AUBTN -Chapter 27 Feigned Compliance

“Prince, be cautious with your words. Though the Eastern Depot and the Jinyiwei each have their own duties, they both serve His Majesty. Overseer Shen enjoys the emperor’s favor; I naturally must cooperate.”

The words were spat out through clenched teeth, especially the part about cooperation, which seemed forced from between his gritted teeth.

Prince Ning observed everything with his eyes, inwardly pleased.

As expected, two tigers cannot share one mountain. A man like Lu Yan, from a distinguished military family…

How could he willingly bow to a mere eunuch?

“Cooperate? Ha.” Prince Ning sneered and sat back on his seat.

“Lu Yan, Lu Yan… you come from a noble lineage, yet now you must take orders from a eunuch who cannot leave descendants. Does that sit well in your heart?”

Lu Yan remained silent.

He picked up the cup of wine before him and drained it in one gulp.

After a moment, he slammed the cup down heavily on the table, his voice hoarse: “Does it matter if it doesn’t sit well? On the court today, it’s his world. The emperor is young and listens to him completely. Though the Jinyiwei has supervisory authority, we are constrained at every turn by the Eastern Depot. Even last night…”

He paused, a flash of resentment crossing his face.

“Last night?” Prince Ning leaned forward, speaking coaxingly.

Lu Yan said coldly, “That fire last night? Clearly the Eastern Depot caused the chaos themselves! Yet they made the Jinyiwei clean up the mess! My men fought their lives out below! That kind of injustice, no one in the Jinyiwei can swallow it!”

Seeing the moment was ripe, Prince Ning extended an olive branch: “A fine bird chooses the proper tree; a loyal minister chooses the proper sovereign. Lu Yan, the skies of this court will change sooner or later. If you wish, I can offer you a broader realm, a place… where you answer to no one.”

Lu Yan’s eyes flickered—clearly, he was tempted.

He hesitated, glancing at Prince Ning, his tone probing: “Your Highness’s favor terrifies me, but… Shen Jue is cunning, ruthless, and presently enjoys the emperor’s favor. One wrong move on my part could lead to irredeemable disaster.”

“Afraid of him?” Prince Ning said disdainfully.

“Not afraid… but rather…” Lu Yan lowered his voice and leaned slightly forward, adopting a confidant’s posture.

“To be honest, Your Highness, I have not been idle. Half a year ago, I planted a piece on Shen Jue’s side to gather evidence against him.”

Prince Ning’s eyes lit up. “Oh? And the result?”

Lu Yan sighed, a trace of frustration on his face: “Shen Jue is extremely suspicious; he trusts no one. My man has been undercover this long and has only gathered scraps, never reaching his core secrets. Whether he truly escaped last night unscathed—even my piece cannot be certain. This man… is exceedingly difficult to deal with.”

His words were half-truth, half-lie.

They elevated Shen Jue’s difficulty, explained why Lu Yan had yet to topple him, and at the same time revealed a crucial point to Prince Ning:

I want to take him down, but I’m limited in power. I need a stronger patron.

Hearing this, Prince Ning felt reassured.

If Lu Yan claimed he had Shen Jue completely figured out, that would be the lie.

If Shen Jue were that easy to handle, he wouldn’t have clawed his way up from a pile of corpses to his current position.

Lu Yan’s helplessness made him seem all the more genuine.

“Lu Yan, you need not belittle yourself,” Prince Ning said with a smile, pouring himself a cup of wine.

“Shen Jue is indeed a hard nut, but if we join forces, he will be no more than a locust after the harvest. All you need to do is lend me a hand at the crucial moment.”

Lu Yan stared at the cup of wine, his face showing signs of inner struggle, as if he were fighting a final mental battle.

After a long moment, he finally spoke, his tone tinged with hesitation: “Your Highness, this matter is grave. Without absolute certainty, I dare not risk my life and fortune. The Nine Gates Commander of the capital answers to His Majesty, and the Jinyiwei are stationed in full strength within the palace. Even if… even if we were to make a move, if we fail to breach the city’s defenses, all would be in vain.”

Lu Yan kept his eyes fixed on Prince Ning, his palms beginning to sweat slightly.

He was forcing him to reveal his final card.

As expected, upon hearing this, Prince Ning’s expression turned proud.

He stood, walked over to Lu Yan, patted his shoulder, and whispered with a smile, “Master Lu worries too much. The walls of the capital may be high, but they cannot contain the will of men. As for what comes after…”

Prince Ning paused, a flicker of madness and arrogance flashing in his eyes. “That is no longer something for you to concern yourself with. Since I have dared to conceive this plan, I naturally have a flawless strategy. When the time comes, once the moment is right, this supposedly impregnable capital will, in my eyes, be nothing more than paper.”

A chill ran through Lu Yan.

Paper?

The walls of the capital are thirty feet high, made of solid bricks and stone. Without heavy artillery bombardment, they cannot be breached easily. Where could Prince Ning possibly get the confidence to call them paper?

Unless… there was inside help, or some power capable of instantly destroying the city’s defenses.

In an instant, Lu Yan’s mind flashed to the remnants that Su Hewan had discovered in the underground palace—an underground arms factory!

Prince Ning must have a secret army equipped with heavy weapons, possibly lying in ambush near the capital!

Though Prince Ning had not explicitly stated it, his words were enough to confirm their suspicions.

Suppressing the storm of thoughts within, Lu Yan quickly forced a look of respectful admiration onto his face, clasped his hands, and bowed deeply: “Your Highness is indeed farsighted. If Your Highness already has a flawless strategy, then I… am willing to serve loyally!”

“Good! Good! Excellent!” Prince Ning laughed heartily three times and helped Lu Yan to his feet.

“With Master Lu’s assistance, our great undertaking shall succeed! Come, this cup of wine is to toast… the success of our grand plan!”

“To it!”

Lu Yan tilted his head back and drained the cup. The spicy liquid burned down his throat, but it could not warm the chill in his eyes.

By the time he left Prince Ning’s mansion, night had fallen deep.

The carriage wheels clattered heavily against the bluestone road.

Leaning against the carriage wall, Lu Yan closed his eyes and let out a long, ragged breath. That entire act of feigned compliance had been a hundred times more exhausting than interrogating criminals in the imperial prison.

He rubbed his brow, yet could not stop his mind from recalling Yu Qing’s lively face just before leaving.

It was as if she were chattering right beside his ear.

A faint curve appeared at the corner of Lu Yan’s mouth, then he quickly suppressed it.

“Return to the Northern Garrison Command,” he ordered in a low voice.

Although the old fox had not spoken openly, the secret army and the method to breach the city had already been revealed. He had to inform Shen Jue and Su Hewan immediately.

In the rear hall of the Northern Garrison Command, the atmosphere was so tense it seemed one could squeeze water from it.

The news Lu Yan brought back stunned everyone.

Shen Jue sat in the shadows, playing with a delicate silver knife in his hand. Upon hearing the report, he sneered: “No wonder that old fox could stay so composed. Those remnants in the underground palace were indeed not mere decoration.”