The next day, she found Xia Hou Dan: “I want to experiment using those examination candidates.”

Xia Hou Dan: “…What?”

“It’s like this, there are currently two hypotheses about Prince Duan. He might be at a higher level than us, or he might still be at the lowest level. So I want to test him.” Yu Wanyin had spent the whole night coming up with this plan and was currently excited, not noticing Xia Hou Dan’s questioning gaze, she continued enthusiastically, “Those examination candidates Xie Yong’er mentioned, can you contact them?”

Xia Hou Dan looked at her.

Hadn’t she met Prince Duan at night to pledge allegiance?

Xia Hou Dan: “I’m already working on it, it shouldn’t be a problem. I plan to go out in disguise in the coming days to meet them and see if I can persuade them.”

“Good, then we’ll leak information beforehand, making Prince Duan think the meeting is at location A, then on that day, we’ll secretly meet at location B. Now that we have the Imperial Guards and Bei Zhou, this secret should be secure.”

Xia Hou Dan vaguely understood her reasoning: “So you want to see where Prince Duan will go to investigate?”

“Exactly. If he gets the intelligence about location A and waits there, then he’s a paper character. If he dispatches people to both locations, he’s still a paper character—our whereabouts have been discovered, but Prince Duan is suspicious and cautious, he won’t leave either location unchecked.”

Yu Wanyin continued slowly: “Only in one scenario would he abandon location A and head straight to location B—if he’s at a higher level and has anticipated all of this, so he knows location A can be ignored.”

Xia Hou Dan applauded: “As expected of Sister Yu.”

Yu Wanyin: “Hehe, it’s nothing special.”

“But have you considered, what if he has anticipated everything, including our current conversation, so he deliberately sends people to both locations?”

“He won’t pretend to be a paper character.” Yu Wanyin bit her lip and said, “He contacted me privately, wanting me to believe he’s at a higher level so that I would pledge loyalty to him. With this opportunity to prove himself, he would be eager.”

Xia Hou Dan raised an eyebrow slightly: “And you’re just telling me this?”

Yu Wanyin felt somewhat guilty under his gaze and unconsciously raised her voice: “It’s because I don’t trust him, if I had a choice, I’d stick with you.”

“Yu Wanyin.”

“Yes?”

Xia Hou Dan rubbed his forehead: “What if the experiment proves he is at a higher level?”

Yu Wanyin: “…”

Xia Hou Dan: “If that’s the case, you can go to him. I’m being sincere.”

He had said similar things before, but Yu Wanyin had only taken them as appeasement strategies, not taking them to heart.

Xia Hou Dan spoke in a flat tone: “I won’t stop you, but after you leave, you’ll lose my protection, which I’m sure you understand.”

Is this… a threat?

Yu Wanyin cautiously asked: “Then what will you do?”

“Me?” Xia Hou Dan seemed to consider it seriously, “I’ll probably kill as many people as I can within my capabilities, then await my fate.”

Yu Wanyin’s heart chilled: “…You sound a bit like the tyrant now.”

Xia Hou Dan replied listlessly: “What can I do? Try having constant, splitting headaches and see how you feel.”

Yu Wanyin couldn’t truly fear Xia Hou Dan, even when he spoke the most dangerous words.

She had pondered why. Perhaps it was his expression and tone—part complaint, part dejection, like a colleague discussing job-hopping impulses over hotpot. Not only was it completely different from when he played the tyrant in public, but it also didn’t seem like a high and mighty CEO.

His whole being radiated “This is one of us, someone you can trust.”

She couldn’t even respond with a lie, casually comforting him with “Even if that’s the case, I won’t leave.” Because they were the same, they both understood that when a company goes bankrupt, employees will leave.

Compared to those female protagonists in the novels she read, her love brain was only one-third as strong, and her courage only one-twentieth. That vague sense of affection crumbled in the face of death.

Yu Wanyin had long known her nature, but facing Xia Hou Dan, she still felt uncomfortable.

She changed the subject: “Uncle Bei is testing for poison everywhere for you, he even checked me. Things will get better.”

Over the next few days, Xia Hou Dan sent secret letters to the examination candidates on one hand and leaked false information to Prince Duan on the other.

Several days later.

Xia Hou Dan: “The candidates have arrived at location B. Prince Duan’s people have only gone to location A so far.”

Yu Wanyin’s expression relaxed: “Then it’s almost certain, this son of a gun is pretending. Anyway, let’s go to the meeting and observe.”

The so-called location B was a lake outing.

Today the sky was overcast, there weren’t many visitors, and only two or three boats floated sparsely on the lake.

Xia Hou Dan and Yu Wanyin disguised themselves as noble young masters this time, surrounded by “servants,” they rented a luxurious painted boat and slowly drifted toward the center of the lake.

After the painted boat moved away from the shore, a small fishing boat approached it.

The Imperial Guards laid down a gangplank between the two boats, and six people came aboard in a moment.

The Silk Cave duo appeared kind and gentle today, waving their fans as they stood up to welcome the guests with refined manners.

Most of the six scholars had the slender physique of literary men, only the lead one was more robust. After exchanging greetings, they removed their human skin masks, revealing six young or weathered faces.

The robust scholar at the front appeared to be over thirty, with a haughty expression tinged with dissatisfaction and said: “We’ve come to this meeting because we were moved by your letter, willing to converse with a kindred spirit. However, seeing you today, you don’t seem as eager to meet us as your letter suggested.”

As soon as this irritable brother spoke, Yu Wanyin identified him. Li Yunxi, the poorest of all the candidates. Highly talented but repeatedly failing the examinations, naturally upright and unyielding. In “East Wind,” he exposed a certain connected candidate for cheating and ultimately died in the street; in “Demon’s Favorite Concubine,” he was recruited by Xia Hou Bo and became one of his major supporters.

Xia Hou Dan hurriedly cupped his hands: “Thank you all for traveling such a long way, and enduring the discomfort of covering your faces, I truly feel guilty. I’ll explain the reasons later. As mentioned in my letter, I have indeed admired your talents for a long time. Your brilliant writings, especially the arguments on taxation and corvée labor, I often recite and contemplate.”

As if afraid of not appearing humble enough, he immediately recited several passages from the original authors, reciting with passion, shaking his head, and exclaiming in admiration.

The scholars: “…”

It was a bit embarrassing.

After all, scholars have thin faces, and after such flattery, they had to put on a smile and return a few words.

Xia Hou Dan took the opportunity to invite them to sit down, switching to a concerned expression: “You all undoubtedly have the talent to govern the country, but the current state of affairs is chaotic, the imperial examination is like a stagnant pool, favoritism, and corruption are rampant, and scholars from humble backgrounds have almost no chance to rise. Seeing you all study hard year after year, I can’t bear it.”

Li Yunxi: “Who doesn’t know that the so-called selection of the worthy has already become a joke? But my heart hasn’t died, and bearing the favor of my fellow villagers, I refuse to be completely useless.”

His words struck a common pain point among the candidates, and others echoed.

Someone said that capable officials in the court were declining, Da Xia was doomed, and he wished he could knock his head on the ground to wake up that tyrant.

Someone brought up that Prince Duan was cultured and skilled in warfare, and could be considered a worthy prince; another scoffed that Prince Duan was only concerned with self-preservation and dared not step forward.

Someone argued that Prince Duan was innocent, the guilt lay with the tyrant, who plunged the people into misery.

Someone even accused Yu Wanyin of being an evil concubine who brought disaster to the country.

Finally, someone got excited from drinking tea and raised his arm to shout: “Princes and nobles!”

Xia Hou Dan: “Are they born different from us?”

Scholar: “Exactly!”

Yu Wanyin choked and coughed, elbowing Xia Hou Dan.

The scholars calmed down and thought about it, feeling somewhat fearful: “…You’re quite daring to say that.”

Only Li Yunxi sneered: “What is there to fear? How much can all of us scholars with white hair save Da Xia?”

Xia Hou Dan: “That’s right, studying cannot save the people of Da Xia.”

Li Yunxi: “Just look around, we don’t see blue sky, only mud! Giant rats, giant rats, don’t eat my millet! For the people, nothing is impossible!”

Xia Hou Dan applauded passionately: “Well said! With Brother Li’s ambition, there is hope for Da Xia!”

The scholars looked at him emotionally: “You’re true as your letter described. Since we’ve reached this point, may we know your name?”

Xia Hou Dan waved his fan, elegantly saying: “My surname is Xia Hou.”

The cabin fell silent for a moment.

The scholars stood up one after another, looking at him: “Prince… Prince…”

Xia Hou Dan: “My given name is ‘Dan’.”

Yu Wanyin curled her toes.

She should be at the bottom of the boat, not inside it.

Xia Hou Dan then pointed at her: “This is the evil concubine Yu Wanyin who brought disaster to the country.”

The Imperial Guards actively surrounded them.

The scholars who had frozen in place finally moved, kneeling in disarray, their faces ashen.

Only two people still stood firmly, refusing to kneel.

One was naturally Li Yunxi, and the other was Du Shan, who had been the most enthusiastic in agreeing earlier.

At this moment, Li Yunxi knew he was doomed to die, but remained calm, glaring at the evil couple with resentment; Du Shan, however, had trembling legs, but because face was more important than anything, he stubbornly refused to lose to Li Yunxi.

Xia Hou Dan waved his hand to dismiss the Imperial Guards: “Please, everyone rise.”

He didn’t seem uncomfortable at all, as if the people who had just talked about rebelling against him weren’t there.

“You all only know that the tyrant’s harsh policies harm the people, not knowing that I, as Emperor, have already been sidelined. The current court affairs are half controlled by the Empress Dowager, and half by Prince Duan. They use my people as stakes, gambling time after time, my heart aches like a knife, but I have no other way. Today’s meeting is only to open this sincere heart to you all.”

He gestured again, and the scholars sheepishly sat down again.

Only Li Yunxi still stood with his neck stiff: “If Your Majesty has such a heart, why not reform the imperial examination and widely recruit talents, instead of having us meet like thieves with covered faces? Such recruitment is unbecoming of an emperor.”

“As I said earlier, there are unavoidable difficulties,” Xia Hou Dan said, “Too many eyes are watching me, and even a slight adjustment to the imperial examination would immediately face obstruction from many sides. If not for the Imperial Guards searching everywhere, your brilliant writings would never reach my desk. At this time, I can only contact you secretly, then gradually plan to place you in suitable positions to display your talents.”

He sighed: “Once you enter the court, you will certainly be targeted by the Empress Dowager or Prince Duan’s faction, either absorbed, used, or opposed, dragged into their gambling. When that day comes, I hope you won’t forget the words of pain and lofty ambitions expressed on this boat today, stand straight, and be the backbone of Da Xia.”

Yu Wanyin was impressed.

Listen to that, truly moving to tears.

What business was this CEO in, to have such acting skills?

Two of the scholars had already red-rimmed eyes. Yu Wanyin recognized one as Er Lan, a talented woman disguised as a man, and the other was Du Shan, who had been trembling but refused to kneel earlier.

Du Shan said emotionally: “Your Majesty places such high hopes on us, it’s truly…”

Li Yunxi: “Truly preposterous!”

Xia Hou Dan: “?”

Yu Wanyin: “?”

Li Yunxi said angrily: “How easy the Emperor’s words are! With one excuse of difficulty, you want to turn scholars from humble backgrounds into chess pieces, to risk their lives, shed blood, depose the Empress Dowager, and eliminate Prince Duan. Surviving in the cracks, so you can’t express your own will? Obstacles from many sides, so you can’t rectify the court order? As the mighty Emperor, if you don’t even have such commitment, why pretend to value talent and push others to be the backbone!”

Xia Hou Dan: “…”

That rhymed well.

Bei Zhou, who was standing in the corner with folded arms, moved slightly as if wanting to go and cut him down. Xia Hou Dan shook his head almost imperceptibly.

Li Yunxi raised his voice, speaking through gritted teeth: “The common people in my village, every household, work from dawn to dusk farming and weaving throughout the year, yet the grain they save is barely enough to feed themselves. My younger brother and sister, shortly after birth during a year of poor harvest, were starved to death by my parents with tears… Do such taxes go where they should? The central army has been fighting against Yan for years, yet there’s thirty percent sand mixed into the soldiers’ pay! Your Majesty, Your Majesty, have you ever opened your eyes to see?”

Du Shan panicked: “Brother Li, there’s no need to go so far…”

Li Yunxi mocked: “Who was it that said if they could meet the Emperor, they would knock their head on the ground and remonstrate even unto death? The Emperor is right before your eyes, why has everyone become mute?”

Du Shan’s face turned red, speechless.

At this moment, Yu Wanyin truly felt ashamed.

She came from an ordinary middle-class family, a common worker, and school never taught her how to save a country. Plus, being in a book, she always had a sense of unreality, unable to empathize with the situation of paper characters. So when gathering these scholars, she truly hadn’t thought about facing such questioning.

But… she could no longer be certain that she wasn’t a paper character.

So was the suffering of other paper characters truly so false?

At this moment, after Li Yunxi’s barrage of accusations, Xia Hou Dan was overwhelmed and fell silent. Yu Wanyin couldn’t help but add: “His Majesty did deal with the Minister of Revenue, it caused quite a stir, you all must have heard about it.”

Du Shan beside them hesitated to speak, but after struggling several times, finally said: “When the news arrived last month, the commoners in my hometown were all overjoyed, burning incense to pray for Your Majesty’s blessings.”

He didn’t continue.

Yu Wanyin felt as if she had been punched in the face.

After the Minister of Revenue died, the Empress Dowager’s faction immediately pushed another lackey to fill the position.

Without saying more, she could guess that the people’s livelihood hadn’t improved at all. All those incense sticks burned by every household had ultimately been in vain.

Li Yunxi shook his head in disappointment, seemingly unwilling to discuss further, and turned to leave.

As soon as he turned, the Imperial Guards moved.

Everyone understood this person could not be allowed to leave—harboring such hatred and knowing Xia Hou Dan’s secret plot, he was like a ticking time bomb.

Du Shan called out in a trembling voice: “Brother Li.”

The Imperial Guards immediately drew their swords. Li Yunxi remained unmoved, striding forward, apparently determined to spill blood on the painted boat.

“Wait!” Yu Wanyin shouted.

She ran to Li Yunxi and spoke incoherently: “Mr. Li, His Majesty’s coming here today was not to draw you all into court factions. To put it bluntly, those who hold positions without fulfilling duties—including the royal family—their deaths would be insignificant, but what fault do the common people have?”

The scholars looked at her in shock.

Who did you just include?

Yu Wanyin: “But the current situation is already like this, uneven taxation, corrupt officials, rampant corruption, empty treasury, our abilities are limited, we really can’t fix it in time, we need your help.”

She bowed deeply and earnestly said: “I’m not eloquent, I can’t explain grand principles, I can only implore you all, not for some tyrant or evil concubine…”

The scholars looked at Xia Hou Dan in shock.

Xia Hou Dan did not react.

Yu Wanyin: “Think of your hometown and elders!”

She bowed deeply again, and when she raised her head, she found Li Yunxi staring at her with an odd expression.

Yu Wanyin wiped away a tear, surprised at her acting skills. But on the other hand, she wasn’t sure if she was still acting.

“Your Majesty, Noble Consort,” a quiet, thin scholar spoke up.

“This commoner was born with a severe illness, with only two or three years of life remaining.”

Yu Wanyin remembered, that this person was called Cen Jintian, an agricultural genius who in the original text wasn’t exactly part of Prince Duan’s faction, but devoted his whole heart to the country and worked tirelessly for two years.

Then a drought came, and as he watched the scorched crops and starving bodies everywhere, he died with regret for not being born in better times.

His brothers made sacrifices to heaven with boundless divine power, and Prince Duan sacrificed wine to him in front of everyone, vowing to avenge him, and then rebelled.

Cen Jintian: “May I ask Your Majesty, in my remaining lifetime, will I be able to see peace and prosperity, with favorable weather and good harvests?”

Xia Hou Dan looked at him for a moment, then solemnly said: “This is the Emperor’s promise.”

Cen Jintian smiled faintly, knelt, and said: “I am willing to serve Your Majesty with all my humble abilities.”

All the scholars eventually sat calmly together, discussing with Xia Hou Dan for two hours, and finally called for strong wine to share a drink.

Xia Hou Dan and Yu Wanyin personally sent them back to the fishing boat, watching them put their disguises back on and pole away.

The two hadn’t even turned to go back to the cabin when they heard a crack.

The fishing boat not far away began to sink rapidly right before their eyes.

It happened so suddenly that everyone was stunned.

Xia Hou Dan suddenly turned his head: “Imperial Guards, turn around and save them!”

Several scholars who could swim promptly abandoned the fishing boat and swam toward the painted boat, while the rest were futilely bailing water.

Just then, the calm water surface suddenly changed. The scholars who had swum halfway suddenly choked and struggled, and several assassins appeared out of nowhere behind them!

Yu Wanyin screamed as a patch of dark red spread in the water—Du Shan had already had his throat slit by an assassin from behind.

Xia Hou Dan’s Imperial Guards jumped into the water to fight the assassins, trying to protect the scholars.

Bei Zhou stood at the bow, his gaze sweeping around like lightning, pointed to a spot on the shore, and said briefly: “There.”

As soon as he spoke, without any visible movement, something shot out from his raised sleeve like lightning, heading straight for the shore!

This was followed by a loud “clang” from the shore as someone blocked it.

Only then did Yu Wanyin see the place he had pointed to, where several figures were indeed standing, one of whom was shielded behind the others.

Although she couldn’t make out their features, it was undoubtedly Xia Hou Bo.

From Bei Zhou’s sleeve came continuous “whoosh whoosh” sounds as he kept up the attack. Xia Hou Bo’s guards raised their swords to block, gradually becoming strained, protecting Xia Hou Bo as they dodged left and right, and soon one of them fell.

The assassins in the water sensed trouble and diverted several men to hinder Bei Zhou.

Xia Hou Dan’s Imperial Guards immediately gained the upper hand, protecting the scholars who were crying for help as they swam toward the painted boat.

Yu Wanyin looked around and saw two wooden barrels on the boat for life-saving, each with a rope attached. She quickly picked them up and threw them toward the people: “Grab hold!”

Li Yunxi, being physically strong, didn’t need the Imperial Guards’ help and swam the fastest, grabbing one of the wooden barrels. Yu Wanyin quickly pulled back on the rope.

The slack rope suddenly tightened!

An assassin who had been injured in the melee and lost his weapon could only hold his breath underwater waiting for an opportunity. Now he suddenly surfaced, grabbing Li Yunxi. Li Yunxi struggled violently, but the assassin just held onto him firmly, trying to drag him underwater.

With water in his nose and mouth, Li Yunxi finally called out: “Help—cough cough cough…”

Yu Wanyin pulled on the rope with all her might: “Don’t let go!”

She couldn’t handle the weight on the other end, and her whole body slid toward the boat’s edge. Another pair of hands reached from behind and grabbed the rope with her.

Xia Hou Dan gritted his teeth: “I can’t pull against him either.”

Yu Wanyin: “Shut up, tug-of-war!”

“Prince Duan has come, what’s your experiment result?”

“I don’t care anymore.”

Whether because he had foreseen this place or tracked them here, Xia Hou Bo had finally come.

He came to kill all the scholars before their eyes.

It was both control and intimidation.

He wanted to terrify them, to prevent them from ever developing thoughts of resistance.

According to her cowardly nature, she should indeed be terrified now.

But extremes beget their opposite.

Yu Wanyin was furious.

She had always felt that from Prince Duan’s perspective, having suffered the Empress Dowager’s abuse and Xia Hou Dan’s bullying since childhood, barely surviving until he could establish his residence, and then seeing the corruption in court politics and wanting to take over, all his actions had their reasons.

However, these few people struggling in the water were future pillars of the state and the last hope for stabilizing Da Xia.

If he was a paper character, then he was killing the innocent.

If he came from a higher level and still easily ordered their elimination knowing who they were, then for the sake of his future as a hegemon in chaotic times, he had passed an early death sentence on countless people in the drought!

“I can’t out-evil him, he wins on that point,” Yu Wanyin held tightly to the rough rope, her palms torn and bleeding, “but even if he’s a god, I will never submit!”

Xia Hou Dan’s palms were also bleeding. Hearing her speak through gritted teeth, he asked: “What did you say?”

Yu Wanyin, veins bulging, roared to the heavens: “Fuck him!!!”

This shout almost tore her throat, and the echo traveled far across the empty lake surface.

Yu Wanyin stared straight at the figures on the shore. They were so far away that she couldn’t make out their facial features, but mysteriously, she suspected the other person had revealed an interested smile.

Yu Wanyin’s anger gave her courage, and suddenly a brutal strength erupted from her hands. The assassin in the water had been struggling with Li Yunxi for a long time and was already exhausted. He hadn’t expected her sudden attack and was pulled by her, involuntarily drifting toward the painted boat.

Yu Wanyin’s blood squeezed out from between her fingers, dripping down the rope one drop at a time.

The opposing force suddenly disappeared, and she staggered backward, bumping into Xia Hou Dan.

The assassin finally ran out of strength, released Li Yunxi, and sank alone. Li Yunxi emerged holding the wooden barrel, coughing incessantly.

Just as they had begun to relax, a pair of hands appeared from the water, fiercely grabbing Li Yunxi’s neck!

The assassin had feigned death!

Yu Wanyin stared into Li Yunxi’s bulging eyes, her fear immediately overwhelming her, and she desperately called: “Help—”

The next second, a figure flew like a wild goose, stomping on the assassin’s crown, sending him to the afterlife with a “crack.”

Bei Zhou had finally resolved the enemies before him and had time to clean up the battlefield.

Yu Wanyin trembled as she looked around. Apart from Du Shan, whose throat had been slit at the beginning, the remaining scholars had all been rescued.

Those assassins, originally numerous and powerful, several times more than Xia Hou Dan’s Imperial Guards, had come heroically but departed easily. The battle ended anticlimactic, and the figures on the shore had also retreated at some point.

The remaining assassins in the water completely lost their fighting spirit and swam toward the shore.

Bei Zhou looked at Xia Hou Dan.

Xia Hou Dan: “Don’t leave any of them.”

Bei Zhou nodded, finished off the deserters, then jumped underwater to search, bringing up a straggler who was holding his breath and killing him.

Corpses floated crosswise and lengthwise, dyeing this section of the lake blood red.

The scholars reboarded the painted boat, all injured to some degree, huddled wet in the cabin, with only the Imperial Guards to help them temporarily treat their wounds.

Bei Zhou took out a bottle of medicinal powder from his bosom and said to Xia Hou Dan and Yu Wanyin: “Give me your hands.”

As four hands were extended, the Imperial Guards all knelt: “We deserve death.”

Bei Zhou sprinkled the medicine powder with reddening eyes: “I shouldn’t have let that bastard die so quickly.”

Yu Wanyin shook her head, looking down at a nearby corpse with its face covered—Du Shan had been retrieved.

Just a quarter of an hour ago, this person was full of aspirations, sharing strong wine with them. In the original text, although he was somewhat timid and afraid of trouble because he cared about his face and refused to lose to his peers, he eventually gritted his teeth and accepted the hardships, growing into a good official who benefited his region.

Yu Wanyin forced herself to look away and walked to the corner of the cabin.

Er Lan sat curled up there, refusing the Imperial Guards’ bandaging, staring tensely at the floor.

Yu Wanyin took off her outer garment and draped it over her shoulders: “Are you alright?”

Er Lan suddenly looked up, her face wary. Yu Wanyin smiled reassuringly and said in the smallest voice: “It’s alright, just to cover up.”

Er Lan smiled back.

Xia Hou Dan had been standing with his back against the boat wall, lost in thought.

After the scholars had bandaged their wounds, drunk hot tea, and calmed down, he finally spoke: “The assassins hiding underwater are all dead, even if they overheard the conversation inside the boat, they can’t pass it on. You all were disguised, so Prince Duan should have no way of knowing your identities—but I dare not guarantee it. If he discovers who I met today, I fear your names are already on his assassination list.”

Yu Wanyin and the scholars looked up at him.

Xia Hou Dan: “After this incident, do you still want to risk entering the court? To avoid attracting attention when entering official positions now, you must change your name, abandon your past reputation, and even not return home for a long time. In next year’s imperial examination, I will find others to use your former names, to complete this lie.”

Yu Wanyin thought: This is a clever method. Prince Duan and Xie Yong’er had never seen the true faces of these candidates, only knowing their names. This way, when Prince Duan tries to find people according to the list Xie Yong’er gave him, he would find several counterfeits.

Xia Hou Dan changed his tone: “If you now harbor thoughts of retreat, it is understandable. However, you have already been involved in state secrets, so I cannot allow you to return home on your own, please understand.”

Li Yunxi touched the purple-black fingerprints on his neck, his whole person much more wilted: “Then what will Your Majesty do? Draw swords to kill me like just now?”

Xia Hou Dan smiled: “No. I will find a place far from this quagmire to settle you all, and won’t force you to strategize or act as advisors. You need only focus on your studies, and when the situation in the capital stabilizes, no matter who secures the throne, you will still be pure, usable talents.”

The scholars looked at each other.

A moment later, in the carriage returning to the palace.

Xia Hou Dan: “Do your hands still hurt?”

Yu Wanyin took two seconds before shaking her head: “Uncle Bei’s medicine is very good. What about you?”

“I’m fine too. Let’s rinse it with alcohol when we get back.” Xia Hou Dan hadn’t noticed her unusual mood, still immersed in his thoughts, “What do you think is going on with Prince Duan?”

Yu Wanyin: “He’s a paper character.”

“You’re certain this time?”

“Yes. I calmed down and thought it through.”

Yu Wanyin: “He doesn’t have a higher perspective, that’s why he sent people to both locations A and B and didn’t anticipate Uncle Bei’s combat ability. His choice to kill people in front of us was originally for intimidation, right? If you say even his defeat was calculated, I don’t believe it. Today’s failure not only boosts others’ morale but also makes me question his strength, which doesn’t benefit him at all… though it certainly benefits you.”

The last sentence was pointed.

Before parting, after Xia Hou Dan’s speech, the scholars without exception all chose to enter the court as officials.

Li Yunxi and Yang Duojie, who were already radical in the original text, took the lead, followed by the more steady Wang Zhao and Er Lan. Finally, Cen Jintian: “This commoner has little time left, I can’t wait.”

Even Yu Wanyin hadn’t anticipated that today’s discussion would go so smoothly.

Although one scholar was lost, Xia Hou Dan gained everyone’s loyalty.

Looking at the fighting spirit in their eyes, Yu Wanyin’s anger gradually cooled.

It was too smooth.

Unbelievably smooth.

Xia Hou Dan: “Indeed, with these helpers, we can introduce Yan millet now, and have people advising on economic issues. Finally, it won’t just be the two of us brainstorming…”

Yu Wanyin sat across from him, struggled for a few seconds, and finally spoke: “CEO Dan.”

“Hmm?”

“For Prince Duan, as a paper character, to know our whereabouts, someone must have leaked information. But today’s itinerary was only known to Uncle Bei and the Imperial Guards, and in the original text, they were loyal to you until the last second. The scholars didn’t know who you were before the meeting, so they couldn’t have leaked anything. So…”

Xia Hou Dan pondered: “I’ve been thinking about this too. But in the original text, Prince Duan wasn’t this ruthless, was he? When things were going smoothly for him as the male lead, he didn’t need to be a villain. But now that we’ve arrived and changed the situation, hasn’t he changed too?”

Yu Wanyin slowly looked away: “You’re right, it seems we need to investigate slowly.”

Could Xia Hou Dan himself have brought Prince Duan?

And there was another question: Was that Prince Duan on the shore?

Is it possible that Prince Duan had been kept in the dark from the beginning, only went to location A, and everything that happened at location B on the lake was orchestrated by Xia Hou Dan himself?

Sacrificing one paper character for greater benefit… after all, when he was in the palace, he didn’t seem to value paper characters’ lives much.

But, even if she, Yu Wanyin were to become a saint right now, paper characters would still die, and by the thousands. Die in drought, die in war, die on Prince Duan’s path to power.

To prevent all that, perhaps the death of one Du Shan now…

Yu Wanyin felt a sharp pain in her palm, only to realize that her hand had unconsciously clenched into a fist.

She felt an inexplicable anger rising within her. She hadn’t even found conclusive evidence yet but was already making excuses for Xia Hou Dan.

Fundamentally, she shouldn’t have expected true goodness from Xia Hou Dan in the first place. A corporate slave wouldn’t demand true goodness from colleagues; such expectations were usually reserved for… she didn’t want to know.

Because Prince Duan had seen Uncle Bei’s skills today, to confuse matters, he reactivated his bone-shrinking technique, switched to a woman’s appearance, and became a new matron in the Noble Consort’s palace.

Xia Hou Dan’s new public image of exclusively favoring Consort Xie couldn’t be broken, so he didn’t accompany them back to the Noble Consort’s palace. Yu Wanyin treated her hand wounds alone, making up an excuse to reassure the panicking Xiao Mei.

Xiao Mei: “With Miss injured like this, how will you perform at the Flower Festival in a few days?”

Yu Wanyin: “Perform? Why would I perform?”

“Of course because His Majesty asked Consort Xie to dance. She’s been in the spotlight recently, we can’t let her outshine us!” Xiao Mei said anxiously, “Or perhaps sing a song?”

Yu Wanyin showed little interest, only wanting to probe some of the original owner’s skill points, and tentatively asked: “How do you think my singing is?”

Xiao Mei looked troubled: “…There are still a few days, perhaps Miss could practice?”

Good, no skill points.

Zhang San had been transmigrated for some time now and was still living in hell mode.

Every minute, he was silently observing the ancient people’s words and actions, afraid that one wrong word would expose him. The little Crown Prince had lessons every day, and he had to catch up starting with calligraphy, not to mention the incomprehensible ancient texts.

Fortunately, the original Crown Prince seemed quite taciturn, so his daily muteness didn’t seem strange to anyone. As for his studies, no matter how poorly he wrote, no teacher dared to scold the Crown Prince—perhaps the only pleasant aspect of his new life.

However, his soul was just that of a middle schooler, and now his body was also young, walking in this eerie palace, constantly feeling vulnerable.

Before transmigrating, he had only glanced at this novel’s synopsis, vaguely remembering that the protagonist was a transmigrated consort, but not remembering what she was called.

He had tried to find this kindred spirit, examining every consort he occasionally encountered. But as the Crown Prince, it wasn’t convenient to interact with the Emperor’s harem, and those few seconds of scrutiny couldn’t reveal much.

He had risked once when the consorts were paying respects to the Empress Dowager. He had stuck close to the Empress Dowager’s side, and during an intermission in their palace intrigue, said in front of everyone: “Imperial Grandmother, it’s been so hot lately, your grandson wishes he could live in an ice room and never come out.”

Was this hint obvious enough? Could a fellow transmigrator hear the clue?

But all the consorts kept their eyes lowered, continuing to immerse themselves in palace intrigue, not even giving him an extra glance.

Only the Empress Dowager reprimanded him with a stern face: “As the heir, you shouldn’t fear heat or cold, or seek pleasure.”

Zhang San: “…”

This couldn’t continue.

He needed to find a way to leave a noticeable mark—one that only a kindred spirit could discover.

The theme of the Flower Festival was quite creative. Each consort chose a fresh flower to pin in her hair, with clothing and accessories to match. Thus, each blooming flower took her seat, creating a fragrant and beautiful scene at the banquet.

Perhaps feeling the scene inappropriate for minors, or consistently avoiding contact between Xia Hou Dan and his son, the Empress Dowager hadn’t brought the Crown Prince.

Crabapple Flower Beauty Xie Yong’er gracefully performed a solo dance “Sending to the Bright Moon.”

She was well-prepared, having briefed the musicians beforehand, teaching them the accompaniment, though due to her imperfect memory, the final product was slightly off-key.

This time, Xia Hou Dan surprisingly managed not to laugh, possibly because he truly hadn’t heard this song before. He remained completely composed and even had the leisure to feign fascination.

Xie Yong’er finished her dance with a fan twirl and bowed alluringly.

Xia Hou Dan: “Good, good, come sit here.”

Xie Yong’er passed by Yu Wanyin to sit on the Emperor’s right, giving Yu Wanyin a look, saying coquettishly: “Noble Consort Yu, I wonder if I might have the fortune to witness sister’s dance?”

Yu Wanyin: “…”

In the original text, she had said the same thing, but with roles reversed. It was Yu Wanyin, then at the height of her influence, who deliberately called on Xie Yong’er to dance, wanting to see her embarrassed. But Xie Yong’er had stunned everyone with “Sending to the Bright Moon,” foiling Yu Wanyin’s plot.

Unexpectedly, though fate’s trajectory had changed, Xie Yong’er still made the same choice.

Fighting when in power, fighting when out of favor—why are you so obsessed with palace intrigue?

Xie Yong’er, after serving the Emperor that night, had woken up with complete memory loss, and heard from palace attendants that she had been extremely terrified, appearing mad.

She knew she couldn’t be that fragile; there must have been something wrong with that bowl of child-prevention soup. It was called child-prevention, but perhaps it was some other poison.

What had she said when she went mad?

Seeing that the tyrant wasn’t angry afterward, but instead launched his rustic courtship, she probably hadn’t said anything dangerous.

However… Yu Wanyin’s trick to make her drink that bowl of medicine had ill intentions!

Having figured this out, Xie Yong’er was no longer willing to be soft-hearted. Though she didn’t like Xia Hou Dan, being in the palace left her no choice. If she didn’t secure the Emperor’s heart, she would only be outmaneuvered.

Yu Wanyin sighed, hiding the wounds in her palms: “Replying to Your Majesty, replying to the Empress Dowager, this concubine is not skilled in dance and fears she cannot perform.”

The Empress Dowager snorted coldly: “The Noble Consort has such airs, do you expect me to beg you?”

Xie Yong’er’s new followers all made faces.

A fallen phoenix is worse than a chicken. Yu Wanyin bowed mournfully: “This concubine, this concubine has only learned a little tune recently, I don’t sing well…”

Xie Yong’er was startled as if facing a great enemy.

The original “East Wind” didn’t mention the female lead could sing.

Yu Wanyin took several deep breaths, recalled the tune she had just learned from Xiao Mei, struck a pose, and began: “In Jiangnan one can pick lotuses, how lush are the lotus leaves…”

A straight, unmodulated voice, as mighty as a boatman’s.

Xie Yong’er: “…”

Empress Dowager: “…”

Yu Wanyin deliberately wanted to disgust these people, insistently wailing through the entire song before weakly saying: “This concubine has caught a cold, can’t continue breathing, *whimper*, I beg Your Majesty’s punishment!”

She looked toward Xia Hou Dan.

Xia Hou Dan stared at her blankly, with an expression of “she’s so pure and natural, so different from those other vulgar women.”

Yu Wanyin’s gaze had barely met his for half a second before she hurriedly looked away. She feared one of them would burst into laughter first.

Xia Hou Dan coughed once, saying tenderly: “Since the Noble Consort is unwell, you need not stay seated, go rest first.”

Yu Wanyin fled in disarray.

Xia Hou Dan was too funny at times like this, making it difficult for her to imagine such a person would engage in devious schemes.

But she also knew such judgment was purely emotional.

Yu Wanyin reminded herself to “stay clear-headed” for the hundred and eighth time, not paying attention to where she was walking when she suddenly heard a familiar voice from nearby: “Wanyin.”

Yu Wanyin instantly became truly alert.

What was bound to come had finally arrived.

Xia Hou Bo led her to a familiar old house—the very one where he had last secretly met Xie Yong’er. It seemed this was still his headquarters in the palace.

Yu Wanyin pretended ignorance: “Where is this?”

Xia Hou Bo said gently: “When I was young, before I left the palace if I was beaten by palace attendants, I would run here to hide, enduring alone until the late night before returning.”

It had begun, the villain’s monologue.

Yu Wanyin now knew for certain he wasn’t an omniscient god, and needed her, so she had much more confidence and could calmly play along with his act. Hearing his words, she showed emotion, and after a long while said: “Last time we met, what Your Highness said…”

Xia Hou Bo: “Yes, have you thought it through?”

Yu Wanyin tested him with one sentence: “Can Your Highness see the result of my consideration?”

Xia Hou Bo mystically said: “What do you think?”

Yu Wanyin lowered her head and took out a sachet: “I, I was so shocked then, my words might have offended Your Highness, this is an apology gift… I embroidered it myself.”

This was something she had rushed to make over the past two days, with terribly poor embroidery skills. On a bright red background, she had embroidered a man and woman in pitch black.

The man had one arm, but due to her poor craftsmanship, it was unclear whether this was a mistake or intentional.

They were riding together on an enormously large bird, probably an eagle.

Although she knew Prince Duan wasn’t at the highest level, she still needed to be more rigorous, confirming that he wasn’t at the middle level either, but just a paper character at the lowest level.

However, she didn’t want to test him with a crude “how are you” approach. Because Prince Duan was still pretending to be semi-divine, thinking he was fooling her well. If she asked “How are you” and he couldn’t answer, he would realize he’d been exposed.

She needed a more sophisticated test.

This sachet was the test she had devised. Any transmigrator who saw it would blurt out: “The Return of the Condor Heroes?”

Xia Hou Bo: “Birds flying together? There’s some cleverness to it.”

Yu Wanyin: “…”

Yu Wanyin immediately smiled: “I’m glad Your Highness likes it.”

Alright, your underwear is completely exposed now.

Although she still couldn’t guess how a paper character could find three transmigrators, she still felt fear of facing this dangerous being whose methods surpassed her own.

But after these days of countermoves, her courage had grown inch by inch, finally taking a crucial step: she was going to fool him.

She bet that Prince Duan didn’t have the concept of a “transmigrator.” Because in the original text, Xie Yong’er had never revealed her origins to him, and whenever she gave advice, she would only vaguely say: “I calculated it.”

So what was Xie Yong’er in his eyes? A reincarnation of Zhuge Liang, or some kind of demon or spirit?

Perhaps he was pondering this himself? Perhaps her inadvertent comment that day about “different species” had given him more room for imagination?

There was another question. Prince Duan already had Xie Yong’er wholeheartedly helping him, yet he didn’t fully trust her and still came to recruit her. No matter how supernaturally intelligent he was, he couldn’t have calculated out of thin air that she was a level above Xie Yong’er. So why was he so fixated on her?

Yu Wanyin decided to explore Prince Duan’s inner world.

She secretly took a breath and slowly asked a question she had pondered for days.

Yu Wanyin: “When did you open your heavenly eye?”

Xia Hou Bo: “…”

In that half second, Yu Wanyin could almost see the gears in Prince Duan’s beautiful head spinning so rapidly they nearly sparked.

Xia Hou Bo calmly said: “Recently.”

Yu Wanyin: “That’s what I thought. When Your Highness suddenly pointed out that I could foresee some future events, I was startled. Thinking about it afterward, I realized that Your Highness had also seen the great light. But Your Highness’s temperament and actions showed no change, unlike us, so I wasn’t sure.”

The gears in Xia Hou Bo’s mind spun rapidly again: “To avoid causing more trouble, I had to maintain a disguise. How embarrassing.”

“I see, then we can speak openly now. What has Your Highness foreseen?”

Xia Hou Bo said with a straight face: “How do you think I found you today, Wanyin?”

Yu Wanyin asked suspiciously: “Besides that?”

“…” Xia Hou Bo feared saying too much would lead to mistakes and didn’t pick up the conversation.

Yu Wanyin’s thinking was simple: according to the original work, Prince Duan should be focused on dismantling the Empress Dowager’s faction and wouldn’t pay much attention to the mad Emperor. His suspicion now arose because he unexpectedly discovered that Xia Hou Dan and the two consorts Yu and Xie were different from before, and Xie Yong’er’s predictive advice made him further suspect all three were extraordinary.

If she wanted to continue hiding her light, she needed to eliminate his wariness.

But at this point, merely emphasizing “I’m ordinary” or “my ability isn’t worth worrying about” would only seem like a poorly concealed lie.

Better to mix truth and falsehood to fool him, letting him conclude that “the so-called heavenly eye isn’t that special.”

Yu Wanyin persisted, guiding him: “Your Highness has just opened your heavenly eye and still isn’t quite used to it, right? Do you sometimes see strange visions in your dreams but don’t know what they mean?”

Xia Hou Bo followed her lead: “Yes, they appear quite blurry.”

Yu Wanyin smiled: “Dream interpretation is a profound study, no one can explain it clearly. They say those of the highest realm can see all beings in the six realms, breaking through delusion with just a closed eye. But in reality, everyone’s foundation is different, and what they can see varies.”

She pretended to be very concerned and probed: “Since Your Highness is a prince, can you see further into the future?”

Xia Hou Bo understood.

What he claimed to see, she couldn’t verify, so he could say anything.

Xia Hou Bo: “I’m afraid it would sadden you to hear.”

Yu Wanyin: “!”

Yu Wanyin anxiously said: “Please, speak freely.”

Xia Hou Bo slowly clasped his hands behind his back: “I saw raging fires of war, countless deaths, and the dynasty’s end. Wanyin, I also saw Xia Hou Dan hastily fleeing the palace without you by his side.”

Goodness, indeed a different perspective, even the grandeur of his lies was different, immediately conjuring a grand scene.

Yu Wanyin used all her acting skills to produce a look of shock and uncertainty.

Xia Hou Bo was quite into his role: “You haven’t seen this?”

“I…” Yu Wanyin hesitated, “I can only see some small recent events.”

“Such as?”

Yu Wanyin thought for a moment: “Once, in my dream, I saw Xie Yong’er embroidering a sachet stitch by stitch—it seems to be the one at Your Highness’s waist.”

Xie Yong’er had embroidered this sachet in secret, even her maids didn’t know. Yu Wanyin knew only because that’s how it was written in the original text.

Yu Wanyin added jealously: “Didn’t Your Highness say before that Xie Yong’er also opened her heavenly eye? But how would she know you, and why would she embroider a sachet to show favor to you?”

Xia Hou Bo paused. When Xie Yong’er presented the sachet, she said: “Yong’er knows a little divination and has calculated that Your Highness is the one favored by heaven, the true dragon emperor.”

Xia Hou Bo believed Yu Wanyin’s explanation a bit more but outwardly said tenderly: “Perhaps you saw wrong.”

Yu Wanyin: “Impossible, I saw the embroidery thread!”

“Oh? Are all the images in your dreams so clear?” Xia Hou Bo continued evaluating.

“Hmm…” Yu Wanyin’s brain also began operating at high speed, “Clear ones, yes. Another time, I saw Your Highness being ambushed.”

Xia Hou Bo: “?”

Yu Wanyin: “I had just entered the palace then, and Your Highness was still at the border. I saw a burly man attack from behind, fortunately, Your Highness reacted quickly, turning to block… then I woke up startled, worrying terribly, but thankfully Your Highness returned safely.”

Xia Hou Bo recalled the incident she was referring to.

The person she saw was General Luo, who was quite familiar with him and often sparred with him. The so-called “ambush” was just a joke.

So, she indeed had opened her heavenly eye, but could only see fragmented scenes, and might not accurately guess their meaning.

Xia Hou Bo analyzed internally while calmly asking: “Wanyin, has His Majesty ever told you what he has seen?”

Yu Wanyin had prepared an answer for this question: “Once he woke up startled, saying he saw me become his empress, standing together in the world, with the nation prospering.”

Xia Hou Bo was dismissive: “Wanyin is a clever person, even without the heavenly eye, you must see that Da Xia is currently beset with internal and external troubles, showing no signs of revival. Since His Majesty woke up startled, what was his expression like?”

Yu Wanyin lowered her head worriedly.

Xia Hou Bo spoke in a tone that suggested “Your company is about to go bankrupt, come join mine”: “After your ups and downs in the palace, do you still view His Majesty as a good and wise ruler?”

“…Wanyin is just a pitiful person who has glimpsed a line of heaven’s secrets. Such distant futures are like a fog to me. What does Your Highness wish to gain from me?”

Xia Hou Bo narrowed his eyes, looking at her pale face lowered down.

Today, for the Flower Festival, she had dressed as a peony fairy, her gold and red attire exuding nobility, but her expression was like a frost-beaten eggplant, appearing timid and indecisive.

She seemed like a completely different person from the woman at the heart of the lake.

That day, standing on the shore, he had distantly heard her heart-wrenching shout “fuck him,” and still suspected he had misheard the exact words. But that fearless spirit had come through the air; she seemed to have broken through some inner shackle, her whole being radiating light.

It inexplicably made one want… to seize that light.

A moment later, Yu Wanyin returned to the Noble Consort’s palace with an ashen face.

Xia Hou Bo had just said: “A few days ago, in my dream, I saw His Majesty with you boating on a lake, conversing with several commoners. I was concerned for your safety outside the palace, so I sent people to check, but unexpectedly, His Majesty had a new expert by his side who killed many of my hidden guards without hesitation.”

Yu Wanyin: “…”

She had never seen such a shameless person.

Xia Hou Bo even naturally asked her: “Who were you meeting? Who was that expert, has Wanyin seen him before?”

Yu Wanyin still wanted to lie low for a while and couldn’t directly confront him, so she swallowed her anger and said: “They were just some commoners His Majesty casually summoned to teach me singing. As for that expert, I’ve never seen him in the palace.”

Xia Hou Bo: “Is that so? Then can you use your heavenly eye to calculate where he is?”

Yu Wanyin hurriedly said: “Doesn’t Your Highness know that dream scenes are bizarre and varied, granted by heaven’s will, not something we can specify?”

Xia Hou Bo was stumped.

He was silent for a moment, then slowly reached out, stroking her face compassionately: “Try for me, will you? Perhaps soon you’ll realize who is truly your good match.”

Yu Wanyin used all her self-control to not step back.

His words translated to: my patience is limited.

As soon as Yu Wanyin returned to the Noble Consort’s palace, she summoned trusted imperial guards and instructed: “Place more items that ward off evil and suppress demons along Consort Xie’s regular routes.”

The guard asked in surprise: “My lady, is Consort Xie a demon?”

Yu Wanyin mysteriously said: “She knows.”

The guard asked again: “Are there specific requirements for these evil-warding artifacts?”

Yu Wanyin: “No particular requirements, just the more horrifying looking, the better. Also, place some books about Taoist masters slaying demons, the more miserable the demons’ fates, the better.”

Prince Duan was meticulous, trusting no one, not even fully trusting Xie Yong’er, otherwise, he wouldn’t have come to find herself as a backup.

Her deception wouldn’t be fully accepted by him; he would go to Xie Yong’er for comparison.

She needed to scare Xie Yong’er first, making her so nervous that when Prince Duan questioned her, she wouldn’t blurt everything out.

As for what lies she would tell and whether they would match her own story, that wasn’t critical. After all, Prince Duan didn’t trust her either, so let him figure out who was genuine and who was false.

If he completely lost trust in Xie Yong’er’s predictions, that would be excellent news.

Throughout the entire day, wherever Xie Yong’er went, horrifying objects of strange shapes met her eyes. Those mysteriously appearing books constantly intimidated her: you demon, you’ve been targeted, you’ll be burned with talismans.

Who was it? Who exactly wanted to harm her?

Was it the Emperor suspecting that her songs and dances had mysterious origins? No, with the Emperor’s temperament, once suspicion arose, he would simply bury her, not bother with such hints.

Was it some consort jealous of her? No, a consort would only secretly report to the Emperor, why alert her?

It wasn’t until evening when Prince Duan came to meet her secretly, amid romantic poetry and pointing at the moon, that he unexpectedly asked: “Yong’er once said that she often knew things before they happened?”

Xie Yong’er froze completely.

Yes, she had only told him that.

Could it be that ancient people still couldn’t accept such claims and had labeled her a demon? Were those evil-warding objects earlier meant to test her?!

Xie Yong’er: “…Not, not often… and not necessarily accurate…”

Xia Hou Bo: “When divining, what does it feel like? Do heavenly sounds enter your ears?”

Xie Yong’er no longer dared to tell the truth, saying vaguely: “It’s not that mystical, just a vague feeling.”

“A feeling?”

“Hmm…”

Xia Hou Bo glanced at her, his gaze lingering on her white-knuckled grip, then reached out to hold her hand, saying gently: “Don’t be afraid, I’ll keep your secret.”

Then why test me? Amid her fear, Xie Yong’er felt some resentment. She had wholeheartedly planned for him, yet in the end couldn’t get a word of candor. This person’s thoughts were truly too deep.

Xia Hou Bo: “Can Yong’er calculate what His Majesty is planning?”

The Emperor? Xie Yong’er was startled: “Nothing special, it seems.”

In the original text, the Emperor did nothing, just eating, drinking, and enjoying himself while waiting to be overthrown.

Could it be that he had done something recently, but she had forgotten after reading the original text?

Xie Yong’er, afraid Prince Duan would think she was slacking off, added: “Some things can’t be calculated, what can be seen depends on heaven’s will… in fact, the accuracy also depends on heaven’s will.”

Yu Wanyin sent Prince Duan away and kept a low profile for several days.

The library was still being renovated, so with no books to read, she could only practice calligraphy in hiding. Xia Hou Dan sometimes joined her, but not every day.

To facilitate monitoring Xie Yong’er, his current role was “swinging between white rose Noble Consort Yu and red rose Xie Yong’er,” gifting jewelry to one today, and pushing the other on a swing tomorrow. The palace residents all knew the tyrant’s spring had arrived, and his temper had even improved somewhat.

However, in reality, during their private moments, Yu Wanyin hadn’t for a long time recaptured that noisy warmth from when they had eaten hot pot together.

Prince Duan had sought her out to inquire about Bei Zhou, clearly intending to force her to be a spy.

The more she refused, the more Prince Duan would be wary of Xia Hou Dan. Once he realized Yu Wanyin could not be used, he would strike ruthlessly, just as he had done to Xu Yao.

So now… was she to be a double agent?

She was just a corporate slave, how could she have the ability to do this? Moreover, between the two Xia Hous, one was a villain, but she wasn’t sure about the other anymore.

The assassins in the lake that day were indeed sent by Prince Duan.

But he hadn’t truly opened his “heavenly eye,” so how had he found his way to the lakeside? Could Xia Hou Dan have deliberately led him there?

Yu Wanyin felt increasingly lonely and exhausted.

Xia Hou Dan sensed her avoidance but didn’t say anything.

On this day, he brought Yu Wanyin to the Imperial Study, replacing all the guards with his own Imperial Guards. Only then did he whisper: “All five scholars have successfully entered the court, taking various minor official positions. Today, two of them are coming for a small meeting.”

Li Yunxi and the others were skilled in governance or finance, but all came from humble origins, unable to find familial connections or pass through the essentially hollow imperial examinations.

So Xia Hou Dan had to step in, changing their names, providing false identities, and giving them money to buy official positions through grain donations.

In the past, if scholars heard they would become officials in this way, they would certainly have sneered, spat, and left.

But after experiencing the lake incident, they had grown.

The arrivals were Li Yunxi and Cen Jintian. Dressed in court robes and wearing official hats, they looked completely different from their former civilian appearance, now bearing the air of corporate slaves.

Xia Hou Dan quickly dispensed with their formal greetings: “Please be seated, beloved ministers.”

Yu Wanyin was familiar with small group meetings and found a seat at the lower end, prepared with brush and ink to take notes.

Unexpectedly, Li Yunxi looked up and noticed her, widening his eyes in disbelief: “The Noble Consort is also here?”

Xia Hou Dan: “What of it?”

Li Yunxi’s stubborn streak emerged again, actively courting death: “This humble official requests the Noble Consort to withdraw.”

Xia Hou Dan: “?”

Cen Jintian couldn’t bear it and tugged at his sleeve.

Li Yunxi ignored him: “The Noble Consort’s presence on the boat that day was already inappropriate, and now she enters the Imperial Study? The harem participating in politics—what kind of precedent does this set!”

Xia Hou Dan casually smashed a teacup at his feet: “Get out.”

Li Yunxi seemed to have been waiting for this opportunity to display his unyielding integrity. With tears in his eyes, he knelt and kowtowed: “Your Majesty, this official is willing to die to remonstrate!”

Xia Hou Dan: “…”

The consummate actor had finally met his match today.

Yu Wanyin didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

She had read the original text and knew that Li Yunxi had such a stubborn temperament, firmly believing himself to be the most righteous person in the world, with the idea of dying by smashing his head in the great hall to leave an eternal noble name.

So she calmly turned over her palm, stroking the not-yet-fully-healed scab: “I forgot to ask earlier, how were Li Daren’s injuries after falling into the water that day? Have they healed well now?”

Li Yunxi: “…”

Yu Wanyin reached out to pour him tea: “Li Daren, cool your temper, you can remonstrate later—oh dear,” her hand trembled, spilling half the pot of tea on the table, followed by a long sigh, “this hand is useless now.”

Li Yunxi: “…”

Yu Wanyin messily poured half a cup of tea and personally rose to hand it to him: “Li Daren, please drink this, and then this palace lady will withdraw.”

Li Yunxi: “……”

“Wanyin!” Xia Hou Dan exclaimed with heartache, “You serve the country and people wholeheartedly, giving your all, which I see clearly. Why bother with this ungrateful wretch?”

Yu Wanyin smiled sadly: “This concubine is a woman, perhaps there is no place for me in matters of state; great kindness and righteousness probably have nothing to do with me.”

Xia Hou Dan: “Sit, sit by my side. Someone who can’t understand even this simple principle—if he wants to crash into walls, let him die crashing.”

Li Yunxi’s entire face turned the color of a pig’s liver, unable to utter a word for a long time.

Yu Wanyin, thinking this person was still useful and shouldn’t die from a brain hemorrhage from anger, was about to say something conciliatory to coax him up.

With a “bang,” he kowtowed heavily again: “Noble Consort is most righteous, this humble official is willing to die to atone for his crime!”

Yu Wanyin: “?”

So you just want to die, huh?

In the end, everyone sat down with tea to begin the meeting.

Yu Wanyin raised the most important question first: “Cen Daren, I hear you… hmm, are very good at farming?”

According to the original text’s description, this sickly scholar had unusual interests, probably because he knew he wouldn’t live long and didn’t waste time composing poetry or grandly discussing politics.

From a young age, he had traveled around, not for sightseeing or pleasure, but to carry a hoe and farm in each place he visited—though Yu Wanyin seriously doubted how this frail frame could farm.

Cen Jintian hurriedly said: “This humble official is not skilled in farming. These years of visiting fields were for this.”

He presented a thick book to Xia Hou Dan.

Xia Hou Dan flipped through it, his face showing amazement: “How long has beloved minister kept this record?”

Cen Jintian: “About ten years.”

“What the Ministry of Revenue couldn’t accomplish, Cen Daren has done. I am truly humbled.”

Yu Wanyin had a general idea of Cen Jintian’s research method. Simply put, he maintained small experimental fields across Da Xia, planting various staple crops, then controlled variables to study how factors such as soil, climate, planting time, irrigation methods, and so on affected the harvest.

After ten years, he now had a complete theory on what to plant where, and how.

When Yu Wanyin read the book, she hadn’t paid much attention to someone like Cen Jintian, only remembering him slightly when he died with regret.

Now she held his book like a lifeline, her hands trembling: “Cen Daren, does this include Yan millet?”

“Yan millet? There should only be scattered records. This crop is not common in Da Xia, mostly treated as weeds to feed livestock…”

Yu Wanyin became anxious: “What about other drought-resistant crops?”

Cen Jintian’s expression changed slightly: “Why does the Noble Consort ask about this?”

Yu Wanyin looked at Xia Hou Dan.

Xia Hou Dan supported his head with one hand, rubbing his temples: “The Imperial Astronomers have calculated it, the celestial signs are inauspicious, with indications of a great drought in the next two years.”

The two ministers instantly turned pale.

Xia Hou Dan glanced at them indifferently: “This matter is top secret.”

Throughout history, natural disasters have been seen as heaven’s punishment for an unrighteous ruler, usually accompanied by political turmoil or even dynastic change.

Yet here was the ruler himself speaking of it, as if prophesying his demise.

Yu Wanyin still helped set the scene: “Your Majesty, are the Imperial Astronomers’ calculations accurate?”

Xia Hou Dan: “They haven’t been wrong for many years.”

Even Li Yunxi didn’t dare to remonstrate: “This official will not leak a single word.”

Xia Hou Dan snorted: “What’s there to fear? It hasn’t arrived yet, has it? If we start preparing countermeasures now, people won’t starve when it comes. Cen Daren?”

Cen Jintian stared steadily at Xia Hou Dan, as if inspired by something, and smiled: “This official will organize everything immediately. Though Yan millet doesn’t taste good, it yields two to three harvests a year. If widely planted, it can indeed save lives during drought.”

Hearing his calm tone, which didn’t suggest he was at a complete loss, Yu Wanyin felt somewhat relieved.

But Li Yunxi added: “Da Xia doesn’t have Yan millet. To start planting now, we’d first need to collect seeds.”

Yu Wanyin: “Then we can only get them from Yan Kingdom?”

Li Yunxi’s eyebrows jumped: “Your Majesty, this is not the time to start a war!”

Yan Kingdom had been repeatedly invading, and the gradually weakening Da Xia was finding it difficult to cope. The central army had just barely repelled them once, and everyone was hoping the border could remain peaceful for two or three years.

Moreover, military power was now almost entirely in Prince Duan’s hands; Xia Hou Dan couldn’t mobilize troops even if he wanted to.

Xia Hou Dan waved his hand: “No need for war.” He knew when Yu Wanyin said “get,” she was thinking of diplomacy.

Most likely they’d have to stage another grand drama.

But this wasn’t something to discuss with these two, so Xia Hou Dan brushed it aside: “Let’s set aside the seed issue for now. Li Daren, let’s assume we’ve obtained enough seeds, what’s the next step?”

“Next step?”

“We can’t let anyone know a drought is coming. When the time comes, what reason will we use to persuade the people to plant Yan millet?”

Li Yunxi repeated what Yu Wanyin had once said: “Perhaps the court could purchase it…”

“The treasury is empty, the court has no money left.” Xia Hou Dan impassively dropped another bombshell.

Li Yunxi: “…”

Cen Jintian silently looked back at the tightly closed doors of the Imperial Study.

Would they be able to leave alive after finishing their discussion today?

How many more years could this dynasty survive? Enough for him to farm?

Li Yunxi frowned in deep thought, remaining silent for a long while.

Yu Wanyin had gone to great lengths to find these experts, but now seeing that even they were stumped, her heart sank: “Li Daren…”

Li Yunxi looked up: “What about the Salt and Tea Certificate System?”

Xia Hou Dan: “…”

Xia Hou Dan: “The what?”

Li Yunxi ultimately spent two hours explaining the details and answering questions.

After he and Cen Jintian took their leave, Xia Hou Dan slid down from his seat: “My head…”

Yu Wanyin’s expression was somewhat subdued, pausing for a few seconds before saying: “Does it hurt?”

Xia Hou Dan, half-hanging from his chair, looked at her with slight expectation: “A little.”

Yu Wanyin paused for a few more seconds, then silently sat beside him, reaching out to press and gently massage his temples.

Xia Hou Dan closed his eyes, his expression softening slightly, the corners of his mouth turning up: “Thank you, beloved consort.”

“It’s all part of this concubine’s duties.”

Xia Hou Dan chuckled.

Yu Wanyin continued massaging while speaking: “I think these ministers are quite reliable. If we follow their advice step by step, perhaps we can prevent the drought.”

“And Prince Duan.”

“And Prince Duan,” Yu Wanyin echoed.

Xia Hou Dan tilted his head wearily with closed eyes, saying softly: “I’ve been thinking recently, since we already have Xu Yao’s book and now have these helpers, could we thwart Prince Duan’s actions one by one?”

“No, we can at most thwart him once.” Yu Wanyin briefly recounted the “heavenly eye” joke, “Prince Duan is already watching me, but he’s not clear about the level of my abilities, nor whether I can be used by him. Once we fail him, he’ll completely blacklist me. After that, all his plans will change again, adding all sorts of distractions just to guard against me.”

Xia Hou Dan: “So, we can only let him do as he pleases.”

“It’s not a big problem. Most of his current plans target the Empress Dowager. Let them fight first while we hide and develop. That one chance to thwart him must be used at the critical moment.”

Xia Hou Dan didn’t respond.

Yu Wanyin stared at the notes on the table, lost in thought. After a moment, she realized it was too quiet and looked down.

Xia Hou Dan had already lifted his eyelids, his ink-black pupils quietly facing her.

Yu Wanyin froze: “What’s wrong?”

“We made great progress today, but you don’t seem very happy?”

Yu Wanyin forced a smile: “Not at all, congratulations to you, you finally have your right and left arms, no longer fighting alone.”

Xia Hou Dan smiled slowly, gradually sitting up: “Wanyin, who do you think leaked our lake meeting to Prince Duan?”

Yu Wanyin’s heart skipped a beat: “I’ve been puzzling over that too.”

“You think it was me, don’t you?”

Yu Wanyin: “…”

Xia Hou Dan understood: “You think that to compete with Prince Duan in ruthlessness, I didn’t hesitate to sacrifice a key minister and even the people he could have benefited. Oh yes, do you also think I set fire to the library? After all, from the outcome, Xu Yao was driven to desperation and indeed handed over that book.”

Yu Wanyin was shocked: “Absolutely not that.”

Xia Hou Dan’s expression now was very unfamiliar to her. His eyes seemed to have turned especially black, black to the point of losing all reflection. His originally bold and beautiful eyebrows and eyes were so gorgeous they looked like a malevolent mask: “Your thoughts are written all over your face, Wanyin.”

The hair on the back of Yu Wanyin’s neck stood up. This stress response was usually exclusive to Prince Duan.

She wanted to laugh it off, to ask him “Why are you acting even with me?” but her lips and teeth seemed suddenly frozen.

Xia Hou Dan looked at her for a long time before softly saying: “Have you considered that perhaps this doubt of yours is also Prince Duan’s goal? He didn’t know who we were meeting at the lake; he wanted to kill them and intimidate us. But when he heard your grief-stricken roar, he suddenly realized—this was an excellent opportunity to drive a wedge between us.”

Yu Wanyin: “What…”

“He deliberately withdrew, making the outcome favorable to me. Because he judged that compared to a few commoners, your loyalty was more important to him. When you discovered I benefited greatly from Du Shan’s death, would you still cooperate with me without reservation?”

Yu Wanyin was speechless.

Xia Hou Dan spread his hands: “One can prove they’ve done something, but can’t prove they haven’t done something. If I say I didn’t leak the location, would you believe me?”

Yu Wanyin knew what she should do now.

She should put on a suddenly enlightened, remorseful expression, curse Prince Duan’s evil schemes in front of Xia Hou Dan, and then reconcile with him.

She had performed this act several times in front of Prince Duan and was quite skilled at it.

But she didn’t want to.

Even facing this abnormal Xia Hou Dan, she didn’t want to.

Perhaps because the mental pressure of acting on both sides had finally accumulated to a critical point, she could hardly control the words that escaped her lips: “It’s not because of Du Shan—not just because of Du Shan.”

Xia Hou Dan: “Oh?”

Yu Wanyin: “That day on the boat, we talked with the scholars for a full two hours. Today in the Imperial Study, another two hours, and the topic was taxation. You said a lot, displaying much knowledge, but your economic knowledge is almost as poor as mine.”

Xia Hou Dan: “…”

“Which company are you the CEO of? What business does that company do? When did it go public? Before you transmigrated, what was its stock market value?”

Xia Hou Dan: “…”

I can’t ask any further, Yu Wanyin thought. He will kill you.

But she distinctly heard her voice ask: “Who are you?”

For a long five seconds, a thought circled in Xia Hou Dan’s mind: Just tell her everything.

But he couldn’t.

Even though Yu Wanyin had no choice but to cooperate with him, he still couldn’t.

Full disclosure would mean that her small, fragile trust and closeness would vanish from now on.