Life and Death

Although the act of giving away the human skin mask seemed casual, combined with some information he knew from his previous life, Xu Yuan sensed Xu Yinhe's deep helplessness and even began to understand why the Prime Minister's Estate was killed off in the plot of Cangyuan.

The whole world is our enemy.

Even their only ally, the imperial court, might be a traitor.

What's the point of hitting a hammer?

Of course, this is only relative.

The Great Yan royal family probably viewed the Prime Minister's Estate in the same way, or even more so.

After all, a country cannot have two rulers.

The current situation of the Prime Minister's Estate can no longer be described as that of a local warlord, but rather as that of a central warlord entrenched in the heart of the Great Yan Dynasty.

Once the birds are all gone, the bow is put away; once the rabbit is dead, the hunting dog is cooked.

For the one sitting on the golden throne, a good Prime Minister's Estate Prime Minister's Estate and the sect.

After putting on the mask, Xu Yuan's eyes were somewhat gloomy, but he then let out a soft sigh.

He is not a person who enjoys striving.

If he enjoyed striving, he wouldn't have died from overwork while playing games all night.

He prefers a carefree and peaceful life to striving.

Commonly known as "laissez-faire".

He has always had only one plan.

The war that helped the Prime Minister's Estate win the future, thanks to information from his past life, will determine his fate regardless of his father's final choice. If he is content to remain a concubine, he will be a carefree playboy, traveling and enjoying life. If he wants to rise to power, he will be a leisurely prince.

After all, the plot-driven deaths targeting the Prime Minister's Estate in the previous life of Cangyuan were quite outrageous.

Even after learning that the Heavenly Oversight Pavilion was hidden in the shadows, Xu Yuan's plans remained unchanged, because the Heavenly Oversight Pavilion was harmless.

If you're truly strong, why hide it? As for the ability to predict the future...

Oh.

He is unpredictable, yet he is also the closest direct descendant of the Prime Minister's Estate. His actions can directly influence Xu Yinhe's decisions, thus making the future of the entire Prime Minister's Estate unpredictable.

However, he suddenly realized that the situation seemed to be worse than he had imagined.

Because Xu Yinhe's decision seemed like forcing a duck onto a shelf.

"Third Brother."

Just as I was thinking,

Xu Yuan heard a soft call and looked over, where he saw Xu Xinyao's worried gaze.

Xu Xinyao tentatively observed the dark, gloomy expression on Xu Yuan's face:

"Isn't it a good thing that your father wants you to inherit the Prime Minister's Estate?"

Xu Yuan was about to shake his head and explain, but then swallowed the words that were on the tip of his tongue, and instead sighed and smiled:

"It's definitely a good thing. I just wasn't prepared. This power is too great; I never even dared to dream of it before."

His voice changed slightly because of the mask.

"Is that really true?" Xu Xinyao felt a little uneasy.

Xu Yuan countered with a question:

"Besides this, what else could it be?"

Xu Xinyao shook her head. "I don't know."

"Xu Yuan, is it that I can't know?"

At this moment, Ran Qingmo suddenly interjected in a low voice, "I can go out."

Upon hearing this, Xu Yuan turned his gaze and said:

"I've already said it, you're special. If I didn't want to tell you, I wouldn't have brought it up in the first place."

"."

Ran Qingmo's clear eyes remained unchanged, but her heartbeat quickened for a moment.

And at that moment,

"Tap tap tap--"

The door to the house in the courtyard was knocked on at a very inopportune time.

"."

Xu Yuan took a deep breath and turned to look at the courtyard gate:

"Who?"

"Third Young Master, it's me, Bai Zhao, here to bring you and the two young ladies your evening meal."

Xu Yuan glanced at the rising sun high in the sky, gestured for the two women to put on their bamboo hats, and uttered a single word, his voice somewhat cold:

"Enter."

"Squeak--"

The courtyard gate was pushed open with a soft creak.

Upon entering, Bai Zhao immediately glanced cautiously into the courtyard.

He didn't have his subordinates deliver his meals because he was well aware of his own position.

But it seems he arrived at the worst possible time.

As a shrewd person who had been mingling in the lower classes for decades, even though it was only two words, he could tell that the Third Young Master's words just now contained some displeasure.

Upon seeing the unfamiliar man in the pavilion, Bai Zhao was slightly taken aback, and then his body began to tremble uncontrollably. However, he possessed the mental fortitude to maintain his composure.

After a moment of hesitation, Bai Zhao quietly walked to the pavilion, bowed, and put down the food tray in his hand.

"Third Young Master, please let me know if you are dissatisfied."

Xu Yuan nodded slightly. He had noticed the other person's trembling earlier and slightly suppressed his earlier displeasure.

"Hmm, you did a good job. You can go now."

"."

Upon hearing this unfamiliar voice, Bai Zhao clenched his fists slightly, knelt directly before Xu Yuan, clasped his hands in a fist salute, and said in an extremely quick and deep voice:

"Third Young Master, I have been in Wanxiang City for twenty-nine years and have been utterly loyal to the Prime Minister's Estate. Please spare the lives of my family members."

Xu Yuan glanced at the Bai Zhao with some surprise, then immediately felt relieved.

Although he didn't think it was a big deal, the reality was that for him, the Bai Zhao represented a choice between glory and hell.

After a pause, Xu Yuan chuckled and comforted her:

"What you've disturbed isn't anything serious, don't worry, get up."

"."

Upon hearing this, Bai Zhao's clasped hands trembled slightly from the force of the movement. Without rising, he slammed his head against the stone slab with a loud thud.

"The Third Young Master concealed his identity to come here on business. I am of lowly status and know I am unworthy to know about this matter. I hope the Young Master will spare my relatives, as they are completely unaware of it."

"."

Upon hearing this, Xu Yuan silently placed his hand on the stone table, his slender index finger tapping the food plate.

He suddenly realized what Bai Zhao meant.

The middle-aged man with graying temples in front of me is definitely going to die.

Just like in the movies of my past life, the protagonist accidentally learns something he shouldn't know, so someone wants him dead.

But reality is not a movie, Xu Yinhe is not the villain in a movie, and Bai Zhao is certainly not the protagonist in a movie.

Therefore, he will die.

However, this person was able to observe it and react in such a short time.

Xu Yuan waved his hand:

"Alright, get up. I have something to discuss with my father today, and I'll mention your matter briefly. Don't worry, you can go now."

Bai Zhao carefully wiped the bloodstains off the stone slab with his sleeve and slowly got up from the ground.

"Bai Zhao thanks the Third Young Master for his great kindness."

Having said that, Bai Zhao didn't say anything more and tactfully left the courtyard.

After Bai Zhao left, the courtyard remained quiet for a long time.

Xu Xinyao asked somewhat uncertainly:

"Third Brother, why would this person do this?"

Xu Yuan glanced at her sideways, his voice calm:

"Didn't Bai Zhao just say that he saw through my concealment of my identity?"

Xu Xinyao's breath hitched:

"You mean Bai Zhao realized that Father wanted to groom you?"

Of course not.

Xu Yuan smiled and waved his hand:

"He doesn't have enough information right now, so he probably doesn't know yet. But if war really breaks out in Wanxiang City, with his intelligence, he'll definitely figure it out. Father won't allow such a person to exist."

Xu Xinyao bit her lip:

"Third Brother, this person has rendered service to our Prime Minister's Estate. Just because he knew about it, he's going to be silenced?"

Xu Yuan looked at her and said, slowly and deliberately:

"He dies, I die, choose."

Xu Xinyao's dark pupils contracted slightly, and a hint of hesitation appeared in her beautiful eyes.

Xu Yuan stopped looking at her, turned to Ran Qingmo, and asked:

"Ran Qingmo, if he dies, I die. Choose."

He's dead.

Ran Qingmo answered without hesitation, and as he spoke, he stood up, carrying his Ink Sword.

Ten minutes later, there will be another chapter.