Though the gesture of sending the human-skin masks seemed casual, piecing it together with what he knew from his past life made Xu Yuan sense Xu Yinhe's profound helplessness. He was even beginning to understand why the Chancellor's Manor had been scripted to fall in Cangyuan.
The entire world was their enemy.
Even their sole ally, the imperial court and royal family, was likely a traitor waiting to turn on them.
How the hell were they supposed to fight this?
Of course, that was only one side of the coin.
The Great Yan imperial family probably viewed the Chancellor's Manor the exact same way—perhaps even more so.
After all, a country could not have two masters.
The Chancellor's Manor could no longer be described as a mere regional warlord; it was a central military power entrenched in the very heart of the Great Yan Dynasty.
When the birds are gone, the bow is shelved; when the hares are dead, the hounds are stewed.
To the one seated upon the golden throne, the only good Chancellor's Manor was one that destroyed itself alongside the sects, leaving both sides ruined.
Putting on the mask, Xu Yuan's gaze darkened slightly, but he soon let out a quiet sigh.
He was not someone who enjoyed striving.
If he had, he wouldn't have died suddenly from an all-night gaming marathon and ended up in this world.
Rather than struggling for ambition, he preferred taking life as it came.
Or in plain terms, slacking off.
All along, he had only ever had one plan: rely on the knowledge from his past life to help the Chancellor's Manor win the coming war. Whatever his old man chose to do in the end, if his father was content remaining second fiddle, Xu Yuan would spend his days roaming mountains and rivers as an idle playboy heir; if his father aimed for supreme power, he would live as a carefree prince.
After all, the scripted deaths engineered against the Chancellor's Manor in Cangyuan had all been utterly absurd.
Even after learning that the Overseeing Heaven Pavilion lurked in the shadows, Xu Yuan's plan hadn't changed, because the Pavilion was ultimately of little consequence.
If they were truly powerful, why hide? And as for their ability to foresee the future...
Heh.
He was an Unfathomable, and as the closest direct descendant of the Chancellor's Manor, his actions could directly sway Xu Yinhe's decisions, thereby rendering the entire manor's future unpredictable.
Now, however, he suddenly realized the situation seemed worse than he had imagined.
Because Xu Yinhe's decision felt like thrusting him onto the stage against his will...
"Third Brother..."
As he was brooding, Xu Yuan heard a soft call. Turning toward the voice, he met Xu Xinyao's worried gaze.
Tentatively watching the stormy, brooding expression on Xu Yuan's face, Xu Xinyao asked, "Isn't it a good thing that Father wants you to inherit the Chancellor's Manor?"
Xu Yuan started to shake his head in explanation, but quickly swallowed the words at the tip of his tongue. Instead, he let out a sigh and smiled.
"It really is a good thing. I'm just not ready for it. That kind of power is too vast—I never even dared dream of it before."
His voice had shifted slightly because of the mask.
"Is that truly it?" Xu Xinyao felt a faint prickle of unease.
Xu Yuan countered, "What else could it be?"
Xu Xinyao shook her head. "I don't know."
"Xu Yuan, is this something I'm not supposed to know?"
At that moment, Ran Qingmo chimed in with a low murmur, "I can step outside."
Hearing this, Xu Yuan turned to look at her and said, "I already told you, you're different. If I didn't want you to know, I wouldn't have brought it up here in the first place."
"......"
Ran Qingmo's cool, quiet eyes remained unchanged, but her heart skipped a beat for an instant.
Just then,
*Knock, knock, knock—*
A knock came at the courtyard gate at the most inopportune moment.
"......"
Xu Yuan took a deep breath and turned his eyes toward the gate.
"Who is it?"
"Third Young Master, it is Bai Zhao. I have brought dinner for you and the two young ladies."
Xu Yuan glanced at the sun hanging high in the sky, signaled the two women to don their bamboo hats, and uttered a single word in a rather cool tone:
"Enter."
*Creak—*
With a faint sound, the courtyard gate was pushed open.
Stepping inside, Bai Zhao immediately cast a cautious glance around the courtyard.
He hadn't sent subordinates to deliver the meal, as he knew his place all too well.
Yet he seemed to have picked the wrong time.
As an old hand who had spent decades surviving at the bottom, those few words had been enough for him to catch the trace of displeasure in the Third Young Master's tone.
And upon seeing the unfamiliar man in the pavilion, Bai Zhao froze for an instant, his body beginning to tremble uncontrollably—though he still retained enough mental fortitude to keep his composure.
Recovering after a fleeting pause, Bai Zhao walked quietly over to the pavilion, bowed, and set down the serving tray.
"Third Young Master, if anything is not to your liking, please command me at any time."
Xu Yuan gave a slight nod. Seeing the man's tremor just now, he reined in his earlier annoyance.
"Mm, you have done well. Step down."
"......"
Hearing this unfamiliar voice, Bai Zhao clenched his fists slightly and dropped directly to his knees before Xu Yuan. Cupping his hands, he spoke in a remarkably swift, hushed voice:
"Third Young Master, this lowly one has been here in Wanxiang City for twenty-nine years, devoted body and soul to the Chancellor's Manor. I beg you, spare my family's lives!"
Xu Yuan glanced at Bai Zhao with some surprise, but soon understood.
Though he personally didn't consider it a big deal, the reality was that to Bai Zhao, a single thought from Xu Yuan meant either glory or hell.
Pausing, Xu Yuan offered a light, comforting chuckle. "What you interrupted was nothing major. No need to worry. Rise."
"......"
Hearing this, Bai Zhao's clasped hands trembled from the strain of his grip. He did not get up; instead, he slammed his forehead forcefully against the flagstones with a dull thud.
"The Third Young Master has concealed his identity to conduct affairs here. A lowly person like myself knows he is not worthy of knowing such things. I only beg the Young Master to spare my family. They know nothing of this!"
"......"
Hearing those words, Xu Yuan fell silent, resting his hand on the stone table as his slender index finger tapped lightly against the food tray.
He suddenly realized what Bai Zhao was talking about.
This graying, middle-aged man before him would certainly die.
Just like in the movies of his past life, where a protagonist stumbled across something they weren't meant to know, and someone marked them for death.
Yet reality was no movie. Xu Yinhe was no movie villain, and Bai Zhao was certainly no movie protagonist.
So he would die.
Yet this man had actually noticed, and had caught on in such a short amount of time...
Xu Yuan waved a hand.
"Enough, get up. I have matters to discuss with my father today and will put in a word on your behalf. Don't worry. Step down."
Using his sleeve, Bai Zhao meticulously wiped away the blood on the flagstones, then slowly pushed himself up from the ground.
"Bai Zhao thanks the Third Young Master for his immense grace."
With that, Bai Zhao said nothing more. Tactfully and cleanly, he took his leave of the courtyard.
After Bai Zhao left, the courtyard remained quiet for a long time.
Xu Xinyao asked with a touch of uncertainty, "Third Brother, why did he react like that?"
Xu Yuan glanced sideways at her, his voice calm. "Didn't Bai Zhao just say so? He realized I'm concealing my identity."
Xu Xinyao's breath caught. "Are you saying Bai Zhao realized Father is... is grooming you—"
"Of course not."
Xu Yuan chuckled and waved a hand.
"He doesn't have enough information right now, so he probably doesn't know yet. But if war really breaks out in Wanxiang City, someone with his sharpness will definitely piece it together. Father will never allow someone like that to live."
Xu Xinyao bit her lip. "Third Brother... this man has rendered meritorious service to our Chancellor's Manor. Just because he figured it out, he must be silenced?"
Xu Yuan looked at her, enunciating each word deliberately:
"He dies, or I die. Choose."
Xu Xinyao's dark pupils constricted slightly, a flicker of hesitation appearing in her lovely eyes.
Xu Yuan looked away from her and turned his gaze to Ran Qingmo, asking, "Ran Qingmo. He dies, or I die. Choose."
"He dies."
Ran Qingmo answered without hesitation, rising to her feet with her ink sword in hand.
Chapter 169