Chapter One Hundred Thirty-Three
Silence as still as death.
All the courtiers in the hall stood frozen in place. Feng Suige widened his eyes in shock, while Yixiao covered her mouth with her hand to stifle a gasp that nearly escaped her lips.
Eunuch.
Though he had braced himself for this moment, when the word struck him like a slap across the face, it still left him cold-limbed and breathless, his blood surging uncontrollably to his head. The gazes of those around him burned like hot coals, searing him to the core.
The most horrifying nightmare of his life.
“Heh heh… hahaha…” A chilling laugh spilled from the Holy Emperor’s lips, quickly escalating into wild, unrestrained laughter. “Xia Jingshi, don’t you find yourself pitiful? What’s the point of living like this?! If I were you, I would have ended it all long ago!! Yet here you are, making a fool of yourself—hahaha…” Noticing the bewildered expressions around him, he continued arrogantly, “This sovereign has always been merciful. If you kneel and beg for forgiveness now, I might pardon all your past transgressions!”
The Old Prime Minister, too stunned to speak, finally managed to murmur in disbelief, “Your Highness, what… what is the meaning of this…?” Xia Jingshi remained silent.
Catching the Empress Dowager’s meaningful glance, a minister suddenly stepped forward and declared loudly, “Isn’t it obvious? The King Who Pacifies the South cannot continue the imperial bloodline! That’s why the Late Emperor changed the heir—that’s why His Majesty is the true Son of Heaven!!” Instantly, an uproar erupted in the golden hall, and the courtiers’ arguments swiftly shifted from the authenticity of the Imperial Edict to Xia Jingshi’s eligibility for succession. A few hot-tempered Military Generals began shoving one another, threatening to escalate into an outright brawl.
The Empress Dowager watched Xia Jingshi’s darkened expression with a cold, cruel smile curling her lips.
Does it hurt? Does it hurt terribly? Since things have come to this, if the Emperor cannot escape unscathed, then neither shall you! Today, right here in this court, before all these people, I will crush your dignity into dust and ensure you never rise again!
Meeting the Empress Dowager’s taunting gaze, Xia Jingshi’s heart settled into an eerie calm. Drawing a deep breath, his voice rang out firm and unyielding, “So what if it is true?” The clamor in the hall instantly halved as many turned to stare in astonishment at the young King now standing at the eye of the storm.
“Exactly—so what if it is true!” Feng Suige, who had somehow released Yixiao’s hand, stepped forward. Under the scrutiny of the crowd, he leaned in and whispered a few words into the ear of the still-dazed old General. The old man jolted, then nodded gratefully before Feng Suige slowly retreated to his original position. As he passed Xia Jingshi, he paused and smiled faintly, his voice pitched just loud enough for all to hear, “Whether as an opponent or an ally, I want that person to be you—no need to thank me. I simply don’t wish to see you lose to anyone else.”
The moment Feng Suige withdrew his hand and walked away, Yixiao pressed her knuckles between her teeth, biting down hard. The pain in her hand and the look on Xia Jingshi’s face reminded her—this was no dream. It was all real.
In an instant, all the doubts clogging her chest vanished, replaced by an overwhelming ache.
How could this be happening?!In the midst of her turmoil, a pair of hands gently pulled her fingers from between her teeth, softly caressing the deep bite marks. She instinctively looked up and met Feng Suige’s warm gaze. "Don’t worry, I’ll help him."
Help… him…?
Still dazed, a booming voice suddenly echoed through the hall. "This subject has a question—if what the Empress Dowager says is true, then why did the Late Emperor groom His Highness as a candidate for the throne, only to alter the Imperial Edict at the last moment before his passing?!"
"The Late Emperor cherished Xuanfei, which is why he intended to establish the Imperial Son she bore as the heir. Back then, Xia Jingshi’s announcement of relinquishing his claim to the throne was widely known. It’s not surprising that the Late Emperor amended the edict in response to this." Pausing briefly, the Empress Dowager cast a malicious smile at Xia Jingshi. "As for the reason behind it, no one knows better than he himself. If not for his inability—"
"Enough!" Yixiao could bear it no longer and abruptly stood, startling the Empress Dowager into stumbling back.
"Yixiao," Xia Jingshi called out sharply, stopping her. "Sit back down. Just listen."
Yixiao froze, then after a long moment, sat back into the cushioned chair with a huff. Feng Suige patted her shoulder reassuringly, his gaze returning to Xia Jingshi with admiration.
"Everything the Empress Dowager said is true," Xia Jingshi began slowly in the silence. "And it is precisely because of this that I have given up many things I should have fought for over the years. To me now, the authenticity of the Imperial Edict is irrelevant. So I have no intention of using revenge for the Late Emperor and my mother as an excuse, nor do I wish to elaborate on other reasons. You may call it treason if you like." His commanding gaze swept over the cowering officials and the stunned Holy Emperor and Empress Dowager. "This throne—I will take it, no matter what!"
The Empress Dowager sneered. "To achieve your goal, you’ve even cast aside all shame!"
"No," Xia Jingshi replied, exhaling deeply as if relieved of a burden. When he lifted his head again, a faint smile touched his lips. "In fact, I should thank you both. Otherwise, I might never have realized how selfish I was before."
"Xia Jingshi," the Holy Emperor suddenly spat through gritted teeth, "if not for my desire to destroy you with my own hands, you would have been dead long ago!"
"If you expect gratitude, you have it," Xia Jingshi answered calmly. "But I will continue investigating the deaths of my father and mother. You’d best pray for your own safety—Guardian General, you are to select the detention sites for the two prisoners. Until the truth is uncovered, you will have a busy time ahead."
The seasoned old General standing nearby smiled faintly. "This subject obeys His Majesty’s decree!"
"It seems we have no further business here," Feng Suige murmured, the corner of his lips quirking as he pulled the still-dazed Yixiao to her feet. "Once you ascend the throne, you must bury Xiyang according to the rites of an Empress—I will find a way to explain her death to Father. You needn’t worry."
Yixiao followed Feng Suige out in a daze, his hand clasping hers so firmly that her wavering heart gradually steadied.
In the end, she did not look back.
Motioning for the General of Agile Cavalry waiting by the door to escort them, Xia Jingshi finally turned his gaze to their retreating figures. As the doors closed, the last thing imprinted in his eyes was the sight of their intertwined hands.
With the heavy thud of the palace doors sealing shut, all light was once again shut out.The past was gone.
In the carriage escorted out of the Holy City by the Brocade Dynasty's Piao Cavalry, Feng Suige held Yixiao tightly in his arms. After a long silence, he finally sighed and said, "I want to say I'm sorry, but I can't help feeling jealous." Seeing Yixiao look up at him in confusion, he continued in a low voice, "This... must be the reason he refused to marry Xiyang. And you—you would rather die than reveal this secret for him."
Yixiao froze for a moment before burying her face in his chest with a soft laugh. "I thought you'd be overjoyed that His Highness and I are now completely unrelated..." Before she could finish, Feng Suige burst into laughter above her. "You saw right through me—ow! How dare you bite me!"
Amid their playful tussle, Yixiao nearly laughed herself to tears.
Yes, since this was a secret, let it vanish with the past, like smoke in the wind.
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