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All around Feng Yanyan, the beauties swarmed Zhang Yunlei giving words of comfort and asking what happened. From what he could hear from here, Zhang Yunlei felt uneasy in the middle of the night so he came to check on the other beauties.

It turns out the Beauty's instinct was spot on because the assassins already entered that room. He bravely protected the weaker ones and therefore received an injury on his arm.

It was a coincidence that the people from the magistrate were hunting for some people and passed by.

Upon hearing the commotion, they thought these were the jail escapees and rushed to the scene.

Therefore, Beauty Zhang was saved by the da ren from earlier.

Such a lucky turn of events!

Liu momo and a few maids formed a 'line of defense' in front of the beauties and led them to thank the benefactor.

"It is our fortune to have met Junwang out here or else this old servant won't make it alive. Once again, thanking Junwang!"

>郡王 - jùnwáng - "Prince of the Second Rank" or "Prince of a Commandery"<

Hearing this, the beauties were all shocked. Didn't they hear these people were from the magistrate? How come Junwang is here?

Their salutes deepened and their backs went straighter. "Thanking Junwang!"

Feng Yanyan felt bitter in his heart. This was really Suliang's Junwang and not the person from earlier.

If he could, he wanted to bang his head on the nearest pillar.

Ping Junwang smiled. Despite his clothes sticking to him because of blood, he didn't show discontent. Making people feel at ease. In fact, these ladies and gentlemen didn't even know his robes were drenched in blood right now.

>憑 - píng - to lean against/to rely on<

He had the dim lights and his dark clothes to thank.

Ping Junwang
https://pin.it/2l2AaHJ

"It isn't appropriate for this prince to stay longer and this prince is glad you're all safe. We have subdued evil and rest assured, your journey will be much safer."

Exuding warmth but still maintaining an appropriate distance. This was Ping Junwang. It was a shame he rarely visited the Imperial City and the people weren't graced by his presence.

Noticing that he would soon leave, Feng Yanyan's lyrical voice was heard. "Also wishing Junwang safe travels."

He didn't raise his gaze and one would see this beauty shining like a pearl in the night. Talking without permission was improper and almost breached etiquette. But Junwang's smile seemed to have gotten brighter upon hearing the pleasant voice.

It was right then, a soft voice was carried by the wind. "Sang Yu."

It was faint yet with hints of authoritative coldness. Like any minute now, the person would order the sky to rain blood and it would.

Just two words and it even made the beauties feel goosebumps.

Feng Yanyan didn't know if it was an illusion but Junwang seemed to stand straighter when he heard the call.

Ping Junwang immediately turned and briskly walked to the person on horseback. It even seemed he was afraid of the person's negative reaction if he was a second late.

Our Beauty Feng, couldn't take his eyes off this scene. He sucked in a cold breath.

That person!

The figure who was covered in the moonlight in the backyard from earlier. Junwang knew this person?

All around Feng Yanyan, the beauties' heads were bowed. But not him. Now that he could take a closer look, he was beginning to be even more horrified.

He fervently stared at the person on horseback. Soft hair, cherry red lips. And even if they weren't noticeable from afar, he could not mistake that pair of average bosoms! The mysterious gentleman was in fact a cold and calamitous beauty!

Who was she?

What was even more peculiar was Liu momo's attitude. Her bow got even lower and she was about to respectfully speak. "Greetings–"

"Momo." but who knew that Ping Junwang's smile was almost erased and he interrupted the old palace servant.

Who was Liu momo? She was one of the Empress' most trusted attendants. No one in the palace dared to stop her.

And yet for this lady on horseback, Junwang could even show disrespect.

This didn't bode well in Feng Yanyan's heart. Nothing in the book told him of a formidable opponent like this. Yes, he already treated the lady as his love rival. Even though he didn't believe in the word love.

Without even sparing a glance at Liu momo, the lady conversed with Junwang in whispers.

Ping Junwang's countenance was serious like he would absorb anything the miss would say.

The whole inn plunged into oppressive silence.

While the other people couldn't hear, Long Sangyu reported what happened. "No one escaped. I reckon they were sent by a Hu Ren king so it will look like we're rebelling against that person in Tanglin."

>Tanglin is the name of the capital city<

He sighed. "Fortunately, I was here."

The unsaid words were clear. If this group of mei ren met a mishap just outside Suliang, then the Empress would see it as an opening to rebuke Wan Li Wang.

The lady on horseback didn't say anything. Ping Junwang seemed to be at a loss, and so he complained. "Why do you have to go here looking like this? Should have just trusted me to take care of this small thing."

Who knew that the miss only hummed, tapped his shoulder, and galloped away, seemingly followed by endless shadows.

As this series of actions happened right before Feng Yanyan's eyes, his heart constricted. He couldn't mistake it. The lady lightly swept a glance at him when she so familiarly patted Junwang. It wasn't an act of provocation.

He knew that look.

It was a pure threat.

Like the lady had already seen through all of his plans and that he wouldn't stand a chance. Feng Yanyan shivered. Maybe he was being too paranoid. This was a frightful night after all.

Ping Junwang soon left too, after 'cleaning up' the whole area.

Like a breeze, he came and he went. Leaving most hearts broken by his absence.

But of course, the beauties couldn't help but wonder who the lady was. Just as they were withdrawing back to their rooms, they kept chattering.

It just so happened that Liu momo heard what some of them were talking about so she banged her cane on the floor.

"One shouldn't get ahead of yourselves. If it's something purposely concealed, do not talk about it..."

...openly if you still want your life. Feng Yanyan added this in his mind.

That night, he had trouble sleeping. Nothing went according to his plan. He couldn't get his target. And Zhang Yunlei still cemented his position as the main character.

Was this the fate of someone like him who lived in borrowed light?

He refused to accept this.

Beauty Feng sighed. If not for reading BL novels, I wouldn't be here. I'm so stupid!

That was right. Feng Yanyan was a person from modern Earth. He was used to technology and the convenience of life.

But one day, his devil fujoshi friend forced him to read this novel with a long title. Something he couldn't even remember up to now. His devil friend's reason for recommending this kind of novel was because he looked like a little shou. She would go to great lengths just to describe his beautiful face and soft body.

He would get goosebumps every time she did that. Of course, he whacked this devil friend of his several times but she kept on insisting until he gave up.

The novel was set in a fictional ancient China setting with the male lead overcoming all hurdles until he finally got to become the Emperor. Next to the male lead was his little shou who assisted him every step of the way.

That night, after reading the novel, he slept like a log and wanted to forget about it. But who knew that the story would haunt him in his nightmare?

When he woke up, he was in a seemingly familiar yet unfamiliar world. It was a bizarre feeling. He was living as an adult up until yesterday only to wake up in a small body.

But the small body of his also had memories of days spent here until that moment. Feng Yanyan was caught in two timelines and had a hard time comprehending things.

This led to his family believing that his development was stunted.

It took him years to adjust to what he was and find his identity in this world. Now, he only had one goal in life. To sit at the apex of power.

However... it didn't take long for his dreams to be crushed yet again.

He was actually a supporting character! A passerby that wanted to take the male lead for himself but failed. He could accept it if it was the male lead's little shou as that was a one-way ticket to wealth. But he just had to be in this body.

Feng Yanyan had to resolve himself to do what he had to do. That was to oust the main character of this dog-shit novel and take the crown for himself!

---

Who do you think called Ping Junwang by his real name (Sang Yu)?

Edited: Feb. 10, 2023