Let Me Explain, Fairy
Chapter 380 - 266: Scheming

Chapter 380: Chapter 266: Scheming

Once people satisfy their material needs, they inevitably seek higher spiritual fulfillment, especially true for the officials appointed to the frontiers and the high-ranking offspring who come to gain experience.

Where there’s demand from those above, naturally, people below will scramble to curry favor.

As a result, places dubbed "outposts," which were in fact manors and grand estates, sprung up in the scenic regions near Houting County.

These places were extravagantly furnished, and beauties and handsome men were plentiful.

Next to Guangzhen County, one of the three border cities, stood such a place named Wanfang Garden.

However, due to the southern invasion of the Barbarian Tribes, the once luxurious pavilions and galleries had been burned to the ground, leaving only an elegant pavilion on the mountaintop standing alone.

Now, beneath the heavily falling snow, two figures stood in the pavilion.

One man and one woman.

The man had sword-like eyebrows and bright, starry eyes, exuding a valiant air.

The woman had skin as delicate as porcelain and bones as resilient as snow. Draped in fur, her flawless shoulders peeked out.

The man held a wolf-hair brush, his forceful calligraphy rendering the paper beneath.

The brush paused,

and Nan Jinxi, with a smile brimming in her lovely eyes, reached straight for the paper, admiration in her glance as she turned her head and laughed, "Zhaoyuan, I knew you were unmatched in music, but I had not seen your calligraphy flow like a dragon!"

"You, a fox spirit, understand calligraphy?"

"..." Nan Jinxi.

Placing down the wolf-hair brush, Li Zhaoyuan chuckled softly and said, "The world regards music, chess, calligraphy, and painting as refined arts, and poetry as a talent. I only studied these to cater to their tastes."

Nan Jinxi pulled the fluffy brocade coat to her shoulders with a huff, saying,

"Catering to their tastes, are you to charm young maidens?"

Li Zhaoyuan turned his gaze back, his eyes serene,

"Charming young maidens? If I had such leisure, it would indeed be a delight. Sadly, that is not the case. The gap between myself and my royal brother is too vast. I can only attempt some insignificant amends on these trivialities. This is my calling card; many of the old guard fall for such things."

Nan Jinxi looked away with a purse of her lips,

"But what about that girl from the Secret Investigation Department..."

"Rather than a woman’s affection being gratifying, I am more inclined to Xu Mengxi’s philosophy of dying for those who understand me," Li Zhaoyuan said evenly, looking into the emotion in Nan Jinxi’s eyes, his voice tinged with indifference, "Your jealousy is uninteresting."

"Ha..."

Deeply inhaling, Nan Jinxi said without any ripples on her chest, "Alright then, what did you mean when you said they’re starting to suspect you? Is there any danger?"

Li Zhaoyuan nonchalantly waved his hand,

"There isn’t. They have no evidence, only speculations based on common sense."

"Speculations?" Nan Jinxi frowned.

Seeing her concerned gaze, Li Zhaoyuan distantly glanced toward Guangzhen County, sighing,

"If my royal father were in good health, I would have ample time to plan, organize, and close the gap with my royal brother. Alas, my father’s life is near its end. Given the current situation, there are only two paths for me to outdo my royal brother. One is to ally with Minister Xu, and the other is to seek reconciliation with the Sects."

Nan Jinxi suddenly asked,

"So... have you truly chosen the second path?"

"...."

No answer.

Li Zhaoyuan’s eyes remained calm, but he did not deny it either.

In the silence,

Nan Jinxi sighed softly, her voice softening somewhat as she said,

"You always do this, knowing I wouldn’t betray you... Li Zhaoyuan, be direct, what do you need my help with?"

Li Zhaoyuan slowly lifted his gaze to the shadowy outline of Guangzhen County through the snow, whispering,

"Mr. Zong is heading south with my royal sister, and the camp in Houting County should have already started to break today."

Nan Jinxi gathered her skirts and sat on the stone bench inside the pavilion, saying,

"Your forces have already taken in those who fled south from the Northern Border Sects. There’s no reason for Zong Qingsheng and Wu Yuan to delay further."

Li Zhaoyuan shook his head,

"But there’s been no word from Marquis Wucheng. Considering the ample supplies of food and provisions, they would likely wait for Marquis Wucheng as the prudent move."

Nan Jinxi leaned back slightly, her bare back carelessly resting against the icy railing,

"They didn’t let you in their military council, right? Could you be deceived?"

Li Zhaoyuan spoke softly,

"I have some informants in Houting County. If Marquis Wucheng were to arrive in the area with a hundred thousand soldiers, I would surely get the news. If they’re rushing south without waiting for Marquis Wucheng, they must have other plots in mind."

Nan Jinxi straightened up a bit, frowning slightly,

"With the font of three hundred thousand elite troops of the Northern Border Sects eliminated, both your father and Xu Yinhè wouldn’t miss such an opportunity. Could it be that Marquis Wucheng is taking a detour south like the Barbarian Tribes?"

Li Zhaoyuan raised an eyebrow, a hint of a smile in his eyes,

"You mean to say... my father would seize this opportunity to wage war against the Sects?"

"Your father may not wish for it, but if given the chance, that Prime Minister Xu would definitely act," said Nan Jinxi softly.

Li Zhaoyuan smiled slightly and nodded without evasion,

"That’s indeed the case."

Nan Jinxi’s slender fingers clenched tightly,

"So, the Dayan Dynasty is preparing to declare war on the internal Sects?"

Li Zhaoyuan shook his head gently, his voice almost like a sigh,

"No, of course not. The moment those three hundred thousand elite troops from the Northern Border Sects were annihilated, they were already forsaken."

Nan Jinxi’s voice held a trace of disbelief,

"Who told you? Would other Sects sit idly by as the Imperial Court destroys the Northern Border Sects?"

Li Zhaoyuan’s starry eyes narrowed slightly as he nodded:

"How I know is not important, but the fact remains."

"How is that possible?!"

Nan Jinxi blurted out, her crisp voice rising slightly, "With the Barbarian Tribes gone and the Northern Border Sects annihilated one after another, the Sects’ power over the Imperial Court will no longer be dominant."

"Nanxi, the Imperial Court is divided between the Imperial Family and the Prime Minister’s Mansion."

"....."

The vast sky was muted by the silent snow.

Li Zhaoyuan tapped his fingertips lightly on the stone table inside the pavilion:

"If it were another time, the Sects would definitely unite and attack, but not now, because my father is not long for this world. With the Barbarian Tribes extinct and the Northern Border Sects obliterated, the Sects’ power greatly reduced... the Prime Minister’s Mansion naturally becomes the biggest enemy of our Imperial Family."

As he spoke,

Li Zhaoyuan sighed lightly:

"Old friends who have shared a common goal for most of their lives, facing each other with swords at the end of life... Hah, the supremacy of imperial power."

After his words, there was a moment of silence before Li Zhaoyuan recomposed himself, speaking softly:

"Alright, none of this matters to us right now. What is important is that Marquis Wucheng is not with his troops, which is convenient for the matter I want to entrust to you."

Upon hearing this, Nan Jinxi realized what Li Zhaoyuan intended to do and softly asked:

"You... want me to kill someone?"

"Mm."

"..."

Nan Jinxi, with complex emotions in her enchanting fox eyes, bit the corner of her lip and chuckled:

"You know I wouldn’t refuse you... So, who do I kill?"

Li Zhaoyuan’s thin lips parted, his voice smooth and unfluctuating as he uttered two names.

Silence suddenly fell.

Nan Jinxi lowered her gaze:

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"What benefit do you gain from killing those two?"

"..."

Li Zhaoyuan slowly stood up, staring into the endless snow:

"The former cannot be used by me and is the biological sibling of my elder brother. If she stands by him, I will have no chance to turn the tables in this lifetime. As for the latter... even standing on the shoulders of our ancestors, to have orchestrated the current situation is quite an achievement. The Yan Dynasty does not allow a second Xu Yinhè, not even the possibility of one."

Nan Jinxi was quiet for a long while before suddenly asking:

"But have you thought of the consequences?"

"Consequences?"

Li Zhaoyuan chuckled lightly, his gaze returning, "What consequences?"

"...."

Nan Jinxi fell silent unexpectedly.

No one knew of the relationship between the two of them, and with her identity, the blame would only fall on Ancient Abyss.

Looking at the familiar face before her, her voice slightly hoarse, she said:

"Fine... I’ll go. But within the military formation, Li Qingyan is too strong. I can only attempt to kill Xu Changtian."

Li Zhaoyuan lifted his hand hidden within his sleeve as if to gently caress her cheek, but he held back, simply saying in an indifferent voice:

"Your Snow Spirit Fox’s innate talent, even if it could successfully infiltrate the military, would not be able to kill any of them. Thus, I am not asking you to forcefully kill them."

"...."

Nan Jinxi’s eyes brimmed with confusion:

"You mean... to tell those Sect leaders that their Sects will be destroyed?"

Once the message was out, the Northern Border Sects would surely lash out in a death throe, and with the help of the Barbarian Tribes, it wouldn’t be difficult to have Li Qingyan and Xu Changtian fall amidst the chaos.

Li Zhaoyuan’s eyebrows knitted slightly:

"Such a plan, although possible, would be utterly harmful to the Great Yan, and beneficial in no regard."

"....."

Nan Jinxi pursed her lips, staring at Li Zhaoyuan, waiting for his next words.

Li Zhaoyuan raised a finger, and an ancient bronze mirror appeared in his palm, his voice gentle:

"This bronze mirror is a rare treasure I obtained while traveling the world. Use it to let the Barbarian Tribes kill Xu Changtian and Li Qingyan."

Nan Jinxi, puzzled, took the bronze mirror in her hand, but in the next instant, her pupils constricted slightly.

The space fluctuates...

At that moment, Li Zhaoyuan gently grasped her hand, earnestly cautioning:

"Remember, you must only use this object when the Barbarian Tribes are on the verge of collapse. Only then will you have a chance to escape amidst the chaos."

Nan Jinxi glanced down at his large hand and suddenly blurted out:

"If I die on this journey, will you be sad?"

Li Zhaoyuan’s fingers trembled slightly, releasing her hand as his hair fluttered with the snow wind:

"If that truly happens, this prince should not have the privilege to grieve for you, Jinxi."

Nan Jinxi slowly rose from the pavilion, her fox eyes coldly glancing at the man:

"If you want to deceive me with deep affection, then deceive thoroughly. If you want to use me as a pawn, then be colder. Li Zhaoyuan, your appearance right now truly disappoints me."

"...."

Li Zhaoyuan remained silent.

Nan Jinxi bit her lip forcefully, but the words she intended to speak ultimately turned into a soft sigh as she, along with her graceful figure, dissipated into the snow, vanishing into the horizon....