Lin Rui went to Kabil openly and confidently in his Ruhan's persona. He didn't even bother to disguise himself or lower his head as he crossed the courtyard of the Grand Prince's wings.
Walking with his posture relaxed, almost as if he belonged there, he passed the guards and servants who probably wondered what a eunuch from a Khan's wings was doing there.
He found Kabil in the main hall of his residence, surrounded by the remnants of indulgence. Empty wine jugs sat on the table, while silk cushions lay scattered across the floor. The air smelled faintly of perfume and something else he couldn't name. It was the perfect scene of a place meant to soften the mind and blur responsibility.
He winced at the smell before stepping inside without even bowing, waiting for Kabil to acknowledge him.
Kabil looked up slowly, his face souring instantly. "You. What do you want?"
Lin Rui inclined his head only slightly, a gesture just respectful enough to avoid immediate offense. Not yet, he needed to wait.
"I bring a message from the Khan."
That was enough to make Kabil straighten. The laziness slipped from his posture, replaced by alert attention.
"Speak."
Lin Rui moved deeper into the room and clasped his hands behind his back. He ignored every protocol a servant should follow, standing before the Grand Prince with eyes looking straight into his.
"The Khan is aware of the incident the other night."
Kabil's expression did not change, but the air around him hardened. "Which incident?"
Lin Rui's mouth curved slightly. "The one involving Princess Lian Zhi."
Kabil did not like the servant's smug expression one bit.
"The Khan is displeased," Lin Rui continued. "He considers Princess Lian Zhi under his protection. Any further misconduct will not be tolerated."
Kabil scoffed. "Protection?" He rose slowly to his feet. "From whom?"
"From you."
Kabil laughed. He walked from his chair and closed the distance between them until he was looming. "You dare come into my residence and speak to me like this?"
Lin Rui didn't flinch even an inch. "I am not here to threaten you," he replied calmly. "I am informing you."
"You're nothing but my brother's dog. A tool he sends when he doesn't want to dirty his hands."
Lin Rui did not deny it. His eyes never left Kabil's, even as the prince breathed so close to his face that he could smell the reek of the wine.
"If you touch Princess Lian Zhi again, the Khan will not stand still. Even your mother could not protect you."
Kabil's laugh was harsher this time, finally stepping back away from him. "You think he'd choose her over me?"
Lin Rui's eyes didn't waver. "You already know the answer."
For a moment, Kabil only stared at him. Then his laughter faded, replaced by something darker.
"You are very bold today, eunuch," Kabil said, his voice dangerously low. "Too bold for your own good." Kabil circled him slowly, looking at him from head to toe. "Or perhaps you misunderstand your place."
Lin Rui turned his head slightly, tracking him back with his eyes. "Or perhaps... you are afraid."
The word landed exactly where it should.
Kabil stopped, his eyes turning red. "Afraid?" he repeated, raising his voice just enough to alert the nearby guards.
Lin Rui tilted his head, and a smirk formed on his lips. "Afraid of your brother."
Kabil gritted his teeth and clenched his fist.
"You enjoy power when it is unchallenged. But when his name is spoken, you hesitate," Lin Rui continued, poking at every nerve to grate Kabil's patience. "You always have."
"You speak too much, eunuch!" He finally snapped.
Lin Rui's smile only grew. "Do I?"
Kabil's hand moved to the hilt of his sword. Alerted by the tense scene, the guards at the door shifted instantly.
Metal scraped softly as Kabil drew his sword. His eyes burned with fury now. His pride was wounded, and his patience had gone completely.
"I could kill you where you stand!" He pointed his sword at Lin Rui's neck.
Lin Rui didn't move, refusing to even blink as the cold steel pressed against his throat. "You could. But you won't. I'm protected by the Khan."
"You and that lapdog guard of his, always hiding behind his name. You think I am afraid of him?"
"I don't think," Lin Rui said, his tone annoyingly calm. "I know."
That was the last straw for Kabil. He swung his sword, ready to slash the servant's head. But before it could strike, the guards stepped in, crossing spears to his sword.
"My lord," one of them said quickly. "This is the palace."
"Everyone is watching," another added. "If the Khan learns you killed his favorite servant within the palace—"
Kabil roared in frustration. "Get out of my way! You also think I'm scared of him?"
"We're just saying it is not wise to kill him here," the guard continued carefully. "He will not let it pass."
Kabil's grip on the sword trembled, rage flashing across his face. For a moment, it seemed he might strike anyway, consequences be damned.
Then his expression shifted. Slowly, he lowered the blade.
"You are right," he said through clenched teeth. "Here would be inconvenient."
His murderous gaze snapped back to Lin Rui. "But that doesn't mean I can't kill you somewhere else." His lips turned into a mischievous smile.
One of the guards stepped closer, lowering his voice. "If my lord wishes… we can handle this matter for you."
Kabil's eyes flickered, curious. "Explain."
"We will take him outside the palace grounds," the guard said. "Quietly. No witnesses."
Kabil hesitated briefly, hand ready to swing his sword again. "I want to slit his throat myself."
"That would be unwise. Why would you dirty your sword with a servant's blood?" the guard insisted.
Then Kabil nodded. "You're right. He's not worth it." He put his blade back into the sheath.
"Do it."
Lin Rui did not even resist when the guards took his arms.
As they led him away, Kabil called after him. "You can wait in the afterlife. My brother will come soon to join you." He smiled, thinking he had won.
Lin Rui did not look back.
***
They moved swiftly once they were beyond the palace walls. The road was empty, and the air was still thick with early morning fog.
Lin Rui was satisfied with Arkan's choice of men. They did not ask questions, didn't say anything, even after they stopped and met with two other guards standing by.
One of them gestured toward a figure lying on the ground, already still. The body was roughly his height, his build. The face had been damaged beyond recognition.
Efficient.
A mask made out of animal skin was brought out next.
Lin Rui stared at it for a long moment. "What a cliché," he muttered.
The idea of replacing a face with another, of relying on such an obvious device, made something twist uncomfortably in his chest. It was inelegant. Cringe, in fact. The kind of solution he would have criticized mercilessly as a writer.
But necessity did not care about taste.
He allowed them to secure it to the corpse, adjusting the hair, the clothing, the posture. From a distance, it would be enough.
Blood was applied carefully. Wounds were placed where witnesses would expect them.
When it was done, the guards stepped back.
Lin Rui looked once more.
"That will be enough," he said.
He turned his back on his own corpse and walked into the morning mist, leaving Ruhan behind in the mud.