Chapter 452 - 233: "The Usurper

Chapter 452: Chapter 233: "The Usurper

The "pair of bed-warming maids from the Western Regions" gag seemed to have spread among the Brotherhood.

Over the past few days, Zheng Xiu had Qing Pi keep an eye on Wei Chen.

Qing Pi’s reports on Wei Chen likely described him as "the man who dared to send a pair of maids to test the Prince."

’What kind of prince couldn’t withstand such a test?’

Just as Zheng Xiu found himself at a loss for whether to laugh or cry,

a calm cry came from outside:

"Man makes the plans, fate decides the outcome. Bone Divination for just a single coin!"

A blind man was blocking the Prince’s carriage.

In his right hand, he leaned on a staff; in his left, he carried a shabby bird cage. Inside lay a crow with dull, lusterless feathers. The crow was listless, its eyelids twitching from time to time as if to prove it was still alive.

"Your Highness, this fellow has some nerve. He knows you’re in here, yet he’s pretending it’s a chance encounter. Should we..." The brother driving the carriage chuckled, but the dry, hoarse quality of his voice let Zheng Xiu know he was a little nervous.

Zheng Xiu, intrigued, lifted a corner of the curtain to peek outside. "No need," he said calmly.

The driver fell silent for a moment, then called out to the blind man blocking the carriage with a smile, "You know Bone Divination?"

The burn scars on Blind Chen Wei’s face made the upper half of it look ferocious, yet he offered a gentle, serene smile. "I know a thing or two."

The driver asked, "Are you any good?"

Blind Chen Wei shook his head. "It depends on the person."

The driver laughed dryly. "In that case, doesn’t whether you’re right or not just depend on what you say?"

Blind Chen Wei raised his head. His deathly pale pupils, as if they could see, turned toward the carriage.

Zheng Xiu peered at the blind man through the gap in the curtain.

Blind Chen Wei smiled. "The Knife Seller divines the future; I divine the present and the past. As for my accuracy, the client knows the truth in their own heart. What I say doesn’t make it so. That is why I say it depends on the person."

Zheng Xiu knew Blind Chen Wei’s true identity perfectly well. He was Wei Chen, the other survivor of the Baili Village incident from twenty years ago.

In reality, he was the Great Emperor’s unacknowledged, illegitimate son.

Twenty years ago, the Guard Commander, Treasure King Cangyun, helped Wei Chen escape the Imperial City, only for them to "accidentally" fall into the Ghostly Realm at Baili Village.

After his imprisonment, Zheng Xiu had used the identity of "Zheng Shan" to interfere with that "past" of twenty years ago, giving rise to all the subsequent events.

If "Baili Village" twenty years ago was the beginning of everything, the "cause," then Wei Chen, blocking the carriage now, was—besides Feng Bei—another living "cause" in this world.

When Zheng Xiu was enfeoffed as the Red King, Wei Chen—disguised as Blind Chen Wei—had offered him "a pair of maids." In truth, it was an empty promise. He had "gifted" them, but not fully.

It seemed he was testing the waters, trying to gauge the Red King’s reaction.

Zheng Xiu had deliberately given him the cold shoulder, ignoring him and busying himself with other matters.

Now, after being ignored for some time, Blind Chen Wei had appeared to block his carriage in this manner. Zheng Xiu was both surprised and not surprised.

It was unsurprising because after being given the cold shoulder for so long, the other man was bound to lose patience and make a move. It was surprising because Zheng Xiu hadn’t expected Blind Chen Wei to pick such a delicate time—just a few days before he planned to completely restructure Ye Weiyang.

"Let him come up."

The Prince’s voice sounded cold, as if he were somewhat displeased.

The driver understood instantly. ’This blind man hadn’t delivered his gift properly.’

’Before he became a Prince, the Master absolutely loathed the scummy merchant practice of making empty promises.’

"Get in the carriage and do a reading for our Prince."

The driver snickered, hopping down to help the blind man aboard.

"Thank you, Your Highness."

Chen Wei still wore the same placid expression, and his calm, unhurried air made the crowd of onlookers sense that something wasn’t quite right.

The carriage continued on its way.

Inside the carriage, Zheng Xiu carefully studied Blind Chen Wei’s horribly burned face.

For a time, neither Blind Chen Wei nor Zheng Xiu spoke.

It seemed they were both waiting for the other to speak first.

After a while, the carriage arrived back at the Red King Mansion. The driver let out a few short whistles, and instantly, dozens of shadows dropped from the tops of the walls. Hooded assassins with concealed Sleeve Swords surrounded the carriage.

Hearing the commotion outside, Chen Wei sighed softly. "To receive a guest with such ceremony... Your Highness, I am truly overwhelmed by this honor."

"It is only fitting." Zheng Xiu smiled, his eyes narrowing as he exposed the other’s identity. "After all, you are the Master of the Incompleteness Tower."

Chen Wei’s mouth fell open. He gave a short, choked laugh, then shook his head with a wry smile. "So my identity was never a secret from you, Your Highness. Truly, as expected of the Zheng Clan."

Zheng Xiu was the first to step into the Prince’s Mansion.

"Please."

Qing Shisan gestured for the blind man to enter, a wide smile on his face.

Times were different now.

In the past, when the Zheng Residence welcomed a guest, they would offer polite pleasantries about honoring their "humble home." But this was no longer the Zheng Residence; this was the Red King Mansion. For Qing Shisan to even utter the word "Please" was already showing Blind Chen Wei immense respect. Countless people now begged for an invitation to the Red King Mansion and were denied.

These days, even becoming a retainer of the Red King required significant status. It wasn’t that Zheng Xiu enjoyed putting on airs, but that he had to. If he failed to maintain this facade and invited just anyone into the Red King Mansion, it would trigger a disaster at Court great enough to threaten its very stability.

Zheng Xiu used a whistle to issue a command: Invite Jiang Gaoyi, the Minister of the Ministry of Justice, to the mansion for a meeting.

Someone left at once to see to it.

After Zheng Xiu became a Prince, the Zheng Clan still operated like a highly efficient machine.

Before long, a completely bewildered Jiang Gaoyi was ushered into the Red King Mansion.

Jiang Gaoyi had made no effort to be discreet about his visit to the Prince’s Mansion. On the contrary, practically wishing for the entire world to know, he had hired one of the Zheng Clan’s Wandering runners to bring him over. Standing before the Red King Mansion, Jiang Gaoyi straightened his cap and adjusted his formal attire, fussing over his appearance for a good while before cautiously entering.