The Duke's Pampered Darling is So Scheming

Chapter 625: Chapter 625: In a Dilemma

Two Southern Hu men approached, ready to drag him away.

He panicked, struggling as he shouted, ”Sir! I’ve found some clues! Please, hear me out!”

His words had the intended effect, and they let him stay.

”Speak.”

The voice was ice-cold, seething with killing intent.

”I... I discovered that the fire last night was deliberate! And... and it wasn’t just one person, it was a group! I found several points where the fire was started—”

”Have you identified anyone?” the man asked, glancing back at King Yan Nan.

The soldier lowered his head. ”N-no... They’re very cunning, and... and they seem to be extremely familiar with Long City! I’ve already dispatched men to search the entire city. I’ll report back as soon as I can!”

As he finished, he began to kowtow again.

’Very familiar with Long City?’

King Yan Nan grew pensive.

When the chaos erupted outside, he’d known something was wrong. His captor then came to personally stand guard over him all night, which only confirmed his suspicion that something major had occurred.

And sure enough, Long City’s grain supplies had been burned.

At first, he’d also thought his own men were responsible. But most of the five hundred guards who accompanied him were here for the first time; they certainly couldn’t be described as ”familiar” with the city. Even if they had wanted to do it, it wouldn’t have been easy.

Besides, as far as he knew, most of his personal guards had been imprisoned. The rest were either dead or wounded. No matter how he looked at it, it couldn’t have been them.

If it was Long City’s original garrison, that was also unlikely. Aside from the few generals who had surrendered, the common soldiers had no idea the city had already changed hands.

They continued their daily training and patrols as usual, giving them even less reason to do something like this.

’Then... who could it possibly be?’

’It isn’t just me. These men must be racking their brains over it, too.’

It was just as the saying goes: a spear in the open is easy to dodge, but a hidden arrow is difficult to guard against. This situation—being the visible target of a hidden enemy, without even knowing who they were—was the absolute worst.

”I’ll spare your worthless life for now. Keep investigating!”

”Yes! Yes! Thank you for sparing my life, sir! I definitely will—”

Outside, the general, profoundly grateful to have kept his life, hadn’t even finished speaking when someone else came rushing up.

”Sir! This is bad!”

It was a familiar face—the same man who had spent half the day trying to persuade King Yan Nan yesterday before storming out and slamming the door.

He trotted over, his forehead beaded with cold sweat. He paid no mind to the man still kneeling on the ground as he hastily glanced inside the room.

This glance was completely different from before.

The next moment, King Yan Nan knew why the man was looking at him that way.

”Sir! A message from the court! It says Your Majesty has issued a decree, summoning King Yan Nan to return to the capital early to report on his duties!”

His expression was tense and frantic.

”Wh-what are we going to do!?”

King Yan Nan froze for a moment, then suddenly smiled.

’What a coincidence!’

The grain supply in Long City is burned, and the very next moment, his summons arrives!

These Southern Hu people had been stationed in Long City for a while now. Because of King Yan Nan’s utter lack of cooperation, their plans had stalled. They hadn’t managed to take a single additional city, and now, this decree from Your Majesty had arrived!

The news that King Yan Nan had led his troops to Long City was common knowledge, so the imperial decree had been sent directly here.

Now they were in a bind. They either had to claim he was already dead or hand him over.

But neither option was one they were willing to accept.

If they announced that King Yan Nan had died an untimely death, they could no longer use his name to summon other commanders. Their plan to trap them like fish in a barrel would fail.

But if they handed him over... Long City’s garrison would immediately realize something was amiss. All he would have to do is raise his arm and give the call, and the entire city garrison would surely follow him to fight these Southern Hu people to the death.

The mere five thousand men they’d brought would be no match for them.

Most importantly... they no longer had the luxury of stalling! With the grain supplies burned to a crisp, their army couldn’t possibly last more than a few days.

It might even lead to a mutiny.

At this thought, King Yan Nan burst out laughing.

”Haha! This decree couldn’t have come at a better time! Tuoba Yu! I have been a warrior my entire life. What fear have I of death? The real question is—do you dare to die with me?!”

Tuoba Yu whipped his head around, his expression utterly grim.

...

「Duke Zhongyong Mansion.」

Xie Yulin was causing a scene again.

”I want to see my mother! Why won’t you let me in? I haven’t seen her in forever!”

The servant guarding the door blocked his path. Though his tone was pleading, his feet seemed rooted to the spot, unmoving.

”Young master, didn’t the Marquis say so? Her Ladyship is ill and needs to rest. She cannot be disturbed. Please, go back for now. Don’t make things difficult for me, I’m begging you.”

Xie Yulin was spoiled rotten. Why would he care what a servant had to say?

”If she’s sick, then I have even more reason to go see her! If you don’t get out of my way, I’ll have my father throw you all out!”

”Lin’er.”

An imperious voice called out.

Xie Yulin turned and immediately ran over. ”Father! Make them move! I want to see my mother—”

But Xie Anjun, who was usually gentle with him, didn’t immediately grant his request. Instead, he frowned and looked around.

”Where is everyone? Didn’t I order you to watch Lin’er? How did he end up here again?”

The servants dropped to their knees, trembling. ”After Nanny Zhang nearly lost the young master last time, you ordered her away from him. But the young master is mischievous, and we... we servants don’t dare... Spare us, Marquis! It is all our fault!”

Xie Anjun snapped, ”Then take Lin’er back at once!”

”Yes!”

With his permission, it was a simple matter for two adults to handle one child.

Xie Yulin struggled and wailed, crying out ”Father!” again and again, but Xie Anjun ignored him. He only said coldly, ”Lin’er’s temper was spoiled by his mother. He must be taught properly from now on! An incident like this must never happen again!”

With that, he glanced at the tightly closed door, let out a cold snort, and turned to leave.

Xie Yulin’s cries faded into the distance.

Before long, the area fell silent again—an unnerving, almost frightening silence.

It grew worse after nightfall, when only the two white lanterns in front of the door were lit, casting an especially eerie gloom.

If one had not seen it with their own eyes, no one would believe that such a desolate place existed within the Duke Zhongyong Mansion.

Inside the room, Xiao Jiayi’s nails dug so deeply into her palm that she could taste the faint tang of blood.

Finally, she lifted her head, a bleak, bitter smile on her face.

”You heard all that.”

From the darkness, a clear and gentle female voice replied quietly.

”So, what is it you want from me, now that you’ve brought me here?”

Hatred flared in Xiao Jiayi’s eyes as she spoke, word by word.

”I want... him dead!”

”Oh?”

The sound rose with a slight lilt.

”And what makes you so sure I’ll help you?”