CH 31.2

A middle-aged man with a tall, majestic, and sturdy physique hurriedly entered through the hall door.

And when Meng Huan happened to pass by, he looked at the other man and guessed that this was Xu Ruolin’s father.

Xu Ruolin was born to the Marquis of Zhen Guan’s most beloved mistress, who was born delicate and soft. His son was also handsome and delicate, like his mother, and had an arrogant personality.

Meng Huan walked back and forth around the bed chamber several times and couldn’t resist walking toward Xu Ruolin’s stretcher.

With a few subordinates standing guard, he was lying on his back on the stretcher, his legs placed limply, his hair disheveled, and half of his body slightly propped up, staring at Meng Huan with red eyes.

“Are you happy?” He asked.

Meng Huan was aware of having to face his hostility. “So-so.”

Xu Ruolin snorted, “Don’t be too happy. My father is a great general. He knows how to break my legs and how to make my legs grow well.”

Meng Huan sat down next to him and was silent.

“When a person’s body is broken, it can grow again, but when a person’s will is broken, that person is ruined.” Xu Ruolin still muttered to himself.

Meng Huan: “Are you connoting me?”

“Yes!” Xu Ruolin said, “I thought you would become a righteous man when you entered the prince’s residence, but you have become a villain who’s only interested in saving your life!”

Meng Huan turned his face away. “I’ve already refuted you, you two-faced dog. You drugged me, which is not something a gentleman would do, so your accusation against me doesn’t stand up.”

“Bah! You can’t even stand firmly! You have turned from a male concubine to a princess. Meng Huan, I don’t know how much you have flattered Lin Bozhou’s face!” Xu Ruolin murmured, “You betrayed us.”

Meng Huan had little thought about his accusation, but hearing the word “betrayal” caused waves.

He was a little worried about not fulfilling the ambition that the original shou was subjected to. After all, it seemed like a betrayal to occupy this body and go entirely against him.

Meng Huan thought momentarily. “Can I ask you a question?”

“Say.”

“Why did you insist on killing Lin Bozhou?”

“What do you think?” Xu Ruolin repeated as if he had repeated it countless times. “He manipulated the emperor into his hands, and the dynasty is controlled by him alone. The appointment and dismissal of officials all depend on his personal preferences. He alone holds the nation’s finances, and the division of money is based on his ideas. He is a power-hungry person!”

A wave of unspoken emotions welled up in Meng Huan.

He had also read the book and knew this.

Power-hungry dictator was a derogatory label and not used to describe good people.

Lin Bozhou was a minister. To rank higher than the emperor messed up the hierarchy of a subject.

So many people insulted Lin Bozhou. Lin Bozhou was indeed too aggressive.

Meng Huan couldn’t help but be a little confused. “Then those things he did, was it a bad thing?”

“Of course, it is bad; he is powerful. Our necks hang above his head, and he can kill us anytime. We are living in great fear!”

Meng Huan frowned, feeling uncomfortable.

He pressed his knuckles against his temples and squeezed them desperately.

Then, he tentatively asked, “Then, is it good or bad for the common people?”

Xu Ruolin was silent for a moment.

He looked at Meng Huan with astonishment, as if he was looking at a crazy person.

Then he said, “Why are we looking at the common people? We are working for the emperor and have to look at the emperor! As long as Lin Bozhou doesn’t die, the emperor will never wake up! He deceived the emperor and made him unable to identify loyal and traitorous ministers. How come you can’t identify them either?”

“……”

Meng Huan’s brow was furrowed, and his expression was distressed.

No. After so many years of reading, Meng Huan remembered it was to serve the people and could only judge Lin Bozhou from this aspect.

Xu Ruolin snorted, “You are corrupted by the life in this prince’s residence. You see how rich and luxurious the prince regent is, and he even personally took you to the hunting ground to hunt. So favored, ah.”

Talking about this, Meng Huan asked, “Why did you appear at the temple that day?”

Weird. It was the prince regent’s private estate, and the temple was not famous, so why was it so coincidental that he ran into Xu Ruolin that day?

Xu Ruolin: “What do you think? Of course, it’s to stage an assassination.” He admitted it quickly and carefully stared into Meng Huan’s eyes. “I have never treated you as an outsider. If you tell Lin Bozhou about these things, we will die together.”

Meng Huan: “…… I know.”

Xu Ruolin turned and looked to the other side. “Don’t be too naive. Lin Bozhou is happy and rewards you for being the princess for two days. Still, he has not even picked up your father from Fengxiang until now. What does this princess title count?”

“……”

Meng Huan did not care much about this “princess” title. But after hearing Xu Ruolin say so, his heart seemed to be moved again.

Right. What was the basis of the feelings between Lin Bozhou and him? He still hadn’t figured it out yet.

Meng Huan hugged his knees and sat with his head propped up, looking around at the prince regent’s residence that did not belong to him.

He didn’t plan to talk with Xu Ruolin in vain anymore, got up, and patted his butt to leave, but a voice rang out behind him.

“As for you, if you can kill Lin Bozhou, you should kill him. If you can’t kill him, you should think of a way to protect yourself. If Lin Bozhou is taken down, nobody in this prince’s residence will be spared.”

“I’m telling you, Lin Bozhou will definitely die.”

Meng Huan’s footsteps stopped, and he looked back at him.

Xu Ruolin spoke again. “The emperor is thirteen years old. He will be fourteen after the New Year, and it’s time to take over the government. The beginning of next year is the capital inspection. No matter what, we plan to pull down Lin Bozhou in these six months.”

Meng Huan raised his head in confusion. “Capital inspection?”

Xu Ruolin’s face was surprised, and his voice was raised abruptly. “What happened to you in the prince’s residence? Capital inspection! Once every six years! This is a great opportunity to bring down Lin’s party! Did you forget?”

“……” Meng Huan looked around to make sure there was no one from Lin Bozhou’s party.

In front of him, Xu Ruolin looked like a hippopotamus with its mouth wide open, spewing saliva, and was spouting trash talk at him furiously–

“You don’t even understand this? You don’t understand this? You don’t even understand this?”

Meng Huan’s ears hurt from his roar, and he lowered his head, twisting his fingers hard.

He understood shit.

…… Speechless to death.

Would an ordinary eighteen-year-old male college student understand the word “capital inspection”?

Besides, he read the text without thinking.

Meng Huan was ashamed.

Xu Ruolin was tired of roaring, smashed a fist heavily on the ground, and muttered, “Lin Bozhou caused my father to break my legs. I have already thought of how to deal with his body.”

Meng Huan looked at him as he gritted his teeth.

“When he is dragged down, his body will be chopped up, his head will be hung at the city gate, and the meat will be fed to the dogs.” Xu Ruolin’s eyes were red. “I hate him.”

Meng Huan shook his head and stood up.

He had something in mind that he didn’t say.

—If he had to choose a winner between Lin Bozhou and Xu Ruolin, Meng Huan would have chosen Lin Bozhou with his feet.

As for Xu Ruolin, he should wish for more luck for himself.

–

Deep in the night, the cool breeze brushed through the courtyard, disrupting the flowers’ shadows and reflecting on the stone table in the middle.

There were many bottles of wine on the table, some upside down, some upright.

Meng Huan slumped on the table, flushed, holding a bottle of wine in his hand, and his eyes were a little too drunk to open.

He had nothing to do tonight and inexplicably began to reflect on what Xu Ruolin had said.

Initially, when transmigrating into the book, Meng Huan thought it would be fine to stop striving and save his lowly life. However, he was a little worried now that there would be turmoil in the court, Lin Bozhou’s identity would change, and his own life and safety would fluctuate at any time.

He was a bit depressed, feeling that he could not understand anything and not knowing how to save himself— not to mention what to do next.

Meng Huan poured another sip of wine into his mouth.

—The bitter wine entered his throat, and his heart ached.

Drinking, and drinking, Meng Huan rested his forehead hard on the stone tabletop, his eyelids burning, and exhaled a soft breath of wine.

Wooooooooo, I want to go home.

You Jin’s voice rang out outside the pavilion, “Princess.”

Meng Huan looked over in a drunken daze. “Huh?”

“Why is Your Highness drinking here alone?” You Jin was a little puzzled.

As soon as he saw him, Meng Huan guessed Lin Bozhou summoned himself.

Meng Huan asked, “Is the prince looking for me?”

You Jin nodded. “Yes, the prince has a headache and summoned the princess over to talk and stay the night.”

For the first time, Meng Huan shook his head. “I don’t want to go.”

The young man’s lips skewed downward, and he became stubborn. “I’m not in a good mood. I want to be free. I’m not serving anyone today.”

“……”