However, what filled him with rage was… even so, Qi Ying still appeared very calm.

He remained like a windless lake surface. No matter how others tried to hurl massive boulders into the water, that lake remained as peaceful as ever. His only change might be in his gaze—within the tranquility emerged a trace of compassion, as if pitying him, bestowing charity upon him.

Such condescension.

And it was precisely this compassionate gaze that destroyed the last line of defense in Xiao Ziheng’s heart, driving him completely mad.

He struggled violently, trying to break free from Pei Jian’s restraints, screaming furiously at Qi Ying: “Don’t look at Us like that! We are the Son of Heaven! You’re nothing but Our dog! What right do you have to pity Us! What right!”

He struggled desperately like an enraged beast, but no matter how great his strength, how could he break free from the battle-hardened Pei Jian?

Pei Jian controlled him firmly. The only accident was that in his struggles, Xiao Ziheng himself collided with Pei Jian’s blade, cutting a bloody gash on his neck. A drop of blood slowly trickled down his throat, making everything appear even more chaotic.

Qi Ying sighed, then no longer looked at Xiao Ziheng. Perhaps his heart still pitied him, finding his crazed and undignified appearance too painful to witness.

Remembering the past, they had once been classmates studying together, reading magnificent literature together, dreaming together of the great enterprise of successful northern expeditions. But later, as life grew long and circumstances became complex, hearts gradually fell into disorder, reaching an irreparable state.

Five years ago I lost, now you have lost, but what meaning is there in winning and losing?

You and I need not have come to this.

Qi Ying closed his eyes, then waved his hand. Han Feichi beside him quickly understood and signaled to the nearby soldiers to bind the Son of Heaven with ropes.

There were countless court officials at Xiaoshan, all knowing nothing about what had happened today. Now they could only watch helplessly as this great chaos unfolded, watching the Son of Heaven bound like a prisoner, the shock and terror in their hearts incomparably intense.

The heavens of Great Liang… had truly changed.

So suddenly, yet seeming… inevitable.

They remained in shock when they heard the bound Son of Heaven laugh miserably, his voice bone-chilling. The struggle had caused his golden crown to fall, and now with disheveled hair, he looked like a street beggar.

He seemed mad, staring at Qi Ying with sinister laughter. Han Feichi lost patience first, frowning as he waved for soldiers to take him away. Just then Xiao Ziheng spoke: “Qi Jingchen, do you think you’ve won?”

His voice was low and equally gloomy.

“Perhaps you’ve won today at Xiaoshan, but what about in Jiankang?” He laughed triumphantly. “What about your family? Do you think We trusted you so completely, made no preparations against you? We tell you! We have already ordered the Court of Judicial Review to surround the Qi family. All your clan members are in Our hands! If you dare touch Us, We’ll have hundreds of Qi family members buried with Us!”

He laughed wildly, while Qi Ying only sighed. He didn’t even want to say another word to Xiao Ziheng, only wearily ordered him taken away.

Xiao Ziheng stared with disbelieving peach blossom eyes, fixated on Qi Ying as he was dragged away while struggling violently, shouting loudly: “The entire Qi clan is in Our hands! How dare you! You…”

Han Feichi had grown tired of listening to Xiao Ziheng’s ravings and finally kindly provided him an answer.

“What kind of strategist is Second Brother? Would he not think of these things?” he said coldly. “Your Majesty should save your energy. The Court of Judicial Review has likely already been taken by the Privy Council.”

Xiao Ziheng suddenly froze, as if someone had grabbed his throat, unable to make a sound.

What Han Feichi didn’t mention was that his father Han Shousong had already taken Uncle’s military seal and secretly deployed fifty thousand troops to control Jiankang. Zhao Qinghan had been arrested, and the imperial city was secure.

Everything was within his grasp.

The great enterprise would finally succeed.

Yet just as everything was about to settle into dust.

Distant shouts suddenly came from the wilderness.

Two figures stood faintly on the peak of Xiaoshan’s flanking ridge. Everyone looked up following the sound, and against the mountain firelight and hazy moonlight, finally saw clearly who those two people were.

—It was Young Master Fu Zhuo and Fourth Young Master Qi Le.

Fu Zhuo was holding Qi Le hostage at the cliff’s edge.

Everyone saw that the usually gentle and refined Young Master Fu was now nearly mad, his face showing fierce features. He tightly gripped Qi Le’s neck, standing on the mountain cliff and shouting loudly: “Qi Jingchen, release His Majesty! Have your men withdraw! Otherwise I’ll push your brother down! Use his blood to wash away your treasonous sins!”

The sudden crisis came without warning!

Everyone fell into panic, even those with no stake in imperial position couldn’t help crying out repeatedly.

Some ministers who saw the situation clearly and shrewdly switched to Qi Ying’s side cursed Fu Zhuo’s baseness in the crowd. Others, stubborn old ministers unwilling to see the imperial family humiliated, clamored: “Qi Jingchen! The Son of Heaven has treated you well, and Great Liang has shown the Qi clan great favor! If you rein in at the precipice and repent now, His Majesty in his magnanimity will surely show leniency considering your service to family and nation! If you remain unrepentant, your own brother will spill his blood here! Would you truly abandon flesh and blood for power? How would that differ from beasts!”

The passionate speech stirred a group of old ministers to echo repeatedly. Han Feichi couldn’t bear to listen and shouted: “Old fools! When is it your turn to comment on what the Left Minister does! —Men! Bind them! Gag them!”

The soldiers obeyed, immediately seizing all the clamoring old ministers. But how could the mouths of scholarly old ministers be easily stopped? They cried out even more, shouting things like “Better to die speaking than live in silence,” presenting themselves as martyrs willing to sacrifice their lives for Great Liang’s orthodoxy, turning the scene into complete chaos.

Everything had descended into disorder.

Yet amid such turmoil, only Qi Ying and Qi Le remained calm.

They gazed at each other across the noisy crowd, across the steep cliff, across layers of giant trees and rocks.

Looking at each other from afar.

Qi Ying could see clearly, even noticing Qi Le’s face had turned red from Fu Zhuo’s forceful restraint, making breathing difficult. Yet the gaze he directed at him carried no pain. Qi Ying even faintly saw… he was smiling.

Smiling.

Yes, his fourth brother loved to smile.

He still remembered when Fourth Brother and Third Brother started school together as children. Master Wang was very strict, and within days he was hitting their palms with a ruler. Third Brother cried for a long time and remembered it afterward, while Fourth Brother also cried but quickly forgot, returning the next day to happily catch crickets and play hide-and-seek with the household servants.

Never taking anything to heart.

Father often said Fourth Brother was worthless, that his flighty and unstable nature meant he’d struggle to achieve great things. But Qi Ying always felt Fourth Brother was philosophical—even if he couldn’t build achievements, he could live safely and happily his whole life. That would be wonderful. As for his future, with himself and Big Brother caring for him, he certainly wouldn’t fare poorly.

Yet Qi Ying knew he hadn’t taken good care of his brother. For instance, that spring examination. He knew Qi Le’s talents could have earned him second rank, but he had to consider the greater good and avoid nepotism, failing him and causing much grievance.

Yet even with such a major matter, Qi Le only stayed angry briefly. Qi Ying knew his brother hadn’t changed, remaining as philosophical and cheerful as in childhood. This brought him great comfort and guilt.

He had wanted to compensate him later, but unfortunately events were beyond his control. The Qi family suddenly collapsed overnight, everything changed. The court transformed from their blessed ground into a quagmire, all uncles and nephews suffering dismissal and hardship.

And precisely at this time, Qi Le grew up.

The family’s great calamity transformed his character. No longer carefree as in childhood, when everyone else fled outward, he ran to his side and told him: Second Brother… I want to help you.

Just these words deeply moved Qi Ying.

His heart felt great comfort, feeling his brother had finally matured. But the situation five years ago was too difficult—even Qi Ying wasn’t certain he could survive, naturally unwilling to let his innocent young brother wade into these troubled waters. So he coldly refused his entry into officialdom, thinking with time he would naturally understand to give up, just like childhood—after all, he wasn’t a persistent child, and when encountering difficult texts would soon abandon reading. Qi Ying thought this time would be the same.

Unexpectedly, this time he persisted to the end.

He took examinations alone, entered office alone, started alone from the ninth rank, walking step by step alone to the present. As a Qi family member, with their once-flourishing house suddenly declining, how could descendants of such a family have an easy time in officialdom? Qi Ying knew Qi Le suffered many humiliations. His superiors at the Court of Imperial Sacrifices often created obstacles for him, yet from beginning to end Qi Le never complained, never said anything unnecessary, never sought his help.

He was no longer like childhood, no longer crying to him “Second Brother, help me.”

He had learned to bear everything alone.

He was so sensible, so mature, yet Qi Ying actually preferred when he understood nothing like in childhood. Then at this moment he could stay home with father and mother, rather than being held hostage at the cliff between life and death.

Jingkang…

The moonlight was hazy, Xiaoshan vast.

On the cliff, Qi Le was also watching his second brother through increasingly difficult breathing.

He saw Second Brother’s expression then, just like their childhood. Back then he would always get into various troubles—either being beaten by teachers or scolded by father. Whenever he sought Second Brother’s help, Second Brother would always look at him this way—a little troubled, a little helpless, but mostly protective and caring.

At this moment, the strongest emotion in his eyes was heartache.

Qi Le felt breathing becoming increasingly difficult. Fu Zhuo behind him seemed still shouting something—probably threats—but his ears were ringing too much to hear clearly.

Yet his vision and thoughts remained clear.

Even his heart had never been as lucid as this moment.

He saw many memories from the past.

Second Brother sitting under lamplight late at night helping him revise essays, Second Brother protecting him when father wanted to hit his palms, Second Brother kneeling in the ancestral hall as punishment the night after the spring examinations, Second Brother rushing home from the Court of Judicial Review’s prison after Big Brother and Third Brother’s incident, Second Brother coldly rejecting his entry into officialdom…

And many more.

So, so many more.

Especially he remembered an amusing incident from childhood. He and Third Brother were mischievous, once climbing a tree to catch cicadas. Climbing up was delightful—somehow they scrambled up easily. But coming down, they discovered the tree was so high they were too afraid to jump.

They cried and called, but few people passed by. After a long while, some servants discovered them, and Second Brother hurried over.

His expression seeing them both was quite helpless, but he didn’t scold them. He just told them to jump while arranging two servants below to catch them.

They were terrified, wailing loudly. Qi Le still remembered wiping his tears while saying to Second Brother: “Second Brother… I’m scared.”

He didn’t really know why he said this. The household servants had already come—they would surely catch him securely. But he was just afraid, feeling only Second Brother catching him would bring peace of mind.

The servants all urged them to jump, saying the servants below would definitely catch them without injury. But Second Brother didn’t do this. He indulged them, walking under the tree with open arms, saying: “Jump. Second Brother will catch you.”

Later they really jumped, Second Brother really caught them, and they were all safe. Only afterward did they inevitably receive a beating from father. It was much later before he and Third Brother learned that Second Brother’s arm was injured that time—sinews and bones damaged, taking long to heal completely.

Second Brother…

I’ve always been useless. Even though I truly tried hard, I still couldn’t help you. Like in court where you stand at the front while I only have a corner position—we’re so vastly different.

But I know you never blamed me. Even though I’m so useless, even once resenting you over irrelevant people and matters, you never got angry with me.

Second Brother, I’m sorry.

I’m truly useless. Even now, I’ve become a tool for others to threaten you.

But Second Brother, trust me. Jingkang has grown up. Now I’m still in the tree, but I don’t want you to catch me anymore—since I insisted on climbing, I should bear all the consequences myself.

I know what to do now.

I have no complaints, just a few words to leave behind.

After I’m gone, please Second Brother care for my birth mother on my behalf, and Ninglan, and my child with Ninglan… They’re all pitiful people. I should have cared for them, but there won’t be opportunities anymore.

And Third Brother… He truly did many wrong things, but he already knows his errors. If possible, could Second Brother spare some time to counsel him? These years he’s locked himself away—no one can get close, not even me. He cares greatly about Second Brother in his heart. I think if Second Brother personally counseled him, perhaps he’d gradually improve.

And… and…

And one last thing.

Second Brother, I’m sorry.

But the luckiest thing in my life… was becoming your brother.

The cliff towered high.

Summer wind turned suddenly cold.

Whose figure was so resolute, falling into the bottomless abyss?

Everyone was crying out.

Everyone was making noise.

This sacred and pure Xiaoshan was as clamorous as marketplace brothels, as bloody as the depths of hell.

Yet inside that magnificent palace hall was only hollow, deathly silence.

As deathly as Xiao Yizhao’s eyes.

He saw everything.

He saw his noble Father Emperor covered in bloody tears, pressed to the ground by lowly soldiers.

He saw the Left Minister’s brother pulling his mother’s brother as they fell together from the cliff.

He saw countless soldiers finally break open the doors of the palace hall where he and mother had hidden, taking mother away.

He saw the despair and hatred in mother’s eyes.

He saw the boundless night.

He was led away, brought to the Left Minister’s side.

That person still had his brother’s blood on him.

And his brother’s corpse was already a mangled mass of flesh and blood.

He saw the Left Minister’s expressionless face, not glancing at him once.

This was good.

Xiao Yizhao silently lowered his head, concealing the bone-deep hatred buried in his eyes.

The hour of zi had arrived. The tenth day of the sixth month finally passed.

Everyone would remember… this was an auspicious day that came once in a century.

Author’s Note: Volume Four is finished. Only a short epilogue volume remains in the main text, probably completing within ten days.

We’re also saying goodbye to another character. The clever readers saw the signs early—I can’t help but cry out: readers are too perceptive, it’s really hard for authors to survive! Fierce tiger sheds tears.

With this, the fates of all four Qi sons are basically clear, so we can reveal a little easter egg~ (Can this even count as an easter egg…)

The four young masters’ names all reflect their destinies, but all are reversed: eldest son Qi Yun, courtesy name Jingyuan, means high position and power (high as clouds), but ultimately was dismissed and fell from the clouds; third son Qi Ning, courtesy name Jing’an, means seeking peace, but five years ago it was he who brought the Qi family no “peace”; fourth son Qi Le, courtesy name Jingkang, means harmony and health, but only he walks toward death—neither happy nor healthy.

As for Qi Ying, courtesy name Jingchen, “Ying” refers to a child’s innocent heart, “Chen” refers to maintaining loyalty as a subject. Will his fate follow his name, or will it be reversed too…? [If only he conforms to his name while differing from his brothers, don’t ask me why he’s different—the answer is protagonist aura… (runs away with pot lid) Here comes the grand finale!