Chapter 106 – Black-Bellied Regent VS Loyal Shadow Guard (10)
Mu Jin, upon hearing the man’s words, showed a hint of confusion in his eyes and replied, “Subordinate understands. Does Master not need the service of the subordinate?”
Upon realizing that Mu Jin truly understood his intentions, the man felt somewhat shocked. However, Mu Jin’s submissive attitude unexpectedly stirred up a sense of hostility in Wen Renhong’s heart. He grabbed Mu Jin’s shoulder, speaking angrily in a low voice, “Have you ever served anyone else?”
Mu Jin, puzzled for a moment by the words, shook his head and said, “Never, but shadow guards are obligated to obey the Master’s commands. Although I haven’t experienced such things, it is included in the shadow guard’s manual and diagrams. Hence, I understand how to serve the Master.”
Wen Renhong, upon hearing Mu Jin’s words, realized that these shadow guards weren’t trained as ordinary people. For most, shadow guards were nothing more than tools.
Shadow guards were lethal weapons, capable of protecting themselves and being used at will, but they weren’t considered human.
He vaguely recalled hearing that some nobles liked to torment these skilled shadow guards and attendants for their own amusement. Although it took a considerable amount of resources to train a shadow guard, it wasn’t beyond the reach of certain wealthy individuals.
Tenderly patting Mu Jin’s head, Wen Renhong couldn’t help but wonder if he should make it clear that Shadow Eleven was his first and only master.
But wasn’t the Life and Death Camp part of his secluded residence? Normally, teaching martial arts and hidden weapons would suffice. Why bother with these improper matters?
Meanwhile, thousands of miles away, Lin Huan, currently practicing martial arts on the military training ground, suddenly sneezed forcefully.
Accustomed to training the shadow guards and skilled warriors in his secluded residence, Lin Huan had never seen them require additional materials for reading and learning. Unaware that his master was disdainful and complaining about him, he innocently looked up at the sky.
Lin Huan felt somewhat wronged. After all, every shadow guard had such a manual, and this information was passed down through generations. The secluded residence didn’t emphasize serving the master, only focusing on honing genuine skills.
Although Lin Huan had been responsible for training them in martial arts, he hadn’t paid attention to anything other than teaching combat skills.
The skills shadow guards learn are already extremely diverse, and it’s not easy to quickly become a master. Who would really care that the manual they’re given also contains illustrations of how to serve their master?
Rubbing his nose, Lin Huan innocently gazed at the sky. He thought, ‘It’s not even cold today. Why did I sneeze? Could it be that my wife is thinking about me?’
Thinking of this, the handsome man revealed an oddly endearing smile.
He just hoped that things on his master’s side would be resolved quickly so he could be transferred back to the capital. He had been away for so long; he missed his wife.
On the other hand, although Wen Renhong was dissatisfied with the teaching materials for the shadow guards, and even expressed some displaced anger, he found Mu Jin’s straightforward and submissive attitude quite adorable.
With his naturally filtered perspective, Wen Renhong now found Mu Jin increasingly pleasing to the eye. Even Mu Jin’s expressionless face seemed to have a unique charm.
In the end, Wen Renhong didn’t actually make Mu Jin serve him. After letting Mu Jin put on his clothes, he called for two more plates of snacks, and the two of them played chess together.
Despite mostly hearing Wen Renhong talking during their conversation, and Mu Jin rarely nodding in response, the man didn’t feel awkward. He even felt that such interaction was enjoyable. The person in front of him was his best audience, and with Mu Jin around, he never felt lonely.
After spending some time together, Wen Renhong had become more intimate with Mu Jin’s actions. The fact that his shadow guard didn’t reject him made the man feel delighted.
He even harbored a kind of sentiment that if he could continue living in this world with his little guy by his side until the end of time, it would be a beautiful thing.
During this period, the secluded residence managed to obtain the medications the queen had been giving to the new emperor, and they were presented to Wen Renhong.
Knowing that Mu Jin was well-versed in pharmacology, Wen Renhong handed him the medicines to examine and asked him to determine their effects.
Mu Jin casually examined the medicines and came to a conclusion. He had seen the emperor when he went to the palace before, and combining that with the medicines, he informed his man that Wen Renda, even if he stopped taking the drugs now, had no chance of recovery.
The drugs had infiltrated his bone marrow, and even if he wanted to preserve his life, he could live at most for another six months.
Upon hearing Mu Jin’s words, Wen Renhong was momentarily stunned. He hadn’t expected such a result, or rather, he hadn’t anticipated it would happen so soon. After all, the new emperor had ascended the throne not long ago, and he was on the verge of death.
So, should one say that the palace is as deep as the sea, and even the emperor cannot escape calculations? Being an emperor not only requires guarding against the foreign enemies at the borders but also being cautious of those close at hand.
In comparison, one’s own Xiao Jin is much better. Not only is he obedient and adorable, but most importantly, Xiao Jin will never betray him.
Thinking of this, Wen Renhong’s gaze towards Mu Jin became even softer. He simply embraced the little guy in front of him, lowered his head to kiss his cute nose, and continued to enjoy the peaceful time between the two.
The two months of confinement passed quickly. When Wen Renhong returned to the court, the matter involving Wen Renhui had already been settled.
Because the new emperor, Wen Renda, had just ascended the throne, killing his own brother at this time would likely invite criticism. Therefore, Wen Renhui was sent to the border, and all his properties were confiscated into the national treasury.
As for the scandal between him and the queen, it naturally wasn’t made public. Since the matter of poison hadn’t been discovered, the queen was simply confined to the cold palace, ordered to spend the rest of her life there.
So, when Wen Renhong returned to the court, he became the only brother of the reigning emperor who hadn’t faced any consequences. The courtiers, who had witnessed many struggles among royal siblings, couldn’t help but feel emotional, thinking that fools have their own luck. Although the prince was useless, he had preserved himself.
However, Wen Renhong knew that he couldn’t continue to play dumb as before. Wen Renda was utterly ruthless. Now that Wen Renhui’s matter was resolved, all attention would likely be focused on him.
Sure enough, two days later, the new emperor bestowed a title upon Wen Renhong. Titles are usually an honor for a prince and can lead to further advancement. However, his title was Loyalty, and whether it was an award or a warning was self-evident.
Wen Renhong didn’t mind it. If the emperor was willing to confer a title upon him, he would gladly accept it. Moreover, soon enough, people noticed that this former useless prince seemed to have suddenly become more astute.
After bestowing the title, the emperor, as usual, granted him a lucrative position in the Ministry of Revenue, seemingly indicating increased support for his brother. In reality, it was just to avoid giving others an excuse to criticize.
Wen Renhong had always adhered to a moderate path, seemingly never excelling in anything. Being mediocre was the limit for him, just casually getting by in court. Most of the time, Wen Renhong indulged in pleasures without caring about the nation’s hardships.
However, in recent days, Wen Renhong seemed like a changed person. Not only did he show accomplishment in the court matters assigned to him, but he also submitted many memorials that benefited the country and the people. This made the courtiers take notice and appreciate him.
Wen Renda hadn’t expected Wen Renhong to suddenly change. Although he praised his brother on the surface, his gaze toward him became increasingly ominous. He wondered if Wen Renhong had been hiding his abilities all these years.
Seeing Wen Renhong gaining more influence in the court, the emperor couldn’t help but feel a twinge of fear.
Even though the spies who returned from Wen Renhong’s residence reported that there was nothing unusual, Wen Renda keenly felt that things were not so simple.
Because, even in his personal life, Wen Renhong no longer lingered in the pleasure districts and had started befriending knowledgeable individuals both inside and outside the court. He even gained the favor of many prominent figures. With their praises, the common people quickly changed their views on this prince.
Seeing Wen Renhong becoming increasingly uncontrollable, the emperor deeply felt that he should quickly figure out ways to control this situation.
After much contemplation and with a reminder from the Empress Dowager, the emperor decided to bestow the daughter of the Marquis of Anping to Wen Renhong as his wife.
The Marquis of Anping was the maternal family of the current Empress Dowager. Given the status of the marquis’s daughter, it was considered a suitable match for a prince. However, when the emperor brought up this matter in the court, Wen Renhong unexpectedly refused without hesitation.
Hearing Wen Renhong’s rejection, Wen Renda couldn’t help but be stunned. After all, from an outsider’s perspective, this marriage was undoubtedly an elevation for Wen Renhong. Even though he was a prince, he lacked a solid maternal family backing.
Although he had performed well in recent times and his reputation had improved, he was still just an empty shell without real power. There was still a big gap between him and the Anping Marquis Mansion.
Although, when Wen Renhong uttered the refusal, he himself also froze for a moment. After all, this marriage was, in fact, a double-edged sword.
Although on the surface, he knew that the emperor’s intention was to use the Marquis of Anping’s family to control and win him over, he had the secret pavilion, fully in control of all the marquis’s secrets. Therefore, it was still unclear whose assistance this would actually be.
However, when the emperor expressed the intention to bestow the marriage, Mu Jin’s face flashed through Wen Renhong’s mind instantly. Without much thought, he had already refused.
For years, he had endured and strategized, never doing anything irrational. But at this moment, he had done it.
I feel like you use, however and although too often as sentence starters