Chapter 17.

The three men conferred in secret for a long time before deciding to strike three days later when the Crown Prince inspects the Dagu Fort defenses.

Wan Youliang and Guan Haishan would handle the pirates, while Xue Shu’s role was to hold back his forces until the pirates appeared.

As Xue Shu stepped out of Nanchuan Tower, his gaze was cast low, concealing the murderous intent surging beneath his calm exterior. Rage churned within him like an unrelenting tide, every beat of his pulse demanding blood.

Perhaps it was the instinct for carnage etched into his very being, but the moment he heard Wan Youliang and Guan Haishan plotting harm against Yin Chengyu, a single thought consumed him—make them taste all 108 methods of torture, one by one.

Even death would be too kind.

“Take me back to the guest manor,” Xue Shu ordered, his voice raw and strained as though each word clawed its way out. His entire body was taut like a drawn bow, the deadly arrow poised, its icy tip aimed unerringly at his enemies’ throats.

The soldiers escorting him sensed the shift in his mood. Not daring to disturb him, they kept silent, steering the carriage toward their destination.

Upon arrival, Xue Shu paused briefly but refrained from reporting to Yin Chengyu. Instead, he headed to his courtyard. There he stood for a long time, unable to suppress the violent energy roiling in his chest.

Finally, he turned to the soldiers stationed nearby, shedding his heavy cloak and outer robes. “Ten of you. Step forward.”

It was clear: he needed a fight.

The soldiers hesitated, exchanging nervous glances, but none dared make the first move.

Xue Shu cracked his neck, a dangerous glint in his eyes as he licked his lips. “Draw your blades. All of you. Attack together.”

And with that, he struck first.

Though unarmed, Xue Shu launched himself at the ten soldiers. Initially hesitant to retaliate, worried they might hurt him, they quickly realized that holding back was a mistake—his blows were unrelenting, aimed at vital points with brutal precision. One soldier, unable to dodge in time, crumpled to the ground from a single punch to the abdomen.

“Fight back!” Xue Shu barked, his voice sharp with unrestrained fury.

If he didn’t unleash his anger, he feared he wouldn’t last the night without killing those two schemers.

The soldiers could feel the crushing weight of his gaze. Without further hesitation, they raised their blades and charged.

Sunlight glinted off cold steel as the clash began. Xue Shu’s shadow danced across their blades like a vengeful demon. Forced into action, the soldiers’ strikes grew more desperate, and soon, they landed hits.

A fresh wound opened on Xue Shu’s face. He wiped away the blood without a hint of anger, his grin feral. “Again.”

When Yin Chengyu arrived, he was greeted by the sight of several soldiers sprawled on the ground and another handful encircling Xue Shu, their blades locked in a fierce exchange. Blood streaked both sides, but Xue Shu, with his tattered clothes and vivid scarlet wound, was a vision of defiant brutality.

“What is going on here?!” Yin Chengyu’s sharp command shattered the fight.

Everyone froze. Xue Shu turned to face him, his expression unreadable. He tossed out a curt order: “Take them to treat their wounds. Each of them gets fifty taels.” Then, without waiting, he strode toward Yin Chengyu.

“Your Highness.” His voice, still hoarse from the fight, carried a simmering intensity.

Yin Chengyu’s eyes swept over him, noting the torn garments and fresh injuries. With a cold smile, he remarked, “Impressive. You return and don’t report in, yet you still find time to ‘practice’ your skills?”

Xue Shu lowered his head obediently. “Your servant is at fault.”

His unexpected compliance left Yin Chengyu momentarily speechless. Narrowing his eyes, he switched tactics. “What did Wan Youliang want from you that left you this enraged?”

Yin Chengyu already knew the answer.

Xue Shu was furious—furious enough to kill.

And when Xue Shu was angry, there were only two reasons: either someone upset him, or someone crossed his bottom line.

If in a foul mood, Xue Shu would find an excuse to torment someone. Once they were sufficiently upset, his spirits would lift. But if anyone crossed his line, Xue Shu would kill without hesitation.

As the Nine-Thousand-Year Duke, wielding power over the entire court, Xue Shu could usually kill whomever he pleased. Yet, despite his authority, adversaries lurked in both open and hidden corners, and there were always a few he couldn’t yet touch.

Situations like today were rare—something Yin Chengyu had only witnessed once in his previous life.

That was during the reign of Emperor Longfeng, when the ruler, obsessed with immortality, spiraled into madness from years of consuming alchemical pills. At that time, Yin Chengyu was reinstated as Crown Prince, overseeing the court while gradually regaining control.

In a bid to compete with Yin Chengyu, the Second Prince sought out a Taoist priest who presented the emperor with two miraculous elixirs, claiming they could reverse aging. After consuming one, the emperor felt invigorated and ordered the priest to produce more. However, the priest declared the elixirs required a blend of two taels of dragon flesh and a maiden’s menstrual blood.

Naturally, Emperor Longfeng commanded Xue Shu to procure the ingredients.

When Xue Shu emerged from the emperor’s palace, his demeanor was murderous.

Yin Chengyu learned of this and sought Xue Shu at the training grounds, where he was ruthlessly sparring. Back then, Xue Shu was far more ferocious. He had pulled a dozen hardened criminals from the dungeons, promising freedom to whoever survived.

Believing him, the prisoners fought savagely for their lives, but all fell under Xue Shu’s blade.

Yin Chengyu vividly remembered the scene: the training grounds strewn with corpses, Xue Shu standing blood-soaked at the center, his sword dripping as he turned to look at him.

At that moment, Yin Chengyu thought, Xue Shu was born to kill.

Now, that same blade was firmly in his grasp.

Seeing the fury in Xue Shu’s expression, Yin Chengyu strode toward his quarters without hesitation. “Clean yourself up and report back,” he ordered.

Zheng Duobao followed closely, meticulously preparing a seat and tea for Yin Chengyu before stepping aside.

It wasn’t until Yin Chengyu had finished his tea that Xue Shu arrived. Freshly bathed and dressed, the faint scent of soap clung to him. Yet the shallow wound on his face remained untreated, adding to his menacing presence.

“Speak,” Yin Chengyu said, his tone composed as he sipped his tea.

Suppressing his anger, Xue Shu recounted the schemes of Wan Youliang and Guan Haishan.

When the matter of their collusion with pirates arose, Yin Chengyu’s expression darkened. “They’ve truly gone mad, conspiring with sea bandits?”

The kingdom had suffered under the scourge of pirates for far too long. Since its founding, coastal provinces had been plagued by these marauders—an unruly mix of exiled remnants from the former dynasty, foreign raiders, and local bandits. Over generations, these outlaws amassed wealth and strength through plundering merchant ships and coastal settlements.

Hiding on offshore islands, they struck unpredictably, their raids swift and brutal. Despite several military campaigns, the court failed to eliminate them. In fact, the establishment of Tianjin’s garrison was partly due to their growing menace.

Yin Chengyu knew the pirates’ rampant behavior stemmed from the negligence of local armies. In his past life, he had overhauled coastal defenses and trained a navy to combat them. What he hadn’t expected was for men like Guan Haishan to already be colluding with pirates at this stage.

After a long silence, Yin Chengyu’s voice turned icy. “We’ll follow their plan. I want to see how far their arrogance takes them.”

“Your Highness, jade doesn’t clash with rubble. Why risk yourself?” Xue Shu’s tone was sharp with disapproval.

In his eyes, the simplest solution was to kill Wan Youliang and Guan Haishan outright.

Yin Chengyu paused, then smiled faintly, looking at Xue Shu. “Is that why you’re so upset?”

Xue Shu’s response was a low, grave “Yes. They deserve to die.”

“They do,” Yin Chengyu agreed, standing with a satisfied expression. “So be it. Once this matter is resolved, I’ll leave their punishment in your hands. Make sure your anger is appeased.”

*

Yin Chengyu decided to use himself as bait, leaving Xue Shu with no choice but to intensify preparations with Zhao Lin to prevent any mishaps on the day of the plan.

The day before heading to Dagu Port, Yin Chengyu received word from Wei Xihe—he wanted to meet.

Without hesitation, Yin Chengyu brought Xue Shu along to the Wei residence that same evening.

Wei Xihe lived in the far west courtyard, separated from the main estate by a moon gate. While the main courtyard shone brightly in the distance, the western wing was pitch dark, illuminated only by a faint candle carried by a tall young servant whose features were obscured by the dim light.

“This way, my lord,” the servant said, his tone respectful.

Following him inside, Yin Chengyu was greeted by Wei Xihe, limping toward him. Wei Xihe, just barely 20, wore a worn gray robe that hung loosely on his frail frame. Despite his thinness, the smile on his face retained a trace of his former elegance.

Yin Chengyu’s eyes instinctively dropped to Wei Xihe’s legs—still functional at this point. In his previous life, by the time Yin Chengyu met Wei Xihe again, Wei Xihe was 25 and confined to a wheelchair, his legs permanently disabled due to poor care. Back then, he was gaunt, his cheekbones sharp, and his only vitality was the light of defiance in his weary eyes.

Now, his situation seemed marginally better.

“Your Highness.” Wei Xihe knelt to greet him.

Yin Chengyu raised a hand to stop him. “No need for formalities. I came here quietly tonight to avoid unnecessary displays. My men reported you have records of Ke Shouxin’s illegal salt trade?”

Yin Chengyu had merely ordered surveillance on the Wei household, but Wei Xihe’s sharp instincts not only uncovered the spies but deduced their master. Using this as leverage, he invited Yin Chengyu over.

In his past life, Yin Chengyu had admired Wei’s resilience and intelligence; meeting him now, that respect only deepened. What a pity that in the previous timeline, Wei chose to starve himself to death after the Ke family fell. Otherwise, he could have been an invaluable ally.

“Yes,” Wei Xihe replied straightforwardly. He signaled to the young servant, who disappeared into an inner room and soon returned with two meticulously wrapped account books.

“These contain all the records.”

Yin Chengyu took the books and flipped through them. Though not as complete as the ones he had obtained in his previous life, they were sufficient for his current needs.

Handing the ledgers to Xue Shu, Yin turned back to Wei. “What do you want in return?”

Wei Xihe knelt, his voice steady but tinged with venom. “When all is settled, I ask Your Highness to deliver Ke Shouxin to me for retribution.”

Yin Chengyu hesitated. “What about you? What do you plan for yourself?”

For a moment, Wei Xihe faltered but quickly regained his composure. Unlike the last life, he didn’t refuse Yin Chengyu’s offer. “If possible, I wish to serve as a palace eunuch.”

Yin Chengyu frowned. “Your resilience and intelligence are rare qualities. Even with your physical limitations, I am not one to judge by appearances. If you wish, I can appoint you as an aide in the Eastern Palace.”

This was the highest honor Yin Chengyu could grant.

But Wei shook his head, bowing low. “I deeply appreciate Your Highness’s kindness, but as a cripple, I dare not tarnish your reputation.”

Seeing his resolve, Yin Chengyu relented. “Very well. I agree to your terms. Xue Shu will handle your entry into the palace. With your leg injury, you’ll work in the Eastern or Western Factory instead of performing traditional eunuch duties.”

Wei Xihe thanked him solemnly, escorting him to the side gate.

As Xue Shu passed, Wei Xihe suddenly stopped him. “Inspector Xue, a moment of your time.”

———Author’s Note: Wei Xihe: His Highness stands up for me. His Highness is so good to me. Yin Chengyu: …