The Grand Secretary’s Pampered Wife

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After leaving the Qilin Hall, the Emperor went to find the Little County Princess, while the Crown Prince took his leave and boarded the carriage back to his residence.

Once the carriage had traveled some distance from the Imperial Advisorʼs Hall, he changed his impulsive and irritable expression to a serious and composed demeanor.

The carriage moved along the spacious street.

He spoke in a deep voice, “Do you know who this prince just saw at the Imperial Advisorʼs Hall?”

Sitting beside him on the bench of the carriage was a man dressed in the official uniform of the Commandery Office. He was surnamed Shao, given name Xueyi, and held the position of Chariot Commandant, overseeing all the horses and ceremonial vehicles of the Great Yan’s Imperial Palace.

The authority among the major Commandants were not fixed and could occasionally overlap.

Shao Xueyi had once been responsible for investigating the assassination case involving the Crown Prince Estate.

Everyone thought he was a trusted aide of the imperial family, not knowing he had long been in the service of the Crown Prince. He had even accompanied the Crown Prince in disguise to Tianqiong Academy to watch a polo match.

“Who did you see, Your Highness?” Shao Xueyi asked.

The Crown Prince replied, “This prince saw the Eldest Imperial Grandson..”

”The Eldest Imperial Grandson has returned to Shengdu?” Shao Xueyi asked in surprise.

The Crown Prince smiled faintly, “Surprised, aren’t you? This prince didn’t receive any news at all and suspects he isn’t really Shangguan Qing, but Xiao Heng.”

Shao Xueyi asked, “That… Xiao Liulang?”

The Crown Prince nodded, “It’s him.”

As Shao Xueyi was a close confidant of the Crown Prince, he naturally knew that Xiao Heng had already arrived in Shengdu. He asked, ”Did he reveal his true identity, or is he pretending to be Shangguan Qing?”

“Pretending to be Shangguan Qing.” the Crown Prince said, frowning slightly, “But I’m not sure.”

Shao Xueyi looked at the Crown Prince in confusion, “What is Your Highness uncertain about?”

The Crown Prince sighed, “I’m not sure whether that person is Xiao Heng or Shangguan Qing; they look too much alike, almost identical, and I can’t tell them apart.”

The Crown Prince had not seen Shangguan Qing in over ten years. He had only managed to catch a glimpse of Shangguan Qing in secret near the Imperial Advisorʼs Hall when he returned to Shengdu or by looking at portraits. He wasn’t familiar with the grown-up Shangguan Qing and couldn’t distinguish him by his mannerisms or voice.

The Crown Prince said, “If even imperial father can’t recognize him, then how can this prince?”

Shao Xueyi replied, ”That’s the brilliance of the former Crown Princess. She kept Shangguan Qing far away from Shengdu, ensuring he had no contact with anyone, greatly reducing any identifying traits beyond his appearance. Once Shangguan Qing passed away from illness, she could bring Xiao Heng back in his place, and no one would ever know a switch had been made.”

The Crown Prince paused before saying, ”Though there are rumors among the people that imperial father’s affection for Shangguan Qing is only because he doesn’t have much time left, what if the Eldest Imperial Grandson’s ‘illness’ is cured, and imperial father still loves him just as much? This prince can’t take that chance.”

Shao Xueyi said, “Exactly, the Emperor is getting older and is no longer as ruthless as he was in his youth. He killed the entire family of Empress Xuanyuan, so it’s hard to guarantee that he won’t try to make amends for his guilt on the descendants of Empress Xuanyuan in his twilight years.”

The Crown Princeʼs gaze sharpened, ”That’s why Xiao Heng must die!”

Once Xiao Heng was dead, Shangguan Yan would undoubtedly not survive either.

Shao Xueyi pondered for a moment and said, ”Actually, identifying whether the person is Xiao Heng isn’t that difficult. There are two people who have definitely interacted with Shangguan Qing.”

The Crown Prince thought for a moment, “Are you referring to the Imperial Advisor? He might not help this prince. That fellow is unyielding and cannot be swayed by any power.”

Shao Xueyi thought to himself, that’s because no force could ever surpass the Imperial Advisorʼs Hall—no one has the right to recruit him.

The Crown Prince shook his head, “Besides, he has only met Shangguan Qing once every two years. He wouldn’t know him well enough, and any subtle changes in voice could simply be explained by his voice maturing.”

After all, Xiao Heng was a man; could his adolescent voice sound the same as it did now?

Shao Xueyi pointed out, “Has Your Highness forgotten there’s another person?”

The Crown Prince asked, “Who?”

Shao Xueyi replied, “Wang Xu.”

The Crown Prince looked surprised, “Him?”

“He has guarded the imperial mausoleum for several years and personally taught Shangguan Qing martial arts. If anyone can discern Shangguan Qing’s true identity, it would be him!” Shao Xueyi continued, “His Majesty despises being deceived; if the person he saw today is indeed Xiao Heng, then Xiao Heng would have committed the crime of deceiving the monarch.”

“You are right.” the Crown Prince expressed his agreement, “However, there is one thing I cannot comprehend. Why doesn’t Xiao Heng directly acknowledge the Emperor but instead chooses to use Shangguan Qing’s identity?”

Shao Xueyi said, “Because using Shangguan Qing’s identity makes things much simpler.”

If Xiao Heng used his own identity, it would raise questions about who Shangguan Qing really was, what the former Crown Princess’s intentions were, and how much the Emperor had been deceived over the years.

The former Crown Princess could argue that she did it to protect Xiao Heng from harm, but without any solid evidence, it would just be empty words. Would the Emperor believe her?

Given the Emperor’s suspicious nature, he would only think that this mother and son were plotting something behind the scenes.

So, to be safe, it was best for Xiao Heng to directly assume the identity of Shangguan Qing.

Not only did this avoid unnecessary complications, but he could also enjoy all the Emperor’s affection.

Moreover, Shao Xueyi vaguely felt that perhaps Xiao Heng didn’t want to become a part of the Great Yan’s imperial family. If he used Shangguan Qing’s identity, he could leave without any burden once the mission was accomplished.

But soon, Shao Xueyi dismissed this guess.

After all, being the Eldest Imperial Grandson of the most powerful empire—who wouldn’t want such a status?

It was best not to overestimate Xiao Hengʼs character. It wasn’t that he was indifferent to fame and fortune—it was all about weighing the pros and cons.

The Crown Prince was at a loss, “What you said is correct, but what if he really is Shangguan Qing?”

Shao Xueyi sneered, ”That makes things even easier. Exposing Shangguan Qing is much simpler than exposing Xiao Heng. In the past, we didn’t bother because there was no need. Shangguan Qing wasn’t going to live long, and he wasn’t causing trouble in Shengdu. As long as he stayed quietly in the imperial mausoleum, we could pretend he didn’t exist. The one we’ve always wanted to eliminate is Xiao Heng. But if Shangguan Qing dares to come to Shengdu and stir up trouble, then he can’t blame us for being ruthless!”

The Crown Prince smiled approvingly, “It seems this prince cannot do without you.”

Shao Xueyi cupped his hands, “Your Highness flatters me.”

Could the Crown Prince really not understand these principles? He just needed someone to voice them.

The Crown Prince appeared to be naïve, but in reality, he was more cunning than anyone else.

The Crown Prince said, “There’s still one difficult problem: the Wang Family only pledges loyalty to my imperial father. If this prince wants Wang Xu to serve me, he might not agree.”

Shao Xueyi smiled, “Your Highness can simply cater to his preferences. I’ve heard that Wang Xu has his eye on an antique, which is currently in the hands of Old Master Han of the Han Family.”

The Crown Prince smiled, “If it’s in my uncle’s hands, then that makes it much easier.”

……

In the Imperial Advisorʼs Hall, within the sickroom of Qilin Hall, Xiao Heng took out the portrait of Shangguan Qing and examined it closely.

Gu Chengfeng used qinggong to arrive in the courtyard, pulled the window open wide, and climbed in from the windowsill.

“How’s it going? No slip-ups, right?”

“None.” Xiao Heng replied.

Gu Chengfeng sat down next to Xiao Heng, glanced at the unconscious Shangguan Yan, then at the sleeping Gu Jiao, and extended his hand towards Xiao Heng.

Xiao Heng looked at him strangely, “What?”

Gu Chengfeng raised his hand, “Two taels of silver. Do you think I bought the clothes you’re wearing for free? One tael is for the clothes, and the other is for travel expenses. Have you considered how much this outfit contributed to your success? Clothes make the man, just like gold ornaments make the Buddha shine. Today, you’re like a performer—without this costume, you can’t set up your stage! Do you know how hard it is to find an outfit similar to the one in the portrait?”

Xiao Heng said, “I don’t have any silver on me. Once JiaoJiao wakes up, I’ll have her give it to you.”

Gu Chengfeng was momentarily speechless, “Then, forget it.”

Asking that girl for silver? Wouldn’t that be asking for her life? It would be a miracle if she didn’t end up emptying his own purse instead.

Gu Chengfeng’s gaze landed on the portrait, “Is the person in this portrait really the Eldest Imperial Grandson? The more I look, the more I feel like you look alike. You two aren’t twins, are you?”

“No.” Xiao Heng replied.

“How do you know you’re not?” Gu Chengfeng asked.

“The dates of birth are different; his is ten days earlier than mine.” He had asked Ye Qing in the library about this information.

Gu Chengfeng said, “Birthdates can be faked; isn’t Ming Junwang the same age as Shangguan Qing? I suspect it’s for the sake of being a few days older, just enough to overshadow Ming Junwang and become the Eldest Imperial Grandson!”

Xiao Heng looked confused, “Is that so?”

“Yeah!” Gu Chengfeng said, convincing himself.

“Let’s not worry about that for now.” Once Shangguan Yan woke up, the truth would come to light. Right now, there were more important things they needed to do.

Xiao Heng said, “There’s someone who might recognize that I’m not Shangguan Qing.”

Gu Chengfeng paused while pouring tea, ”Who?”

Xiao Heng looked out at the green leaves on the branches and said coldly, “Guardian Commandant, Wang Xu.”

Raz P.ʼs Thoughts

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Description:

In the suspenseful supernatural novel “Records of Mortals,” Jiang Baiyan, once a solitary and impoverished youth, finds refuge in the Shi family of Chang’an due to his extraordinary bloodline. With his clear and captivating peach blossom eyes, this seemingly innocent young man conceals a fanatical and malevolent lunatic within. Destined to succumb to darkness amidst hardship and degradation, he becomes a harbinger of chaos.

When Shi Dai suddenly transmigrates, she takes on the role of the Shi family’s young lady, the one who subjects him to countless trials, eventually leading to her demise.

The twist? She never got to finish reading the novel.

From what she knew of the plot, Jiang Baiyan was just a silent, timid, and often bullied pitiable character.

***

Jiang Baiyan had never encountered someone like Shi Dai.

After he had slaughtered all the evil creatures in the garden, the blood-stained young man, exuding a murderous aura, approached her step by step, his lips curling into a malicious smile, ”Scared?”

Shi Dai responded, “You’re really amazing! I applaud you until I spin like a spiral and fly around the moon three hundred times! And also——you have dimples when you smile!”

Jiang Baiyan: ...?

—

After seeing her at a lantern festival with another man, Jiang Baiyan lowered his eyes, his fingers twirling her hair. He said in a mocking and sinister tone, ”The mansion in the western suburbs...if I hide you there, no one will find you, right?”

Shi Dai replied, ”Does it come with meals and lodging? Can I sleep in everyday? Oh, and your cooking is the best!”

Jiang Baiyan: ...?

—

Jiang Baiyan was supposed to dislike her, even hate her, but as their separation drew near, his eyes turned red and he grabbed her sleeve, pleading, ”Donʼt abandon me, alri—”

Shi Dai responded, ”Alright, alright, I’ll only have you. Mwah.”

Jiang Baiyan: ...?

He hasnʼt finished his lines yet though…