The Paranoid Male Lead’s "White Moonlight" Has Reborn - Chapter 16

After the birthday banquet ended, Jiang Lin-shi escorted Jiang Chaoyun back to his room and took a walk around the premises.

Jiang Chaoyun was used to this. Given his fragile health, his residence had to be very particular; it needed to be dry. Even if the weather was damp and cold, the room couldn’t hold a hint of moisture. Therefore, Jiang Lin-shi had specifically hired skilled craftsmen to build this courtyard so that even on rainy days, the interior remained dry.

After checking the humidity levels, Jiang Lin-shi instructed Bixin to light the “Silver Silk” charcoal. This charcoal was smokeless, possessed a faint fragrance, and was silver-white in color. Even imperial royalty found this charcoal indispensable for warmth. It was extremely expensive, and Jiang Chaoyun burned nearly a peck of it every day—a true drain on finances.

Once the room began to warm up, Jiang Lin-shi asked what he had discussed with Prefect Han. Jiang Chaoyun answered her honestly.

Jiang Lin-shi was surprised, then laughed. “That guard of yours is actually literate?” As she laughed, a sliver of suspicion flickered in her eyes.

Jiang Chaoyun immediately felt a trace of regret. He knew Han Jiangmu was here seeking refuge, so naturally, the less attention he drew, the better. He hadn’t considered that when he mentioned him to the Prefect. His mind grew a bit muddled, and his tone became vague and evasive. “He said he attended a private school; I don’t know if it’s true or not.”

Hearing this, Jiang Lin-shi’s suspicion largely dissipated. In this world, countless families of status fall into ruin; it was quite normal for one to abandon the brush for the sword. Furthermore, when she looked at that guard before, she felt his aura was unlike that of an ordinary martial boor. Likely, his family background in his youth was excellent enough to cultivate such a person.

Most importantly, that guard had saved her son twice. Thinking of this, Jiang Lin-shi felt more at ease. For her, seeing Jiang Chaoyun interact with someone who treated him with such kindness was a reason to be happy.

After some intimate conversation, Jiang Lin-shi was about to leave. Jiang Chaoyun suddenly remembered something and whispered, “Mother, how are things between you and Father?”

Jiang Lin-shi froze, then smiled. “What do you mean ‘how’?”

“Did Father make you angry? If he really did, you must tell me. I’ll definitely stand on your side.”

Jiang Lin-shi went silent, her eyes moistening slightly. She forced the feeling back and said gently, “What could he possibly do to make me angry? Don’t overthink things.”

Jiang Chaoyun caught the shimmer in her eyes and asked hesitantly, “He really did make you angry, didn’t he?”

“No, he really didn’t,” she said firmly.

“At the banquet earlier, I saw Father saying something to you, and you looked very unhappy. I thought he said something he shouldn’t have.”

Jiang Lin-shi didn’t know what to say. She should have known; she and Jiang Zuoling had been at odds for years. The transition from mutual support to their current cold estrangement created an atmosphere that anyone could sense. How could their own son not feel it?

She let out a breath, comforted him with a few words, and left under the pretext of having chores to do.

Jiang Chaoyun’s intuition told him the problems between his parents were significant, but they were keeping him in the dark. He called Bixin over and asked, “Do you know how Madam and Master are doing lately?”

Bixin replied without a second thought, “Very well! Why?”

“Are they not arguing?”

Bixin laughed. “Madam and Master are so affectionate; how could they argue? That’s never happened.”

Jiang Chaoyun stared at Bixin and suddenly whispered, “You’re lying to me.”

Bixin was startled, her voice stammering. “H-how would I dare lie?”

Seeing her like this, Jiang Chaoyun’s soft voice instantly rose. He intentionally used a certain tone: “You are lying. I’m not a fool. I grew up with you; do you think I don’t know when you’re lying?”

Bixin: “…” This was playing unfair. Her heart softened, and she looked as if she wanted to say something, but the fear of Jiang Lin-shi was no small matter. After a pause, her words changed. “My sincerity toward the Young Master is a testament to the sun and moon; how would I dare hide anything?”

Seeing she wouldn’t fall for it, Jiang Chaoyun felt quite gloomy. In his previous life, he had asked the same thing, and everyone gave him the same answer—that his parents were affectionate. His father was the head of the house and didn’t take concubines like the other branches, which was used as the ultimate proof of his devotion to his mother.

But Jiang Chaoyun had a heart; he could feel the atmosphere between them as a couple: “If they can avoid talking, they won’t say a word; if they can avoid contact, they wish they were as far apart as possible.” They didn’t even sleep in the same room.

Because he had other things on his mind, Jiang Chaoyun didn’t dwell as much on the matter of the hand-copied scriptures. After the lights were out, Han Jiangmu entered from outside.

Jiang Chaoyun said nothing, and Han Jiangmu didn’t speak either. After a period of silence, Jiang Chaoyun was the first to break it. “Why did you use the door today?” Before Han Jiangmu could answer, he huffed, “I thought you only knew how to climb walls and windows.”

“Young Master, only normal people use the door,” Han Jiangmu said.

Jiang Chaoyun froze, his tone turning curious. “What do you mean? Are you not a normal person?”

Han Jiangmu was silent for a moment before asking, “Young Master thinks climbing walls is bad?”

“Of course it’s bad. Only a ‘gentleman of the rafters’ (thief) climbs walls and windows. A true gentleman respects etiquette and enters through the front door.”

“There is logic in that,” Han Jiangmu said. Then he asked, “Does Young Master consider himself a gentleman?”

This time, Jiang Chaoyun spoke to him peacefully. “I don’t. I’m just an ordinary person.” He added dejectedly, “If I weren’t sick, I could at least be a normal ordinary person.”

As soon as the words left his mouth, he felt it was inappropriate to say this to Han Jiangmu, fearing the man would pity him. He quickly added, “But my parents adore me, so I’m much better off than most.”

Han Jiangmu went silent again. Jiang Chaoyun, unused to the silence, said fiercely, “Why are you quiet? Weren’t you talkative before? Are you a mute now?”

Han Jiangmu spoke then, his voice deep. “If Young Master’s parents did not adore you, what would you do?”

Jiang Chaoyun was stunned. “What do you mean by that?”

“There are always parents in this world who do not love their children wholeheartedly,” Han Jiangmu said. “If your parents did not love you, what would you do?”

The room was dark, and Jiang Chaoyun couldn’t see Han Jiangmu’s face, but he felt the man was looking at him with those pitch-black pupils. The darkness gave Jiang Chaoyun a great sense of security, so he replied peacefully, “That’s impossible; my parents adore me. But what about you, Guard Han? If your parents didn’t love you, what would you do?”

“Dispose of them to my satisfaction,” Han Jiangmu said calmly.

Jiang Chaoyun: “…” He was terrified, stammering, “D-dispose of them??”

Isn’t Han Jiangmu’s father the Emperor?!

Han Jiangmu softened his tone. “I was joking, of course. Is Young Master afraid?”

Jiang Chaoyun said nothing.

Han Jiangmu continued, “I have heard a rumor. The current Emperor has a son, born of the former Empress—the legitimate successor. But do you know why the Crown Prince is the Sixth Prince, born of Consort Xian?”

Jiang Chaoyun was now fully alert. “Why?”

“Rumor has it that when the Empress’s son was born, there was a celestial phenomenon. The Grand Preceptor performed a divination and declared he would be a brilliant monarch of the ages, one who could unify the world, protect the state, and consolidate the dynasty’s longevity (1).”

Jiang Chaoyun clicked his tongue; the Grand Preceptor’s calculation was indeed quite accurate. “And then?”

Han Jiangmu gave a strange smile. “Then? Then the Empress’s maternal clan had nine generations of their family executed for a fabricated charge of treason. From eighty-year-old women to infants not yet a month old—the entire house was slaughtered. Not a soul survived.”

Jiang Chaoyun: “…”

Han Jiangmu asked slowly, “Does Young Master know why?”

Jiang Chaoyun’s voice was trembling. “I… I don’t.” Help! Why is he telling me this!

“Because the current Emperor,” Han Jiangmu said, “does not need a son who is about to become a ‘brilliant monarch of the ages.'”

Jiang Chaoyun whispered, “Why wouldn’t he? It’s clearly a good thing for the country and the people.”

Han Jiangmu was silent for a while. “There is also a rumor that when the Empress took the Third Prince to the Emperor to ask for a name, the Emperor bestowed the character ‘Mu’ (暮). 暮 means ‘dusk’ or ‘late.’ Even with great talent, it would be hard to achieve anything.”

Jiang Chaoyun: “…”

Han Jiangmu is practically begging me to realize his identity at this point, isn’t he?

Han Jiangmu asked, “Does Young Master think such a father deserves to die?”

Jiang Chaoyun whispered, “I think… he deserves to die.”

“Does Young Master truly think so?”

Jiang Chaoyun couldn’t lie this time. He said earnestly, “Truly. If the rumors are real, the current Emperor has disregarded his wife, child, and even the country’s people for his own selfishness. He is a failure as a husband, a father, and a monarch. Such a person, publicly and privately, should pay the price for everything he has done.”

It was a long time before Han Jiangmu spoke. “For Young Master to say such a thing truly surprises me.”

Jiang Chaoyun froze, then his voice rose. “What do you mean? Are you mocking me?”

“I thought Young Master was so detached from the world that you wouldn’t think the Emperor was wrong. After all, he is the Emperor.”

Jiang Chaoyun huffed. “Being detached doesn’t mean I don’t know right from wrong. Humans aren’t saints; everyone makes mistakes. But if a mistake is too great and too heavy, then even a single life cannot compensate for it.”

“Then what does Young Master think should be done?”

Jiang Chaoyun knew Han Jiangmu’s identity and wasn’t afraid of him being a threat, so he whispered fearlessly, “If that legitimate son is still around and intends to take the throne, let the history books add a few strokes to the current Emperor’s record so he ‘leaves a name for thousands of years’ (in infamy). That’ll show him.”

After saying it, he felt something was wrong. Saying this was basically agreeing with Han Jiangmu’s intent—this wouldn’t do! Thinking of this, Jiang Chaoyun immediately put on an “unbearable” expression. “Forget it, that’s too cruel. It’s not good.”