Chapter 35: Old Dog, Prepare to Die!
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Even after the fine had been paid, the oppressive atmosphere in the room showed no sign of lifting.
Tianyi and Dier were still kneeling stiffly on the floor like two wooden stakes, their heads buried so low they could practically bite their own knees, terrified that the moment they looked up, they would see their master’s murderous face.
Zhao Yi had cursed them and kicked them until most of the fury in his heart had finally ebbed away.
He dragged over a chair and sat down with his legs spread wide, then lightly nudged Tianyi’s back with the tip of his boot.
“Get up. We have business to discuss.”
Tianyi rose as though granted a pardon, trembling from head to toe. Even then, he kept his head lowered and dared not meet Zhao Yi’s eyes.
Zhao Yi could not be bothered to keep arguing with them. His expression turned solemn, and his voice grew cold.
“Putting the thing in place was only the first step. Now we need to build momentum.”
He raised one finger.
“First, find the beggars and drunks in the city who have the gift of gab. Pay them—nothing much, just enough for a few rounds of wine. Have them go wherever the crowds gather and spread the word. Tell everyone they passed the Chancellor’s residence in the middle of the night and saw balls of green light rising from the roof of Prime Minister Wang’s house, just like ghostly flames!”
He raised a second finger.
“Second, spend some money and hire a few blind fortune-tellers who wander the streets. Have them set up stalls in the market districts and outside teahouses. They needn’t do anything. Just sit there sighing and shaking their heads whenever anyone passes, muttering things like, ‘The Purple Star is dim, and demonic forces are surging,’ or, ‘There are treacherous ministers at court, and that is why the Dragon Body is ill at ease.’ The words must be vague enough for people to draw their own conclusions.”
Finally, he tapped the table, his eyes sharpening.
“Third, and most importantly, have our own men disguise themselves as ordinary tea drinkers and slip into the teahouses and wine shops favored by the high officials and nobles. They needn’t say anything of their own accord. They only need to listen to what others are saying.”
“As soon as someone mentions the ‘ghostly flames’ at the Chancellor’s residence or the ‘demonic rumors’ spread by the blind fortune-tellers, our men must immediately join the conversation, pretend to have suddenly realized something, and loudly connect the two matters!”
“We must make everyone believe that the ‘illness’ His Majesty is about to suffer is inseparably linked to that ‘unclean’ thing in Wang Defa’s residence!”
His words were clear and methodical, yet vicious to the extreme.
Tianyi and Dier listened with their hearts pounding, cold sweat breaking out across their backs.
This scheme was a chain of interlocking steps. It was meant to destroy Wang Defa completely!
“Understood?” Zhao Yi asked coldly.
“Y-yes, understood!” Tianyi hurriedly nodded, engraving every word into his mind.
Zhao Yi rose to leave, but just before departing, he still felt dissatisfied. He walked over and gave each of them a light kick to the backside.
“You worthless bastards, damn it!”
“If I hear you making up stories about me again, docking your monthly pay will be the least of your worries! I’ll bundle you both up and send you to the palace to become eunuchs!”
Only after saying this did he stride away with his hands behind his back, cursing under his breath.
…
When Zhao Yi returned to the gates of the Zhao residence, he happened to run into his father, Zhao Zhao, strolling through the courtyard with his hands behind his back.
The moment Zhao Zhao saw him, he opened his mouth as if to lecture him.
Zhao Yi gave him no chance. He snorted heavily through his nose and walked straight past without even glancing sideways, as though the man did not exist.
Zhao Zhao felt a blockage rise in his chest. His face flushed red, and he pointed at Zhao Yi’s back, unable to speak for quite some time.
What an unfilial wretch!
Zhao Yi did not return to his own courtyard. For some inexplicable reason, he turned a corner and headed toward his younger brother Zhao Changge’s study.
He wanted to see exactly what kind of creature his scholarly younger brother was.
Inside the study, a young man about his age but with an entirely different bearing sat upright, holding a bamboo scroll and reading with complete concentration.
It was Zhao Changge.
Zhao Yi pushed open the door. Only then did Zhao Changge look up as if awakening from a dream. Seeing Zhao Yi, a trace of surprise appeared on his face.
“Elder Brother.”
Zhao Yi grunted, walked over, and snatched the bamboo scroll from his hands.
The Spring and Autumn Annals.
He pretended to study it, turning two pages before tossing the scroll back onto the desk. With his hands behind his back, he slowly spoke in an inscrutable tone.
“The Spring and Autumn Annals records kings, lords, generals, and ministers, but between the lines, it is the common people who are truly written about.”
“Do not merely read the ink. Read the blood behind it.”
With that, he reached out and gave his younger brother’s bewildered shoulder a heavy pat before turning and walking away, leaving Zhao Changge standing there in utter confusion.
After paying his respects to his grandfather and mother, Zhao Yi endured Madam Liu’s concerned and nagging gaze, gave her a few perfunctory replies, and slipped back to his room.
He threw himself heavily onto the bed, intending to sleep.
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Yet that night, he slept terribly.
His thoughts were a tangled mess. One moment, he was thinking of the Empress’s long legs; the next, he was imagining the old face of Wang Defa, who was about to suffer a major disaster.
But the face he thought of most was another one.
A pretty face flushed pink from the steam, filled with panic, shame, and indignation.
And that tender, fragrant body; that breathtaking sensation of touch; that unique scent lingering at the tip of his nose, a blend of flower petals and a young girl’s natural fragrance…
“Damn it!”
Zhao Yi abruptly sat up and irritably ran a hand through his hair.
What was wrong with him?
It had only been a hug. Did he really have to act like some inexperienced youngster who had never seen a woman before, unable to stop thinking about it?
The more he tried to drive that figure from his mind, the clearer it became.
After tossing and turning for half the night, he finally drifted into a hazy sleep just before dawn.
As a result, when he awoke the next day, he felt as though someone had beaten him senseless. His head was heavy and muddled, his entire body weak, and he was so tired he could barely keep his eyes open.
And of all days, he had to attend court today.
…
He and his father, Zhao Zhao, ate a few mouthfuls of breakfast in silence before climbing into the carriage, both sporting enormous dark circles beneath their eyes and yawning nonstop as they headed for the imperial palace.
At the Golden Hall, the atmosphere was as solemn as ever, but today there was also a suppressed hint of gunpowder in the air.
The Empress sat upright upon the Dragon Throne, her face cold as frost.
“Flooding has struck the southern regions time and again. I intend to dig canals and dredge the waterways to ease the people’s suffering. What do you, my ministers, think?”
The moment she finished speaking, Prime Minister Wang Defa stepped forward, his aged face filled with grave concern for the nation and its people.
“Your Majesty, absolutely not! Such an undertaking would exhaust the people and drain the treasury. The expense would be enormous. The national coffers are already empty; we truly cannot bear the burden!”
A cold glint flashed through the Empress’s phoenix eyes.
“Then in Prime Minister Wang’s opinion, what should be done?”
“I believe we should focus on appeasing the people and carry out only minor repairs. Once the treasury is replenished, we may discuss a larger plan.”
“Very well.” The Empress’s expression remained unreadable. “Then the walls around the capital are badly damaged and have gone unrepaired for years. That matter should also be placed on the agenda.”
Wang Defa bowed again.
“Your Majesty is wise. However, this matter is not yet an emergency, and the capital’s defenses remain secure. The autumn harvest is approaching. It would be unwise to undertake massive construction and unsettle the people.”
One proposal rejected.
Then a second.
Whatever the Empress suggested, he opposed.
His reasons were lofty, righteous, and airtight.
The air in the great hall had nearly frozen solid.
The Empress’s fingers, resting on the arm of the Dragon Throne, clenched until the knuckles turned faintly white.
Standing among the military officials, Zhao Yi kept his head lowered, his eyes fixed on his nose and his nose fixed on his heart. Inwardly, however, he was mourning Wang Defa in silence.
You old bastard, you really are something.
Are you afraid you will not die quickly enough? Must you keep sticking your neck beneath the blade?
At your age, you still insist on opposing the Emperor. Will you refuse to rest until you have personally sent yourself to the afterlife?
Just wait.
In a couple of days, you will have plenty to suffer.
…
The dull morning court session ended early.
The officials streamed out as though they had been granted a pardon.
Zhao Yi had just reached the palace doors when a familiar figure came smiling toward him.
It was Eunuch Gui.
His old face was covered in a kindly smile as wrinkled as a chrysanthemum.
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Zhao Yi felt sick at the sight. He let out a heavy sigh and, too lazy even to speak, waved his hand.
“Don’t bother. I know the way.”
Resigned to his fate, he turned and headed toward the Imperial Study with practiced familiarity.
…
It was the same familiar study, filled with the same familiar sandalwood fragrance.
Zhao Yi could have found the Empress’s couch with his eyes closed by now.
He lifted his head and habitually glanced behind the Dragon Throne.
Sure enough.
The Empress was reclining diagonally on the couch. Today, however, she was not reading. Her eyes were closed as she rested.
She had probably been angered by that old dog Wang Defa.
She wore a simple black robe, yet it outlined her graceful curves even more clearly. In particular, the arc of her chest rose and fell more dramatically than usual, making her appear even more imposing.
Zhao Yi felt his throat grow dry.
The Empress seemed to sense his gaze. She slowly opened her eyes, and within those phoenix eyes burned barely restrained fury and icy killing intent.
“How are the preparations?”
Zhao Yi quickly withdrew his gaze and thumped his chest with a loud bang.
“Your Majesty, everything is ready. We are merely waiting for the final push!”
“Good.” The corner of the Empress’s lips curved into a cold smile.
“Tonight, I shall ‘fall ill.’”
Zhao Yi’s heart tightened, and he immediately bowed.
“Your servant understands.”
“You may leave.”
The Empress waved her hand and closed her eyes once more.
Zhao Yi bowed and withdrew.
After leaving the palace, he did not waste a moment. He went straight to the secret headquarters of the Imperial Shadow Guards in the city.
Tianyi was already waiting in the courtyard.
“My lord.”
Zhao Yi’s expression was more solemn than ever.
“Have you planted the thing?”
A trace of smugness appeared on Tianyi’s face.
“Rest assured, my lord. Everything has been done according to plan.”
“Where did you hide it?” Zhao Yi pressed.
This was the crucial part. If it was hidden poorly, it could be discovered; if it was hidden too well, there was a risk they would be unable to find it when the residence was searched and confiscated.
Tianyi clasped his hands behind his back and slightly raised his chin. Imitating Zhao Yi, he spoke in an inscrutable tone.
“It is hidden inside the pillow Old Dog Wang sleeps on every night.”
Zhao Yi’s jaw nearly dropped off on the spot.
Damn!
That vicious?
Inside his pillow?
That bastard was going to sleep on a death warrant!
He looked at Tianyi, who was making every effort to imitate the bearing of a great master but somehow appeared more awkward with every second. A burst of fury shot through him.
He lunged forward, raised his hand, and smacked Tianyi hard on the back of the head.
The crack rang out, crisp and loud.
“What the hell are you pretending for?”
“Only I am allowed to act superior around here! Who the hell do you think you are?”
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