They had quarreled from childhood to adulthood, and now it was rare to see them together so calm and peaceful.

Yet it was in a prison cell!

The candlelight flickered dimly, casting shadows on both their faces.

Gong Shilin finished the wine in his cup, then picked up the wine pot in front of him and poured himself another cup.

While the wine in Li Cheng’s cup remained full.

After a long while—

Li Cheng fixed his gaze on him and asked: “Was it worth it?”

His deep voice echoed in the narrow prison cell, as if penetrating their very skin and going straight to the heart.

But this question only earned a bitter smile from Gong Shilin, who asked in return: “So you know everything?”

“Yes, I know everything! A few hours ago, Du Xing’er from the Drunken Moon Pavilion came to beg me to save you. She told me everything.”

To this, Gong Shilin was very calm. He took another sip of wine before answering seriously: “Killing someone who deserves to die—shouldn’t that be right?”

Killing someone who deserves to die—shouldn’t that be right?

Li Cheng immediately froze!

His palm tightened!

He clenched his fist and took a deep breath: “But you still haven’t answered my question. I just want to know, was it worth it?”

“Li Cheng, do you think that coming to ask me this question now, does my answer really matter to you?”

“It matters!”

“Fine, then I’ll tell you. It was worth it! Killing Du Mubai, I have never regretted it. I only hate that I hid this matter for six years. It turns out that when a person commits a crime, no matter how long he hides or evades, sooner or later he must pay. If I had stood up and admitted it back then, I wouldn’t have had to wait until today to understand this principle!” Gong Shilin’s tone was calm.

Li Cheng looked at this familiar yet strange person before him, and his eyes couldn’t help but moisten.

Then he picked up the wine before him.

And drained it in one gulp!

His voice trembled lightly: “Gong Shilin, from today on, all past grievances between you are wiped clean!”

Every word was spoken with great weight.

Then he poured another cup of wine and continued: “I always thought I was someone remarkable, but in truth I can’t compare to even half of you. You are a true man, someone with backbone and righteousness. No one in the world can compare to you, Gong Shilin! This cup of wine, I should be toasting you.”

After speaking, he tilted his head back and drank the wine.

But his whole body trembled.

Even his heart was trembling!

At this moment, no one was more heartbroken than him.

After hearing his words, the originally calm expression on Gong Shilin’s face showed sorrow. A hint of helplessness overflowed from the corners of his mouth as he said: “Li Cheng, do you know? Actually, since childhood I’ve envied you greatly. You can do what you want to do, go where you want to go, live more freely than anyone else. But I cannot! If I could, I truly wish I could become you, able to love the person I want to love, live the life I want to live. It’s just that… everything is too late now.”

Too late!

He smiled bitterly through his tears.

Li Cheng frowned, forcefully suppressing that emotion in his heart.

Holding back his tears!

Then he grabbed the wine pot and poured wine into his mouth.

Perhaps only by getting drunk could he cover up that pain that was so hard to express.

But drowning sorrows in wine only brings more sorrow!

After downing a pot of wine, he could no longer contain his emotions. He forcefully pushed the Gong Shilin across from him, stood up and roared: “Back then I said that even if you were to die, you would die by my hand. Fine! I’ve done it now! It was me who personally led people to arrest you, it was me who sent people to deliver you to the Ministry of Justice, and it was me who personally pushed you to this point. Your father was right—my Li family is heartless and ungrateful, and I, Li Cheng, am even more cold-blooded! Knowing full well that you must have had your reasons for killing someone, I still sent you to the executioner’s block. I’m a person without conscience, a person without flesh and blood. Gong Shilin, take a good look—it was me who personally sent you here, it was me!”

Guilt, self-reproach, pain…

These emotions were like sharp knives, stabbing his chest until it was a bloody mess.

Gong Shilin sat there, his gaze lowered to the ground.

Facing the agitated and self-reproaching Li Cheng, he appeared very calm.

Then he slowly stood up.

Looking directly into Li Cheng’s tear-filled, bloodshot eyes.

He said: “I don’t blame you.”

“You should hate me to death.”

“Li Cheng, I said I don’t blame you! Even if you hadn’t sent people to arrest me, I was actually planning to go to the City Administration Department myself that day.” He exhaled deeply, his eyes clear without doubt. “So you don’t need to blame yourself. All of this has nothing to do with you.”

“Shilin…”

“Everything today is the cause and effect I created myself. Being able to know you in this life is my greatest fortune.”

Li Cheng gradually calmed down.

But didn’t know what to say.

“By the way, I have something to give you.” Gong Shilin took out a brownish-yellow scroll from his sleeve and handed it to him. “This is the imperial edict you wanted.”

Hm?

Hadn’t it already been burned?

“You know what? That day when you came rushing to question me, I was actually planning to give you the imperial edict, but at that time I hesitated and almost had a servant take it to burn it. Fortunately, I stopped it in time.”

Li Cheng held this imperial edict, his lips trembling for a long while before uttering two words: “Thank you!”

“Can you promise me one thing?”

“Say it!”

“About my reason for killing someone, could you not tell your elder sister?”

“Why?”

“The reason I’m unwilling to reveal the cause is first, I don’t want Miss Xing’er to become the subject of public gossip, and I also don’t want your elder sister to be upset after knowing. You know Du Mubai’s position in your sister’s heart. If she knew Du Mubai did such beastly things, how could your sister bear it? So this secret should only be known by the three of us.”

Li Cheng considered this.

And nodded.

“Li Cheng, I hope in our next life we’ll have the chance to be brothers!”

…

In the end, Li Cheng walked out of the prison cell holding that imperial edict, but his steps stopped again outside the cell door. He turned to look at Gong Shilin standing inside with his dignified bearing.

As if returning to the first time the two of them had met.

That day was also like today’s weather.

Heavy snow falling.

The mischievous young Li Cheng had been grabbed by his pants by Marquis Pingyang and thrown into the study.

As soon as he entered, he saw Gong Shilin wearing scholarly robes with his hair bound in a high topknot, standing beside the teacher.

He would never be able to forget that scene!

Gong Shilin stood with his back very straight, though he wasn’t tall. At such a young age, he already appeared very mature and reserved.

He had his eyes closed, hands clasped behind his back, gently swaying his head.

Reciting “The Long Poem” with great feeling and emotion.

“Return without practice, ritual precepts exist, music has guest purpose, three teas to serve it, if not strict, and conduct passes, teach and contemplate, not surpass, raise with head, virtue learned, way in words, must first be correct…”

That cadenced, resounding voice echoed throughout the entire study…

To this day, Li Cheng still remembered that scene.

Deeply branded in his mind.

He had never spoken of it!

And in this world, from now on, besides Gong Shilin, no one else could recite “The Long Poem” anymore!

…