He didn’t mind dying in the darkness before dawn, but if there was a chance to walk into the brilliant sunshine, who would refuse?

“Now I…” he said halfway, then felt it would spoil the mood, so his voice dropped.

He had become somewhat reluctant to die.

Yu Wanyin was puzzled: “What?”

“Nothing.” Xiahou Dan smiled and pulled her back to her seat, “Big sister’s hair smells nice.”

The capital had been overcast for seven days, the sky as dark as an endless night.

In just a few short days, both the Empress Dowager and the Emperor had passed away, and Imperial Guards had fought against Imperial Guards, terrifying the city’s residents, who kept their doors and windows tightly shut, living in constant fear.

Later, the killings seemed to have come to a pause, but the curfew in the city continued. No one knew how this calamity had started, or when it would end. But judging from the final winner, this matter was inextricably linked to the Prince of Duan.

And the Prince of Duan’s recent conduct had destroyed the good reputation he had carefully cultivated for many years—dozens of officials knelt for a long time but couldn’t see the Emperor one last time. Such a tragic affair couldn’t be contained even by the thick palace walls and was spread throughout the streets and alleys the next day. Even eighty-year-old women would ask, “Is there some conspiracy here?”

Moreover, with the Emperor’s body barely cold, the Prince of Duan was making a great show of hunting down the Empress everywhere. Anyone with a brain could see that this posture was meant to exterminate her completely.

For a time, discussions arose among the common people.

Then came the Imperial Guards. With one command from Commander Wen, newly appointed by the Prince of Duan, those spreading rumors would be killed without mercy.

After several households were dragged out and executed as a warning to others, the capital fell into complete silence. People on the streets communicated only with their eyes. Throughout the streets and alleys, except for the footsteps of patrolling Imperial Guards, no human voices could be heard. It was like a ghost city.

Li Yunxi and others sat beside Cen Jintian’s sickbed.

Earlier, when the Prince of Duan discovered Cen Jintian’s villa in the suburbs, Xiahou Dan had moved him to a new hiding place, allowing him to quietly live out his remaining days.

On the day Xiahou Dan died, the Prince of Duan told officials to return to their residences to rest. Li Yunxi had a premonition that once he returned home, he might never get out again. So after consulting with his two friends, they simply changed direction halfway and hid at Cen Jintian’s place.

Sure enough, news soon came that the officials who had knelt outside the bedchamber were all confined to their homes by the Imperial Guards, and not allowed to leave. And it was only a matter of time before the Prince of Duan’s men found this place.

They looked at each other, all with gloomy expressions.

Cen Jintian, sitting up in bed wrapped in a quilt, spoke first, his voice calm: “Given the situation, we should make plans early.”

After Xiao Tiancai’s care these days, his condition has improved quite a bit. Judging by his complexion alone, he didn’t look like someone with only a few months to live. Having been ill for so long, he had let go of fears about life and death, making him the calmest one among them.

Cen Jintian analyzed for them: “Right now, to stay alive, there are only two paths left. Either resign from office or pledge allegiance to the Prince of Duan. You don’t seem like the type who would pledge allegiance…”

“Of course not,” Li Yunxi said decisively.

Yang Duojie sighed: “Indeed, I’m preparing to resign.” There was no one worth serving in the court anymore, and he couldn’t stay in this city either. He might as well go back to care for his parents.

Li Yunxi paused. Resigning sounded like a miserable ending. He began to consider his long-held wish to die heroically in the palace hall and have his name go down in history.

“I’d like to try pledging allegiance,” Er Lan said lightly.

Li Yunxi: “…”

Li Yunxi: “What?”

Er Lan was not joking: “Most imperial loyalists will resign to save their lives, so there will be many vacancies in the court. The Prince of Duan needs people to work for him, so he won’t harm those who remain in the short term.”

Li Yunxi grew anxious, but before he could speak, Cen Jintian had already frowned: “Brother Er, being so intelligent, how could you not know that the Prince of Duan will certainly settle accounts after autumn?”

“Let’s take it one step at a time. When that time comes, it won’t be too late to die,” Er Lan seemed unafraid to discuss life and death in front of the sick man. “I think rather than dying by charging headlong into death as a show of loyalty, His Majesty would prefer to see us protecting the common people, ensuring they aren’t harmed by this turmoil.”

Li Yunxi: “…”

Was his lifelong aspiration that obvious?

Li Yunxi found himself in a dilemma. He was no longer the straightforward rookie who had just entered the court; naturally, he understood Er Lan’s well-meaning intentions. However, bowing to the Prince of Duan now would be a great humiliation!

Cen Jintian was silent for a moment, then slowly said: “When a great building is about to collapse, how insignificant is one person’s strength? Life is short; Brother Er is in the prime of his life. Why not live for yourself?”

Er Lan smiled and shook her head, her beautiful eyes gazing at him directly: “Brother Cen doesn’t know, I’m staying both for righteousness and for personal feelings.”

Li Yunxi and Yang Duojie both choked at the same time.

Li Yunxi felt a bitter indescribable feeling, while Yang Duojie marveled that his sworn brother was indeed open and straightforward about his homosexuality.

As if after a long time, Cen Jintian smiled in confusion: “So Brother Er has found a good match here? That’s indeed a joyous occasion.”

“Yes, it’s a joyous occasion.” Er Lan stood up, “I’ll go see what the situation is like outside.”

She left.

Li Yunxi and Yang Duojie sat rigidly in place, as if on pins and needles. Cen Jintian lowered his eyes and also said nothing more.

After a while, Li Yunxi turned and walked out without a word, kicking a pillar.

He hugged his foot and took a few breaths, then came back, saying fiercely: “Then I won’t leave either!”

Yang Duojie looked around: “…Nobody’s leaving? Then I’ll go. Someone will have to set up graves for you all in the future.”

While Yang Duojie was writing his resignation letter that night, the Prince of Duan was staring at the Emperor’s corpse in the coffin, his face ashen.

At his side, his trusted subordinates knelt in a row.

Xiahou Bo’s face was haggard, cold sweat wiped away only to seep out again. His subordinates watched fearfully, advising: “Your Highness, recovering from your injuries is paramount. You should lie down and rest earlier—”

Xiahou Bo interrupted: “This person was originally sent by the central army?”

Subordinate: “In reply to Your Highness, he was escorted by the central army, who said General Luo personally interrogated him.”

A flash of ruthless light passed through Xiahou Bo’s eyes as he reached out to lift a corner of the mask tightly adhered to the corpse’s face, murmuring to himself: “Even the central army would betray…”

Only when this “Xiahou Dan” breathed his last did he discover the man was a fake.

At that time, he had flown into a rage, initially intending to keep the news under wraps and continue secretly hunting for the real emperor. Unfortunately, those suicidal civil officials pressed too hard, with the posture that if they couldn’t see the emperor, they would die for the cause. Xiahou Bo didn’t dare provoke public resentment at such a critical moment, so he had no choice but to let them see the body of this impostor.

Then he arranged for a quick burial. This way, as long as he insisted that Xiahou Dan was already buried, even if a real Xiahou Dan appeared later, he could turn the tables and claim the other was the impostor.

However, being deceived by this impostor for several days could have fatal consequences. Where had the real Xiahou Dan fled? Had he escaped the encirclement of the three armies while they were lax in their search, or was he being harbored by some faction that had betrayed him?

Xiahou Bo was reluctant to suspect the central army. He and General Luo had fought side by side before—they had a friendship forged in life-and-death situations. He preferred to believe that General Luo simply hadn’t seen through this man’s disguise.

But he knew in his heart that he could no longer welcome the central army into the city without reservations. He couldn’t trust the other two armies either.

Xiahou Bo couldn’t help feeling a sense of desolation, as if everyone had betrayed him.

His subordinate reminded him: “Your Highness, tomorrow the three armies will gather outside the city.”

Xiahou Bo collected himself and said coolly: “Arrange for them to camp outside the city.” He had to guard against Xiahou Dan’s return.

“Does Your Highness wish to receive the three generals?”

“Have the three of them come into the city to see me, but set up ambushes along the way. If anyone acts suspiciously, execute them on the spot. Also, set up defenses at the city gates and sent people to inspect each unit and supply the wagons of the three armies one by one. Check the true appearance of anyone who looks suspicious.”

The subordinate noted everything down. Xiahou Bo thought of another matter: “Bring the Crown Prince to me… and also arrest all members of Shaoqing Yu’s household and bring them here.”

This meant taking them as hostages. Perhaps Xiahou Dan didn’t care much about their lives, but for the sake of appearances, he couldn’t abandon them—if Xiahou Dan showed up tomorrow.

Xiahou Bo had made thorough preparations.

However, he still felt vaguely uneasy. Perhaps because that day at the foot of Bei Mountain, he had witnessed the weapon in Xiahou Dan’s hand.

Now he knew his enemy well and would not allow himself to be exposed within the range of that thing. But the sudden appearance of that weapon itself was like an ominous omen. In Xie Yonger’s prophecy, he was supposed to be the chosen one. But why, after persevering until today, did heaven’s favor seem increasingly stingy?

He was now disfigured and unable to walk properly, and his leg injuries were continuously worsening. To the subordinates watching him, it seemed that the once-mighty Prince of Duan had fallen so low, having lost the imposing manner that had once looked down on the world. His wavering eyes revealed nothing but paranoia and suspicion, even more frightening than the mad emperor.

His subordinates were all secretly lamenting.

Having come this far, it was impossible to change sides at the last moment, so they could only continue down this dark path. Originally, these people had been eagerly waiting for the Prince of Duan to take power gloriously, but now they were doing everything to conceal their fear.

A cold smell permeated the air. If there were veteran soldiers present, they would recognize it as the scent of defeat.