After Transmigrating, My Younger Brother Always Tries to Seduce Me - Chapter 30

The second round of the competition allowed for flexible variations. In previous years, the challenge had been to place a vase in the center of a circular platform, with victory going to whoever could hold onto the vase and avoid being pushed off the platform for fifteen minutes. The platform was so small that over a dozen people had to stand on it, scrambling for the heavy, slippery vase. Winning seemed simple enough, but only those who had actually stood on the platform knew the true agony involved.

Zhu Zhenzhen’s actions yesterday had seemed like a deliberate provocation of Yun Jianhe. Now that the deed was done, she had steeled herself for his retaliation.

Through the crowd, Zhu Zhenzhen precisely located Yun Jianhe.

He stood ramrod straight, his pure black robes embroidered with a strikingly elegant white crane that stretched up to his chest. A silver-gilded sash was tightly wrapped around his waist, the crane’s head held high, yet its neck was tightly constricted.

What does he plan to do?

This time was different from previous years. The attendant standing on the platform locked his gaze on Zhu Zhenzhen, held something in his hand, and strode toward her.

The crowd looked puzzled, following the attendant’s gaze to stare at Zhu Zhenzhen. Some of the shorter ones even stood on tiptoe to get a better view.

The attendant fastened an intricately carved, hollowed-out bracelet onto her wrist. Red silk ribbons, all of equal length, were tied through the openwork. When her arm hung naturally, the ribbons resembled a pair of red water sleeves that draped to the ground.

With a flick of her wrist, the bracelet tightened around her arm, and the ribbons separated. Under her control, the ten silk ribbons danced through the air. Zhu Zhenzhen lowered her gaze, as if understanding the rules of the game.

The poet announced in a clear voice, In this competition, the contestant who claims the most ribbons wins. He turned and inserted an incense stick into the burner. The end of the competition will be when the incense burns out.

As soon as the words left his lips, the crowd transformed into predators eyeing their prey, their eyes gleaming with anticipation. Unanimously, they thought the same thing This is undoubtedly the simplest competition in history.

The ribbons were only about three feet long, and all of them were in the hands of a single woman. The stage was small, and a moment’s carelessness could send her tumbling off the edge. Yun Guanhui had essentially turned Zhu Zhenzhen into a target.

Immediately, many contestants began forming alliances, planning to gang up on her.

If one person can’t defeat her, what’s stopping us from making her the target of everyone’s ire? Yun Guanhui leaned against a tree trunk, watching her as she stood with her head bowed in deep thought.

Zhu Zhenzhen quickly made her first move, wrapping the silk ribbon around her arm and tying a knot. However, a servant immediately stopped her.

Her hand froze, and she reluctantly lowered the ribbon.

For Zhu Zhenzhen and Song Heng to win was simple the more ribbon they retained, the greater their chances of victory.

As wisps of smoke curled upward from the incense burner, the contestants ascended the platform.

At first, neither side moved, maintaining a tense standoff like the Chu River dividing ancient kingdoms. But Yun Guanhui, seemingly impatient with the stalemate, had his guard shout from across the arena What are you waiting for? We gave you this chance to stare at each other? If you’re not going to fight, get off the platform!

The longer they stalled, the better for her. What a pity.

Soon, the first moves were made. The trio charged forward, surrounding Zhu Zhenzhen and Song Heng, their predatory gazes fixed on the silk ribbon in her hand.

They overlooked Song Heng standing beside her. One attacker leaped forward, aiming for her face, while another crouched low, lunging with outstretched arms to grab the ribbon. The two formed a pincer attack, while the third circled, waiting for an opening.

Zhu Zhenzhen frowned, sidestepped, and flicked her arm, sending the silk ribbon flying behind her. The man below, seeing the ribbon that had been within reach drift away, gritted his teeth and lunged forward another half-step, his hands outstretched, trying to grasp at something. But the figure above was already about to strike her forehead. A hint of amusement flickered in Zhu Zhenzhen’s eyes as she swiftly crouched, pressed her arm down, and seized the man’s palm.

Before he could react to the sudden warmth against his palm, a searing pain erupted in his lower back, as if he’d been struck with tremendous force. Sensing something amiss, he glanced down in a flash of realization only to find himself inexplicably airborne, his brother’s head colliding squarely with his lumbar vertebrae.

He howled in agony as he crashed to the ground. Meanwhile, the third man, seeing their attention diverted, seized the opportunity to strike like a mantis stalking its prey. But the man beside Zhu Zhenzhen seemed to have eyes in the back of his head. He whirled around, blocked the attack, and with a single palm strike, sent the man flying off the platform.

The atmosphere fell deathly silent. The only sounds in the courtyard now were the groans of the three fallen men.

Those who had witnessed the scene up close stared in disbelief, their eyes wide and mouths agape, as if their eyeballs might pop out of their sockets.

…I say, let’s just attack together. Whoever gets it, gets it—may the best man win.

The words snapped everyone out of their stupor, and murmurs of agreement gradually filled the air.

An uncontrollable surge of irritation straightened Yun Jianhe’s posture, abandoning his earlier languid demeanor.

He summoned his trusted aide, Rui’an. On the platform, the woman remained unfazed by the crowd’s onslaught, coordinating seamlessly with the man beside her. Yun Jianhe shifted his gaze and asked, You were tasked with identifying them. Any progress?

I’ve dispatched men to the government offices for their portraits, Rui’an replied. Logically, anyone carrying a Black Nether Token should have wanted posters plastered everywhere, some even listing their entire families. Yet this woman’s records are utterly nonexistent, as if her file vanished into thin air. His tone carried a hint of reproach. Perhaps my subordinates have been negligent. I’ll personally investigate these next two days, my lord. Rest assured.

Yun Jianhe’s gaze circled the crowd before returning to Zhu Zhenzhen.

If she truly wasn’t a villainous schemer, then what was the purpose of her elaborate scheme to infiltrate Prince Jin’s Manor?

His probing gaze bore into Zhu Zhenzhen like a tangible force. She was currently blocking an opponent’s attack with her leg, her robes blooming like a white flower with the movement. As she regained her balance, Zhu Zhenzhen seemed to sense his scrutiny, her eyes meeting his across the distance.

Yun Jianhe clearly saw her raise an eyebrow at him and wave a complete silk ribbon bracelet in front of her.

Meanwhile, the situation on the stage was becoming increasingly favorable for Zhu Zhenzhen. One by one, their opponents were kicked off the platform.

The moment the incense stick burned out, Song Heng accepted the red silk ribbon Zhu Zhenzhen handed him. With just one ribbon, he secured second place.

Apart from the two of them, only one other person remained standing on the stage, but his hands were empty. The rest nursed their injuries below, glaring resentfully at the pair above.

Underestimating their opponents often led to defeat, but even taking them seriously proved futile.

The woman’s ghostly agility was one thing—a few more people might have been able to restrain her movements. But who could have guessed the man was no pushover either? He had struggled so much in the previous round that onlookers assumed Song Heng was an easy target. Little did they know, it was all an act!

Unable to vent their anger, they could only glare furiously at the pair.

Zhu Zhenzhen slowly removed her bracelet and bowed to the crowd below. Thank you for yielding, she said.

This humble remark, combined with the outcome of the competition, felt like a blatant provocation. The crowd’s faces turned green with rage, yet they were powerless to retaliate. With angry flicks of their sleeves, they stormed off.

Once the rear courtyard had been cleared, Yun Jianhe, who had been standing in the shade of a tree, finally approached them with his refined, measured steps.

He simply said, Follow me.

To recruit talent, one must first demonstrate one’s capabilities, and financial resources were clearly part of that.

Even though Zhu Zhenzhen and Song Heng had already thoroughly explored Prince Jin’s Manor, they still followed him on a tour of the estate. The manor was vast, roughly twice the size of Song Manor.

As Yun Jianhe led the way, he spoke at a leisurely pace, radiating an air of innate nobility. Like a dutiful tour guide, he meticulously explained the layout of Prince Jin’s Manor.

He also casually warned them, The study and the dungeon are off-limits without Prince Jin’s permission.

Zhu Zhenzhen nodded in agreement.

As they passed through a courtyard, the branches of an unidentifiable tree extended over the wall separating the courtyards, reaching into the adjacent yard.

Climbing this tree is forbidden, Yun Jianhe said, turning to continue walking forward. His words seemed like a casual remark, light and weightless. Entering the adjacent courtyard is also forbidden.

The neighboring courtyard was locked. During their nighttime infiltration of Prince Jin’s Manor, Zhu Zhenzhen had assumed this room held some special significance. But after climbing over the wall, she found it completely empty—just an empty shell of a room, yet the air was utterly devoid of even a single speck of dust.

A question slowly formed in her mind Was this courtyard off-limits because Prince Jin forbade entry, or because Yun Jianhe didn’t want anyone going in?

Even Yun Yangming’s legitimate son had secrets he wished to conceal.

Prince Jin had never taken a concubine, nor even appointed a proper mistress of the household. The manor was eerily quiet during the day, with maids sweeping the courtyard that was already devoid of fallen leaves.

After wandering around without spotting any important figures, they had seen firsthand the lavish extravagance of Prince Jin’s Manor. The tree beside the corridor might have been a foreign tribute worth a hundred taels of silver, and even that foot-tall red flower could have been painstakingly cultivated at great expense.

Now that the display of wealth was complete, the next step was recruitment.

Yun Jianhe led them to a simple room and handed them a sheet of paper covered in dense writing.

Zhu Zhenzhen took the document and scanned it quickly, her brow furrowing deeper with each line. Isn’t this just a contract of servitude?

Yun Jianhe noticed her hesitation and assumed she was dissatisfied with the monthly salary. We can add another ten taels to your monthly pay, he offered.

Zhu Zhenzhen shot him a peculiar glance.

With the additional ten taels, the monthly salary would reach a staggering thirty taels. Zhu Zhenzhen clicked her tongue in amazement. No wonder everyone’s scrambling to get into Prince Jin’s Manor.

The closer one got to Prince Jin, the greater the chance of uncovering secrets. Otherwise, how could she even enter his study to search for clues and seek revenge? Fine, I’ll sign it—using a fake name, of course. But I’m still going to squeeze every last tael out of them.

She nudged Song Heng with her elbow, using the paper as cover to block Yun Jianhe’s gaze. Turning to Song Heng, she blinked repeatedly, her lashes brushing against the paper with a soft rustling sound.

Song Heng’s lips curved into a slight smile. When he looked up again, a hint of disappointment flickered in his eyes. Never mind. Let’s go. This isn’t even enough to cover our travel expenses.

Let’s go, Song Heng said, it seems this is all Prince Jin’s Manor can offer, despite its grandeur.

With a flick of their sleeves, the pair opened the door and stepped over the threshold.

Zhu Zhenzhen trailed a step behind Song Heng. Before her right foot could touch the floor, Yun Jianhe’s voice called out from behind

Wait.

I’m willing to add another ten taels.

Song Heng turned to see Zhu Zhenzhen stifling a laugh. Composing herself, she sighed dramatically. Another ten taels to make it an even number? Five Blessings Descend Upon the Home, after all…

Yun Jianhe’s face darkened, but he had no choice. Only the two of them had won the martial competition. He couldn’t risk Prince Jin’s wrath by failing to recruit even a single person.

…Sign and seal the agreement, Yun Jianhe said, thoughtfully opening the inkpad and subtly sliding it toward the door as he closed it behind them.

His subordinates had just delivered news the martial competition had been moved up for another reason. The emperor was beginning to suspect Prince Jin’s involvement in the Cangzhou corruption case.

If the emperor were to discover Prince Jin’s wolfish ambitions, even ten lives wouldn’t be enough to pay the price.

Cangzhou was far from peaceful, yet it was Prince Jin’s lifeblood. It served as his money-laundering hub, and securing evidence from this region would be a tremendous advantage for him.

Meanwhile, at Falling Blossom Pavilion, the smiles of two old foxes lingered.

Yangming, you’ve done well this time. Zhao Ta should be… completely unharmed, right?

Yun Yangming, also known as Prince Jin, replied, Of course. He will be handed over to Lord Gao for disposal.

Suddenly, the steward rushed in, attempting to whisper in Prince Jin’s ear, but the prince rebuked him

We’re all family here. There’s no need for secrets. Speak plainly!

The steward glanced nervously between the Prime Minister and Prince Jin, his skin crawling with goosebumps. Finally, he stammered out the news

Zhao Ta… he’s dead!