Rejected Beauty Practices the Villain Play
Chapter 134: Schemes of the Heart

Chapter 134: Chapter 134: Schemes of the Heart

The Beiman man was barely alive, his breath as faint as a thread. Xie Xun’s fluency in the Beiman language had been taught by Xie Jue. "Know thyself and know thy enemy, and you shall be victorious in a hundred battles," as the saying goes. Upon hearing Xie Xun’s questioning, which had nothing to do with Beiman or border crossings, the Beiman man, too honest for his own good, revealed every detail about encountering the Forbidden Army outside Xiangguo Temple.

They hadn’t realized the men were from the Forbidden Army, since Lin Cheng had disguised them in nightwear. Xie Xun deduced the truth almost immediately—the timing lined up perfectly.

It was Lin Cheng who sent people to ambush Fengyu, intending to kill her but accidentally encountering the Beiman man.

Why would the Crown Prince want Fengyu dead?

The Eastern Palace.

Lin Cheng knelt on the cold, unyielding green stone tiles, beads of sweat streaming down his face. Wisps of light smoke curled up from the crane incense burner, hovering in the air. The Crown Prince was seated at his desk, reviewing memos. Having long since entered court to manage political affairs, he often went over documents before presenting them to the emperor.

Lin Cheng had been kneeling for over an hour, his knees aching with discomfort. In two days, his wedding was set to take place, yet the welts from his last round of corporal punishment had not healed. If not for the consideration of his upcoming marriage, the Crown Prince surely would not have spared him. Punishing someone with kneeling was a method reserved for tormenting eunuchs and palace maids in the court; Lin Cheng had no choice but to endure.

"Your Highness, the assassins outside Xiangguo Temple who obstructed us were Beiman. Right now, they must be hidden by Xie Xun. We couldn’t find them at the stables today. I suspect he’s already transferred the Beiman man. Before I led my people to the stables, Feng Shu had been there. I suspect the Beiman man was relocated to Feng Shu’s manor by her. I request Your Highness’ permission to lead troops for a thorough search." Lin Cheng was no fool; once suspicion arose, he immediately investigated the details. Upon learning Feng Shu had been at the stables, his doubts deepened.

The Forbidden Army and Northern Iron Cavalry nearly came to blows at the stables, leaving unresolved tensions. The manor was not far from the stables; the Forbidden Army couldn’t have moved to the manor silently without alerting Xie Xun.

He couldn’t afford to instigate further conflicts with Xie Xun. He needed the Crown Prince’s authorization to ensure his actions were justified and legitimate; only then could he search the manor. If they found the Beiman man, both the Marquis Zhenbei Mansion and the Feng Family would face inevitable punishment.

The Crown Prince’s posture was easygoing, as though he hadn’t heard Lin Cheng’s words at all.

Lin Cheng clenched his teeth. "Your Highness, please issue an order. I pledge to redeem myself through meritorious service."

"Lin Cheng, you’ve grown increasingly audacious." The Crown Prince’s tone remained gentle as he tossed a memorandum lightly onto the desk. Lin Cheng bent low, his forehead touching the floorboards. "This subject wouldn’t dare!"

"You can’t even manage to kill a powerless Fengyu. What use does she have to me?"

Lin Cheng’s back was soaked in sweat. The Crown Prince’s words were always mild yet exerted an overwhelming pressure. Lin Cheng tried to explain, "It was the Beiman—"

"I only care about the results!" The Crown Prince tapped the memorandum with his finger. "You failed to kill Fengyu and now place all blame on the Beiman. Are they real, or just your fabrication? If they truly exist and entered the capital from Ningzhou’s official roads, do you think Xie Xun would leave a witness alive for you to catch as evidence?"

"It must be Feng Shu who took the Beiman man away. This subject will leave the city tonight and guarantee that I capture the Beiman man at her manor."

"Foolish!" The Crown Prince angrily slammed his hand onto the desk. "You’ve been back from the stables for half a day already. If she truly took the Beiman man away, they’d have been interrogated and killed by now—or deliberately left as bait, waiting for you to walk into her trap. Once you do, no one will be able to save you. Do you think Feng Shu is some naïve, ignorant girl locked away in her boudoir?"

Lin Cheng secretly wondered: Isn’t Feng Shu just a boudoir girl?

Even though she’d traveled far and wide, she was merely helping Su Ming arrange provisions for the Northern Iron Cavalry—a mere merchant with little to be feared.

"Your Highness, this is the perfect opportunity to bring down the Marquis Zhenbei Mansion. It’s better to mistakenly kill than to let them escape." Lin Cheng knew this was his only chance to regain favor and grasped at it desperately.

The Crown Prince’s impatience began to show faintly. "I still need the Northern Iron Cavalry’s assistance. This matter will not be mentioned again. At tomorrow’s court session, a martial official will accuse you. You can defend yourself before the emperor. As for the assassination attempt on Fengyu, it’s merely personal enmity between your family and hers; do not drag me into this matter. After your wedding in two days, I grant you ten days’ leave. You needn’t come to the Eastern Palace during this time."

Lin Cheng clenched his fists tightly, hearing the Crown Prince’s impatience loud and clear. He could not afford to become a discarded pawn. "Your Highness, I beg you to save this subject’s life."

"When you secretly deployed the Forbidden Army to the stables, did you not consider the consequences?" The Crown Prince despised stupidity. Lin Cheng had been cornered and acted recklessly, ultimately making a grave error.

Still, the Crown Prince couldn’t discard Lin Cheng altogether. The Lin Residence was loyal to the imperial court. If even loyal families could be used against the royal lineage, the Crown Prince would’ve long kicked Lin Cheng aside. Not only had Lin Cheng failed to assassinate Fengyu, but he’d also created a mountain of problems.

"Focus on preparing for your marriage. The matter concerning the Forbidden Army will temporarily be handed to Zhang Bolan." The Crown Prince decisively made his ruling, unwilling to waste further time on Lin Cheng.

Lin Cheng recognized the underlying message: the Crown Prince would protect him.

Watching his retreating figure, the Crown Prince’s brow furrowed slightly. The assassination attempt on Fengyu must remain buried; Feng Shu must not catch wind of it, or else—

A sinister glint flitted across his eyes.

A shadow emerged from the darkness. "Your Highness, Lin Cheng grows increasingly insolent. Should I warn him?"

"I still have use for him." The Crown Prince’s eyes remained indifferent as he leaned slightly forward. "How’s your investigation going?"

"The spies we sent to Lian City report that the little marquis chased a group of burly men to the north. In Lian City, he left Zhuifeng with the gatekeepers. A few days later, he brought a young lady to an inn, and both were seriously injured. The young lady was bullied by a rogue in the inn, and when our spies showed a sketch to identify her, it turned out to be the little marquis and Fengyu. Although the little marquis said nothing, based on the gatekeepers’ descriptions of certain traits, it seems he was chasing Beiman out of the city."

The Crown Prince narrowed his eyes, slowly rotating his jade ring, his discomfort palpable—it was as though someone had touched his reverse scale. "So that’s how it is."

"Your Highness, Fengyu is no longer in the capital. After the Second Miss left the city with her people, she first went to the stables at the Marquis Mansion. If Feng Shu took the Beiman man, Lin Cheng and the Forbidden Army will surely catch them in the act at her manor."

"Feng Shu would only set a trap to frame Lin Cheng, not leave evidence waiting for someone to find. It’s already too late now." The Crown Prince’s voice turned grave. "Beiman men are resolute—they may not even divulge any valuable information upon interrogation."

"Why were Beiman men in the capital? And why did they take Fengyu?" The Shadow Guard was perplexed.

The Crown Prince contemplated aloud. "There’s a Beiman tradition: when someone dies violently, the soul of the murderer must be sacrificed to pacify the deceased’s spirit. If I’m not mistaken, they intended to take Fengyu. But why did Xie Xun conveniently show up at Xiangguo Temple and encounter Beiman men?"

The Shadow Guard remained silent, and the Crown Prince massaged his temples. He had kept himself carefully hidden in this matter. Even if Xie Xun suspected him, there was little he could do. Fengyu, frail and sickly as she was, might not survive such an ordeal much longer.

In that sense, Lin Cheng had inadvertently managed a partial success.

The Beiman King was dead, and under Xie Jue’s meddling, Beiman’s internal conflicts surged, their strength gradually diminished. Yet the Crown Prince couldn’t simply stand by and watch Beiman suffer total defeat and surrender.

The past five generations of Beiman kings had been ambitious and prideful, refusing to submit to Yanyang. If Marquis Zhenbei and Xie Zhang crushed them, Marquis Zhenbei Mansion’s prestige would reach its zenith, leaving the imperial family sidelined.

Should they return to the capital, Xie Zhang and Feng Shu’s marriage was also about to take place.