“My lord, perhaps you should rest for a moment.”

Lightning appeared in the sky along with the heavy rain, illuminating two people clinging to the cliff face.

Zhao Chongjiu and Pei Wenxuan’s bodies were already soaked by the rain. Both had hemp ropes tied around them, with packs on their backs containing commonly used life-saving medicines, bandages, flint, and other supplies.

After Pei Wenxuan arranged all matters and ordered people to enter the mountain from outside to reach the cliff bottom, he had ropes prepared, insisting on descending the cliff himself.

Going around from the training ground through the perimeter to safely reach the cliff bottom would take at least one night. If they climbed directly down the cliff face without stopping, they could reach the bottom in less than two hours. However, because there were no ropes long enough, many ropes needed to be knotted together to lower people down. This way, if anything went wrong with the ropes, or if the climber slipped and fell exceeding the rope’s supporting force, it would be extremely dangerous.

But Pei Wenxuan didn’t trust anyone else to descend the cliff. He feared they wouldn’t be dedicated enough, feared they wouldn’t be alert enough, feared some among them might be traitors. At such a life-or-death moment, Pei Wenxuan wouldn’t entrust Li Rong to anyone.

So he descended the cliff accompanied by Zhao Chongjiu.

They climbed down from the cliff top. Although it was a high cliff with no visible bottom, when Pei Wenxuan’s hands fell on the stones and his feet stepped on the cliff wall, feeling the night wind howling past and hearing the sound of falling pebbles with no audible landing, he instead felt a strange sense of calm.

He walked the path Li Rong had walked. If Li Rong had walked to the end of her life—

Then he too walked this path of no return.

So he began descending after nightfall. He controlled his descent speed very evenly. From beginning to end, he didn’t say a word. His entire being seemed to have extracted all emotion, calculating precisely which stone he should step on next, when his hand should let go next time.

Halfway down, his hands were already covered in wounds from being ground against the stones, the skin long broken.

But his expression didn’t change. Zhao Chongjiu, looking at his appearance, though unable to discern anything, couldn’t help but remind him: “My lord, you can rest briefly.”

“I’m very well,” Pei Wenxuan repeated. “I’m fine. Continue.”

With that, he moved his foot down and stepped onto the next stone.

Just as he stepped on the stone, it couldn’t bear his weight and suddenly scattered. His entire body slid straight down along the cliff wall. Sharp stones scraped his garments, cutting burning wounds on his skin. The rope rapidly descended. The people above were so startled that several quickly grasped the rope together. Zhao Chongjiu also couldn’t help but shout: “My lord!”

Pei Wenxuan said nothing. As he fell rapidly, he observed the entire cliff wall like a wolf, then suddenly reached out and firmly grabbed a protruding point he had already observed, stabilizing himself. Then he raised his head slightly, calm in a way completely unlike someone climbing for the first time: “I’m fine. Continue.”

He wouldn’t die here.

With Li Rong’s life or death uncertain, he absolutely wouldn’t die here.

As Pei Wenxuan descended along the cliff, inside the cave, lightning’s glow illuminated Su Rongqing’s face.

Li Rong looked at him. She said nothing. There wasn’t a hint of change on her face, as if this was something she had long accepted, understood, acknowledged—something utterly ordinary.

“What’s the reason?”

Li Rong spoke, her voice hoarse: “Chuan’er… shouldn’t have killed me.”

She had assisted Li Chuan his entire life.

She was his older sister—after their parents left, the person who shared the same blood and was closest to him.

Even if he worried her power was too great, he shouldn’t have struck such a lethal blow directly.

“In the twenty-fifth year of Dexu, Your Highness was traveling outside and happened upon an alchemist, rumored to possess unique skills. Your Highness made many inquiries, went up the mountain repeatedly to request, and finally invited the alchemist down from the mountain to introduce him to His Majesty.”

Su Rongqing’s voice was very light. Li Rong slowly widened her eyes.

“In the twenty-eighth year of Dexu, His Majesty began frequently feeling unwell and started thoroughly investigating the palace. In the end, nothing came of it. Not long after, the alchemist Your Highness had respectfully presented died after falling into a lake while drunk.”

“That alchemist had problems?”

“That alchemist,” Su Rongqing pressed his lips together, “was carefully selected by the aristocratic families. Shangguan Ya orchestrated the entire scheme, deliberately guiding events so Your Highness would encounter him by chance.”

“So Chuan’er thought I wanted to kill him?”

Li Rong found it somewhat laughable: “Why didn’t he ask me? Just ask…”

“If that alchemist truly was deliberately planted beside His Majesty by Your Highness, would Your Highness admit it?”

Su Rongqing asked in return. Li Rong couldn’t speak.

Su Rongqing was right.

Whether or not she truly wanted to kill Li Chuan, Li Chuan could never extract the truth from her. If he couldn’t ask it out, why bother speaking?

“What happened after?”

Li Rong controlled her emotions: “If it was discovered at that time, why not directly investigate and prosecute me? The person I sent had problems. If he wanted to pursue it, he could have taken action.”

“How could he take action?”

Su Rongqing asked directly: “At that time, you were the Princess representing the aristocratic families, the Princess Regent wielding great power. If he made a big show of moving against you, what confidence did he have?”

“So?”

“So he chose poisoning. You went to the palace once every seven days to play chess with him. On the chess pieces was Xiang Meiren. Accumulated day by day, it had long penetrated bone and spleen. Therefore, after the twenty-eighth year of Dexu, your health was always poor.”

“From that time, you knew.” Li Rong looked at Su Rongqing. “Knew I was poisoned.”

“Yes,” Su Rongqing lowered his eyes. “I placed the antidote in sachets and had everyone wear them to delay the poison’s effects.”

“Why didn’t you save me?”

As this question emerged, it seemed unanswerable. A long silence followed.

“Speak.”

Li Rong clenched her fist: “At this point, what can’t be said?”

“It was Shangguan Ya and I who decided together.”

Su Rongqing said this, his voice carrying some trembling: “Actually, we both knew that in your heart, the aristocratic families were never the most important thing. Once we came into conflict with Li Chuan, you would immediately switch sides. So we decided to observe. With Xiang Meiren’s antidote in hand, curing your poison was a matter of any moment. Killing you was also easy as lifting a hand.”

“What happened after? Who ultimately decided to kill me?”

“Later, Li Chuan’s illness grew increasingly severe. On the morning of the day you died, Li Chuan vomited blood continuously in the palace. He summoned Pei Wenxuan to the palace to draft his final edict. After Pei Wenxuan received the edict, Li Chuan asked him one question.”

“He asked Pei Wenxuan what he would do if you rebelled after his death.”

“Pei Wenxuan told him you were his sister and you would never do such a thing.”

As these words emerged, Li Rong stared at him fixedly, tears finally rolling from her eyes.

Su Rongqing paused. Li Rong only said: “Continue.”

“So Li Chuan knew Pei Wenxuan could never possibly kill you. Because in his heart, you would never betray.”

“After Pei Wenxuan left, Li Chuan fell into a coma. Before losing consciousness, he issued a death order demanding your assassination by poison. When Shangguan Ya learned of his coma, she immediately locked down the palace, preventing anyone from entering or leaving. Then she informed me this was the best opportunity.”

“What opportunity?” Li Rong couldn’t help but laugh.

Su Rongqing also smiled: “The opportunity to seize control of the Princess Manor.”

“So when Pei Wenxuan came to find me, it was because he had obtained the edict and wanted one final talk with me. At that time, you didn’t yet know about the palace lockdown. Just like before, worried Pei Wenxuan might be used by Li Chuan, you carried Xiang Meiren poison on yourself and gave him the antidote sachet. Later you learned of Shangguan Ya’s message. When Li Chuan poisoned me, you could clearly have provided the antidote but chose to stand by and watch.”

“Yes.”

Su Rongqing didn’t deny it. Li Rong nodded, indicating understanding: “But I still don’t understand—why did Li Chuan kill me at the last moment? He could have killed me earlier. Why drag it to the final moment?”

“Because in His Majesty’s heart, the entire palace and court were just a game of chess. His life’s greatest responsibility was maintaining the balance of the chess game.”

“Years ago, when the aristocratic families flourished, His Majesty used iron-fisted methods, executing more than half the Shangguan clan members. Even his own uncle was executed by his personal order. He then exterminated the entire Su clan to intimidate the hundred families. Actually, at that time, the aristocratic families had secretly formed an alliance intending to rebel. But His Majesty suddenly announced his retreat to the palace to cultivate immortality, and Your Highness became Princess Regent. Only then were the aristocratic families appeased and decided to endure. This was actually His Majesty’s balancing method.”

“Later, His Majesty secretly elevated Pei Wenxuan. Pei Wenxuan and Qin Lin—one civil, one military—supported the humble families, forming a force opposing Your Highness. So Your Highness, think—if His Majesty died, would this balance still exist?”

“Why wouldn’t it exist?” Li Rong didn’t understand. “With Pei Wenxuan as leader of the humble families…”

“But what if you wanted to kill him?”

Su Rongqing interrupted Li Rong’s words. Li Rong looked somewhat bewildered. Su Rongqing smiled bitterly: “Your Highness, for thirty years—what were Pei Wenxuan’s feelings toward you? When he told His Majesty, ‘She is Your Majesty’s sister and would never rebel,’ wasn’t it clear? He was your political enemy for so many years, yet in the end, he never once thought you would betray.”

“Pei Wenxuan wouldn’t kill you. Behind you were me and Shangguan Ya. If you wanted to kill him, it would be too easy.”

“One chess piece against another chess piece. In Li Chuan’s heart, what balanced you was never Pei Wenxuan—it was himself. If he died while you still lived, the game would be unbalanced.”

“Leaving Pei Wenxuan and Qin Lin to assist Li Ping in opposing the aristocratic families led by the Crown Prince—only after a bloody struggle would the chess game balance. Only then would the next monarch not face the situation he faced during ascension, being constrained by any one side.”

“If you lived, as long as you made a move to kill Pei Wenxuan, the humble families would have no more power to resist. And as Princess, with such high power, the new sovereign couldn’t tolerate you, and you couldn’t tolerate a new sovereign who would restrict you.”

“So Your Highness,” Su Rongqing’s eyes carried pity, “actually, whether or not there was that alchemist, between you and Li Chuan, it was a fatal situation. Only a matter of sooner or later.”

Li Rong couldn’t speak.

Every sentence Su Rongqing said was actually correct.

Blinded by greed for power—back then she tolerated Li Chuan because he was her younger brother. If Li Ping or Li Xin ascended and defied her like Li Chuan did, she didn’t know how long she could endure.

Li Chuan hadn’t misjudged her either. If he died, taking her with him to avoid obstructing the next sovereign couldn’t be more correct.

Accustomed to high position, with nothing else, one could only cling tightly to power.

Looking back now, everyone else had changed beyond recognition—but wasn’t she the same?

The alchemist was the trigger for Li Chuan’s distrust of her. But if Li Chuan had been the seventeen-year-old Li Chuan, he would have long since come knocking at her door to ask what was going on.

But the forty-eight-year-old Li Chuan had long become a monarch who trusted no one and could sacrifice anyone.

Understanding all this, Li Rong couldn’t help but laugh. She lowered her head: “So everything you’re doing now is for revenge?”

“Your Highness,” Su Rongqing smiled bitterly, “matters from the previous life—living another lifetime, what revenge is there to discuss? Rongqing only feels that even reborn for another life, Li Chuan would repeat the same mistakes.”

“Li Chuan loves grand achievements and is rash and obstinate. He can’t tolerate the aristocratic families, nor can he tolerate Your Highness in the future. Your Highness, you’re not a woman willing to be raised in the deep palace’s inner quarters. One nation cannot contain two monarchs. If Li Chuan ascends, sooner or later, you’ll come to crossed swords.”

“I know Your Highness feels that reborn in this life, if we could do better, we could change something. But how can we do better? Were we not good to Li Chuan in the previous life? When he was deposed by Li Ming and became a fallen Crown Prince, it was the aristocratic families who gathered the military strength of a hundred families to send him to the throne. But what happened after?”

“As soon as he ascended, he wanted to mount a northern campaign. The ministers didn’t allow it. He acted willfully. Thus the northern campaign failed, the national treasury was depleted. Then came southern floods with no silver for disaster relief, resulting in corpses everywhere and people in misery.”

“He considered this the aristocratic families’ fault and reformed recklessly regardless of reality, leading to uprisings everywhere and war spreading.”

“After that, to elevate the humble families, he exclusively favored Consort Qin in the rear palace. In the front court, he suppressed aristocratic ministers, killed his uncle, imprisoned his mother, confining the Empress Dowager in a traveling palace. He created false cases to frame my Su clan. Until the end, for power, he didn’t even spare you.”

“Your Highness, how else do you want to change him?”

Su Rongqing stared at her, demanding: “His nature isn’t cruel—he’s merely naive, incompetent, and dictatorial. Once he becomes emperor, will you accompany him in northern campaigns or in reforms? Great Xia’s accumulated problems span a hundred years. Whether rash northern campaigns or rash reforms—both are impetuous acts. If Your Highness doesn’t accompany him in folly and you want to dissuade him, you couldn’t persuade him in the previous life. Can you persuade him in this one?”

“Ultimately it will still be like the previous life,” Su Rongqing stated with certainty. “He’ll resent your constant constraints, harbor grievances, and ultimately siblings will turn swords against each other.”

“Since the ending is destined to be like this, how can I watch him ascend with open eyes?”

“So,” Li Rong tried to cast aside everything Su Rongqing had condemned. She didn’t want to hear, didn’t want to think. She restrained her emotions, only continuing to inquire: “From the beginning, when you returned, you’d already decided to depose him.”

“Yes.” Having spoken to this point, Su Rongqing didn’t conceal: “From the start, I planned to depose him. Originally, I thought I didn’t need to do anything. Just like the previous life, when His Majesty deposed Li Chuan, I wouldn’t let the aristocratic families accept Pei Wenxuan’s persuasion. I’d convince Father to accept Li Cheng’s ascension. Li Cheng is only eleven now. Xiao Su is weak and incompetent. Consort Rou is greedy and shortsighted. After Li Cheng ascends, we can make him a puppet figurehead. After he fathers an heir, we’ll kill him and support a young emperor. At that time, I’ll hold power and welcome Your Highness back to the capital.”

“Then why did you approach me and pretend to pledge allegiance to the Crown Prince?”

“First, I wanted to observe Your Highness. This life Your Highness has changed too much—observation was needed. Second, if necessary, I was willing to act as an inside agent to bring down Li Chuan.”

“Since Li Chuan ordered my death in the previous life and you’re his enemy, why not tell me earlier? Why admit to being the murderer when I asked?”

Su Rongqing didn’t speak. Li Rong laughed mockingly: “Don’t tell me you were afraid I’d be heartbroken?”

“In Your Highness’s life, Li Chuan was your only family. Whether I spoke or not, Your Highness wouldn’t raise a blade against him because of it. Since that’s the case, why say more?”

“If I succeed, Your Highness can hate me. If I fail, it doesn’t damage Your Highness’s sibling bond.”

After hearing this, Li Rong wasn’t surprised. She remained silent. Outside, voices could faintly be heard. Su Rongqing looked toward the cave entrance, his voice calm: “Does Your Highness have more questions?”

Li Rong fell silent. She sat on the ground, quietly watching the leaping firelight before her.

She seemed very calm. Everything just discussed seemed not to have entered her ears. But Su Rongqing knew that beneath extreme calm lay extreme anguish.

After Li Rong watched those flames for a long time, she finally spoke lowly: “Chuan’er didn’t trust me and thought I would kill him and his children for power. But why didn’t you and Aya trust me either?” Li Rong spoke, turning her eyes to look at him, calmly examining him. “To watch me go to my death with open eyes, then grasp power in your hands?”

“Does Your Highness truly want to know the answer to this question?”

Su Rongqing leaned against the wall, watching the fire emit a “crack” of explosive sound as sparks rose up.

They vaguely heard calling voices. Those voices were very distant, as if from another world, crossing ten thousand rivers and mountains.

Li Rong heard Su Rongqing’s response and answered hoarsely: “Speak.”

“Because Li Xin,” Su Rongqing spoke with great difficulty, “wasn’t Li Chuan’s child.”

Hearing this, Li Rong’s entire being froze. She looked at Su Rongqing in disbelief. Su Rongqing lowered his eyes, looking at the purely black shadow on the ground.

“Back then, Shangguan Ya and my elder brother were in love, but because the family didn’t allow it, she was forced into the palace to become Crown Princess. My elder brother decided never to marry for her sake. Later, Li Chuan and Qin Zhenzhen fell in love. He didn’t like Shangguan Ya, so he discussed with her that they would only be husband and wife in name. But Shangguan Ya entered the palace for the Shangguan family. Becoming empress was to secure the Crown Prince’s position. She could remain a widow her entire life, but she couldn’t allow herself to remain a childless widow.”

“So?”

Li Rong felt her stomach churning.

“So Shangguan Ya found my elder brother and, in time, had Li Xin.”

Li Rong said nothing.

She felt like someone had pressed her head underwater. All the nausea, disgust, and fear surged up together.

Everything had a reason.

Why would Su Ronghua kill Qin Zhenzhen? Because Su Ronghua had to protect his child and Shangguan Ya.

Why would Li Chuan ultimately use palace punishment to so humiliate the Su clan? Because he had long known Su Ronghua and Shangguan Ya had an affair.

Why would Su Rongqing ultimately ally with Shangguan Ya and, even when Li Chuan was dying, when she stood with the aristocratic families, when he still loved her, decide to watch her die—because he had to protect his elder brother’s last bloodline.

If she died, if Pei Wenxuan died, with Su Rongqing and Shangguan Ya’s methods, the throne for Li Xin was almost within easy grasp.

So disgusting.

So ugly.

These ugly human hearts and interests woven together made the previous life into a spider web reeking of corruption, tightly entangling everyone.

Father and son weren’t father and son. Siblings weren’t siblings. Husband and wife weren’t husband and wife. Friends weren’t friends.

Everything from the previous life was a thoroughly rotten swamp, full of disgusting pus. At first, thinking it contained only decaying branches and leaves, but after pushing aside the rot accumulated on the swamp’s surface, discovering below were even uglier human bones. That flesh and blood had boiled into thick paste, gurgling and emitting a foul stench.

Li Rong felt countless past events flash before her eyes. Those past events engulfed her. She couldn’t breathe, nearly unable to move.

She couldn’t help closing her eyes and laughing. She wanted to say something, but ultimately couldn’t say anything. She could only shake her head with a light laugh, raising her hand to point at Su Rongqing.

“Good,” she praised sincerely. “Very good.”

With that, Li Rong’s laughter grew louder: “A ruler without affection for his six relations, an empress without loyalty to human ethics, a minister committing treason against righteousness, children used as chess pieces with lives as pawns. Su Rongqing,” Li Rong laughed as she clapped her hands, “you people are still the most willing to go all out, superior in chess moves. This Palace admires you.”

Su Rongqing knelt before Li Rong. Hearing Li Rong’s mockery, his face was somewhat pale. But he still maintained his usual steady demeanor, his voice hoarse as he continued: “These words shouldn’t have been told to Your Highness. Now that everything is out in the open, this subject dares to ask one question—”

“You’ve already sacrificed one lifetime for Li Chuan. Must you sacrifice this lifetime too?”

Su Rongqing scrutinized Li Rong: “Hua Jing won’t allow Your Highness to have feelings. Why doesn’t Your Highness choose a different path? Either join forces with me to assist Li Cheng’s ascension, then control the emperor to command the nobles; or leave with Pei Wenxuan? Whatever you choose, as long as Your Highness doesn’t fight desperately for Li Chuan, Your Highness can have glory, wealth, and a worry-free life. Why wade through this muddy water?”

“Glory, wealth, and a worry-free life?” Hearing these words, Li Rong found it laughable. She smiled as she examined Su Rongqing: “Actually, you never told me before and only revealed the truth now precisely to sow discord between Li Chuan and me, right?”

Hearing this, Su Rongqing gazed at Li Rong. He seemed to want to explain but ultimately only opened his lips without saying anything.

Li Rong raised her head and took a deep breath, looking up at the shadows on the cave ceiling. Patting her thigh, she exclaimed: “You watched me seize power and plan so much for Li Chuan. Li Chuan, to act alongside me, offended many aristocratic families. You never told me, precisely waiting for me to gain power before telling me. This way, Li Chuan and I would have a rift. That’s equivalent to invisibly removing Li Chuan’s greatest support.” Li Rong turned her eyes to Su Rongqing, her face showing admiration as she cupped her hands in salute: “Lord Su’s foresight is profound, his wisdom extraordinary—beyond what ordinary people can achieve.”

Su Rongqing said nothing. The look in his eyes as he watched Li Rong carried some pain, but he still asked hoarsely: “If Your Highness wishes to think this way, that’s acceptable. But how does Your Highness decide?”

Li Rong didn’t speak. She stared at Su Rongqing without blinking.

At this moment, she wished she could tear him apart, wished he had stayed forever in that year when she was twenty-nine, letting him die in prison.

“You deserve to die,” her voice was very light. “Back then, I should never have saved you.”

Hearing this, Su Rongqing smiled gently.

“Your Highness is right,” he spoke sincerely, his eyes carrying desolation. “Back then, you should never have saved me.”