Chapter 162

Of course Luo Huai Yuan hadn’t been idle. He had at least set up his information network several years ago.

The capital was one area and the Jin and Qi Princes’ vassal states were another.

Due to some groundless conjecture, the Jing Province wasn’t left out either. However, compared to the Jin and Qi Princes’ side, the effort he put on the Jing Prince was extremely little. But precisely because it was so little, it gave him some thoughts.

These thoughts grew as he observed the wooden-faced old fifth working diligently like a little bee. Gradually, a thought grew in Luo Huai Yuan’s mind. However, this thought was extremely vague, and it only crystallized after receiving a certain piece of information.

“Waste of precious resource, what a waste of precious resource!”

After reading the secret message that was sent over, Luo Huai Yuan couldn’t help but throw the letter in his hands away and start cursing loudly.

Li An stood with his neck tucked in, not knowing what his master was going on about.

Luo Huai Yuan paced back and forth in his study. After a while, he finally stopped.

“Xiao An Zi, arrange people to go make some inquiries. It’s best if they could get a painting of his appearance. Find some people to test out his skills….” He muttered to himself before speaking again: “Forget it. It’s better not to send people to test him out. There probably won’t be any good outcome. A likeness painting is enough.”

Li An nodded his head. He was about to leave when he hesitated and stopped, “Highness, don’t call this servant Xiao An Zi in the future. I’m part of the older generation now. Call me Li An.”

Li An’s expression was rather anxious and a little aggrieved. It also contained a trace of expectation.

Luo Huai Yuan gave him a glance and then struck him a blow: “Even if you are one of the more experienced ones within the eunuchs, you’re still Xiao An Zi in my eyes. Stinky brat, you’ve got quite a few weird issues. Hurry and go, don’t dilly dally.”

Xiao An Zi drooped his head and left.

Having an unkind master was really tough. He wanted to build up some prestige in his followers’ eyes but his master wasn’t cooperating. He kept calling him Xiao An Zi, Xiao An Zi. When would he become “Grandpa An”? To become “Grandpa An” was Xiao An Zi’s ultimate dream. He was no longer a low-ranked eunuch, and was a high-ranked eunuch.

Luo Huai Yuan jeered “What a hopeless case!” as Xiao An Zi was walking out, making him stumble.

Luo Huai Yuan once again lamented how his follower of two lifetimes was actually such a hopeless case. Actually, Xiao An Zi wasn’t as bad as Luo Huai Yuan imagined. He was just a little timid, shed too many tears and his limbs were a little too thin.

However, everything was relative. Compared to the high-ranked eunuch by the wooden-faced old fifth’s side, Xiao An Zi was truly lacking quite a bit.

Of course, Luo Huai Yuan was just lamenting out of habit. He wouldn’t really be willing to switch Xiao An Zi out. Although he normally bullied Xiao An Zi to death, he was actually rather protective of him.

The likeness painting was soon sent over. Luo Huai Yuan took a look.

It truly matched the “rumors”, but since he had never seen this person before, he really couldn’t tell if it was similar. However, he had asked for the painting to be realistic and not artistic. It had to be realistic enough that it could be matched to the person.

Having lived two lifetimes in the Grand Xi, Luo Huai Yuan knew that likeness paintings were all deceptive. Those of men were all mighty and formidable. Those of women were all lithe with fair faces and ruby lips. They were nice to look at, but it would be impossible to match it to the person!

He wrapped the painting up, picked out a few gifts for “filial piety” and ordered it to be sent to the capital.

He was naturally sending it over to Lady Hui. No matter what, she was still Luo Huai Yuan’s martial arts master in name. After he and Yan Yan left for the vassal state, Lady Hui stayed by Shen Yi Yao’s side in the capital. They felt that she had worked hard for half her life and it was time to let her rest. She could also look after Shen Yi Yao. After Shen Yi Yao got married, Lady Hui didn’t go with her and remained in the Zhenguo Duke Estate.

The things quickly ended up in Lady Hui’s hands. Due to the secret letter accompanying it, Lady Hui also understood Luo Huai Yuan’s meaning.

She happened to know this person so she sent what she knew of him to the Yun Province. In her letter, she repeatedly warned that this person had a weird nature and shouldn’t be provoked.

When Luo Huai Yuan read the letter, he immediately connected the person to the one who assassinated the Jin Emperor in his past life.

Barbarian Yan, it was him!

He really didn’t expect that old fifth had hidden such a person by his side!

This had something to do with the past.

Despite being the ultimate victor in Luo Huai Yuan’s past life, the Jin Prince suffered a tragic death.

It was because someone had popped out from the blue during one of Mt. Meng’s autumn hunts and killed the Jin Emperor in front of everyone.

That person had outstanding martial arts. He came like the wind. Although he didn’t quite take down his target from thousands of miles away, none of the many imperial guards were able to stop him. His abilities were clear to see.

When this person assassinated the Jin Emperor, he had spat out some outrageous words:

You fucking good-for-nothing. Because of you, this daddy can’t be a freeloader anymore!

Then, he easily left.

…..

That person’s actions had resulted in huge waves. The monarch of a nation being assassinated in front of everyone caused many officials and nobles in court to be terrified of so-called “martial artists”. Afterwards, the court started suppressing and hunting down martial artists, though that was something for the future. In his past life, Luo Huai Yuan hadn’t lived that long.

In the end, Luo Huai Yuan had pretty much been a prisoner in the Yun Prince Estate. No news was able to come in from the outside and at the same time, he couldn’t send any news out.

However, Luo Huai Yuan had been the Yun Prince for many years and he had some hidden networks. He was able to receive some news, and the Jin Emperor’s death was one of them. However, he ultimately wasn’t able to avoid the Jin Emperor’s evil clutches. He hadn’t even been able to rejoice about the news when the Jin Emperor’s lackey arrived.

Two cups of poisoned wine sent them on their way, where he and his consort promised to meet in their next lives.

After reincarnating, the two most powerful people he knew were his master Lady Hui and his own wife. Although he wasn’t at their level, he could sense that compared to that person, his master and wife were still a little lacking.

He had kept an eye out for that nameless person. Of course he had countless thoughts about finding that person and having him kill the Jin Prince. However, because he wasn’t aware of the circumstances back then, he didn’t know if there was more to it. Along with having no idea of that person’s identity, those thoughts became mere fantasy.

In his past life Luo Huai Yuan had no idea regarding that person’s identity. In this life, he had figured some things out. Because his relationship with Yan Yan was intimate in this life, he got to know Lady Hui as well as some other people of the martial world.

The martial world was naturally not as fanciful as Granddaddy Jing¹ had written about. There were no grudges between nations and clans, no heroic figures and stirring love affairs. No heroes wandering the world with no regrets, etc. There was also no heroic air of “embracing the clear wind and gazing at the moon, taking a drink and laughing freely”. There was only lowly status, struggling for a living, a life of bloodshed for the sake of survival.

Here, power and authority reigned supreme. Those so-called martial artists all had masters above them. They were merely tools for others. Perhaps that sort of martial world was just idealism. The one here was the true portrayal.

This won’t be mentioned for now. Along with the words that person had left behind, Luo Huai Yuan had many conjectures.

This person should be someone from the martial world with a master above him. However, this master hadn’t used him, or there was some other reason this person’s blade vanished into obscurity. Because his master had died, or some other reasons, this person no longer hid himself and assassinated the Jin Emperor in a fit of anger.

This was preposterous, but this whole situation was extremely preposterous. Luo Huai Yuan gradually felt he was getting closer to the truth.

Of course, this was all theory without proof. This lasted up until Luo Huai Yuan received news about an odd person in the Jing Prince Estate.

That person was one of the Jing Prince’s personal warriors. Because his relationship with the Jing Prince was unusual, he was just given an empty title. This person was weird. He stood out and was vulgar but the Jing Prince was extremely tolerant of him. It was said he was skilled in martial arts and could be called the Jing Prince Estate’s number one expert. However, no one knew for now how skilled he was.

This person had a scraggly beard and was tall and sturdy. From his appearance, he looked like an uncivilized barbarian. Furthermore, he was extremely strong. It was said he had ripped apart a live bear with his hands.

The person from the “rumors” in his past life was also extremely sturdy with an eye-catching beard….

…….

Luo Huai Yuan had always viewed that repressed fellow the Jing Prince in a favorable light. Due to this super expert, he valued the Jing Prince even more.

He had a sort of foolish urge, resulting in him sending all his superior spies to the Jing Province the next day.

As the information trickled in, some hidden things grew clearer in his eyes. Only now did Luo Huai Yuan realize that his little bro who was like an industrious bee had actually made so many preparations.

Because of his past life’s experience, Luo Huai Yuan had a moment of suspicion whether old fifth had also reincarnated. Otherwise, why did the Jing Prince who had been bullied until death in his previous life suddenly change? Also, how did his muteness suddenly get cured by a divine doctor in this life?

Could it be that he wasn’t the male lead in this life either, and it was the wooden-faced old fifth instead?

A sort of mysterious sorrow struck his heart. However, he also realized he had never done anything that a male lead should have done.

After reincarnating, apart from being proactive about earning money and marrying his wife, the rest of his plans were for his escape.

Which male lead wasn’t indomitable in face of difficulties? Which male lead didn’t face challenges head on, and instead kept thinking about packing up and leaving?

If he really wanted to become a male lead, he needed a male lead’s heart!

Luo Huai Yuan remained silent for a moment and did some self-reflection. Finally, he made up his mind. Perhaps he could work together with old fifth.

Author’s notes:

There’s a little bee, flying west and flying east, buzz buzz buzz, buzz buzz buzz, not afraid of rain, not afraid of wind…self-reliant and confident, working hard and diligently, not afraid of searching far and wide for his relatives….

Don’t know if I’m skilled at altering lyrics!

Interview:

Author: Barb, a little angel commented on the last novel that this author made you too vulgar and it wasn’t befitting of your status. Therefore, I decided to show your awesomeness from the side.

Barbarian Yan: (Rubbing chin) My status? What status? Don’t you know this daddy’s favorite thing is to visit the brothel? Of course, ever since I married my wife I’ve stopped!

[Turning around and fawning: Jiao Jiao, haven’t I mended my ways? (kissing up)]

Author: Scram, stop changing the subject. It means that you should have a mighty side to you to match your heroic status. Look at your righteous act in the end, taking down the big boss in one hit. Those that died in the past life are all thanking eight generations of your ancestors. Come, come, tell us your thoughts….

Barbarian Yan: (mocking expression) Can I say I only did it because I had nowhere to freeload? Look, I have a wife and kid. Do you know how expensive it is to raise them??? Huh? Do you? After the Jing Prince died, who would help me raise my wife and kid? Could it be that this daddy has to enter the martial world again? Women are all money drains. Jiao Jiao likes to look pretty. You can tell just from today. What a shopaholic. The majority of women are like this….(making a huge fuss)

Author: (enduring until no longer able to endure….) Cut, cut, cut, stop the recording. It’s too damaging to our image.

[The attempt at making him look like an expert has failed]

1. Referring to famous wuxia novelist Jin Yong.