The Demon Lords-Chapter 582 - 79: Particulars_1

"Man Yin, you've lost your mind! You're absolutely, completely insane!"

Man Yin shook his head, his thin legs swinging. "We both know perfectly well that I'm not insane. You know I'm not. Otherwise, why would you be hiding in this little inn for our meeting today? Isn't it because you've been entertaining such thoughts yourself?"

"Nonsense! Utter nonsense!"

"Alright, so I'm speaking nonsense. But why don't you open your eyes and look? The entire city is in mourning, but people only know that Marquise Jingnan met with an accident on Tianhu Mountain. However, whether it was a lightning strike, an assassination, a fire, or some other bizarre incident, no one can say for certain. Ten thousand Jingnan Army soldiers have already blockaded all roads up and down Tianhu Mountain, yet they haven't taken action. Yes, you could say they're waiting for Lord Jingnan to return.

"But the question is, were the Commanding General stationed in Li Tian City and the two Commanding Generals who rushed here after hearing the news raised on filth? Do they really need to wait for Lord Jingnan himself to return and give the order, even for something like taking revenge and venting their anger? If there wasn't some hidden concern, why hasn't the Jingnan Army made a major move? If it didn't involve something significant, how could the tens of thousands of fierce Tiger Guards of the Jingnan Army act like docile cats, reining in their tempers when faced with such a situation?

"Eunuch Li, the water level has fallen, but the stones at the bottom haven't been revealed yet. Heaven knows what kind of stone will eventually be dredged up that will astonish us both? And don't you forget what happened back then with the Third Prince. He merely used a few tricks to harm the officers and soldiers in the army. And how did Lord Jingnan avenge them? Where is the Third Prince cooling his heels now? If that particular stone is indeed dredged up this time, what then? It's hard to say if Lord Jingnan will rebel, but now that his son is gone, he'd surely make *that person* also… The Crown Prince is far away in Yanjing. So, wouldn't it be perfectly logical to sacrifice a eunuch like you first?"

"You're becoming increasingly audacious, utterly lawless! I was truly blind to think I could get any information from you. Once I report back to His Lordship, see if he doesn't deal with you. As a mere underling, how dare you so brazenly usurp your position! Who gave you the gall!"

Man Yin continued to eat his peanuts, saying nothing.

Li Yinglian stood up and pushed open the door to the room. He glanced back one last time at Man Yin, who sat there nonchalantly. Li Yinglian's face twitched, but he still turned and left, the man in the black gown following him.

Man Yin reached out, took the entire plate of peanuts, and began to pick at them one by one, as if counting each kernel.

Just then, another person walked into the room. The newcomer wore a cloak, already drenched by the rain. Upon entering, he first hung his cloak by the door.

Man Yin put down the peanuts, knelt before the newcomer, and said respectfully, "This humble one, Man Yin, pays his respects to Master Zhang."

The visitor was, surprisingly, another eunuch. This eunuch was none other than the Sixth Prince's personal Attendant. Who could have known? The old man who specialized in cultivating and placing influential figures in the underground networks on behalf of the former Second Prince—now the Crown Prince—was actually one of the Sixth Prince's men.

Master Zhang sat down on the stool Li Yinglian had previously occupied, wiped the raindrops from his temples, and said, "This development is truly unexpected, heh. By this reckoning, I suppose I've become a pair with that Li Yinglian. Both of us came to pay respects and make an appearance for our respective masters. Who would have thought it would come to this?"

"Master, is His Highness faring well?"

"He eats nothing but steamed corn bread. Every meal is an ordeal, and even relieving himself feels like torture. Life is certainly not good. The only silver lining is that ever since His Majesty sent all the women around His Lordship to serve as palace bondservants, His Lordship's complexion has improved considerably, and he seems more energetic."

Man Yin just smiled at this.

"Old Wen."

"Present."

"If you want to retire, then retire."

"Eunuch, what I said earlier was just for Li Yinglian to hear; I wasn't implying anything else. When two dogs fight, the Crown Prince will only trust this humble one more."

Master Zhang shook his head, saying, "This is His Highness's intention. Previously, when the Second Prince had not yet entered the East Palace, you served as a useful pair of eyes and ears for him. But now that the Second Prince has taken residence in the East Palace and become the Crown Prince, the playful squabbles and competition for favor among brothers have escalated into a struggle over the very foundation of the state. Your role as 'eyes and ears' there is no longer useful. Forget about a mansion in Yanjing. What about Shengle City? The City Governor there is one of us. We can arrange a large, spacious courtyard for you, with plenty of servants and maids. It would be a fitting reward for your many years of hard work."

"Eunuch, this humble one isn't…"

"Enough, enough. His Highness is meticulous and a man of his word. We both know this. Otherwise, you wouldn't have agreed to act as a spy in the Second Prince's circle back then. Let's dispense with the empty pleasantries. If you feel you haven't done enough, then carry on. If you're tired, then retire sooner rather than later. His Highness said that the Crown Prince will likely take over a part of the Spy Bureau soon. It's no longer safe for your connection to remain by the Crown Prince's side."

"This humble one understands. My deepest thanks to His Highness for his immense grace."

"Alright, let's get down to business. That Li Yinglian belongs to the Crown Prince, and I belong to the Sixth Prince. We're both eunuchs serving the Emperor's sons. If things truly reach that stage, I might really have to be sacrificed to the heavens along with that Li Yinglian. Sigh, how did a perfectly fine situation turn into such a rotten mess?"

"Eunuch Zhang, it's best we don't get involved in this. The water is too deep, and we're not equipped to wade in."

"I understand the reasoning. But being kept in the dark like this—not only do I dislike it, His Highness certainly won't like it either."

"The only bit of information this subordinate received beforehand was that before Marquise Jingnan went up Tianhu Mountain, a group of people within the Lord's Manor were captured and killed."

"The Silver Armored Guard?"

"Possibly more than just them."

Master Zhang narrowed his eyes, chuckled, and said, "Tell me, what kind of divine ritual do you think Marquise Jingnan is conducting? We can't make heads or tails of it, can we?" 𝘧𝓇ℯ𝑒𝓌𝑒𝑏𝓃𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝒸ℴ𝓂

"Eunuch, please allow this humble one to say something rather taboo."

"You've already said quite a lot today."

"Eunuch, as the saying goes, 'one must see a person to confirm they're alive, and a corpse to confirm they're dead.' Right now, even if the entire city is in mourning, even if that funeral procession has passed right beneath our inn's window, and even if the supposed deceased were lying right in front of us, could we truly determine if it's real or fake?"

Master Zhang shook his head and said, "There's truth to that. Alright, go on about your business. And watch out for your old hide."

"This humble one understands."

Man Yin, hunched over, exited the room.

A short while later, Master Zhang donned his cloak again and left the inn. He took a winding route, changed his clothes midway, and then returned to the same inn. After going up to the second floor, he entered the room across the courtyard from the one he had been in earlier. Pushing the door open, he went inside. A man of exceptionally elegant bearing was seated there, idly twirling a wine glass, the crimson liquid within swirling gently.

"I say, can't you go a little easier on that, will you? This is all choice wine bought from Western merchant caravans. I myself am usually reluctant to drink much of it, but you, you've nearly drunk my entire stock dry! Just how vast must Lord Zheng's fortune be to withstand such extravagance from you?"

Lord Zheng doesn't build fortunes; he only squanders them. A Ming didn't voice this thought, however. He just shook his head with a smile and said, "His Highness the Sixth Prince is so notoriously poor he has to solicit funds from my master, yet his Attendant can afford such expensive wine. Truly a sigh."

"His Highness himself said this: He may be poor and live a hard life, but that's his own business. He bears the hardship himself and ensures His Majesty sees his difficulties. There's no reason for him to let his subordinates go hungry. As for the surplus funds I hold, His Highness wouldn't touch a single coin of it." Eunuchs are all avaricious. With no offspring to care for them in their old age, they can only rely on money for their twilight years.

"Then why does he ask my master for money?"

"Friends, you see, have an obligation to share wealth. It's precisely because His Highness thinks highly of your master that he borrows money from him."

A Ming nodded in admiration. "This kind of shamelessness is really just like my master."

"Heh," Master Zhang didn't get angry. He walked over to A Ming's side, joining him in looking out the window, and said, "I've troubled you, coming all the way to Yanjing and then having to accompany me on this trip to Li Tian City."

"It was on the way. You're welcome. Besides, my master has gone on a military expedition, so it makes no difference whether I return or not." With my master not home, who would I even shield from arrows?

"Lord Jingnan returned to the city last night, so the campaign should be over. Lord Zheng should have returned as well. It's time for you to go back to Shengle City and avoid getting involved in these muddy waters any further. These waters are so deep, even I feel a little apprehensive."

A Ming shook his head. "Since Lord Jingnan has returned, my master should also be back."

"That's natural."

"No, I mean he should be back here." A Ming propped his elbow on the windowsill. "Not everyone is qualified to meddle in this murky pool. Whether one drowns or not is a concern for later. But if one doesn't even get one's clothes wet, that would be rather unbecoming."

"His Highness certainly doesn't want Lord Zheng to jump into this fire pit right now! You must understand, His Highness has invested an immense amount of effort and resources in Lord Zheng!"

"Heh."

"What are you laughing at?"

A Ming, however, simply gestured towards the street outside the window and said, "There. He's here."

Outside, on the rain-swept street, a lone figure was galloping recklessly through the city. It was none other than Chief Zheng, Zheng Fan himself. He had pursued Tian Wujing back, but even his fine warhorse had fallen a full day's journey behind Tian Wujing's Pixiu. It had to be said, his posture as he rode through the rain, combined with the city's oppressive atmosphere, made him cut a rather dashing figure.

Master Zhang pursed his lips and said, "So what if he's here?"

A Ming, unconcerned, replied, "One day, when you and His Highness are eagerly awaiting my master's arrival, I hope, Eunuch, you'll still be able to say these words then."

Master Zhang chuckled. "I have a wine cellar in my private residence outside Yanjing City." Then, Master Zhang added, "Plenty to go around."

A Ming nodded as well. "Excellent."