You Were Sent to the Capital as a Hostage, Yet You Took the Throne as Emperor? - Chapter 2:

Chapter 2: Defying Your Superiors? Die!

Gao Ming glanced down at Li Qingtian’s corpse, then kicked it aside and cursed, “Useless trash,” before sitting at the table and downing a cup of wine in one gulp.

As a trusted aide of Prince Min, he fully understood the consequences behind Wei Ran’s words. If the stand-in really died, Prince Min would undoubtedly be furious.

He stared at Wei Ran for a long time before slowly speaking, “No need for more words. Let’s get straight to the point. State your purpose.”

As a man of martial background, he disliked unnecessary talk.

Wei Ran replied coldly, “Honestly, I didn’t want things to come to this. You all forced me.”

“If you don’t agree to my next demands, then at tomorrow’s palace banquet, I’ll expose my true identity. If I go down, we all go down together.”

“First: As long as I’m the stand-in, I am the rightful Heir of Prince Min in this Prince’s Residence. I demand the power and treatment I deserve.”

Wang Runlian’s face turned cold and stern. She snapped, “You actually want to place yourself above us?”

Wei Ran shot her a cold look and said, “I never said I’d place myself above you. You’re still the ones running this place. As long as you don’t go overboard, I’ll play my role as the stand-in obediently and keep my mouth shut about it.”

Wei Ran said this only as a temporary strategy. He knew well that if he made too many demands, they’d never agree. The road to power must be taken step by step. Rushing it would only tear everything apart.

Wang Runlian’s expression softened. “Go on.”

“Second: I want unrestricted access to come and go from the Prince’s Residence.”

Gao Ming nodded slightly. “Fine. That’s acceptable. But you cannot go out alone. I will accompany you each time you leave the residence.”

“That’s only natural,” Wei Ran replied as he walked to the table and began eating.

After half a month of torment, this was the first decent meal he’d had. He couldn’t help but eat a bit eagerly.

Outside, dusk darkened the skies and the air grew colder.

Wei Ran pulled his thin robes tighter and said, “Etiquette Officer Wang, I haven’t had a proper bath in half a month. Please have someone heat water. Tonight, I want a full bath. And send one or two maids to assist me.”

Wang Runlian’s brows arched sharply, and she bit her lip in anger. “You said you wouldn’t place yourself above us, and now you’re already getting carried away? You want a bath? There’s plenty of cold water in the well. Go draw it yourself.”

Wei Ran said calmly, “If there’s no hot water, then I won’t bathe.”

“I already stink. If I’m mocked at tomorrow’s palace banquet, it’ll be Prince Min’s reputation on the line, not mine.”

“You…” Wang Runlian was furious.

Gao Ming stood up. “Wang Runlian, follow his instructions. Also… send him a maid from Liangzhou.”

The maids from Liangzhou were personally chosen by the Princess Consort of Prince Min. Gao Ming’s intention was clear—he wanted someone to monitor Wei Ran.

After giving the order, he left the hall.

Wang Runlian gave a cold snort at Wei Ran and chased after Gao Ming.

“Commander Gao, are you just going to let him act like this?”

Gao Ming frowned. “What else do you expect? Let him go to the palace banquet stinking?”

“If his identity is exposed, the Prince’s entire plan will fall apart. Do you think someone as wise as Prince Min would entrust two idiots like you with something so important?”

Wang Runlian was furious but didn’t dare act rashly. In the Prince’s Residence, she ranked third in authority. With Li Qingtian dead, Gao Ming held the final say.

Gao Ming said coldly, “I know what you’re thinking. You just want to kill the imposter to vent your anger. But I advise you to calm down.”

“I’ll be sending a letter to Beiliang to let the Prince decide how to handle this.”

“Until we get his reply, you’d best behave. If you ruin his plan, I’ll personally kill you.”

Wang Runlian’s heart trembled. She lowered her head in panic. “Understood.”

“Good. Go have the guards dispose of Li Qingtian’s body. His cause of death must not be revealed.”

“And have that brat’s bath prepared. Until the Prince replies, let him live for now.”

Gao Ming quickly made his way to the study.

Not long after, he stepped out and blew a sharp whistle.

A majestic, mist-white falcon swooped down and landed on his shoulder. He tied a written message to its leg ring.

With a flap of its wings, the falcon soared into the sky.

Its speed was incredible. Though Chang’an City was thousands of miles from Liangzhou, it could make a round trip in seven or eight days.

That night, the winter wind howled.

Inside the bathhouse, steam billowed from the heated water.

Wei Ran was just about to undress and step into the wooden tub when the door slammed open.

A beautiful young maid dressed in white stormed in with fierce energy.

Before Wei Ran could speak, she shouted, “What did you do to Etiquette Officer Wang to make her send me to serve a useless waste like you?”

“What makes you think you deserve me personally attending to your bath?”

Wei Ran raised an eyebrow, his eyes turning cold. “So you’re here to accuse me?”

The maid’s name was Bai Xue. She was one of the two maids from Liangzhou. Back when Wang Runlian abused him, she constantly gave vile suggestions, making his life miserable.

“And what if I am?” Bai Xue said with disdain. “Yes, I’ve served the Heir of Prince Min before—but that was the true Heir of Prince Min from Liangzhou, not a fake like you. You’re not worthy of my service.”

Wei Ran didn’t say a word. He strode toward her.

Bai Xue hadn’t heard what happened in the dining hall earlier, so she didn’t believe the weak imposter would dare lay a finger on her.

Seeing him approach, she wasn’t scared at all. Instead, she looked even more disgusted. “What are you going to do? Hit me? I warn you—”

Smack.

A crisp slap echoed through the room.

Wei Ran slapped her so hard she nearly lost her balance. Stars danced before her eyes.

“You… you actually hit me?” Bai Xue stared at him, shocked and furious, her almond-shaped eyes full of rage.

Wei Ran said coldly, “You dared to defy your superior. So what if I hit you?”

“You’re dead! You’re so dead!” Bai Xue screamed venomously. “I’m the Heir of Prince Min’s personal maid! I’ve served him for three years! We’ve already been intimate. I’m going to be his concubine one day!”

“Even His Highness couldn’t bear to lay a hand on me, and you think you can? You dog! You’ve got a lot of nerve!”

“If you kneel and beg right now, maybe I’ll—guh!”

Before she could finish, Wei Ran grabbed her by the throat.

Bai Xue couldn’t utter a sound. Her eyes bulged as she clawed at him wildly, her face turning red within seconds.

“A concubine? You?”

Wei Ran sneered. “A lowly maid who defies her master? Don’t say hitting you—I could kill you and no one would dare stop me.”

Bai Xue’s expression finally changed to fear.

She was just a woman. Even though Wei Ran’s body was weak, she didn’t have the strength to escape.

Her hands scratched blindly, her throat unable to make a sound.

In an instant, Wei Ran dragged her to the wooden tub and forced her head underwater.

As her consciousness faded, she heard a chilling sentence that sent ice through her veins.

“Who do you think you are, to act so arrogantly toward me? Who gave you the courage? Liang Jingru?”

She had no idea who Liang Jingru was. She only knew she was about to die.

Moments later, Bai Xue stopped struggling.

To be sure she was truly dead, Wei Ran held her head submerged for a long time before finally tossing her corpse out of the bathhouse.

In the dead of winter, the body quickly froze stiff.

Wei Ran soaked in the tub, feeling completely relaxed. As his thoughts raced, he began planning his next move.

First, his identity as a stand-in could not be exposed. If it were, he’d be executed for deceiving the Emperor.

Second, when Prince Min came to retrieve his true son, it would be the day of Wei Ran’s death. After all, Wei Wuji wouldn’t let a threat like him remain alive.

Now, his only asset was the status of the Heir of Prince Min.

As long as he stayed in Chang’an City, he would be safe.

If he could use this identity to build his own power… he might be able to turn the situation around.

But the most pressing matter now…

Was figuring out how to quietly eliminate everyone who knew he was a fake.

Only then could he sleep soundly.