◎Your master chose to die◎

Luo Wanqing stared blankly at those peach blossoms covering the umbrella, listening to the gentle rain. She suddenly remembered the person who had given her this umbrella.

That rainy birthday night, in the ruined temple, the injured young man with a scholarly air.

“His birthday has you, while yours has not him. Don’t you find that unfair?”

“Not at all. I only feel fortunate to have accompanied him. As for me… I can make up for this year’s birthday tomorrow. After all, I’ll see him tomorrow.”

“Madam! I fear there may be wind and rain on the road. I gift you this umbrella as a meeting present.”

It was him…

Luo Wanqing suddenly realized, gripping the umbrella and looking at the peach blossoms, her eyes instantly moistened.

She began frantically recalling the details of that day—how that person kept coughing, how he carried the scent of blood, how he deliberately concealed his hands when handing her the umbrella.

Her breathing became tremulous, feeling her heart being squeezed bit by bit. Each breath brought trembling, icy pain.

Calculating the time, that day was when Li Zong was killed.

After killing Li Zong, he hadn’t immediately gone to the Eastern Capital. He had rushed to that ruined temple to see her one last time.

Perhaps fearing she would try to keep him, or afraid she would notice his injuries, he disguised himself as another person, silently fulfilling his promise.

His promises to her—he never broke them.

What had he said?

Why had he come that day?

How severe were his injuries?

She frantically traced every detail of that day, conjuring up that person’s smile, that person’s posture, that person’s loving gaze as he sat by the fire.

“You must like him very much.”

“Not just like. My heart loves him.”

“With such words from you, he could die without regret.”

“Then let him have more regrets in life. With regrets come attachments. I want him to be attached to this world ten thousand times over.”

“He will be.”

He will be.

Luo Wanqing suddenly realized—Xie Heng had made his choice!

The moment he rushed to her birthday that night, regardless of everything, he had already made his choice. He would be attached to this world ten thousand times over.

He would desperately try to save himself, and he would strive to live.

Though she didn’t know why he had chosen to kill Li Zong, why he had risked everything in such a gamble, he had kept every one of their promises. He would strive to live.

She had to help him.

She immediately understood—she had to help him!

Realizing this, she turned and ran frantically toward the armory. The soldier guarding the entrance just stepped forward: “Director Luo…”

Before he could finish, Luo Wanqing pushed him aside and rushed into the armory, quickly gathering what she needed—gunpowder, arrows, hidden weapons, poison… packing them all up.

Finally, she looked up to see a military banner placed not far away.

It was the banner with the character “Luo” that she had carried on this campaign, representing her command.

She stared at that banner with “Luo” written on it. After a moment’s thought, she reached out and grasped it.

The moment she gripped it, she suddenly felt her heart settle.

Holding the banner, she turned and walked out, loading all the weapons onto her horse, strapping the umbrella to her back, mounting, and galloping away urgently.

The sound of galloping hooves made Qingya in the tent suddenly rise. He rushed out and saw Luo Wanqing charging away. His eyes blazed with fury as he shouted, “Luo Wanqing!”

Luo Wanqing paid no heed, charging straight into the forest.

Qingya touched his toes and flew after her at high speed, reaching out to grab her reins. Luo Wanqing spun her blade to press against his hand gripping the reins, then held the blade horizontally at his throat.

Yet Qingya didn’t move. Even as Luo Wanqing’s blade pressed so hard that blood seeped from the back of his hand, he still gritted his teeth and said, “Director Luo, you cannot be so impulsive. If you go today, there will be endless rebellions in the future. Will you take responsibility for those lives?!”

“Qingya, I can’t discuss such grand principles with you. I only know one thing,” Luo Wanqing stared at Qingya, “If we calculate gains and losses purely by the number of lives, then many things needn’t be done. You don’t need to implement the Great Xia Code—just let those wronged citizens die; Li Shengzhao doesn’t need to ascend the throne, the Cui family doesn’t need vindication, and I don’t need revenge, because every step costs lives. But why do we do these things?”

Qingya frowned. Luo Wanqing said seriously, “Because they are wrong. I’m not as good as you at weighing pros and cons. I only know that I want to be someone who strives to protect every person I see. I learned the blade for this purpose years ago, and I wield the blade for this purpose now. I want to save people, not be someone who sacrifices one person today, a hundred tomorrow, and ten thousand the day after. If we can’t show compassion for those beside us, what justice and righteousness can we speak of? If there are future rebellions, then we’ll quell them. Why must we let a living person die for evils that might happen in the future?! Xie Heng is still waiting for me,” Luo Wanqing’s blade pressed into Qingya’s skin, blood beading on the edge as she shouted, “Step aside!”

Qingya didn’t immediately respond. He only gripped the reins tighter, his eyes showing persistence mixed with trembling as he repeated, “You cannot leave. I’ve already walked this path—you cannot leave! If Xie Heng dies, I’ll pay with my life, but I cannot violate Chang’xi’s dying wish.”

“Is that her wish?!”

Luo Wanqing raised her voice, “To force her brother to death, to make you live like a vengeful puppet—is this Cui Chang’xi’s wish?!”

Qingya was stunned. Luo Wanqing’s eyes reddened slightly as she lowered her voice hoarsely, “Qingya, I have loved someone. I know that if I love him, I hope he lives well his entire life. In Cui Chang’xi’s final moment, she hoped Xie Heng would live well. She had you kill her and asked you to protect Xie Heng out of guilt, not for Xie Heng’s sake.”

Luo Wanqing softened her voice. Qingya looked at her helplessly as tears fell from her eyes. “She hoped you would live.”

The intelligence chief of the Cui family’s hidden network, someone who lived by the blade’s edge—when all his friends and family died, if not for Cui Chang’xi’s wish, he never would have surrendered at Qingyun Ferry.

Seeing his wavering, Luo Wanqing said hoarsely, “Just as I hope Xie Heng lives. Qingya, six years.”

Qingya’s grip loosened. Luo Wanqing’s heart suddenly rippled with gentle joy as she emphasized, “You’ve followed Xie Heng for six years. I can understand your need to assist His Highness, but let me accompany him. In life and death, I’ll accompany him.”

Qingya stood in the rain, gripping Luo Wanqing’s reins, struggling without moving.

Seeing this, Luo Wanqing simply pushed him away forcefully and spurred her horse to leave.

Wind and rain struck her face as Qingya fell, sitting in the mud, watching Luo Wanqing’s galloping horse disappear, breathing tremulously and at a loss.

After a long while, he heard Li Shengzhao’s voice from behind, “Oh my, Director Luo has gone to rescue someone.”

Qingya turned back in panic and confusion to see Li Shengzhao approaching with Xuanshan and Zhuque, patting Qingya’s shoulder, “Qingya, shall we go?”

“Go where?”

Qingya couldn’t understand, “What exactly do you want to do? If you lead troops to attack today, those princes and great families will immediately assume you’re trying to rescue Xie Heng, that you’re the mastermind behind regicide. If you insist on fighting like this…”

“So we’ll bypass the armies.” Li Shengzhao blinked, “Anyway, Director Luo has already gone. My connection to Lingshu can’t be cleared. I tell you, there’s an unfinished secret passage in the Eastern Capital. If we just dig a little more, we can enter the capital directly.”

Li Shengzhao gestured casually, “When Lingshu is executed, those nobles will go watch. We’ll bring ten thousand men and surround those nobles directly, capture them, kill Li Guiyu—what’s left to fight? Once we enter the city, we’ll give our sister-in-law some leeway. If she leaves, so be it.”

“Do you know what you’re saying?”

Qingya said urgently, “Your Highness, if you do this, Xie Heng will truly never be able to distance himself from you…”

“He can’t distance himself now anyway.” Li Shengzhao pointed in the direction Luo Wanqing had left, then smiled, “Sister-in-law has already chosen for us. We have no choice either.”

“That’s right.” Xuanshan said with a straight face, “Qingya, we’re being forced into this.”

“Exactly, exactly.” Zhuque nodded, “We’re all being forced. Let’s hurry and start digging.”

Qingya looked at all of them in panic, staggering up to get his horse, “You’re all mad. I have to chase her… I have to call her back…”

“But you can’t defeat her.”

Zhuque spoke, and Qingya paused.

Xuanshan looked down at the ground. Li Shengzhao coughed lightly and waved his hand, “Go prepare. Also, that… Qingya…”

He walked behind Qingya, lowering his voice, “If you wanted to chase her, you shouldn’t have let go just now. If you wait like this for Lingshu to return, I’m afraid you’ll be soaking in the lake beyond retrieval.”

Qingya said nothing. Li Shengzhao patted his shoulder, “Let’s go.”

With that, Li Shengzhao left. Qingya stood alone, remembering the past—that young man who sat in the carriage and arrogantly said, “A person of mediocre appearance, how could he match my sister?” Then later, when he stood at the Cui residence gate holding a qin, trying to find some excuse to enter, the same person proactively stopped his carriage, lifted the curtain, and extended his hand, saying, “Give me the qin.”

He remembered their life-and-death struggles together. Knowing Qingya’s martial arts weren’t strong, Xie Heng always silently stood in front of him. Afterward, when they drank together, Xie Heng would laugh at him, “You really should practice martial arts properly. When I die, I’m afraid no one will even bury your bones.”

He stood quietly in the rain. After a long time, he suddenly laughed through his tears.

“First, clear out the nearby spies. Find a way to move ten thousand men quietly.”

He gradually regained his composure and raised his voice. Li Shengzhao paused and turned to look, seeing Qingya with his back to him, saying calmly, “If I were Li Guiyu, having given you information, I would have people lying in ambush in the army and stationed as lookouts everywhere, watching when you depart.”

Li Shengzhao’s expression grew slightly stern as he considered this. “I understand.”

Less than two hours after Luo Wanqing left, Li Guiyu received a message.

“Luo Wanqing departed alone. All hidden contacts have been destroyed.”

Li Guiyu held the letter, calculating the time.

From Huaishui County to the Eastern Capital was two days by army march, but if Luo Wanqing rode alone, it would take only one day. She had departed at dawn today, so she should reach the Eastern Capital before dawn tomorrow.

She came alone?

Li Guiyu frowned, suddenly feeling agitated. He forced himself to speculate that this might be some stratagem of Li Shengzhao’s, yet reason told him…

Perhaps she truly had come alone.

Regardless of everything, coming to die for Xie Heng.

As this thought emerged, he couldn’t help but violently sweep all the documents off his desk. The nearby attendants fell to their knees in terror as Li Guiyu closed his eyes, forcing himself to calm down.

After a long while, he finally spoke, “Send word… change the execution time from the day after tomorrow to tomorrow at noon.”

Having said this, he stood and strode out.

Qingzhu and Zitang quickly followed, but Li Guiyu shouted, “Don’t follow!”

Everyone stopped. Li Guiyu walked away alone, arriving at the imperial prison. After having the soldiers open the cell, he entered to see Xie Heng sitting inside.

It had been a long time since they’d met. Xie Heng wore prison clothes, his hands shackled and suspended on either side, kneeling on the ground.

He seemed to have recently been tortured, wounds covering his body. Soldiers brought Li Guiyu a chair and set out tea and pastries before hastily withdrawing. When only the two remained in the prison, Li Guiyu sat down methodically, studying Xie Heng, immediately understanding what he’d endured, “Been beaten?”

Xie Heng kept his head down without speaking, breathing shallowly.

All his meridians had been severed, his internal energy completely gone. Li Guiyu looked at his wretched state, seeming somewhat wearily explanatory, “I didn’t order it. Your father made a deal with me—I’ll spare your life and keep your body intact, but you’ve offended too many people.”

“What matter?”

Knowing he wouldn’t come without reason, Xie Heng interrupted his boring pleasantries with a hoarse voice.

Li Guiyu considered, then said slowly, “I plan to kill you tomorrow.”

Hearing this, Xie Heng finally raised his eyes.

Li Guiyu sat sideways in his chair, his expression showing world-weary exhaustion, “Originally it was set for the day after tomorrow, but I’ve changed my mind.”

“What do you want to do?” Xie Heng asked, though he already understood somewhat, “Use my life to lure Li Shengzhao?”

“You’re quite clever.” Li Guiyu smiled.

Xie Heng’s expression remained calm as he only asked, “Did you know Luo Qushu’s identity from the beginning?”

“I knew.” Li Guiyu understood what he wanted to ask and didn’t conceal it, saying calmly, “Years ago in the palace, someone was monitoring my mother consort. I discovered him and dealt with him secretly, learning of an organization exclusive to the emperor—the Inner Pavilion. This organization has been passed down through imperial generations, only transmitted to emperors. They have a mark. When I was staying beside Luo Qushu, he once took me out for business. He developed a high fever, and while caring for him, I discovered that Mark and learned his identity.”

Li Guiyu recalled the past. This was the first time he’d spoken of these things to anyone, and he felt somewhat relieved. “At that time, I wondered if my Father Emperor had ordered my master’s death. But later, I felt it didn’t matter anymore. Whether he killed him or not,” Li Guiyu smiled, “he had to die anyway.”

“So when Xiniang planned to place you under house arrest and kill you, you went along with it?” Xie Heng understood, “You originally planned that after being placed under house arrest, you’d have us attack Si Province. Once everything ended, even if I controlled Si Province’s military power, as long as I planned to vindicate the Cui family, Li Zong would think of killing Luo Wanqing, and then you would act to kill him.”

“Yes.”

Li Guiyu said calmly, “I originally wanted to kill Li Zong at your wedding banquet if possible. If I couldn’t kill him, I’d kill Li Changrong in the chaos. That way, only I would remain as a Wang family prince. But the Wang family has always been wary of me because…”

“Because you had already killed Li Shangwen and Li Changrong.”

“Correct.” Li Guiyu nodded, smiling, “They feared me, and they also feared the half of the Li family blood in me. So when you wanted to kill me, it gave me an opportunity. I would go, and when my life hung by a thread, the Wang family would save me. Only then would they feel they could control me. But no one can control me.”

Li Guiyu raised his hand, looking at the pale skin and scars, “I only wield the blade—I will never become anyone’s blade. I just didn’t expect…”

Li Guiyu looked up at Xie Heng, “You would dare return?”

Speaking thus, he stood and walked before Xie Heng, “What exactly did you come back to do?”

“I served as Your Highness’s blade once,” Xie Heng smiled, meeting Li Guiyu’s gaze, “Your Highness should also serve as my blade once. Without Your Highness, who would bear the crime of regicide? Who else could allow me to execute ministers in the great hall?”

Li Guiyu listened to his words, quietly meeting his gaze. In each other’s eyes, they saw the same forcefulness, sharpness, and unyielding nature.

Li Guiyu looked for a long time before finally laughing, “So by this reckoning, we’re even?”

“Not quite.”

Hearing this, Xie Heng smiled at Li Guiyu, “I’ve walked this far with no debts on my conscience. What about Your Highness?”

Hearing this, Li Guiyu’s eyes trembled slightly. Looking at Xie Heng, he felt something sharp as a blade cutting through his heart. His eyelashes fluttered, his breathing becoming tremulous, “Are you collecting a debt from me for her?”

“Shouldn’t I?”

“Is it your place?!”

Li Guiyu instantly exploded in fury. Xie Heng’s expression didn’t change. Realizing his loss of composure, Li Guiyu suppressed his breathing, forcing himself to calm down, saying with a cold laugh, “Xie Heng, don’t think you’ve won. I’m here to see you specifically to tell you some news.”

Xie Heng frowned. Li Guiyu stared at him, speaking as if self-tormenting, “Luo Wanqing has come.”

Xie Heng’s pupils contracted sharply. He immediately calmed down, looking at Li Guiyu, “You’re lying?”

“Am I lying?”

Li Guiyu seemed to find this laughable, “You know what kind of person she is. Even if it means dying for you, she’ll come.”

Xie Heng stared at Li Guiyu, carefully observing his expression. Li Guiyu, realizing what Xie Heng was doing, seemed finally somewhat pleased, “Don’t bother looking. I’m not lying. She came alone. But it doesn’t matter—since she came, she must be acting on Li Shengzhao’s orders. I’ll hang both of you from the city tower to wait for Li Shengzhao. I’ll make her beg me, make her regret, make her know that,” Li Guiyu paused before finishing, “I should be her destination.”

Having said this, Li Guiyu turned to leave. Xie Heng called out, “Li Guiyu.”

Li Guiyu turned back with cold eyes. Xie Heng said calmly, “Back then, Xiniang took a ledger from the Inner Pavilion of Fengyu Pavilion. That ledger was shattered by you, but was later repaired. Now it’s been restored.”

Li Guiyu listened, asking suspiciously, “What are you trying to say?”

“Have you ever seen what Jiang Fengwan looked like?”

Xie Heng looked at him. Li Guiyu was somewhat puzzled. “What does that have to do with you?”

“Jiang Fengwan’s portrait from his youth looks very much like you.”

The moment Xie Heng spoke, Li Guiyu’s eyes widened.

Xie Heng looked at him calmly, “I’ve already given that ledger to my people. If you dare touch a hair on her head, I guarantee this ledger will spread throughout the realm.”

Listening, Li Guiyu seemed to understand something, gradually calming down.

He recalled something, laughed once, and nodded, “So you were waiting for me here?”

Xie Heng stared at him. Li Guiyu shook his head with a light laugh, “Good, good, good… Imperial bloodline illegitimate… but so what?”

Li Guiyu asked in return. Xie Heng watched him calmly. Li Guiyu smiled, saying indifferently, “I’ve already ascended the throne. What can a tattered ledger prove? Anyone who dares speak falsely, I’ll kill. One person speaks, I kill one; ten thousand speak, I kill ten thousand! What do I have to fear? Rest assured,” Li Guiyu spread his arms, returning to face him seriously, “I will kill until everyone understands that I, Li Guiyu, am the legitimate imperial heir.”

“Must you go this far?”

“Otherwise, what?”

Li Guiyu asked back, “Do I have any other path to walk? The world owes me anyway—what’s wrong with my killing? Do you think I’ve come this far for no reason?!”

Li Guiyu smiled, pointing beyond the prison, speaking rapidly, “I want all those who owe me, who hate me, to pay one by one! Father Emperor, Mother Empress, the Wang family too, and those who sent me as a hostage years ago, then abandoned me outside the city gates… those hypocrites who spoke of serving the country as hostage while tearfully sending me from the city… I’ll settle accounts with them all!”

Li Guiyu spoke, unable to contain his agitation, “The world abandoned me, so I abandon the world. Am I wrong?!”

“She doesn’t owe you.”

“She owes me!” Li Guiyu didn’t need him to name names to know who he meant. He shouted angrily, “Her father killed my master—her entire Luo family owes me! And—she promised to be with me for life, promised to like only me, she promised… she lied to me!”

Li Guiyu spoke, his eyes reddening, “Her father killed my master, I killed her father—she knows that! She knows I wasn’t wrong. Even if she doesn’t love me, she should hate me. How can she look at someone else?”

“Your master chose to die.”

Xie Heng seemed to finally make a decision, speaking calmly.

Li Guiyu was stunned. Xie Heng looked up at him, “Uncle Luo wrote in the letter he left her that your master wanted to save you, but the Wang family’s condition was for him to carry smallpox and enter the city with you.”

Li Guiyu listened blankly, his breathing gradually becoming rapid. Xie Heng said calmly, “But your master had a righteous heart. He didn’t want to do this, so he pretended to agree and contracted smallpox. He and Uncle Luo were close friends, so he sent word to Uncle Luo in advance, telling him everything and asking Uncle Luo to shoot him dead at the city gates.”

“Impossible.”

Li Guiyu listened, shaking his head and retreating, “Impossible. Luo Qushu lied. No, you’re lying!”

“You had smallpox as a child, so you wouldn’t be infected. When he sent you into the city, it wasn’t that he couldn’t enter—he chose to be shot dead. She owes you nothing.”

“Impossible!”

Li Guiyu shouted angrily, then suddenly realized, “Then why didn’t the young lady tell me?”

He seemed to find some evidence, shouting urgently, “She hates me so much. I killed her father. Why wouldn’t she tell me about this?! Telling me would be revenge, would let me know I was wrong from the beginning, would let me know that all my sacrifices for revenge were meaningless! You’re lying.”

Li Guiyu laughed, his eyes full of panic yet still certain, “You’re lying to me.”

“Xiniang once said something to me—she said we should punish people’s evil, not their goodness.”

Xie Heng was somewhat weary, but continued, “Li Guiyu, the reason I haven’t directly proclaimed your bloodline to the world is because this isn’t your evil. If you don’t harm her, I won’t do anything to you. And the reason Xiniang didn’t tell you this news is because…”

“She pitied me.”

Li Guiyu suddenly understood. He couldn’t help wanting to laugh, yet his eyes still filled with tears. He stared at Xie Heng hoarsely, “She knew the truth but didn’t tell me. Did she think I was pitiful, or did she think I couldn’t kill you?!”

“If she told you, would you stop killing?”

Xie Heng looked at him, his tone carrying some pleading, “If so, then go stop her.”

Li Guiyu couldn’t speak. He looked at the young man sitting quietly in the darkness before him, saying calmly, “Even if you don’t kill her, Wang Lianyang, Wang Yunzhi, and everyone in the Wang family won’t spare her. Don’t let her come to rescue me. Li Guiyu, years ago, between hatred and conscience, you already chose wrong once. Now you can choose a second time.”

Xie Heng spoke while looking at the withered grass on the ground, unable to help but smile bitterly, “I am going to die. You have a lifetime to continue following behind her. Li Guiyu,” Xie Heng paused, speaking with bitterness, “you can become Jiang Shaoyan again.”

“I won’t listen to your nonsense.”

The moment he heard “Jiang Shaoyan,” panic surged from the depths of his heart. Li Guiyu shook his head, retreating in distress.

He sensed those churning impulses in his heart, like a bound soul about to break free from its cocoon.

He hastily suppressed everything, shaking his head repeatedly, “I don’t believe you, I don’t believe…”

Speaking thus, he decisively turned back, opened the great door, and strode out of the prison.

Xie Heng sat silently in the darkness. After a long while, he called out, “Senior Zhang.”

“I’m here.”

Zhang Chunzi’s lazy voice responded. Xie Heng said in a low voice, “I will tell you the whereabouts of your family. My life… I entrust to you.”

Li Guiyu hurried out of the prison, his mind in chaos.

Every word of Xie Heng’s echoed in his brain. He forced himself not to believe, yet those words repeated over and over.

“Your master chose to die.”

“She owes you nothing.”

“Xiniang said we should punish people’s evil, not their goodness.”

…

How could it be possible?

Fear flooded his entire body like a tide. He felt his fingertips cold and aching.

He seemed drenched by wind and snow, his whole body frozen in the snowfield until even his breathing trembled and ached like ice cutting.

How could it be possible.

If his master had killed himself, what did everything he’d done amount to? He had killed Luo Qushu, lost Luo Wanqing forever because of it, was no longer Jiang Shaoyan—what did any of it amount to?

But why had his master contracted smallpox?

His master… looked very much like him when young…

His master…

Li Guiyu’s mind was in complete chaos. He suddenly realized something and turned to run frantically toward Weiyang Palace.

Nearby attendants knelt upon seeing him, their “Greetings to Your Majesty” whistling past in the wind.

He ran so fast, just like when he was small.

When he was very young—four? Five?

Every time he finished his lessons, he would use all his strength to run all the way to Weiyang Palace.

Then he would see Wang Lianyang sitting in Weiyang Palace. She was always neither cold nor warm, but he didn’t care. He just wanted to see her, craved for her to hold him.

This craving reached its peak after Li Shangwen was born.

Because Wang Lianyang had never held him, yet she always embraced Li Shangwen.

He ran frantically to Weiyang Palace. Just reaching the entrance, he saw the palace brightly lit inside. A palace maid seeing him approach hurried forward to stop him, “Your Majesty…”

Li Guiyu pushed her aside and entered directly. Walking to outside the hall, he saw Wang Lianyang and Wang Yunzhi inside.

The two were clearly discussing something. Seeing Li Guiyu’s sudden appearance, both were startled.

Wang Lianyang and Wang Yunzhi exchanged glances. Wang Lianyang tentatively said, “Guiyu, what brings you here now?”

“Leave.”

Li Guiyu spoke coldly. Wang Lianyang frowned, “Is this how you speak to the Empress Dowager?”

“Leave!”

Li Guiyu casually threw a nearby vase at Wang Yunzhi. The vase carried strong killing intent. Wang Yunzhi, startled, hastily dodged, her hair ornament scattered by the vase. She angrily looked up, “Li Guiyu, you…”

“Go ahead and leave.”

Wang Lianyang saw Li Guiyu came with ill intent and gave Wang Yunzhi a look.

Wang Yunzhi suppressed her anger, bowed resentfully, and withdrew with her people.

Wang Lianyang reclined sideways on the high seat, looking Li Guiyu up and down with confusion, “Why is my son so angry, hair standing on end?”

“I have several questions for you.”

Li Guiyu spoke hoarsely. Wang Lianyang was curious, “What questions?”

“What was your relationship with my master?”

The moment Li Guiyu spoke, Wang Lianyang’s pupils contracted sharply. She was about to speak when Li Guiyu was already before her, suddenly grabbing her throat.

Wang Lianyang’s eyes showed alarm. Just as she was about to cry out, she heard Li Guiyu lower his voice viciously, “If you dare say one lying word to me, I’ll break one of your bones. I’ll crush your bones one by one, peel your skin inch by inch, eat your flesh bite by bite. Think carefully before you speak!”

“You… let go…”

Wang Lianyang said in panic, “I’ll tell you the truth. Let go… I am your mother empress…”

“Speak!”

Li Guiyu threw Wang Lianyang to the ground. Wang Lianyang endured her emotions, trying her best to maintain dignity as she supported herself to sit up, clenching her fists to calm herself and not provoke Li Guiyu.

Li Guiyu stared at her coldly. Wang Lianyang spoke with difficulty, “In the past… before I entered the palace… he served as my guard for a period.”

“What else?”

Li Guiyu didn’t care about these trivial matters, smiling, “That’s all?”

“That’s all.”

Wang Lianyang spoke in a low voice. Li Guiyu smiled mockingly. He walked before Wang Lianyang, crouched down, and stared at her, “Then please explain to me why my master, when young, looked very much like me.”

Hearing this, Wang Lianyang suddenly looked up, staring at Li Guiyu in panic.

Seeing her expression, Li Guiyu confirmed his answer, “You had an affair with him, didn’t you?”

“I… I didn’t…”

Wang Lianyang was momentarily incoherent, gripping her sleeves tightly, hastily covering up, “I didn’t…”

“You were in the cold palace then. To regain favor, you needed a child. I came at just the right time.”

Li Guiyu had understood everything. He gazed at her calmly, only asking, “Is this why you hate me?”

Wang Lianyang didn’t respond. Li Guiyu grabbed her arm and shouted, “Speak! Is this why you gave birth to me but ignored me?! Is this why you deceived me into becoming a hostage to pave the way for Li Shangwen?!”

“Let me go…”

Wang Lianyang spoke in panic, struggling against him.

Li Guiyu’s eyes filled with tears as he asked urgently, “Was it your order or whose? You never intended to save me back then. Only Master wanted to save me, right? He was the Wang family’s death warrior. Without permission, you could kill him anytime. So he had to get your consent. You used this as an opportunity to infect him with smallpox, have him and the Northern Rong stage a rescue, using saving me as a pretext to enter the city, right?!”

Hearing this, Wang Lianyang was so frightened she dared not even struggle, freezing stiffly on the ground. Li Guiyu had his answer.

He cried and laughed, tears falling as he staggered backward, looking at the woman before him, “Why did you do this? Why… if you hated me, why give birth to me? If you gave birth to me… why… why…”

Why not love me?

He couldn’t speak these words.

He had asked countless times in his youth, thought about it countless times.

But now he could no longer ask.

He only thought of Luo Wanqing. His empty heart ached with dryness.

He suddenly remembered Xie Heng’s words.

You can be Jiang Shaoyan.

You chose once.

You can be Jiang Shaoyan.

These words suddenly held enormous power. Love him or hate him, as long as she still looked at him, as long as there was even the slightest possibility of loving him.

Even if it was pity.

“Young lady…”

He called out in panic. Suddenly, as if remembering something, he ignored everything, staggering to escape, wanting to leave this man-eating palace. But after just two steps, he heard Wang Lianyang behind him say, “Do you think I hate you?”

Li Guiyu stopped. Wang Lianyang laughed lowly, “I do hate. I hate Jiang Fengwan. He said he liked me back then, said he would take me away. He was the Sword Saint, one of the Eight Grandmasters—why couldn’t he take me away?”

Li Guiyu turned back in a daze to see Wang Lianyang raise her head, tears in her eyes. She supported herself to slowly stand, seeming somewhat mad, “I loved him. He promised to take me away. I waited for him all night. I, the most noble legitimate daughter of the Wang family, destined to be empress—I abandoned everything to go with him!”

Wang Lianyang screamed, “I waited for him. I stood in the courtyard, under the gaze of father, mother, everyone, waiting for him. As long as he came, he could take me away. I stood all night. I stood there all night like someone stripped naked, waiting for him. But I waited until dawn, until everyone saw me, and he never came.”

Li Guiyu stared blankly at Wang Lianyang. Wang Lianyang smiled, “So I entered the palace. I entered the palace and was forever overshadowed by Cui Lianyi. I had no children. I was sent to the cold palace—what could I do? Only he could freely enter the imperial palace undetected. Otherwise, even if it were with any random dog or cat, I wouldn’t have borne his child. I felt disgusted!”

Wang Lianyang spoke, staring at Li Guiyu with hatred, “Seeing him, seeing you, I feel disgusted! It’s like I’m still standing that night, completely and utterly defeated! What are you? You constantly threaten me. If one day people discover the truth, my life is ruined. That I’ve let you live until now is my mercy—you should be grateful.”

Li Guiyu couldn’t speak. He felt his heart, like his body, after reaching the extreme of pain, was left only numb and bewildered.

He just stood there, looking at Wang Lianyang’s eyes full of hatred, asking hoarsely, “So you want me dead?”

Wang Lianyang didn’t speak, clenching her fists. Li Guiyu smiled, “So when you sent me as a hostage, you wanted me to die to pave the way for Shangwen.”

Wang Lianyang didn’t respond. Li Guiyu thought, then continued, “Then the face I saw of my mas… my father, wasn’t real either?”

“Afraid of discovery, he changed faces.”

Wang Lianyang spoke hoarsely, wiping away unexpected tears and pretending composure, “He couldn’t bear to part with you, found a way to become your teacher. I told him not to come, but he wouldn’t listen.”

Li Guiyu listened, suddenly feeling exhausted.

He stood in the empty great hall, looking at the woman who was the beginning of his life, saying softly, “Your Majesty, I still have no courtesy name.”

Wang Lianyang looked at him confused. He slowly walked before Wang Lianyang, his eyes full of deathly silence, “I’m twenty-two years old, and no one has ever given me a courtesy name.”

Xie Heng had Guanlan given by Cui Qingping, Lingshu bestowed by Li Zong.

Every man who reached adulthood would receive a courtesy name granted by an elder.

But he had none.

He gazed quietly at Wang Lianyang. After a long time, he raised his hand to touch her neck.

Wang Lianyang realized what he intended to do, trembling uncontrollably.

“Since you hate me so much, don’t suffer anymore.”

Li Guiyu spoke softly. Wang Lianyang breathed rapidly. Just as Li Guiyu was about to break her neck, Wang Lianyang suddenly said, “Guiyu! Let me hold you.”

Li Guiyu’s movement paused. Wang Lianyang carefully raised her eyes, tentatively saying, “Before you became a hostage, didn’t we agree? When you returned, I would hold you.”

Li Guiyu listened, suddenly remembering. When she made him a hostage, she had said, “Make a request. When you return, whether you want to be crown prince or something else, whatever you want, just say it.”

The fifteen-year-old youth had looked up at the woman on the high seat, hesitating long before saying nervously, “May Mother Empress hold your subject?”

This was his only wish, from when he gained awareness until sixteen, year after year.

He stared blankly at Wang Lianyang. Wang Lianyang breathed nervously, opening her arms. In Li Guiyu’s daze, she gently embraced him.

This was Wang Lianyang’s first time holding him. Yet it wasn’t as warm as he’d imagined. He couldn’t help wanting to savor it carefully. In that instant, a blade with thunderous force suddenly pierced through his chest!

Li Guiyu reacted simultaneously, striking at Wang Lianyang with his palm.

However, internal energy far more vast than Li Guiyu had imagined collided with him. He was knocked flying, spitting up a large mouthful of blood, while Wang Lianyang only retreated half a step.

The palace doors suddenly opened as Wang Yunzhi entered with people, bowing, “Aunt.”

“Wang Lianyang?”

Li Guiyu stared incredulously at this person who had never revealed her martial arts. Wang Lianyang looked at him coldly, only saying, “There’s one thing I lied about. He wasn’t my guard—he was my senior martial brother. We studied martial arts together.”

Speaking thus, Wang Lianyang raised her hand, “Kill him.”

“Wang Lianyang!” Li Guiyu quickly reacted, saying urgently, “If I’m not here tomorrow, what will you use to fight Li Shengzhao?!”

“You were only ever a stepping stone.”

Wang Lianyang spoke, taking an infant from a palace maid’s hands.

Li Guiyu stared blankly at the baby. Wang Lianyang, as if holding Li Shangwen, gazed tenderly at the child, saying softly, “This is Shangwen’s child.”

In a flash of lightning, Li Guiyu suddenly remembered what Luo Wanqing had said when she came to negotiate at his residence: “There’s a concubine in the Crown Prince’s mansion who is pregnant. Did you know?”

He had investigated but found no news. He thought Luo Wanqing was threatening and deceiving him. Only now did he realize, “You planned this from the beginning?!”

“Did you think we were fools? Supporting a madman like you?”

Wang Lianyang smiled contemptuously. She turned away holding the infant, saying lightly, “If you had been obedient, I wouldn’t have acted so quickly. What a pity. But you were also a hindrance. With you here, it would be hard to kill Luo Wanqing. Now that you’re gone, I can act easily.”

Wang Lianyang played with the child in her arms, thinking, “I’ll kill her and hang her with Xie Heng on the city gates, claiming Li Shengzhao sent her to rescue Xie Heng. Most of those troops were brought out by her. I want to see—even if Li Shengzhao can endure it, will those soldiers endure it? As long as they attack the Eastern Capital,” Wang Lianyang smiled, “it proves Xie Heng was acting on Li Shengzhao’s orders in the regicide.”

Li Guiyu said nothing, only watching the people around him testing their approach.

With his grandmaster-level abilities, even severely wounded, he wasn’t easily dealt with.

Though Wang Lianyang had seriously injured him, fortunately he had dodged in time—the wound wasn’t fatal.

Seeing he still wanted to resist, Wang Lianyang’s expression grew cold as she commanded, “Kill him.”

As her words fell, the guards attacked Li Guiyu together. Li Guiyu was prepared. He leaped up, cleaving a bloody path with his sword, then charged directly toward the palace exit, cutting his way out!

Heavy rain fell in the night. He couldn’t see people or roads clearly, only numbly swinging his sword, just like at sixteen, being pursued and beaten as he charged out of the palace.

He had to get out.

In that moment, he clearly realized he had to leave, had to go to the outskirts of the Eastern Capital to intercept Luo Wanqing.

He couldn’t let her enter the Eastern Capital.

He killed and ran all the way. When he finally shook off his pursuers and staggered to the outskirts, he had almost no strength left.

The wound on his body kept bleeding. He pressed the wound, leaning on trees, walking step by step forward.

Li Guiyu didn’t know where he had walked. He seemed to be walking in the underworld, wandering aimlessly.

Until he stepped on accumulated bamboo leaves, he suddenly realized he seemed to have reached a bamboo grove.

Seeing the bamboo leaves, he looked up blankly. Not far away was that bamboo grove hut. After all these years, it was still there, providing shelter for travelers.

He dared not look more, only gasping as he walked toward the official road. Each breath pulled at his wound’s pain. Walking for an unknown time, he finally lost strength, falling heavily to the ground, unable to get up again.

Rain poured down on him. He lay quietly, unsure for a moment whether he would die here.

After a long while, he suddenly heard the sound of urgent horses galloping on the official road. He opened his eyes with difficulty to see a woman in black clothes, with a long blade at her waist and an umbrella and bow on her back, rushing past in the rain.

He wanted to call her but had no strength left.

He just watched her ride past him, like this irreversible, endless flowing fate.

He lay quietly prostrate in the mud, breathing with difficulty, struggling to call her.

His lips trembled lightly as he reached out, trying to crawl through the mud. Yet his exhausting efforts were so weak they seemed to make no sound at all.

He despaired bit by bit in the sound of rain.

No…

Young lady… don’t go…

He breathed rapidly, struggling. The sound of rain mixed with hoofbeats approached from far away, yet he heard nothing, until finally someone grabbed his hair and dragged him up.

Light immediately bloomed in his eyes. Luo Wanqing, who had returned, looked at the pale, wounded person before her with a frown, somewhat puzzled, “What are you doing here?”

Li Guiyu stared at her unblinkingly, struggling to show a smile, saying only two words: “Xie… Heng…”