Lu Mingyuan stared into her tranquil, dark eyes, utterly astonished. He had finally seen the Shadow Scout’s true face.
She had always hidden her face behind black cloth, just like him. He had assud the Shadow Scout would be ugly; her voice alone was of the cold, icy type.
He never expected that in private, she would be a beauty with a lon-seed-shaped face, thin lips, and slender, willow-leaf brows—a classic ice queen, at that.
Her features bore so resemblance to Princess Jinwu, Luo Qiufu, as if they were sisters. But there were differences. The latter’s face was softer and more delicate, her eyes larger, possessing a sweetness unique to a princess—a pitiful and moving beauty that left one wanting more.
The Shadow Scout, however, was the resolute type. Her gaze was frigid, and her brow held a sharp edge, as if she were a born Sword Cultivator. If she stared at you for too long, you might even feel a sense of fierce intimidation.
Lu Mingyuan cupped his fist and said flatteringly, "It was all thanks to Lord Ying’s delay tactics that Princess Jinwu was gravely injured. The credit for this largely belongs to you, My Lord."
The Shadow Scout shook her head, her beautiful eyes profound. "No, the credit is all yours."
"You’ve t Luo Qiufu. I imagine you must have many questions right now."
"For instance, why I look so much like her."
Lu Mingyuan lowered his head, maintaining his cupped-fist posture. "I would rather not know."
But the Shadow Scout ignored him. She lifted a teacup with one hand and began speaking as if to herself. "My original na is Luo Ying’Er. Princess Jinwu, Luo Qiufu, is my older sister."
Learning this secret brought Lu Mingyuan no joy. Instead, his brows furrowed deeply.
’She’s telling such a huge secret... She’s planning to kill to silence !’
’Well, if I’m going to die anyway, I might as well get so answers.’
Lu Mingyuan asked, "Then how did you beco the Shadow Scout, My Lord?"
The Shadow Scout seed to have been suppressing this for a long ti, having found no one to confide in for ages. She said faintly, "In the first year of Great Yan’s Yong’an era, many dynasties united to fight the Holy Netherworld, and the Golden Crow Dynasty was among them. As the Second Princess of the Golden Crow Dynasty and a True Disciple of the Fuyao Sword Palace, my status was noble. Yet, I was not allowed to go to the front lines. Instead, I was tasked with protecting the wounded from our Sect in the rear."
"That bitch, Luo Qiufu, was on the front lines, but she failed to protect our father, the King. This led to the Golden Crow Dynasty’s army being surrounded by the Great Netherworld for seven days and seven nights! Later, when the Emperor of Great Yan conquered my Golden Crow Country and turned it into a vassal state, the bla lay squarely with her."
Lu Mingyuan seed to understand sothing. "So, you abandoned the wounded and went to the battlefield yourself," he said with dawning realization. "And that’s when the Holy Netherworld took advantage of the opening, causing the Fuyao Sword Palace to suffer disastrous losses."
The Shadow Scout’s eyes lowered. "Correct. The Fuyao Sword Palace considered a disgrace. They publicly claid I was dead, but in reality, they imprisoned for a hundred years, hoping I would repent."
Lu Mingyuan could guess the rest of the story.
She had taken advantage of a mont when the Sect’s defenses were weak and fought her way out. From then on, she hid her identity and entered the service of the Second Prince, becoming a mber of the Endless Pavilion.
"My Lord, what is your purpose in telling all this?"
Seeing her expression, Lu Mingyuan thought she didn’t seem like she was about to kill him. His gaze was calm as he asked.
The Shadow Scout said coolly, "The mission was a success, but you can’t just return with so easily."
"What do you an?"
Lu Mingyuan narrowed his eyes.
The Shadow Scout’s sharp, lon-seed-shaped face leaned closer. She said, word by word, "I want you... to work for ."
Lu Mingyuan imdiately shook his head. "What do you an by that, My Lord? Haven’t I always been under your command?"
The Shadow Scout said flatly, "Don’t play dumb. My aning is perfectly clear. You will obey my orders and my orders alone."
Hearing this, the corner of Lu Mingyuan’s mouth twitched.
’Work for you? Wouldn’t that make a spy within a spy?’
’I’m already a spy for Prince Jin’s Mansion and for Qingqiu Temple, clinging to Lady Qingqiu’s coattails. If I pledge allegiance to you now... wouldn’t that make a thrice-betraying servant?’
Lu Mingyuan said, "I already belong to Prince Jin. I am completely loyal to His Highness and willing to lay down my life for him."
The Shadow Scout imdiately retorted, "I also need you to be completely loyal to and willing to lay down your life for ."
Lu Mingyuan understood at once. The Shadow Scout had seen him pull off that double act, earning the admiration of Princess Jinwu. Not only that, but he also had nurous subordinates—half of Pavilion B had been recruited by him. She had grown covetous and wanted to poach him for herself.
"My Lord, please don’t force to do sothing against my will."
Lu Mingyuan refused sternly. He had worked so hard on his current infiltration mission, reaching a high position. How could he give up halfway? The risk was too great.
"You’re not willing?" Luo Ying’Er’s cold eyes narrowed. With a single kick, she sent Lu Mingyuan flying to the ground.
Her five pristine toes pressed down on his mask. She leaned over, sneered, and threatened, "If I were to tell His Highness that you colluded with Princess Jinwu on this mission and dragged Prince Jin’s na through the mud, do you think you could still serve Prince Jin?"
Lying on the ground, feeling the slender, bare foot on his mask, Lu Mingyuan was thoroughly shaken. He said with utmost sincerity, "I am willing to lay down my life for Lord Shadow Scout, to be completely loyal and serve you to the death!"
If he betrayed Prince Jin, there might be no imdiate consequences.
But if he didn’t pledge allegiance to Luo Ying’Er, he would be finished right here and now, and all his hard work would be for nothing.
A corner of Luo Ying’Er’s mouth curved up. She removed her foot and said with a faint smile, "He who understands the tis is a wise man. You’re a talented person; you should know how to choose."
"Prince Jin is an extrely dangerous man. What’s the use of being so loyal to him? It’s the worst decision you’ll ever make. Without a special technique, there’s no way to escape the control of the Heart Demon Seed he made you ingest. Therefore, your only choice is to side with ."
’Heart Demon Seed?’
Lu Mingyuan recalled the Pill he had taken the day he first entered Prince Jin’s Mansion and silently committed the na to mory.
"Furthermore, maintain contact with Luo Qiufu. I have many other tasks to entrust to you."
Luo Ying’Er glanced at him and added after a mont of thought.
"Yes."
Lu Mingyuan sighed.
He finally understood.
This Shadow Scout had her own agenda. No wonder the Second Prince wanted to use this mission to test her; it wasn’t without reason.
The two were plotting against each other. Morale under the Second Prince was truly in shambles. Even a Tributor who had served for so long didn’t trust her own master. The Second Prince was a real failure.
At the sa ti, she also wanted to use him to deal with Princess Jinwu.
He now seed to understand where this calamitous romance was coming from.
"My Lord, how should I address you from now on?"
Lu Mingyuan asked respectfully.
The woman, now wrapped in white cloth, said faintly, "Luo Ying. Lord Luo. I don’t like the ’Er’."
...
「Four or five days passed.」
Once the Golden Crow Country’s troops passed through the Capital Region, they were escorted by the Great Yan Army and arrived smoothly at the Great Yan Imperial Capital. Officials who had long been prepared went out of the city to receive them.
They were there to welco the Princess Jinwu to the Imperial Capital.
Eight hundred suits of mighty, finely-forged plate armor glinted with a dark light.
The Golden Crow’s arrival at court still attracted the attention of many.
After the armor was delivered to the military armory, officials from the Ministry of Revenue ca to take inventory. Princess Jinwu and her entourage finally settled in, temporarily residing in the guesthouse for foreign envoys.
"Have you found anything?"
In the guesthouse, the gentle-featured Luo Qiufu looked at the General before her, her eyes filled with hope.
"There does seem to be a man nad Yang Jian in the city, but he has a mixed reputation. They call him Butcher Yang Jian. He wiped out many of the Capital City’s underground gangs using very cruel thods. He’s ranked in the top three on the Grandmaster list. A ruthless man."
"However, these gangs were all protectors of grey-market industries. By doing this, by killing thugs and gangsters, Yang Jian could be considered to be eliminating a pest for the people."
Luo Qiufu nodded.
’It seems his identity wasn’t entirely fabricated, at least.’
’He’s actually a righteous person.’
"Did you find any information on the Seventh Prince?"
She continued to ask.
"We did. The Governnt Office did indeed issue a warrant. The Seventh Prince stole the Buddha’s Relics. Furthermore, his Guest Scholars are known to support Monks, most of whom are disciples of the Buddhist Sect. His rchant guilds are spread throughout Great Yan, monopolizing several industries. He uses his status as a Prince to open doors for himself, and has indeed drawn heavy criticism from local governnt offices and rchants everywhere."
"I can’t believe he’s really that kind of person."
Luo Qiufu realized that everything Yang Jian had said that day matched up.
The mory of the sneering, Thick-Eyebrow Monk was still fresh in her mind. If Young Master Yang hadn’t saved her, she would have been in grave danger.
"It’s all true. It seems the Seventh Prince really is up to no good. To think he’d actually dare to target the Golden Crow Country."
Luo Qiufu was furious. She imdiately gave an order:
"I wish to see the Great Yan Cabinet. I will confront the Seventh Prince in the Imperial Court and expose everything he has done!"
"We cannot allow the Golden Crow to suffer such a great loss for nothing."
...
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