Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations
âFirst, the Emperor suspected that I had connections with the Third Prince and the General Manor. Then, he suspected ties to the Public House and the Crown Prince.â
âAt this point, he may even entertain suspicions that I was dispatched by the remnants of the previous dynasty!â
âI must admit, itâs truly a trying task being an emperor like him!â
If he had known of the extent of the emperorâs erratic behavior, he would have allowed the Eighth Imperial Uncle to assume power and deal with the Crown Prince. However, if the Eighth Imperial Uncle had taken the reins at that juncture, they might have found themselves ensnared by the Jiang familyâs influence. Whether he and his wife would still be together in such circumstances was uncertain.
Thankfully, his astuteness enabled him to stage a convincing performance, ultimately securing the transfer order to leave the capital. From that point forward, they could relish a life of freedom and contentment with his wife.
Qin Zhenzhen couldnât help but chuckle. âHis Majestyâs paranoia is quite pronounced. Remarkably, you played a pivotal role in this!â
Su Bin truly embodied the bookâs antagonist. Not only was he proficient in deception, but he was also cunning. He had persistently rebuffed the Crown Princeâs attempts to recruit him, even when the Crown Prince had personally sought him out, capturing the interest of both civil and military officials.
Even the Crown Prince couldnât sway him, leading everyone to assume that Su Bin had affiliations with the General Manor. After all, it seemed that only the General Manor could effectively resist the influence of the Public House and the Crown Prince.
Later on, he successfully garnered the emperorâs favor, thereby prompting the belief that he was an emissary of the emperor himself. Consequently, even the General Manor failed to treat him well, and the Third Prince remained skeptical of Su Bin.
In short, Su Bin expertly maintained a veil of mystery around his true identity, causing everyone to speculate.
Su Bin made no effort to dispute Qin Zhenzhenâs observation and wore a self-satisfied expression.
Farewell, capital!
Although he had temporarily left the capital, he retained the Dragon Phoenix Hall, ensuring that he would remain well-informed about the events in the capital. He could also leverage the intelligence provided by the Dragon Phoenix Hall to clandestinely influence the course of events.
Su Bin recounted the conversation with the emperor to Qin Zhenzhen, saying, âThe emperor mentioned that he intends to transfer me back in the near future. When he spoke these words, his gaze remained fixed on me, scrutinizing my every reaction.â
âI had no choice but to feign delight and gratitude, even offering flattery.â âIn the end, my act successfully dissuaded him from retaining me.â
Resting her head on Su Binâs shoulder, Qin Zhenzhen remarked, âHis Majesty is also a pitiable figure.â
However, Su Bin held a different view.
âI donât pity the Emperor. I find him despicable!â
âTo secure his throne, he disregarded his conscience and harmed his brothers through dealings with the Public House.â
âHe knows well that he might forever remain under the Public Houseâs control as Emperor, yet he couldnât resist the allure of power.â
âDespite numerous opportunities to assert his independence as Emperor, he opted for the safer route.â
âHe dares not challenge the Public House, fearing their retaliation or even a threat to his life should he defy them.â
âOn one hand, he tolerates the Public Houseâs dominance, while on the other, he exploits his imperial privileges, leading a debauched lifestyle.â
Within the imperial harem, he welcomed a new cohort of concubines every three years and employed countless beautiful palace maids, yet it was still not enough. He even sought to infringe upon the privacy of his own wife!
Su Bin remained mindful of the emperorâs previous attempt to claim his wife..