Strange Tales: You're an Official, but you're raising a bunch of Demonessess? - Chapter 54

Chapter 54: If Bai Yu was facing you, would you have won it?

“I have one more thing to tell you,” Lan Su said, looking at the bewildered Eldest Princess.

“This creature is too dangerous, and I feel I can’t control it. That’s why I’ve decided to eliminate it.”

“Oh..,” Lan Xi shivered at the murderous words, suddenly seeming more sober.

“I invited him into the palace, and he came without hesitation. Surrounded by my guards with glinting blades, he remained fearless,” Lan Su continued.

“He stood in your place and confidently said, ‘Your Majesty can’t kill me.'”

“Even more so..,” Lan Su trailed off, not completing the sentence.

“This…,” Lan Xi murmured, realising how audacious the person’s words were.

“That guy even spoke about the nightmares I’ve been having these days,” Lan Su added, withholding the second half of the sentence.

“These days, I’ve been contemplating how he could be so sure that I can’t kill him,” Lan Su continued. “My guards don’t know him, and he’s just a healthy scholar with a clean background. He couldn’t have planted any influence in my palace.”

“Thinking it over, I couldn’t come up with any way to protect him. But he, himself, is overly confident, so confident that I unreasonably believed him.”

Lan Su remembered the young man’s proud demeanour and sighed inwardly. Turning to the surprised Lan Xi, he asked, “Do you know what this means?”

Lan Xi shook her head and said, “I don’t know.”

Lan Su held up two fingers and said, “Two possibilities! First, he has incredible means to keep himself safe in my heavily guarded palace. Second, he lacks the means to survive but confidently approaches me, creating a scenario where he believes he can deceive me and avoid being killed.”

“Now I realise more and more… he’s the latter!” Lan Su concluded.

Lan Xi remained silent.

“If it’s the former, he has exceptional abilities and many hidden cards. If it’s the latter… He’s even more frightening! His control over people’s minds, use of authority, and timing calculations have reached unbelievable levels. He’s a madman, willing to bet on his life and death without a care, and his self-confidence is bordering on madness.”

“The old emperor, having held a high position for so long, naturally possesses the basic quality of suspicion that comes with being an emperor.”

“He tends to calculate and imagine too much. No wonder his thoughts are a bit muddled.”

“Bai Yu, on the other hand, isn’t reckless. Engaging in risky endeavours is something he wouldn’t do.”

“He didn’t expect a simple audience to turn the old emperor into his enthusiastic fan.”

“He’s only sixteen, yet his courage, self-confidence, capacity, wisdom, methods, and thoughts have surpassed comprehension. He’s a madman, unmanageable.”

“This kind of person, belonging to the demonic minister, may not emerge for a thousand years.”

“He knows what he wants – not wealth or supreme power, but a merit that will extend for generations.”

“As a king, I’m ordinary and well-behaved. Although my current status is higher, I’m just a foil for this brilliant demonic minister in the infinite expanse of time.”

Lan Su admitted, “I’m old, and having him in my later years is my fortune.”

“But he’s only sixteen now. Sooner or later, my position will be passed on to you,” Lan Su continued.

“Lan Xi, answer me. If Bai Yu supports you, can Lan Chi win against you?” He asked.

“It’s impossible!” Lan Xi replied firmly.

“Now, she seems to understand the reason behind her father’s earlier statement about using Bai Yu’s attitude to choose the next crown prince.”

Lan Su asked, “If Bai Yu supports Lan Chi, can you win?”

With a confident and arrogant smile, Lan Xi hesitated, and Bai Yu stood opposite her. “I don’t know,” she finally said stubbornly.

The old emperor, a bit disappointed, sighed. “If you had said you could win, the position of the crown prince would be yours.”

Lan Xi remained silent.