Chapter 532: Playing Both Sides
Geng Liangcheng harbored deep apprehension toward Xiao Juesong, who was actually Xiao Huayong in disguise. The situation was far more complicated than what his confidant had described. Allying with Xiao Juesong might mean enduring perpetual suppression in the future.
"General, no matter what, we must first overcome the current crisis," his confidant advised. "No matter how elusive Jiachen Crown Prince may be, he still needs you. Once you become the Northwest King, we can make further plans. After all, Jiachen Crown Prince is someone who cannot operate in the open."
Temporary restraint wouldn't cause much harm. When the time was ripe, if they could eliminate Jiachen Crown Prince, it might even count as a great achievement, exchangeable for substantial benefits from His Majesty.
After pondering for a moment, Geng Liangcheng said, "He wants me to eliminate the Prince within two days..." Geng made a slitting motion.
"These past few days, I've been keeping watch on the courier station. Xun Wang has already sent two urgent secret letters by express delivery," the confidant reported. However, the messengers remained extremely vigilant throughout their journey. Though they were tracked, there was no opportunity to take action, and at this critical juncture, they dared not act rashly.
If an imperial courier were killed within the Northwest territory, His Majesty could immediately dispatch investigators openly. If it occurred outside the Northwest King's domain, local officials would also intervene in the investigation. Since the couriers departed from the Northwest, the investigation would inevitably trace back here. They couldn't obstruct it, so now was not the time to invite trouble.
They could only watch helplessly as Xiao Changfeng's letters flew toward the capital.
Geng Liangcheng closed his eyes. "It seems he was right. We don't have much time."
After tending to his wounds and changing into a high-collared garment that concealed them, Geng went to the Northwest King's residence. Coincidentally, Sang Yin was also there. Geng subtly probed for information about Shen Yueshan's condition.
Sang Yin was stationed there precisely because Shen Yueshan's injuries had taken a turn—this time for the better. The remaining treatment involved Sui Axi assisting with acupuncture. Since Sui Axi followed Shen Xihe, it was exceptionally convenient for them to operate.
Feeling that Shen Yueshan had passed the critical stage, Sang Yin finally fully trusted Xie Yunhuai and Xiao Huayong. As a man of considerable shrewdness himself, when faced with Geng Liangcheng's probing, he reddened his eyes and sighed deeply, "I don't know how much longer we can delay. The Prince's body is nearly drained. With my abilities, I can sustain him for at most five to seven days."
Five to seven days—this was definitely not the outcome Geng Liangcheng desired. Dissatisfied with the answer, he returned home feeling restless.
Personally delivering the fatal blow to Shen Yueshan was a move that couldn't be taken lightly. Once the arrow left the bow, there was no retrieving it. Moreover, to eliminate Shen Yueshan, he would have to utilize Sang Yin. Would that mean silencing Sang Yin afterward? Otherwise, if his true intentions were exposed to Sang Yin, it would jeopardize his future succession to the Northwest King's position.
After long contemplation, Geng Liangcheng suddenly devised a plan.
Having long nurtured rebellious intentions against Shen Yueshan, he had secretly cultivated his own forces and trained personnel. Though small in number, these individuals were meticulously trained and exceptionally skilled.
In the afternoon, he sent someone to invite Sang Yin to the Geng residence. He laid out an evening feast with fine wine, repeatedly expressing his concerns for Shen Yueshan and proposing toast after toast as if to drown his sorrows. Sang Yin indulged him fully, though unbeknownst to Geng, Sang Yin had taken a sobering antidote beforehand. Their drinking capacities were comparable. When Geng Liangcheng reached a pleasantly intoxicated state, Sang Yin slumped over, appearing thoroughly drunk.After calling for Sang Yin for a long time and confirming he was dead drunk, the drunkenness on Geng Liangcheng’s face vanished completely. He took Sang Yin to a guest room to rest and, under the pretext of sending someone to inform the Sang residence, actually dispatched his own men to coordinate from within and without. The operatives he had privately trained easily abducted Sang Yin’s wife and children.
At the same time, black-clad intruders stealthily entered the Geng residence and seized Geng Liangcheng’s wife. Though there were minor scuffles, no significant commotion arose. It was only when the two men awoke the next day, still groggy from their drunkenness, that they discovered their families had been abducted. A letter was also found at the Sang residence.
The letter, purportedly from Jiachen Crown Prince, stated that the families of both households were in his custody. To ensure their safety, they were to follow his orders—which demanded Shen Yueshan’s life.
“How dare he! I’ll go find the heir!” Sang Yin roared with fury.
Had he not already known this was Geng Liangcheng’s scheme, he might have believed it. He never imagined Geng Liangcheng would have an additional trick up his sleeve—not revealing his true intentions but instead sending men disguised as Jiachen Crown Prince’s agents to abduct both his own wife and Sang Yin’s wife and children, feigning victimhood himself.
“Old Sang, you mustn’t,” Geng Liangcheng stopped him. “If we provoke Xiao Juesong now, our loved ones will be doomed.”
“Are we to succumb to his threats and actually plot against His Highness?” Sang Yin glared furiously at Geng Liangcheng, his rage undisguised and genuine.
Geng Liangcheng felt the intensity of Sang Yin’s anger and guiltily averted his gaze, as if unable to meet his eyes. “Old Sang, I’ve spent my life on the battlefield. My father and brothers died in the war, my son was lost in the chaos, and later… I’m already half in the grave, with only my old wife left by my side. I don’t want to end up utterly alone.”
“You…” Sang Yin’s chest heaved, his eyes blazing with fury. “How could you—”
With a thud, Geng Liangcheng knelt before Sang Yin. “Old Sang, His Highness doesn’t have much time left—you know that, don’t you? Since you can’t save him, why let our families be buried with him? If His Highness weren’t in such a state, how could I entertain such selfish thoughts? But since he is… what difference does a day or two make? I believe if His Highness knew, he wouldn’t blame us.
Old Sang, your daughter-in-law is with child! You’ll soon be a grandfather!”
Sang Yin trembled all over, his eyes filled with disappointment and anguish.
The truth had finally surfaced. Though he had long been prepared, a sliver of hope had lingered in his heart. Even with his wife and children abducted, Sang Yin had tried to deceive himself—perhaps it was truly Xiao Juesong’s doing, and none of it involved the sworn brother who had stood by him through life and death.
But at this moment, he could no longer delude himself. If Geng Liangcheng had no ulterior motives, even if he had personal concerns, he would never utter such monstrous words or conceive such a plot against His Highness.
Unaware that Sang Yin’s pain stemmed from his own betrayal, Geng Liangcheng mistook it for inner conflict and added fuel to the fire: “Old Sang, if you can’t bring yourself to do it, let me. Let me bear the sin. After His Highness passes, we’ll faithfully assist the heir. Besides, His Highness’s illness has dragged on for so long—Xun Wang has likely already informed His Majesty. We should take advantage of the emperor’s inability to intervene swiftly and push for the heir’s ascension sooner. Delaying may lead to unforeseen troubles.”Sang Yin stared at him, just stared at him with reddened eyes, wordless.
Geng Liangcheng deeply kowtowed to Sang Yin: "Old Sang, I've wronged you, I'm begging you."
(End of Chapter)
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