The Villainous Classmate is My Lucky Star Chapter 200
Translated by Pure
Chapter 200 Yibei Bound
In one swift, merciless strike, the last remnants of the Jiang Residence soldiers were vanquished, leaving no room for escape. Amongst the wreckage, Jiang Yan, thrust into an unwanted leadership, found himself reduced to a trembling figure, on bended knees, pleading for mercy. His tears mingled with the dirt and blood, a pitiable sight as the glinting blade pressed against his quivering throat.
With a sudden, swift motion, his world plunged into darkness as a black shroud enveloped his head. In this disorienting moment, he was whisked away from the chaos, ushered into the confines of a quiet carriage, the turbulent outside world replaced by an eerie, anticipatory silence.
In the suffocating embrace of fear, Jiang Yan's voice wavered and cracked, a desperate plea echoing through the confined space. "Spare me, please! I was coerced into this! I harbor no rebellious intent—"
Abruptly, a low chuckle emanated from beside him, sending a jolt of terror through Jiang Yan's veins. His breath hitched, and he couldn't suppress the shiver that coursed down his spine, his sobs now echoing loudly in the stifling air.
"Come now, you're a grown man. There's no need for such tears," a voice chided, tinged with a hint of exasperation. Jiang Yan, though still trembling, managed to stifle his sobs, his gaze flickering to the source of the voice.
"Who... Who are you?" he stammered, his voice hoarse and trembling with anxiety.
With a sudden, deft motion, the shroud over his head was whisked away. Through tear-blurred vision, Jiang Yan's gaze met a pair of discerning eyes, and a surge of recognition jolted through him. It was none other than the imperial fifth prince, Cheng Xin.
Dread crept in, threatening to overpower him. Back at the Academy, he and Chi Jingxi had always clashed, their rivalry fierce and unforgiving. Now, held captive in their clutches, Jiang Yan couldn't help but fear the inevitable reprisal that awaited him. The tables had turned, and he was now at their mercy.
Jiang Yan cowered, his voice quivering as he implored, "Wen Yantong used the Little Marquis as leverage, promising that if I agreed to be an informant, he'd spare my life..."
Cheng Xin, a sly old fox, wore a perpetual veneer of a smile, never revealing his true sentiments. Even when disdain coursed through his veins, he could effortlessly mask it with that beguiling grin. Observing Jiang Yan now, a pitiable figure trembling like a cornered rabbit, a mischievous impulse surged within Cheng Xin, compelling him to toy with the frightened man.
"The Little Marquis made that pledge. How is it any concern of mine?" Cheng Xin inquired, his smile unfaltering, though mischief danced in his eyes.
"W-what?!" Jiang Yan's eyes widened, disbelief etched across his face. "But... Wen Yantong assured me..."
"That's the agreement you made with them, and I have no obligation to fulfill it for them." Cheng Xin stated with an air of indifference.
"But aren’t you and the Little Marquis..." Jiang Yan began, his voice tinged with confusion.
"In the royal family, true friendships are as rare as phoenix feathers," Cheng Xin interjected, his tone carrying a note of bitter truth. "They're all but facades."
Jiang Yan really took this to heart. The rapid transformations he had witnessed in Wen Yantong, the seamless shifts in identity, played vividly in his mind. The weight of reality pressed upon Jiang Yan. He couldn't help but let out a despairing cry, "Can't any of you just lead an honest life?"
Cheng Xin's laughter echoed through the carriage, a wry amusement dancing in his eyes. "Why do you take my every word as gospel?"
Jiang Yan was struck dumb, his mind whirling. Could this too be another layer of deception?
As Cheng Xin's laughter gradually subsided, he spoke with an air of solemnity, "Danli has already implored me to spare your life, and I've received his missive to that effect. However, releasing you is not an option at this moment."
Jiang Yan's elation remained concealed, his countenance betraying nothing as he asked with guarded resolve, "What do you want from me?"
Leaning back, Cheng Xin assumed a casual posture, his striking eyes locking onto Jiang Yan's tear-streaked face. Though his expression seemed nonchalant, his keen gaze bore into Jiang Yan, dissecting every nuance of his emotions. In this moment, he wasn't merely listening; he was scrutinizing.
"If I'm not mistaken, your father has stashed a substantial cache of military armaments beneath Nian'an Temple. You're familiar with this, aren't you?" Cheng Xin's voice was measured, his words a calculated probe. The weight of his gaze made it clear - if Jiang Yan was being anything less than forthright, Cheng Xin would discern it in an instant.
It was a clandestine art, honed over years by Cheng Xin, a product of his upbringing within the intricate web of the royal family.
Jiang Yan was momentarily taken aback, but he swiftly composed himself and admitted, "Yes, I am aware of it."
Cheng Xin asked, "Then do you know how those things came about?"
The inquiry that followed made Jiang Yan pause. He considered his words with care, a hint of embarrassment coloring his features. "It was bought with money."
Cheng Xin's eyes bore into Jiang Yan, devoid of any emotion, as he delivered his revelations. "In the third lunar month of last year, you expended tens of thousands of gold to purchase a renowned courtesan from an upscale brothel. Then, in the seventh lunar month of that same year, you parted with thousands more to acquire the courtesan's younger sister. Was that money funneled into the acquisition of weapons?"
Jiang Yan's admission came with a solemn nod, "Indeed, that establishment is a clandestine venture of our Jiang Residence. The courtesans who were 'redeemed' were mere pawns orchestrated by my father. Every last coin was funneled into their acquisition, and none of it found its way into my pocket."
Arching an inquisitive brow, Cheng Xin probed further, "So was it the truth that you were beaten to the point that you couldn't rise for half a month?"
Jiang Yan's gaze fell, voice tinged with resignation, "Yes, it's the truth. My father insisted on a performance that left no room for doubt, emphasizing realism above all else."
Aware that the rest of his family had already passed the guillotine anyway, there was no way they could crawl out of the ground to look for him, Jiang Yan unreservedly spilled the damning truth, fully implicating those who had once held sway over him.
Cheng Xin scrutinized Jiang Yan's thin frame. When they had crossed paths back in the Academy, it was apparent to him that this man was all bark and no bite. Though he projected a fierce facade, Cheng Xin could discern the underlying fear in his eyes.
In truth, the true force to be reckoned with in the Jiang family was Jiang Yan's father, and the real playboy was his eldest brother.
"Tell me, where did that batch of items come from?" Cheng Xin pressed on with his inquiry.
Jiang Yan's head shook. "I genuinely don't know."
Cheng Xin insisted, "You must know. Think about it more carefully."
Jiang Yan lifted his gaze, locking eyes with Cheng Xin, his second direct look since they'd entered the carriage. Cheng Xin reclined languidly on the cushioned seat, his countenance lacking any overt sharpness, yet it still weighed heavily on the atmosphere.
Propping his chin on his hand, Cheng Xin mused, "Let me recollect... Around the fourth lunar month of the year before last, your father applied for a two-month leave from the court. He claimed he'd suffered a bone injury and needed to return to his hometown for recovery."
As Cheng Xin spoke, Jiang Yan began to piece together that indeed, there had been a period when his father was absent from their household.
"Can you recall where he went during that time?" Cheng Xin inquired further.
Jiang Yan shook his head and was about to respond, but he met Cheng Xin's gaze, which held a hint of icy sternness, and it silenced him. "Please take your time to recollect before speaking," Cheng Xin urged.
Left with no choice, Jiang Yan fell into deep thought. The events in question had transpired over two years ago. At the time, Jiang Yan hadn't paid much heed. He spent most of his days in a gloomy state at home, disinclined to venture outside.
In his father's absence, the household had grown still and desolate. This period of calm offered Jiang Yan an unusual respite, leaving a lasting impression on him to this day.
Jiang Yan's memory suddenly sparked, and he rushed to share, "I recall, when my father returned, one of his attendants brought a small, multicolored doll for my mother. It was quite unique, something I had never encountered before. I suspect it's a local specialty from wherever he went."
Cheng Xin's eyes brightened. "A Wishing Doll?"
"Yes, exactly! That's what it was called," Jiang Yan confirmed. "I overheard it in passing. I even planned to get one for myself if I had the chance in the future. But when I inquired, no one around me seemed to have heard of it."
Cheng Xin chuckled, a sense of realization dawning upon him. "Ah, I see now. It all makes sense. What an effort it took to piece this together."
Jiang Yan sat there, not daring to ask any further, knowing that the more he knew, the danger would befall him.
Cheng Xin asked, "Aren't you curious about what a Wishing Doll is?"
Jiang Yan quickly shook his head.
Cheng Xin's smile remained, "You'll be heading to Yibei."
Jiang Yan blinked, processing the information. "To Yibei? That's quite far."
Indeed, Yibei was a considerable distance from Chaoge, nearly halfway across the continent and near the northern border.
Cheng Xin elaborated, "Given your current status, the farther you are, the safer you'll be. If anyone were to find you, your fate would be sealed."