Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio  Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
The pine nuts were tiny and light, though tasty enough when chewed into pieces, and went with a cup of wine.
Liang Xinchen lifted the cup of wine to his mouth and emptied it in satisfaction. âYou can even use the disciple of the Water-Moon Nunnery!â he said while glancing at Shi Fengchen once.
Seeing the seemingly smiling expression on the old manâs face, Shi Fengchen laughed. âI donât have such power. Thatâs done by them over there.â
Liang Xinchen furrowed his eyebrows, feeling disgusted. He didnât want to hear that name, even though Shi Fengchen used âthem over thereâ to indicate the name.
It seemed that Shi Fengchen didnât notice Liang Xinchenâs negative reaction. âAs long as the customers have an idea, the one over there can make it happen,â Shi Fengchen continued with a smile.
âWhat is your idea then?â asked Liang Xinchen as he put down the wine cup and looked at Shi Fengchen.
Shi Fengchen said seriously, âI just want to lessen His Highnessâ worry.â
It was quite noisy in the small inn. The drunkards were arguing about where to place the chess pieces, drowning out his voice.
Liang Xinchen of course didnât believe his words; Shi Fengchen didnât even believe his own words. Yet they were both aware that, as courtiers, they had no choice but to say certain things.
He stared into Shi Fengchenâs eyes and asked, âAre you sure it will be done?â
Shi Fengchen smiled as he said, âZhao Layueâs death will be blamed on Royal Concubine Hu. It would be her death sentence no matter how much she is favored by the Emperor.â
Liang Xinchen put down the wine cup in his hand, saying, âAre you sure? The Royal Concubine isnât an ordinary woman.â
âEven if she were Empress, she would still be punished because the Emperor has to satisfy the Green Mountain Sect.â
Shi Fengchen thought this advisor was as stupid as the Crown Prince, so he lowered his voice, but with a more serious tone.
âThe Emperor has left the imperial palace and gone to Li Mountain today. His personal guards, Old Niu and Old Jing, are not with him, but he brought Royal Concubine Hu along.â
Liang Xinchen was stunned to hear this. Li Mountain was located outside Zhaoge City, and yet the Emperor didnât bring any personal guard. What would he do over there? Why did he have to take Royal Concubine Hu with him?
The arguments kept going in the small inn, and the sour wine had lost its flavor. His skinny and thin face showed a hint of lethal intent as Liang Xinchen said, âThen we have to try our best.â
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Grand Teacher Liang looked like his cousin Liang Xinchen, but was taller and thinner. He didnât look like an official, looking instead like an immortal master.
He looked at a young man by the railing and waited patiently. Though he was that young manâs teacher, how their status was viewed never reflected this.
âI still think itâs too risky.â
The young man threw some fish food into the pond below, attracting countless fish that swam over. The water was disturbed as a result.
Grand Teacher Liang was fully aware that this plan wasnât safe enough. âBut that information has been confirmed. The duanli pill⌠hasnât been taken in days,â he said in a hoarse voice.
The young man turned around. He was that young man in embroidered cloth whom Jing Jiu and Zhao Layue had met in the old plum garden a few days ago.
Compared to that day, the indifference in his eyes grew even more distant and colder.
He was the only son of the Emperor, Prince Jing Xin.
Many chancellors, commoners, and Cultivation sects believed that he would be the future emperor, so they called him Crown Prince in private and even in public.
Jing Xin believed so as well, until he had heard the recent news; he then realized that his position as crown prince wasnât so secure.
That was because the emperor, his fatherâŚwas about to have another child.
Jing Xin said coldly while looking at Grand Teacher Liang, âMy father could still have more sons even if Royal Concubine Hu were dead.â
âBut the Emperor wants to have another son perhaps because of Royal Concubine Hu,â said Grand Teacher Liang.
Jing Xin fell silent. In fact, he was fully aware that his question was meaningless, since a son born by any royal concubine would be a threat to him.
Such a fact manifested his fatherâs attitude.
Grand Teacher Liangâs attitude was crystal clear as well. Any risk was worthwhile as far as the position of emperor was concerned.
âWhat about me? How could I be so cut off from this matter? I want it assured that Old Jiu, Old Jing and the Green Mountain Sect wonât be able to find out.â
âItâs quite simple, actually, because this matter has nothing to do with Your Highness in the first place.â
âDo you trust that Shi Fengchen guy?â
âYes, because I know where his hatred came from.â
âHatred is a terrifying power. It can help him keep all the secrets even if he faces the Green Mountain Sect,â Grand Teacher Liang said sentimentally.
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There were many small inns in Zhaoge City.
Shi Fengchen left that small inn and entered another small inn after spending an hour amongst the web-like valleys.
The drunken customers in the inn were still debating the Plum Meeting, more specifically, the chess game.
Shi Fengchen furrowed his eyebrows unhappily. He walked to the far end of the inn and nodded to greet the inn owner, afterwards following the owner into a storage room.
âAre you going to carry out the task we talked about last time?â
Shi Fengchen asked this as he looked at that fat inn owner with a peaceful but awkward emotion.
As the vice inspector of the Pure Heaven Bureau in the imperial court, what he had to do was arrest this caretaker of the Old Ones when they met rather than talk to him.
The inn owner looked at him wearing a grin, saying nothing.
Shi Fengchen wasnât so patient. âAs I can find you once, I can also keep you in Zhaoge City forever,â he said in a deep and serious voice.
âWe are businessmen and have to contact people, so itâs not a surprise that the Pure Heaven Bureau could find me. Similarly, everybody knows what is the nature of that medical house by the White-Horse Lake.â
The fat inn owner said with a full smile, âAnd we have already proven our ability and integrity. The issue right now is how much youâre willing to pay.â
Since ancient times, it cost money to hire someone to carry out assassination. The Old Ones were in such a business, so they were not exceptional in this regard.
Shi Fengchen felt relieved slightly, asking, âI didnât anticipate you using the disciples of the Water-Moon Nunnery for your purpose, but how can you expect Zhao Layue to agree to come to the meeting alone?â
The fat inn owner shook his head vehemently. âI canât tell you. Letâs get back to this business deal. How much can you actually pay us?â
Shi Fengchen said, âI basically put my life in your hand when Iâm doing business with you. As for how much you will benefit, it will depend on how you will use me.â
The fat inn owner smiled even more heartily, but spoke with a mocking tone, âHow can a marginalized official of the Pure Heaven Bureau be compared to a peak master of the Green Mountain? Unless you are a powerful state Duke or the vice commander in the Northern Army.â
Shi Fengchen didnât get angry. âWhat if Iâm doing it for Crown Prince?â he pressed with a seemingly smile.
The fat inn owner didnât show a surprised expression. It looked like they had already figured it out.
âItâs interesting, very interesting, but arenât you afraid that he might kill you if your master found out you had sold him out?!â
âThe Crown Prince trusts me. I believe I can keep the secret to myself even if I face death threats and methods of soul-searching. However, if itâs possible, I still prefer avoiding the anger of the Green Mountain.â
Staring into the fat inn ownerâs eyes that narrowed to two lines, Shi Fengchen asked, âCan I trust you people?â
The fat inn owner suddenly thought that this official was quite interesting. âOf course, the reputation of the Old Ones is very precious, but you arenât worth being sold out,â he said with a smile.
If the Old Ones wouldnât sell him out, and Shi Fengchen had no chance to sell Crown Prince out, then Crown Prince would have no reason to kill him.
It seemed that the key point of their conversation was this fact, but they both knew this wasnât the case.
The fat inn owner made it clear that Shi Fengchen wasnât worth being sold out for, but Crown Prince was worth it.
After this event, the Old Ones would benefit a great deal from Crown Prince, which is why they were willing to take the deal.
The only bargain for this deal was Crown Prince.
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After Shi Fengchen left the small inn, he came back to his family house located in the southern part of the city. Standing in the isolated and simple courtyard, Shi Fengchen remained reticent for a long time.
He was a rectitude official and did everything in a straightforward manner. Those small Cultivation sects were reluctant to contact him anymore after their pleading efforts had been refused by Shi Fengchen several times.
This kind of family didnât have maids and servants, let alone singers and dancers.
And no family members.
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He had been accustomed to this isolated and simple life, both when he was in Henanzhou or in Zhaoge City.
Somehow, Shi Fengchen suddenly felt sad as he thought Zhao Layue would die in three days.