Chapter 39: Friendliness or Exploitation
Before the Grand Princess Wei Wanyi had even entered the hall, the noise from her entourage of martial artists and maidservants had almost filled the entire Zichen Hall, adding to Wei Wanlan’s already disturbed state of mind.
Wei Wanyi’s voice rang in her ears: “I heard His Majesty fell ill last night?”
Wei Wanlan responded vaguely, while calculating with the system in her mind:
“The Regent isn’t in the palace, and borrowing the Grand Princess’s soldiers to retrieve his corpse from the palace won’t work.”
404 fell silent as well. Who could have imagined that even so late last night, the Regent had personally entered the palace after sending the host back?
[If he dies in the palace, it will actually be more troublesome,] 404 said in a tone that seemed rather frustrated.
If he had died in the Regent’s mansion, the host could have dealt with it quickly, without any outsiders around.
But if he were to die in the Zhongshu Province or somewhere else in the palace, there would be others around the Regent who might want to seize power. No one could guarantee that among so many officials, no one would have sinister thoughts after seeing Su Jingzhi’s sudden death.
At this moment, Wei Wanlan coughed weakly a few times.
After all, he had felt unwell the entire night, and even today, he wasn’t in particularly good spirits.
Wei Wanyi scolded with a stern face:
“I always tell you to strengthen your body, but why do you look even more frail than last time?”
“Sudden fever and stomach pain with no warning, this kind of situation is dangerous. Do you not know that you need a strong body in the future to deal with the powerful ministers in court?”
The latter half of Wei Wanyi’s words were said loudly, making it clear to anyone that she was insinuating about the Regent.
Wei Wanlan’s eyes widened slightly.
Wei Wanyi suddenly said, “I came to see my own younger brother. What does Su Yan have to do with this?”
As she spoke, she patted Wei Wanlan’s hand, finding it too thin and unsatisfactory, clicking her tongue in disapproval:
“I brought my soldiers to train my Imperial brother, not to assassinate the Regent. Whether I bring more or fewer people, what does it have to do with that outsider? Besides, the world belongs to the Wei familyāhe manages things more than the ocean!”
Wei Wanlan listened, secretly alarmed as she inadvertently mentioned assassination. He hurriedly interrupted the topic:
“Imperial Sister…please, stop.”
“If I must speak, I believe Su Yan is controlling you more and more! In the future, you must strike down this vile creature! Kill him and reclaim some dignity for the Wei family!”
Wei Wanyi’s eyes glinted with a sharp edge, and her words became increasingly blunt.
An Ruyi, with her eyes lowered and half-closed, interjected softly: “Grand Princess, please calm down. Today is Xiao Nian, and His Majesty was unwell last night. As soon as he woke up this morning, he asked for you to reunite with him. The imperial meal is already prepared.”
At her words, the palace servants entered in a line, each carrying golden trays.
The eunuchs and palace maids lifted the lids from the dishes.
The scent of the food spread through the room.
An Ruyi smiled gently: “The Grand Princess rarely dines in the palace, but these dishes were carefully selected by the servants. You will surely enjoy them. It’s getting late, so please have a seat and try them.”
The dishes were laid out one by one.
There were delicacies like cherry pilaf, crystal candied fruits, whole lamb, and breeze riceāall extravagant and luxurious, perfectly matching Wei Wanyi’s indulgent style. The serving plates were meticulously arranged.
An Ruyi began to serve the food.
But suddenly, the sound of chopsticks tapping against bowls and plates filled the air, clattering noisily.
Wei Wanyi’s jade hands began to tremble uncontrollably, and she could no longer hold her chopsticks steady.
Her face turned deathly pale. Her once rosy lips now carried an inexplicable, eerie air. How could she dare to eat any more?
“…You. This…”
Wei Wanlan, numb, couldnāt quite process the sudden change.
404 reminded him: [Distance yourself from the Grand Princess for now. Before she came to Zichen Hall, she must have offended the Regent.]
In the past, Wei Wanlan might have been curious about what hidden details 404 had uncovered.
But today, he just couldn’t muster any energy. His whole body felt weak, like an empty shell, his thoughts following wherever 404 led him.
404, with an air of confidence, analyzed:
[The Regent likely reprimanded the Grand Princess for having too many attendants. The Grand Princess, relying on her private soldiers, thought she could eliminate the treacherous ones and probably had a confrontation with the Regent.]
“She couldn’t win?”
[Attempting a direct assassination is suicide.] 404 said, [You’ve seen how capable the Regent is in combat.]
He had killed Qin Zhen swiftly and ruthlessly. That alley fight, where he single-handedly fought off numerous enemies, was still fresh in memory.
“Then why is she still alive?”
[He probably didn’t even consider her worth killing… Or, she might have avoided disaster by claiming she was sparring with the Regent to learn from him.]
404, frustrated, added:
[It’s a shame we can’t use her anymore. Otherwise, if we were associated with her, people might suspect that you were behind the Regent’s death! That would make peacefully taking over very difficult.]
Wei Wanlan didn’t fully understand. Maybe 404 meant that their plans had encountered a setback.
At this moment, Wei Wanyi’s face had turned so pale, she looked almost like a corpse: her entire body was trembling, and her pupils were slightly unfocused.
āBecause the dishes that An Ruyi had served exactly matched the Grand Princess’s lunch from her palace yesterday. Even the plating was identical.
Cold sweat trickled down Wei Wanyi’s cheeks.
A dense sense of fear gripped her throat. She realized that she was completely under the control of the Regent. Not only had she failed to assassinate him openly, but even cursing him behind his back in Zichen Hall would provoke retaliation from the smiling dog he kept.
Wei Wanyi stood up, her eyebrows trembling as she rose:
“Your, Your Majesty, I am feeling a bit unwell. I shall take my leave.”
She hadn’t caused Wei Wanlan any trouble at all. The number of people she brought with her was the same as the number she left with, as if the wild fire she had ignited in Zichen Hall had quickly burned out and withered away.
Wei Wanlan was left alone at the now-empty dining table.
[Damn,] 404’s tone was barely able to suppress its anger, [The timing was perfect! Everything was ruined because the Regent moved into the palace!]
Clearly, the witchcraft dolls and the notes were already prepared. It was simply a matter of ensuring a peaceful transition of power.
Wei Wanlan had gotten used to 404’s outbursts of frustration, so he didn’t take it too seriously. Feeling unwell, he left the dining table without touching his food.
An Ruyi asked, “Does His Majesty find these greasy dishes unappetizing? Should I have the kitchen prepare something else? Your Majesty has just recovered, and not eating isnāt good for your health.”
This eunuch, secretly a loyalist of the Regent, still performed his duties diligently and wholeheartedly.
Wei Wanlan felt too uncomfortable. He curled up softly in his bed, his head resting on the pillow like a small, fragile animal, evoking pity.
“Shall I rub your stomach for you?”
Wei Wanlan made a soft sound of agreement. A hand gently pressed on his abdomen. He closed his eyes.
An Ruyi spoke soothingly, “Your Majesty, you have no idea how worried we were last night when you suddenly fell ill. It terrified us servants. When I tried to turn you over for a pulse check, you curled up even tighter, sleeping so restlessly, on high alert to any touch.”
With his eyes closed, Wei Wanlan liked being softly coaxed to sleep, and the drowsiness began to take over, causing him to relax slightly:
“I’m like a closed shell?” He had meant to say he was closed off.
But An Ruyi chuckled, “Your Majesty is the pearl inside the shell.”
Then, while still rubbing his stomach, he murmured, “If it werenāt for the Regent last night, gently pulling your arm out from the covers, none of us would have dared to tug on you…”
“The Regent?”
It was like his heart had been gently tapped, ripples spreading outward.
Wei Wanlan shifted in bed, blinking once, and in his mind, his left side spelled “friendliness,” while the right spelled “exploitation.”
But he couldn’t directly ask An Ruyi what Su Jingzhi’s true intentions were. He knew An Ruyi was the Regent’s trusted aide, and he had just witnessed with his own eyes how An Ruyi had defended the Regent when the conversation turned unfavorable.
In this world of political intrigue, there were many things Wei Wanlan didn’t understand.
āHe didnāt understand why people wore two faces.
āHe didnāt understand how the same person or the same event could be interpreted in so many different ways.
Wei Wanlan took a deep breath. As An Ruyi continued to rub his abdomen, he spoke softly in his ear:
“Imperial Physician Fang prescribed rest. To help you sleep, the palace maids removed their hairpins, and even the Regent ordered the rugs outside to be replaced with long wool ones. Did you know, the Grand Princess brought so many attendants today, afraid they’d disturb you, and that’s why the Regent rebuked her…”
āIs it friendliness or exploitation?
“But the Grand Princess is Your Majesty’s elder sister, your only family. Even if she shot a metaphorical arrow at the Regent, he didn’t say much…”
āIs it friendliness or exploitation?
“Your Majesty, why don’t you sleep for a while? We’ll prepare your meal when you wake, but it must be before the Imperial Physician comes to check your pulse. He will visit every day for the next few days.”
āIs it friendliness or exploitation?
Just as sleepiness began to settle in, An Ruyi stirred Wei Wanlan’s thoughts, leaving his mind restless.
Wei Wanlan, with his eyes closed, his lashes trembling, shook his head slightly, signaling for An Ruyi to leave.
An Ruyi obeyed. His final words echoed softly in Wei Wanlan’s ears: “Tell the kitchen to prepare lighter porridge and snacks, with some small dishes. No heavy oil, and keep them warm until His Majesty wakes.”
“Yes…”
At last, the room was quiet.
But suddenly, something poked into his chestāit was the witchcraft doll.
Wei Wanlan was startled and scooted toward the corner of the bed. Lifting the blanket, he was met with the doll’s eerie smile and its eyes staring directly at him.
He took a deep breath and, feeling apologetic, poked the doll’s head:
“Sorry, you’re a bit scary. Let’s put you away for now.”
The system complied, no longer using the doll to scare him.
This witchcraft doll was the most sinister and unreasonable tool in the entire “Wise Emperor Cultivation System.” It wasnāt so much a tool as it was an official cheatāa supernatural device that killed without logic.
When 404 had brought it out for Wei Wanlan, it had been a gamble, staking its professional pride on ensuring that the Regent would die.
Now, the death of Su Jingzhi was practically a foregone conclusion.
But the past two days of illness and bed rest had caused Wei Wanlan to inadvertently delay the plan, and 404, gradually calming down from the initial rush of the mission, was finally beginning to reflect.
It needed to carefully consider some of the details it might have missed between the host and the Regent.
So, 404 asked in a serious electronic voice:
[Host, I’m very curiousāwhen I was offline and resting, how did you manage to get the Regent to tell you his exact birth time, the most difficult and crucial information to obtain?]
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