Ji Lin

The dim hall. Li Huowang’s keen eyes caught Ji Lin’s face—completely different from the one he remembered.

The Ji Lin he had met at the Shangsi Festival had been brash, confident, innocent—a young man full of life.

But this Ji Lin was a different creature. He hunched forward like a viper coiled in the dark. His features were sullen, his gaze venomous. The malice radiating from him toward everything in the room was undisguised.

Li Huowang found it hard to imagine what had happened to Ji Lin in the short time he had been away.

And then he saw it: the left side of Ji Lin’s face began to sag, like melting wax, and the emperor shoved it back into place with his hand. Li Huowang understood.

He studied the situation for a moment, then raised a Daoist salute toward the man on the dragon throne. “Your Highness… have you been consuming Ling Nie?”

He had been the one to capture the Ling Nie for the late emperor’s sacrifice. He knew exactly what kind of effect that pure, concentrated malice would have on mortal flesh and blood.

Especially when he saw that Ji Lin’s face behaved exactly like everything else possessed by Ling Nie—slipping downward like thick liquid.

Ji Lin neither confirmed nor denied. He leaned back on his throne. “What? Do I need to inform Er Jiu of everything I do now?”

The words made Li Huowang immediately discard his earlier hypothesis.

This change was not just from the malicious Ling Nie. There was also the killing intent from military training, and perhaps other things he did not even know about. Under the influence of all these forces, Ji Lin had become what he was now.

“Your Majesty, Ling Nie is unlucky. Prolonged exposure may fill your mind with evil thoughts ceaselessly.”

If he was truly going to serve under this man, Li Huowang felt he ought to give a word of warning.

“Evil? Who defines what is evil? What is evil? What is good?”

Ji Lin bolted from his throne, raised his right hand, and swept his sleeve down in a furious gesture.

“I am the emperor. I have never had to follow anyone’s rules. I am the one who makes them! Whatever I say is evil IS evil! Whatever I say is good IS good!”

Li Huowang looked at the emperor of Great Liang. Now, except for his memories, Ji Lin’s personality had changed completely—like Bai Lingmiao and her Second Spirit before.

But he had to admit: this Ji Lin looked far more like an emperor than before. Even if he was a thorough tyrant.

Ji Lin sat back down, exhaustion creeping into his voice. “Do you think I’ve changed? I didn’t want to, but I had no choice. If I were still the Ji Lin I used to be, I would have died already.”

As he looked at the unfamiliar Ji Lin, Li Huowang felt a flicker of pity. After all, at this age, in the world he came from, Ji Lin would probably still be in high school.

The thought vanished quickly. Li Huowang decided he had no right to sympathize. His own situation wasn’t exactly better. He ought to take care of himself first.

“Your Majesty, I am not skilled in other matters. When it comes to killing, you can count on me. Er Jiu is willing to clear every obstacle for Your Majesty’s ascension.”

Ji Lin heard this and burst into delighted applause. “Good! Hahaha! Er Jiu, you speak plainly! So much more refreshing than those pedantic scholars! Come, grant him an office!”

As he finished speaking, an old eunuch with deep creases framing his mouth stepped out of the shadows, holding a horsetail whisk wrapped in gold thread. In a sharp, modulating voice, he chanted: “His Majesty’s decree—grant Er Jiu the position of Cavalry Aide to the Left and Right Golden Guard.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty.”

Li Huowang bowed. Ji Lin looked at him and spoke slowly, with a meaningful weight. “Er Jiu, I am very pleased that you came. Rest assured—I still have that fake cat you gave me. After all, everything in the palace is real. Fake things become precious. Don’t you agree?”

Li Huowang nodded gently. “Indeed.”

The formalities were done. It was time to leave the palace.

But as he descended the white jade steps, a voice called out from behind: “Aide Er, please wait!”

Li Huowang turned to see a middle-aged man with a black beard jogging toward him. The man’s official cap wobbled left and right as he ran. Judging from that, he was likely a mid- or low-ranking official.

“Congratulations, Aide Er! While the position of Cavalry Aide is only eighth rank, you must remember—the Left and Right Golden Guard are among the Twelve Imperial Guard Corps!”

“And I have never seen His Majesty place such high importance on an outsider before. Aide Er will surely soar to great heights in no time!”

Li Huowang listened to this man, who was a head shorter than him, rattle on with endless pleasantries. He waited until the man paused for breath, then asked flatly: “Who are you?”

“Subordinate Dong Zhongshou, hehehe. My official rank is unworthy before you, Aide Er. I am a mere nothing. I studied under the School of Vertical and Horizontal Alliances.”

“The School of Vertical and Horizontal Alliances?” Li Huowang’s eyes flicked instinctively toward Jin Shan Zhao, who had only half a body left beside him. This was the second person from that school he had met in this world.

“Oh no no, ‘school’ is too grand a word. You flatter me. I am merely a companion to His Majesty. When His Majesty seeks counsel, I offer my humble suggestions.”

Having said this, Dong Zhongshou finally explained his purpose.

“Aide Er, from now on, we will both be serving His Majesty. There are some things I believe you should know. How about a private talk at my residence tomorrow evening?”

Li Huowang glanced into the empty air to his left, then looked back at Dong Zhongshou. “It seems His Majesty has quietly gathered quite a few talents without anyone noticing.”

Dong Zhongshou chuckled. “A scholar perfects his arts and sells them to the emperor. That is the way of things, Aide Er. This is exactly what I wished to discuss. There are many colleagues you may not yet know. Tomorrow, I will introduce you to them.”

“Fine. See you tomorrow.”

After Dong Zhongshou had left, Zhuge Yuan, who had been silent for a long time, spoke up in warning: “Brother Li, do not be swayed too easily by any single voice right now. The people around the Great Liang emperor will naturally speak in his favor. I suggest you first investigate how many factions are involved in the succession struggle, and which ones are strong or weak. Do not let one group’s biased account block your view.”

“Mm. I know. I’m heading to the Supervisory Heavenly Office to check it out. I also need to find out how many cards the Dice has left under their siege.”

Li Huowang said this as he walked toward the carriage waiting below.

The Supervisory Heavenly Office was not far from the palace. In just one hour, Li Huowang was standing inside the screen hall.

“Why are there so few people? Did something happen?”

Li Huowang looked at the empty hall and asked the familiar Nangong.