I’ll Definitely Play the Stand-in Villain-Chapter 26 : Drawing Out the Imperial Capital

Chapter 26: Drawing Out the Imperial Capital
“Send a cricket to me?”
“Could it be that Crown Prince Xia Chongming would think this was the Demon Suppression King deliberately provoking him?”
When Shen Yanzhou returned to the Demon Suppression Prince’s Mansion and looked at the cricket the Crown Prince’s house retainer had brought over — a specimen whose body was pitch-black, even shimmering slightly with an eerie, plated sheen — he was somewhat surprised.
In the original story, the Crown Prince Xia Chongming was not shallow-minded.
But because Emperor Mingde had remained on the throne for so long, even though the prince had devoted himself to cultivating immortality and pursuing longevity, the emperor had never ceded the throne to him.
That had gradually fostered a malignancy in his heart, and in the end he had nearly colluded with an ancient heretical ritual to usurp the throne.
“Does the Crown Prince think I stole the woman he had his eye on?”
“Is he resentful and deliberately sending this thing to humiliate me?”
Shen Yanzhou blocked the Crown Prince’s retainer, who had prepared to leave after delivering the gift, his face displeased.
With such an opportunity to harvest negative emotions right before him, he naturally did not want to let it pass.
The retainer, though long aware of Shen Yanzhou’s blunt tongue, had not expected him to be so direct, and his expression immediately darkened.
Still, he kept up a courteous, friendly front and smiled, “Young lord, you flatter me. This was sent by His Highness the Crown Prince, who learned you liked fighting crickets. He specially sent the ‘Black Cloud General’ that the envoy from Wuye Kingdom brought — do not underestimate this cricket. It might contain the blood essence of a strange beast; if cultivated long enough, it could become sentient and gain wisdom.”
“Does he really think I am like the Crown Prince, fond of toying with childish playthings? These sorts of distractions that ruin one’s ambition are better left for the Crown Prince to keep.”
“He was already old enough to be meddling in such petty tricks; no wonder His Majesty refused to pass the throne to him.”
Shen Yanzhou had no intention of holding back; the words slipped out. If anyone else had said such things, they would have committed a capital crime.
But he wore a face of nonchalance.
The Crown Prince’s retainer’s expression changed at once; cold sweat broke out on his brow and he glanced around in fright, fearing someone else had overheard.
Negative emotions from Liu Wen: +1+2+3+4…
“Young lord, be careful with your words.” He wiped his brow and hurriedly said.
“What was there to be careful about? Go tell the Crown Prince to spend more time on his studies and cultivating virtue, and less on scheming — he might fool others, but can he fool His Majesty…” Shen Yanzhou continued.
The retainer named Liu Wen no longer dared to listen; he was so frightened his face went pale, he grabbed the jar containing the cricket, and bolted.
He could not imagine what other impious remarks he might hear if he stayed a moment longer.
If those words reached the prince’s ears, they would surely enrage him.
That the current emperor had not passed the throne to him had long been a sore spot in the prince’s heart.
One had to understand that in the vast Great Qian Dynasty there was only one Crown Prince, and there were no other imperial sons — there was no struggle for succession.
Although Shen Yanzhou had been dissipated in the past, he had never dared to casually point fingers at state affairs.
For him to speak so openly today, perhaps there was behind it the Demon Suppression King’s prompting.
“The Demon Suppression King’s audacity grew bolder by the day. That dissipated scamp had no filter; Your Highness must not take it to heart…”
Back at the Crown Prince’s residence, Liu Wen, faced with the prince’s questioning, did not dare to conceal why he had failed to deliver the cricket; he could only stammer out the account.
“Did he really say those words?”
The Crown Prince Xia Chongming was cultivating a technique in his meditation chamber, where clouds of light steamed like an immortal realm.
Even his composure faltered; he could barely believe his ears.
Who in the court would dare speak such impious words?
“Very well, very well…”
“The Demon Suppression King treats me with such contempt.”
Xia Chongming’s face darkened.
His father had long ceased to interfere in court affairs yet still refused to hand over real power — this was a wound in his heart.
“Liu Wen, your work was negligent. Take him away and punish him according to the rules of the residence.”
…
Negative emotions from Xia Chongming: +21+23+27…
Negative emotions from Liu Wen: +4+5+6…
In the Demon Suppression Prince’s Mansion, Shen Yanzhou tallied his incoming negative-emotion gains with satisfaction; altogether it added up to roughly a hundred points.
Although it did not match the haul he could gather outside the Dragon-Tiger Institute, doing that every day would quickly breed immunity in those scholars; the later returns would diminish.
Leeks, after all, needed to be allowed to grow lush before harvesting.
“As expected, Wu Ruyue no longer trusted Shen Tian. I had to act fast. With Tianji Studio destroyed, the Demon Suppression King would likely have to activate another plan.”
“He must cause rumours to surface in the capital, to spread the so-called truth of the attack on the Demon Suppression Prince’s Mansion twenty years ago…”
“During the day, the Demon Suppression Prince’s Mansion’s people must have contacted Shen Tian.”
“He had to arrange for the prince’s consort to meet Shen Tian within the next day or two.”
Shen Yanzhou read the dispatches from Wu Ruyue and tapped the table lightly, lost in thought.
He knew his convenient foster father’s ruthless mind well — he would not stop until his goal was achieved.
At present, however, everything remained under his control.
After a moment’s thought, Shen Yanzhou began to send a reply to Wu Ruyue, arranging the next steps.
Before long it was deep into the night, the first watch.
As a regular at Yuxian Pavilion, Shen Yanzhou had not missed his usual evening.
He took a carriage on the way back to the mansion and quietly went to the place he had arranged with Fu Yuying.
In the secluded courtyard, lights were faint.
Chu Xiuer had long been waiting outside to give notice.
Shen Yanzhou had Spring Tide wait outside, and followed Chu Xiuer into the inner room.
Fu Yuying wore a simple dress embroidered with peach blossoms, a gauzy veil over it, her hair piled like cloud-knot, her poise languid as she sat on the couch. Her graceful neck was delicate, her immortal face flawless, almost without a single blemish.
Under the translucent veil, a pair of long, rounded jade legs gleamed so white in the lamplight they were nearly blinding.
At the first moment he entered the inner room, Shen Yanzhou was naturally drawn to the scene; he made no pretense of modesty and openly admired it.
Fu Yuying lifted her brows slightly, showing no shyness. “How long does Young Master Shen plan to look?”
“That depends on how long the Saintess intends to let me look.” Shen Yanzhou smiled lightly.
Fu Yuying drew her legs together, covering them with gauze, and straightened her waist. “If this were the southern frontier, Young Master Shen’s eyes would already have been ordered gouged out.”
“Fortunately, this was the capital.”
Shen Yanzhou shrugged.
Fu Yuying smiled, “No more joking. Young Master Shen should know why I sought you out.”
Shen Yanzhou looked at her and said, “There were hidden talents in the capital, and with last night’s incident, the Chilin Guards and the Bureau of Immortal Inspection were searching everywhere. You should not make a move on Shen Tian again.”
“That is correct.”
Fu Yuying nodded, her eyes showing approval; speaking with a clever person was simple.
“My plan was much the same as yours. If Shen Tian could be drawn out of the capital, with the power of your Luofu Cloud Cavern you could easily capture him, and thereby negotiate terms with the Demon Suppression King.” Shen Yanzhou said casually.