The Mad Villain Driven to Death - Chapter 36

Chen E was naturally intelligent. Just by hearing Shen Zhaoxue’s reminder, she immediately understood his intent.

“You have a point,” Chen E said. “Imperial Father has always been suspicious. At times, his paranoia reaches a point where he would rather kill an innocent person than let a threat escape. Yet, everyone hungers for more power. If someone were to offer to surrender theirs proactively, it would actually put his mind at ease and earn his trust.”

Chen E stood up and paced back and forth, muttering her thoughts aloud. However, Shen Zhaoxue was momentarily lost in a daze and didn’t hear what she was saying.

He suddenly recalled the several times Wan Shenghan had told him he had no interest in a political career. Chen E’s words had unexpectedly enlightened him.

When Wan Shenghan said he was unwilling to take up an official post, could it have been to dispel Emperor Yuanshun’s suspicion and wariness?

It made sense. In his previous life, his own path to survival had been cut off just because of a single divination. How much more so for a brilliant Zhuangyuan (Top Scholar) like Wan Shenghan?

The higher the responsibility and rank, the more closely Emperor Yuanshun watched. Every action had to be executed with extreme caution; otherwise, a single misstep could lead to a fatal disaster.

Shen Zhaoxue’s body suddenly stiffened as a memory flashed through his mind.

In his previous life, the questions Emperor Yuanshun had asked him were not a test—the Emperor had already intended to send Wan Shenghan out of the capital. He had simply used Shen Zhaoxue’s mouth to find a convenient excuse.

A sudden chill ran down his spine. He thought to himself that it was fortunate he had been reborn; otherwise, these hidden secrets of the past would likely have remained buried forever in a vast, silent ocean.

Shen Zhaoxue suddenly felt a strong urge to see Wan Shenghan and hurriedly rose from his chair.

Seeing this, Chen E said, “How did you get here? I’ll have someone send you back to the city.”

Shen Zhaoxue briefly explained the situation. As the two were walking out of the tent, Chen E’s subordinate suddenly stepped forward to report that the Eldest Young Master of the Wan family was outside the camp requesting an audience.

“Oh?” Chen E let out a teasing sound. “Coming to pick someone up so quickly? Fine, then. I won’t meddle further.”

She turned to Shen Zhaoxue and said, “Young Master Shen, thank you for informing me of this. However, I have a question…”

Her expression flickered with hesitation, and she faltered for a moment before continuing. “You said before that we were merely using each other. Now it seems I’m the one using you more often. Have you… known me since some time in the past?”

Chen E always felt that Shen Zhaoxue was very strange. Perhaps because she spent her years dealing with people and corpses, she had always noticed his abnormalities and harbored suspicions.

She felt that Shen Zhaoxue possessed a foresight and composure that did not belong to someone of his young age. Often, when he looked at her, his eyes seemed to be searching for an old friend.

But no matter how hard Chen E searched her memories, she had absolutely no impression of a Young Master from the Shen family.

It stood to reason she had spent her life on the front lines of the battlefield. How could a delicate, “porcelain-doll” sickly youth like Young Master Shen ever have had the chance to meet her?

As Chen E’s confusion grew, Shen Zhaoxue merely gave a faint smile and said, “Perhaps it is a fate from a past life.”

He continued, “The time when I truly need to make use of the Princess has not yet come. You need not feel guilty, Princess. We agreed to help each other, and I will certainly not go back on my word.”

The subordinate stepped forward again to urge them, saying that the Eldest Young Master Wan was trying to force his way into the camp and could no longer be held back.

Shen Zhaoxue asked in confusion, “When I arrived earlier, I didn’t see anyone blocking the way?”

“There were no guards outside originally,” Chen E explained. “But after you arrived, I ordered people to stand guard. Chen Luo is always coming to my tent to pry for news about Liu Wuyou. I was worried that if he came again, he would discover you were here.”

The fact that Chen Luo coveted Shen Zhaoxue was no secret. Compared to Liu Wuyou, Shen Zhaoxue was clearly a bigger draw for Chen Luo. If Chen Luo were to cause a scene, it would be difficult to settle.

Shen Zhaoxue remarked, “The Princess is cautious,” before adding, “Wan Shenghan has been prone to fits of madness lately. I shall take my leave now, lest he disturbs the Princess.”

Chen E replied nonchalantly, “It’s fine. If you have some leisure time, you are welcome to visit my manor for a small gathering.”

Shen Zhaoxue bid her farewell, lifted the curtain, and exited the tent. From a distance, he saw Wan Shenghan being held back under a tree and let out a soft sigh.

In this life, Wan Shenghan was watching him very closely. It was as if the man would panic if Shen Zhaoxue strayed even slightly out of his sight; he felt he had to keep the youth right under his nose.

At the time, Shen Zhaoxue hadn’t expected Chen E’s hidden guards to abduct him as well, so he hadn’t had time to say a word to Wan Shenghan.

Looking at him now—disheveled and anxious—it was as if Wan Shenghan feared Shen Zhaoxue might lose his life at any moment.

Shen Zhaoxue couldn’t help but let out a light chuckle, though it wasn’t born of happiness. He walked slowly toward Wan Shenghan.

Only then did the other man seem to find relief. He let out a long breath, his posture slumping slightly in exhaustion.

Shen Zhaoxue’s tone was indifferent. “Why the look of a mourning son?”

“I saw you go out, but then you vanished. I was worried. I asked around for a long time before I found out you were brought here.”

“Just for that?” Shen Zhaoxue sneered. “This doesn’t seem like your usual decisive style, Eldest Young Master. It’s nothing more than an insignificant person going missing; why go to such lengths?”

“Even now, you still claim to be an insignificant person?” Wan Shenghan’s teeth were clenched, as if he had endured for a long time and could finally hold back no more. “The wedding vows, the consummation we’ve done it all. We’ve even knelt and sworn oaths to Heaven. How can you still act as if you’re an outsider?”

Wan Shenghan continued, “Shen Zhaoxue, I refuse to believe you are unaware of my feelings.”

“I am indeed unaware,” Shen Zhaoxue said with a curved brow and a lingering faint smile. “What your intentions are, what your attitude is… Eldest Young Master Wan, I certainly remember them well.”

“Hasn’t your attitude over the past three years been very clear?”

Wan Shenghan’s expression froze. “Are you upset about how I was before… but I was only…”

He stopped, refusing to say more, as if he feared revealing the truth.

Shen Zhaoxue wasn’t necessarily demanding an explanation; he was mostly just bluffing the other man. He leaned in slightly, raised his hand to gently stroke Wan Shenghan’s face and chin, and whispered, “Eldest Young Master Wan, I am waiting for the day you tell me the truth.”

By the time they returned to the Wan Manor, it was time for the midday meal. Normally, Wan Shenghan should have been studying at the academy. Shen Zhaoxue didn’t want him constantly following behind, but just as he was about to tell him to leave, he remembered what he had thought about in Chen E’s tent. For a moment, it was no longer convenient to speak.

Since his rebirth, he had been entirely focused on revenge and changing the future for himself and Wan Shenghan, yet he had been less sharp in this particular area.

Instead, it was Wan Shenghan himself who had realized this point early on.

Shen Zhaoxue knew he could no longer follow his own desires and push Wan Shenghan toward the imperial examinations. Even though the fact that Wan Shenghan’s career was ruined because of him in their previous life had been etched in his heart becoming an unshakeable obsession he wanted to rectify, Wan Shenghan’s life was indeed more important than an official career.

Shen Zhaoxue returned to the side courtyard and entered his room, leaning against the back of his chair and covering his face in agitation.

A moment later, he lowered his hands, revealing a beautiful, expressionless face.

He thought: if the current Emperor cannot accommodate the ambitions and careers of loyal and capable ministers, then he would find a way to change the person sitting on the throne.

Shen Zhaoxue was confident he could do it. In his previous life, he had personally helped Chen Shi ascend; in this life, supporting another wouldn’t be impossible.

He mentally reviewed the various members of the Imperial family. The best candidates he could think of were Chen E and Crown Prince Chen Wen.

Chen E only cared about defending the borders and likely had no interest in handling court politics. In the end, that left Crown Prince Chen Wen, whom Wan Shenghan had supported in the previous life.

Shen Zhaoxue tapped his fingertips lightly against the armrest, thinking it was time to find an opportunity to get to know Chen Wen.

But before that, he had to deal with the person living in the Wan Manor with him.

Shen Zhaoxue shifted his gaze slightly, staring at the orchids by the window for a while. Eventually, he stood up and called for Chunya to bring a basin of water to wash his hands.

Drying the moisture from his hands, he leisurely stepped out of the room. He happened to run into Wan Shenghan coming over with the kitchen servants, carrying a tray full of dishes that Shen Zhaoxue usually enjoyed.

Shen Zhaoxue stood under the eaves by the door with his arms crossed. Wan Shenghan hiked up his robes as he stepped up the stairs. He was much taller than Shen Zhaoxue; as he drew near, his shadow cast down, enveloping Shen Zhaoxue completely.

Wan Shenghan reached out to smooth a stray lock of hair. Seeing that Shen Zhaoxue didn’t pull away, he tucked the hair behind his ear and whispered, “Where are you going now?”

Shen Zhaoxue felt this man was being too strict, questioning him thoroughly no matter where he went.

He said indifferently, “Waiting for lunch.”

Wan Shenghan knew Shen Zhaoxue wasn’t telling the truth. If he wanted to go out now, it was likely to look for Wan Jingyao.

Even though he knew Shen Zhaoxue seeing Wan Jingyao would lead to nothing good, he still felt uneasy. However, he couldn’t bring himself to say anything harsh. He only said, “Let’s eat first. I’ve already had servants send food over to Wan Jingyao’s side.”

Shen Zhaoxue gave a light “mm” and turned to walk back into the room.

Once again, he was back to ignoring people.

By now, Wan Shenghan found Shen Zhaoxue’s thoughts increasingly difficult to fathom. Consequently, he was always cautious and at a loss when facing him, testing the waters little by little.

He had the servants set the table. Shen Zhaoxue tested each dish for poison before lifting his sleeve and picking up his chopsticks.

These dishes had been personally prepared by Wan Shenghan. Very few servants in the manor knew Shen Zhaoxue’s preferences. Shen Zhaoxue was a picky eater; if he encountered something he didn’t like, he would hardly touch it, preferring to go hungry rather than eat another bite.

Therefore, for a long time, Wan Shenghan had been the one cooking for him.

It was only at times like this that Shen Zhaoxue was willing to eat a bit more.

Wan Shenghan felt a sense of relief when he saw him start eating. Suddenly, he heard Shen Zhaoxue say, “Go tell the servants to bring another set of bowls and chopsticks. We shall dine together today.”

Lest he always eat his leftovers, making it seem as though Shen Zhaoxue were mistreating him.

Shen Zhaoxue gave a cold huff, elegantly nibbled on a vegetable, and fell silent again.

Wan Shenghan was overjoyed and quickly had someone bring the utensils, sitting down at the same table as Shen Zhaoxue.

Shen Zhaoxue asked, “Regarding the wine shop and gambling dens I mentioned last time, does the Eldest Young Master have any news?”

“Chen Luo has one or two under his name. They are all opened secretly; it seems he doesn’t want the Emperor to find out.”

“He’s rarely clever, but that’s the extent of his wit,” Shen Zhaoxue said calmly. “If the Eldest Young Master can find this out, the Emperor naturally can as well. He simply turns a blind eye, believing this son is wasting his life on trifles and lacks the ability to threaten his imperial power, so he doesn’t bother to restrain him.”

However, Shen Zhaoxue didn’t intend to report Chen Luo’s shops. He had to use Chen Luo to deal with Wan Jingyao first.

With things on his mind, Shen Zhaoxue was distracted while eating. Wan Shenghan tried to strike up a conversation several times but had to give up.

Once they finished the meal and rinsed their mouths, Shen Zhaoxue went behind the screen to change his clothes and restyle his hair, intending to go to Wan Jingyao’s courtyard to see him.

Wan Shenghan followed behind him, saying, “If Wan Jingyao tries to do anything to you, send someone to find me at the academy. I will return quickly.”

Shen Zhaoxue replied, “Return to watch him bully me?”

“That is not what I meant,” Wan Shenghan said, anxious to defend himself. He knew his past behavior was already etched into Shen Zhaoxue’s heart, building high walls that made it difficult to regain his trust. “I… I will protect you. I won’t lie to you.”

Shen Zhaoxue replied, “Fine.”

He still maintained that lukewarm attitude.

Wan Shenghan felt a deep sense of defeat. He let out a long sigh and was trying to think of what to say when the person in front of him suddenly stopped.

Shen Zhaoxue turned slightly. He was born beautiful and always had a refined, gentle appearance; in the flicker of his eyes, he seemed to be full of affection.

Shen Zhaoxue’s lips parted, and he said softly, “Come here for a moment, Eldest Young Master.”

Wan Shenghan stepped forward, just about to ask what was wrong, when Shen Zhaoxue suddenly grabbed his collar, pulled him forward, and stood on his tiptoes to give him a kiss that was neither too light nor too heavy.