ATSBTBMACP 4

Chapter 4

In the original plot of Conquering the Nine Provinces, Pei Ji, as the sixth prince of Da Zhou, wasn’t originally in line for the throne.

Only because his mother, Consort Rong, died shielding the emperor from a blade during an assassination attempt, did the grateful and guilt-ridden emperor break with tradition and appoint Pei Ji as Crown Prince.

Therefore, Pei Ji’s position as Crown Prince wasn’t secure, and he lacked capable officials under his command. With the five princes of Da Zhou vying for power, the struggle for the throne was incredibly fierce. That’s why Pei Ji had been searching for a strategist—Peng Yu.

Peng Yu was a brilliant strategist, but his straightforward nature kept him from high office. He was then slandered by treacherous officials and exiled to the border by the emperor. Disillusioned with Da Zhou, he found an opportunity to escape along the way.

It took Pei Ji four whole years to find him, which ultimately led to his victory in the struggle for the throne.

…

As consciousness gradually returned, Song Beiyao first smelled a strong medicinal scent. He was no longer lying on the dry, stiff straw of the dungeon, and a soft quilt covered him.

He slowly opened his eyes, seeing the light blue bed curtains above and the gray numbers in the bottom left corner of his vision: -195.

His physical condition was slightly better than in the dungeon. It seemed the last thing he said had worked.

Song Beiyao had no interest in interfering with Pei Ji’s quest for the throne, but it was a good life-saving tactic when necessary. It was currently the third year of Pei Ji’s search for Peng Yu, and the struggle for succession was at its peak. The more Pei Ji desired to find this person, the greater the bargaining chip Song Beiyao held.

He had won this round.

“You’re awake.” The door opened, and Ling Feng walked in.

Song Beiyao subconsciously glanced towards the door, only to realize this room wasn’t the Yan Nuan Pavilion he had stayed in before. It was significantly smaller, and the furnishings were simple.

Ling Feng sat down by the bed, his young face looking much more haggard than before, clearly annoyed.

“What’s wrong?” Song Beiyao asked with a smile in his voice.

“That Pei Ji is such a jerk.” Ling Feng blurted out everything like spilling beans. “Yesterday, when he released you, I was happy for a moment, but then he locked us both in this crappy courtyard and posted several guards. There’s only this one room in the entire courtyard. It’s so cold, and he didn’t even provide any charcoal. Last night you slept on the bed, and I slept on a chair. I froze all night.” As he spoke, he sniffled.

Song Beiyao stared at him for a moment, then chuckled.

Ling Feng glared at Song Beiyao. Seeing the man’s pale face and the curve of his smiling eyes, so beautiful, he was momentarily stunned, then abruptly looked away. “What are you laughing at!”

“Nothing.” Song Beiyao propped himself up on the bed, sitting halfway up. He couldn’t help but wonder why such an emotionally transparent youth would be sent on a spy mission. “Ling Feng, how old are you?” He looked at Ling Feng with a smile in his eyes.

“Sixteen, I’ll be seventeen in two months.” Ling Feng answered honestly, then wrinkled his nose. “Hey, why are you asking me this?!”

Song Beiyao raised an eyebrow slightly. Ling Feng’s temperament was actually somewhat similar to Jiang Ran’s, which gave him a sense of familiarity in this strange world.

He looked at the low table beside the bed. The dark medicinal soup was steaming, and a few candies were placed next to the bowl. Song Beiyao’s heart softened.

“You can sleep in the same bed with me tonight,” he said gently.

“I…” Ling Feng glanced at the bed and said disdainfully, “Such a small bed, I don’t want to squeeze in with you.”

Song Beiyao chuckled. “Then I’ll get out of bed now and let you lie down for a while. Tonight you sleep on the bed, and I’ll sleep on the chair.”

Ling Feng stopped him, saying impatiently, “You should just rest properly, don’t overdo it. Whatever medicine you took to suppress your martial arts must have some strong side effects, all that coughing and vomiting blood. Anyone who didn’t know better would think you’re on your deathbed!”

Song Beiyao blinked at him. “Alright, I’ll listen to you.”

Ling Feng was stunned again. The person before him was wearing a white inner robe, his long black hair softly draped over his shoulders. His skin looked as white as snow, as smooth as jade, his eyes so bright. When he looked at someone, it was gentle and…and there was an indescribable feeling, like a whirlpool, drawing one in involuntarily.

No wonder Zhao was so eager for this political marriage, to have this person infiltrate Pei Ji’s side.

Ling Feng quickly looked away, his voice muffled. “Also, Pei Ji’s men are constantly monitoring you. He probably already knows you’re awake.”

“Okay, I understand.”

Song Beiyao knew that Pei Ji spared his life because he was interested in Peng Yu’s whereabouts. If nothing unexpected happened, Pei Ji would appear today. The most important thing now was to dispel Pei Ji’s suspicion of his identity.

“I hear the guards around Pei Ji are all first-class experts. I wonder how many moves you could last against them.” Song Beiyao probed gently.

Ling Feng raised an eyebrow, his eyes full of disdain. “You should ask if they can even last one move against me.”

“Even if a dozen guards surrounded you, you could still escape unscathed?” The smile in Song Beiyao’s eyes deepened.

“Naturally. I wouldn’t survive out there without that kind of skill.” After speaking, Ling Feng realized something was amiss and glared at Song Beiyao. “Why would a dozen guards surround me? Why are you asking this?!”

“I want you to do me a favor.” The corners of Song Beiyao’s eyes lifted slightly, his smile bright. “More accurately, do us a favor.”

“What favor?”

“I want you to assassinate Pei Ji.”

“Huh???”

…

Just as Ling Feng had said, as soon as night fell, Pei Ji arrived.

When Pei Ji entered the room, Song Beiyao was leaning against the bed, reading a book. He was very focused, occasionally furrowing his brow or covering his mouth to cough, seemingly unaware of anyone entering.

The candlelight in the room wasn’t bright, the warm yellow light gently falling on him, adding a hazy beauty to the person on the bed.

Pei Ji’s gaze lingered for a moment. He had seen countless beauties, but Song Beiyao’s appearance was the most outstanding. Not only that, but his beauty and unique temperament were among the best in the Nine Provinces Continent. But quickly, his eyes cleared, and his expression turned cold. “I spared your life, not for you to enjoy leisurely pursuits.”

Song Beiyao’s fingers paused on the page, and he looked up at Pei Ji, as if startled by the interruption, his face showing surprise, confusion, and helplessness. He quickly forced a pale smile, as if trying to regain his composure. “Your Highness, I haven’t done anything wrong, why can’t I enjoy some leisure?”

Pei Ji narrowed his eyes. The young man’s expression was very natural, without any visible flaws. If it wasn’t a genuine reaction, then his acting skills were terrifying.

He had interrogated countless assassins and spies, and even the most skilled among them would eventually break down and reveal their true selves. This time, he needed more patience, to calmly engage with his prey, wait for the opportune moment, and uncover his true face.

“You should know why I’m here.” Pei Ji stood some distance from the bed, not getting any closer.

His gaze was like a wolf’s—calm, ferocious, restrained, and indifferent—as if he could see through every move of his prey.

Song Beiyao had been in the entertainment industry for four or five years and had encountered all kinds of people, but he had never met anyone like Pei Ji. Pei Ji was a true figure of power, not only wielding immense authority but also controlling the lives of others.

If possible, Song Beiyao would try his best to avoid dealing with such a person.

So this time, he needed more patience, more vigilance, to snatch a piece of meat from this wolf’s mouth.

The gray numbers in the bottom left corner dropped to -196 again. One point was automatically deducted every morning and evening. Adding one or two points a day wasn’t a long-term solution.

Subtly furrowing his brow, Song Beiyao got out of bed and walked towards Pei Ji.

The man was a full head taller than him, carrying the chill of the outside snow. His physique was strong and robust, clearly from years of martial arts training. His posture was straight and sharp, with the air of a border general.

Under his cold gaze, Song Beiyao clearly felt Pei Ji’s unconcealed pressure, the sharp killing intent, the pervasive scrutiny.

Under such intense pressure, few could remain composed.

Pei Ji’s sharp eyes were fixed on Song Beiyao. Everyone before him had submitted, but this person was different.

Song Beiyao maintained a faint smile on his lips, his eyes gentle as water, his face just the right shade of pale and weak. He gracefully bowed slightly and said slowly, “In Zhao, couples drink a cup of wine together upon marriage. Your Highness is now my husband, so why not drink this cup of wine today to dispel the misunderstandings of the past two days between us?”

He gestured towards a jug of wine on the table.

Pei Ji snorted coldly. “Song Beiyao, I don’t have time to play games with you. You have two choices: tell me Peng Yu’s whereabouts, or return to the dungeon. I wouldn’t mind giving you a Gu worm to play with.”

Song Beiyao didn’t seem intimidated by his words at all. Instead, he walked to the table and filled two wine cups.

Holding a cup in each hand, he returned to Pei Ji, offered him one, and smiled gently. “Your Highness, it won’t be too late to discuss these matters after we drink our wedding wine.”

Pei Ji didn’t even glance at the wine, directly sweeping it aside with a wave of his hand. “This marriage was not my wish. I won’t treat you as my wife, and I certainly won’t drink with you.”

In that brief moment, Song Beiyao’s fingers brushed against the back of Pei Ji’s hand, and the number in the bottom left corner immediately changed to -195.

He subtly curled his lips, quickly putting on a hurt expression. Just as he was about to speak, a dark figure suddenly burst through the window, brandishing a sharp sword, aimed directly at Pei Ji’s back.

Pei Ji reacted swiftly. Just as he was about to turn and counterattack, Song Beiyao, already prepared, immediately embraced him, turning him around and exclaiming, “Your Highness, be careful!!”

The sharp sword pierced through his left shoulder, and Song Beiyao collapsed into Pei Ji’s arms. The assassin in black pulled out the sword. Several guards, alerted by the commotion, arrived just in time. Seeing the situation turn unfavorable, the assassin quickly leaped out, disappearing into the night.

The body in his arms continued to slide down. Pei Ji froze for a moment, then reached out to support him. His martial arts skills were exceptional, easily capable of handling such an assassination attempt. The young man before him was clearly frail, yet he had shielded him from the sword without hesitation, disregarding his own life.

Blood gushed from the wound on Song Beiyao’s left shoulder. Seeing this, a guard knelt and asked, “Your Highness, should we summon Physician Tan?”

Pei Ji looked down silently. The young man in his arms was frowning, his eyes half-closed, his long eyelashes trembling from the pain, his lips bloodless, beads of cold sweat rolling down his forehead.

“Why did you do that?” Pei Ji’s voice was low and deep.

Song Beiyao’s breathing was ragged from the pain. He looked deeply at Pei Ji, his pale fingers clutching his sleeve. “Because I didn’t want Your Highness to be in danger.”

Pei Ji’s dark eyes stared intently at Song Beiyao, his hand continuously being soaked with warm blood.

He didn’t want to dwell on the meaning of those words, simply saying, “Song Beiyao, tell me Peng Yu’s whereabouts, and I will have someone save you.”

The young man managed a weak smile. “It’s alright. Isn’t it better if Your Highness doesn’t save me? You suspect me of being an assassin. If I die like this, I won’t be a hindrance to Your Highness, and it will also give Zhao an explanation.”

After the last word, he closed his eyes weakly, his hand loosening its grip and falling to his side.

In that moment, Pei Ji, for some reason, thought of his mother, that gentle and kind-hearted woman who would be saddened by the sight of a dead bird. What was going through her mind when she unhesitatingly shielded his father from the blade?

Wasn’t she afraid?

After a while, his throat tightened, and he instructed the guard in a deep voice, “Go, summon Tan Tian.”