Wang Chenglin looked at Ye Zhanqing helplessly, and the latter nodded firmly. Only then did he stiffly turn around and ask, "You are the Empress? You are not dead?"
Lin Zijin poured a cup of tea and handed it to him, saying, "This is a long story. Please sit down and let me tell you the tale..."
After listening for nearly two hours, Wang Chenglin finally managed to grasp the whole situation, but his fragile heart still couldn't accept the reality of being resurrected, and his face turned deathly pale. However, since she was still alive, even if she had become him, he should still be happy.
Seeing that Wang Chenglin had finally accepted Lin Zijin and paid his respects to Jun Yilin, Ye Zhanqing finally felt relieved. Now that they had gained more strength, it would be much easier to overthrow Jun Yifeng.
As dusk approached, Wang Chenglin bid farewell and returned home.
After Wang Chenglin left, Ye Zhanqing said happily, "I told you he would agree, and I was right!"
Lin Zijing remained noncommittal and ordered someone to summon Anmei. Upon hearing the summons from the sect leader, Anmei appeared before Lin Zijing in a flash, smiling and saying, "Sect leader, is there some new trick you want to teach me again?"
Ever since discovering the various strange and unusual medicinal powders that Lin Zijing always carried with him, Anmei would pester Lin Zijing to teach him how to make medicine whenever he had the chance.
Lin Zijing said seriously, "Aren't you tired of what I gave you last time? I asked you to come here so that you can arrange for someone to help me monitor Wang Chenglin."
Anmei also stopped joking and replied, "Yes, I'll arrange it right away."
Lin Zijin said, "If he encounters danger, we must protect him."
Anmei said, "Yes." Then she stepped lightly out of the room.
Ye Zhanqing asked, puzzled, "Why send someone to monitor him? Isn't he trustworthy?"
Lin Zijing said calmly, "It's not that he's untrustworthy, but that I trust no one else but you!"
As for why she needed to protect him, Lin Zijing thought to herself, "One should always be wary of others. Jun Yifeng is no ordinary person. Wang Chenglin is just a scholar, powerless and weak. We need to be careful to prevent Jun Yifeng from attacking him."
Upon hearing this, Ye Zhanqing and Jun Yilin both knew about Lin Zijing's inner turmoil and, unsure how to comfort her, could only remain silent.
Jun Yilin secretly made up his mind that he would make Zijing happy and never let him suffer again.
☆、11、Male Homosexuality
With Ye Zhanqing on the military side, Jun Yifeng hasn't suspected him yet. Taking advantage of this time, they can gradually erode the Chinese army. As long as time allows, according to the plan, the entire army will soon fall under their control.
On the civil officials' side, there is also Wang Chenglin. Although he has been sidelined by Jun Yifeng, he still has a certain influence in the court in recent years. There is also a group of civil officials who were discovered and promoted along with him during the Wei Zhili incident. They have always regarded themselves as his disciples and have a deep relationship with him. If he were to contact reliable officials and secretly show them the late king's edict, it is believed that he could form a considerable force.
The Dark Night Tower's intelligence network within the palace was gradually being established. Although not as tightly controlled as before, progress was still smooth. Jun Yifeng's defenses were extremely tight, and the fact that they had infiltrated his forces was a testament to the combined efforts of Dark Enchantress. Perhaps due to his many wicked deeds, Jun Yifeng frequently changed palaces to rest, making his whereabouts unpredictable. To avoid arousing suspicion, the infiltration team had to be conducted cautiously and steadily, preferring to delay rather than abandon their efforts. It was believed that uncovering Jun Yifeng's whereabouts was only a matter of time.
The most crucial thing right now is that there isn't a single person Jun Yifeng can trust planted by his side to monitor his every move and understand his thoughts.
After breakfast, Lin Zijing lay comfortably in a recliner, basking in the sun, silently calculating her bargaining chips and the time needed for revenge. The warm sunlight bathed the earth, causing Lin Zijing to squint. The peach trees in the courtyard were in bloom, petals drifting down in the breeze. Lin Zijing picked up a petal that had fallen onto her clothes, thinking of Xuan Yi in the underworld. When would she see him again? Lin Zijing thought, no matter when, she would never be framed like before. Lin Zijing's hand tightened, then loosened; the petal turned to dust and flew away. She would never again allow herself to be bullied…
Since his death, Jun Yifeng had seized absolute power, facing no further obstacles. His suspicious and ruthless nature gradually came to the fore. Some ministers, speaking out against his wishes in court, were suspected of treason and their entire families were executed. After several such incidents, very few ministers dared to speak frankly; the rest had learned their lesson and dared not oppose him again. Now, every minister in the court lived in fear, terrified that a single misstep would make them the next traitor to fall under Jun Yifeng's suspicion.
"He's incredibly patient," Lin Zijing thought. To conceal his true nature for over a decade, without even his closest mentor and herself noticing, was no small feat, perhaps even beyond her own capabilities. But this time, she too would endure, ensuring absolute certainty until the day of revenge. The thought of Jun Yifeng's expression upon seeing her on that day filled Lin Zijing with immense joy! "I can wait. So many years have passed; a few more days won't make a difference."
Lost in thought, Lin Zijing was informed by a maid that General Ye had come to visit. She asked him to come in and instructed the others not to approach. Ye Zhanqing entered the courtyard and saw Lin Zijing happily basking in the sun with her eyes half-closed. He couldn't help but smile, found a chair, and sat down, gazing at Lin Zijing in a daze.
"You've come at the right time. I have something to discuss with you." Hearing footsteps, Lin Zijing opened her eyes, sat up straight, and told Ye Zhanqing about her thoughts. She hoped to find someone in the court to act as an inside agent.
"Hmm, this person must be able to gain Jun Yifeng's trust, but there aren't many people in the court who can gain his trust these days! Even if there is such a person, how can we get him to work for us?" Ye Zhanqing also began to ponder.
Lin Zijing nodded and said, "Originally, I planned to do some tricks in the harem, but the imperial concubine selection has just ended, and it is extremely difficult for us to send people in. If we were to find someone at the last minute, it would be unreliable. After all, what we want to scheme for is their emperor."
"Yes, this is quite a difficult matter!" Ye Zhanqing frowned.
"How about this, you first go and find out the backgrounds of the palace maids and eunuchs who can serve Jun Yifeng closely, and then investigate the backgrounds of the officials in the court who can gain Jun Yifeng's trust. If necessary, ask Anmei and Anwu for help to see if there are any breakthroughs. Then we can discuss it further!" Lin Zijing thought to herself for a moment and realized that this was the only way for now.
"Okay, I'll go and find out in a bit." Ye Zhanqing nodded in agreement.
After discussing this matter, the two talked about other trivial things.
Standing at a distance, watching the two chatting happily in the courtyard, the little maid pursed her lips, thinking helplessly, "I thought that since the second manager wasn't married yet, and I'm so pretty, I could at least catch his eye! Maybe I'd have a chance. Who knew this second manager wasn't interested in women at all? He's always either having private talks with General Ye or Accountant Yi behind closed doors. Even when he's talking in the courtyard, he doesn't let anyone else near. Could it be—that he actually likes men?"
Although it's said that wealthy families are fond of male homosexuality, he's too much of a womanizer! At least give me Accountant Yi! The little maid was indignant. How could one person have two good men all to herself? General Ye is handsome and extraordinary, and she dares not aspire to be with him, but Accountant Yi is so kind and handsome. The little maid blushed when she thought of Yi Lin's gentle smile!
"He Xiang, what are you daydreaming about? Where's your cousin?"
Just as she was imagining her bright future with Yi Lin, He Xiang saw a handsome face appear before her. How could it look so much like Accountant Yi? Her eyes were still blurry, but her mind immediately cleared, and she hurriedly replied, "He's in the courtyard with General Ye."
Yi Lin smiled and nodded at her, about to go inside.
"Hey!" He Xiang called out to him, but hesitated to speak.
Yi Lin was puzzled and asked, "What's wrong?"
"No, it's nothing. It's just that General Ye is here too. They've been talking in the courtyard for a long time, and they've ordered that no one is allowed to come near. They often talk behind closed doors for a long time. Accountant Yi, do you... do you mind?" He Xiang said hesitantly.
Yi Lin had no idea what she meant and was completely confused. Just as he was about to continue walking forward, it suddenly dawned on him: "Huh? You think my cousin and I—my cousin and General Ye—?" He couldn't finish his sentence because his stomach was already cramping from laughing so hard.
He Xiang looked at him with innocent eyes, her expression awkward. Wasn't that right?
"Hahahaha..." With hearty laughter, Jun Yilin stepped into the courtyard, leaving He Xiang standing at the door, bewildered.
He Xiang thought to herself, "They're just too embarrassed to admit it. The second manager said no one else is allowed to get close, but 'no one else' never includes Accountant Yi. Are they still not going to admit it?" She glared at that graceful figure from behind. Sigh, she had no hope again!
The two people sitting in the courtyard were talking quietly, confirming some matters and details, when they saw Jun Yilin walk in laughing. Both of them were interrupted and stood there stunned.
"Prince Lin, has there been a new development in the matter? Why are you so happy?" Ye Zhanqing asked.
"No, no, there's no new progress, but rather something funny." Ignoring Lin Zijing's disdainful look, Jun Yilin wanted to keep them in suspense, so he stopped talking. But seeing their gloomy faces and lack of interest, he had no choice but to continue himself. "Zijing, your reputation at the Fugui Pawnshop is completely ruined! Everyone says you're a homosexual and a womanizer. Not only is General Ye your lover, but even I'm infatuated with you. You'd better think about how to explain this to everyone! Haha..."
After listening to Jun Yilin's words with a bewildered expression, Young Master Lin's face turned white, then red, then black—a truly fascinating sight.
"Regarding the selection of an inside agent, I think there is one person who is very suitable!" Young Master Lin said expressionlessly.
"Who?" Ye Zhanqing asked with interest, but Lin Zijin's unfriendly expression gave him a bad feeling.
"Our Prince Lin is incomparably handsome. If we could sacrifice ourselves a little and seduce the most favored Consort Shu in the harem, bewitch her so much that she would reveal the Emperor's every move, wouldn't we save a lot of trouble?" Young Master Lin said through gritted teeth.
Ye Zhanqing wanted to laugh but didn't dare. Looking at Lin Zijing and Jun Yilin glaring at each other, he felt it was best to stay away during this critical time to avoid being caught in the crossfire. So he coughed and said, "I have to go now!"
Neither of the two cross-eyed people noticed him, so Ye Zhanqing could only touch his nose and leave quietly.
Seeing General Ye walk out, looking like he was enduring internal injuries, He Xiang let her imagination run wild again. It seems the second manager prefers the accountant. General Ye is so pitiful!
☆、Twelve、Jiang Yumian
On this day, Wang Chenglin brought news that Jun Yifeng had suddenly begun to favor a concubine named Jiang Yuyan. Since gaining favor, she had risen several ranks from the lowest-ranking concubine to the most favored concubine, Shufei, and was promoted to the rank of Guifei. This was the fastest promotion since Qingluan was promoted from a palace maid to empress!
"Is there anything strange about this?" Lin Zijing asked calmly.
“Normally, none of us ministers could interfere with whomever the Emperor favored,” Wang Chenglin said, glancing at Lin Zijing to make sure he was in a good mood after hearing about palace affairs. “However, this Imperial Concubine has a mysterious elder brother named Jiang Yumin. Since his sister became an Imperial Concubine, he has also been highly valued by the Emperor. Today, during court discussions, the Emperor mentioned that he wanted to appoint him as Right Chancellor, alongside me. To rise from an ordinary clerk to Right Chancellor within a year, holding the highest rank of the first grade, has caused quite a stir among the court officials, like a drop of water in a hot oil pan.”
Jun Yilin immediately sensed something was amiss and said, "It seems these two siblings have high aspirations?"
Seeing that Jun Yilin had figured out the key point, Wang Chenglin nodded approvingly.
"Why do you say he's mysterious?" Lin Zijing asked casually.
“Because this person was previously unknown, working as a low-level clerk in the document bureau, keeping a low profile, and always wearing a mask, refusing to show his true face or interact with others, so he is considered mysterious,” Wang Chenglin hurriedly replied.
"This person is so mysterious and acts so strangely. Should we take action to eliminate him to prevent him from growing too powerful and ruining our plans?" Ye Zhanqing asked.
"No!" Lin Zijing uttered a single word softly, and seeing everyone's puzzled expressions, she smiled faintly and said, "On the contrary, I want you to lend them a hand. Since it's already a muddy swamp, aren't we afraid of making it even muddier? Neither of them comes from a prominent family, nor do they have any other power to rely on. We don't need to fear them becoming too powerful! Moreover—"
"And their meddling will actually help us cover up and divert other people's attention, making it easier for us to act. Right, Zijing?" Jun Yilin smiled as he picked up on Lin Zijing's words.
At this point, Wang Chenglin immediately nodded and smiled. Ye Zhanqing also understood Lin Zijing's intention and said excitedly, "That's right, how come I didn't think of that? Hey! With Zijing around, we don't have to worry about anything!"
Hearing the mighty general say such childish things, everyone burst into laughter.
Lin Zijing stared blankly into Jun Yilin's eyes, thinking to himself, "This guy is really something, how come he can guess most of my thoughts?" Jun Yilin looked at his dazed expression and raised an eyebrow at him smugly. Lin Zijing jumped and quickly looked away.
Wang Chenglin and Ye Zhanqing discussed the details in hushed tones.
Having devised a plan and discussed it, everyone went their separate ways.
In the dead of night, Prime Minister Wang Chenglin's carriage quietly drove to the residences of important court officials such as the Censor-in-Chief, the Grand Secretary, and the Minister of State Affairs. The silent stars blinked, and the quiet night was not quiet at all.
The following day, the court officials changed their previous approach and no longer opposed the emperor's appointment of Jiang Yumin as Right Chancellor. However, they did not approve either; their silence was also a form of expression. With a decree from the emperor, Jiang Yumin became the rightful Right Chancellor, while Wang Chenglin was renamed Left Chancellor from Prime Minister. Both were of the first rank and jointly commanded the civil officials.
On his throne, Jun Yifeng carefully observed Wang Chenglin's expression, trying to find even the slightest hint of resentment. However, Wang Chenglin maintained a smile throughout, seemingly quite satisfied with the decision, which put Jun Yifeng at ease.
In the harem, Consort Jiang lived a very comfortable life. She was favored by the emperor and was the only one in the harem. Her brother was second only to the emperor. The poisonous snakes, oil stains on the ground, and arsenic in her rouge that had mysteriously appeared a while ago had all disappeared without a trace.
"Hmph, these people are smart enough to know better. Seeing that I've been promoted to Imperial Concubine, they finally dared not touch me again. Otherwise, if I had told the Emperor and my brother, they wouldn't even know how they died!" Imperial Concubine Jiang gently stroked her newly dyed nail polish, speaking coquettishly to her personal maid. Liu Ye, standing beside her, replied, "Yes." But secretly, she rolled her eyes, thinking, if it weren't for the Lord's word, even if Dark Night Tower hadn't touched her, she would have died a thousand times over from the schemes in the harem. Wasn't this period of peace only because she acted on the Lord's orders?
Although young, Right Chancellor Jiang Yumin was quite talented and lived up to Jun Yifeng's trust, accomplishing several significant tasks and winning Jun Yifeng's favor. Some people resented his youthful arrogance and tried to sabotage him, but he silently resolved their attempts without making a fuss. This magnanimity suited their temperament, and gradually no one bothered him anymore.
However, he always wore a black mask, supposedly because he had been burned and his voice was ruined. His hoarse voice sounded like a broken bellows, making him look nothing like a young man in his early twenties.
I heard that the Emperor once secretly ordered him to take off his mask, but he was so frightened that his face turned pale. I really don't know how terrifying the face under the mask must be. But looking at Consort Jiang's beautiful face, her brother's appearance can't be too bad either!
"This person is more interesting than his sister! Send someone to investigate his true abilities!" Lin Zijing said with curiosity, squinting her eyes after hearing Anwu's report.
He is now very interested in this person. He is no ordinary person. He was able to gain Jun Yifeng's trust in such a short time, easily resolve those interferences, and firmly hold the position of Right Prime Minister.
But why is he so unrestrained in his actions, instead being so high-profile and flamboyant? This is not the behavior of a smart person, Lin Zijing pondered, stroking her chin.
Dissatisfied with the host's silence and indifference, Anwu called out "Host" and, seeing Lin Zijing looking at her, gave her a smug wink and said, "This subordinate takes his leave."
Lin Zijin watched her retreating figure, silently touching the goosebumps on her arm, thinking to herself, "Does Anwu really think of herself as a man?"
Lin Zijing recalled Anwu's report. It was now confirmed that Jiang Yumin was a formidable character. It seemed she would have to put more effort into dealing with him in the future! But what about his sister—was she as naive as Anwu had described?
Anwu said that Consort Jiang was completely guileless, wearing her heart on her sleeve, making it incredibly easy to read her mind. Yet Jun Yifeng adored her and indulged her greatly. Was she really that simple? Perhaps it was precisely because of her simplicity that he felt comfortable spoiling her! Lin Zijing thought.
A few days later, the people sent to follow Jiang Yumin returned, and Lin Zijin hurriedly called someone in to report.
"Well, is there anything wrong with this person?" Lin Zijin asked lazily.
Anmei followed the man in. The man remained silent, looking embarrassed. Anmei had no choice but to speak for him: "To be honest, they were discovered every time, and luckily the other party meant no harm, otherwise, who knows who would have suffered?"
Hearing Anmei say this, Lin Zijing perked up immediately. She was quite surprised. Anmei was arrogant and rarely boosted the morale of others while belittling his own. Since he said this, that person must be very extraordinary!
Lin Zijing thought, "I thought it was just a big fish, but it might actually be a piranha."
Seeing Lin Zijin deep in thought, Anmei volunteered: "Master, I'll go myself this time."