Chapter 23

Translated by boilpoil Edited by boilpoil

Bai Lianhua feels that he might have just returned to this world, but he’s already lost his confidence in the antagonist.

In this unnerving silence, Bai Lianhua avoids eye contact with Meng Yanbai, saying quietly, “let me down first.”

The current posture is too awkward. It’s making him uncomfortable all over.

Meng Yanbai raises his eyebrows, “finally willing to speak?”

He’s clearly amused, “but you’re the one that chose to fell into my embrace. Why do you ask me to let go?”

Bai Lianhua is unhappy “…” Time is a really cruel thief to rob us of our former selves. It’s not only given the antagonist a whole tainted aura, but also granted him sharp words and irrationality.

Looking at Bai Lianhua who seems like he really wants to retort but can’t say anything, Meng Yanbai is quite pleased, “fine. I’m not going to anger you.”

Meng Yanbai lets his hand go, but then holds onto him again when Bai Lianhua tries to rise and leave, indicating him to sit on the imperial throne together with him.

“You can sit in this chair too.”

Bai Lianhua “…” No, thanks, I would rather not.

I just want to be farther away from you, with or without this chair… To be fair, just in terms of practicality, this chair isn’t even as comfortable as the sofa I used to sprawl in. Don’t worry that I will feel inadequate.

Meng Yanbai is insistent, however, that he sits next to him. So even if he’s escaped from Meng Yanbai’s embrace, but Bai Lianhua is still basically next to him. This is making him restless still.

“I’m happy to be able to see you again. This is the only thing that has made me so happy in these 10-odd years. Not even enthronement can compare to it.”

“But I can see that you don’t seem particularly happy… Do you not want to see me?”

——Of course I’m not happy. I’m only shocked.

Bai Lianhua can’t say the truth though, so he lowers his head, “I’m just not used to this, it feels… unfamiliar.”

Meng Yanbai realises something, “is it because of my form of address ‘gu’?”

Meng Yanbai is surprisingly lenient on this, “then in front of you, I ‘ll stop using it. I did forget about this.”

Bai Lianhua shakes his head, “I don’t deny that this is part of it, but it’s not all… the current you is practically another person from the person I recall in my memories.”

In any case, under his influence, while Meng Yanbai might not exactly be a ray of sunshine back then, but at least he’s not moody like right now.

He looks like a tyrant-to-be. If Meng Yanbai was like this back then, then how could his white lotus mission have ever been judged to be a success? He’ll definitely have failed.

Meng Yanbai’s expression changes, “what, even you think I’m emotional, moody and terrifying now?”

Bai Lianhua feels like nodding incessantly, but for his insignificant life’s sake, he doesn’t try to play with fire.

Meng Yanbai is quiet for a while, before staring directly into Bai Lianhua’s eyes, “since you’ve been murdered that year, the Meng Yanbai you remember is dead.”

“You might think that person in your memories is a good person, but to me, I only know that I was weak and helpless back then. I was far away from the centre of power, not even qualified to participate in what you would call a higher-level power play. I could only watch from the sidelines as you disappeared.”

“That was when I realised that only power in hand can help protect those important to me.”

“Bai Lianhua, the position of power and influence requires a suitable mental capacity. You were simple, earnest to a fault back then. Those might be commendable qualities, but as an imperial prince, those would only have destroyed you.”

“You’re stuck deep in the swamp that is the imperial court, but still wanted to maintain your pure whiteness, not being tainted with power of any kind. In the end, you were only plucked from the root up casually by people, becoming part of the nutrient for this swamp.”

Bai Lianhua “???” I’m getting angry, you know. All you antagonists, can’t you just go about stuff directly? What’s with all these similes?

“You’re not used to the me right now, but only this Meng Yanbai that makes you feel unfamiliar can finally ascend the throne, and even manage to see you again, being rewarded the prize——When you appeared, I just happened to be thinking about you.”

Bai Lianhua understood… Great, so Meng Yanbai’s reason for dramatically changing is still his ‘death’? Meng Yanbai really thought he was sacrificed when the infighting for the throne spread onto him. So he hated how powerless he was, and became dissatisfied with the imperial family, and therefore he ended up walking on the path of usurpation like in the original world’s timeline?

——If he knew his lighthearted departure back then would have resulted in this, he wouldn’t have left the mission world easily back then. However much the system complains that he’s wasting him, he wouldn’t have left. Why couldn’t he have just stayed until the antagonist died? Then it would be much less trouble.

Meng Yanbai continues, “it’s really a scary afterthought, no? If I was not the one sitting on the imperial throne right now, but someone else, would you have landed in his embrace like you just did——I can’t stand it even just imagining it.”

Bai Lianhua feels chills going down his spine, and shakes his head, “no.” You kidding? I returned only because it was you. If it were anyone else then he can have the throne all they want. I’ll not have appeared even if they enthroned a dozen times a day.

Bai Lianhua tries to move the topic away, “I want to know, how you ascended the throne.”

Meng Yanbai sniggers at himself, “how I ascended the throne? No, you don’t have to be so roundabout. Just ask me how I usurped the throne.”

“Don’t worry, I didn’t lay my hand on your father.”

Meng Yanbai actually took the opportunity when his father passed away and the princes are all fighting with each other resulting in chaos in the imperial court. He put all his years of planning into action and successfully changed the ruling dynasty.

He’s fought for the country over the years, and has the military achievement and reputation, and also loyal soldiers under his command; besides this, he was also highly trusted by the royal Bai dynasty. Before he rebelled he was a famously loyal commander, and no one tried to defend against him; and with his years of planning he’s almost got all of the beneficial factors he could. It would have been stranger if he failed.

This happened a month ago. Only Meng Yanbai was preparing for an honourable enthronement so he only completed the process of ascension today. That’s why he said this is the first day of him on the throne.

After hesitating, Bai Lianhua asks about how the previous royals are.

——You can probably guess that he’s not the real sixth prince. The real one died a sickly infant, and the system exploited this and arranged for him to take the place of the sixth prince.

Therefore, he is not biologically related to the Bai dynasty… Still, he did act as a member of the royal family for many years, so he should probably see how they’re doing right now.

Meng Yanbai is unsurprised Bai Lianhua will ask this question, and answers honestly, “most of them still have their lives, except the good older imperial brothers of yours.”

As a royal family, the Bai family did not have a lot of members. After Meng Yanbai made his way up the hierarchy, he killed only several imperial prince that were higher in the hierarchy of age. He let the rest of the Bai family be.

Since Meng Yanbai chose to strike at an opportune time, even if the process was quite gripping, there wasn’t a lot of blood, nor a lot of killing. The court was already as chaotic as it could be… So before anyone reacted to it, the dynasty is now Meng.

“They all told me I should uproot the whole lot of them, but when I think about how their blood flows in you, I’m not interested in doing that anymore.”

“Now it looks like I was correct. Or you’d have started hating me.”

“But I executed those imperial brothers of yours personally. They threatened your life, so they should die.”

“Do you mind that I did that?”

Bai Lianhua shakes his head blankly. The system told him to be a white lotus, not a saint… The older imperial brothers that year really did want to kill him, because of his special identity as the son of a Guifei. They were even willing to temporarily suspend their hostilities, uniting to take care of this powerful potential enemy first.

It’s only because he had the system, and had also wanted to leave, so he went with the flow and faked his death. If he were truly just a frail imperial prince without special powers, he’d definitely have died. It’s not the first time they did something like this either, and they’ve already had fraternal blood on their hands——Another prince that was quite popular died overnight before. Nobody would believe it if someone says there’s nothing suspicious about that.

Meng Yanbai chuckles, “good. As for the others… If you don’t leave, and stay by my side, then I’ll treat them well.”

Bai Lianhua “???”

Are you threatening me?

But… alright. Even if it were a threat, even if he saw through it, then what?

As a proper white lotus, even if he’s unwilling, he can’t refuse directly.

Bai Lianhua doesn’t say anything. Instead, an expression of exhaustion shows up on his face.

Meng Yanbai notices it.

“It’s late today. There’s probably not enough time to prepare a residence for you now. Come with me to my chambers. We can have a nice and long chat through the night.”

Bai Lianhua is panicking.

No no no, why won’t there be enough time? Don’t underestimate the ability of the imperial maids and eunuchs when put to work. And I don’t believe that all the other palaces are not clean enough for someone to immediately move in. Is this a fake imperial palace?

Meng Yanbai is unconcerned with his panicking, “what are you worried about? We also used to do it.”

Yes, this did happen before, but that’s when you were a normal, righteous young man. Unlike now.

If I really did talk with you throughout the night, I’m afraid I’ll end up in a dishonourably compromising position.

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