Ink Burns

Chapter 318 Facing Death

Chapter 318 Facing Death (Part 2) (10,000 words update, approximately 6 chapters)

Traveling at breakneck speed from Yuzhou Prefecture to the capital, day and night without sleep, and taking the official roads, the journey was smooth and horses could be changed in time, barely managing to keep the trip within fifteen days.

However, Xue Xiao was given a secret order, which required him to conceal his whereabouts and avoid being noticed. He could only take mountain paths on his return journey, but he stubbornly managed to compress the journey into thirteen days with sheer willpower.

The reason was simple: he had to arrive before the news of his death reached the capital—so that he could deliver the items to Shan Yue quietly.

The capital city, early morning.

The thin mist had just dissipated, and a hazy gray veil still lingered in the depths of the sky. The gray veil was ruffled by the wind, and the wrinkles reflected a pale light. The chill of late spring outside the window rushed in through the cracks in the window.

The coolness seeped into Shan Yue's bones, but was gently caressed by the surging, abundant blood and energy, and then instantly vanished.

Whether it was the chill that assaulted her or the nightmare of the black fog spreading across the mountains and fields that startled her awake, Shan Yue sat up abruptly, beads of sweat dripping down her temples. She took a deep breath and involuntarily stretched her palms open. Shan Yue looked down slightly and could clearly see her protruding knuckles and white fingernails—she knew exactly where her panic came from.

The commotion inside was not loud, but it was enough to wake Shuiguang, who was sleeping soundly with her head drooling while hugging a silk pillow.

"Whoosh—" The curtain was pulled open, revealing the little girl's wet eyes: "What's wrong?" Shui Guang asked.

Shan Yue gently shook her head, and subconsciously said, "No—"

The light, airy voice paused for a moment before deciding to tell her sister the truth: "I'm a little worried about Xue Xiao—he's usually on long business trips, ten days or half a month isn't unusual, but this time, I'm very uneasy."

Shuiguang sat down on the edge of the bed, gently stroking her sister's back.

"His departure was rather strange," Shan Yue recalled carefully. "He only mentioned going to Shanhaiguan. What was he going there for? When would he return? He wouldn't say a word about it. Before he left, he walked back and forth with me at Xue Nan's residence four or five times, telling me in detail which high wall he had climbed over and which dog hole he had blocked when Old Master Xue was still alive."

Shan Yue's voice was calm, but it couldn't hide the unease hidden beneath.

"He instructed the family on every little detail, and I... I was a little scared." Shan Yue lowered her eyes, her long, straight eyelashes drooping before her eyes, dissolving her usual coldness and restraint into a cautious vulnerability.

Shui Guang's throat tightened: Her sister, who had never uttered a word of fear in her entire life.

Xue Xiao is very important to my sister—Shui Guang blinked. This realization had always existed, but it had never been so clear before.

Shui Guang scratched her head, about to speak, but was interrupted by Wang Erniang's heavy footsteps and muttering in the corridor: "Oh dear, I don't know who left a big oily envelope at the door. I thought it was a petition for justice, but when I opened it, it was a clump of hair! Tsk tsk tsk—there was even a grayish-red string tied to the hair, like something out of a ghost play, it was terrifying!"

Shan Yue looked up and reached out to take the tuft of hair that came with the envelope.

This is a clump of neatly cut hair, with clean, even cuts. It is half black and half white, loosely tied together with an old, grayish red rope.

The red string was old, half of its color had faded, and the threads were worn and frayed.

No.

Those aren't rough edges; they're hairs woven into the red string.

Shan Yue picked up a thin, soft strand of hair with her fingertips.

This is hair.

It's not adult hair, it's a baby's first hair. Because it's been stored for so long, it's fine, soft, and dry, like strands of down curled up in a ball, dry and thin.

A red string strung together, concealing baby hair?

What do you mean?

Shan Yue frowned slightly: "Did you see who left this?"

“It must have been left there by someone under cover of darkness at night. Xiao Shuanzi saw the envelope as soon as he opened the door—it was being held down by a stone under the stone lion’s feet.” Wang Erniang handed over another stone.

The stone is larger than a fist, its darker areas are almost black, while its lighter areas have a misty, bluish-gray hue, giving it a cool, matte texture reminiscent of minerals.

After seeing it clearly, Shan Yue's expression changed slightly.

Shui Guang turned her head and saw a rock, asking repeatedly, "What's wrong? What's this?"

Shan Yue's voice was both light and deep: "This is bronze ore, with malachite as a byproduct. It can be quenched to extract the green pigment used to paint the 'Thousand Miles of Rivers and Mountains' painting."

This bronze ore is beautiful, and its edges are not as sharp and distinct as those of ordinary stones. It looks as if it has been held tightly in someone's arms and rubbed hard with body heat and flesh.

Shui Guang reached out and picked it up, looking at the stone in the warm morning light against the backdrop of the rising sun. A sense of unease inexplicably rose in her heart.

Shan Yue's voice was like a boulder sinking to the bottom of a lake: "Before Xue Xiao set off, I was copying the Thousand Miles of Rivers and Mountains painting, and what I lacked was the bluish-green color of this bronze ore."

"And this kind of ore can only be found inside and outside Shanhaiguan." The aura beside Shan Yue also subsided.

Wang Erniang, who was only skilled in martial arts and completely oblivious to social cues, clapped her hands: "The master is back! This is good news!"

"If it were a good thing, why would he run off at night without leaving a message?"—There wasn't a single word on the envelope!

Shan Yue nodded and lowered his head: "Having left the capital with a royal mission, you have now secretly returned. There are only two possibilities: either the mission has failed, or you have betrayed your mission and fled."

None of these are good things.

"Perhaps it wasn't my brother-in-law who put the things there?" Shui Guang's eyes were burning, and her voice was somewhat anxious: "What if it was the Northern Frontier Army or the Cui family doing something bad!"

"If it was done by the Cui family, what was their purpose?" Shan Yue asked rhetorically.

Shuiguang was speechless for a moment.

Wang Erniang was also getting anxious: "Lord Xiao and Lord Qiu have both gone out with our son-in-law, so we're blind and deaf now—why don't we ask Jifeng to ask around? Go to the Xishan camp or the Censorate, they can at least find out some of the truth."

“No,” Shan Yue interrupted. “Since he’s traveling at night, how could he easily expose his whereabouts? Besides, his journey is clandestine; no one knows what he’s been up to.”

Generally speaking, when there is no information available, the best solution is to remain inactive.

What is the red string? What is the purpose of the baby hair? Did Xue Xiao leave this behind? If so, what did he want to convey? If not, then who was it?

Don't panic.

Don't panic.

Shan Yue lowered her eyelids, her fingertips trembling slightly. She gently combed the red rope containing the baby's hair hidden on the table, put it back in the kraft paper envelope, and placed her two hands on the envelope, like two thin, pale reeds, swaying up and down with the waves of fate.

Shui Guang lowered her head and subconsciously picked at the edge of her nails repeatedly. She used too much force and tore a section of skin open, and bright red blood instantly seeped out from the gap between her nails.

It hurts a little, but it's bearable.

Shui Guang looked up and saw her sister's hands were clasped together, her skin was pale, the backs of her hands were thin, and the knuckles were protruding, forming a thin yet stubborn bow shape—like a boat adrift in a stormy sea.

Shui Guang felt a lump in her throat, unconsciously pursed her lips, turned her head away, and after a long while slowly lowered her head.

As noon approached, a figure dressed as a servant in a light blue linen cotton shirt walked briskly along the wall outside the side gate of Xue Nan's residence. He walked so fast that he disappeared in the blink of an eye.

The city of Beijing is quite large, and Shui Guang didn't know the way very well. She only remembered that Hulu Hutong was east of the Forbidden City, so she buried her head in the ground and walked eastward until she arrived at a narrow doorway hidden at the end of a hutong.

"Knock knock knock—" Three knocks on the door.

The bronze lion on the opposite door trembled slightly in response.

A small crack appeared in the narrow door, and a fair-skinned child peeked out. Seeing that it was Shuiguang, the child grinned and said in a cheerful voice, "Doctor He, you've finally decided to come here! With you here, our humble abode shines with golden light!"

This was the outer residence of Wu Min, a close attendant of the emperor, where he could rest and relax. However, Wu Min was too important; the emperor had been on the throne for nearly ten years, and he only spent the night outside the palace on the 2nd or 20th of each month. At other times, this place became Wu Min's private residence for entertaining the eunuchs and imperial physicians he appreciated.

Shui Guang has a special identity and a past relationship with Wu Min, so Wu Min naturally mentioned this place.

However, Shui Guang went straight to her sister's house after leaving the palace, not wanting to get involved with the people in the palace anymore, so she never came here.

Xiao Zhong, the gatekeeper, occasionally went into the palace to serve Wu Min, and thus recognized Shui Guang.

Shui Guang smiled, her eyes like crescent moons. She didn't have time to ingratiate herself with the gatekeeper, but her words were friendly and natural: "Don't flatter me—I'm asking you, has Supervisor Wu returned yet?"

Today is February 20th.

The doorman chuckled and said, "You're back?"

"Could you please pass on a message for me?" Shui Guang asked.

The gatekeeper shook his head: "There's no way to send a message today—the head eunuch has gone out."

Wu Min left the palace, but not at her private residence. It was difficult to find out the whereabouts of the emperor's close attendants, so Shui Guang changed her story: "Well, the Grand Eunuch said he would treat me to mutton soup at Bai Xiang Lou, but he went to eat it all by himself!"

The gatekeeper, Xiao Zhong, said repeatedly, "Please don't wrongly accuse us. Our chief eunuch is away on official business—" He lowered his head and said in a low voice, "He went to Qihuang Pavilion early this morning."

Shui Guang's hand, which was gripping the door frame, stiffened. She repeated, "Qihuang Pavilion? What are we going to Qihuang Pavilion for?"

The doorman chuckled, "You're from the Imperial Hospital, don't you know what you're doing at the Qihuang Pavilion? — Helping the Emperor retrieve things to reward people!"

"Who will receive the reward?" Shui Guang pressed.

The gatekeeper leaned back slightly and chuckled, "How would a lowly gatekeeper like me know about something this big?"

As he said this, he bent his back even lower, his voice hissing like a snake spitting its tongue, a soft hiss: "However, the Grand Eunuch only returned in a hurry last night, only saying 'Finally back,' before instructing me to prepare the horse, and he went to Qihuang Pavilion in person."

Shui Guang stood there stunned for a moment before swallowing hard.

Qihuang Pavilion was a drug testing center set up by the Imperial Medical Academy in the suburbs of the city, dedicated to testing drugs and improving medical skills.

There's nothing special about it.

However, there was one purpose that made Shui Guang think deeply—to avoid poisoning, the Imperial Medical Academy, located in the palace, was not allowed to store highly toxic medicinal materials, such as aconite and arsenic, which were all controlled by the Qihuang Pavilion.

Wu Min went to Qihuang Pavilion late at night to retrieve poison; she appeared at the gate of Xue Nan's residence in the middle of the night with ore from Shanhaiguan; a mysterious red rope; and her unsettled sister.

Could the final destination be my brother-in-law, who may have already returned to Beijing?!

Wu Min rewarded people with poison

Although she wasn't very well-educated, she knew about Liu Bang killing Fan Kuai and Han Xin, and Zhao Kuangyin releasing his military power over a cup of wine.

After doing too many dirty and shady things for the boss, the boss would wish he could chop off the hands that helped him do those things, so that he could fool the world and pretend that he was born pure and untainted.

Brother-in-law, he's the one who helps the emperor do bad things!

Shui Guang took a deep breath, immediately turned around, and the hem of her clothes hit the smooth corner bricks with a "bang," followed by the sound of her loud and decisive footsteps.

Entering the palace.

She had to go to the palace.

We have to go now.

Although she loathed the perfectly square sky, which, apart from the shape of the clouds, was always exactly the same and without any error.

Although she feared their love: her love for the emperor was a tentative, conditional love that could never be fully committed; and the emperor's love for her was a deceptive love that was insincere from the beginning.

Although she finally got out, she could go back in for her sister's sake.

That's my older sister.

That's my older sister.

My sister endured hardship like a small boat, a boat that carried her ashore and helped her survive amidst raging waves.

Now, this small, narrow boat finally swayed and rocked its way into the calm bay.

For her sister, she could be a sail, an oar, or even turn into water to become a wave that propels the tide.

She certainly thinks she is important.

But her older sister is more important than her.

When trouble comes, she can handle it; she can help her sister handle it.

Registering, stepping through the palace gates, changing into the imperial physician's everyday clothes, and walking along the long alley, which gradually narrowed from wide to narrow, eventually becoming a line and then a point.

Shuiguang, hidden in the shadows at the entrance of the palace alley, raised its head and gazed motionlessly into the distance.

In the distance, there was a horse stable, with horses trotting along slowly, providing a resounding melody to the gray sky.

After a while, Shui Guang raised her hand, wiped away the tears from the corner of her eyes with the back of her hand facing up, then lowered her head, lifted the hem of her clothes, and jogged along the endless corridor.

******

One hour ago.

Incense was lit in the Linde Hall.

Emperor Xu Quyan did not believe in Buddhism or ghosts and gods, but the people thought that an emperor who worshipped Buddhism was benevolent and virtuous, so they did not mind believing in it for a while.

The young emperor pushed the incense burner outwards, and wisps of smoke rose straight up to the golden roof where nine dragons coiled.

Xu Quyan lowered his eyes, his thin, slightly upturned eyelids resembling two sharp bone fans, but strangely, his gaze was delicate and gentle.

Directly opposite him was Xue Xiao, who was supposed to be outside Shanhaiguan.

"You returned a few days earlier than I expected."

Xu Quyan spoke in a steady voice, accompanied by the hissing sound of the red-hot walnut charcoal burning in the clay stove beside him, like a pot of water about to boil.

Xue Xiao also lowered his head slightly: "I returned early because the trip went smoothly."

"Smoothly?" Xu Quyan's lips curled into a smile. "Did you see her?"

Xue Xiao remained silent, took out a bundle tightly wrapped in coarse linen from his bosom, and presented it to the emperor with both hands and his head bowed.

The coarse linen was clearly torn from a garment, with frayed edges. It had been washed until it was almost white, and you could only see a grayish tinge, not the original color.

Emperor Xu Quyan's gaze was fixed on the coarse linen.

It seems as if it still carries the special fragrance of all mothers in the world.

Xu Quyan took it with one hand and opened it to read.

There are four sheets of paper.

One travel document, one approval document, and two identity and household registration certificates.

Both the passage and the approval documents belong to one person, one woman—Qi Jishi, a military household in Pingyue Town, Qiucheng, Shanhaiguan. Her name was Xinniang. Her father was the head of the 83rd Small Banner in Pingyue Town. In the seventh year of Zhaode, she married Qi Deguang, a military household in the same town. She had two sons and one daughter, all of whom were adults.

The contents of the identity and household registration documents of the Great Wei Dynasty are roughly similar to the previous two documents, except for one additional detail: the physical characteristics of the people.

One of them was from Ji Xinniang, which read, "Round face with big eyes, no moles or blemishes on her face, a scar about an inch long on the lower right side of her neck, and suffers from asthma."

One of them was an old piece of paper with a closed account. The paper was rough and yellowed, and it read "Qi Chang'er". He was born in the autumn of the eighth year of Zhaode and died in the ninth year of Zhaode. There was a purplish-red birthmark on his right wrist and elbow.

Military households are different from civilian households. Civilian households can only be registered at the local government office when women reach the age of marriage and men reach adulthood, while military households and entertainer households are registered at birth to prevent anyone from taking advantage of loopholes to escape registration.

Emperor Yongping, Xu Quyan, referred to himself as "Qi Chang'er," in a very soft voice, like a breath exhaled through clenched teeth.

His hands trembled slightly as his fingertips traced over the two household registration certificates.

The emperor's emotions were revealed in his trembling fingertips, but in just a moment, all his emotions returned to their original state.

Xu Quyan slightly raised his chin, his expression unreadable, and repeated the question: "My question is, have you seen her?"

Xue Xiao's throat bobbed slightly: "It was a dark and windy night, and I didn't have time to look closely. After I succeeded, I took out the name card and burned the horse carcass, the corpse, and all the valuables. I did not see Madam Ji herself."

Xu Quyan nodded: "Are you sure her husband, the Commander-in-Chief, is dead?"

Xue Xiao nodded: "In the thirteenth year of Zhaode, Qi Zongqi died fighting against the Tatars. He has been buried for more than ten years, and his tombstone and coffin are still intact."

Xu Quyan remained silent for a long time, his lips trembling, the words on the tip of his tongue hesitating repeatedly, before finally asking again, "How did you kill her?"

"The medicine." Xue Xiao lowered his head. "This medicine is colorless and odorless. The person poisoned will die in their sleep—without suffering any pain."

Xu Quyan leaned back until his back touched the back of the armchair, and his emotions, which had been floating in mid-air, finally seemed to find a foothold.

He chuckled, but it was unclear what he was laughing at.

The laughter was like a mouthful of scalding hot tea—rapid, fragmented, forced, and burning.

The hall fell silent instantly. The fire from the clay stove reached the roof beams, conveying a sense of inevitable despair.

The water is boiling.

In front of the two were two empty white porcelain teacups.

Xue Xiao lowered his eyes, tucked in his sleeves, and raised his hand as if to pour water.

"I'll do it."

Xu Quyan interrupted Xue Xiao, the sleeves of his black robe with twelve gold dragon patterns brushing against the sandalwood table with a rustling sound.

Xu Quyan had been carefully taught the art of tea, and his movements were gentle and graceful. His prominent knuckles wrapped around the handle of the white jade purple clay teapot, and the hot water flowed straight down into the fairness cup, bringing out the refreshing aroma of the tea leaves.

Emperor Yongping was handsome and elegant. He personally served tea and pushed it in front of Xue Xiao: "You don't like bitter tea. This year's Golden Needle tea has a sweet aftertaste and is not bitter."

Xue Xiao lowered his eyes.

The tea soup is brownish-yellow and mellow, like flowing amber.

He took it with both hands, but then placed it beside him without immediately putting it in his mouth.

Xu Quyan didn't urge him, his expression unchanged, a faint smile playing on his lips: "Why did you come back alone? Where are Xiao Po and the others? Are they still in Shanhaiguan to handle the aftermath?"

"On the way, we encountered bandits. The commander of the town was colluding with the bandits. Imperial Censor Xiao, Colonel Shi, and others stayed behind to suppress the bandits. I did not have time to explain the mystery of this trip, so I went to Shanhaiguan alone to wait for Lady Ji."

Xue Xiao spoke in a steady voice, his hands resting calmly on his knees: "The spring chill in the Northeast is still biting. It has been hard work to ambush the bandits in the mountains. When Imperial Censor Xiao and the others return to the capital, I dare to ask for their year-end evaluation to be 'excellent'."

Xu Quyan looked directly at Xue Xiao: "You are indeed very bold."

Xue Xiao pursed his lips slightly.

“You’ve planned this from the beginning: to protect Xiao Po and the others at all costs.” Xu Quyan placed one hand on the table, his expression calm, and suddenly made this statement.

Xue Xiao raised his eyes, his sword-like eyebrows deep, like a cluster of fire: "They have never made a mistake."

Xu Quyan nodded: "You are all without fault. The only one who is at fault is me."

Xue Xiao has deep-set eyes, supposedly because his maternal uncle's family, who lived in the northern frontier for many years, had acquired Tatar blood from some generation. Although the Bai family had never acknowledged it, the descendant's deep and solemn appearance indirectly corroborated this claim.

Only deep-set eyes can conceal deep emotions.

Regardless of what Xue Xiao was thinking, his face remained silent and calm.

“I am the only sinner.” Xu Quyan laughed, a laugh similar to his earlier one, somewhat hurried, helpless, and fragmented.

After a moment of silence, Xue Xiao said softly, "Why do you have to belittle yourself like this?"

Xu Quyan chuckled softly, his voice hoarse and trembling with a crack. After a long pause, his gaze sharpened as he stared intently at Xue Xiao: "You knew everything?"

Xue Xiao tilted his head, his voice devoid of any emotion: "This humble subject may know nothing."

Xu Quyan looked directly at Xue Xiao: "When did you guess that?"

When did you guess it?

Xue Xiao calmly returned the gaze and asked in return, "Was it when Tianbao Temple was established? Or was it ten years ago at Qingyue Temple when we made the agreement that I would be your henchman and you would be your wise ruler, and together we would dedicate ourselves to this great cause?"

Xu Quyan interrupted in a low voice: "More than ten years ago, when I met you, I had absolutely no ulterior motives. At that time, on that day, there was only a disrespected prince and an exiled nobleman who shared the same interests. There was no scheming, much less any exploitation."

The initial intentions between people are always pure.

When Xu Quyan fell off the cliff, Xue Xiao saved him. When the Zhu family sent people to assassinate him, it was the guards that Xu Quyan dispatched who came to his rescue. The two wretched lives supported each other and stumbled to survive.

Xu Quyan needed a henchman, someone to support who would only acknowledge him. So he became a thorn in the side of the court, single-handedly establishing the Tianbao Temple and the Censorate. There was no one he dared not impeach, no clan he dared not offend. As long as the reign of Yongping was remembered for eternity, what did it matter if Xue Xiao became a tyrannical minister or a henchman, even if he was infamous for ten thousand years?

Two wretched lives supported each other to get to where we are today.

Therefore, what Xu Quyan was about to do was something that no one else could or dared to do except him—murder his mother.

His mission to Shanhaiguan was to kill Xu Quyan's birth mother—the woman whose name was listed as "Qi Jishi" on the household registration.

Xue Xiao's gaze fell on the white porcelain cup dripping with beeswax, and his voice was very soft: "From friend to close friend, to brother, to ruler and subject—Yue Ming, no matter who you are, I, Xue Qishu, have never had a guilty conscience."

As soon as the words "No matter who you are" were uttered, Xu Quyan's hand, which was resting slightly on the sandalwood table, tucked into his sleeve, trembled slightly involuntarily.

The truth is already on the tip of their tongue.

He was not a member of the royal family, and he already knew this in his first year on the throne—that year, after three months of suffering from a severe summer heat, the Empress Dowager suddenly suffered from a high fever and convulsions. Prince Yong was away from the capital, and no one was by her side to attend to her. He was extremely anxious, but he was also afraid that seeing the Empress Dowager would only make her angrier. So he disguised himself as a eunuch and sneaked out of the palace through a side door at night, only to hear the Empress Dowager's murmured sobs: "My son, my son... I'm so sorry."

He had thought that Empress Dowager Fang had finally felt some remorse for her harshness and neglect towards him. He stood frozen by the window, almost bursting through the door.

But the next sentence froze him in place.

"If my son were still alive, how could this throne possibly fall to that scoundrel who came from who-knows-where!" The doors and windows seemed to be covered with a three-inch-thick layer of ice.

What do you mean?

What do you mean?

What do you mean?

Just as the eunuch was patrolling the rooms and reached the corner, he tried his best to control his trembling hands. His eyelids drooped, and Wu Min behind him took a step forward and grabbed the eunuch's hands with both of hers. With a "snap," his secret journey, which he was worried about because of his mother's illness, completely turned into a bubble that no one knew about.

He started investigating.

He didn't know where to begin his investigation, but as if it were destiny, he suddenly remembered the current Empress Dowager Fang and the three female officials who had been flogged to death by imperial decree by Consort Yu.

That was when he had just turned one year old.

Empress Dowager Fang had a very good reputation; people always described her as "gentle and kind"—that was the only time in all her years in the palace that she ordered the death of a palace servant.

Being an emperor is a wonderful experience; even being a puppet emperor grants him unimaginable freedom and power.

As long as there is a crack, no matter how tightly it is closed, the power of the emperor will eventually pry it open and lay bare the ugly, hidden truth before him.

He was not Empress Dowager Fang's son, nor was he even a son of the Xu family.

He was a carefully chosen move by Cui Bainian, a dirty trick that would both control Empress Dowager Fang and disrupt the royal bloodline, thus revealing the Cui family's grand ambitions.

When Consort Yu gave birth to her second son, the baby was in an abnormal position, making delivery difficult. The baby was suffocated in the womb for a long time before being delivered with great difficulty. The infant was alive, but developed many problems due to the suffocation. While ordinary children could roll over and sit up at three or six months, this infant even had difficulty feeding. When the child was still in swaddling clothes, the abnormality was not obvious, but as he grew older, the abnormality could no longer be hidden.

Consort Yu had already lost favor due to her disgraceful behavior during the birth of her second son. After the birth of this son, Emperor Zhaode did not set foot in Chengqian Palace for a long time. In fact, after giving birth, Consort Yu was physically and mentally distressed, and even refused to eat, had difficulty sleeping, and appeared dazed.

She couldn't afford any more blows. She couldn't gamble. If Emperor Zhaode found out that her son was born with congenital deficiencies and was an unintelligent "idiot," she didn't even dare to think about what her fate would be. What would be the fate of her eldest son, Prince Yong?

It would have been better not to have this child.

It would have been better if I had never given birth to this child!

Consort Yu trembled as she looked at her second son, who was already a year old but still unable to stand, his eyes glazed over and unfocused. A sense of fear welled up in her heart: she couldn't let this child ruin her, ruin her healthy and normal eldest son.

Fear and anger surged up like waves, clouding the seven orifices, the mind, and consciousness.

When she came to her senses, her hand was tightly covering the baby's mouth and nose.

That abnormal, mentally challenged child who might have brought her disaster died at the hands of her own mother.

When Consort Yu regained her senses, she nearly collapsed. She screamed in a hoarse voice, but no sound came out.

With trembling hands, Consort Yu buried the infant's body in the grass of the palace. Who would have thought that when she opened her eyes in the middle of the night, a small, bluish-purple corpse was hanging upside down in mid-air, its protruding eyes staring right into her eyes.

Consort Yu's last line of defense was breached, and Qingman, the maid Cui Bainian had planted by her side, took advantage of the situation. She comforted Consort Yu, gave her advice and taught her to keep the news of the second prince's death a secret. At the same time, she told Consort Yu that she had a way to bring a "healthy and suitable baby boy" into the palace.

He was that baby boy.

The baby boy, named Qi Chang'er, came from a military household in Shanhaiguan and suffered from the same asthma as the Crown Prince.

Consort Yu had no time to think things through. Everything happened too fast. Before she could react, she sacrificed a son she wanted to give up and obtained a healthy baby boy who could confuse the royal bloodline. She also orchestrated the execution of three female officials who knew the real second prince.

Thus, Consort Yu, née Fang, finally fell into the trap that Cui Bainian had been weaving for so long—Cui Bainian had her enormous mistake of killing princes and members of the royal bloodline, so she had no choice but to take whatever she wanted from Cui Bainian.

At that time, "Qingfeng" had not yet been completed, and Grand Princess Jing'an was still making careful plans. Cui Bainian avoided Grand Princess Jing'an and planted the deepest and sharpest nail in the deep palace.

Xu Quyan finally understood why Cui Bainian, who already held immense power, hadn't made a move when Emperor Zhaode passed the throne to him on his deathbed—if his true identity were ever exposed, he would die without a proper burial. Meanwhile, Cui Bainian, who exposed the affair, could legitimately rely on his military power, using the banner of "supporting the Great Wei and eliminating the legitimate dynasty," to complete the final step of his grand plan.

Interlocking.

The day his true identity is revealed will be the day he is doomed.

If he hadn't tried so hard to visit Empress Dowager Fang when she was ill, he would never have known the truth.

He could only wonder why his mother didn't want to love him.

Heaven favored him.

Therefore, he was willing to believe that no matter whose son he was, fate had placed him on the dragon throne, and he was the emperor ordained by heaven.

He wanted to secure his position, even if the price was killing his own mother—his own mother who could prove his identity.

Xu Quyan lowered his eyelids, his gaze falling on his close friend's clenched fist. When he looked up again, his expression was calm and clear: "Therefore, this matter can only be done by you."

Wu Min is also an option.

However, Wu Min was a close eunuch, and his departure from the emperor's presence would attract too much attention.

Xue Xiao nodded, indicating his understanding: "I understand." His expression was calm and composed: "No one else knows about this except me. You should trust me."

Xu Quyan raised his wrist, his elbow, which was tucked into his sleeve, trembled slightly uncontrollably: "Of course I believe you."

Xu Quyan pushed the teacup in front of Xue Xiao closer: "I trust you, that's why I'm willing to listen to what you 'dared' to say."

"Xiao Po and his men have rendered meritorious service in suppressing bandits. When they return to the capital, they will be rewarded and promoted according to their merits."

Xu Quyan said softly, “You don’t need to worry about Madam He. She is a heroine. Without her, ‘Qingfeng’ would not have fallen apart so easily. I will take care of her, and all her future titles and honors will follow the etiquette for a first-rank duke’s wife.”

Xue Xiao gently closed his eyes.

Dead end.

When he lifted the frame of the carriage at Shanhaiguan and saw Qi Jishi's terrified face, which bore a striking resemblance to Xu Quyan, he finally realized that this was a dead end.

Xu Quyan had no choice.

Xu Quyan would never trust anyone else to do this job, except himself.

Once he completes this mission, there will be only one outcome: death. If he does not die, he will become Xu Quyan's Achilles' heel for the rest of his life, and a nightmare that will haunt the emperor for decades to come.

Of course, he could simply leave, disappear without a trace, and forget about the world.

But what about Shan Yue, who is still in the capital?

What will happen to the many brothers of Tianbao Temple?

What will happen to the people in Xue Nan's household who have risen and fallen with him?

What about Qingyue Temple, which raised him to adulthood?

He is not afraid of death.

Life and death are separated by nothing more than a handful of yellow earth.

If he hadn't maintained a life-or-death resolve in his conduct and actions, he wouldn't have been able to carve out a path to survival from the cracks.

A dark veil obscured his vision, a vast expanse of darkness. He understood Xu Quyan's logic, yet he also regretted that he could no longer stay by Shanyue's side.

What a pity, we could already see the light.

Xue Xiao touched the rim of the teacup with his fingertips, a slight smile playing on his lips: "There's one more thing."

“Go ahead,” Xu Quyan said.

“He Shuiguang, a physician in the Imperial Medical Academy, is my wife’s younger sister. If I leave, I hope His Majesty will immediately release Physician He from the palace, allowing the two sisters to reunite.” Xue Xiao stared intently at Xu Quyan.

Xu Quyan stared intently at Xue Xiao: "When did you find out?"

“When my aunt first returned home, she was restless.” Xue Xiao said in a deep voice, “My wife’s younger sister is my sister. As the eldest brother, I must make careful plans for her. Shui Guang may seem innocent and naive, but she is actually very perceptive. Keeping her confined in the deep palace is like confining an intelligent whale to a narrow pond. It is really cruel.”

"And what about her?" Xu Quyan raised his chin slightly. "What does she think?"

"She's always stayed close to her sister in Xue Nan's residence." Xue Xiao countered, "What does the Sage think she'd be thinking?"

“I thought she hadn’t figured it out yet,” Xu Quyan said lightly. “Perhaps she’s just stuck in a rut right now. She’s very smart; she understands many things clearly without needing to be told.”

Xue Xiao held the teacup in his palm.

His hands were large; the small teacup in his hand looked like a deadly poison pill.

Xu Quyan's voice grew lower and lower until he fell silent. After a long pause, his voice was a little hoarse: "You mean, she doesn't... want to?"

Even if he uses every trick in the book, he still won't agree?

Xu Quyan turned his head to look at the gauze curtain to the side.

Wu Min cowered behind, her neck trembling as she quickly shook her head.

Xu Quyan's jaw tightened, as if he were holding his breath. He tilted his head back slightly, and after a long pause, he sighed and said, "If she is unwilling, then I will agree to your request—"

That's it.

Emperor Yongping was decisive in killing and ruthless. Once he had no worries about the future, he could devote himself wholeheartedly to his work and could be a wise ruler for a hundred years. The peace and tranquility of the world under Yongping's rule was within reach.

With Shan Yue and Shui Guang's great revenge avenged, the sisters are reunited. From now on, everything will be smooth and peaceful, and there will be plenty of good days to live. There is no need to worry too much.

The officials of Tianbao Temple have a bright future ahead of them. Under the rule of a wise ruler, they can fully realize their ambitions.

Worth it.

Worth it!

Having received the promise, Xue Xiao paused for a moment, then without hesitation, raised the teacup to his lips. The sweet aftertaste of the Golden Needle tea lingered at his nose. He would go underground and find out what the Meng Po soup tasted like—

"and many more."

Xu Quyan raised his voice, his tone high: "Enough—enough is enough."

Xu Quyan turned his back and flicked his sleeve.

The brocade dragon-patterned hem of the sleeve brushed against the sandalwood table again, the rustling sound revealing the emperor's lingering anger.

"Leave the palace! Leave the palace by yourself!"

Emperor Yongping turned his back to Xue Xiao and said, “Go back and spend some time with your wife. I will remove you from your post in the Xishan Camp and send you to the Hanlin Academy to write history. I will also send Xiao Po and the others to other places to cut off your path to forming a faction. You will never be able to leave the capital again. I will give your descendants glory, but I will never let them achieve anything great.”

"I hope you don't hate me," Emperor Yongping said, his voice barely audible. "And I also hope you don't lie to me."

Xue Xiao raised his eyes. Having just escaped death, his expression remained largely calm.

Xue Xiao knelt down and kowtowed, then slowly closed his eyes.

Before my eyes, I could almost picture that pale boy, his feet caught in an animal trap, shouting through the mountains, "Young Taoist priest, seeing people in distress yet offering no help, how can you uphold the heart of a Taoist practitioner?"

He assumed this young man was another wicked schemer sent by the Zhu family to plot against him. He turned his gaze to the side and sneered, "As Lao Tzu said, 'If you love to save someone, save them; if you don't want to save someone, don't save them. Follow your heart in all things, and that is the way!'"

A large pool of blood flowed from the boy's right foot, but he laughed gleefully: "I never said that!"

Oh.

They weren't sent by the Zhu family; Chun Chun was just an unlucky passerby who fell into a trap.

He turned around and walked towards the boy, raising his voice: "This Laozi is not Laozi. Laozi never said that. It was this Laozi who said it!"

Xue Xiao propped himself up, opened his eyes, and the scene of their first meeting in their youth faded away.

He said softly, "Okay."

With this single word, the rift began, and the brothers withdrew from the scene.

The incense in Linde Hall was half-burned, and wisps of smoke curled around the window frames and roof beams.

“This servant has no right to say such things.” Wu Min timidly emerged from behind the gauze curtain with her head down: “But even if this servant’s head falls to the ground today, this servant must say these words.”

Xu Quyan sat upright and quietly back down behind the sandalwood table, gently shaking his head: "I know what you're going to say."

He should kill Xue Xiao.

Such a huge secret, if even a whisper of it were to leak out, would render all his achievements—his reputation as a lasting historical figure and a wise ruler for all time—utterly futile. He would be utterly disgraced, and the gossip of posterity would likely tear him apart in his coffin.

He spent half his life cultivating himself, daring to kill his mother, seize power, and kill meritorious officials, struggling to reach the shore, but today he has broken all his cultivation—being ruthless and decisive is the most basic lesson for an emperor, yet he let Xue Xiao go.

He was indeed not of imperial blood.

He was merely a lowly, insignificant descendant of a military household, which explains his lingering, useless emotions.

Xu Quyan's hands hung naturally at his sides, his pale hands resting on the dragon-patterned fabric, and he felt a lump in his throat.

Wu Min sighed inwardly, about to offer some words of comfort, when she heard hurried footsteps at the edge of the corridor. After saying "I deserve death," the person pushed open a small door and strode out. A young eunuch tiptoed and whispered a few words in her ear. Wu Min pulled the eunuch aside and scolded him in a low voice: "Prepare a horse for Commander Xue to ride out of the palace! Under no circumstances can they be allowed to run into him!"

If the little ancestor saw that Xue Xiao was unharmed, he would definitely turn around and run away!

He Shuiguang is not the same as her sister!

Her sister is cold on the outside but soft on the inside. This brat is sweet on the outside but cold-hearted on the inside, and never thinks of others!

Wu Min held her breath, afraid that he would reveal it in advance and cause the already depressed emperor to be disappointed.

The incense has burned out.

The intermittent smoke resembled the feeble breath of a dying person.

The young emperor sat quietly until he heard thumping sounds coming from outside the door.

"Creak—" The door of Linde Hall was pushed open, and along with the door, the emperor's back straightened involuntarily.

Shui Guangka's fair and clean face peeked in from outside the door, and her expression changed drastically when she saw the two cups of cold tea on the table.

The tea has gone cold.

Where are the tea drinkers?

Was she too late after all?

Shui Guang felt a sharp pain in her heart—pain for her sister: "Lord Xue, has my brother-in-law returned to the capital? Where is he now?"

The clay stove beside him, with its jujube pit charcoal burning intermittently like the incense, burned until its last breath.

Xu Quyan's expression immediately brightened: "Water Light!"

Shui Guang strode in and saw an emperor dressed in a robe embroidered with gold dragons behind the sandalwood table. She raised a lip, but her expression was undeniably cold: "Fang—oh no, this humble woman should respectfully address you as 'Sage'."

“I know you resent me for lying to you.” Xu Quyan stood up and leaned forward. “When we crossed the Qiushui River, I had important business to attend to and couldn’t reveal my whereabouts. Afterwards, the misunderstanding deepened, and I had no way to explain myself—I had no intention of lying to you. It’s clear that it’s my childhood name, and the Empress Dowager’s surname is Fang, which is known throughout the palace.”

Shui Guang raised her hand to stop him, saying, "There's no point in bringing up these trivial matters again. I only want to ask you, where is Commandant Xue?"

Shui Guang's gaze was intense as she pointed at Wu Min beside her: "He went to Qihuang Pavilion early this morning to fetch medicine. What for? You are the Emperor, and now that your troublesome aunt has passed away, you have regained power and already hold absolute authority. Why would your personal attendant need to sneak out of the palace to fetch medicine?! The only explanation is that you discard the cunning rabbit once it's dead, the hunting dog once it's cooked, the birds once they're gone, and the good bow once it's put away!"

Shui Guang laughed. Her smile was sweet, and her two big eyes were like crescent moons, as beautiful as a clear spring under the moon.

The words that came out, however, were not so melodious.

"Or are you trying to use Lieutenant Xue to force me?" Shui Guang approached and circled around: "The Grand Eunuch of the Imperial Household went to Qihuang Pavilion to retrieve poison. What a big deal! Xiao Zhong has always been by the side of Grand Eunuch Wu. His mouth is tighter than a clam. How could I possibly get the whereabouts of his master out of him with just a few words?"

"Unless, you intended for me to know."

Shui Guang's mind is sharper than Qing Quan's: "Just like when you used Lin Yuanzheng to expose the emperor's medical records, making me guess that you were the emperor!"

Shui Guang walked up to Xu Quyan.

Xu Quyan leaned back in his sandalwood armchair, his hands hanging limply at his sides. He raised his face and looked up at the watery light: "So, will it work? If I use Lieutenant Xue and your sister to force you into the palace, will this tactic be effective?"

Shui Guang looked down at Xu Quyan, her eyes twitching slightly. Suddenly, she smiled and said, "It's useful. I'd give my life for my sister, but it's just to enter the palace as a concubine and enjoy wealth and honor. How could it be useless?"

The girl rarely uttered such sarcastic remarks.

The water is free-spirited, composed, clear-headed, and decisive.

Xu Quyan raised his eyes, his gaze sweeping over the girl's reddened eyes, twitching corners of her eyes, and tightly pursed lips.

“However—” Shui Guang’s voice changed, her eyes turned bloodshot, and her back teeth clenched tightly: “When I enter the palace, you’d better open your eyes and sleep—if I can give birth, I will kill you and seize the throne after the child is born; if I cannot give birth, I will kill you and seize the throne first, and simply change the world of this Great Wei!”

"My sister avenged our mother by breaking her own bones."

"I, He Shuiguang, am by no means a coward. I will avenge this grudge if I can while I'm alive. If I can't, I will die dressed in red and become a vengeful ghost to avenge this grudge!"

The charcoal in the clay stove has all burned out!

The tea that was supposed to be drunk has probably already been finished!

What did Wu Min choose?

Arsenic?

Arsenic?

It's still aconite!?

Shui Guang's mind raced as she carefully calculated the probability of Xue Xiao's life or death: if it was arsenic, he could still be saved by drinking soapy water within two hours; if it was aconite, it might be curable if given with atractylodes, lysimachia, and gentiana; if it was arsenic, that drug was fatal upon contact with blood.

Shui Guang spread her arms wide, held her breath, and suddenly softened her voice: "However, as long as people are alive, there is still room for negotiation. Yue Ming—"

Shui Guang blinked, then turned her neck at the opportune moment, her previous ruthlessness gone, replaced by a familiar, innocent charm: "Please tell me, what kind of medicine did my brother-in-law drink? Where is he now?"

Xu Quyan gently raised his chin, his throat bobbing as he swallowed the bitter, choked feeling in his throat: he didn't want to see Shui Guang feigning innocence and playing tricks on him.

What does he want to do with such shimmering water?

Everyone in the world is like that, so why should he go to all the trouble to get her?

Xu Quyan slowly stood up, lowered his head, picked up the teacup on the other side with one hand, and gently rubbed the cup with his fingertips. The smooth and bright white porcelain glaze was slippery to the touch.

Xu Quyan turned to look at the water, raised his cup, tilted his head back, and drank it all in one gulp.

The daylily tea soup had long since cooled down; when sipped on the back of the tongue, it had little aftertaste and instead tasted quite bitter.

Xu Quyan's unexpected action stunned Shui Guang: "You—you're poisoned. This tea is poisoned!"

Xu Quyan lowered his eyelids: "Poison? What poison? Commander Xue returned to the capital to report to the palace. I hosted a tea party to welcome him. The emperor and his ministers chatted comfortably. Commander Xue has just taken his leave of the palace. He is probably already at home with his wife, Chanjuan, enjoying a romantic reunion. What were you just saying?"

The empty cup spun around once before falling onto the sandalwood table.

Shui Guang's gaze followed the teacup, and in an instant, all her overwhelming anger, resentment for her sister's injustice, and hatred for Xu Quyan vanished.

Xu Quyan raised his hand and gestured vaguely towards the open gate.

"I am delighted with you." Xu Quyan's voice was steady and calm: "I love you very much, I love you so much that I can make you my concubine and empress, I love you so much that I wish you to be by my side day and night, I love you so much that I love you for treating your family and relatives so well—as long as you are willing, I will put you on the throne of Kunning Palace tomorrow."

"But if you refuse..."

Xu Quyan spread his hands, palms up: "That door is open, you can go."

Her resistance to Xu Quyan vanished in an instant, but Shui Guang was once again plunged into inexplicable emotions: helplessness, unease, guilt, and fear. These mixed together felt like stepping into a hunter's carefully laid trap, accompanied by physical pain and unknown dread.

Shui Guang opened her lips, wanting to say something, but said nothing.

Xu Quyan continued, “You’ve guessed many things wrong, but you’ve got one thing right—once the cunning rabbit dies, the hunting dog is cooked; once the birds are all gone, the good bow is put away. Commandant Xue knows too many of my secrets, and I don’t trust him completely, but because of you, I’m willing to trust him.”

"Shuiguang, do you understand what I mean?"

Xu Quyan's voice was light and clear, just like that refreshing Xiao Fang.

Her eyes were slightly misty, and after a long pause, she whispered, "I...I don't want to be an empress—a concubine—but..."

But she can stay.

If the emperor can continue to trust his sister and brother-in-law because of her, then keeping her is the most worthwhile option.

What's more—Shuiguang's gaze was still lingering on that teacup.

Moreover, the emperor could have killed Xue Xiao, but he didn't.

From entering the palace to entering the Linde Hall, she meticulously planned her approach, first launching into a fierce rebuke, then followed by a humble plea—surely one of these two attitudes would work on Xu Quyan.

Who could have predicted that all her plans and schemes would be completely shattered by the emperor's sudden tea-drinking incident?

Shui Guang's mind wandered, unsure how to answer, but she subconsciously knew she should give an answer now: "I can stay in the palace, but other...other things..."

Xu Quyan tilted his head back, but did not answer. Instead, he opened his arms and embraced the girl in front of him.

Unlike the sweet fragrance of the imperial concubines, it has a faint herbal scent.

"Nothing else. Your continued presence in the palace is my greatest joy," Xu Quyan said gently.

Shui Guang raised her head from the emperor's shoulder, and through the window lattice, she saw a cloud of ever-changing shapes floating on the horizon.

The cloud, like a small boat, sails away into the distance, carried by the wind and waves.

It seems she really can't get out.

Shui Guang's eyes inexplicably welled up with tears.

Great, my sister's ship has entered the harbor.

Xu Quyan buried his head deeply in Shui Guang's shoulder, and all his emotions were suddenly released: So what if he wasn't of imperial blood? He could still skillfully set up a trap and make his prey willingly walk into it.

He was a qualified emperor—cold-blooded and selfish enough to disregard the true expectations of his beloved, solely to keep her by his side.