Let Me Explain, Fairy
Chapter 213 - One Hundred Sixty-nine: Life and Death

Chapter 213: Chapter One Hundred Sixty-nine: Life and Death

Although giving away the Human Skin Mask seemed a casual gesture, combined with the knowledge from his past life, Xu Yuan could feel the deep helplessness of Xu Yinhé and even began to understand why the Prime Minister’s Mansion was destined for a tragic end in the "Cangyuan Chronicles".

The whole world was an adversary.

Even the lone ally, the Dayan Imperial Court, might turn out to be a traitor.

What the hell is this?

Of course, this was all relative.

The Dayan Royal Family likely felt the same about the Prime Minister’s Mansion, or perhaps even more so.

After all, a country cannot have two leaders.

The current state of the Prime Minister’s Mansion could no longer be described as just a local warlord faction but as a central military force entrenched in the heart of the Dayan Empire.

When the birds are gone, the bow is put away; when the rabbits are dead, the dogs are cooked.

To the one sitting on the golden throne, a Prime Minister’s Mansion that could mutually wound the Sects was the desirable Prime Minister’s Mansion.

After putting on the mask, Xu Yuan’s eyes darkened, but he quickly let out a light sigh.

He wasn’t someone who enjoyed struggle.

If he had enjoyed it, he wouldn’t have suddenly died in this world from staying up late playing games.

He preferred a life of leisure and ease over one of struggle.

Casually giving up.

He had only one plan all along.

To leverage his knowledge from a past life to help the Prime Minister’s Mansion win the impending war. No matter how his old man chose in the end, if he decided to play it safe, then Xu Yuan would simply be a spoiled heir wandering around for pleasure; if his father wanted to achieve greater things, he would then be an idle prince.

After all, the plot twists targeting the Prime Minister’s Mansion in the past life’s "Cangyuan Chronicles" were quite absurd.

Even when he learned of the secretive Jiatiange, Xu Yuan’s plan never changed, as the Jiatiange posed no substantial threat.

If one truly had strength, why hide it? As for the ability to predict the future...

Heh.

He was the unpredictable one, and being the closest legitimate member of the Prime Minister’s family, his actions could directly influence Xu Yinhé’s decisions and thus render the future of the entire Prime Minister’s Mansion unpredictable.

But now he suddenly realized that the situation might be worse than he had thought.

Because Xu Yinhé’s decision seemed like forcing a duck onto a perch...

"Third brother..."

While he was thinking,

Xu Yuan heard a soft call and looked over to see Xu Xinyao’s worried gaze.

Xu Xinyao tentatively looked at the brooding expression on Xu Yuan’s face:

"Father wants you to inherit the Prime Minister’s Mansion, isn’t that a good thing?"

Xu Yuan was about to shake his head and explain, but he swallowed the words on the tip of his tongue and instead let out a sigh, smiling:

"Indeed, it is a good thing. I just wasn’t prepared for it. The power is too great, beyond what I dared to imagine before."

His voice had changed slightly because of the mask.

"Is it really so?" Xu Xinyao seemed somewhat uneasy.

Xu Yuan countered:

"Besides that, what else could it be?"

Xu Xinyao shook her head, "I don’t know."

"Xu Yuan, are you not allowed to tell me?"

At this moment, Ran Qingmo suddenly intervened with a low voice, "I can step out."

Hearing this, Xu Yuan turned and spoke:

"I’ve already said, you are special. If I didn’t want to tell you, I wouldn’t have mentioned it in front of you to begin with."

"...."

Ran Qingmo’s serene eyes remained unchanged, but her heartbeat quickened for a moment.

And just then,

"Knock knock knock—"

The door of the courtyard was knocked at a rather inconvenient time.

"....."

Xu Yuan took a deep breath and turned his eyes to the door:

"Who?"

"Third Young Master, it’s me, Bai Zhao, here to deliver the evening meal for you and the two young ladies."

Xu Yuan glanced at the sky, where the sun was still high, signaled the two women to put on their hats, and breathed out one word, his voice somewhat cold:

"Enter."

"Creak—"

The courtyard gate made a faint sound as it was pushed open.

Upon entering, Bai Zhao immediately cast a careful glance around the courtyard.

He had not allowed his subordinates to deliver the meal because he was very aware of his own place.

But it seemed he had not come at the right time.

As a sly fox who had mingled at the bottom of society for dozens of years, even though it was only two words, he could tell from Third Young Master’s tone just now that it was a bit displeased.

When Bai Zhao saw the unfamiliar man in the pavilion, he was slightly taken aback, and soon his body began to tremble involuntarily, though he had the mental fortitude to deal with it.

After a moment’s hesitation, Bai Zhao quietly walked to the front of the pavilion, bowed, and placed the tray of food down:

"Third Young Master, if there is anything unsatisfactory, please feel free to instruct me."

Xu Yuan nodded slightly. He had noticed the other’s trembling just now and had somewhat reined in his previously dissatisfied mood:

"Hmm, you’ve done well, you may go."

"......"

Upon hearing this unfamiliar voice, Bai Zhao’s fists clenched slightly, and he knelt in front of Xu Yuan, speaking in a very rapid and low voice with a fist held before his chest:

"Third Young Master, I have served in the Prime Minister’s Mansion devotedly for twenty-nine years in Wanxiang City. Please spare the lives of my family."

Xu Yuan glanced at Bai Zhao with a bit of surprise and then felt relieved.

Although he himself didn’t think it was a big deal, the reality was that to this Bai Zhao, he represented either the glory of prosperity or the depths of hell with just a thought.

After a pause, Xu Yuan said with a light chuckle to reassure him:

"You haven’t interrupted anything important, don’t worry, get up."

"....."

Bai Zhao’s movement of holding his fists tightened because of his exertion. He did not stand up but instead forcefully knocked his head on the stone floor with a "thud":

"Third Young Master, I had no idea about your concealed identity and the affair you’ve come to deal with here. Being of lowly status myself, I’m not worthy of knowing such matters. I implore you to spare my relatives, for they are completely ignorant about this."

"......"

Hearing this, Xu Yuan silently placed his hand on the stone table, his slender index finger tapping on the tray.

He suddenly realized why Bai Zhao had said what he did.

The middle-aged man before him with graying temples would surely die.

It was like what happened in the movies of his past life, where the protagonist accidentally learns something he shouldn’t, and then people would want him dead.

But reality is not a movie, Xu Yinhe was not a villain from a movie, and this Bai Zhao was certainly not the protagonist of a movie.

So he would die.

However, it was surprising that this man had observed and reacted within such a short time....

Xu Yuan waved his hand:

"That’s enough, get up. I have matters to discuss with my father today, and I will mention your situation. Don’t worry, you may go."

With great care, Bai Zhao wiped the bloodstains on the stone floor with his sleeve, then slowly rose from the ground:

"Bai Zhao, I thank Third Young Master for your great kindness."

After saying this, Bai Zhao didn’t say anything else and tactfully left the courtyard promptly.

After Bai Zhao left, the courtyard was quiet for a long while.

Xu Xinyao looked uncertain and asked:

"Third Brother, why would this person act in such a way?"

Xu Yuan glanced at her and said calmly:

"Didn’t Bai Zhao just say? He figured out that I’m concealing my identity."

Xu Xinyao’s breath hitched:

"Are you saying Bai Zhao has realized the Prime Minister’s intentions to cultivate you...."

"Of course not."

Xu Yuan said with a smile, gesturing dismissively:

"He doesn’t have enough information right now, so he probably doesn’t know yet. But if Wanxiang City truly becomes embroiled in conflict, with his wit, he’ll surely figure it out. Father wouldn’t allow such a person to exist."

Xu Xinyao bit her lip:

"Third Brother... this man has made contributions to the Prime Minister’s Mansion. Just because he found out, he needs to be silenced?"

Xu Yuan looked at her and said deliberately:

"Him dying, or me dying, choose."

Xu Xinyao’s dark pupils shrank slightly, her beautiful eyes wavering.

Xu Yuan no longer looked at her but turned to Ran Qingmo and asked:

"Ran Qingmo, him dying, or me dying, choose."

"He dies," Ran Qingmo said without hesitation, standing up while holding the Ink Sword.