Professional Assassin C22

Chapter 22: Completing job in the Court World (3)

After receiving Consort Lin’s approval, Lin Yuetian exchanged a few more words with her. Though Consort Lin maintained an air of feigned ignorance, acting as if she had no idea what he was talking about, Lin Yuetian was certain she would follow through. The Lin family was nothing like the original host—truly loyal and devoted. If Zheng Hongxuan feared them, did they not also fear the emperor? As he had said before, if Consort Lin had no intention of treason, she should have immediately driven him away or had him arrested the moment he spoke his first words. People always want to hear what they wish to believe; this has been true throughout history, in every world.

This was also why Lin Yuetian found Zheng Hongxuan’s behavior difficult to understand. If Zheng Hongxuan was emotional, then why did he harm his beloved in pursuit of power, doing so with such cold-blooded ruthlessness? But if he was rational, then considering he had only just ascended to the throne, his power base was still unstable—this should be the time to balance the court. Even if he wanted to purge the old ministers, it was too early. Even stepping back a thousand steps, if he truly wanted to do so, why would he start with the obviously loyal original host rather than eliminating the far more dangerous Lin family?

Lin Yuetian could only conclude that Zheng Hongxuan’s thought process was overly complex, and quite possibly, he was not very intelligent. As an industry elite, Lin Yuetian found it impossible to comprehend the true logic behind this series of actions.

“I think Zheng Hongxuan might have truly had feelings for the original host, perhaps even to a terrifying degree, which is why he acted so irrationally,” the system offered its perspective. “Many of his actions seem contradictory, and his feelings for the original host are extremely complicated.”

Lin Yuetian asked in surprise, “Really? If Zheng Hongxuan liked the original host, shouldn’t he have cherished and pampered him? Why would he treat him like this? It would make more sense to say he bore a deep grudge against the original host.”

Drawing from its training and knowledge from dozens of strategy guides, the system explained, “You don’t understand. Human emotions are very complicated. Sometimes hate resembles love, and love can look like hate. If you hate someone, you might still save them; but if you love someone, you might wish for them to suffer a hundredfold.”

For the first time, the system had the chance to tell Lin Yuetian, “You don’t understand,” and it was a little excited about it.

Lin Yuetian shook his head. “I really don’t understand.”

“Honestly, I think you don’t need to understand,” the system said sincerely. “A heart free of men wields a sword like a god. I don’t think you could understand even if you tried, and if you force yourself to, who knows what chaos you might cause… That would be terrifying.”

After leaving Ganquan Palace, Lin Yuetian immediately set out to find Zheng Hongxuan’s male favorite, Yue Jun.

Lin Yuetian was determined to get rid of this man—not out of jealousy or any emotional reason, but because Yue Jun was the only person other than Zheng Hongxuan who knew the truth about Lin Yuetian’s identity and that Prime Minister Lin, accused of treason, was still alive.

Lin Yuetian didn’t know Yue Jun’s real name. He only knew that the man was originally a courtesan from a pleasure house in Jiangnan. Because he bore a slight resemblance to the original host, Zheng Hongxuan had taken him in and given him the name “Yue Jun.” This “Yue” did not refer to the moon in the sky but was deliberately taken from “Lin Yuetian”—a meaning too obvious to ignore. After the original host had been castrated, Zheng Hongxuan had even paraded Yue Jun in front of him, mocking him.

For the original host, sharing a name with a mere courtesan while being ridiculed for his fate—now even worse than that of a concubine—was a humiliation he could not endure. Perhaps his suicide was partly because of this.

But none of that mattered anymore.

Lin Yuetian did nothing out of the ordinary. When he arrived at Yue Jun’s residence, he simply told him to follow him quietly. Yue Jun naturally refused and demanded an explanation. Lin Yuetian feigned a broken, despairing state and gritted his teeth, saying that His Majesty had summoned them both.

Yue Jun immediately assumed something rather inappropriate. Though such matters had never been relayed to him by Lin Yuetian before, imperial whims were unpredictable. Who could say Zheng Hongxuan hadn’t suddenly thought of something new? He dared not risk offending the emperor, so he followed Lin Yuetian without suspicion. The system, meanwhile, sighed and lamented all the way, even playing Don’t Talk to Strangers in Lin Yuetian’s mind.

Lin Yuetian found it amusing. Yue Jun was hardly a stranger to the original host. Besides, in his experience, most crimes were committed by people close to the victim. Avoiding strangers wouldn’t help much.

Lin Yuetian led Yue Jun to a secluded well in the imperial garden.

“When will His Majesty arrive?” Yue Jun asked, still carrying the arrogance of a favored consort.

“Very soon,” Lin Yuetian said softly. “I promise, very soon.”

He picked up a stone from the ground—it was a little heavy, requiring both hands to hold it steady.

Lin Yuetian was right. Everything happened very quickly. His principle in taking action was simple: catch them off guard. The system saw only Lin Yuetian raising the stone and striking Yue Jun on the back of the head with precise force. Yue Jun let out a muffled groan and collapsed like a falling leaf.

The system, caught between horror and numbness, asked, “Did you kill him?”

“No, he’s just unconscious. He’s not dead,” Lin Yuetian put down the stone and used a handkerchief to wipe it clean. “At least, not yet.”

The system, keenly sensing the implication, asked, “So he’ll die soon?”

Lin Yuetian nodded approvingly. “You’re getting smarter.”

Then, the system watched as Lin Yuetian used disguise techniques to transform Yue Jun’s face into that of the original host and made himself look like Yue Jun. He pulled out a white silk sash—the very same one the original host had used to hang himself. Biting his finger, he copied the original host’s sorrowful, tear-stained suicide note onto it.

The original host had been a man of eloquence, and his letter was filled with a lifetime of resentment, love, and hatred. Every word burned, every sentence stung. He spoke of the past, of regret, of dignity and disgrace. The final line read: “Your Majesty, may we never meet again in any lifetime.”

Lin Yuetian didn’t copy that. Instead, he replaced it with a phrase more akin to “Even in death, I won’t forgive you.”

After writing, he folded the sash and hid it in the waistband of his robes. Then, exchanging clothes with Yue Jun, he used fifty points to heal the wound on Yue Jun’s head.

Finally, he pushed Yue Jun into the well.

Standing by the well’s edge, Lin Yuetian listened to the sound of a body hitting the water. Soon, everything fell silent again. He peered down into the deep, dark well—it looked like a black eye, revealing nothing.

“It’s all coming together,” Lin Yuetian murmured, a hint of a smile appearing on his lips.

“What’s your plan? You said you’d tell me!” The system fumed in frustration.

“Don’t rush,” Lin Yuetian said leisurely. “You’ll find out soon enough.”

Disguised as Yue Jun, he returned to Yue Jun’s chambers and waited for Consort Lin to report, as planned, that Lin Yuetian had gone missing.