◎Xie Heng’s Regicide◎

Hearing this, Xie Heng seemed to have been waiting for this day all along.

He nodded, wrote a note, called Zhusi over, tied the note to Zhusi’s leg, and patted it: “Go find Brother Shengzhao and have him write a letter asking her to come receive him.”

Zhusi called out once and flew away.

Then Xie Heng calmly stood up, spreading his arms: “Change my clothes.”

The attendants beside him dressed him in his usual dark robe with gold thread court attire and placed the golden crown on his head. Zhuque waited beside him while reporting: “Also, the book that Madam obtained from Fengyu Pavilion’s Dark Pavilion last time has now been completely repaired. Brother Xuanshan had it sent over.”

As he spoke, Zhuque handed over the book. Xie Heng took the roster, opened it, flipped through a few pages briefly, and stopped at the portrait of “Jiang Fengwan.”

Looking at that face which bore extreme resemblance to Li Guiyu, Xie Heng remained silent for a long while before saying calmly: “As expected.”

“What’s wrong?”

Zhuque leaned over in confusion, looking at the person in the portrait, then said with some surprise: “Why does this person look so much like the Third Prince?”

“Keep this book,” Xie Heng said, handing the album to Zhuque. “If Li Guiyu ever threatens Madam in the future, give it to her. If not…”

Xie Heng pondered for a moment, then finally said: “Keep it yourself and don’t tell anyone.”

“Oh.”

Zhuque didn’t quite understand but obediently put the book away.

Xie Heng glanced at him, led him outside, and calmly instructed: “This afternoon, bring horses and travel packs. Put poison and a bottle of Yuanli Pills in the pack, and wait for me under the wilted willow tree outside the city.”

“Huh?”

Zhuque asked in confusion: “Why? Where is Young Master going?”

“I’m going to see His Majesty and take him to Bailu Mountain.”

Xie Heng walked out the door, leading Zhuque as they went, his tone calm: “His Majesty brought many people today, so you don’t need to come. Prepare everything,” Xie Heng looked at him, “and wait for me outside the city.”

“Oh.”

Zhuque nodded without much thought, only saying: “Alright, then I’ll wait for you outside the city.”

With that, Zhuque bowed: “Then, Young Master, I’ll go prepare first.”

“Zhuque.”

Seeing him about to leave, Xie Heng suddenly called out. Zhuque turned back to see Xie Heng throw him a token, smiling: “When you see Xuanshan, have him give you and everyone else five hundred gold from the treasury.”

Hearing this, Zhuque’s eyes widened. Xie Heng smiled: “Don’t you like buying shoes? Now you can buy them properly.”

“Young Master!”

Zhuque exclaimed joyfully: “You’re so good to us!”

“Go wait for me in the suburbs.”

Xie Heng waved his hand, and Zhuque left happily.

After Zhuque departed, Xie Heng turned around, led his people outside, and said coldly: “Let’s receive His Majesty.”

Li Zong’s procession stopped outside Si Province city.

Half a month ago, he had written to Li Zong about needing the Yin Master’s token to open the Bailu Mountain underground palace doors. Li Zong quickly replied and came in person.

When the emperor traveled, his procession and guards numbered nearly ten thousand, taking half a month of grand procession to reach Si Province city.

Xie Heng had been waiting at the city gates with Si Province officials early on, watching the emperor’s procession approach. When the ceremonial procession stopped before the city gates, Xie Heng led everyone in kneeling and paying respects. After shouting “Long live!” he heard Li Zong’s familiar voice from behind the dragon sedan: “Rise.”

With that, Xie Heng stood up. Li Zong extended his hand from the dragon sedan, beckoning: “Come here, let me have a look at you.”

Hearing this, Xie Heng walked to the dragon sedan. Li Zong lifted the sedan curtain, looked him over for a moment, then smiled: “You look much thinner, boy.”

“Your Majesty’s concern for this subject.” Xie Heng replied respectfully: “Though my clothes remain unchanged, this subject troubles Your Majesty with worry.”

“You’re a child I watched grow up. Being away from home and fighting bandits, how could I not worry?”

Li Zong sighed, his eyes full of affection, then turned to look at the distant high mountains, saying slowly: “How much longer to Bailu Mountain?”

“Half an hour.”

As Xie Heng spoke, he glanced at the sky: “Perhaps Your Majesty should rest for a day first, and tomorrow…”

“No need to wait until tomorrow.” Li Zong waved his hand, obviously somewhat impatient, turning to Yang Chun: “Yang Chun, settle five thousand troops and bring five thousand with us into the mountains.”

Yang Chun arranged this accordingly. Only then did Li Zong turn back, chatting with Xie Heng like any ordinary elder: “It’s still early. Have you eaten breakfast?”

“With Your Majesty not yet arrived, this subject had no heart for food.”

“Perfect then,” Li Zong smiled, “I grant you the honor of sharing my table. Let us talk, just the two of us.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty.”

Xie Heng and Li Zong waited a moment. Once Yang Chun had arranged everything, Xie Heng boarded Li Zong’s carriage, had someone lead the way, and headed toward Bailu Mountain with Li Zong’s five thousand men.

The two casually ate something on the road while Xie Heng carefully reported his experiences since coming to Si Province.

“The Zheng family exploited the local people, who had long suffered unbearably. When Your Majesty stationed troops in Si Province, the people all knelt in gratitude for Your Majesty’s grace, feeling extremely thankful. The Zheng family case is being thoroughly investigated—the guilty will be punished according to their crimes, while the innocent will not be pursued.”

As Xie Heng spoke of these matters, Li Zong smiled without comment. When Xie Heng finished, he said leisurely, “I originally thought… You would kill all the Zheng family and hang them at the city gates. I didn’t expect Heng’er to become soft-hearted too.”

“I did consider such action,” Xie Heng nodded thoughtfully, “but now that the great families throughout the realm are watching like tigers, I feared that if I truly did so, these people would feel the sorrow of the rabbit’s death and fox’s grief, inciting military revolt. At that time, Luo Wanqing’s life alone wouldn’t be enough to fill their panic.”

“True enough.”

Li Zong nodded, clearly not very concerned about these matters, only changing the subject to ask: “And Bailu Mountain? What’s the current situation there?”

“After this subject occupied Si Province, I had people search Bailu Mountain and finally discovered a cave on the back side. The cave leads straight down, and below we found a stone door. The door requires a key—this subject examined the lock and confirmed it should use the Yin Master’s token as the key to open. Fearing there might be self-destruct mechanisms behind the stone door, I didn’t continue investigating.”

Xie Heng spoke his prepared explanation flawlessly. Li Zong didn’t suspect anything either.

He lightly tapped his knee, appearing quite calm, but his willingness to come already revealed his overly eager thoughts.

After all, having searched for six years and paid so much, now that the moment of harvest had finally arrived, how could he not be urgent?

Xie Heng looked at Li Zong’s expression and said with some concern: “Actually, Your Majesty could have just had someone send the Yin Master’s token. Why trouble yourself with the imperial journey?”

“Qingping’s final legacy—how could I not come see it myself?” Li Zong sighed with some nostalgia: “To personally see what he left behind, to see what it was that made him turn away from me.”

“Your Majesty values relationships deeply.”

Xie Heng’s tone was flat, but he understood in his heart that Li Zong had come personally because he didn’t trust him.

Perhaps in this matter, he trusted no one.

He wanted to personally see the gunpowder in this underground palace. Having brought so many people, after counting everything clearly, he might take it directly, or perhaps leave it here for future needs.

Precisely because he knew Li Zong was suspicious to this extent, Xie Heng had specifically told him that the Yin Master’s token was needed to open the door, luring him to come.

Xie Heng showed nothing on his face, chatting with Li Zong as they entered the mountains. When they reached Bailu Mountain, Xie Heng led Li Zong to the cave he had prepared in advance, saying: “Your Majesty, the cave is narrow. Let the soldiers wait outside while we select elite guards to escort Your Majesty inside.”

“No need for too many people,” Li Zong raised his hand to stop the soldiers behind him, looking at Xie Heng with complete trust: “With Heng’er and Yang Chun protecting me, I feel very secure.”

With that, Li Zong turned to go inside, saying generously: “Let’s go, Heng’er, you lead the way.”

Xie Heng respectfully went ahead, leading Li Zong inside.

The cave tunnel was extremely narrow, only wide enough for three people side by side. Xie Heng and Yang Chun protected Li Zong front and back, with Xie Heng holding a torch in front, softly warning Li Zong about stones along the path.

The three walked along the cave tunnel for a long while. Li Zong began to feel vaguely uneasy, looking up at Xie Heng carrying the torch ahead, and said with a smile: “Heng’er, actually, I came personally for another private reason.”

“Oh?” Xie Heng didn’t turn back, his tone calm: “What other reason does Your Majesty have?”

“It’s almost time to give Heng’er your medicine.” Li Zong smiled: “I was afraid of delaying, so I came personally. This time, Heng’er has achieved great merit. Once we find the gunpowder cache and return to the Eastern Capital, I’ll give you the antidote. We are like father and son, as ruler and subject—we don’t need such things to restrain us anymore.”

“Is Your Majesty afraid?”

Xie Heng asked directly. Li Zong’s expression didn’t change, only smiling: “Afraid of what?”

“If you’re not afraid, why does Your Majesty remind me of this?”

Xie Heng’s tone was flat. Li Zong laughed awkwardly, then only said: “This path is somewhat too long.”

“We’ve arrived.”

Xie Heng stopped. Li Zong looked up in confusion while Yang Chun gripped his whisk alertly, seeing Xie Heng standing at the path’s end.

At the end was a stone door. Xie Heng held the torch, standing before the great door, saying respectfully: “Will Your Majesty open the door personally, or shall this subject do it?”

“Give him the Yin Master’s token.”

Li Zong took the Yin Master’s token from his sleeve and handed it to Yang Chun.

Yang Chun received it with both hands and passed it toward Xie Heng.

Xie Heng handed the torch to Yang Chun, nodding: “Trouble Grand Eunuch Yang to hold the fire for me.”

“No trouble,” Yang Chun smiled as he took the torch.

Xie Heng lowered his eyes, inserted the Yin Master’s token into the lock, raised his hand to slap the side, and the stone door slowly lifted.

Yang Chun watched, feeling something was wrong, but he wasn’t skilled in mechanisms and formations and couldn’t explain why. He only frowned as he watched the stone door open to reveal pitch blackness beyond. Yang Chun instinctively wanted to go inside but was stopped by Xie Heng, who immediately said: “Grand Eunuch Yang, we don’t know what’s inside—carrying a torch is inappropriate.”

Hearing this, Yang Chun’s heart jumped as he realized that if there was a gunpowder cache inside and he entered with a torch…

His heart turned cold. He quickly extinguished the torch, hurriedly saying: “Thank you, Director, for the reminder—”

Just as the cave plunged into darkness, a palm strike attacked!

Yang Chun’s expression turned stern. He instantly concentrated his inner power in one palm, clashing violently with Xie Heng.

Torrential inner power flowed toward each other like two floods. Both men were simultaneously thrown back by the other’s force. At the same time, Xie Heng’s Qianji bracelet smashed toward the stone door button in the distance. As Yang Chun landed, the stone door immediately crashed down heavily, trapping him behind it.

“Xie Heng!”

Yang Chun’s voice shouted urgently from inside the door.

Xie Heng swallowed a mouthful of blood, quickly rose from the ground, grabbed Li Zong’s throat in the darkness, and said coldly: “Move.”

Li Zong remained silent, allowing him to grip his throat as they went forward.

The cave was full of hidden passages—he had discovered the Zheng family’s underground palace earlier, originally used for imprisoning criminals, which now served his purpose perfectly.

He led Li Zong through twists and turns, opened a hidden door, and leaped down. After jumping into the secret chamber, he pressed Li Zong down into a chair, then turned to grope for lights in the darkness.

When the lamplight came on, Li Zong was somewhat unaccustomed to it. He squinted, looking at the young man holding a candle before him.

His complexion was somewhat pale as he held the candle, lighting lamp after lamp. When the room was fully illuminated, Li Zong looked around and discovered it was a torture chamber.

His heart turned cold, but his expression showed little emotion. He only turned to look at Xie Heng and smiled: “What does Heng’er mean by this?”

“Isn’t Your Majesty afraid?”

Xie Heng looked at the person sitting there so contentedly and spoke coldly. Li Zong looked around, saying slowly: “You won’t kill me, so what do I have to fear?”

“Your Majesty is so certain?”

“I understand you,” Li Zong chuckled lightly. “If you wanted to kill me, you would have acted just now. Speak then,” Li Zong brushed his robe, saying composedly, “What do you want?”

Xie Heng stared at Li Zong. His throat tightened slightly—he had known this person for over twenty years.

From the time he could remember, he had known this person. He had always been kind, his elder, his family.

He looked at him for a long while before finally saying: “When I was young, I had a bad temper and often caused trouble. Everyone would teach and scold me, but only Your Majesty always said that I would be the nation’s weapon in the future—how could you blunt my edge? So every time I caused trouble, I wasn’t afraid because I knew Your Majesty would protect me.”

Hearing Xie Heng’s words, Li Zong’s eyes softened somewhat, only saying, “It’s touching that you still remember.”

“I always felt Your Majesty was a very good elder who, together with my family, accompanied me as I grew up. Before I turned eighteen, I felt I was one of the most fortunate people in this world—born to a noble family, with exceptional talent, surrounded by loving relatives and friends. There was nothing in this world I couldn’t accomplish. So I could never understand,” Xie Heng looked up at Li Zong, “why Your Majesty would do such things.”

“What?” Li Zong didn’t understand.

Xie Heng looked at him and said hoarsely: “Why did you indulge Wang Lianyang in forcing the Crown Prince and my aunt to their deaths?”

Hearing this, Li Zong thought for a moment, then smiled: “You ask me questions, but let me ask you one first—”

With that, Li Zong’s expression became serious, his eyes sharp: “What did you find at Bailu Mountain?”

Hearing his question, Xie Heng knew what he cared about. He smiled, his face showing mockery: “Nothing at all.”

Li Zong frowned, about to speak, when he heard Xie Heng say: “I planted that map. There’s nothing at Bailu Mountain.”

Li Zong was stunned. After a moment of stupor, he instantly understood the connections and immediately said, “You opened the Xuantian Box early? Where’s the map? Where are the things?”

Xie Heng didn’t speak. He looked at Li Zong with some pity and said calmly: “There is none. Inside wasn’t the gunpowder cache map you wanted—only my uncle’s military journal, correspondence with you, and a military map for crossing snow mountains to reach Kunlun.”

“That’s the gunpowder cache location?” Li Zong said incredulously: “The gunpowder cache is in Kunlun?”

Even as he asked this, Li Zong found it absurd.

How could Cui Qingping possibly put a gunpowder cache in Kunlun, separated by the northern Rong?

But if there was no map in the Xuantian Box, if there was no map anywhere else, then…

“There is no gunpowder cache.” Seeing his realization, Xie Heng said coldly: “The gunpowder cache never existed in this world from beginning to end, Your Majesty. It was a lie.”

Li Zong stared blankly at Xie Heng. After a long while, he forced a smile: “Impossible. You’re lying to me. Back then, your mother used this gunpowder to blow open the palace gates. This gunpowder was a hundred times more powerful than existing gunpowder—just one piece could blow open palace gates that would take a hundred times more regular gunpowder…”

“Then why didn’t the Cui family use it?”

Xie Heng asked calmly in return. Li Zong’s movements froze. Xie Heng looked at Li Zong: “Did Your Majesty personally see the palace gates blown open? Did Your Majesty personally see just one piece of gunpowder blow open gates that would take a hundred times more gunpowder?”

Li Zong couldn’t speak. He suddenly realized he had never actually seen it.

This news had been told to him by Wang Lianyang.

Xie Heng looked at Li Zong’s stunned expression and said slowly: “Let me tell Your Majesty what happened back then. At that time, the Cui family was at its peak. Uncle promoted the Great Xia Legal Code, requiring everyone to act according to law. Your Majesty was fond of pleasure and wasn’t the wise ruler my uncle imagined, so you two had many disputes. Your Majesty had long harbored resentment but could only nurse secret hatred due to the Cui family’s authority. The Wang and Zheng families perceived Your Majesty’s thoughts, so they colluded with the northern Rong. Using peace negotiations as a pretense to make the Great Xia lower its guard, on the fifteenth of the fifth month, the northern Rong launched a surprise attack on the border. The Wang and Zheng families joined forces to block news from the border.”

Li Zong listened quietly without speaking.

Xie Heng continued: “The border held out bitterly for nearly a month as supplies dwindled. To the Eastern Capital, unaware of the war, this behavior appeared to be harboring troops for personal power, refusing to return with the army, signs of disloyalty. At this time, the Wang family… or the Zheng family, advised Your Majesty that they had discovered Cui Qingping secretly building a gunpowder cache. You easily believed this lie.”

“Wang Lianyang.”

Li Zong understood what he was saying and added: “She told me, and she told me about this in the fourth month.”

“You were afraid, but also realized that if you could possess this gunpowder cache, you might be able to suppress the great families through force. You had wanted to break free from the Cui family for a long time. So on the tenth of the sixth month, you had Wang Lianyang place the Empress and Crown Prince under house arrest, wanting to use their lives to force my mother to reveal the gunpowder cache’s location. But I broke into the palace, and my mother took her own life to protect me.”

Li Zong looked at Xie Heng. Xie Heng’s face remained calm as he continued: “News of my mother’s death was quickly sent to my uncle by the Wang and Zheng families. On the sixteenth of the sixth month, you received his letter, which read: ‘The northern Rong invade, I resist enemies without while facing tigers and leopards within. If there is discord between ruler and subject, I cannot fight alone with one hand. I hope Your Majesty will think thrice and be cautious, showing mercy and patience. If the heir apparent is not of Cui lineage, I cannot guarantee Great Xia’s stability.’ Your Majesty was enraged by this letter, and any guilt about killing my mother vanished as you imprisoned the entire Cui family.”

“Wasn’t that justified?” Li Zong said coldly: “He, a mere subject, dared to be so presumptuous…”

“That last sentence in the letter wasn’t written by my uncle.”

Xie Heng interrupted Li Zong. Li Zong was stunned. Xie Heng said calmly, “He wrote you many letters, but they were all intercepted. Only this one reached you. The earlier sentences were his writing, but that line ‘If the heir apparent is not of Cui lineage, I cannot guarantee Great Xia’s stability’ was artificially added by others. At that time, Sun Zhengli controlled the Ministry of War—all correspondence went through the Ministry of War. This letter was deliberately selected for Your Majesty by them.”

Li Zong sat there in a daze, listening to Xie Heng’s words. Xie Heng continued: “Afterward, my uncle received news that the entire Cui family had been imprisoned. He knew Your Majesty was persecuting his family, yet he still held fast at the front lines.”

With that, Xie Heng stepped forward, handing over copies of their correspondence and Cui Qingping’s military journal, saying simply: “He kept defending, defending until ammunition and supplies were exhausted. He had the civilians retreat to Heyu Pass, but the Wang family sent people to distribute enemy uniforms to the civilians, treating them as enemies to be shot down, then reported the Great Victory at Heyu Pass to claim merit.”

Li Zong couldn’t speak. Looking at Cui Qingping’s military journal, he heard Xie Heng’s mocking words: “This is the Great Victory at Heyu Pass. Before the front lines were even breached, they reported to the court that enemy forces had reached Heyu Pass. The court thus abandoned the ten border cities. My uncle could have fought back, but he knew that once Great Xia launched civil war, the northern Rong would certainly strike straight for the Eastern Capital, so he made a second choice.”

Li Zong looked up in bewilderment. Xie Heng’s eyes were slightly moist: “He had one hundred thousand troops and civilians climb over snow mountains, circle behind the northern Rong to Kunlun, and await orders. He held fast until the city fell and he was captured, then found ways to escape back to the Eastern Capital for reinforcements during the pursuit. At that time, if only the Eastern Capital had sent troops, they could have joined with those one hundred thousand troops and civilians to sandwich the northern Rong!”

Li Zong listened, his eyes widening in disbelief: “How is that possible?!”

“But Your Majesty didn’t trust him.”

Xie Heng smiled through tears: “Your Majesty chose to poison him in the palace, chose to abandon those ten cities, chose to trade the lives of the entire Cui family for the stability of your throne!”

As Xie Heng spoke, he couldn’t help but grab Li Zong’s throat, staring at him intensely. Li Zong’s eyes were full of shock. He seemed to understand something, breathing rapidly as he heard Xie Heng’s interrogation: “This is his ruler, the ruler my uncle and the Cui family served with their lives! Do you have no heart? Do you have no feelings?”

Xie Heng tightened his grip. Li Zong couldn’t help struggling, desperately prying at Xie Heng’s fingers as he heard Xie Heng continue questioning: “My uncle grew up with you from childhood, my aunt was your wife from youth, my elder brother was your first child, decades, the Cui family served loyally for decades. Couldn’t all of this earn even half a measure of Your Majesty’s trust?”

“What about him?!”

Li Zong, hearing his questions, finally couldn’t help but roar. Xie Heng’s fingers loosened slightly. Li Zong hurriedly pushed him away, coughing violently, then looked up angrily at Xie Heng: “You ask me why I didn’t trust him—but did he trust me?!”

Xie Heng didn’t speak. He watched Li Zong’s face flush red with anger: “If he trusted me, why didn’t he tell me about those hundred thousand people sent to Kunlun Mountain? Why didn’t he tell me about the Xuantian Box sent to the south?!”

As Li Zong spoke, he even forgot to use the royal ‘we’, saying urgently: “Do you think I wanted to kill him? Do you think I enjoyed it? Do you think Shengzhao and Muhua could escape because I let them go? I was waiting for Cui Qingping the whole time!”

Xie Heng’s eyes moved slightly. Li Zong, facing his gaze, turned his head away somewhat awkwardly.

He seemed unwilling to admit it, but still clenched his fists and explained: “I wanted to trust him. I waited for him to come and explain to me. When he fled back from the northern Rong, everyone was telling me he had come to avenge the Cui family, that he advocated war because the northern Rong had planted people, that he was collaborating with them inside and out, just waiting to annihilate my forces. Do you know what kind of pressure I was under then?”

Li Zong spoke urgently, both angry and resentful: “But I still wanted to trust him! I waited for him. I knew he had sent the Xuantian Box to the south. I waited for him to tell me everything, but he didn’t! He only asked me for troops, telling me that if I just handed the people over to him, he was certain of victory. But where did his certainty come from?”

“Because he had sent a hundred thousand soldiers and civilians behind the northern Rong’s lines.” Understanding dawned in Xie Heng’s eyes. “If you sent troops to attack from both sides, he was certain of victory.”

“But he didn’t tell me.” Li Zong smiled. “He was afraid I would harm those people, afraid I would tell the northern Rong their location and have them annihilated. You say I didn’t trust him, but did he trust me?”

As Li Zong spoke, tears fell. He cried and laughed at the same time: “You all say I’m suspicious, but haven’t I sacrificed anything? It was he, it was Cui Qingping, who failed me! If he had just trusted me a little more back then, he wouldn’t have died!”

“And what about my mother?”

Speaking of these past events, Xie Heng’s voice couldn’t help but become agitated.

Thinking of the moment Cui Muhua took her own life, remembering how he crawled step by step across the ground into his mother’s blood, he couldn’t help saying: “You say you wanted our trust. But before Uncle returned, during your so-called waiting period, my mother was already dead! My aunt was dead, and the entire Cui family was imprisoned. How could uncle, how could we, trust you?!”

With this question, Li Zong could no longer answer.

He fell silent. After a long while, he said: “I never intended to kill them.”

Mentioning Cui Muhua and Cui Lianyi, Li Zong’s voice finally became hoarse: “I only wanted to use Shengzhao and Lianyi to force your mother to tell the truth. I didn’t expect you to return. When she saw you, fearing Zheng Daochu would kill you, she took her own life. I couldn’t stop her in time. Later… when your uncle was captured and the border war had ended, the Wang and Zheng families were watching me… I had to kill.”

“What else?”

Xie Heng’s eyes were filled with deathly silence as he looked at Li Zong: “Are these all your crimes?”

Li Zong didn’t speak. After a long, silent pause, he said: “So you came today to demand justice?”

With that, Li Zong looked up at Xie Heng: “Telling me all this is to settle accounts?”

“Will Your Majesty give us this justice?”

Xie Heng asked calmly. Li Zong smiled: “You wouldn’t come just to ask me this question. Speak—what do you want? What do you have?”

“Li Shengzhao is still alive.”

Xie Heng spoke. Li Zong was completely unsurprised, saying calmly: “Is it that child called Cui Junye?”

“You knew?”

“I suspected.” Li Zong chuckled lightly. “Sometimes when I looked at him, I would think of Shengzhao. I always thought I was overthinking, but it turns out,” Li Zong looked up at Xie Heng, “you have this ability. So what do you want to do now?”

“Make him Crown Prince and regent, vindicate the Cui family, and restart the Great Xia Legal Code.”

Xie Heng spoke coldly, each sentence like walking a long road.

Li Zong stared at him: “And your bargaining chips?”

“The eighty thousand men you gave Luo Wanqing, along with Si Province’s twenty thousand troops, have already taken the ten border cities, negotiated peace with the northern Rong, and will welcome back the army left in Kunlun years ago. This army, plus the Supervision Department and the Qin and Xie great families—is it enough?”

Li Zong listened to him speak, staring at Xie Heng. After a long while, he raised his hands and clapped softly: “Good, very good. You have troops, power, and money. If I don’t agree, wouldn’t I be a fool?”

Xie Heng ignored his mockery, only hearing Li Zong say: “So the Qin Wenyan case back then—you deliberately showed favor to Qin Jue?”

“Yes.”

“Who killed Shangwen?”

“Me.”

“The Eastern Palace Six Rates—you deliberately framed them?”

“They deserved to die anyway. The Great Victory at Heyu Pass involved them shooting civilians.”

“Were the assassins at your wedding the Wang and Zheng families’ people, or yours?”

“Both. If they didn’t act, I would.”

“All to make me give you troops to march on Si Province?”

“Yes.”

“So the northern Rong invasion was also false news?”

“Yes.”

Li Zong said nothing more. He kept a smile at the corner of his mouth, contemplating Xie Heng’s words. After thinking for a long while, he couldn’t help shaking his head: “What a pity—why aren’t you my biological son?”

Xie Heng stared at Li Zong. Li Zong smiled lightly: “I originally thought my most outstanding son was Guiyu, and I would give him the throne, just as my father emperor, gave me everything in the royal family. He would make the Li dynasty’s fortune last forever. I never expected… it would be Shengzhao in the end. But it’s all the same—they’re all my sons, so it doesn’t matter. I agree to your terms. But I have one condition—”

Li Zong looked up at Xie Heng, staring into his eyes with calm gravity: “Kill Luo Wanqing.”

Hearing this answer, Xie Heng’s expression showed understanding, yet he still asked: “Why?”

“No particular reason. I want her dead.” Li Zong was too lazy to explain. He smiled at Xie Heng: “I’ll give everything to Shengzhao, but you must show me your loyalty too. What’s this—unwilling to kill one woman?”

“She must die?” Xie Heng confirmed.

Li Zong didn’t hesitate: “She absolutely must die.”

Hearing this, Xie Heng lowered his eyes. After a long while, he seemed somewhat helpless as he closed his eyes and smiled mockingly: “Only if she dies can Your Majesty’s secret be kept safe, isn’t that right?”

Li Zong’s pupils trembled slightly as he feigned composure: “What secret?”

“The Inner Pavilion is an organization that the late emperor gave to Your Majesty, isn’t it?”

Xie Heng deduced from Li Zong’s earlier words.

Luo Qushu had entered the Inner Pavilion since childhood. Being of a similar age to Li Zong, it was unlikely Li Zong had cultivated him.

According to Li Zong’s words about inheriting everything from the late emperor, the Inner Pavilion might be the most secretive organization serving the royal family throughout history.

Hearing Xie Heng mention the Inner Pavilion, Li Zong understood: “You know?”

“Inner Pavilion member Luo Qushu was on the battlefield back then, constantly sending messages to the Inner Pavilion. Your Majesty is the Inner Pavilion’s leader, so actually, Your Majesty knew very clearly what happened on the battlefield. You weren’t ignorant of uncle’s desperate defense—you knew.”

Xie Heng looked up at Li Zong: “In the fourth month, when you heard the Cui family had a gunpowder cache, you had thoughts. So you deliberately indulged the Wang and Zheng families, wanting to force the Cui family into desperation to verify the gunpowder cache’s existence. For this, you even used Yang Chun as bait, deliberately letting him join them in colluding with the northern Rong. When mother blew open the palace gates, you believed the Cui family must have this thing. Even if they didn’t, being able to divide up this giant that was the Cui family to nourish the many great families would be more convenient for your balance of power.”

“You are the real culprit.”

Xie Heng’s tone was calm, without any angry fluctuations, only weariness remaining.

Li Zong unconsciously gripped the armrest tighter and laughed: “I merely ignored everything—how does that make me the culprit?”

With that, Li Zong adjusted his posture, leaning sideways against the armrest with a smile: “Actually, why pursue all this? Lingshu, you need to think clearly about what you want. Most important to you is implementing the Great Xia Legal Code, followed by vindicating the Cui family and restoring their reputation. As for the rest, is it so important?”

“What if I insist on pursuing it?”

“You can pursue it,” Li Zong examined Xie Heng’s eyes. “You can tell the world that I colluded with the northern Rong to cede ten cities and harm the Cui family. Then I would be a national traitor condemned by all. But remember,” Li Zong leaned forward slightly for emphasis, “Shengzhao’s throne comes from me.”

Xie Heng remained silent. Li Zong’s eyes carried arrogance: “If Shengzhao wants to inherit the throne, then I must be heaven’s chosen. If Shengzhao is a traitor’s son, people will use this to say his position is illegitimate and support other royal princes to replace him. Then the realm will be unstable.”

“I could just kill you.”

Xie Heng spoke calmly, as if discussing the most ordinary matter.

Li Zong laughed aloud: “Commit regicide for one woman? Think carefully,” Li Zong brushed his sleeve, sitting solemnly and composedly in the chair. “The Sinking Bone Fragrance in you is unresolved. Kill me and you’ll die, and the Li Shengzhao you support becomes a treacherous rebel. Then the Wang family will respond to popular sentiment, have Guiyu ascend the throne, and the realm will support this. You know what kind of person Li Guiyu is—if he takes the throne, your Supervision Department won’t survive. Then wouldn’t all your efforts be wasted?”

Hearing this, Xie Heng’s eyes showed some amusement.

Li Zong felt somewhat uneasy and softened his tone persuasively: “Actually, you needn’t feel I want to kill her. Even if I don’t, she won’t survive. Once those around you know Luo Wanqing threatens Li Shengzhao’s legitimacy, who do you think will protect her? Whether Li Shengzhao or that Qingya beside you—you’ve all worked so hard to support Shengzhao, placing your hopes in him to implement your grand ambitions, sacrificing so much. Would you let one woman ruin everything? Xie Heng,” Li Zong looked at him with certainty, “you’re not that kind of person. None of you is.”

Xie Heng listened quietly, his face showing no emotion.

He had understood Li Zong’s words long ago. The moment he learned the “Inner Pavilion” belonged to Li Zong, he knew the threat Luo Wanqing posed to Li Zong and Li Shengzhao.

Her current status was too high; she knew too much. Someday, she would discover from clues that the Inner Pavilion belonged to the royal family, and she would understand that every message her father sent had reached Li Zong’s hands—that Li Zong was the real traitor.

As Luo Qushu’s daughter, holding letters left by her father, her every accusation would carry enough weight to shake the nation’s foundation.

This was unacceptable to Li Zong.

He would kill her, sooner or later.

If it were the old Xie Heng, he might have made the same choice—eliminate the threat.

But now he couldn’t do it.

He could only harbor a thread of hope, hoping Li Zong was more gentle and kind than he thought. If Li Zong had retreated even slightly, he would have had room to maneuver.

He had deliberately not mentioned the Inner Pavilion, giving Li Zong a way out. But Li Zong was far more vicious than he imagined, using her death as a condition to exchange for everything they wanted.

Once Li Zong left and told Li Shengzhao, Qingya, Xuanshan…, tell any one of them this exchange condition, even without explaining the reason, they would choose to let her die.

Thinking this, Xie Heng couldn’t help smiling.

Images flashed through his mind of that woman leaning against the railing, holding a pipa, fighting bloodily all the way. He said softly, “Your Majesty is right. If Your Majesty only wants Luo Wanqing’s life, whether Brother Shengzhao, the Cui family survivors, or everyone in the Supervision Department, perhaps they would all agree—sacrifice one person’s life to achieve eternal glory.”

Hearing this, Li Zong gradually relaxed, about to speak, when he heard Xie Heng say: “But I’m the sole exception.”

Li Zong was startled, hearing Xie Heng continue: “Your Majesty, Xie Heng indeed assesses situations pragmatically, but,” he looked up, his eyes carrying some gentleness, “my heart has Guanlan.”

In that instant, Li Zong couldn’t even react before Xie Heng was already beside him.

Li Zong screamed: “Xie Heng!”

But Xie Heng had already grabbed his throat, pressing him firmly into the chair.

He gradually tightened his fingers. Li Zong struggled frantically like a fish in boiling oil from the pain.

Xie Heng looked into his eyes—these habitually inscrutable eyes finally showed genuine terror and panic.

He suddenly remembered so many people.

He remembered his mother, who took her own life before him.

He remembered Cui Zigui smiling at him from prison.

He remembered that Cui Lianyi was executed in the palace.

He remembered Cui Changxi falling in blood at Liren Ferry.

He remembered Cui Qingping’s figure disappearing into the rainy night, never to return. He felt as if he had walked a very, very long road, utterly exhausted.

He felt he wasn’t gripping Li Zong’s throat, but his own heart.

His heart tightened bit by bit in his hand, aching. He stared at the gradually purpling face before him and said hoarsely: “I have nothing left, Li Zong.”

“Let me go…” Li Zong struggled desperately, feeling air being stolen bit by bit, his lungs nearly exploding. “You’re committing regicide! Regicide!”

“Since I was meant to die anyway, I might as well kill thoroughly this once.”

“Sheng… zhao…” Li Zong struggled to remind him of his importance to Li Shengzhao, seeking a thread of survival.

But Xie Heng smiled.

“Rest assured—after killing you, I won’t care about the Crown Prince anymore. I’ll go support the Third Prince’s ascension instead. But there’s something you should know—the Third Prince,” Xie Heng leaned down slightly, “is Jiang Fengwan’s son.”

Hearing this, Li Zong’s eyes flew open. Xie Heng laughed aloud, murmuring a curse: “The Li dynasty will bear the Jiang surname in the future.”

“No—!!”

Li Zong cried out in alarm. In that instant, Xie Heng finally stopped tormenting him and violently crushed his throat.

Blood spurted from the throat wound, splashing across Xie Heng’s face.

Then came a thunderous “BOOM” as the wall beside them was shattered by a palm strike. Through the flying dust, Yang Chun appeared at the entrance with soldiers.

Yang Chun stared in shock at Li Zong sitting in the chair with his head separated from his body, frozen in place.

The entire scene was silent. A soldier was the first to react, stammering in alarm: “Xie… Xie Heng committed regicide!”

Then he finally realized what had happened, backing away while crying out: “Xie Heng committed regicide! Xie Heng has committed regicide!!”

Hearing this, Xie Heng calmly stood up. He looked over—his handsome, pale face, stained with blood drops, looked particularly demonic.

Xie Heng looked at everyone’s panicked expressions and inexplicably wanted to laugh. He tilted his head, wiping the blood from his face with the back of his hand. Suddenly feeling somewhat exhilarated in his heart, he said frankly: “That’s right—I committed regicide.”

“Traitor, die!”

Hearing this, Yang Chun finally reacted, suddenly attacking with a palm strike toward Xie Heng.

Xie Heng kicked and pulled Li Zong’s body from the ground, dragging it forcefully in front of him. Seeing this, Yang Chun hurriedly pulled back his hand. In that instant, Li Zong’s corpse crashed heavily into Yang Chun. Xie Heng seized a sword and burst out.

His sword wind was fierce, his form ghostly. In just a moment, he had already rushed out of the tunnel.

Yang Chun protected Li Zong while shouting sternly: “Stop him! Capture this regicidal traitor!”

Surrounding soldiers swarmed forward, but who could stop Xie Heng?

His sword technique was like a mountain collapsing, rivers and mountains shattering. He cut through like breaking bamboo, killing his way out of Bailu Mountain, then circled, heading straight for outside the city.

Zhuque had long prepared horses and packs outside the city, waiting boredly. From far away, he heard commotion in the distance, and soon saw Xie Heng carrying a blood-stained sword, bounding toward him like a rabbit or crane.

He ran breathlessly to Zhuque, directly mounting his horse. Zhuque asked in alarm and confusion: “Young Master?!”

“I killed Li Zong.”

Xie Heng spoke with satisfaction.

Zhuque’s eyes widened. Before he could speak, he heard Xie Heng say: “Quickly have our people leave Si Province city to find His Highness the Crown Prince. When you find him, tell him Xie Heng was instigated by Li Guiyu to commit regicide. Have His Highness restore his identity and raise troops, then return to the capital under the banner of punishing the treacherous national traitor.”

“What about you?” Zhuque quickly understood, grabbing Xie Heng urgently: “Young Master, where are you going alone now?!”

“I’m going to see someone.”

“Who?” Zhuque asked in bewilderment.

Xie Heng smiled, his eyes showing some tenderness: “My beloved.”

Author’s Note:

[Mini Theater]

Zhuque: “The Supervision Department Director becomes an outlaw—is this the distortion of human nature or the decline of morality?”

Xie Heng: “Who cares about morality? I never had any. At the end of my rope, I’m going to find my wife!!”

[Mini Theater 2]

Luo Wanqing: “You broke the law?”

Xie Heng: “…Let me explain…”

Luo Wanqing: “Let me see how this should be sentenced.”

Xie Heng: “…”

Luo Wanqing: “Oh, life imprisonment.”

Xie Heng: “No, I did it for you…”

Luo Wanqing: “In my heart, life imprisonment.”