Li Hanyi’s face lit up with delight, but Qiu Xinran standing beside him darkened her expression. She watched Li Hantai approach step by step and asked with furrowed brows, “How could Hanyi be here?”

Li Hanyi thought she was asking him. Before Wei Yi could speak, he struggled to stand up from the ground: “Wei Yi drugged my food, and now he wants to harm Father Emperor. You and I together can apprehend this traitorous minister!”

Li Hantai glanced at the blade in Wei Yi’s hand pointing at Li Hanyi, his gaze questioning. Wei Yi remained silent, lowering his head submissively as Li Hantai took the blade from his hand. A trace of confusion flickered in Li Hanyi’s eyes as he watched Li Hantai hold the blade in one hand while extending his other hand to help him up.

Qiu Xinran’s heart tightened with alarm, and she couldn’t help but cry out a warning: “Be careful!”

At her voice, warning bells rang in Li Hanyi’s mind. From the corner of his eye, he glimpsed a flash of cold steel at his waist. He hurriedly dodged to the side. In that critical moment, he avoided a fatal strike, but unfortunately the blade still pierced into his abdomen. Li Hanyi’s expression changed drastically. He shoved his attacker away forcefully and fell sitting to the ground. Clutching his profusely bleeding wound with one hand, he stared in disbelief at his eldest brother standing before him with blade in hand: “Elder brother…”

Qiu Xinran rushed forward and tore off her sleeve to bandage his wound. Li Hantai watched the two of them coldly without stopping her. Wei Yi stepped forward: “First Prince, this is no time for feminine compassion.”

Li Hantai’s gaze was dark and inscrutable as he gripped the blade and advanced another step. Qiu Xinran dared not examine Li Hanyi’s wound closely, unsure if her efforts were even useful. She focused entirely on stopping the bleeding, her hands somewhat frantic, leaving no room for fear. Yet Li Hanyi seemed to feel no pain at all, his eyes fixed unwaveringly on the man approaching him: “…Is it truly you?” Even at this moment, he could not believe that all of this was Li Hantai’s arrangement—that the one who had just stabbed him was the stern and respectful elder brother he had known for so many years.

Li Hanyi’s eyes turned bloodshot as he asked again: “You’re the one trying to harm Father Emperor?”

Li Hantai’s hand tightened on the blade’s handle, but still he did not speak. Li Hanyi was like an injured leopard, growling as he demanded: “Do you truly intend to kill me here with your own hands?”

As if unable to face such burning intensity in his gaze, Li Hantai closed his eyes briefly. Only after a moment did he open them again, his voice low and hoarse: “You came here of your own accord.”

This sentence confirmed the previous suspicions. The light in Li Hanyi’s eyes dimmed instantly. He laughed coldly: “If I hadn’t come, how would you have dealt with me? When Father Emperor meets with trouble at the sacrificial platform, with you and I both on this mountain, would you truly have let me descend the mountain unharmed?”

Perhaps stung by his words, Li Hantai’s tightly clenched jaw trembled slightly as he said coldly: “Say what you will. If I don’t act today, both Mother Consort and I will die.”

Li Hanyi suddenly felt utterly disheartened. Looking at this brother who had grown up alongside him since childhood, he felt an indescribable sense of estrangement. Everyone said the imperial family had no familial affection, but he had thought that even if the brothers weren’t deeply close, they would never reach the point of fratricide. He hadn’t expected this was merely his own wishful thinking.

When he had earlier thought Wei Yi meant harm to Emperor Xuande and rushed in calling for his capture, he hadn’t lost his edge, like a small beast ready to strike back at any moment. Now he had completely lost his will to fight, appearing resigned to his fate like a lamb to slaughter. Seeing this, Qiu Xinran’s heart grew anxious. She wanted to delay as long as possible—if those below saw the signal flares and sent people up the mountain, perhaps there would be a glimmer of hope for survival.

So facing Li Hantai advancing with his blade, she suddenly called out loudly: “The First Prince must kill the Second Prince now out of necessity—was murdering the Ninth Princess back then also out of necessity?”

At these words, not only Li Hanyi started with shock, even Li Hantai’s expression changed abruptly: “You…”

“Back then, the Ninth Princess accidentally discovered your illicit affair with Consort Xu. Out of sibling affection, she was unwilling to tell the Empress, but what did that get her? When you threw her into the pool, did you ever think she was your own sister?”

Li Hanyi seized Qiu Xinran’s arm, his expression fierce as he rebuked her: “What did you say about how Little Ninth died?” His grip was tremendously strong. Qiu Xinran felt her wrist was about to be crushed, yet she kept her face tightly composed, not sparing him a glance. She addressed only the somewhat flustered Li Hantai: “All these years, has the First Prince felt even a shred of guilt over the Ninth Princess’s death?”

Wei Yi strode forward, placing a hand on Li Hantai’s shoulder as he urged: “First Prince, don’t listen to her nonsense. The situation is critical now. Think of Noble Consort Shu still under house arrest in the palace, and Minister Wu waiting at the mountain’s base. This woman clearly wants to delay for time, hoping for reinforcements to arrive. You must not fall for her scheme!”

These words clearly had some effect. After a moment of confusion, Li Hantai quickly composed himself. Looking at the young Daoist sitting on the ground, murderous intent had already risen in his eyes. Qiu Xinran’s heart wasn’t without fear, but matters had reached this point—there was absolutely no room left for her to retreat. In that instant, she somehow found the strength to break free from Li Hanyi’s restraint. She stood up abruptly and confronted the man before her: “And Consort Xu! You profess to love her, yet fundamentally dared not resist the arranged marriage. At Azure Dragon Temple, you watched helplessly as your mother forced poison down her throat. Each time you make excuses for yourself, step by step reaching this point, as if you were forced by others, but in truth it’s all for yourself! Even at this stage, you still deceive yourself, thinking your rebellion is for Mother Consort’s safety and your maternal family’s honor. How utterly hypocritical!”

In one breath she fired off this barrage of accusations at Li Hantai, feeling she had never been so exhilarated. Even if she died immediately after speaking, it would be satisfying! Li Hantai had lost his composure from the moment she mentioned Azure Dragon Temple. That night, Consort Xu’s death should have been known to no one in this world except their mother and son. How could the person before him possibly know?

“…I, Xu Shuyi, curse you to never know peace from this day forward. I curse that you and your mother will one day meet a terrible end!”

The curse Consort Xu uttered before her death that night still seemed to echo in his ears. The woman before him had fierce features, and having just bandaged Li Hanyi’s wound, her hands were still dripping with fresh blood. In his daze, he almost mistook her for Consort Xu reborn from the underworld’s Yellow Springs, come to claim his life.

Li Hantai’s mind fell into complete chaos. Her imposing presence actually made him retreat a step, and with a “clang,” the long blade in his hand slipped from his grasp and fell to the ground.

Seeing the situation turning dire, Wei Yi immediately lunged forward to kill this troublesome Daoist first. Qiu Xinran hastily retreated backward. Having just delivered that intimidating speech, she carelessly stumbled over Li Hanyi sitting on the ground behind her and fell flat on her back, immediately breaking character.

Wei Yi’s hand had just closed around her throat when a coughing sound suddenly came from behind the gauze curtains hanging to the floor. Everyone froze abruptly. Li Hantai’s face went deathly pale as he stared at the old man inside who had somehow awakened, his fingers hidden beneath his robes trembling slightly.

“Is that Tai’er outside?” The Emperor’s voice came from the bed behind the curtains, extremely weary. “Come before me.”

At the Temple of Heavenly Sacrifice, civil and military officials gathered together. When the subordinate they had sent to investigate returned, he was immediately surrounded by everyone inquiring about the situation on the mountain.

The guard reported: “The midday signal flares and flames appear to have been caused by accidental ignition due to dry weather. Fortunately, the Feathered Forest Guards reacted swiftly—the fire was extinguished as soon as it started, and His Majesty is safe and unharmed.”

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this. Wu Guangda surveyed his surroundings and stroked his beard: “Since it was merely a false alarm, everyone should disperse and make early preparations for the afternoon sacrifice.”

Everyone nodded in agreement, relieved they hadn’t acted rashly. Otherwise, if they had impetuously rushed up the mountain, they might instead have been charged with disrupting protocol and offending His Majesty.

The crowd of black-robed officials was about to disperse when suddenly they heard the sound of galloping hooves approaching from down the mountain. The hoofbeats grew from distant to near—at first the sound was barely audible like raindrops hitting the ground, but gradually they could feel the ground trembling slightly beneath their feet. Looking out, they saw a force of heavily armed cavalry charging from the western slope, arriving before the Temple of Heavenly Sacrifice in the blink of an eye. Leading them on a magnificent horse sat a white-robed man with handsome features and heroic bearing—it was none other than the long-missing Marquis Dingbei, whose life or death had been uncertain!

Behind him were dozens of soldiers, each mounted and wielding sabers, spirits high. Under the sunlight their silver armor gleamed brilliantly, forcing people to avert their eyes.

Xia Xiuyan reined in his horse before the Temple of Heavenly Sacrifice and wheeled around in place. Looking down at the crowd with slightly mocking expression, as if to let people see clearly that he was indeed a living person and not some wronged ghost risen from the underworld.

The civil and military officials had not yet recovered from the unexpected fire at the sacrificial platform when they suddenly saw Xia Xiuyan appear before them as if descended from heaven.

“The Marquis is safe and unharmed?”

“Since the Marquis disappeared at Crouching Dragon Mountain, this old minister has worried day and night for your safety!”

“Marquis, bringing so many men up the mountain—what’s happening?”

…

The ministers before the temple finally reacted, crowding forward and looking up at the handsome man on horseback, speaking over each other with various remarks. Xia Xiuyan held the reins and said coolly: “I previously encountered danger at Crouching Dragon Mountain but fortunately survived. The Da Yue people have been plotting for some time since entering the capital. I’ve heard they intend harm to His Majesty at the Great Sacrifice, so I deliberately brought troops overnight to rescue the Emperor.”

Hearing these words, everyone looked at each other in confusion, completely bewildered as to how the Da Yue people had suddenly become involved. Only Wu Guangda knew from the moment Xia Xiuyan appeared that disaster was imminent. Taking advantage of the crowd’s confusion, he quickly stepped forward and said sternly: “The Marquis’s safe return is great fortune for Da Li, but on this day of the Great Sacrifice, based merely on unfounded rumors, the Marquis rashly brings troops up the mountain to disrupt the sacrifice—this is a grave crime.”

Xia Xiuyan raised an eyebrow and urged his horse forward slowly until he stood before Wu Guangda, looking down at him from his elevated position: “In Minister Wu’s eyes, is this sacrifice more important than His Majesty’s safety?”

Wu Guangda’s expression hardened as he immediately replied: “This old minister absolutely does not mean that!” He said composedly: “It’s just that guards have already reported back confirming it was merely dry weather causing a storehouse fire. For the Marquis to now bring troops up the mountain with such determination—could it be you intend rebellion?”

At his word “rebellion,” those nearby indeed changed their expressions.

Bringing troops into the city without summons, then leading armed men up the mountain on the day of sacrifice—if it truly was as he said and His Majesty was in danger, there could still be an explanation afterward. But if all was well on the mountain, this was tantamount to treason!

Everyone’s expressions grew uncertain as many stepped forward to advise: “Minister Wu speaks rightly. Marquis, you must not act rashly. Please reconsider carefully.”

Xia Xiuyan glanced at Wu Guangda standing righteously indignant among the crowd, a cold smile playing at his lips: “For a subject to concern himself only with his own future at a moment of crisis while disregarding His Majesty’s safety—that is rebellion. Now the mountain has fired three signal flares and flames have risen, yet Minister Wu only believes one-sided reports. This inevitably makes one suspect a guilty conscience.”

“You!” Wu Guangda was shocked. Before he could refute, he heard Xia Xiuyan rein his horse around to face the crowd and call out loudly: “Where is the Minister of Rites?”

Suddenly named from the crowd, the Minister of Rites quickly stepped forward and bowed with clasped hands toward the mounted man: “This minister is here.”

“Before the Great Sacrifice, did the Ministry of Rites send people to prepare the imperial chambers in advance?”

“We were devoted and diligent, not daring to be negligent.”

“If so, yesterday there was heavy rain and the weather was humid—how could such an oversight as a storehouse fire occur today?”

“This…” The Minister of Rites broke out in a sweat. This was exactly what had troubled him earlier. “By rights, this should not have happened.”

Xia Xiuyan gave a cold laugh. Looking again at the varied expressions of the crowd before the temple, they were indeed somewhat different from before, clearly beginning to doubt the guard’s earlier words.

Not wishing to waste more time with this group, he sat on his horse and called out loudly: “Today’s sacrifice has irregularities, and His Majesty’s safety is uncertain. Are you ministers willing to accompany me up the mountain to rescue the Emperor?”

No one knew what the true situation on the mountain was. Though there were many suspicious points, one misstep could result in the crime of rebellion—the risk was truly too great. Everyone looked at each other, and for a long while no one responded.

This situation was within expectations. Xia Xiuyan felt no particular surprise and was about to urge his horse toward the mountain when suddenly someone below called out: “I’ll go with you!”

Xia Xiuyan turned to look and saw someone step out from the crowd—a military officer in official robes, imposing and dignified in bearing. It was Zheng Yuanwu. The two men regarded each other for a moment, one mounted and one on foot. Xia Xiuyan smiled slightly and instructed his subordinates: “Give him a horse.” Having said this, he suddenly cracked his horsewhip and immediately galloped toward the mountain.

Wu Guangda stood in place and shouted to the temple guards: “Stop them!”

The guards advanced with swords drawn, but the mounted soldiers let out a long whistle that resonated through the clouds. As the white-robed general at their head urged his horse forward, who dared block their path?

The crowd before the temple only felt the ground shake beneath their feet. In an instant, only a cloud of dust remained on the mountain road.