The emperor was shielded in the middle by a group of people, and could only watch his two sons fight each other, unable to intervene.
How did things come to this?
He didn’t know, but witnessing this scene filled him with unparalleled regret. At this moment, he had to reflect on himself. He had to bear a lot of responsibility for causing this situation. It was he who refused to establish the crown prince, who deliberately allowed his two sons to fight among themselves, just so that he could sit on the throne more securely, and who nurtured their ambitions…
However, at this point, what use was his regret? Everything was irreparable.
Looking at his two sons revealing their ugly sides in the struggle for the throne, he thought of his seventh son. In comparison, this child who grew up away from him since childhood, seemed to be the most outstanding. If there were still a choice, he would rather pass the throne to the seventh son.
At least, Prince Qin wouldn’t disregard the well-being of the people for his own desires, unlike these two wicked sons. Looking at the absurd scene before him, he couldn’t help but wonder, if he entrusted the throne to these two, wouldn’t it lead to the demise of Great Zhou?
It took a serious Illness for him to see many things clearly. In a person’s life, fame and fortune are all fleeting, and one takes nothing with them to death. Like him now, being an emperor meant nothing. Restricted by this frail body, he possessed power but could do nothing.
The sounds of battle echoed in his ears, and the nauseating scent of blood lingered in the air. His clothes, soaked by the rain, clung to his body. Occasionally, droplets of blood splattered, gradually staining his face and body in shades of red.
He watched with wide eyes, watched his two sons fight each other, and watched the eldest prince’s precarious struggle. He watched as the red eyed Prince Yu raised his longsword and thrust it directly at the chest of the man kneeling on the ground.
Stop—
He wanted to shout, but when he opened his mouth, he couldn’t even make a sound. His eyes reddened, and his mouth remained open, gaping like a stranded fish.
“Boom—”
A flash of light passed, and thunder boomed in his ears. The emperor closed his eyes wearily. He couldn’t help but wonder: Was this thunder a warning from the heavens?
The eldest prince was seriously injured, and he fell heavily. Prince Yu’s thrust veered off, failing to deliver a fatal blow. Blood gushed from the wound, mingled with the rain and stained the ground red.
He won!
Prince Yu supported himself with the sword stuck in the ground. He took a deep breath, and slowly straightened his body. He swung his long sword and pointed it straight at the eldest prince’s throat.
“The leader of the rebels has been subdued. Surrender now!”
The outcome was clear; the eldest prince was defeated by the enemy. The remaining people lost their will to resist, and were easily subdued.
The rain was getting lighter.
Prince Yu dreamed of being emperor. He walked up to the emperor with a smile, bent down to his ear, and spoke in a not-so-soft voice, “Father Emperor, it seems even the heavens are on my side. If Father Emperor is wise, you will willingly draft the abdication decree. You can remain as the exalted retired emperor, or…”
Whether to be the retired emperor or a captive, it all depended on the emperor’s choice.
“Who is Father Emperor waiting for?” Seeing the emperor ignoring him, Prince Yu stepped forward and stood in front of him, “Big brother has been subdued. Father Emperor, do you think there is anyone left to change the current situation? Take your time, this son has plenty of time. Father Emperor can think slowly.”
History is always written by the victors, and no matter what choice the emperor makes, it won’t have much impact. The main opponent had already been defeated, and now, who could stop him from ascending to the throne?
No one.
Prince Yu grinned. If he knew it would be so smooth, why endure for so long?
“Bring Mother Empress and release her.”
After the eldest prince’s defeat, the woman in palace attire was released. She looked a bit disheveled but had suffered no harm.
Looking around, he saw that after a big battle, everything was in a mess, so he ordered his subordinates to handle the aftermath. He personally pushed the emperor back, his face filled with unrestrained joy.
From now on, he would take over the imperial palace, becoming the new ruler of this world.
Power, wealth, beautiful women—whatever he desired, people would eagerly offer. Everything in Great Zhou would be his.
Thinking of the days ahead, the corners of his lips couldn’t help but curve upwards. This was the position he had desired since he knew the world, and now, he had finally attained it. How could he not feel excited?
But his joy didn’t last long, the rhythmic footsteps approached from afar. At first it was only vaguely audible, but then the sound grew louder, and even the ground started to vibrate.
Now it was hard to ignore.
“Who is it?!” Prince Yu turned around, and saw a dark mass approaching not far away.
Like a soul-reaping reaper emerging from the darkness, Prince Yu’s eyelids twitched wildly, and his anxiety reached its peak at this moment.
He had taken control of most of the imperial guards and had the palace surrounded before entering so that no one could come in. The sudden appearance of the eldest prince was already unexpected enough, now, why were there more people coming?
Judging by the momentum, it seemed to be another army. Great Zhou prohibited raising private armies, and there shouldn’t be any other military forces except for the imperial army. No, wait, if you really wanted to say, there might indeed be another army, precisely the one Qi Mingxuan brought back from the border when he returned to the capital last year.
Different from the Imperial Guards who were responsible for maintaining order in the capital, those border troops had experienced bloodshed and battles on the battlefield. They were real soldiers who had experienced the baptism of death.
If it was indeed such a group of people coming, all his advantages would turn into disadvantages. Even if he had twice the number of troops, they might not be a match for those battle-hardened soldiers.
He hoped it wasn’t that formidable army coming over.
But reality was destined to disappoint him. Tearing through the rain curtain, the behemoth revealed its true identity in the twilight.
Jet-black armor, and the sword edges glinting with cold light were like descending lightning, leaving those around shocked.
“Prince Qin!” Prince Yu gritted his teeth.
The person at the forefront was also wearing heavy armor and was wielding a longsword on horseback. He looked down at them from a higher position. The man’s eyes were as cold as winter ice, scanning the people in front of him with a chilling gaze.
Facing those eyes that seemed to have been tempered by ice, the Imperial Army couldn’t help but step back in horror. Being stared at by those eyes felt like being scrutinized by a gaze from the depths of an abyss, sending shivers from the soles of their feet to their hearts, and piercing their brains.
As expected of the War God of Great Zhou who made enemy forces tremble. Facing such a killing god, just maintaining eye contact required immense courage, let alone facing him in battle.
The major battle hadn’t even started, yet some people couldn’t bear it and surrendered. Prince Yu was infuriated but couldn’t do anything with these people.
Prince Qin’s style of warfare was similar to his personality—no unnecessary words. He swung his sword, and the soldiers under him transformed into lethal weapons in his hands, piercing through all defenses, and striking at vital points.
The Imperial Guards, who had never experienced real war, were no match for these battle-hardened soldiers. What’s more, these people have just experienced a melee. They were already exhausted and now facing Prince Qin’s imposing momentum, they had already lost the will to fight.
They were defeated like a collapsing mountain. Under Qi Mingxuan’s command, they couldn’t hold out for half an hour.
Prince Yu led the last small group of guards and resisted stubbornly. The emperor was firmly in his grip, and Eunuch An had already disappeared in the chaos.
“Qi Mingxuan,” Prince Yu threatened with malice, holding a sword to the emperor’s neck, “Father Emperor is in my hands now. If you take another step…my sword doesn’t have eyes, it wouldn’t be good if it accidentally harmed Father Emperor.”
Qi Mingxuan stopped, raised his hand, and his soldiers behind him also halted. The two sides were in a deadlock, one facing north and the other south.
Qi Mingxuan looked at the emperor being held by Prince Yu. The emperor glared at Prince Yu, making incoherent “hehe” sounds. It was evident the emperor was in bad shape; already sick, the imperial physician had advised him to rest and not to get agitated. But how could he not be angry after witnessing his son usurping the throne?
After being drenched in the heavy rain for so long, and then shocked by the chaos of war, the emperor’s remaining days were probably…
Seeing that this tactic worked, Prince Yu felt a surge of joy and shouted, “If Seventh Brother wants the emperor unharmed, withdraw your troops, and rest assured, as long as you assist me well in the future, I won’t pursue today’s events.”
Prince Qin’s power couldn’t be underestimated. Prince Yu decided not to provoke him at this moment. He chose to appease him first. Once his plans succeeded, Qi Mingxuan’s life and death would be his decision.
He thought that after hearing these words, Qi Mingxuan would surrender obediently. After all, his attitude towards the emperor in the past six months was obvious to all. Previously, whenever someone praised Prince Qin for filial piety, he dismissed it. Now, he realized the value of being filial. If Qi Mingxuan weren’t filial, how could he use the emperor to control his good Seventh Brother?
However, Qi Mingxuan’s reaction was entirely different from what he expected. Instead of dropping his weapons after hearing his words, Qi Mingxuan looked straight at him for a moment and then smiled.
It was a smile devoid of warmth, as cold as the raindrops hitting his skin. His pitch-black eyes were filled with mockery, as if laughing at Prince Yu’s wishful thinking.
“What do you mean?!” Prince Yu was angry. Not only was he angry, he was now filled with fear that things were out of control. If Qi Mingxuan’s feelings for the emperor were all fake, then he would have no chance of winning. None.
Qi Mingxuan’s next words shattered all his hopes.
“Fourth Brother, this prince thinks, have you misunderstood something? Clearly, this prince has the upper hand now. As long as this prince wishes, the entire world is his. As for Father Emperor, Your Highness Yu, think carefully. Do you really want to bear the crime of patricide and regicide?”
The voice was flat, and there was no fluctuation in the tone, only the three words “patricide and regicide” carried emphasis.
His voice wasn’t loud, but everyone present could hear it. Rather than saying these words were directed at Prince Yu, it was more accurate to say they were meant for everyone. If Prince Yu dared to harm the emperor, Qi Mingxuan capturing him would be entirely justified.
Prince Yu wasn’t a fool, and he could naturally understand the implied meaning in Qi Mingxuan’s words. So, he hesitated, and the hand holding the sword wavered.
He was still thinking about an escape route when a force hit him from behind. He subconsciously tried to dodge, but the person behind him suddenly changed direction and hit his arm.
“No—”
Everything happened in a flash. Prince Yu tried to pull back, but it was too late. The sword was too close to the emperor’s neck. With a slight external force, the blade pierced the skin.
Blood flowed along the sword, dripping to the ground and merging with the rainwater, tinting the accumulated water with a faint red hue.
The person who collided with Prince Yu’s arm fell to the ground, his life or death unknown.
Prince Yu was stunned by this series of accidents. He stared blankly at the emperor’s neck, unable to utter a single word.
What had just happened?
He raised his head in a daze. The emperor’s lifeless face was now facing him. His eyes, wide with disbelief, were looking at Prince Yu.
“Your Majesty—” Eunuch An appeared from somewhere, took advantage of everyone being in shock, rushed into the small circle around Prince Yu, and began crying uncontrollably, holding the emperor’s lifeless body.
This wail brought everyone back to their senses. All eyes focused on Prince Yu, or more precisely, on the hand holding the sword.
“It wasn’t me!”
With a “clang”, the sword fell to the ground, splashing water all around.
Seeing this scene, Qi Mingxuan closed his eyes and ordered, “Generals, take down these treacherous ministers and traitors.”
Thus the palace coup ended dramatically with the emperor dying at Prince Yu’s hands. The eldest prince had seen through Prince Yu’s plan and stationed himself in the palace to wait for prey. Little did he know that his actions were already manipulated by someone else. He thought he was the hunter, but he was just a prey that had fallen into the hunter’s trap.
The emperor died at Prince Yu’s hands, and the eldest prince succumbed to injuries caused by Prince Yu, and the biggest winner was Prince Qin, Qi Mingxuan.
Those who should be thrown into prison were thrown into prison, and imperial physician Xuan entered the palace to treat the wounded. After arranging the subsequent events, Qi Mingxuan glanced at the sky. With such a major event in the palace, those outside should have received the news by now.
So far, everything has just begun.
After dealing with external matters, Qi Mingxuan couldn’t wait to be by Li Shu’s side. He was still clad in armor, and had only removed his helmet. Drenched from head to toe, a long water stain marked his path on the crimson carpet.
Li Shu was wearing nothing but a simple black robe, sitting under the lamp and reading. His clothes had been soaked by the rain when they entered the palace. Worried that he would catch a cold, Qi Mingxuan found some old clothes from the palace and asked Li Shu to change into them.
Although he knew the young man was physically strong and would not be easily injured, Qi Mingxuan didn’t take him outside. Even a healthy person couldn’t endure being drenched in such heavy rain for hours, let alone a young man with delicate health.
As they say, a beauty looks even better under the lamp. In the warm yellow candlelight, the young man held a scroll in his right hand, the wide sleeves of his robe sliding down to reveal a section of his fair wrist. Against the backdrop of the black robe, his skin looked even more radiant than top-quality sheep-fat white jade.
Looking up, a fair and slender neck emerged from the black collar. Above it was a face capable of stunning the world. Exquisite and perfect features, fair and smooth skin, slightly thin lips, and narrow, upturned eyes. At this moment, the owner of these eyes had his gaze lowered, half covering the dazzling pupils gleaming like stars.
It was truly a beautiful scene.
Qi Mingxuan stopped and stood five steps away from the young man, unable to bear to disturb him.
After staring for a while, Qi Mingxuan was almost dazed, even forgetting the purpose of his visit.
After Qi Mingxuan’s persistent moves towards him in this period, Li Shu had become very familiar with his presence. Whenever Qi Mingxuan entered, he could feel it.
Since only Qi Mingxuan came, it indicated that the situation outside had been resolved. Qi Mingxuan’s visit at this time meant he had something to discuss, so Li Shu kept his usual posture and waited for Qi Mingxuan to speak first.
However, after waiting for a long time, there was no movement in the hall. Li Shu raised his eyes and saw Qi Mingxuan standing not far away, staring blankly at him.
His clothes were wet, with his hair still moist. Water streamed down from his battle armor, soaking a large area around his feet.
“Your Highness?” Li Shu closed the book and asked, “Is everything settled outside?”
“It’s all over.” After recovering from his daze and realizing his lapse in composure, Qi Mingxuan tightened his grip on the sword in his hand.
“Why doesn’t Your Highness change clothes?” Li Shu put down the book in his hand, stood up, and went to him. “Let’s wipe your face first.”
Li Shu always carried a handkerchief with him, and it was now infused with his scent. When Qi Mingxuan pressed it against his face, he smelled the faint fragrance. After wiping his face carelessly, he sat down on a low couch nearby and began talking about the situation outside.
The palace coup ended faster and more smoothly than in the original plot. The emperor died directly, and the eldest prince was stabbed in the heart by the fourth prince. He wouldn’t be able to live for more than a few days. As for the fourth prince, he committed patricide and regicide in front of everyone. Bearing such a heavy crime, it was uncertain if he could even keep his life.
“I thought I would be happy when he died,” Qi Mingxuan’s voice grew heavy, “but I didn’t expect him to suddenly…”
Things happened too suddenly. Perhaps even the fourth prince himself hadn’t expected to accidentally kill that man. Even when he was being restrained, the fourth prince seemed dazed.
Qi Mingxuan himself was no different. He was also dazed for a while until he closed the man’s unseeing eyes with his own hands. Only after feeling the stiff and cold touch did he finally confirm that the man was truly dead.
Death was like extinguishing a lamp; at that moment, all the rights and wrongs from one’s lifetime turn to ashes. The suffering and torment that man brought to him faded from his memory like a tide at the moment he confirmed the man’s death, leaving behind only desolation.
“I should hate him, but why am I still sad when he’s gone?” Qi Mingxuan could only say these words in front of Li Shu. Only in front of the young man could he truly open up.
At this moment, Qi Mingxuan shed the tough outer shell and revealed his softer inner self. Perhaps it was because the candlelight was too warm, or maybe it was the young man’s gaze, but at this moment, he didn’t want to hold himself back anymore. He wanted to indulge for once and immerse himself in the tenderness created by the young man.
Through Qi Mingxuan, Li Shu seemed to see his own childhood when he was abandoned by that man. He traversed mountains and rivers, his paws got worn out, but he couldn’t find that man. What was he thinking back then?
He felt aggrieved, sad, bewildered… various emotions filled his heart, all with a sour and bitter taste. He curled up in the cave with blood-soaked paws, wishing someone would hug him at that moment.
He waited and waited, waited until he attained human form, waited until he became stronger, but he never received that hug from that man.
A lot of time had passed since then, but for some reason, Qi Mingxuan always triggered his past memories. Looking back now, those things back then weren’t really significant. Perhaps it was because he was immature at that time, so he felt that losing someone was like the sky was falling.
Qi Mingxuan always managed to move him, stirring ripples in his rarely disturbed heart. It was as if he had encountered another self across time. He couldn’t completely ignore Qi Mingxuan.
To be honest, there weren’t many similarities between them. One was the celestial nine-tailed fox, while the other was the son of destiny in a small world. Despite being favored by the world’s consciousness, he was just an ordinary person. But, he just couldn’t help but soften towards him.
So he tolerated Qi Mingxuan’s probing actions towards him. Upon learning about Qi Mingxuan’s feelings, he didn’t extinguish that budding feeling immediately, but allowed it to grow freely under the master’s nurturing. That’s why he couldn’t ignore Qi Mingxuan’s emotional state now.
“Because he’s your father, Your Highness, it’s normal for you to feel sad,” Li Shu walked up to Qi Mingxuan and hugged him, “Let me give you a hug, everything will be fine.”
Qi Mingxuan froze. It was the first time Li Shu had approached him voluntarily. The warm body enveloped him, and a faint fragrance lingered in the air. Qi Mingxuan gripped the edge of the low couch with both hands, afraid to move.
Was he dreaming? Even his dreams weren’t this beautiful. Qi Mingxuan held his breath, afraid to accidentally shatter this dreamlike moment. He wished time could stop at this moment forever. With this one embrace, he didn’t need anything else.
Compared to the young man, the throne was nothing. Qi Mingxuan slowly closed his eyes, wanting to preserve this moment forever.
“Your Highness, don’t stay stiff like this all the time, relax.” Li Shu’s voice was gentle, with a hint of comfort. As he spoke, he gently patted the man’s back.
From the moment he hugged Qi Mingxuan, the man’s body had stiffened, like a wooden stake. Li Shu felt like laughing. Wasn’t it tiring to stay so stiff all the time?
The gentle and pleasant voice pulled Qi Mingxuan out of the unreal illusion. Tilting his head slightly, he saw the young man resting on his left shoulder, revealing his jade-like profile.
It wasn’t a dream after all!
It was unimaginable that this scene had really happened. Qi Mingxuan gripped the edge of the low couch again, exerting so much force his fingers left deep imprints.
“Zi Shu…”
Only when he opened his mouth did he realize his voice was hoarse. Qi Mingxuan ignored it and called out again with a hoarse voice, “Zi Shu…”
“I’m here, Your Highness,” Li Shu replied.
“Don’t use formal titles at a time like this, okay?”
Qi Mingxuan had mentioned this topic to Li Shu before, but the young man refused on grounds that “the ruler and his subjects were different”. Instead of the distant title “Your Highness,” he preferred the young man to call him by name.
When he didn’t get an answer, Qi Mingxuan felt disheartened and asked despondently, “Can’t it be just this once, Zi Shu?”
“After today, Your Highness will be emperor,” Li Shu avoided Qi Mingxuan’s question, “Has Your Highness truly thought it through?”
Not getting the answer he wanted, a weight sank in Qi Mingxuan’s heart. Before it could sink completely, he heard the second half of the young man’s words, and joy surged within him. Was Zi Shu agreeing to his confession by bringing up this question?
“Zi Shu?”
Unable to restrain himself any longer, Qi Mingxuan suddenly reached out and pulled Li Shu into his embrace, firmly holding onto the young man’s waist.
Caught off guard and falling into Qi Mingxuan’s embrace, Li Shu struggled to get up, only to hear the man’s firm and powerful voice resound by his ear:
“I’ve thought about this question for a long time. No matter what my future identity may be, whether commoner or emperor, I only want you!”
