Chapter 103 Self-defeating
Upon entering the room, Cen Yan sat down with a cold expression, his gaze falling on Li Zhuo with a cold, indifferent scrutiny that made Li Zhuo feel very uncomfortable.
Having offended Cen Yan so many times, the two were intimately familiar with each other's character. Despite Cen Yan's current calm demeanor, he was always just as calm before he erupted in the palace, making it impossible to discern his true nature.
Therefore, even though he felt uncomfortable, Li Zhuo had already said so many sarcastic things, and dared not say anything more now.
As he said, he had serious business to discuss with Cen Yan, and he still had to restrain himself.
Li Zhuo took a deep breath and smiled.
Although I was very unwilling.
But there's no other way at the moment.
Cen Yan's expression remained cool as he glanced at the table, where a pot of tea and two cups were laid out, clearly intended to entertain him.
Li Zhuo understood as soon as his gaze fell on the teacup. He poured a fresh cup and pushed the tea towards Cen Yan.
Cen Yan looked at it, but didn't touch it. Finally, he asked, "You've been looking for me for over half a month. What's wrong?"
Straightforward. Getting straight to the point.
Li Zhuo lowered his eyes.
Cen Yan: "Don't beat around the bush, I don't have that much time to waste."
There is still time.
But if it were used on Li Zhuo, even the smallest amount would be considered a waste by Cen Yan.
Li Zhuo: "..."
Li Zhuo: "Since you put it that way, I'll be frank with you."
Cen Yan nodded.
Li Zhuo felt a sense of being controlled by Cen Yan's words, and frowned, feeling uncomfortable, but he knew that this was not the time to dwell on such trivial matters.
Li Zhuo: "You know whether they're bandits or private soldiers, right?"
Cen Yanping replied flatly, "What do you know?"
Li Zhuoyi choked.
Her face darkened. "Didn't you say you didn't have time? Why are you pretending to be stupid with me?"
Cen Yan: "I think you are begging me now, not interrogating me."
Li Zhuo: "..."
Take a deep breath.
Take a deep breath.
Li Zhuo forced a dry laugh: "He led troops in the fiefdom and quelled several tribal rebellions in the past few years. I believe Li Yang might not have been able to see it, but you shouldn't be unable to see what's going on."
Cen Yan nodded, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.
Li Zhuo leaned forward: "So you actually knew that there was a private army up there, right?"
Cen Yan stared straight at Li Zhuo.
After a while, Li Zhuo swallowed unconsciously, his throat moving.
Cen Yan: "Are you nervous?"
Li Zhuo: "..."
Li Zhuo: "You know this is important."
Cen Yan: "But what if I don't want to answer you?"
Li Zhuo: "..."
Li Zhuo forced out his voice through clenched teeth, "You didn't come here today just to argue with me, did you?"
Cen Yan: "It's not that it's impossible."
Before Li Zhuo lost control, Cen Yan added, "But there's no need for that."
Cen Yan: "How about I ask first?"
Li Zhuo gritted his teeth: "You speak."
This was a way to satisfy Cen Yan, rather than simply giving Li Zhuo information unilaterally; it seemed that only by following his method could it be done.
Li Zhuo suddenly remembered the first few times he met Cen Yan when he was a child. He disliked the other man's invulnerable nature. Cen Yan had no desires, so he had no fears.
Why should he? He's just a prince of a fiefdom.
On the contrary, the princes, who were born into wealth and privilege, had to constantly beg people for favors as they grew up in order to obtain that position.
Even the crown prince is not immune to the common practice.
They should be the ones who are more honorable.
Cen Yan: "You knew all along? You came to Jiangnan just for this private army?"
Li Zhuo pursed his lips.
After a moment of looking down, Li Zhuo said, "At the beginning, it wasn't so clear."
Cen Yan gave him no room for ambiguity, "So, at the beginning, what did you know that led you to choose to go to Jiangnan?"
"..." Realizing he couldn't get around it, Li Zhuo thought for a moment and said frankly, "Old Eight is wrong about some things."
"Seeking alchemists and elixirs costs a lot of money, but what he showed was not the case."
Cen Yan thought for a moment, "Your clothing and daily necessities are very simple? But when it comes to spending money, you can still come up with a large sum of money?"
"almost."
Cen Yan: "When did you find out he had soldiers?"
"..."
Li Zhuo remained silent, and Cen Yan waited patiently without rushing.
Li Zhuo: "These are just some vague guesses, so..."
Cen Yan interrupted, "I can wait until you want to continue. You know I'm always very patient in this regard."
Li Zhuo closed his eyes in annoyance.
Her mind raced, and she opened her eyes again, staring intently at Cen Yan as she asked, "You will never choose to support me, will you?"
Cen Yan: "What do you mean? I will not choose any prince."
He paused, then said mockingly, "This has been going on for years, believe it or not."
Li Zhuo said gloomily, "...But you treat Li Yang well."
Cen Yan laughed and mocked, "With his brain, he's so slow and inflexible. If I didn't take him along on a salt inspection trip and guide him around several pitfalls, would I be watching him act stupidly or just creating trouble for myself?"
"If something goes wrong, won't I be the one to bear the consequences in the end?"
Li Zhuo pondered for a moment, then nodded. "That's true."
Cen Yan is efficient and always works quickly and effectively. He is the main person in charge of this salt inspection and will not allow Li Yang to affect the handling of the task due to personal reasons.
Cen Yan: "Have you finished asking? Is there anything else? Why don't we ask together?"
“You brothers each have your own flaws, and I can tell you all about them if you want.”
Li Zhuo: "
As if possessed, Li Zhuo still asked, "Why don't you support the fourth brother?"
"Too rigid and inflexible."
"Where's Lao Ba?"
Upon hearing this, Cen Yan chuckled again, making Li Zhuo's eyelids twitch as he tried his best to remain calm.
Cen Yan relaxed his posture a bit and casually asked, "Support him? If I support him, will this be recorded in history as a meritorious act of supporting the emperor, or as treason and usurpation?!"
Li Zhuo's heart skipped a beat.
Cen Yan knew.
He knew it after all.
The soldiers on the mountain all belonged to Lao Ba; he knew it perfectly well, he…
Li Zhuo asked urgently, "You've investigated everything? Don't you know all this already?"
Cen Yan said leisurely, "Yes, I know. Just because you ask me doesn't mean I have to answer you."
"Cen Yan!"
"Stop making noise, it's getting dark, I don't like disturbances."
"..."
Cen Yan's tone was too natural, and his movements were too casual. Moreover, based on his personality, Li Zhuo knew that what he was thinking was exactly what he said—he just didn't like noise.
Li Zhuo swallowed his emotions once again.
"You found out all of this?"
Cen Yan didn't speak, she just looked at him.
Realizing something, Li Zhuo clenched his fist tightly, stared at him for a moment, then gave in and said, word by word, "You, come, ask."
Cen Yan: "When did you find out he had soldiers?"
This is still the first question.
Li Zhuo, losing patience, said irritably, "I received intelligence before arriving in Jiangnan."
"Did the spies find out?"
"Sort of. There were some clues, some traces of soldiers being raised, and then we deduced that if there were any, it could only be here, so we wanted to come and see, and..." He paused, though he was reluctant to say it, but knowing that Cen Yan was not so easy to fool, Li Zhuo had to reveal, "His guards were all selected from Jiangnan, and each batch was excellent. They even injured my scout, which is not like normal guards."
This is the result of training private soldiers.
Cen Yan: "Sent by the Governor-General?"
Li Zhuo: "It should be. But it will change hands several times along the way, obscuring its identity and origin."
Cen Yan, being observant, noticed a blind spot: "How old is the Eighth Prince this year?"
Understanding his meaning, Li Zhuo directly answered all the questions he wanted to ask, "He turned eighteen at the end of last year. Logically, he should have left the palace to build his own residence a little later. However, in recent years, as Father Emperor's health has deteriorated, almost all the princes have been driven out of the palace. The Eighth Prince has already taken up his post and left the palace upon reaching adulthood. Father Emperor has bestowed a residence upon him as a sign of his favor."
so.
Cen Yan: "Isn't this still something to be wary of?"
Li Zhuo: "There's nothing we can do. When people get old, they get old and they can't get young again."
His physical condition wouldn't improve, and given Emperor Shengwu's strong desire for control over the court, it was quite normal for him to develop some psychological problems.
For the first time, Cen Yan somewhat agreed with Li Zhuo, nodding and saying, "You're right."
"To be old and not die is to be a thief."
Li Zhuo gasped for breath, slamming his fist on the table. "Insolence!"
Cen Yan remained calm, looked directly at Li Zhuo, and asked him, "That's not what you think?"
Li Zhuo felt as if a corner of the darkness in his heart had been lifted by Cen Yan, and he suppressed his emotions and said, "He is my father."
Cen Yan: "Is there some conflict? You respect him, but you also hope he dies, oh no—"
Cen Yan laughed, "Let's see how many there are. Are there any princes who don't want him to die?"
Even if there was a fool before, as far as Cen Yan knows, he has changed his mind now.
Li Zhuo laughed so hard that he felt the air around him freeze for a moment, as if it had been sucked out and he couldn't breathe.
"you……"
Cen Yan's smile vanished, his face suddenly turning cold. "Stop pretending!"
"Save your breath."
Li Zhuo: "..."
With a rapid blink, Li Zhuo's chest heaved, his gaze fixed on the table, and finally, he shut his mouth.
Simply put, Cen Yan was telling the truth.
But it was precisely because it was the truth that Li Zhuo felt an unparalleled sense of absurdity when he heard it with his own ears.
Li Zhuo: "You've investigated everything?"
Cen Yan: "You still like to use the same tricks that others have already used. I'm telling you, can't you come up with your own ideas?"
Cen Yan asked the same question twice, and Li Zhuo did the same. Cen Yan pointed out that he was imitating him.
The reason is simple: Cen Yan's repetition probably made Li Zhuo feel humiliated, and the other party wanted to retaliate.
After Cen Yan finished speaking, he didn't give Li Zhuo a chance to refute and said directly, "It's been investigated."
"They're all his people."
"The prefect and the governor colluded with several wealthy merchants in Hangzhou. They got on the pirate ship as soon as the salt inspection began. By the time they wanted to get off, they had already been captured and had no chance to reform."
It was concise and to the point, containing almost all the information Li Zhuo wanted to ask.
Li Zhuo was cautious and couldn't help but break it down, carefully considering it in his mind.
Cen Yan, caught up in the conversation, asked again, "So what were you doing while Li Yang and I were dealing with the floods, investigating Lao Ba?"
Li Zhuo's mind was a bit muddled. After the previous conversation, he hesitated for only a second before honestly replying, "I guess so."
"Spies have been planted in the residences of officials in Hangzhou."
"It took a lot of effort."
Cen Yan believed it.
Jiangnan is not Li Zhuo's territory, so it would be difficult to plant spies there.
But he still managed to do it.
so,
Cen Yan: "You knew about the existence of private soldiers before you came to Hangzhou?"
"right."
Cen Yan lowered his eyes, shadows covering his light-colored pupils.
Li Zhuo then asked, "How far has Eunuch Feng's investigation gone?"
Cen Yan replied, "As you wish."
The question-and-answer session became increasingly rapid, as if both of them had lost patience for maneuvering and were speaking directly, wanting to obtain the information they wanted as quickly as possible.
"What's the meaning?"
Cen Yan: "As you wish, we've found some clues, but it's not certain yet."
Li Zhuoxin's heart skipped a beat. "You didn't report what you found to Eunuch Feng?"
Cen Yan laughed again, a cold laugh with a hint of madness, and said, "If I give it directly to Eunuch Feng, and His Majesty no longer trusts the Eighth Prince, wouldn't His Majesty refuse to take the new elixir?"
Li Zhuo lost his speech.
Cen Yan raised his eyes, the candlelight flickering in his pale eyes, as if Li Zhuo's ambition was burning within them.
Their eyes met, and Cen Yan said softly, "So I said, as you wish, His Majesty can take more elixirs as everyone expects and walk faster. The investigation into the Eighth Prince is also underway. Everything is the best-case scenario."
When those words reached Li Zhuo's ears, they were like a thunderbolt. As soon as those words echoed in his ears and mind, all other sounds around him disappeared.
Li Zhuo looked flustered.
Cen Yan, however, handled it with ease.
Even in the midst of his panic, Li Zhuo managed to spare a moment of attention and notice Cen Yan scrutinizing him with amusement.
"I……"
For a moment, Li Zhuo wanted to make amends and cover it up.
Cen Yan didn't give him the chance and asked, "So when you went to the salt field, you already knew what was on that mountain?"
Even though he had been completely seen through, Li Zhuo tried his best to regain some of his composure: "Otherwise what?"
His voice trembled slightly, which made Cen Yan raise the corners of his lips.
Provoked, Li Zhuo added, "I had already been in Hangzhou for a while by then."
Cen Yan nodded: "So you left first thing the day before because you were afraid of being surrounded by private soldiers, right?"
"And he even brought the prefect along, because they knew the prefect was one of the Eighth Prince's men?"
"Oh, so they're also betting, aren't they? Betting that Li Yang and I are more valuable, and that they won't make any moves just for you, lest they alert the enemy."
Li Zhuo's chest heaved: "Shouldn't it be?"
Cen Yan remained calm, his eyelashes lowered, and said without any emotion, "I'm the one asking you."
"Didn't you already guess it?"
"Oh, it's true."
A vein throbbed on Li Zhuo's forehead as he inexplicably sensed a hint of danger.
Cen Yan then asked, "I'm curious about something else. Now that we've come this far, could you please answer my question as well?"
Li Zhuo's knuckles tightened. "What?"
"When the mutiny occurred at the hunting grounds, you must have known about it beforehand and deliberately fell down the mountain, right?"
Li Zhuo loosened his grip again.
I thought they were going to ask something, but it turned out to be this old story.
Li Zhuo: "You already guessed it."
"I still want to confirm it."
Li Zhuo: "Heh, confirm what? My intelligence network? Well, let me tell you, it's definitely unmatched by anyone else. If you're going to choose a side, and you don't choose mine..."
Cen Yan looked up. "How is it?"
Li Zhuo choked for a moment, then forced himself to say, "I will definitely make you suffer."
Cen Yan looked at him quietly for a while, then suddenly burst into laughter.
As she relaxed more, she leaned back in her chair and, as if chatting casually, recalled, "Speaking of which, you've made me uncomfortable quite a few times."
“When I first arrived in the capital, my father always taught me not to stand out too much, and that as a study companion, I should act like one. But you, of all people, didn’t want the Crown Prince to have an easy time. You provoked me every time, trying to force me to show off my skills and embarrass the Crown Prince. That’s when I remembered your name.”
"Later, relying on your status as a prince, you were beyond the reach of any attack or killing, and His Majesty was protective of his own. Every time, you risked your life, which gave me a headache."
Li Zhuo also remembered, relaxed his posture, raised his chin and said, "You're the one who's making things difficult for me first."
"Is it to make things difficult for you, or to prevent you from getting the outcome you wanted?"
"They're all the same."
Cen Yan seemed to understand: "I see."
Suddenly, he changed the subject and said, "Actually, I've been thinking about how to stimulate a patient who is experiencing a final burst of lucidity to the greatest extent possible, causing his emotions to fluctuate."
"At first, I thought I would wait until I took the pills and started to shorten the number of days before the matter of the Eighth Prince raising a private army was exposed."
Li Zhuo's eyes lit up, and Cen Yan knew that the other party was interested in the proposal.
Sure enough, Li Zhuo said, "If you need it, I have some evidence here of the Eighth Prince's shady dealings in the capital, things that Father Emperor deeply hates..."
But Cen Yan raised his hand to interrupt him, saying, "But I don't think it's enough."
"Your Majesty has spent your life on the battlefield, witnessing all kinds of wars and crises, and fighting all kinds of battles. Naturally, having risen from a member of the imperial family to become emperor, you have also seen your fair share of betrayals."
"This time, however, it's the royal family that betrayed them, and now it's their son."
"It's just a change of name, nothing new, really nothing interesting."
Li Zhuo frowned. "So? You have a better idea?"
Cen Yan laughed again: "You were just scolding me for being presumptuous, and now you're discussing such treasonous matters with me. The Third Prince is truly His Majesty's good son."
Li Zhuo: "..."
Li Zhuo laughed as well, "Is there any conflict? I respect him, and I also hope that Father will have a good ending."
"The pen of history is like a knife. The Great Prosperity has already been severely damaged in just a few years. If it continues for a few more years, there will be even less praise in the history books. My father loved praise all his life, but now he is old and confused. If he were young, he might have been grateful to me."
Cen Yan clapped so loudly that Li Zhuo's expression faltered.
"Brilliant! Truly brilliant when it comes to shamelessness!"
Li Zhuo, unwilling to beat around the bush with Cen Yan, asked again, "Do you have a better idea now?"
If we can create some excitement, maybe... we can take advantage of the chaos...
Fortunately, the Eighth Prince hadn't returned to the capital yet, and the Fourth Prince was once again viewed with suspicion by the Emperor and kept under tight guard, so he was in a good position...
Seeing the undisguised glint in Li Zhuo's eyes, Cen Yan said softly, "I've thought of something. I just thought of it."
Then, changing the subject, she said, "You know what? I've always hated you."
“When you were fourteen, you insisted on having Liu Qi castrated, causing a scene, but His Majesty only gave you a beating.”
"When I was fifteen, I insisted on having Hao San as my sparring partner. Taking advantage of Hao San's reluctance to use his full strength, I deliberately exposed my weaknesses and beat him until he was bruised and swollen and unable to retaliate."
"At seventeen, I finally got a chance to return to my fiefdom to celebrate my mother's birthday, which would have allowed me to go home for a while. But you noticed my joy and managed to use an excuse to get His Majesty to keep me here..."
When he returns to his fiefdom at the age of eighteen, everything will be different...
Li Zhuo scoffed, "They're just servants."
"You're too slippery, I can't hurt you, so I can only vent my frustration on your servants. It's nothing to mention."
Deep down, Li Zhuo didn't feel that this method of revenge had worked on Cen Yan.
He could never read Cen Yan's emotions; who knew if Cen Yan truly cared or was just pretending?
"However, this last point is worth discussing. It was a brilliant idea that I thought about for a long time. Even now, I still think it was done beautifully."
Cen Yan observed Li Zhuo's expression and said, "You're very smug."
Li Zhuo raised his eyebrows, almost unable to contain his pride, and said, "Not bad."
Cen Yan nodded.
He added, "You're the second person to use Qingqing to threaten me."
It took Li Zhuo a moment to realize who Qingqing was.
Li Zhuo's face almost contorted before he said with disgust, "Don't you find this form of address disgusting!"
"He's so cute, just like him."
Li Zhuo's face really scrunched up. "You're not going to tell me now how loving you and your male lover are, are you?"
"No, I just want you to know the reason."
"?"
Cen Yan then changed the subject again, saying, "His Majesty is very protective of his own sons, so if one son dies, that should be enough."
"He doesn't care much about you individuals, but he cares about his own children. The deposed crown princes were only put in captivity and then rebelled before being put to death."
Li Zhuo actually thought for a moment and asked, "So, who did you choose?"
Cen Yan laughed and looked straight at Li Zhuo.
The moment Li Zhuo realized what was happening, he was drenched in sweat.
"Are you crazy?!"
"Don't joke like that."
"I may be harsh, but you're just a prince of a different surname. What gives you the right to always be superior to us princes!"
Cen Yan reminded her, "Your voice is trembling."
Not only his voice, but Li Zhuo's hands were also trembling, though he concealed it.
Cen Yan: "Because you know I can do it."
"I should even thank you for inviting me to meet so discreetly, making it easier for me to carry out my plans."
"As for whether you're crazy or not, all I can say is that your threats that made me uncomfortable have actually been very successful."
"Originally, I just wanted to leave you hanging, to make you anxious and restless for a while, to wear you down."
"I've changed my mind now—"
Finally, let me say it one last time:
"He has a name, Zhuang Dongqing."
As soon as he finished speaking, Cen Yan's smile vanished.
Li Zhuo stood up instantly, opening his mouth as if to call out loudly.
*
Snap.
Hao San, who was guarding outside the door, heard the soft clatter of a chair falling over.
Hao San frowned.
Five breaths later, Hao San heard the sound of the cup shattering.
Almost instantly, having received the signal, Hao San swiftly subdued the Third Prince's bodyguards.
"Have you captured him?"
Cen Yan's voice came from inside.
"It's taken down, and its mouth is gagged too."
"OK."
With a creak, the door was pushed open.
The stench of blood in the air made Hao San's pupils contract for a moment. "Master, you..."
"Yeah, he's dead."
Cen Yan spoke of it casually.
He patted the hem of his clothes, then revealed a troubled expression. "Blood has splattered on the hem. I'll have to find a way to change it when we get back to the manor, so as not to frighten Qingqing."
"Tsk, even in death this person is causing me trouble, he's really not someone I can get along with."
Hao San didn't know what to say.
The other attendant's mind was also somewhat blank.
Upon hearing this, Li Zhuo's bodyguards' eyes widened, speechless, but their eyes were bloodshot with rage.
Cen Yan came out, carrying the fresh smell of blood, and slowly squatted down in front of him, still calmly saying, "Li Zhuo's bodyguards, I remember they were controlled with drugs."
Cen Yan smiled, a smile that sent shivers down the spines of the guards.
"Here, I'll give you a choice: one, die right now."
"Second, come back to my residence with me. I will cure the poison in your body. In return, you will do two things for me."
"If you understand, blink; if you nod once, choose one; if you nod twice, choose two."
The guard nodded.
Cen Yan clapped his hands, "Hao San..."
Before he could finish speaking, the guard hurriedly nodded again.
Cen Yan remained silent, staring at the guard for a long while until the guard was sweating profusely. Then Cen Yan smiled again and sincerely praised, "Good dog."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
