Chapter 73- Eating Melons Close to Home – Transcendental Translations

Get updated every time a new chapter is released and Get the Passwords to Password Protected Content at our Discord Server -> Click Here to Join now (Protected Content will be available within few days of release)

Chapter 73

“Master Yang?” A strange voice spoke from within. “This isn’t much of a show of sincerity, don’t you think?”

The voice was filled with disdain, and it continued, “His Highness took time out of his busy day to see you—not to be handed some half-hearted attempt.”

“Your Highness, this humble servant… wouldn’t dare.”

The second voice was careful and a little fearful. “This is everything I could gather.”

“The chance you’ve been given isn’t easy to come by, Master Yang. You should know that well enough,” the first voice chided, still sounding scornful.

Jiang Ruohua’s eyes narrowed. The courtyard was lit, so it would be too obvious if she stood to peek. Instead, she leaned back against the wall, listening intently to the sounds inside.

After a long silence, Master Yang replied, with an even lower tone, “Then, I’ll… go gather more. Please, Your Highness, see my loyalty, and allow me a few more days to prepare. I won’t disappoint you again.”

Listening to the conversation, Jiang Ruohua guessed it was bribery, a secret deal in the works. Princes of a certain age would take roles in the court, and ambitious officials always eyed these openings. To climb higher, they’d latch onto a prince who might reward them later. And in exchange, those princes could plant their own men in key positions.

A perfect exchange.

The Jiang family’s teachings had always valued loyalty. Warriors bled and sacrificed on the front lines to defend the nation, and her father always spoke of duty and honor, refusing to take even a coin of extra pay. She too had learned to despise this kind of corruption and scheming among officials.

Those who took advantage of their posts to fill their own pockets were detestable.

Fine, it didn’t matter to her who was hiding in Yin Wang’s body. If he was going to take part in this, he couldn’t blame her for gathering evidence against him!

“Master Yang, what exactly will you offer up?” the scornful voice spoke up again. “If you really can’t come up with it, don’t waste His Highness’s time.”

“No, no! I wouldn’t dare!” Master Yang sounded frantic. “Just three days! I’ll have it ready in three days. And the previous misunderstanding was truly unintentional. Please, Your Highness, see my sincerity and allow me a few days. I swear I’ll bring the full five thousand taels!”

Five thousand taels was no small amount in the Great Qi Dynasty. Without family wealth, there was no way an official’s salary alone could cover such a sum. The Emperor despised corruption, and even if most officials sold their homes and valuables, they’d struggle to pull together five thousand taels.

Jiang Ruohua’s eyes narrowed. It seemed Master Yang had been caught in some scandal and was now hoping to pay his way out of it.

She wondered how this Yin Wang would handle the situation.

【Aba, aba, aba, aba…】

Jiang Ruohua: …?

The lackey’s rude tone switched immediately to a flatter one as he addressed Yin Wang. “Your Highness, what is your decision?”

“Hm…?” Luo Yu froze, then quickly nodded as if in deep thought, saying, “Yes…”

【What the—why is it my turn to talk? What am I supposed to say?!】

(System: Want me to prep you a mic?)

【Stop with the snark! I hate being caught off guard like this. I’m nervous! I don’t do social situations!】

Jiang Ruohua: …

What an idiot.

She was eavesdropping, only to hear… this? Instead of thinking over how to deal with Master Yang, how to accept or reject the money, or even how he’d use Master Yang’s crimes against him, he was just… nervous?

Did he need her to teach him how to do his dirty work?

What kind of fool was this demon?

For a long while, he muttered in his mind about whether he should take the money, fumbling over words before he finally spoke. From the broken mess of his thoughts, Jiang Ruohua began to understand the situation.

It seemed this demon was unsure whether he should be doing this at all, yet he seemed to be trying to mimic the old Yin Wang’s life.

But he was doing a terrible job. Even if he was caught off guard, he shouldn’t have answered with that confused “Hm?” That would only make his underlings suspicious.

Even silence would’ve been better. That way, nobody would suspect anything.

【Alright, this’ll have to do. No idea if it’s right or wrong, ahhh, I really can’t do this villain thing! Curse you, Luo Zhengyu! You’re truly despicable! And now, to avoid breaking the plot, I have to play the villain for you! Ugh!】

【Oh… dear wife… I wish I could be with you to heal my broken heart… So unfair! This plot, I despise it!】

Jiang Ruohua frowned. Why did this suddenly seem to involve her?

It was as though everything this demon was doing somehow related back to her.

Puzzle after puzzle—she didn’t understand. And these nonsensical words, combined in ways that made no sense to her, only deepened her curiosity. She needed to get close enough to uncover this demon’s intentions.

She’d been crouched down, eavesdropping so long her legs had started to go numb. The only clear words were the constant back-and-forth about the five thousand taels, while this demon mumbled in his mind every other sentence.

Whatever he was thinking was all nonsense. Nothing useful at all.

The only thing close to relevant was his complaint about how accepting bribes would cut into his sleeping time.

After all this, Jiang Ruohua felt an urge to burst into the room and slap him.

When she’d gathered enough information, she left quietly, hiding in the shadows. She recognized both men as they exited, one after the other.

So, it was that Master Yang—the one distantly related to her family.

As for the man behind him, he was one of Yin Wang’s advisors, a scheming fellow who’d stayed by Yin Wang’s side in her dream. Nothing good could come of him.

Master Yang rushed away, his mind probably filled with how to gather the five thousand taels. Jiang Ruohua’s eyes narrowed, suddenly guessing where he would find the money.

His family.

This was something she could not tolerate.

There were many Yang families in the capital, but if we’re talking family connections, it would be San Furen’s maternal family.

As it happened, the Yang family member indebted to Yin Wang was none other than San Furen’s own brother.

The Yang family’s status wasn’t high. Though they had once had an imperial tutor among their ancestors, they now relied on generations of hard-studying scholars, most of whom held civil servant roles. By San Furen’s generation, there were few talented members left, and it was only thanks to their family name that they could pass down positions.