Rejected Beauty Practices the Villain Play
Chapter 79 Drunken Flowers

Chapter 79: Chapter 79 Drunken Flowers

Lin Yu Yan crawled forward on her knees and grabbed Lin Cheng’s robes. "Big Brother, I was wrong! Spare me, please! I was wrong! Spare me!"

Lin Cheng kicked her away. Clutching her chest, Lin Yu Yan suddenly noticed that her palm was smeared with blood—blood from the stains on Lin Cheng’s robes. Her face turned pale with fear. "I just wanted to vent my anger! At the archery banquet, I didn’t kill her! She framed me! Why won’t you believe me?"

Lin Cheng grabbed Lin Yu Yan’s collar with one hand and lifted her up, glaring ferociously into her eyes. "Whether it was you who killed Fengyu or Fengyu who framed you, the outcome remains the same—everyone saw you stab her. You’ve been disgraced, and no one cares who delivered the stab. They only care whose blade it was. When it comes to cunning and intellect, you’re not even worth a strand of her hair. How dare you repeatedly provoke her? You bring disgrace on yourself and still learn nothing! Reckless and impulsive, you act without considering the consequences. If today those scoundrels were caught by the Capital Governor’s men and implicated you, do you realize what I would do?"

Lin Yu Yan trembled all over, her feet dangling off the ground, suffocating. She clung tightly to Lin Cheng’s hand, tears streaming down her face. Lin Cheng snarled each word with deadly precision: "I would kill you, to protect the Lin Residence’s reputation."

He loosened his grip, dropping Lin Yu Yan to the ground. Her sight blurred. Knowing it was futile to beg Lin Cheng, she crawled behind Lin Xiao instead. "Second Brother, help me! Please help me..."

Lin Xiao’s eyes turned red as he looked down at his pitiful yet pathetic sister. Lin Cheng unhurriedly wiped his hands, his face cold and severe. Seeing Lin Cheng preparing to act again, Lin Xiao intercepted with an outstretched hand. "Big Brother..."

Lin Cheng stared at Lin Xiao and stepped back two paces. The fierce killing intent gradually subsided. Both he and Lin Xiao had doted on Lin Yu Yan, almost spoiling her as she grew up. Her arrogance and unruliness were, to Lin Cheng, trivial—merely the temperament of a pampered young lady. She had never committed anything truly scandalous before.

As a daughter of the Lin Family, treasured and admired, Lin Yu Yan had lived a comfortable life since childhood. But after encountering Fengyu, her true nature was revealed: cruel and selfish. She acted rashly, heedless of the consequences. These traits, Lin Cheng could tolerate. What he could not tolerate was foolishness.

A sister could be malicious, but not stupid. Provoked by Fengyu, she had exposed herself in a moment of rage, her bloodstained disgrace laid bare. Refusing to learn her lesson, she then dared to commit arson with a slapdash plan. If caught, she couldn’t escape punishment, and the entire Lin Residence would be dragged down with her.

If only she had truly killed Fengyu—or at least thoroughly planned and executed the arson—done it gracefully, Lin Cheng would not be angry. But instead...

"Yu Yan, your big brother has little patience, so I will warn you only once: Do not provoke Fengyu," Lin Cheng said coldly. "She is deeply calculating and holds you in the palm of her hand. You have no means to fight back. Killing someone is a clean and final act—but if you’re incapable of doing it properly, don’t even try. Stay obediently as a proper young lady. If you dare act again, I won’t ask questions—I’ll send you directly to see King Yan to avoid implicating the family. Do you understand?"

Lin Yu Yan, terrified beyond her wit, nodded frantically, like a pecking chicken. Then, gathering herself, she muttered with resentment, "But Fengyu ruined my reputation... Are we really going to let this go? I’m not reconciled to this."

Lin Cheng cast a glance at Lin Xiao’s reddened eyes, snorted coldly, and left. Letting it go? Of course not. His sister was foolish, but no one could bully her without consequence. Yet to spill blood without perfection and draw undue attention—better to wait for the right moment.

Outside the ancestral hall, the cold wind howled. Snow and frost gathered under the eaves. Lin Xiao asked hopelessly, "Why do you hate her so much?"

"Second Brother, at the imperial banquet, why did you help her? Even knowing Father would beat you to death, you still wouldn’t change your words?" Lin Yu Yan laughed hysterically, her smile tinged with madness. "Do you hate me too? Without me, perhaps you could marry her as you wish! Hahaha... Hahahaha!"

"You’ve truly gone mad!" Lin Xiao flicked his sleeves and left. Behind him, Lin Yu Yan’s heart-wrenching laughter and sobs echoed from the ancestral hall.

In the latter half of the night, the wind intensified, bringing some hail. By the time Fengyu woke up, snow had severely piled up in the courtyard, and the maids were busy sweeping. Fengyu called Zhang Da to check on the situation in the northern part of the city. The snowfall was exceptionally heavy today, and the officials heading to court were miserably disheveled. Xie Xun was ascending to his post as Kyoto Capital Guard Commander.

Deputy Commander Zhang Boxi wasted no time taking Xie Xun to Mudan Building on his first day in office to indulge. Lin Xiao, Li Pengfei, Zhou Liyu, Cai Wensen, Zhang Boxin, and others were all present. Lin Xiao, feeling irritable and still not fully recovered from his injuries, couldn’t refuse Zhang Boxi out of courtesy. Apart from Zhang Boxi, Xie Xun had little personal ties with the rest since their families weren’t connected through generations. The group respected and feared Xie Xun, yet he indulged more boldly than anyone, exchanging cups and rounds.

Miss Lan Hua and Miss Linghua played music and danced, entertaining these young nobles with wine and revelry. Outside, the storm roared; inside, beauty and warmth abounded, and indulgence reigned. It mirrored the saying: "In lavish mansions, the stink of wine and meat fills the air, while frozen bones lie scattered on the streets."

Xie Xun leaned lazily against his seat, dressed in the crimson official robes of Kyoto Capital Guard Commander. His slender, well-defined fingers toyed with a porcelain cup. His peach blossom-shaped eyes carried a breezy charm, enjoying the ladies’ performances. As strong liquor slid down his throat, his Adam’s apple moved faintly—exuding a sensual allure, almost demonic.

Zhang Boxi thought to himself: No wonder the young marquis once captivated the entire Capital. Riding a white steed down the streets, his every smile and frown were the stuff of daydreams and unspoken desires for countless ladies.

Who could resist such a captivating and magnetic young aristocrat?

Lin Xiao, uninterested in music and dance, stole sidelong glances at Xie Xun. Frost clouded his gaze—was Xie Xun truly lost in indulgence? Exiled to Kyoto Capital Guard, wallowing with a gang of degenerates?

Lin Xiao remembered the arrow piercing through his throat at the archery banquet. He didn’t believe it!

"The snowstorm is so fierce—doesn’t the Kyoto Capital Guard clear the streets?" asked Xie Xun, raising his wine cup toward Zhang Boxi amidst the sounds of string and reed instruments.

Zhang Boxi clinked cups with him. "The Kyoto Capital Guard doesn’t bother with such labors. Everyone simply sweeps their own doorstep."

Xie Xun’s lips curved into a smile. His gaze drifted toward the snowy street outside the window. The heavy snow had practically deserted the streets, making them slippery and treacherous. Since sitting down, Xie Xun had counted eleven people falling over in the snow.

When he was young, Marshal Fang had overseen the Kyoto Capital Guard. Every year, during heavy snow sealing the roads, Kyoto Capital Guard troops would clear paths and rescue civilians.

Now, not even a shadow of Kyoto Capital Guard could be seen on the streets.

All drawing idle salaries!

Xie Xun had studied the Kyoto Capital Guard. At thirteen, he followed Marquis Zhenbei to battle. By fourteen, he commanded five thousand troops as part of the right vanguard. By fifteen, he commanded thirty thousand Northern Iron Cavalry. Having managed tens of thousands, overseeing the Kyoto Capital Guard’s mere ten thousand men would hardly be a challenge. Yet, the Marchioness had warned him—Marquis Zhenbei Mansion was an unbearable thorn in Emperor Jianming’s side. Even if the Crown Princess Consort bore the emperor’s first heir, it might not ease their predicament. In Kyoto Capital Guard, the best strategy was to conceal his sharpness and continue to play the role of a frivolous overlord.

If the Kyoto Capital Guard were nothing but rogues, then he would learn to act like one—no need to restructure the military. Thus, on his first day in office, he followed Zhang Boxi to indulgently seek pleasure at Mudan Building.

He could be charming or unruly—did Emperor Jianming truly have room to tolerate Marquis Zhenbei Mansion?