The Mad Villain Driven to Death - Chapter 27

He acted in a great hurry and gripped him tightly. Shen Zhaoxue heard his slightly frantic breathing; the man seemed to have just run in from outside, his breath not yet steady.

Bewildered, Shen Zhaoxue asked, “What on earth is in this trunk that you’re in such a rush, fearing I might touch it?”

Wan Shenghan’s gaze remained on the trunk. Silk and cashmere lined the interior, and atop them lay a pile of toys used for intimate bedroom matters.

He nearly failed to maintain his disguised voice, almost letting his true tone slip. Just as he was about to speak, he caught himself, stammering slightly for once. “How can you move my things so casually? Is this the etiquette of your capital’s noble families?”

“Naturally not,” Shen Zhaoxue replied indifferently. “It is simply that my personal conduct is lacking.”

He knew that rummaging through someone else’s belongings was improper, but he desperately needed to know this man’s identity to plan his next move. The man was tight-lipped; Shen Zhaoxue hadn’t been able to glean any useful information from him, and he remained entirely ignorant of the current state of the outside world.

Shen Zhaoxue pulled his wrist back. It was red and aching from the man’s grip. He gently rubbed the spot and stood up. “Why are you so nervous? Does that trunk hide something shocking?”

Ordinary jewelry or money shouldn’t make him this tense. Besides, Shen Zhaoxue was blind; even if he had the ability to steal the man’s wealth, he couldn’t navigate an unfamiliar town and would be easily caught.

Could it be a hidden corpse? Or hidden weapons? Or perhaps something regarding court politics that could cost one’s head? Countless thoughts flashed through Shen Zhaoxue’s mind, but he never once considered anything related to the bedroom.

Wan Shenghan looked at the youth’s pensive face, then glanced at the items in the trunk and let out a silent sigh of relief. These things had been in this manor since they were gifted to him by an outsider; he had only ever brought two small bells back to the Wan estate. Shen Zhaoxue had seen those bells before and while his body had responded well to them, his expression had shown utter distaste, so Wan Shenghan had put them away.

Shen Zhaoxue avoided bedroom matters like they were venomous snakes. If not for his desperate attempt to escape during the chaos, he never would have submitted to Wan Shenghan. If the youth were to discover the contents of this trunk, he would surely find a way to flee again.

Wan Shenghan’s thoughts paused, and a flicker of doubt crossed his mind. Ah-Xue has lived secluded in a manor for years, rarely going out. He usually only reads poetry, strategy, and history—would he even know what these things in the trunk are used for?

He already had his answer, but he didn’t dare test it. A fish like Shen Zhaoxue, who would dart away at the first splash, could not be tested; he could only be scooped up and kept in a small, private world.

As he drifted into thought, Shen Zhaoxue called him twice. Hearing no response, the youth said impatiently, “I am speaking to you. Why are you ignoring me?”

Wan Shenghan instinctively uttered a soft “Mhm,” then quickly remembered to change his voice. “There is nothing to say to you.”

“Benefactor, you worked yourself to death to bring me out of the mountains, and you’ve been generous with food and clothing. Your kindness is as heavy as a mountain; how can there be nothing to say?” Shen Zhaoxue’s eyes curved into a smile. Though those pupils were clouded, they were still breathtakingly beautiful, like rare jewels that made one daze. “If you find me a bother, you could have just abandoned me. After all, this isn’t a mountain wilderness; there are no venomous snakes or beasts, and I wouldn’t lose my life easily, would I?”

Wan Shenghan didn’t know what scheme the youth was hatching. One couldn’t look into Shen Zhaoxue’s eyes for long, lest one’s soul be stolen. He looked away and said tonelessly, “In this world, the hearts of men can be more terrifying than snakes or beasts. If you don’t want to get tangled in karmic consequences or be snatched away as a slave or a lowly concubine, then stop thinking about leaving your shelter to wander the world alone.”

Shen Zhaoxue felt the words sounded familiar, though he couldn’t recall where he’d heard them. He found it amusing and burst into a laugh. “Who would pick up a sickly, blind burden to be their wife? One would have to have had their head split open and filled with water to do such a thing.”

Wan Shenghan’s face soured. He didn’t say more, only offered another warning: “Don’t speak so surely. Be careful not to regret it later.”

They bickered for a while until Shen Zhaoxue’s throat went dry. Still not fully recovered, the walking had begun to exhaust him. He let out a yawn. “You saved me, so I naturally won’t treat you poorly. If you want wealth and status, I will give them to you once I return to the capital.”

He habitually promised rewards before continuing: “I’m tired. This manor of yours is too large; I can’t find my way.”

He was truly treating Wan Shenghan as a servant to be commanded. Wan Shenghan didn’t get angry. He led Shen Zhaoxue toward the bedroom, thinking that with the youth’s temperament, he would surely make enemies if he wandered alone.

Yet, Shen Zhaoxue didn’t seem to care. Emotions like love or hate didn’t seem to matter to him; he rarely bothered with people’s attitudes, wanting only to do as he pleased without restraint. Having known him since they were young, Wan Shenghan remembered he hadn’t always been like this.

Back then, the youth was gentle and soft-spoken, like a lone bamboo standing in the snow—as if too much noise would shatter him. Even during the three years he lived in the Wan estate, he was a peacemaker who disliked conflict. When did the change happen?

It seemed to be after the day he fell into the water.

Wan Shenghan was pensive, and Shen Zhaoxue, following behind him, was also deep in thought. Both were preoccupied until they entered the room. Shen Zhaoxue suddenly asked, “Can you tell me what the situation is outside?”

“What do you want to know?”

“The flood.” Shen Zhaoxue felt for a chair and sat down, his fingers tapping the armrest. He spoke one word at a time: “The winds and rain were torrential recently, and the floods nearby are serious. I want to know: who is the official in charge of the relief efforts here?”

Wan Shenghan realized Shen Zhaoxue’s mind was as sharp as ever; he had already thought to this step. “The carriages only arrived at the magistrate’s manor today. The government hasn’t issued a decree, so how would I know?”

Shen Zhaoxue smiled faintly. “I thought since you’ve left the manor several times today, you might have heard something.”

The question felt like a probe, but he wasn’t really waiting for the man to answer; he just wanted to unsettle him. He continued, “When you go out in the coming days, find out clearly: is the person here for the relief the Eighth Prince?”

If it truly was his nephew, Chen Shi, then fate hadn’t completely veered off course. So far, the most obvious deviations were Wan Shenghan’s change and the encounter with Li the Third. Now that Li the Third was dead in the flood, no one else should know his true divination.

He paused, then asked, “You appeared at the cave… did you notice the village below the mountain at the time?”

“The flood was surging, and there is a large river in the valley. What village could there be?”

So it has been submerged. Shen Zhaoxue finally breathed a sigh of relief. One less threat. Without the divination causing trouble, Emperor Yuanshun wouldn’t reach into the Wan family to force him into the palace. He could now focus on how to take revenge on those from his past life.

Shen Zhaoxue tapped the armrest again, stood up, and told the man, “I need you to deliver a letter for me.”

Wan Shenghan didn’t move. He was hiding his identity; Zhang Shu was in town and already suspicious. It wasn’t convenient to go out.

When the man didn’t respond, Shen Zhaoxue clicked his tongue. He stepped forward and stuffed a letter into the man’s robes. “Don’t make me say it a second time.”

Wan Shenghan found it comical. Shen Zhaoxue was wary of him as Wan Shenghan and didn’t believe a word he said, yet he was so casual and generous with this “stranger.” He trusted this unclear identity enough to let him deliver a letter, seemingly unafraid that he might be a villain who would turn the letter over to the authorities.

Frustrated, and already guessing who the letter was for, Wan Shenghan opened it as soon as he stepped out. He saw several crooked characters written by the blind youth. Shen Zhaoxue had always pursued the elegance of a gentleman, keeping himself neat and writing beautiful calligraphy in the manor. Now, this writing was…

Nearly illegible. Even if it were lost, no one would be able to read it.

Wan Shenghan sighed. He didn’t leave the manor; instead, he went to the study, rewrote and polished the letter Shen Zhaoxue intended for Chen E, then put it back in the envelope and headed out.

Chen Shi waited in the town for several days before leading officials to the streets to distribute porridge. Being young and short, he was surrounded by officials; from a distance, one couldn’t even see where he was. Zhang Shu didn’t follow him, staying out of sight.

Wan Shenghan brought Shen Zhaoxue out of the manor and up to a tavern, where they watched the crowd from afar. Shen Zhaoxue couldn’t see, so he sat by the window with a silk ribbon over his eyes and his ear protectors on. After a while, he found it boring and couldn’t see the point of the trip. He propped his cheek on his hand and flicked the ear protectors open slightly.

The chaotic noise flooded his ears, making his head buzz. He frowned but tried to endure it. He heard someone pass by and speak to the man opposite him. “Master Li, here is the tea you requested.”

“What tea is it?” the man asked.

“Tartary buckwheat tea from the southwest. It is clearing and detoxifying, good for reducing ‘internal heat’.”

The man called Master Li pushed the cup toward Shen Zhaoxue. “You have a lot of ‘fire’ in you and are always losing your temper. Drink more.”

Shen Zhaoxue snapped, “You—”

“Me?”

“Don’t go too far,” Shen Zhaoxue said, lowering his voice as he disliked arguing in public. “Bickering is useless. I warned you: you’d best not provoke me.”

Wan Shenghan suddenly remembered a time when Shen Zhaoxue had secretly warned him to be careful of “rats crossing the street” and not to provoke them. Now he wondered: Was he talking about himself?

He surveyed Shen Zhaoxue and shook his head, wondering how this youth resembled a sharp-mouthed rat. He was more like a hibernating snake—seemingly harmless, but fierce and capable of revealing venomous fangs at any moment.

Unaware of the man’s thoughts, Shen Zhaoxue turned his face away and raised the warm cup to his lips. The steam blurred his features. He focused on the movement outside. Though he disliked noise, his sharp hearing allowed him to catch every tiny sound. In such a frail body, this gift was a constant burden.

He rubbed his ears. In the distance, Chen Shi and the others had finished the porridge distribution and were heading for their carriages. Shen Zhaoxue was about to put his ear protectors back on when he heard Chen Shi’s voice nearby.

The man opposite him spoke: “An object is stuck in the carriage wheel. The driver was reckless and didn’t check, so the wheel is damaged. The whole carriage just tilted over.”

Shen Zhaoxue blinked. “Is the damage serious?”

“It’s too far; I can’t see clearly. Likely very serious.” Wan Shenghan paused. “Two servants have gone into the magistrate’s manor.”

Shen Zhaoxue heard clearly: Chen Shi was punishing the driver. Amidst the pleas for mercy and shouts, the magistrate ordered someone to fetch the manor’s carriage. After a while, someone reported: “The manor’s carriage is also broken.”

Shen Zhaoxue vaguely recalled that Chen Shi had indeed come to a mountain town for relief in his past life, but he hadn’t heard of such a mishap. It was hard to tell if this was another deviation.

Worried, he heard the man say, “Fixing that carriage will take at least ten days to half a month. I wonder if a Prince and his officials can get used to living in a small town like this?”

Hearing the question, Shen Zhaoxue remembered: Chen Shi had stayed in the disaster area for over half a month before returning to the capital, for which he was questioned by Emperor Yuanshun. It seemed nothing had changed.

He had come to judge the flow of events; seeing no deviation, he stood up and told the man, “I’ve heard enough. Let’s go back.”

Just then, a stranger’s voice called out nearby: “Master Li!”

Shen Zhaoxue muttered to himself that this “Master Li” certainly had a lot of acquaintances. It was the town’s tailor. Seeing Wan Shenghan hadn’t come to the shop to pick up the clothes, the tailor said, “The wedding robes you ordered the other day are finished. Would you like to take them home today?”

Shen Zhaoxue’s voice was filled with confusion. “Mhm? You’re getting married?”