A Scummy Alpha Emperor Transmigrated and Marked the Powerful Prime Minister - Chapter 23.2

Lin Jiayue raised an eyebrow and held the little dog properly in her arms. It was white, clumsy, and looked like a very silly little dog when it “smiled.” That was her first impression. Then, she sized up Lu Siling. Who knew? The cold and obsessive Grand Chancellor would keep such a silly dog.

As if hearing her thoughts, the little guy struggled to get out of her arms, yapping “ow-ow.”

“Don’t you know how to bark?” Lin Jiayue lifted Bai Heng by the scruff. “Yapping ‘ow-ow’ like you’re still a nursing puppy?”

Lu Siling: “…”

Bai Heng: “Woof!”

“Good dog.” Lin Jiayue didn’t withhold her praise.

The woman who had been chasing the dog looked at her, then smiled at Lu Siling. “My Lady, who is this young Lady? She’s quite interesting.”

A smile floated into Lin Jiayue’s eyes, bright and starlit—no different from the little dog in her arms. She wanted to hear how Lu Siling would introduce her.

“Jia Deming, a scholar from Jiangnan.”

A scholar was like a tiny ant before a Grand Chancellor. If her identity were Emperor, she would be the superior. Although Lu Siling held the real power, nominally, the Emperor was supreme.

The woman bowed. “I am Meng Wushang, a physician.”

Lin Jiayue indeed caught a faint scent of medicine. “Master Meng.”

“I am not from an official family; I do not deserve the title ‘Master’.” Meng Wushang’s gaze swept between the two. “However, it is my first time seeing someone like Master Jia.”

“What do you mean?” Lin Jiayue stroked the dog’s fur; it was warm, perfect for warming her hands in winter.

Meng Wushang kept her hands in her sleeves, a smile on her face. “Other scholars are terrified when they see the Grand Chancellor. They either flatter her excessively or try to curry favor in secret. I have never seen anyone as unconcerned as Master Jia, acting so naturally in front of the Grand Chancellor.”

Who wouldn’t be nervous? They either feared her power or were awestruck by her beauty. Someone like Lin Jiayue—who not only wasn’t nervous but was stroking the dog and even insulting it—was rare indeed. That was the Grand Chancellor’s dog. The pets of a premier are like seventh-rank officials; even a third-rank official would only offer praise.

Lin Jiayue’s hand paused, then she chuckled. “Maybe it’s because I’m a blockhead who doesn’t know the ways of the world.” She snorted inwardly, meeting Lu Siling’s eyes. This person just called me thick-skinned.

This caused Lu Siling to raise an eyebrow. She then glanced at Bai Heng, who had narrowed his eyes while being stroked, completely forgetting that Lin Jiayue had just insulted him. Bastards, both of them.

Meng Wushang was surprised she would say that. A very interesting person. Especially Bai Heng; the dog disliked everyone except the Grand Chancellor and was very vengeful, yet he was staying perfectly still in the arms of someone who had insulted him. Looking at his enjoyment, he was a truly silly dog.

Meng Wushang looked away and chuckled. “Master Jia is joking. A person of such character is rare to find. By the way, the poetry gathering is about to start. Grand Chancellor, Master Jia, please proceed. I was just here to deliver the dog, so I’ll take my leave now.”

She vaguely felt something was “off” between this Jia Deming and her Grand Chancellor. When she arrived, she saw them in a standoff, which was why she’d set Bai Heng down. The dog was always enthusiastic toward the Grand Chancellor and ignored her, so she knew he’d charge toward her. Bai Heng’s appearance had brought a hint of softness to the Grand Chancellor’s expressionless face.

What surprised her more was Jia Deming. The name was obviously fake, but what kind of young person could remain composed before the Grand Chancellor and even tease her dog? For today’s gathering, anyone they met would offer a word of praise for the “scruffy” little dog. The little guy, who had been dressed up nicely, had gone wild and his fur was all messy.

What puzzled Meng Wushang even more was the Grand Chancellor’s tolerance. Her Lady was a gentle and refined woman who valued etiquette and disliked flightiness. Bai Heng was the most flighty thing in the manor; Lu Siling acted as though she detested him, yet allowed him access to everywhere. Her room, her study—nowhere was off-limits. She’d even pick him up for a cuddle when no one was looking.

Meng Wushang suddenly thought: Bai Heng? Jia Deming? If her Lady hated someone, she wouldn’t stay with them. Either this person was the Emperor, or her Lady was being “duplicitous.” Why would the Emperor be here? So it must be her Lady…

Meng Wushang felt she had discovered something and quickly took her leave. Her Lady wasn’t young; if she was finally “blooming,” it was a good thing. Though this Jia Deming was handsome and had a cold elegance, her clear gaze gave an impression of innocence. Innocence? What a luxury. She had to admit, if the Grand Chancellor kept such a young person, it would be nice. Like Bai Heng, she’d bring a ripple to the Grand Chancellor’s stagnant life.

Meng Wushang bowed and gave Lu Siling an “I understand” look before striding away, as if afraid someone might stop her.

Lu Siling: “?”

Lin Jiayue thought the physician was a bit strange. In her white clothes, she looked like an immortal, yet her actions were a bit… abstract. Mhm… nice.

Only the two of them were left. Lu Siling clearly didn’t want to say more. “Your Majesty, please.”

“I’m hiding my name today; Teacher Lu, no need for formalities.” Lin Jiayue thought for a moment. “Grand Chancellor, after you.”

Lu Siling simply strode forward, and she followed, walking side-by-side. Holding Bai Heng, Lin Jiayue’s hands didn’t stop stroking him, which moved her clothes, her sleeve occasionally brushing against Lu Siling’s.

Lu Siling frowned and looked at Lin Jiayue’s “claws” stroking Bai Heng. The dog had narrowed his eyes in bliss, looking like he was about to fall asleep. In Lu Siling’s eyes, the two almost merged. Was it a case of “birds of a feather,” or “two dogs walking together”?

Sensing the gaze, Lin Jiayue stopped her obsessive dog-hair styling and looked back with a smile. “Bai Heng is nothing like the Grand Chancellor’s dog.”

What does that mean?

Lu Siling silently moved half a step away. Lin Jiayue, thinking she had drifted off course, immediately moved closer. Bai Heng stretched in her arms, not giving his owner a single glance. Bastard dog, does he not know who his master is? Or is he just close to his own kind?

Lu Siling’s gaze fell on the ice in the distance, her pupils reflecting the cold. But when the plum blossoms entered her view, a hint of softness appeared. “What kind of dog should I keep?”

Lin Jiayue didn’t look up. “A cat. One of those calicos. Always holding its head high, looking at the world with absolute indifference, like a supreme ruler.”

That was the cat of her imagination. Perhaps a stereotype, but she felt Lu Siling should keep such a cat. She truly hadn’t expected her to keep a scruffy local dog.

Supreme ruler? Lu Siling frowned. “Is Your Majesty testing me?”

To be so direct—who had been talking to the young Emperor, or did she truly believe she would rebel? She had to admit, the Emperor’s intuition was correct. If a suitable replacement was found, she would rebel. She had done it once in her past life, but chose the wrong person—someone who acted obediently but turned on her once they took the throne. She needed a child Emperor, preferably under ten, so personal rule would be five or six years away. If that wasn’t enough, she’d just keep putting child Emperors on the throne. They were all Lin family Emperors. Since Lin Jiayue had wronged her, it was only fair.

However, she had never intended to replace the Lin family herself. Otherwise, she would be failing the late Emperor who had raised her since she was ten, hired famous teachers for her, and cleared the Lu family’s name. What broke her heart was that the young Emperor, whom she had poured her heart into, actually thought she wanted to be Emperor herself.

Lin Jiayue blinked in confusion, then realized Lu Siling had misunderstood. “I mean a tiger. The king of all beasts.”

Lu Siling: “?”

“Is Your Majesty saying I am a tigress?” (A term for a shrewish/fierce woman).

Lin Jiayue: “…” Dammit! I can’t explain this away. “No, no… a tiger symbolizes bravery! And there are the tiger tallies—they represent power! And a white tiger is a divine beast for guarding the home and warding off evil…” Seeing Lu Siling’s face grow darker, she quickly shut her mouth.

“Weren’t we talking about cats… and dogs?” Lin Jiayue forced a change of subject. After her nonsensical explanation, Lu Siling miraculously believed that she hadn’t meant it in the way she’d understood.

“Your Majesty always speaks in surprising ways.” Lu Siling gave her a cold look—but beneath the coldness, Lin Jiayue felt a different emotion for the first time. Absurd? Speechless? Or ‘This person is sick’? Of course, Lu Siling wouldn’t know those words, but as a modern person, Lin Jiayue could read the meaning.

Lin Jiayue gently bumped her shoulder against Lu Siling’s. “Teacher Lu, if you keep your face stiff every day, you’ll become a ‘stodgy old-timer’.”

Lu Siling’s temple throbbed. Is this person looking for death? Lin Jiayue knew she was teasing her, but Lu Siling looked even more beautiful when she was annoyed. The “cold beauty” had leveled up into a “sternly annoyed great beauty.” Besides, being a bit of a nuisance was fun; Lu Siling had already wanted to kill her anyway. Although Lu Siling didn’t say it, she sensed a hint of murderous intent. Who else could it be? Surely not the dog in her arms.

Lin Jiayue lifted Bai Heng, and the person and dog stared at each other, trying to find murderous intent in those stupid eyes. To Lu Siling, it looked like two dogs staring at each other.

Wait… there really is murderous intent.

Lin Jiayue frowned and felt for the short blade hidden at her waist beneath her fox fur. She wouldn’t be caught off guard.

“Traitorous official, die!” A roar rang out. Lin Jiayue immediately drew her blade. A masked assassin charged toward them.

Unlike the black-clad assassins in dramas, this person wore ordinary clothes. The cloth over their face only had two holes for the eyes and a slit for the nose. Wearing such heavy concealment, it was only natural they couldn’t be recognized. The “men in black” in TV shows who only cover half their faces can still be identified by those who know them. This assassin was truly a professional.

“Maj—” Zhang Huairou, following from a distance, was about to scream when he saw his sovereign’s foot lash out. The assassin was sent flying before he could even land.

Lin Jiayue strode to the assassin and with a few quick moves, dislocated his arms and jaw. She was so practiced she didn’t look like an Emperor at all; compared to the assassin, she looked like the professional. Zhang Huairou was stunned. In a flash, how did his sovereign achieve this?

“Remove the cloth from his face.”

Zhang Huairou hurriedly tore away the mask, then wrapped his hand in a handkerchief to pull a poison tooth from the assassin’s mouth. This movement was also so practiced he didn’t look like a eunuch.

Lu Siling took it all in. An Emperor who wasn’t like an Emperor, and a eunuch who wasn’t like a eunuch. From their practiced movements, had they killed before?

Lin Jiayue was also surprised. Zhang Huairou actually knew about poison teeth? She’d only known from TV; she hadn’t thought of it just now. Where did Zhang Huairou learn that? And his knowledge of so many people… he didn’t seem like an inner palace eunuch at all.

If Lin Jiayue was merely puzzled, Lu Siling already had a suspicion. Every Great Zhou Emperor held a hidden force: the Hidden Pavilion. It was divided into four departments: Day-Guard (Protection), Moon-Blade (Assassination), and Star-Spy (Intelligence).

Lu Siling had originally thought the Pavilion was in the young Emperor’s hands, but seeing her cautious behavior and how she was hindered at every turn, she felt something was wrong. Her investigation confirmed the Pavilion wasn’t with the young Emperor—the sovereign didn’t even know what it was. The existence of the Pavilion was a secret; besides a few in the Secretariat, likely only the heads of the great noble clans knew of it. Lin Jiayue had been a leisure prince; how could she know so much?