Rejected Beauty Practices the Villain Play

Chapter 718 - 698: Scumbag

Dugu Jing was so furious at Lan Ningzhen that he was practically jumping with rage. He swung his fist toward Lan Ningzhen, but she shoved Xie Jue aside, turned her body, and blocked with her arm. The fist grazed past her ear. Lan Ningzhen laughed and said, "Ninth Prince, you’re so easily provoked!"

"Such a fiery temper—completely unlike your brother!"

"Today, I’m going to kill you two shameless lovers!" Dugu Jing had lost all reason in his rage. Without considering the consequences, he kept swinging punches. Xie Jue stood to the side, enjoying the spectacle, feeling a strange sense of displacement, as though he had become the source of someone else’s trouble. Never would he have imagined himself playing such a role one day. Perhaps because Xie Jue was standing idly by, Lan Ningzhen didn’t entangle with Dugu Jing for long. After a few rounds, she raised a hand to stop him and said, "Causing trouble in the streets? Aren’t you afraid of provoking Wang Zhen’s wrath? You’re a dignified prince—it’s not as if you can’t find a wife. Why resort to stealing someone else’s love? Xie Jue and I are deeply in love. If you keep harassing us, I’ll go to the Imperial Court and tell the King that you tried to kill me—the Ninth Prince wants to murder a daughter of the Lan Family. How terrifying."

Lan Ningzhen’s tone was arrogant, but she showed no trace of fear. Dugu Jing was indeed enraged, but he didn’t dare bear the reputation of killing a daughter of the Lan Family. Yet he couldn’t swallow this rage, especially since Xie Jue showed no inclination to duel with him and instead admitted defeat without any resistance. The bystanders were all whispering and gossiping as Dugu Jing stormed off furiously. Xie Jue watched Lan Ningzhen intently, his gaze deep and thoughtful.

Lan Ningzhen pulled Xie Jue out of the bustling street, unwilling to become the subject of further idle chatter.

"Who taught you how to fight?" Xie Jue asked.

Lan Ningzhen brushed off her sleeves casually and smiled. "The Priest Court trains people for this specifically. Did you know the High Priest’s ancestors were Generals of Yanyang?"

"I’ve heard a bit about it," Xie Jue replied. "Seventy years ago, a General from the Ningzhou Iron Cavalry defected to the Beiman. Who would’ve thought he’d become a priest. The King truly has a generous heart."

"Exactly. The Priest Court’s combat techniques are a mix of Yanyang generals’ tactics and their own adaptations. The Ninth Prince has trained in Yanyang-style combat, but his strength gives him an edge, and his attacks are especially forceful. He can maximize their power. In a few more years, I fear I won’t be his match." She was at her peak now, barely capable of defeating Dugu Jing. But Dugu Jing was only fourteen—far from his full potential. In a few years, he might become invincible.

"Having such a formidable warrior in Beiman should excite you. Why do you look so worried?" Xie Jue said blandly. "It seems you’re afraid of seeing him on the battlefield."

"I’m worried because his attention is entirely fixed on me. If he surpasses me in skill one day, won’t he snatch my love away by force? Then how will I ever stay together with Helian? The mere thought of it leaves me sleepless and unable to eat."

Xie Jue: "..."

A perfectly serious conversation, once again derailed into jest. Xie Jue had grown accustomed to it by now.

Lan Ningzhen returned to her family manor due to an urgent matter. On his way back to the Prince Manor, Xie Jue was intercepted by Dugu Jing. It was a long street blanketed in snow, the expanse stretching into a blur. Xie Jue could barely make out Dugu Jing’s features amidst the white haze.

Dugu Jing said, "Coward. You don’t even dare step into the ring. You’re unworthy of Lan Ningzhen. A mere nobody from Qianling Town dares contend with me? Even if I kill you today, what can Second Brother do to me?"

He said this while charging forward with his fist raised. Xie Jue sidestepped quickly, dodging with agility. He knew he couldn’t win in a fight, so he could only rely on his wits. "Does the Ninth Prince resolve everything with his fists?"

"What? Are you scared?" Dugu Jing, driven by youthful arrogance, taunted him.

Xie Jue was indeed scared. No matter what, he couldn’t afford to die in Beiman.

"Everyone fears death," Xie Jue said calmly. "I’m merely a counselor under the Second Prince. If you kill me, it’ll be difficult to justify yourself to him. On New Year’s Eve, a counselor under the Prince Manor was jointly forced to death by the First Prince and the Sixth Prince. If another counselor like me were to be killed, even if the Second Prince doesn’t seek retribution for my death, he would surely feel provoked. You’re strong and fearless. Soon, you’ll head to the frontlines—what about the Sixth Prince?" Xie Jue spoke unhurriedly. "The Second Prince is immensely powerful now, and the Great Prince has already lost his leg. Are you certain you want to escalate matters here over Lan Ningzhen and kill me, further aggravating the tensions between you and your brothers? The King despises brotherly strife most of all. Take a wild guess—if he learns of this, you may escape punishment because of your ’Little War God’ title. But who will bear the brunt of his anger?"

The blame, of course, would fall on the frail and ailing Sixth Prince. Dugu Jing and the Sixth Prince were brothers by blood and had an incredibly close bond. Dugu Jing followed every command his elder brother gave and fiercely defended him in every circumstance. But because of Dugu Jing’s impulsive and troublesome nature, he had caused the Sixth Prince a fair share of headaches. During his time in Beiman, Xie Jue had studied the personalities of the princes thoroughly, including Dugu Jing’s rashness and his sole weakness—the Sixth Prince.

"Are you threatening me?"

"Not at all, Ninth Prince. I’m merely advising you not to act impulsively. If you truly wish to marry Lan Ningzhen, you should focus on winning her favor instead of troubling me. Even if you kill me, she’ll only resent you, not love you. So, you’ve gotten everything backwards—the key to this matter isn’t me, but whether Lan Ningzhen loves you. Even if we fight and I lose, yielding to you, I promise not to pursue her anymore. But if she comes looking for me, you still won’t be able to stop her. In the end, my life or death doesn’t change a thing. What matters is whether Lan Ningzhen loves you or not." Xie Jue hardly ever spoke this much, let alone to persuade someone. Yet, sensing that Dugu Jing might actually kill him, he chose his words carefully.

Thanks to Xie Jue’s persuasion, Dugu Jing indeed calmed down. He glared at Xie Jue spitefully, thinking how infuriating it was to deal with counselors. Wherever they were, counselors were universally obnoxious—eloquent, cunning, deceitful. There wasn’t a single decent one.

"Fine. I’ll spare you today. But Helian Feng, you’d better pray you don’t fall into my hands," Dugu Jing spat furiously before storming off, feeling an inexplicable frustration in his chest.

But before long, he started second-guessing himself. Why had he allowed a lowly counselor to manipulate him into changing his mind? Even if he killed him and buried the body in the snow, what would it matter? Could Second Brother really kill his own sibling over a low-ranking counselor? There were plenty of these scheming advisors to replace him. Why had he let himself be swayed by such a smug threat?

No, he still wanted to kill him!

Realizing this, Dugu Jing spun around to seek out Xie Jue again, but Xie Jue had already anticipated this and returned to the manor at top speed. By the time Dugu Jing arrived, there was no trace of him. Frustrated, Dugu Jing kicked the snow beneath his feet. "Scheming bastard!"

Little did Xie Jue know, Dugu Jing was cursing him behind his back. He managed to escape unscathed this time. Dugu Jing would undoubtedly be lectured by the Sixth Prince when he returned. Although the Sixth Prince might encourage him to pursue Lan Ningzhen, he wouldn’t necessarily condone killing Xie Jue. For now, it seemed the incident had passed without much consequence.

At least, that’s what Xie Jue thought—until a decree arrived from the Imperial Court. The Beiman King was hosting a banquet for various tribal Generals, their families, and the princes. The court specifically named Xie Jue, ordering the Second Prince to bring him along to the banquet.

This would be Xie Jue’s first opportunity since arriving in Fox City to attend a banquet at the Imperial Court, as well as his first chance to meet the Beiman King. Xie Jue felt a mix of tension and unease. If something untoward were to happen, he might share the same fate as Xiao Jinghong—killed. Was there anything Xie Jue could do to prepare? He realized there was nothing, though he had expected this summons. The Beiman King’s interest in him undoubtedly stemmed from his entanglement with Lan Ningzhen.

The love triangle between him, Dugu Jing, and Lan Ningzhen had already become the talk of Fox City. Unless the Beiman King was blind, there was no way he hadn’t heard of it. Xie Jue had a fairly good idea of why he was being summoned.

The Second Prince, however, was far more anxious. After what had happened to Xiao Jinghong, he was on edge, fearing that Xie Jue might meet the same tragic fate at the hands of the Beiman King. There was not much he could do to protect him.

Xie Jue said, "Second Prince, there’s no need to worry. I have my own plans."

Before the banquet, Xie Jue sought out Lan Ningzhen. If the Beiman King truly intended to kill him, a simple solution would be for Lan Ningzhen to marry Dugu Jing. Upon hearing this, Lan Ningzhen’s face darkened. "So, if the King wants to kill you, you’re suggesting I marry Dugu Jing to save you?"

"Precisely."

Lan Ningzhen took a deep breath, muttering a curse under her breath. She stared at Xie Jue incredulously. "Do you even hear yourself? I’ve been wholeheartedly devoted to you, and to save your life, you want me to marry someone else? You... heartless scoundrel!"

The label of "heartless scoundrel" stung a bit, and Xie Jue felt a twinge of guilt. What he was proposing was indeed underhanded. "That’s the worst-case scenario—it might not even come to that."

"And what if it does?" Lan Ningzhen demanded, seething with anger.

"Would you prefer I stay alive, or would you rather I die?" Xie Jue asked bluntly, his words brimming with a calculated ruthlessness.

Lan Ningzhen: "..."

Why did she feel like Xie Jue had turned into an outright scoundrel?