Flower Stealing Master

Chapter 900: A Humiliation Beyond Endurance

It was clear that Wanyan Liang was among the few who knew the inside story. Though he was notoriously lecherous, beautiful w0men were nothing more than playthings to him—he would never let lust cloud his judgment to the point of neglecting important matters. Seeing Emperor Xizong so infatuated with Taoyao that he showed mercy to Prince Changsheng, Wanyan Liang burned with both rage and contempt.  

“Your Highness, please calm yourself,” advised Xiao Yu, his trusted aide. “It’s precisely because Emperor Xizong is unfit for great things that you have this opportunity.”  

Wanyan Liang’s anger instantly turned to delight. “Well said! That’s what I like to hear.”  

Xiao Yu smiled faintly and continued, “Your Highness, removing Prince Changsheng is but a small step away. There’s no need for such fury.”  

“It’s not that simple,” Wanyan Liang frowned. “Emperor Xizong is utterly smitten with Taoyao, and she’s not a woman without principles. They must have reached some sort of agreement—Emperor treats Prince Changsheng kindly, and in return, Taoyao submits to him.”  

The thought of the breathtakingly beautiful Taoyao filled Wanyan Liang with resentment. ‘To think that both Wanyan brothers got to her first! Hmph, once I ascend the throne, I’ll have Taoyao in one arm and Gebi in the other, reveling in pleasure night after night on the imperial bed. That will be true bliss.’

Seeing the lustful expression on Wanyan Liang’s face, Xiao Yu didn’t need to guess what he was thinking. He coughed pointedly to steer him back to the matter at hand. “Your Highness, do you think Emperor Xizong prefers sneaking around with Taoyao, or would he rather bring her openly into the palace?”  

“Of course he’d want her in the palace to toy with as he pleases—” Wanyan Liang blurted out before catching Xiao Yu’s meaningful look. He chuckled awkwardly. “But Taoyao is his brother’s wife. How could he possibly bring her into the palace openly?”  

“Under normal circumstances, no. But what if something ‘unusual’ were to happen?” Xiao Yu’s smile turned eerie.  

“Something unusual?” Wanyan Liang’s eyebrows rose with interest.  

“Hasn’t Wudai, the military governor of the Chongyi Army, recently reported a soldier rebellion?” Xiao Yu reminded him.  

“Ah, yes. But the revolt was small and quickly suppressed, wasn’t it?” Wanyan Liang recalled. Wudai, the Chongyi Army’s governor, was one of his trusted military allies. The mention of Wudai also brought to mind the man’s stunning wife, Madame Tang. Strangely, though Wanyan Liang had once burned with desire for her, lately, the thought of her left him cold.  

‘Maybe I’ve just grown tired of her.’ 

He dismissed the thought, unaware that Song Qingshu’s Soul Capture Technique had permanently stripped him of any lust for Masame Tang.  

‘That fool Tang Kuo Bian is nothing but a cu*kold—his sister and beloved wife have both been mine.’ The thought nearly made him laugh aloud.  

Xiao Yu coughed again. “The report on the rebellion hasn’t reached Emperor Xizong yet. We can use this to eliminate Prince Changsheng.”  

“How?” Wanyan Liang leaned in eagerly.  

“Like this…” Xiao Yu whispered into his ear.  

Wanyan Liang frowned. “Such an obvious frame-up—would Emperor Xizong really be foolish enough to believe it?”  

“Your Highness need not worry. The only reason Wanyan can indulge with his brother’s wife now is because he’s the emperor. If the throne ever fell to Prince Changsheng, do you think he wouldn’t seek vengeance for such humiliation? Deep down, Emperor Xizong’s greatest fear is his younger brother inheriting the throne. Even if he knows Prince Changsheng is innocent, he’ll pretend to believe he orchestrated the rebellion.” Xiao Yu spoke with absolute confidence.  

“Moreover, if Prince Changsheng is executed for treason, Taoyao, as his wife, would become a criminal’s widow. Wanyan could then ‘rightfully’ take her into the Laundry Courtyard. And once she’s in the palace… who would know if he beds her every night?” Xiao Yu exchanged a knowing smirk with Wanyan Liang.  

Putting himself in Wanyan’s shoes, Wanyan Liang realized the plan was indeed likely to succeed. Overjoyed, he declared, “Xiao Yu, you are my Zhang Liang reborn! When our grand scheme succeeds, I’ll make you king of the Xi tribe!”  

The Liao Dynasty was broadly divided into three factions: the imperial Yelu clan, the consort Xiao clan, and the powerful Xi people. After the Liao were nearly annihilated by the Jin, many nobles were captured and suffered greatly. To change their fate, these Liao prisoners secretly pledged allegiance to Wanyan Liang. Though Xiao Yu bore the Xiao surname, he was a prominent figure among the Xi.  

“Thank you, Your Highness!” Xiao Yu bowed deeply, hiding the strange glint in his eyes.  

***** 

Meanwhile, Prince Changsheng, Wanyan Yuan, had fled back to his fief like a stray dog. He had planned to escape far away with his wife, only to learn that Taoyao had already left for the capital—arriving just after his own departure.  

Though terrified, his love for his beautiful wife drove him to risk returning to the capital. On the way, he received an imperial decree that not only pardoned him but lavished him with rewards. Yet Wanyan Yuan felt no joy—only a sinking dread at what this might mean.  

Rushing back to his mansion in the capital, he immediately sought out Taoyao, reaching out to embrace her the moment he saw her.  

Daiqisi, well-practiced in deflecting such advances, smoothly sidestepped him. Before he could speak, she dismissed the servants with a wave.  

Wanyan Yuan tensed, realizing she had serious matters to discuss. Once they were alone, he finally asked, trembling, “Did you… go to see ‘him’?”  

Daiqisi sighed deliberately. “If I hadn’t, would you be standing here unharmed?”  

“Then… did he… do anything to you?” His voice shook.  

Daiqisi replied coolly, “After all you’ve been through, how can you still cling to childish hopes?”  

Wanyan Yuan exploded in rage. “That beast ‘dared’ to vi0late you!”  

“And if he did, what could you do about it?” She gazed calmly at her nominal “husband.”  

“I—” He choked on his words. ‘What could I do? He’s the emperor. A single decree from him could end my life. What power do I have?’  

Daiqisi sighed again. “Prepare yourself. In the days to come, he’ll summon me to the palace frequently.”  

Wanyan Yuan’s face twisted in disbelief. He shot to his feet. “That dog Emperor goes too far!”  

Watching his fury, Daiqisi allowed a faint smile to touch her lips. “Your Highness…then shall we rebel?”