Chapter 154 His Affection, Is It Something So Great…

Chapter 154: His Affection, What a Big Deal...

"In your current state, how can you help me?" Shang Yin's emotions gradually settled. He looked at A Chan, the hope in his eyes dimming.

If A Chan were still the Fourth Realm Great Demon she once was, he might have harbained a sliver of hope for revenge. But now, what could she possibly do?

Faced with Shang Yin's skepticism, A Chan remained unperturbed. She asked, "How many Fourth Realm guards did the Consort bring to the capital?"

"One."

"If that Fourth Realm guard is removed, her most trusted person would become Zhao Yin, right?" A Chan leaned slightly forward, her voice growing softer.

Shang Yin felt his heart pound violently, his mouth dry, as he nodded. "Right."

The Northern Wilderness King's Consort was an exceedingly arrogant woman. She had spent years molding Zhao Yin into her desired image, utterly convinced he would never betray her.

A Chan took a cloth pouch from her sleeve and gently placed it on the table. "I can help you eliminate that Fourth Realm guard and suppress Zhao Yin’s consciousness, allowing you to control this body. All you need to do is..."

"Kill her with my own hands!" A fierce light erupted in Shang Yin’s eyes.

"See? It’s quite simple."

"A Fourth Realm guard isn’t so easy to kill." Though A Chan’s words had set his blood racing, Shang Yin still retained a shred of rationality.

"Of course it wouldn’t be easy in the Northern Wilderness. But who told her to come to the capital?" A Chan lowered her gaze, rubbing the ring on her finger. "This isn't her territory."

"You have a way?"

"That depends on how many vulnerabilities she exposes for me to exploit. I recently came across some news—related to the Shang family."

Shang Yin’s expression turned serious. "What news?"

"A censer with the Shang family crest has appeared on the market and just happened to fall into my hands. It’s a valuable piece, but the seller didn’t recognize its worth. No one’s traced it back to me yet—I doubt they even know about it."

Shang Yin looked utterly incredulous. "That censer is in your possession?"

"From your reaction, you know who it originally belonged to?"

Shang Yin slumped back into his chair. "When the Shang family was massacred, more than half of their belongings went with the Consort as dowry to the Northern Wilderness. The remaining portion stayed with the Zhao family."

This had been a closely guarded secret, one even Shang Yin hadn’t known until recently. It wasn't until just before leaving for the capital that he learned the Consort’s visit wasn’t solely for her father’s birthday but also to retrieve the other half of the Shang family’s plundered wealth, which the Zhaos had kept.

From Shang Yin's words, A Chan gleaned a startling piece of information: the Shang family’s annihilation was connected to the Northern Wilderness King's Residence.

No wonder the Bright Mirror Bureau had failed to find any clues—the Northern Wilderness King’s influence had covered up the truth. It also explained why the previous King had married the Consort despite her prior marriage.

The two families had conspired to devour the Shang family, necessitating a reliable intermediary. The Consort had been chosen for that role.

A Chan couldn’t help but marvel at her luck. She hadn't even done anything, yet the Consort’s weakness had already fallen into her hands.

"So, the censer came from the Zhao family?"

"Yes. And it was very likely stolen by the Consort’s grandson, Zhao Zeqian. Yesterday, Zhao Yin expressed his suspicions to her. She pretended not to believe him, but she’ll definitely send someone to investigate." He added, "The Consort cares deeply about this."

"Then we don’t have much time." A Chan fell into thought.

She had initially considered the censer a nuisance and had quickly handed it over to Bai Xiuming. But now, the situation had taken an unexpected turn—she needed it back.

She wondered if Bai Xiuming had uncovered anything useful. Getting the censer back from him wouldn’t be easy—she’d have to coax him gently.

At the thought, A Chan’s face suddenly flushed.

Noticing A Chan’s sudden distraction, Shang Yin looked at her, puzzled. "What are you thinking about?"

"I was just thinking..." A Chan quickly refocused, clearing her throat. "If they trace the censer to me, they’ll definitely send someone to retrieve it. For something this important, they’d surely dispatch someone competent and reliable."

Shang Yin pointed at himself. "Me."

A Chan nodded. "And if you fail, the Consort will have no choice but to send a more capable subordinate."

Shang Yin pointed out the illogicality. "Why would I fail against an ordinary person like you?"

Instead of answering directly, A Chan said, "My name now is Ji Chan."

"Nice name."

"When they discover the censer is with me, you can investigate my identity and background."

This time, Shang Yin finally understood her meaning, and a hint of curiosity sparked within him. "Your current identity is..."

"Don’t be so curious. And don’t investigate prematurely, lest you be discovered. The Consort is not easily fooled."

"Understood." Shang Yin nodded, though hesitation lingered. "Are you really capable of dealing with a Fourth Realm guard?"

"And you—are you truly willing to risk your life to take hers?" A Chan countered.

"A life for a life—it’s a fair trade." Shang Yin answered without hesitation. Before, he had been powerless, never daring to hope. But now, even the slightest chance was something he would cling to.

Even if his consciousness faded one day, he wouldn't let his body be used as a tool for his enemies—even if that enemy shared his blood.

His only family had been his mother, who had made endless compromises to keep him alive, only to die tragically in the end.

He bore the Shang name. The Consort, Zhao Xun, even the Zhao family—none were ever his family. They were his enemies.

If his life could take the Northern Wilderness King's Consort’s, it would be more than worth it.

A Chan looked at the seemingly calm Shang Yin and asked, "So, do you want my help?"

"Yes!" This time, there was no hesitation.

A Chan pushed the cloth pouch toward him. "This is for you. Mix it with water and drink it."

Shang Yin opened it and found crushed powder inside, very fragrant—the same scent that had awakened his consciousness.

"This is..."

"Spirit-Soothing Incense. This dose is enough to suppress Zhao Yin’s consciousness. You’ve watched him for years—you won’t give yourself away when you replace him, will you?"

"I won’t."

The pouch contained quite a lot of powder. Shang Yin mixed it with tea and drank eight full cups.

The powder smelled fragrant but tasted revoltingly meaty, making him grimace.

As he swallowed the last dregs, Shang Yin closed his eyes and felt the other consciousness within him—the stronger one that had always sought to suppress him—now fallen into slumber.

He wanted to say, *This is truly amazing, to have such a method,* but what came out was: "Disgusting. Where did you even get this?"

He could still feel the gritty remains in his mouth.

A Chan rolled her eyes. "Of course I bought it. These things cost me over a thousand taels."

She had only ever spent that much on Bai Xiuming, yet Shang Yin had the nerve to complain.

"Did you know I would come to the capital and prepare this specially for me?" Shang Yin suddenly realized that A Chan's appearance here today was no accident, and the preparation of this item couldn't have been a last-minute thing.

"Yes," A Chan admitted readily. "Bai Zhanhuang once told me that his grandfather’s eightieth birthday was this year, and the Consort would definitely return to the capital—and you would surely follow."

Back then, she had been reading travelogues and came across a chapter describing the capital of Great Xia. Bai Zhanhuang told her that the Consort’s maternal family was in the capital, and every year on the third day of the third month, his grandfather celebrated his birthday. This year was his eightieth, so the Consort would return.

He said the journey from the Northern Wilderness to the capital stretched thousands of miles and even told her several routes to get there. He explained that he couldn’t leave the Northern Wilderness without an imperial decree, so he couldn’t take her to the capital to visit.

At the time, A Chan hadn’t considered going to the capital. She only wanted to find her sister after getting news of her.

But in the end, she followed the routes Bai Zhanhuang had described and arrived in the capital.

Shang Yin looked conflicted. Though A Chan was now the one outnumbered, he couldn’t shake the illusion that she had set a trap in the capital, waiting for the Consort to walk right into it.

And everything she knew about the Consort had come directly from the King of Northern Wilderness himself.

Shang Yin suddenly asked, "Then did you know that the one who ordered your execution wasn’t Bai Zhanhuang, but the Consort?"

A Chan froze for a moment, then shook her head. "No."

The men who first came to kill her had said they were acting on the King of Northern Wilderness’s orders.

During her escape, A Chan had once thought that if Bai Zhanhuang wanted her dead, he wouldn’t have waited three years. But after her tails were severed one by one, those speculations no longer held any meaning.

"The Consort took advantage of Bai Zhanhuang’s absence to forge his orders and mobilize the King's Residence’s hidden guards. Later, when Bai Zhanhuang returned and learned what had happened to you, he and his mother had a total falling out. They haven’t reconciled since, which is why the Consort only brought one Fourth Realm guard to the capital."

Shang Yin chuckled. "You’re something else, driving such a wedge between mother and son so easily."

Even after learning the truth, A Chan didn't seem particularly fazed.

She only felt puzzled. "Why was she so determined to kill me?"

Though A Chan had long known the Consort disliked her, she couldn't recall any direct conflict between them.

"Because Bai Zhanhuang told the Consort he wanted to marry you. She believed you would ruin him and the King's Residence, so she ordered your death, thinking everything would return to normal once you were gone." Shang Yin shared everything he knew.

"I see..." A Chan showed not a flicker of emotion, merely remarking, "It seems she doesn’t know her son at all."

Shang Yin watched A Chan carefully. Seeing her lack of reaction, he asked, "He likes you—you don’t seem surprised?"

A Chan found the question somewhat amusing. "If he didn’t like me, why would he use the Earth Spirit Book from the King's Residence to help me search for my sister’s whereabouts? Of course he likes me."

The Earth Spirit Book had once been a sacred artifact of the rat demon clan, capable of locating people. Later, it fell into the hands of the King of Northern Wilderness. A Chan had gone to the Northern Wilderness solely to track down her sister.

Her goal had always been clear. Bai Zhanhuang was no fool—he knew everything.

That was why he put her off for three years before finally agreeing to help her search for her sister. Not long after, he suddenly left the King's Residence, and she came under attack.

"Have you considered that if the Consort dies, Bai Zhanhuang will investigate and trace it back to you? He will avenge her."

A Chan was puzzled. "So what?"

"You don’t care that he... will become your enemy?"

Shang Yin looked at A Chan. Her eyes were clear, seemingly innocent, yet her words were merciless: "What's so special about his affection?"

"I thought you might have liked him a little too." Shang Yin had expected at least a hint of emotion from her, but there was none.

"Oh, I don’t like him." A Chan said dismissively.

Shang Yin thought it was a shame Bai Zhanhuang wasn’t here to witness this. The lofty King of Northern Wilderness’s expression would surely have been a sight to behold.

No wonder people feared demons. They could so easily bewitch hearts, yet remain utterly untouched themselves—truly heartless.

A Chan paid no mind to Shang Yin’s thoughts. What he said no longer mattered to her.

She glanced at the sky outside the window, thinking she had lingered long enough. Lin Sui was still waiting outside. "It’s getting late. You should go."

Shang Yin nodded. Before leaving, he asked, "If I need to find you, where should I go?"

"I’ve opened an incense shop in Changping Lane. If the plan goes awry, you can find me there."

"Alright." Shang Yin agreed. As he stood, the temporary barrier around them dissolved.

He turned and took only a few steps before his demeanor and expression completely shifted—back to Zhao Yin, the man who obeyed only the Northern Wilderness King's Consort.

A Chan watched him descend the stairs, a slow smile curving her lips. She hoped the Consort would enjoy the special present she had prepared for her. Though a year late, it had finally arrived.

After a while longer, A Chan collected the empty cloth pouch from the table and called for the waiter to settle the bill.

From the moment she entered the tavern to her departure, less than half an hour had passed.

Lin Sui rushed over when she saw A Chan emerge. "Is everything settled?"

"Yes, it’s done. We can stop watching him now."

Lin Sui nodded, not asking what A Chan had discussed with the man. "Should I take you home now?"

"Not home." A Chan refused. After thinking for a moment, she said, "Take me to the Bright Mirror Bureau instead."

"What for?" Lin Sui looked puzzled.

"To ask Bai Xiuming to have dinner with me. The food at that tavern just now was awful."

A Chan couldn’t help complaining. She had barely touched it before finding it unbearable. Of course, the main purpose was the incense burner, but eating was important too.

She completely missed the dumbfounded expression on Lin Sui’s face upon hearing her words.

After a long pause, seeing Lin Sui still frozen, A Chan tilted her head. "What’s wrong?"

Lin Sui gaped, struggling for words, before finally whispering, "Why would Lord Bai agree to have dinner with you?"

A Chan pondered how to explain before settling on the truth. "He likes me. Isn’t that how it goes?"

If anyone else had said this, Lin Sui might have thought they were dreaming.

But this was A Chan...

Then Bai Xiuming *had* to like her—otherwise, he was blind!

Lin Sui accepted the explanation easily and rode with A Chan to the Bright Mirror Bureau.

Outside the Bright Mirror Bureau’s gates, the guards immediately went to report when A Chan asked to see Bai Xiuming. Soon, someone else entirely emerged.

It was Feng Yang.

Before Feng Yang could approach, he beamed at A Chan: "Miss Ji, are you here to see our Lord Bai?"

A Chan stood outside, tilting her head to glance behind Feng Yang, but there was no sign of Bai Xiuming.

"I do have some matters. Is Lord Bai not here?"

"Lord Bai just went to the Ministry of Justice to review case records. He’ll return shortly. If you’re not in a hurry, Miss Ji, would you like to wait inside?"

If anyone else had asked, Feng Yang certainly wouldn’t have casually disclosed his superior’s whereabouts. But this Miss Ji was no ordinary visitor.

Not only did he have to explain in detail, but he also had to make sure she stayed for his lord. A good subordinate naturally had to solve problems for his superior.

"All right then." A Chan agreed and followed Feng Yang into the Bright Mirror Bureau.

Feng Yang didn’t take her to Bai Xiuming’s office but instead led her to a room at the back, explaining that it was where Bai Xiuming usually rested.

Standing at the door, Feng Yang said to A Chan, "Miss Ji, please rest here for now. Once Lord Bai returns, I’ll inform him immediately."

"Alright, thank you."

"No trouble at all."

Entering the room, A Chan found the furnishings remarkably sparse.

Apart from a table, chairs, and a bed, there was only a wash tub and a wardrobe.

The two sets of vermilion official robes inside the wardrobe confirmed that this was indeed Bai Xiuming’s resting place. Closing the wardrobe door, A Chan settled into a chair, reassured.

On the table lay a stack of trimmed paper, along with ink, brushes, and an inkstone.

Bored, A Chan prepared some ink, picked up a brush, and began writing Bai Xiuming’s name on the paper.

After filling an entire sheet, she let out a yawn. The room was too quiet, and the dim lighting inexplicably made her drowsy.

Setting down the brush, A Chan resisted for a while before giving in completely, slumping gently onto the table and falling asleep.

When Bai Xiuming returned from the Ministry of Justice, he was greeted by Feng Yang grinning at him.

He shot him a glance, handed over the case files to Feng Yang, and headed for his office, asking, "What’s so funny?"

"Heh, sir, if you'll come this way." Feng Yang stepped forward to guide him down another path.

Bai Xiuming raised an eyebrow, on the verge of scolding him, when Feng Yang added, "Miss Ji is waiting for you in your private quarters."

"A Chan is here?" His originally low, stern voice softened abruptly.

Feng Yang thought to himself. Even seeing it with his own eyes, he could hardly believe this was the same Commander feared by officials for his ruthless methods.

A year ago, his lord had suspected Miss Ji of being possessed. Now, it seemed the one possessed was his lord instead.

The thought crossed his mind, but Feng Yang replied respectfully, "Yes, Miss Ji has been waiting for over an hour. I made sure she wasn't disturbed."

"Well done."

With those words, Bai Xiuming walked off.

Feng Yang’s grin widened. He felt the day of his promotion and good fortune was coming.

The door opened silently, without disturbing the sleeper.

As soon as Bai Xiuming stepped inside, he saw a petite figure slumped over the desk, her head resting on her arm, breathing softly in sound asleep.

Closing the door, he walked over and immediately noticed the sheet of paper beneath A Chan’s hand, filled with his name.

She had used different handwriting styles, just as she would call his name in varying tones each time.

Bai Xiuming studied it for a while before bending down and scooping A Chan up.

Surrounded by his familiar scent, A Chan didn’t wake but instinctively snuggled closer, murmuring, "Bai Xiuming..."

"I’m here."