Chapter 83 — A Trap Within A Trap(?): Part 1
Edited by DancingDolphinsYo
After Guan Shanjin sent Lu Zezhi back to his courtyard, he did not show him any additional tenderness and concern. In fact, he did not even have his lunch with him, casually using the excuse of having to deal with work to brush him off.
He turned and left immediately, and even his courteous farewells sounded perfunctory.
The exquisite compound was staffed with about a dozen attendants. In the incorruptible household of the Lord Protector, this was essentially the only compound like this. Even the compound used by the Lord Protector and his wife only had four attendants.
The Lord Protector’s household had very strict rules. They were originally a military family, and each Lord Protector of every generation needed to enter the battlefield and fight for their own status and progress. There was no harem of concubines who would squabble and argue, and there was not even a single person who dared to chatter and share a little gossip after a meal. This huge compound was so quiet that it felt as though Lu Zezhi was the only one there.
He could not put on an expression of being a disgruntled spouse, but he also could not help feeling a bitterness within his heart. Guan Shanjin did dote upon him, and also made him promises. However, he did not spend much time accompanying him, and recently, he had gradually become more perfunctory in his actions. Even the most intimate actions that occurred between the two of them were only a few impersonal hugs, and there was not even a single kiss.
When facing Wu Xingzi, Lu Zezhi could even suppress the frustration within himself. For his own dignity, he had to put on a show, a mask. Now that he was back in the Lord Protector’s residence, he could no longer conceal the undeniable disconsolation in his heart.
He knew that his own identity and status were very awkward. The Lord Protector and his wife made no disguise of their feelings towards him, and the only person he could rely on was Guan Shanjin.
Now, only a few short months had passed, yet Guan Shanjin’s adoration and doting towards him had already faded by quite a lot. He had inadvertently heard about how the Lord Protector and his wife had the intention of matchmaking Guan Shanjin and Bai Shaochang; so today’s invitation was probably not just a simple invitation to listen to Bai Shaochang play, but also his response.
Sitting on a chair, Lu Zezhi gripped a half-empty teacup tightly, his entire palm reddening.
No, he could not allow himself to descend down this path of hopelessness. Bai Shaochang’s looks, and the way he carried himself, were the qualities that Guan Shanjin was drawn to. Lu Zezhi understood that he could not compare to Bai Shaochang, and if Guan Shanjin and Bai Shaochang truly became a match, he would be immediately abandoned. After all, the bloodline of the Lord Protector was famed for how their hearts only beat loyally for that one person in their life, and there was completely no reason for a third person to have their space there.
Gritting his teeth, Lu Zezhi came to a decision. He summoned the servant whom he had brought along from Bastion City, the person who had been following him for the longest time, and whom he trusted the most after Hua Shu had been rid of.
“Help me pass this message to Lord Yan, tell him that I’ll consider that suggestion of his, but he has to give me some guarantees.”
Hearing that he had to pass a message to Lord Yan, the servant was a little hesitant. “Master, Lord Yan and the General do not get along with each other, this… If the General finds out, I’m afraid it’ll be disadvantageous to you.”
Although the common folks had not heard anything about the tussle between Yan Wenxin and Guan Shanjin in court, any of the court officials, aristocrats or businessmen with a bit of power were all aware of it. Ever since the Great Southern Garrison General had returned to the capital for a debrief, Yan Wenxin had been continuously bothering Guan Shanjin both openly and secretly. Although Guan Shanjin had the Lord Protector’s protection in court, and for now, his work had not been affected by the nuisance, he was currently being placed aside, and had a lot of free time on his hands.
It was said that when one’s capability was too great, their superior would become anxious. It was no wonder that Guan Shanjin did not return to the capital for so many years.
At this moment, if a disaster were to happen within his own home, one could only imagine how upset Guan Shanjin would be.
After hearing the servant’s doubt, Lu Zezhi pursed his lips slightly. “We just don’t have to let the General know about it. I’m only helping him probe Lord Yan for information. After all, he has already come seeking for me. He definitely is planning something against the General, so why don’t I turn his trick against him? However, before the matter is concluded, we must not let the General worry. After getting Lord Yan’s guarantee, and later, when he falls into the trap I lay for him, we’ll just make it up to the General.”
In truth, only Lu Zezhi understood what sort of selfish motives he had while he was trying to feel Lord Yan out.
“As expected, Master is truly intelligent. I’m only a servant, lacking in experience and vision. Madam will one day finally understand Master’s devotion towards the General. That Bai-gongzi or whoever, how can he even compare to a fingernail of yours?”
Listening to the servant’s flattery, Lu Zezhi secretly revelled in it. He curled his lips up in a small smile, waving his hand. “Hurry up and go. Remember to be very careful, don’t let anyone else other than the two of us know about this. Also, Lord Yan’s guarantee has to be written down in black and white, understand?”
“Understood, Master. Please don’t worry.” After all, he was someone assigned by Guan Shanjin to serve Lu Zezhi. He was quick and cautious, and when leaving the Lord Protector’s residence, no one else discovered anything.
When Guan Shanjin left Lu Zezhi’s courtyard, he headed straight to the study. As he pushed the door open, there was already someone waiting for him there. Hearing his footsteps, that person looked up from a book in his hand, greeting him with a grin. “Yo, General, you’re back? Did you enjoy listening to the qin?”
That person was Man Yue. He was dressed casually, and was half-reclining on a soft daybed next to the window with his shoes off. With the cool wind blowing through the open window, together with a jug of iced fruit wine and some meat jerky strips, he was very comfortable.
“Don’t call me General…” “Guan Shanjin” grunted gloomily. His voice was no longer the pleasant sounding one from before, becoming a lot lower and even a little hoarse. With no reservedness, he dropped down onto the chair across the daybed.
“Your acting is quite passable,” Man Yue exclaimed, clicking his tongue. Pouring out a cup of fruit wine, he tossed it over. “Guan Shanjin” caught it steadily without spilling a single drop, gulping down the wine with a woebegone look that had never appeared on that face before. He then gave a long exhale.
“Why? Acting as the General doesn’t feel good?”
“Guan Shanjin” glared at Man Yue, reaching out and adjusting his face. As the face mask was removed, it revealed another young and coarse-looking face under it. Only when one looked carefully would they then realise that it was the bearded Fang He without his beard, one of Guan Shanjin’s four closest bodyguards. A few red spots could be seen on his bronzed skin, and they felt so unbearable that he could not help scratching at them. Now that his awe-inspiring looks had been forced to look so foolish and comical, Man Yue burst out into loud, rude laughter.
“Man Yue, you… Ai… Do you have any medicine?” It took Fang He great strength to stop himself from leaving scratches all over his face. He was truly quite unfortunate. Despite being a coarse-skinned, rough looking, strapping man, his skin was sensitive to the resin face mask that most people could use. If he wore it for too long, bumps and rashes would appear on his face. Without applying any medication, his face would even swell, and in half a day, he would turn into a pig’s head. However, he was still unlucky enough to be the one who drew the short end of the stick. He had no choice but to wear the mask and pretend to be Guan Shanjin, faking devotion and passion towards Lu Zezhi.
Guan Shanjin’s four bodyguards were of similar height and stature to him, and people could be easily bluffed on the first look. If they were to lie on the bed without taking their clothes off, even the Lord Protector and his wife might occasionally be mistaken. Whenever there was a need, the four of them would sometimes handle matters while pretending to be Guan Shanjin. Other than having to dote and pamper on Lu Zezhi, Fang He could be considered to be very familiar with doing this.
“Here, take it.” Man Yue pulled out a flat box from his robes and tossed it at Fang He. He could not help but tease, “I couldn’t tell that your skin is so tender, just like a girl. Come, come over and let me touch it.”
“Fuck you.” Fang He shot him a glare as he carefully applied the medicine on his face.
Man Yue no longer made fun of him, but asked with a serious expression, “How was the meeting today?”
“Master desperately wanted to use a knife and chop me up.” Fang He’s shoulders collapsed, and he sighed heavily. “I’m afraid that I’ve exposed myself inadvertently, and that Yan Wenxin would be able to tell that something’s wrong.”
“Yan Wenxin most definitely could tell that something’s wrong, but you don’t have to worry. The General is well aware, and he also did not think that you’d be able to handle that old fox. You just have to remember that as the saying goes, people can be too clever for their own good. We don’t have to worry about what we’ve revealed, as it all depends on what they think they saw.” Man Yue tore a piece of jerky and put it in his mouth, giving a mysterious smile.
Fang He was a military man. Although he was not a fool, he could not follow such twisting and complex schemes. Whatever Man Yue said was it.
“Instead, it’s Lu Zezhi who doesn’t realise that the General next to him is a fake one?” Fang He was more curious about this.
They all said that Lu Zezhi had deep affections for the Great Southern Garrison General, that he did not regret his feelings, and was willing to endure all criticism over it. Fang He was feeling rather uncomfortable about this.
“Lu Zezhi just doesn’t dare to realise it.” Man Yue pursed his lips mockingly. “For all these years, the General has been basically keeping him like a pet. Even if it’s a cage made of gold, it’s still a cage. After staying in a cage for too long, any great ambition would all be swallowed down and stifled. Furthermore, Lu Zezhi has always been aiming to be kept like a pampered pet. In the past, he still had somewhat of a backbone, and knew how to scheme and plan. However, he’s now turned into a useless waste from being kept by the General. If he were to leave the cage, he would not be able to survive, so why would he try leaving it? He only wishes that he would be kept and taken care of forever, living a good and comfortable life with no worries, with someone to pamper and dote on him. No matter how unbearable things are, nothing can compare to having peaceful days in front of him.”
“You mean, even if Lu Zezhi suspects that I’m fake, he would pretend not to know? As long as he remains in this cage, all his feelings and affections would only be excuses?” Fang He’s expression revealed how much disgust he felt. Spitting a few times, he felt extremely stifled.
“This is also a sin caused by the General.” Man Yue shrugged, reminding Fang He. “However, you must keep yourself calm. It doesn’t matter much whether Lu Zezhi realises it or not, as he would still tell himself that you’re the real General. However, if you were to meet Mr. Wu, this would not be the case. If he discovers something, he would definitely find an opportunity to ask about it.”
Fang He trembled a little in dread. At the Bai’s residence, he did not fail to notice the look in Wu Xingzi’s eyes. More than reminiscence or affection, it was a look of probing…
“If Master wants to deal with Yan Wenxin, he should just deal with him directly. Why does he need to put in all this effort?” Of course, this was only a casual complaint. No matter how thick-headed Fang He was, he knew that Yan Wenxin was a top official of the court, and his network of power was a complicated affair. With his crafty and scheming character, one could not act wilfully if they wanted to yank him up along with his roots in one breath.
“The Lord Protector and his family have been generations after generations of court officials. This time, they dare to touch Yan Wenxin, the order naturally must’ve come from above. How could they not take things step by step, and deal with it carefully? Also, Yan Wenxin, this old fox, is truly not easy to deal with. The General will soon be facing tough times.” Man Yue jabbed the book in his hand up towards the sky. This hint could not be anymore obvious. Fang He’s muscular body shrunk into himself, and he could not help scratching at the red spots on his face again.
“The General has yet to return?”
“One should commit themselves to the act. The General will be temporarily staying at Ping Yifan’s quarters for now. You’ll have to excuse us, and prepare yourself.” Not without any sympathy, Man Yue reached out and patted the air in consolation, then burst out laughing again. After the medicine was applied, the red spots on Fang He’s face now became red patches. Together with that rough and boorish face, it was extremely comical.
Fang He had no other choice. He could only continue quietly discussing with Man Yue about their next steps, with red patches all over his tanned skin.
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