Yan Duan’s hard-won courage drained away all at once, everything he’d painstakingly rehearsed getting stuck in his throat...
Once the shock passed, fear surged up in its place.
He suddenly remembered, in his previous life, how even though he knew Emperor Yongning had sent people to assassinate his father, he still saved the Emperor—teetering on the brink of death—after inheriting the family fortune his father left behind. If he tried to justify himself with “when the ruler wants his subject dead, the subject must die” or “the Yan family has always been loyal to the throne,” his father would at the very least break his legs if not beat him to death...
Yes, why hadn’t he simply gotten rid of Emperor Yongning in his last life? Why did he insist on protecting the Emperor and escorting him south?
He suddenly recalled that all those who’d rushed to persuade him in his previous life—saying he’d never win over the people if he crowned himself king and that he needed “to command the nobles in the name of the Emperor” for a while—were all those Guo family members who’d escaped the Capital and thrown themselves under his banner!
Guo Family!
With new resentment piled atop old hatred, he was boiling with frustration.
Qin Jingzhou saw that his pork belly siu son, triggered by a single sentence, nearly collapsed prostrate on the carpet. Then, after who knows what thought, some of Yan Duan’s momentum returned.
He asked curiously, “What’s the matter, sudden enlightenment?”
Having been Regent for half his last life, “second only to one, above all others,” Yan Duan still found himself overcome by his father’s presence and didn’t dare look him in the eye. “In my past life, I was weak-willed and unrealistic, with ambition far over my abilities. I regret it so much—I want revenge! Father can punish me in whatever way you wish, I will not complain. But please, you must give me the chance to settle this! When it’s done, do with me as you please!”
What he really wanted to say was: Because he hadn’t avenged his father, even his own son, knowing full well he was the birth father, still killed him without hesitation... That was retribution!
Qin Jingzhou could see Yan Duan was sincere and gave a slight smile. “So it took dying once to gain a little self-awareness?” He set aside his documents. “I suppose I share some blame. I didn’t teach you well enough, which made you unable to take charge when it mattered most. Well then. I’d like to see how much you’ve learned this time, living your life over again.”
Ling Jing squinted with amusement and sent a sound transmission, “Let him savor the joys of capitalism for a while.”
Qin Jingzhou replied, “All the dirty or tiring work will be his.” Aloud, he told his pork belly son, “You go back and recover first. Whatever I think of you, even a tiger doesn’t eat its cubs.”
For Yan Duan, it was enough that his father, after learning what he’d done, was still willing to give him a chance. He bowed deeply, exited his father’s study, and wiped the cold sweat from his forehead. At last, he truly felt like he’d come back to life.
After a brief consideration, he had the servant boy supporting him lead him to Wanping’s courtyard. The only people who might have come back before him in this rebirth were either his stepmother or Wanping. The stepmother—Third Lady Min—had died early in his previous life, so she could not have known his ultimate fate. That left only Wanping.
To be honest, his feelings toward Wanping were complicated. She’d been torn between him and their son, but she’d never actually wronged him. Yet her hesitancy alone had cut him deeply.
Guo Wanping, in her room, was greeted by a lover whose excitement bordered on strange. Sensing something, she met his gaze and probed, “You too...?”
Yan Duan nodded heavily.
All color drained from Guo Wanping’s face, and she cursed wildly in her heart. Why? Why did this have to happen? Why, the moment I transmigrate, the male lead has to be reborn! In the plot, it was his son who killed him—he’s not going to take it out on me, is he?!
She studied Yan Duan’s expressions carefully and only became more uneasy the longer she looked. No matter how pathetically devoted the male lead was to the female lead, there’s no way he’d sacrifice his life for her... So, what am I supposed to do?!
Yan Duan hadn’t wanted to listen to explanations. With a bitter smile, he said, “When I’m gone, you won’t survive either.”
Guo Wanping lowered her eyes and replied quietly, “We’re right behind each other. I figure, not long after I die, he’ll have the rebel leader slit his throat.”
Yan Duan felt oddly comforted. “I didn’t think he’d actually go through with it. But once I die, the generals who followed me would never obey his commands again, not after that.” He leaned back in his chair. “He’s my son. My father says even a tiger doesn’t eat its cubs. So I... just have to make sure he’s never born.”
Guo Wanping’s entire face twisted, but after weighing her options, she only replied with a single word, “Alright.”
Ling Jing’s “no freeloaders” policy was quite serious. Yan Yun, as Supervisor, was out with the Mercenary Corps making purchases, while Yan Jun was out at his father’s order inspecting three Border Army camps today.
News of Yan Duan’s poisoning reached both siblings, and as soon as they heard, they hurried home, arriving in the late afternoon.
Yan Jun and Yan Yun went first to see their father and stepmother in the study, then together went to visit their poisoned younger brother. When they heard he was in Guo Wanping’s courtyard, they were not surprised in the least. When they finally saw Yan Duan and Guo Wanping together, both instantly noticed something was off between the two.
Even if the young couple were fighting, the Yan siblings wouldn’t meddle in such matters. Once they confirmed their little brother was fine, they excused themselves.
After seeing Yan Jun and Yan Yun off, Guo Wanping looked at Yan Duan, who was sprawled on the bed in contemplation. “Do you... still want to marry me?”
In his previous life, Yan Duan’s attachment to Wanping had long since been worn away. He pressed his hand to his chest. “Wanping, I still care for you, but I no longer feel I can’t live without you.”
This was exactly the outcome that Guo Wanping dreaded. If Yan Duan left her now, she’d have nowhere to go. Maybe she could ask Lady Marquis’s wife to find her a place to stay, but would it work? “I understand. I’ll pack my things right away.”
Suddenly, Yan Duan reached out, grabbing her wrist. “I’m not saying you have to leave. I do still want to marry you.”
Guo Wanping understood instantly. “You mean, you want to tell me, but you don’t want to have children, right?” Is this some kind of PTSD? But I’m no therapist!
Yan Duan smiled. “Wanting to get married but not wanting children is pretty unconventional. Will you accept it?”
That smile was almost chilling.
Guo Wanping couldn’t shake the feeling that, even with both of them transmigrating, they shouldn’t have pushed the male lead so far as to be reborn. The point being, her and Yan Duan’s relationship... It just didn’t feel like it was meant to end this way.
But this was the reality now. She braced herself to face it.
Yan Duan had no intention of forcing Wanping for an answer right then. He had held out for so long, but now exhaustion hit him hard. He got up and returned to his own quarters.
As soon as he got back, he fell onto his bed and really did fall straight asleep. When he next woke, his mind felt sharper. Aside from getting revenge on the Guo family, now he wanted to kill Emperor Yongning with his own hands. After all, in his last life, the Emperor not only killed his father, but also raised Yan Duan and Wanping’s son himself.
Yan Duan sat up, took a cup from his chief lady-in-waiting, then heard another lady-in-waiting in the corner report, “The Lord asks that when Third Young Master wakes up, he comes to the study.”
He assented, finished his warm water, then washed and changed before heading to his father’s study with a walking cane.
As he approached the study, he heard his father command, “Some of the spies Guo Sida planted in your beloved’s manor have escaped, but a few were caught. You go question them yourself.”
He quickly lowered his head in acknowledgment.
Faced with eight tightly bound spies, Yan Duan’s gaze sharpened instantly—among them, he immediately recognized the former trusted follower by Wanping’s side, the one who’d advised him to “make use of the Emperor” and “not acknowledge his son.”
At last, the pent-up fury of two lifetimes found its first target.