Five Years After My Death, the Mad Emperor Still Summons My Spirit

Chapter 206: Chapter 206: "How Devious!

"Married?" Ming Lingyi said in surprise.

Jiang Yuchuan seemed a little embarrassed to be discussing the major affair of his marriage with the Ming siblings.

"Yes," said Jiang Yuchuan. "The meeting with Miss Qin is unavoidable. Before you sent me your message today, I was still very hesitant. But after receiving it, I discussed it with her, and we decided it would be best for us to marry."

As Jiang Yuchuan spoke, the hand he had resting on the table—its fingers as slender as green bamboo stalks—clenched into a fist.

"They’ve pushed me too far. They can’t blame me for being merciless."

After learning that Miss Cai, Cai Jie, had been coerced into coming to the Capital City, Jiang Yuchuan brought her to his residence. He didn’t hide anything, telling her about his own predicament as well.

He wasn’t trying to make her feel guilty or demand her understanding. He simply felt that since the matter concerned them both, Cai Jie had a right to know.

When he found out the Qin Family had gone to the palace to request a marriage be decreed, he brought it up with Cai Jie.

One of them no longer had any desire to marry and had nowhere else to go. After her family had sacrificed her for the sake of her full-blooded younger brother, returning home would be difficult, even if her immediate crisis was resolved.

The other, having lost the one he loved, felt it made no difference who he married.

It was a perfect match, in a way.

Ming Lingyi asked, "Then, does Miss Cai know the consequences?"

Jiang Yuchuan nodded. "If we marry, it will be my duty to protect her. I won’t let her suffer gossip or injustice."

Ming Chengyu asked, "Are you planning to bring Miss Cai directly to the arranged meeting?"

Jiang Yuchuan didn’t deny it.

Ming Lingyi and Ming Chengyu exchanged a look, both seeing the same thought reflected in the other’s eyes.

’They’ve pushed an honest man too far.’ Jiang Yuchuan wasn’t planning on saving any face for either family.

This wasn’t just about refusing to unite two families in marriage; it was a move guaranteed to start a feud between them.

Even Ming Chengyu had to admit he was impressed.

"Care to cooperate on this?" Ming Chengyu asked after a moment’s thought.

After seeing Jiang Yuchuan out of the restaurant, Ming Lingyi stood beside Ming Chengyu. The siblings stared up at the bright moon, Ming Yue, their expressions perfectly in sync.

"Brother, you seem to have gotten more and more full of wicked ideas over the years."

The corner of Ming Lingyi’s mouth had twitched when she heard Ming Chengyu’s plan earlier.

Her brother might appear as noble and pure as the wind and moon, but when he decided to cause trouble, not even the most seasoned troublemaking heir could keep up with him.

"That’s just too devious," Ming Lingyi said.

Ming Chengyu chuckled. "Isn’t this just giving them a taste of their own medicine?"

Ming Lingyi glanced at him. "Does that young master know how black-hearted you people are?"

Ming Chengyu replied with a grin, "Well, he’s been pestering Zhang Sifan lately, and Sifan is getting tired of it. Let’s just call this compensation for all the torment that little brat has put him through."

「Two days later」

Ming Lingyi and Ming Chengyu arrived at Qinglong Temple together.

The siblings met Zhang Sifan and Xu Qian at the foot of the temple steps.

Ming Lingyi hadn’t expected the key to her brother’s plan would turn out to be Xu Qian.

Young Master Xu still made a grand entrance. Even though he was supposed to be at the Imperial College today, the moment he heard the summons from his "idol," he skipped his classes.

When Xu Qian saw Ming Lingyi, he still had that impossibly arrogant look on his face, his nose in the air, as if he looked down on everyone equally. Still, he took the initiative to greet her properly.

"Boss Ming."

Xu Qian had a certain admiration for a restaurant owner who could host so many poetry symposiums.

What impressed him even more, however, was that Ming Lingyi managed to invite so many formidable reviewing teachers every single time.

Compared to the shoddy competitions Wangxian Building used to put on, Ming’s Restaurant seemed leagues above.

Ming Lingyi, her face veiled, replied, "Young Master Xu."

"Since everyone’s here, let’s go," said Ming Chengyu.

Zhang Sifan shot Ming Chengyu a resentful look, his eyes practically overflowing with reproach.

Zhang Sifan never imagined that one day, he would be so viciously "backstabbed" by Ming Chengyu.

He’d been pursued by his fair share of women, but being chased and cornered by a man? That was a recent first.

It had all started with the poetry review at Ming’s Restaurant.

As a self-proclaimed "man of arts and letters," Xu Qian’s passion for poetry was supposedly second to none.

During the first review at Ming’s Restaurant, Xu Qian’s submission was flatly rejected by Li Yun with a single comment: "Unbearably vulgar."

Li Yun wasn’t one to mince words to save someone’s face. When he saw Xu Qian’s submission, his vision nearly went black. If he hadn’t been in public, Li Yun would have certainly complained, ’What is this strange piece of trash that got mixed in?’

Naturally, Xu Qian didn’t dare talk back to the Emperor.

But the young master of the Xu Family was persistent. He entered the competition a second time.

The judges this time were all from the former Xianyun Liushui Pavilion. Zhang Sifan’s comment on Xu Qian’s work was: "The phrasing shows considerable craft, but alas, it is like viewing flowers in a fog."

Zhang Sifan’s comment was meant to be subtle. What he wanted to say was that while one could see the poet had painstakingly crafted his phrases, the poem itself was complete gibberish. After reading it, one had absolutely no idea what it was trying to say.

But Xu Qian only heard the first half.

He thought Zhang Sifan truly understood him, able to perceive his "painstakingly crafted and singular phrasing."

This was especially true because everyone in Shangjing City knew Zhang Sifan as one of the "Twin Prodigies of the Capital," a publicly acknowledged man of great learning.

Having finally "found a kindred spirit," Xu Qian unilaterally declared Zhang Sifan the object of his adoration. He proclaimed their bond was like that of the legendary Boya and Ziqi, and for the past several days, he had been visiting the Zhang Mansion almost every day after his classes.

Zhang Sifan’s suffering was indescribable.

When had he ever been praising Xu Qian? But no matter how he tried to explain, Xu Qian wouldn’t listen, convinced that he was just being modest and hiding his true admiration.

Zhang Sifan wanted to bar the doors and refuse him entry, but he lived in his family’s home, and they couldn’t just keep the mansion gates sealed. Besides, even when he hid, the young master was so persistent he would always manage to find him in the most unexpected ways.

Zhang Sifan had gone to Ming Chengyu to vent his grievances, only to have Ming Chengyu turn around and sell him out completely.

"AAAHHH! Ming Chengyu, are you even human? Are those the words of a human being?!"

The first time Zhang Sifan heard his good friend suggest inviting Xu Qian to tour Qinglong Temple with them, he had a complete meltdown.

Still, getting Xu Qian to show up and help today was all thanks to Zhang Sifan.

When Zhang Sifan had nearly grabbed him by the collar to confront him, Ming Chengyu had remained perfectly composed. In stark contrast to his irritable friend, who seemed to have a Pavlovian stress response to just hearing Xu Qian’s name, his reply had been exceptionally calm. "Oh? Just think of it as the price for all that silver you earned last time."

As he said this, Ming Chengyu had even magnanimously handed Zhang Sifan a pouch of silver.

Zhang Sifan recognized it. Wasn’t that the very same money pouch he had given Ming Chengyu not long ago?

Zhang Sifan: "..."

’That rotten scoundrel! He’d been planning this all along!’