Chapter 2

In the end, I stayed by Chu Yuan’s side.

After more than a month there, not one of my strategies had been adopted. The few times I helped with the heir apparent’s lessons, I nearly frightened him to tears.

I spent my days sighing in my tent, terrified that Chu Yuan might decide I was useless and kill me.

Fortunately, Heaven never creates talent without a purpose.

One day, Chu Yuan came to me with a bellyful of rage over a denunciation written against him.

“Cheng Ruo, write something to curse them back. Right now!

“Heinous, shameless, morally bankrupt—bah! Was all that really necessary? As if they’re so virtuous themselves!”

I stared at the dense page of classical prose written in traditional characters, sank into contemplation, then decisively changed the subject.

“My lord, what did you do?”

Chu Yuan slapped his sword onto the table, making the low desk shudder.

“What do you mean, what did I do? The Xu clan and the Chu clan are mortal enemies. They killed seven members of my family years ago. All I did was avenge them by wiping out the Xu household!”

“That was all?”

There was a reason I asked. Even in this chaotic age, the aristocratic clans still clung to some notion of honor, but they would not normally condemn a man merely for taking revenge.

Under my skeptical gaze, Chu Yuan’s voice weakened.

“After I killed the whole family, I found a young child hiding under a table, so I pulled the weed up by the roots, that’s all!

“If it had been you, would you have let him go?”

I considered this for a moment before replying.

“I would give him a piece of candy and a knife.

“If he chose the knife, it would prove he harbored murderous intent. The child could not be allowed to live!

“If he chose the candy, it would prove he was frighteningly calculating. The child could not be allowed to live!

“If he chose both, it would prove he was consumed by greed. The child could not be allowed to live!

“If he chose neither, it would prove he was rebellious to the bone. The child could not be allowed to live!”

I looked up at Chu Yuan, my gaze resolute.

Chu Yuan: “…Impressive.”

Chu Yuan left with a complicated expression, muttering over and over, “Could it be that I really am a good man?”

Two days later, Chu Yuan returned.

“Cheng Ruo, you be the judge!

“Xie Huai is nothing but a hypocrite. He claims to support the imperial house, but he’s only using its name to seize power for himself.

“He built his career on his father-in-law’s influence, then swallowed the whole family’s estate. Who knows how many vile things he’s done in secret? I couldn’t stand the sight of him, so I killed him and hung his corpse from the city gate as a warning. And those aristocrats actually dared condemn me!”

I was furious. I slammed my teacup onto the table and glared at him in exasperation.

“How did I end up with such a stupid lord?

“Did you have to kill the man yourself?

“As I understand it, Xie Huai despised his father-in-law’s entire family. Once he made his name, he exiled the whole clan, poisoned his wife, and let others abuse and beat the second son she bore him.

“With a blood feud like that, how did it not occur to you to turn the second son? Persuade him to assassinate the emperor in public, frame Xie Huai, then kill himself so there can be no witnesses!

“If Xie Huai truly supports the throne, the crime should see his own nine clans exterminated. Even if that doesn’t happen, neither the common people nor the aristocrats will believe his lies again. Whatever you do to him after that, they’ll only applaud!”

Chu Yuan’s eyes went blank.

Chu Yuan was profoundly shocked.

Chu Yuan murmured, “You can do that?”