C18 Duke Lin's Anger!

Inside Duke Lin Mansion, Rong Lin sat fuming in the grand hall, a line of scholars and retainers kneeling before him. His anger was palpable, and he pointed at them, shouting, "Useless! A bunch of useless fools! Do I keep you around just to cause trouble for me?"

He could usually turn a blind eye to their arrogance, but they failed to rein it in when it mattered most. As a result, they all fell into the trap set by that old fox, Prime Minister Gu, causing him to lose his salary and be barred from court.

Three months—three crucial months when everything could change in an instant!

"Your Grace, please calm down. It's clear Prime Minister Gu is targeting you. Even if he hadn't found fault with them, he would have found something else," said an elderly man in a gray robe, his beady eyes gleaming with cunning.

Rong Lin, still seething, snapped, "Are you saying it's my fault?"

The old man bowed apologetically. "I wouldn't dare, Your Grace. But the priority should be to restore your standing with His Majesty."

The ongoing feud between Duke Lin and the Gu Mansion had become the talk of the town, and the emperor was growing weary of Prime Minister Gu's complaints. If this continued, it would only deepen the rift between the emperor and Duke Lin.

"Restore my standing? How am I supposed to do that when I can't even leave the mansion?" Rong Lin growled, kicking the nearest retainer in frustration. His usual composure was nowhere to be seen.

The old man blinked his sharp eyes and leaned in to whisper in Rong Lin's ear.

"You want me to propose to Gu Zhuohua?" Rong Lin sneered. "How could she possibly be worthy of entering Duke Lin Mansion? The only woman fit to enter is Shen Yao! That ignorant woman dreams of sharing my bed—it's laughable!"

"Duke Lin, please calm down. You have a prior engagement with Miss Shen, and given Gu Zhuohua's notorious reputation, offering her a position as a secondary consort could not only appease His Majesty's anger but also win over the Gu family. Wouldn't that be killing two birds with one stone?" The man with the beady eyes smiled slyly.

Rong Lin, however, found it unwise. While others might be unaware, he knew all too well that the Emperor intended to suppress the Gu family. Although he hadn't acted yet, it was only a matter of time. How was he supposed to handle this hot potato?

Rong Lin furrowed his brow. "We're both aware of the Emperor's stance on the Gu family. How can I take on such a risky endeavor?"

"You're right, Duke. But if you could use this opportunity to help His Majesty deal with the Gu family..." The old man made a slicing gesture, his squinty eyes filled with calculation.

Rong Lin's eyes lit up. If he succeeded, not only would his father not punish him, but he might also gain favor, perhaps even a shot at the crown prince position...

Just as this thought crossed his mind, the image of Shen Yao's gentle face popped into his head. He had promised Yao that he would marry only her. Even a secondary consort position, though minor, would break that promise.

The old man seemed to read his mind and, with a knowing look, added fuel to the fire. "Duke, those who achieve great things don't sweat the small stuff. Please reconsider."

Duke Lin pondered for a moment, still undecided, when the mansion's steward hurried in. "Duke, there's a woman outside asking to see you."

His thoughts in disarray, Duke Lin had no time for visitors. He waved dismissively. "Send her away. I'm not seeing anyone."

The steward stepped forward, handing something to him quietly. "The woman brought this."

A small, dark token lay in the steward's palm. Rong Lin was startled, quickly glancing at the kneeling guests to ensure they hadn't noticed. Then he spoke up, "All of you, leave. And don't use my name to flaunt around anymore, or you'll be punished by death."

The servant nervously agreed and quickly excused himself.

Rong Lin examined the badge, his expression unreadable. "Who sent this?"

The butler shook his head. "I don't recognize them. The face was unfamiliar."

Rong Lin handed the small badge to the elderly man beside him. "What do you make of this, Master Zhang?"

It was puzzling that a badge belonging to the Duke Lin Mansion's secret guards would appear in a woman's possession. If it were an ordinary badge, it might be overlooked, but this particular badge was not meant to be seen. Rong Lin couldn't help but feel uneasy.

"Your Highness, don't worry. Let's bring the woman in and see what she has to say," suggested Master Zhang. With that, the butler promptly left the hall.