RPAGF Chapter 9 The Mastermind
Chapter 9 The Mastermind
Yin'e was silent for a moment, then reached out and summoned "Overheard," turned to a blank page, and wrote the four characters "Niohuru Yinde" with his hand instead of a pen.
The light on the page flickered slightly, and then lines of text appeared:
Target locked
[Target of surveillance: Niohuru Yinde]
Current Favorability: 95.2 (Close Friend)
[Eavesdropping capabilities: Can monitor conversations within 80 meters, and can also listen to thoughts.]
[Note: This person is extremely loyal to you. Although they feel that you are not talented enough to shoulder great responsibilities, they are willing to do their best to assist you out of consideration for kinship and the long-standing master-servant relationship.]
Yin'e looked at the number, his pupils contracting slightly.
95.2.
intimate.
He originally thought that the servants in the mansion were only respectful to him on the surface, but fooled him behind his back.
Unexpectedly, Yin De's favorability rating towards him was over 95%.
"No wonder he's my maternal uncle from the same family," he thought to himself.
Looking at the listening results, conversations can be heard within 80 meters, and... you can even hear their thoughts?
Yin'e's heart skipped a beat.
Doesn't that mean he can directly read what Yin De is thinking?
"This is truly... amazing!"
Yin'e closed the book, stood up, walked to the door, and called out, "Someone come here."
The young eunuch Fuquan, who was waiting under the eaves, hurried over: "Master, what are your orders?"
"Go and summon Yin De to see me."
"Yes, sir." Fuquan dashed out in a flash.
Before a cup of tea could be brewed, footsteps sounded outside the door.
"Knock knock knock." Three knocks on the door, neither too loud nor too soft.
"Come in."
The door was pushed open, and Yin Demai stepped in.
He was wearing a worn-out grayish-blue robe with a cowhide belt around his waist, and his cuffs were still covered with sawdust and dust, clearly indicating that he had just come from the construction site.
As soon as he entered, he lifted the corner of his robe and knelt down neatly: "This servant, Yin De, pays his respects to the Tenth Master."
Instead of waving him up casually as usual, Yin'e stood up from behind his desk and strode over to Yin De.
Then, he bent down, took Yin De's arms with both hands, and helped him up himself.
"Uncle, when we're alone together, please don't perform such a grand ceremony."
Yin De was startled.
He abruptly raised his head, his eyes filled with astonishment and fear, waving his hands repeatedly: "Tenth Master, you are making this servant too humble! There is a difference in rank; please don't do this!"
Just then, a voice suddenly rang in Yin'e's mind.
"What's wrong with this gentleman today? He's been acting strangely ever since he came back from the Eighth Prince's residence."
This is Yin De's heartfelt sentiment.
Yin'e chuckled inwardly: This is interesting.
He didn't show any unusual expression and still held Yin De's arm: "What's all this talk about hierarchy?"
In terms of seniority, you are my mother's younger brother.
There's a saying that goes something like this: "Father and mother are dear, but uncles are dearer."
Besides, you've been living in my household for so many years. Our relationship goes without saying.
Yin De's eyes immediately reddened.
He served as the chief secretary in the Tenth Prince's mansion for eight years, and during those eight years, the Tenth Prince never said a single word like that to him.
This master would reward him with silver when he was happy, and curse him when he was unhappy. Although he was treated more politely than other servants, it was only to the extent of "You are my uncle, so I'll give you some face."
But today, Tenth Master said, "Neither father nor mother is as close as an uncle."
These words, spoken by a prince, carried the weight of Mount Tai pressing down upon him.
Yin De's nose tingled, and tears almost welled up in his eyes.
He tried his best to hold back, his Adam's apple bobbing a few times, but in the end he couldn't bear it any longer. His knees buckled and he knelt down again, kowtowing repeatedly: "Tenth Master's great kindness is something this servant can never repay even with death!"
Yin'e looked at the man in his forties kneeling on the ground and kowtowing, and felt a mix of emotions.
If someone else had said this, Yin De would have immediately become alert, wondering if there was some kind of trap waiting for him.
But coming from the mouth of Yin'e, the famously carefree and straightforward tenth prince, it warms the heart and makes one feel that it is sincere.
This is the advantage of the "idiot persona".
Whatever you say, people will believe you're sincere, because you have no intention of lying.
"Get up, get up." Yin'e helped him up again. This time, Yin De did not refuse. He just had red eyes and his head down, like a child who had made a mistake.
Yin'e patted his shoulder, turned around and walked back behind his desk, where he sat down.
He picked up the account book on the table, flipped through a couple of pages at random, then looked up at Yin De.
His gaze was peaceful, even gentle.
But what he said made Yin De feel as if he had fallen into an ice cave.
"Uncle," Yin'e slammed the account book on the table, "why did you embezzle funds and deceive me?"
The air in the study seemed to freeze for a moment.
Yin De's face turned deathly pale in an instant, his lips trembled twice, but he couldn't utter a single word.
"Tenth...Tenth Master?" His voice trembled. "What...what did you say? How dare this servant...this servant..."
He felt his legs go weak and he knelt down again with a thud.
"Tenth Master, I'm innocent!" Yin De's forehead slammed against the blue brick floor, making a thud. "I've been in this household for eight years and have never embezzled a single tael of silver!"
"If this servant utters even the slightest lie, may I be struck by lightning and die a horrible death!"
He banged his head so fast and hard that blood soon seeped from his forehead.
Yin'e did not speak immediately, but looked at him quietly.
In his mind, Yin De's thoughts surged in like a tidal wave:
"Oh no, oh no! How could Tenth Master know about the accounts? He never looks at the account books!"
"No, it wasn't me. I really didn't embezzle any money, but the accounts definitely passed through my hands... How can I explain this?"
"Who was gossiping about Tenth Master?"
"Tenth Master seemed like a completely different person after returning from Eighth Master's residence today. Did Eighth Master say something to him?"
"No, I have to stay calm. I can't panic. If I panic, things will get really complicated..."
Yin'e took these thoughts to heart.
What he can confirm now is that Yin De did not embezzle.
His fear and panic stemmed not from being exposed, but from being wronged and the fear of losing trust.
"Uncle, you should know that these messy accounts are full of loopholes, and it's easy to find out the problems once you investigate them."
But I know you. Given your meticulousness, it's impossible for you to have made such an account book.
So, what exactly happened? Can you tell me?
Yin'e remained calm, but Yin De was already trembling like a leaf, drenched in sweat.
"What should I do? Should I... really reveal the name of that... master...?"
Yin De's thoughts echoed again, and Yin'e frowned slightly.
Which master was he referring to?
In this mansion, besides him, the only one whom Yin De could address as master was...