026 The Young Man’s Heart Revives

Chapter 026: The Resurrection of a Young Man’s Heart

Seated on the ground facing each other, one wore an expression of icy indifference, the other’s eyes blazed with heat. The cold one was, of course, Fang Rulai, who, driven to the edge, had resolved to become a rabbit that bites back. The fiery one was none other than Guan Shiyin, who, for the first time, shed his careless façade to reveal a serious side before Fang Rulai.

After a long pause, Guan Shiyin spoke in a low, steady voice, “No!” He absolutely had not given instructions for the Sickly Ke and the Lovesick Jin to sound her out.

If he had, those two would never have waited until the second day of the marriage selection to approach her. Most likely, on the very night of the attack, she would have found herself with a sack over her head, “invited” into the palace for tea under cover of darkness.

On the contrary, precisely because he hadn’t given a clear directive, Sickly Ke, concerned with his stance, had sent that Lovesick Jin under the guise of the Chu Guesthouse to “invite” her.

By the time he received word and rushed over, she had already fallen into the bottomless pit halfway down the mountain. He could have saved her then; but saving her life was less important than saving her heart.

On the day of the marriage selection, she had indeed, as she deduced, attracted his attention because her monk’s identity could be useful to him. Yet what sparked his initial intent to recruit her was the clever exchange beneath the bridal veil. Through that verbal sparring, he realized she possessed extraordinary abilities and a quick mind—only her actions lacked ruthlessness. To be his teammate, a lack of ruthlessness meant increased danger. He needed to test her further.

That night, when their enemies attacked, he deliberately led them to her. She guessed as much; his aim was, first, to confirm her powers, and second, to see if she was qualified to be his teammate. Fortunately, she did not disappoint. Harnessing her abilities, her words were sharp, her counterattacks fierce, and the blood-for-blood vengeance she exacted dazzled him momentarily.

Confident, he had let her go, certain that someone as shrewd and adaptable as she would, upon seeing those hundred baskets of carrots, immediately return to join forces with him. Yet unexpectedly, she merely employed a series of defensive measures.

He was somewhat vexed by her compassion, her refusal to eliminate threats, so when he saw her tumble into the pit, he instantly thought: if that was the case, he’d help her awaken more thoroughly.

He drew her into the temple, guided her to deeper understanding of the conspiracy, and prompted her to retaliate for her own interests. He wanted to draw out every violent impulse within her, to make her understand this was no mere game of attack and defense, but a brutal struggle for the throne where only the aggressor survived, while the passive were beaten to death.

Once more, she proved her keen insight. She truly unraveled the entire plot on her own!

But she misunderstood his intentions. Perhaps at first, he had viewed her merely as a promising new recruit. Yet as their interactions deepened, he found himself irresistibly drawn to her ingenuity in repeatedly escaping crisis by her own skill.

Realizing this, Guan Shiyin’s eyes softened, a feverish warmth reaching the depths Fang Rulai could not see. “It seems it was indeed a mistake not to give prior instructions, but from now on, I promise I will not repeat it.”

Now, as he gazed at her, he saw only her present self. Such instructions were necessary and unavoidable. He wanted those two to understand: this person is already spoken for; if you wish to contend, try again in your next life.

That spring afternoon, after two decades of dormancy, Guan Shiyin’s youthful heart blazed to life once more.

He knew, but the big-headed monk across from him did not.

Fang Rulai simply believed she had finally persuaded him to be open and honest with her. Very well; having a teammate who could hold their own against the enemy was, for her, far more advantageous than otherwise. For this, she was willing to tolerate his frequent, unpredictable quirks for now.

So, next came the activation of battle mode.

“Those men in black just now, were they Daoists or from the Imperial Palace?”

“All were dressed as Daoists, but every one of them had the skills of inner palace guards.”

“So the Crown Prince still doesn’t want to make a public scene. The repeated assassins dressed as Daoists are just his way of hedging his bets—so that if things go wrong, he can easily distance himself with a simple, ‘Buddhism and Daoism do not conspire together.’”

“Yes, he’s notoriously suspicious and skilled at keeping up appearances. The entire country of Yao Tian knows this.”

“That’s why you countered with a formal complaint to the authorities—to begin exposing the Crown Prince’s true face?”

“Indeed. If he fears exposure, I’ll help him bring it about. That temple is, in fact, his private profiteering venture. Unwilling to see such a lucrative business ruined, he’ll do everything possible to whitewash it. While his attention is on saving the temple, the palace affairs will inevitably slip. When that happens, the Second Prince will…”

This time, Guan Shiyin openly laid out the entire plan.

Fang Rulai, however, showed no appreciation, bluntly cutting him off, “Don’t make it sound so easy. The authorities are just another branch of his family’s enterprise. By bringing them into it, you’re really just sending them home. What whitewashing or smearing is there to talk about?”

Guan Shiyin shook his head. “True, the authorities are family-run, but even family businesses have factions! Outwardly, they may seem united, but when it comes to stabbing each other in the back, they’re far more vicious than any outside party.”

“Fine, let’s say your strategy works. How much time do you plan to give these backstabbers to finish their infighting?”

“I’m not counting.” Guan Shiyin spat out the words with a blank face. The primary requirement for succession struggles is stability, and the timeline is always unpredictable. After all, when it comes to calculating human hearts, the variables are endless.

At this, Fang Rulai sneered coldly, “Not counting? In this country suffering three years of drought, with the people barely scraping by—you’re not counting? You won’t need to wait for the Second Prince to ascend, because before the struggle ends, Yao Tian will have destroyed itself.” The common folk were still in dire straits, yet the elite thought only of power, not salvation. Such a nation could not last long.

A perfect hit.

This was precisely what had troubled Guan Shiyin all along. Yet, up to this day, he still hadn’t found a good solution. What about Fang Rulai, who clearly saw the root of the problem?

Meeting his expectant gaze, Fang Rulai didn’t bother with suspense. “When it’s done, I want Lotus Light Temple to hold the top position as the imperial monastery for the duration of the Second Prince’s reign.”

“Deal!” Guan Shiyin’s eyes lit up. “So, what’s your plan?”

“You can go now.” With a wave of her hand, commanding and unyielding as a general mustering troops, she declared, “Leave a team of your shadow guards. I’ll handle the rest!”

Thanks to her modern father, she had watched the national news for as many years as she’d lived, and was thus intimately familiar with all manner of schemes—using political manipulation, pseudo-science, and other seemingly legitimate means to suppress rivals. The palace intrigues of millennia past, if she put her mind to it, were nothing to her.

Sitting straight and cross-legged, Fang Rulai’s gaze was no longer distant, but brimming with unshakable pride.

Guan Shiyin was momentarily entranced. He had always known her mind was sharp, but this was the first time he realized that when she truly turned that edge on, even he was thoroughly subdued.

At this moment, Guan Shiyin couldn’t bear to leave, or even look away for a second. “Why choose now to strike back?” he asked. Normally, a radical change in someone’s nature is triggered by a devastating blow. Last time, for instance, she struck hard after learning the old woman’s true fate. But this time? None of her young monks had suffered any mishap.

“Because I can’t bear the thought that someone I care about might end up in that ditch.”

Grateful for Stinky Egg Haha’s flowers and support. Thank you, dear—hugs.

Ahem, it’s time for a battle of wits.

This book is an original publication.