I am the villain in the book

Chapter 153: Li Huaizhong's Investigation Results

A quarter of an hour later.

“Young Master Wei.”

Li Huaizhong silently stood up, the smile from when he first arrived completely gone from his face.

He took a deep breath and stared intently at Wei Changtian, saying, “I hope you can keep your promise.”

“Of course, I am a man of my word.”

Wei Changtian stood up as well, pausing for a moment before adding, “Just as long as Eunuch Li doesn't speak carelessly in front of the Emperor.”

“Humph!”

Li Huaizhong snorted coldly, as if unwilling to say another word to Wei Changtian.

However, after taking two steps towards the door, he suddenly turned back.

“Young Master Wei, I will ask you one last time... How exactly did you know about my cultivation ailment?”

“If you are willing to tell me, I will inform you of the Liu family's conspiracy against the Wei family as a reward.”

“Eunuch Li, I have already said it.”

Wei Changtian shook his head: “Heaven's secrets cannot be revealed, but...”

“But what?”

“But I do have a way to help Eunuch Li remedy the flaws in your Yin-Yang Skill, which is much more reliable than sitting on the Dragon Throne.”

“Hmm?”

Li Huaizhong's eyes sharpened: “What method?! If it is truly effective, I can also tell you about the Liu family's affairs!”

“Eunuch Li, I'm afraid you have it backwards.”

Wei Changtian smiled: “The Yin-Yang Skill's ailment won't take Eunuch Li's life for the time being, but the Liu family could take my life at any moment.”

“How about this? Eunuch Li, tell me what conspiracy the Liu family has, and after I confirm it to be true, I will tell you the method to remedy the Yin-Yang Skill. How does that sound?”

“Heh heh...”

Li Huaizhong sneered: “Young Master Wei, do you think I am senile?”

“I don't know if Eunuch Li is senile, but I am certainly not stupid.”

Wei Changtian did not budge: “Eunuch Li might as well go back and think about it carefully.”

“... Fine! Young Master Wei is indeed eloquent!”

Li Huaizhong trembled with anger, finally deciding not to argue with Wei Changtian here. He left those words behind and turned to walk out of the room.

“Young Master, farewell. We'll meet again.”

“Hahaha, Eunuch Li, then I won't see you off!”

Wei Changtian laughed loudly, watching Li Huaizhong walk through the small courtyard and out the gate before plopping back down onto the chair, gasping for breath.

Sweat had already soaked through his back, and a gust of wind made him feel a chill.

Although he had appeared calm and composed the entire time, his nerves had been on high alert.

He had to intimidate Li Huaizhong without completely enraging him to the point of disregarding all consequences.

He had to forcefully present his conditions while repeatedly testing Li Huaizhong's bottom line.

One wrong step, and the consequences would be unimaginable.

This feeling of defusing a time bomb made Wei Changtian suddenly think of the negotiators from his previous life.

Compared to negotiators, he had more bargaining chips, but the “hijacker” he faced was also more dangerous.

He hoped this kind of thing wouldn't happen a second time.

Picking up the teapot, wanting to drink some tea to calm down, Wei Changtian realized that the pot was already empty.

“Yuan'er, more tea!”

He called out towards the door, and Yuan'er quickly walked in carrying a large porcelain pot.

While refilling the tea, she asked softly:

“Young Master, was that person who came earlier a eunuch?”

Yuan'er poured a cup of fresh tea and placed it next to Wei Changtian's hand, her face full of curiosity.

“What does it matter how high-ranking he is... *slurp*~”

Wei Changtian took a sip of tea, grumbling with a bit of “personal resentment”: “He's still just a castrated man.”

Although Yuan'er was not as perceptive as Qiu Yun, she could still tell that Wei Changtian was feeling down, and couldn't help but cover her mouth and laugh: “What's wrong, Young Master? Did that eunuch make you unhappy?”

“Don't ask what you shouldn't ask.”

Wei Changtian rolled his eyes and lowered his voice, instructing: “Regarding Princess Rouan's matter, remember not to tell anyone.”

“I know, Young Master, don't worry.”

Yuan'er nodded, originally wanting to clean up Li Huaizhong's teacup, but turned her head to find the table completely empty.

“Huh? Young Master, where is that eunuch's teacup?”

“...”

Wei Changtian recalled the scene of the cup and water instantly turning to nothingness, and sighed helplessly: “He thought the teacup was quite nice, so I gave it to him.”

“Ah? How could anyone like something like that...”

Yuan'er shook her head in confusion, finally picking up the kettle and walking out of the room.

Meanwhile, Wei Changtian was drinking the fresh tea while pondering what he should do next.

His relationship with Li Huaizhong was, at best, one of mutual exploitation, and was very fragile.

Although Li Huaizhong currently did not know that Ning Yuque was here with him, who knew what would happen in the future.

Wei Changtian did not want to tie his life to a eunuch, but he couldn't think of a good solution for the time being.

Wait a minute... Why should he think of it himself?

Speaking of which, wasn't there still Chu Xianping?!

Half an hour later.

In the underground chamber, Chu Xianping, as the fourth person besides Zhang San and Yuan'er to know the truth, met Ning Yuque, who had been cursed by the people of the world, and also listened to Wei Changtian selectively recount the ins and outs of the matter.

It would be a lie to say he wasn't surprised, but after the surprise passed, Chu Xianping only thought for a short while before immediately giving his first suggestion.

“Young Master, what we need to do now is give the court and the Emperor an explanation.”

“Explanation?”

Wei Changtian was taken aback: “How do we give an explanation?”

“It's very simple, give them the Princess, or if that's really not possible... then a fake one.”

“A fake one?”

Wei Changtian was puzzled: “That would be too easy to expose, right?”

Chu Xianping's expression remained unchanged, and he explained softly:

“Young Master, of course a living person can't be hidden, but what about a dead person who can't speak?”

“...”

South of Shu Prefecture City.

Just as Wei Changtian and Chu Xianping were secretly plotting how to clean up the mess, Li Huaizhong was sitting in a spacious study, writing a letter.

His trip to Shu Prefecture was not solely for Wei Changtian, so now was not the time to return to the capital.

However, he still needed to make his report.

The letter was not long, only a hundred or so words, generally giving an account of the “investigation results” on Wei Changtian.

At the end of the letter, Li Huaizhong concluded:

“Young Master Wei did indeed know about Prince Shun's intention to rebel, but had no intention of participating in the rebellion, and also does not know the whereabouts of Princess Rouan.”

Putting down his pen, he placed the letter into a specially made envelope.

Li Huaizhong got up and came to the window, his expression uncertain, as if hesitating about something.

He knew very well that once this letter was sent out, it would mean that, at least on the matter of Ning Yuque, he would no longer have the chance to change his story.

After a long while, a whistle suddenly sounded.

“Whoosh~”

A golden-feathered eagle fluttered its wings and landed on the window sill, quickly flying away again, heading far north.

It was noon, the sunlight was a bit dazzling, and also quite warm.

However, as Li Huaizhong watched the golden dot disappear into the horizon, he suddenly felt a chill for no reason.

“Young Master Wei, you are hiding so deeply...”