuanwu. Though not a man of innate genius, he is a formidable person, upright and decisive.”
“But wouldn’t that be an affront to the King’s dignity?”
“Yes, but so what? The King has a knife to Count Xuanwu’s throat. Do you think the King would not permit him to strike back once? Prince Gong was a banner raised by the King, a banner that shone in all directions. Now that the banner has fallen, of course they will seize this chance to trample it.”
Zhang Jin couldn’t even imagine it.
‘But he’s the King, isn’t he? To a subject, isn’t the King higher than the heavens?’
“To a subject, the King is indeed higher than the heavens. But hundreds of years ago, the Jin Clan and the royal Ying Clan were partners. The Jin Clan’s great enterprise was built by their own strength, not bestowed upon them by the Ying Clan. Now that the King wants to take away the Jin Clan’s enterprise, it is only natural that they would fight back desperately.”
Zhang Jin looked at his father in bewilderment. His father was speaking from Count Xuanwu’s perspective.
“A statesman must be detached from emotion, for one must make decisions based on one’s position. Personally, I understand Count Xuanwu, but I am the sword in the King’s hand. If the King tells me to stab someone, I must stab him. My understanding or sympathy for the opponent will not make me spare them or strike less fiercely. In the eyes of a statesman, there is only one word: interest!”
“Father, thank you for your teachings. Then how do you think Count Xuanwu will contend with the King this time?”
“If my prediction is correct, Count Xuanwu will submit two memorials. The first will be to request that the King completely destroy Prince Gong’s reputation. This will be an affront to the King’s dignity, but His Majesty will have no choice but to agree. Since Prince Gong has committed treason, there is no justification for eliminating him without thoroughly destroying his reputation.
The second memorial will be to request that the King execute Li Wenzheng according to the laws of the state for colluding with Prince Gong in the rebellion. This second memorial is the crucial one. It is a signal that will determine whether the new policies will be suspended, and it is related to the entire political landscape of the State of Yue.”
“Li Wenzheng is not that valuable a figure, is he? Although he is a second-class Jinshi and a Silver-Clad Imperial Censor, he is an insignificant figure with no background, is he not?”
“This is the charm of politics. One must see through to the essence from small clues. Confronting the King too directly leaves no room for retreat, so one chooses a small figure and a minor incident to probe the other’s intentions. It is about seeing the greater picture through the smaller details.”
At moments like these, Zhang Jin was grateful to have a good father who imparted political lessons to him. It was because of such a father that even though Zhang Jin had suffered repeated losses, he had not made an irreversible mistake at a critical moment.