Time for Schemes. Leave No Stones Unturned. (Part 2)

Our meeting began.

The first to speak was Su Xiao, however, "Big Brother Ming, I don't think you have any chances."

And he immediately dumped cold water on me right off the bat!

Su Xiao took a bite of his biscuit. As he chewed it in his cute small mouth, he said, "I met Her Highness. She is so beautiful; meanwhile, you are sooo ugly. Her Highness won't like you."

'I! That! Compared to Jin Wangsun, I… okay, I admit that he might be just a tad better looking than me from a very specific perspective. That said, it doesn't mean that Her Highness won't like me.'

'The reality is, she's already fallen for me, except that I had white hair and wore a mask at the time!'

Tang Ye faintly replied, "We're discussing the Fuma selection, not holding a pageant. Big Brother still has a chance."

'What's that supposed to mean?! You mean to say that I was eliminated from the pageant already?! Don't give me that look. Everybody said that I was adorable when I was a kid! Yes, Shiyi did always call me a big idiot and chase me around to beat me up, but that was her way of expressing her love for me!'

Second Brother brought a meat bun, which was presumably his dinner. However, he didn't plan to eat it. He focused on talking to me, "Big Brother, have you got an idea?"

Truth be told, I no longer have to do anything with regards to dealing with Jin Wangsun. I'm not afraid of his martial skills. I'm confident that I can defeat him in a one-on-one fight without revealing myself in front of the Emperor.

The news has already begun to spread in Jiangnan. My plan to take back Night Fortress has commenced. The Princess is on my side, too. She's willing to put on a show with me, so it's ninety nine percent in the bag as it stands. In regards to competing with Jin Wangsun, I'm not afraid of his sneak attacks, but his attacks in public.

If he sends an assassin or tries to seduce me with a beauty, I'm not afraid. I can defeat assassins; as for using beauties to seduce me, I can use his plan against him. Sending someone after me on public streets or alleys, though, I'm left with limited options. Most importantly, they've got numbers, while I have too many secrets.

I mentioned my woe about dealing with upfront attacks in public. Su Xiao was ignorant of the finer details, so whatever. Tang Ye and Second Brother were able to pick up the hint, nevertheless.

Tang Ye responded, "What shall we do, then? Shall I be your bodyguard? If you need, I can set work aside for the meantime."

"Big Brother, don't be a coward!" Second Brother got worked up and smacked his meat bun, "Jin Wangsun is a good-for-nothing! If he wants some, let him come get some. Fourth Brother and I will…"

I grabbed a meat bun and slammed it on his head, "You won't do fucking nothing! If you could beat him, would you have fled here, huh?!"

'If you didn't get your ass handed to you, would I have to deal with all this trouble?!'

I then turned my attention to Tang Ye, "No, being my bodyguard is the same as treating the symptom, not the cause. If he fails once, you think he won't try again? There's no way you can outplay him by guarding."

Su Xiao raised his hand, "How about hiding at home? It's only ten or so days away, right? You've just recovered, as well, so don't work yourself too hard."

"Mm… if I did that, Jin Wangsun would come after Liu Shan Men instead. Bear in mind that it makes no difference to him. He even hit the Emperor last time. Look, isn't he currently being grounded for half a month as punishment?"

"Do you have any suggestions, then, Big Brother?"

"Wait up."

I stood up and went to the corner of my room where the chest was placed.

I softly asked, "Your Highness, do you have any ideas?"

All I could see was a black curtain. To respond, she shrugged, which subtly moved the black curtain. She poked her beautiful small face out, revealing the beautiful plum flower pattern on her head. She poked her head out in similar fashion to a small rabbit. She checked around with her eyes. She clasped her hands together in front of her mouth to muffle her voice and cautiously asked, "I won't be discovered, will I?"

'How cute, Your H-, ahem.'

"No, you will not. Go ahead and tell me."

Her Highness looked at the three sitting at the table. None of them came over. It appeared as though she didn't comprehend how I held such high standing among them. Nonetheless, she was sensible enough to focus on what was more important, "I think that being passive and taking the beating isn't wise. We need to seize the initiative and take action."

"Great minds think alike, I see."

Her Highness' eyes shimmered with brightness, "You had the same thought? Ming Feizhen, I thought you were timid."

"No, no, not at all. I am only timid with you, Your Highness. I am brave and daring in other circumstances."

"Glib talker," Her Highness shot me a glare, "What do you think?"

All of a sudden, Su Xiao asked, "Big Brother Ming, what are you doing? Getting something? Do you need my help?"

Upon hearing Su Xiao's voice, Her Highness scuttled back behind the black curtain similarly to a rabbit going into hiding. Due to Her Highness having white skin, yet loving to dress in red in addition to the plum flower that she often draws on her forehead, she strongly resembled a rabbit.

"No, I'm fine. I'll be done in a second."

Second Brother got up and pulled Su Xiao back over. I don't know what he said to Su Xiao afterwards, but Su Xiao obediently replied, "Oh, oh, I won't go over, then. Big Brother Ming, you sort yourself out."

'Oh? Second Brother was actually able to persuade Su Xiao? You haven't disappointed as my Second Junior Martial Brother that grew up with me. You do have chemistry with me. You understood that I'd tell him what he needs to know sooner or later even though you didn't know what I was doing. That level of trust can only be established after refining it for many years.'

'You're a great brother!'

Su Xiao went back and chatted with Tang Ye and the other two and stopped paying attention to me.

"Your Highness, you can come out."

Her Highness poked her head out, "Uhm, continue."

"I absolutely agree with you, Your Highness. As opposed to staying passive and taking blows, why not take the initiative and strike. By attacking, he'll be forced to guard, which beats guarding against him."

I smiled, "Therefore, before he comes to me, we will send someone to get him first so that he has no energy to spare on trying to harm me. If we can take it one step further, it would be even better if we can interfere and disrupt his preparations for the selection."

Her Highness looked at my face. Her smile replaced her beautiful solemn expression. It was akin to snow being melted and spring walking in, allowing the plum flowers to bloom.

'What beauty.'

Her Highness covered her small mouth with the back of her hand and giggled, "You're worth the effort, after all. You're finally serious for once."

I fell into a daze as I looked at her. I couldn't resist the urge to say, "Your Highness."

Her Highness cautiously focused her attention elsewhere, for she was afraid of being discovered, so she absentmindedly replied, "Mm?"

"You truly look pretty when you smile."

Hot flushes suddenly appeared on Her Highness' face.

"!!" Her Highness got a little angry, "Ming Feizhen! Is this time to be spouting that sort of nonsense?! Yiren wasn't wrong in her judgement of you!"

"So you're saying that I can say it at other times?"

"You… Take advantage of me one more time, and sleep with your eyes open." She couldn't maintain her aggressive mannerisms after that, so she softened her tone a little, "Nevertheless, your idea is very good. Tell them that."

I rubbed my chin. My lips slowly curled up into a smile, "All right."

Having waited for too long, Second Brother yelled, "Big Brother, what are you doing? What's taking so long?" Then, he screamed at the top of his lungs, "Are you still not done stroking?"

'What the fuck?! That was the excuse you used to persuade Su Xiao before?!'

'Who you saying is unloading one in the room?!!!'

'Don't associate your beggar habits with me, you son of a beach!!'

Glossary

*Son of a beach - Ming Feizhen deliberately mispronounces "son of a bitch"

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