Chapter Thirty-Four: Boss, Are You Planning Something? (Part Two)

Facing Wang Jingze’s furious rebuke, Xiao Yaoguang was not cowed but instead let out a mocking laugh.

He slowly set down his chopsticks, stood up, and pointed at Mingtian, addressing Wang Jingze: “Show me respect? First of all, we are high ministers of the state, yet you invite him—such a commoner with neither rank nor standing—to sit at the table. Is this what you call respect for me?”

Mingtian was taken aback and looked up.

The Prefect of Yangzhou, who always wore a face as if the world owed him two million coins, was pointing his finger straight at Mingtian’s nose.

Huh? Was that old ghost just insulting me? What did I ever do to you? Just lying here and taking a hit for nothing? So you think having status lets you act like this? I don’t see you flying to the heavens with your rear on fire.

Wang Jingze slammed the table, bellowing with a voice deep and resonant as a lion’s roar. Anyone less steady might have been quaking in their boots.

“Mingtian here saved my goddaughter’s life, and was personally chosen by Xinzhu as her consort. For these reasons alone, I, Wang Jingze, owe him a great debt!”

Well, this fellow is at least loyal, Mingtian thought, quietly eating his plum and saying nothing, waiting to see what this was all about.

These were all top figures; there was no way they’d be so riled up over trivialities.

Yet Xiao Yaoguang only sneered, his voice cool and indifferent: “Qi Guli, Wang Jingze, and you, Chen Xianda, I warn you—I belong to the Emperor. Don’t think I don’t know why you invited me here today.”

At this point, even Chen Xianda couldn’t keep his composure. Compared to Wang Jingze’s hot temper, Chen Xianda was calm and collected.

“Yaoguang, we’ve worked together for years. We both know the truth. The present Emperor of Qi is a tyrant, slaughtering royal kin and loyal ministers. The crown prince Xiao Baojuan is already infamous for his debauchery at a young age. The Emperor is gravely ill and won’t last long. If Xiao Baojuan succeeds to the throne, it will spell disaster for the entire realm.”

“Oh? Hahahahahaha…”

Xiao Yaoguang burst into wild laughter, so much so that Mingtian wondered if the man was deranged. Wouldn’t laughing like that hurt your lungs?

“You three care about the people; that has nothing to do with me. If you want to win me over, it won’t be so easy. Once Xiao Baojuan ascends, I will be Minister of Records of Qi! If you are wise and pledge allegiance to me, perhaps I’ll consider sparing your offices. Otherwise... hmph!”

Now, Xiao Yaoguang was utterly arrogant, showing not a trace of fear before Mingtian and the three senior officials, and even seeming to dominate the entire table.

“Foolish,” Yin Chan muttered while sipping water, so quietly only Mingtian could hear.

Mingtian could only shake his head. Xiao Yaoguang’s ignorance was inevitable; after all, he was a man of his own era, unaware of where history would lead.

Xiao Baojuan, the so-called Marquess of Donghun, was notorious for his cruelty; unlike many rulers who heeded only sycophants and ignored honest counsel, this one was utterly ungovernable and did as he pleased. Other foolish emperors might have been manipulated or captured, but not Donghun’s Marquess!

He was simply a madman; criticize him, and he’d have you killed; flatter him, he’d kill you all the same!

What makes Xiao Yaoguang think he can control such a lunatic emperor?

“Since you are so obsessed with rank, Yaoguang, there’s nothing more to discuss. Please see yourself out.”

As the eldest present, Qi Guli made a gesture of polite dismissal, maintaining the dignity of a senior throughout.

Xiao Yaoguang appeared entirely unconcerned by the invitation to leave. Before departing, he paused beside Mingtian.

“Kid, let me give you a word of advice: don’t get involved. Someone like you, I could crush with my little finger. Go home and farm quietly; the wine you drank and the dignitaries you saw today are enough for you to brag about for a lifetime.”

I’ve never met anyone so insufferably arrogant.

Mingtian’s mouth twitched. He looked up with a smile and replied, “Thank you for your advice. In return, allow me to compose a poem for you.”

Xiao Yaoguang was caught off guard, clearly not expecting a response. “What poem?”

“I have a friend, named Gongsun Yuan.” Mingtian recalled that fool who’d been slain by Anluo in the command tent, and, seeing a similarity in Xiao Yaoguang’s demeanor, decided to borrow a poem from his previous life and dedicate it to him.

Standing up, Mingtian noticed not only Xiao Yaoguang but also Wang Jingze, Qi Guli, and Chen Xianda all fixing their eyes on him.

Mingtian cleared his throat and recited with solemnity:

“My old friend strutted as you do,
Now the grass o’er his grave stands five feet high.
Let this be a warning to you—
If you ignore it, don’t blame me when you eat dirt.”

“You—” Xiao Yaoguang sputtered. Even if the word ‘strut’ didn’t exist in ancient times, anyone could tell he was being insulted. His beard bristled with rage.

Behind him, Wang Jingze and the others broke out in hearty laughter, all gloom swept away, praising Mingtian’s poem.

Xiao Yaoguang was clearly beside himself. How could he have expected this youngster to confront him so brazenly?

But with the three officials present, Mingtian knew that, arrogant as Xiao Yaoguang was, he wasn’t a fool; he wouldn’t dare cause a scene here. So, Mingtian allowed himself this small victory.

Compete with me in posturing? I’m a time-traveler! Since the dawn of time, posturing has been our sacred tradition, our exclusive right! Who are you, you old turtle, to posture before me? Not happy? Bite me if you can! Old coot!

“Fine, fine! Just you wait!” Knowing he’d get nowhere by losing his temper, Xiao Yaoguang flung his sleeve and stormed out.

With a thud, the heavy ancient sleeve landed, by mishap, squarely between Mingtian’s legs.

“Ahhh! My jewels!”

Mingtian instantly doubled over, the pain compounded by his still-healing wound from Cui Jue’s blade, rolling on the ground as Wang Jingze and the others winced, barely able to look, needing a while to recover themselves.

Clutching his precious parts, Mingtian limped back to his seat, only to find Wang Jingze, Qi Guli, and Chen Xianda regarding him with a peculiar, sympathetic gaze.

“Mingtian,” Wang Jingze finally spoke, with the silent approval of the others. “I have some bad news to tell you.”

“What bad news?”

Mingtian was more concerned about his future progeny than whatever they had to say. But seeing Wang Jingze’s troubled face and the silence among them, he sensed something was wrong.

Instinctively, he knew the bad news must concern him.

After a long pause, Wang Jingze took a sip of wine and said with difficulty, “Half an hour before you arrived, we received word. Xinzhu—the Princess of Jiangmen—has been taken by the Emperor of Qi as the crown prince’s consort.”

“What?!”

The tranquility shattered in an instant! The words “crown prince’s consort” struck Mingtian like a hammer from the heavens, breaking his world apart.

The Princess of Jiangmen… now the crown prince’s wife? How could this be… Wait, isn’t the princess related to the Emperor? She must be related to the crown prince by blood as well.

Not only Mingtian, but even Anluo dropped her wine bowl upon hearing the news.

With a crash, the shattering porcelain was the only sound in the room.

“In ancient royal families, to keep the bloodline pure, such close-kin marriages were common,” Yin Chan explained to Mingtian at just the right moment. “Do you know why the Princess of Jiangmen is albino? Because her father was the product of the same, and with a bit of luck, the trait skipped a generation and landed on her.”

But none of that mattered now. Mingtian felt as if his soul had been snatched away, a wave of bitterness surging from deep within.

Am I fated to be single all my life?

“Mingtian, don’t give up hope!” Just as he was about to fall into despair, Qi Guli’s aged, wise voice reached deep into his battered soul.

“What hope could possibly be left?!”

Mingtian, being only human, finally lost his composure. Only a fictional hero could stay calm at a time like this.

Yet the three officials only looked at him solemnly.

Finally, Wang Jingze stepped forward, placing a hand on Mingtian’s shoulder.

“Though Xinzhu has entered the palace, the very day she arrived, the Emperor of Qi fell gravely ill! According to custom, the crown prince must attend his father and will not consummate the marriage for now. So, though Xinzhu is in the palace, she remains untouched. There is still hope!”

“Damn it!”

Mingtian cursed in frustration. “Don’t blame me for losing my temper, but what hope is there in that? What do you expect me to do—storm the palace and wrestle the prince for his wife? That’s suicide!”

“No.”

Wang Jingze replied with a smile, unfazed by Mingtian’s outburst. “It’s unrealistic to compete with the crown prince for a woman, but we can persuade him to choose another. If, before the marriage is consummated, the crown prince decides to select a different consort, then by royal tradition—since a princess cannot be demoted to concubine—Xinzhu can leave the palace!”

Wang Jingze’s words were like a beacon in the night, reigniting Mingtian’s last spark of hope.

His heart began beating anew, the weariness of his spirit swept away by this flicker of possibility!

Mingtian grasped Wang Jingze’s arms in excitement. “Then… who will take Xinzhu’s place?”

“I will!” came Yunizi’s voice from the doorway.

She had changed into a golden, bejeweled gown and entered with measured steps.

The moment she appeared, her stunning beauty seemed to illuminate the entire room.

With a touch of rouge, Yunizi’s loveliness was at its peak. It was no exaggeration to say that, in this moment, she utterly eclipsed the Princess of Jiangmen; Mingtian had never seen a woman so beautiful.

Her vast, star-like eyes fixed resolutely on Mingtian. “I will enter the palace in the princess’s stead. I’ll help you get her out. But in return, you must assist me in assassinating the Emperor of Qi and that dog of a prince, Xiao Baojuan.”

My heavens—what is this? The consort plotting to kill Donghun’s Marquess? What kind of scheme is this?

So all you big shots gathered here today are planning something big after all!

...