Lin Jun gazed at Fang Jian Ya, smiling inscrutably.

He often had trouble sleeping at night. One night while roaming, he happened to see Fang Jian Ya sending a person in black clothing out of his mansion. By the moonlight, he could vaguely make out bloodstains on this person.

He was extremely surprised. Later, he heard that Duan Xu had fallen ill that night, and the doctor called to the Duan mansion was the same one who usually treated him. This doctor had a good relationship with him, and under his bribery, revealed Duan Xu’s condition, saying that he had caught a chill that evening and had vomited blood before fainting.

Lin Jun immediately recalled the black-clad figure who had left Fang Jian Ya’s mansion that night. The person’s build was very similar to Duan Xu’s, and the timing of the blood vomiting and fainting matched as well. He suspected that person was Duan Xu, and perhaps there was something peculiar between Duan Xu and Fang Jian Ya. Currently, Duan Xu was the Emperor’s greatest concern, and if he could catch something on him, it would be a great achievement.

He started with Fang Jian Ya, never expecting to unearth such a powerful secret edict. Duan Xu was now a meritorious official, making it difficult for the Emperor to find fault with him, yet he didn’t want to let him return to the North Shore. And this edict, personally written by the late Emperor, was a perfect opportunity.

Fang Jian Ya’s gaze darkened, and he said coldly: “I thought Lord Lin cared about the North Shore, and his lifelong wish was to recover it.”

Lin Jun seemed thoughtful, smiling as he said: “So this is why Lord Fang has concealed it until now? Although nine provinces of the North Shore remain to be recovered, Han uprisings there are spreading like wildfire, and the capital is within sight. Da Liang already has five fully equipped border armies: Su Ying, Tabai, Guihe, Chengjie, and Tangbei. The tactics and formations for battling Danzhi are well-practiced by the troops, and there are experienced generals like Meng Wan, Xia Qing Sheng, Wu Sheng Liu, Shi Biao, and Ding Jin. Zhao Chun was incompetent; we simply needed to appoint a new general. Recovering our lost territory is just a matter of time. Does it have to be Duan Xu?”

Lin Jun stepped forward and whispered in Fang Jian Ya’s ear: “Moreover, you and I both know that his body is ruined, far from what it was. He has no value anymore.”

“Duan Xu can die now.”

These words exploded like thunder in Fang Jian Ya’s ears.

Fang Jian Ya clenched his fists and said: “Duan Xu showed you kindness.”

“Duan Xu did show me kindness, but my loyalty is to the Emperor. Naturally, I prioritize easing the Emperor’s worries. Lord Fang, you too are a person with grand aspirations. The Emperor is currently suspicious; are you willing to be neglected for a lifetime as Prince Ji’s former man, even risking your life, with your policy plans and strategies for helping the people entirely unable to be implemented? Are you willing?”

Lin Jun was currently riding high, his step-by-step persuasion filled with certainty. He smiled leisurely: “This is an excellent opportunity. Duan Xu is currently unconscious, so you needn’t worry about facing him and having your past accounts exposed. You can even gain the Emperor’s trust by bringing down Duan Xu, becoming one of us. Such opportunities won’t come again in the future.”

“Lord Fang might feel uncomfortable due to old friendships, but you’ll soon come to terms with it. By then, you’ll even thank me.”

Fang Jian Ya’s expression was displeased, his brows tightly furrowed as he sized up Lin Jun. Indeed, Lin Jun came from a merchant background, calculating each deal shrewdly, using any means necessary.

—If for power and status, even fathers and sons, brothers would destroy each other.

Fang Jian Ya suddenly recalled the late Emperor, these words like a curse often circling in his mind. Nandu was a quagmire, the court the abyss within that quagmire. These past few months had been unprecedentedly tumultuous; white paper thrown in would instantly be soiled with mud, let alone white paper with ambition, which perhaps couldn’t wait to become even dirtier.

He looked down on Lin Jun like this, but how clean was he?

They couldn’t keep the Emperor waiting for long, so eventually, they entered the Emperor’s Ningle Palace. The young monarch, dressed in a ginger-yellow dragon robe, with resolute features and a naturally commanding presence, sat high in the hall, his expression inscrutable.

Fang Jian Ya calmly knelt with Lin Jun, saying: “Your subject Fang Jian Ya greets Your Majesty.”

The Emperor said coolly: “Rise, beloved minister.”

Fang Jian Ya stood up from the ground, and as he raised his eyes, he saw the Emperor picking up the bright yellow silk fabric from the table. He heard the Emperor say: “Why has my beloved minister only now asked Lin to bring such an imperial edict before me?”

Fang Jian Ya immediately knelt back down: “Your subject believed himself unworthy of the position, undeserving of the late Emperor’s appreciation. Moreover, with the North Shore not yet recovered, it seemed too early to punish General Duan, for fear of alerting the enemy.”

Lin Jun smiled beside him: “Lord Fang is always too modest, to the point of giving up the merits he deserves.”

The Emperor laughed noncommittally, placing the secret edict on the table, and said calmly: “General Duan is currently unconscious in Nandu, and the troops outside the city have all been dispatched to the North Shore. Could there be a better opportunity than now?”

He stood up, walking down the steps with his hands behind his back, saying as he walked: “Zhao Chun is dead, died in the Guihe Army, supposedly committing suicide due to his guilt. The Guihe Army, worthy of being Duan Xu’s army, is truly bold. Could it be that all the troops campaigning in the North Shore bear the Duan surname?”

The Emperor’s meaning was very clear.

Fang Jian Ya pressed his lips together and said: “General Duan is indeed… young and impetuous, showing off his talents.”

“Though both young, Lord Fang is incomparably more steady than Duan Xu. I believe the late Emperor did not misjudge, and neither will I.” The Emperor changed his tone, praising Fang Jian Ya.

Fang Jian Ya immediately bowed, lowering his head: “Your subject is grateful for the favor of the late Emperor and Your Majesty, and will certainly serve loyally and patriotically… following Your Majesty’s decree.”

The Emperor withdrew his gaze with satisfaction, speaking as if in casual conversation: “Recently, I’ve also heard that General Duan is not Duan Xu, that he was switched like a changeling when he came to Nandu from Daizhou, and is a Huqi person.”

Fang Jian Ya’s heart tightened, but he heard Lin Jun say beside him: “In that case, the Duan family has been civil officials for generations. Before joining the Tabai Army, he had never been to the north, yet he excelled in martial arts and military strategy, achieving remarkable feats repeatedly. To say it’s just talent is indeed somewhat forced. From what I’ve seen in the north, General Duan has a thorough understanding of the Huqi people.”

“There is no concrete evidence for this matter. Moreover, General Duan has repeatedly defeated Danzhi in battle. To challenge him on this ground would hardly stand.” Fang Jian Ya remained composed.

The Emperor nodded, saying coldly: “Your edict is sufficient for now. Whether Duan Xu is a Huqi person or not, I absolutely cannot let him return to the North Shore. For the morning court two days from now, beloved minister Fang, you must prepare well.”

How Duan Xu’s identity truly no longer mattered; what mattered was that imperial power could no longer tolerate him. So-called loyalty to the emperor and love for the country—the emperor demands that subjects first be loyal to him before they can speak of loving the country.

Fang Jian Ya was silent for a moment, then prostrated himself: “Your subject accepts the decree.”

That night, Fang Jian Ya had a nightmare.

In pitch darkness, he saw his twelve or thirteen-year-old self writing an essay by faint lamplight, writing joyfully until reaching the signature, where his brush paused.

Then he wrote the three characters “Duan Shunxi.”

The youth raised his head to look at him, his expression cold, saying calmly: “Will you continue to be his shadow? Seven years is not enough; how many more years will you continue?”

The youth stood up and walked toward him.

Fang Jian Ya stepped back, not knowing why he felt particularly fearful, though this was his youthful face.

“You didn’t force the late Emperor to write that secret edict, nor did you give it to the current Emperor. It’s Duan Xu’s fault for being too showy. Moreover, when you lost the edict, you did want to consult with Duan Xu, but he was unconscious and unable to respond. His luck was too poor; what could you do?”

“He was the second-place scholar, you were the first-place scholar. Why should he achieve great merit and have his name recorded in history, while you miss your opportunities and remain obscure? Can what you can give to Da Liang be any less than what he can?”

Fang Jian Ya softly said: “Stop talking.”

The youth looked at him for a long time, then said: “Dare you say you haven’t thought these things?”

“Admit it, Fang Jian Ya, this is what you think deep down. It wasn’t Lin Jun’s words that swayed you. If you truly wanted to protect Duan Xu, why didn’t you destroy the secret edict when Eunuch Zhao died? Why didn’t you tell him about this? You had already made your choice from the beginning.”

The youth had now walked to Fang Jian Ya. With nowhere to retreat, he heard the youth entice him: “You have your dreams. What does Duan Xu matter? Abandon him, betray him. So what if he dies?”

Fang Jian Ya suddenly awoke from the dream, rubbing his temples, his body drenched in cold sweat, feeling as if a thousand-pound stone pressed on his chest, impossible to relieve.

He sat up from the bed, put on his clothes, and got up to open the window for some air. Outside was the crisp fragrance of plum blossoms mixed with the cold wind. Fang Jian Ya looked at the courtyard under the moonlight, silently.

Suddenly, a firework rose into the sky, followed by bursts of others blooming one after another. Fang Jian Ya raised his head in astonishment, his eyes reflecting the brilliant fireworks in the night sky. It was so late; perhaps some child was setting them off secretly.

He suddenly recalled many years ago, on the day the examination results were announced when grand fireworks were set off in Nandu at night to celebrate. As the top scholar, he followed Lord Pei, exchanging toasts at the banquet in the Yucao Tower, meeting various nobles, and saying mutually flattering but insincere words.

He disliked such occasions and later excused himself as drunk to rest in a room. While casually watching the fireworks from the room, a figure suddenly appeared at the window.

It was the second-place scholar from the same examination, Duan Shunxi. Duan Xu flipped through the window, with brilliant fireworks behind him, swaying the wine in his hand, saying: “Daizhou’s Immortal Drunk. Would the top scholar do me the honor of sharing a pot with me?”

Duan Xu back then was even younger than now, spirited, and pressing forward fearlessly. Duan Xu had never changed.

Fang Jian Ya thought that, although he was very reluctant to admit it, he knew he had always harbored jealousy toward Duan Xu. This jealousy had begun to sprout even before he met Duan Xu when he was living in this world under this person’s name. Later, after being saved by Duan Xu, this jealousy mixed with gratitude and admiration, becomes more complex.

This person was born into a noble family, had countless family members, could stand at the center of power without effort, and act as he pleased without fear, covering him like a dark cloud.

At that time, drinking by the window with Duan Xu, he secretly thought he had finally seen the sun through the clouds, beating Duan Xu once.

But he also thought that perhaps Duan Xu was the only person that day who was genuinely happy for him.

Having lost his parents too early, perhaps he had developed an inherent solitude, not getting close to anyone. Thinking back over these many years, his true friends, family, and confidants were just that one person. The girl he liked was also that person’s sister.

It was as if he owed the Duan family in a past life and was entangled with them in this life, unable to shake them off.

If he shook them off, what would Fang Jian Ya have left?

If even Fang Jian Ya became unrecognizable, what would his so-called ideals rely on?

—Weapons are inauspicious tools, not tools for the noble person. I’ll be that inauspicious tool, you be that noble tool. How about it?

—I’ll be the general wielding the sword and riding horses to conquer the world, you be the minister holding the ivory tablet to govern the world. I don’t mind when the birds are gone and the good bow is put away; by then, I’ll retreat, and you can govern the world well.

—Betray if you must. People always pay a price for what they believe in or who they believe in, don’t they?

Fang Jian Ya raised both hands to cover his eyes, slowly bending over.

“Duan Shunxi… damn you! Madman!”

Fang Jian Ya gritted his teeth as if he wanted to tear this person into a thousand pieces.

People always pay a price for what they believe in.

If he believed in Duan Xu, what price would he have to pay for it?