Chapter Ninety-Eight
Xia Jingshi would never beg for mercy—simply because he was Xia Jingshi.
Xia Jingshi smiled faintly, his lips still pressed together in unwavering resolve. Perhaps this was precisely what the Holy Emperor sought—if he couldn’t force him to yield, then he would push him toward death.
The Holy Emperor grinned slyly as the blood-dripping iron needle slowly shifted toward his other shoulder. With a flick of his wrist, the droplet fell, staining Xia Jingshi’s plain robe crimson. "Then... let’s play again!"
Night deepened. Within the camp enclosed by wagons, Yixiao sat hugging her knees beside the bonfire, staring blankly at the flickering flames. Feng Suige emerged from the tent and watched her back for a moment before sighing softly and approaching. "Go back and rest. Worrying won’t help—what’s done is done. Better to conserve your strength for what lies ahead."
Yixiao turned her head at the sound of his voice and glanced at him. "And how do you know what I’m thinking about?" "What?" Feng Suige smirked, sitting down beside her. "Do you even know what I’m referring to?"
Leaning her head against his shoulder, too weary to bicker, Yixiao closed her eyes. "I’m exhausted. I’m worried about His Highness, about Ning Fei, about Weiran, about Xueying... and about you and me." "Silly," Feng Suige chided gently. "Worrying about them is one thing, but why worry about us?"
"I don’t know," Yixiao murmured. "Maybe this whole ordeal has shaken me too deeply. Even now, I can’t understand why the Holy Emperor would brand His Highness—a man who’s devoted his life to serving the nation—as a treasonous rebel and seek his death. Is being born into royalty really so painful?"
"I wish I could tell you it isn’t," Feng Suige sighed. "You might be disappointed to hear this, but... I was once part of that vortex too. The only difference is that I was the one who survived." His gaze lingered on the dancing flames, his expression shadowed with hidden anguish. "I’ve never told you about my mother, have I? She... was one of its victims."
"What?!" Yixiao bolted upright. "You mean you even—" "Stop your wild imagination!" Feng Suige nearly shouted. "My mother was murdered." Yixiao shrank back, aggrieved. "You weren’t clear about it!"
Feng Suige shot her a glare before continuing, his voice laced with deep sorrow. "It was a sweltering day. I was playing in the garden with Xiyang and the other Imperial Sons from different palaces when a palace attendant brought me chilled lily and lotus seed soup. But I was too busy playing, so I had them leave it in the pavilion."
"Later, my mother came to the garden after her nap to look for me. Seeing me absorbed in play, she sat in the pavilion to watch. When she noticed the soup, she took a few sips. I still remember her wiping her lips with a handkerchief and remarking to her maid that the soup tasted bitter despite the extra sugar—perhaps some lotus hearts hadn’t been removed properly. Then she told the maid to throw it away and have the kitchen make a fresh batch..." His voice trembled with grief. Yixiao instinctively wrapped her arms around his, silently offering comfort."Yet before long, my mother suddenly collapsed in excruciating pain. Father stayed by her side with numerous medical officers for a full day and night, but still couldn't reverse fate," Feng Suige abruptly threw the twig he'd broken into small pieces into the fire. "The problem was in that bowl of soup. The palace servant who delivered it had already committed suicide out of guilt, the soup had long been discarded, and even the porcelain bowl it was served in had been returned to the kitchen and cleaned. So in the end, it had to be left unresolved."
"On the day of my mother's burial, Father summoned me to his chambers and told me that only by becoming strong could I protect those I love most," Under the firelight, flames seemed to dance in Feng Suige's eyes. "At that time, I didn't understand what love was, but I knew one thing—if I didn't kill others, they would kill me. My mother died in my place. If I couldn't avenge her, I wouldn't even deserve to be called human!"
"It took me four years to gather a group of imperial relatives and nobles. I gave them various promises and immediate benefits. When my brothers tried to plot against me again, I seized the opportunity to eliminate their supporters. By the time everything settled down, nearly six years had passed," Feng Suige turned to look at Yixiao with a faint smile. "Some of them died, others were exiled, and the lightest punishment was being sent away to guard remote outposts. That's why today, it's me sitting in the position of the Imperial Son Regent."
Hearing this, Yixiao let out a long sigh and said bitterly, "So all imperial families are the same after all—Actually, I never told you this, but the further I get from Su Sha, the less I want to return there. Yet I don't want to go to Brocade either. I often think, how wonderful it would be if we could just keep traveling like this forever—no hidden daggers or schemes, no framed accusations. We could leave when we wanted and rest when we were tired. But I also know I can't be that selfish. You have things you must do..."
"I understand all this," Feng Suige tossed another dry branch into the fire. "As long as you're willing to give me time, everything will eventually be resolved." "What about the sister of Marquis Jianxin..." Yixiao asked awkwardly, though she still brought it up.
"Don't worry too much. She already has someone she loves, so before setting off, Marquis Jianxin promised to try his best to delay Father and mediate," Feng Suige said helplessly. "We just don't know how it's progressing now. But you must believe me—even if I end up marrying someone else, you will always be the one I love most."
"The one I love most?" Yixiao sneered upon hearing this and pushed him hard. "Hmph! Of course, there must also be the somewhat loved, the barely loved, the not-so-loved, the least loved, and the never-loved, right? In the end, the entire harem would be a colorful, harmonious scene—is that what you want?"
"Yixiao, be fair," Feng Suige caught her flailing hands. "Think about it—which ruler throughout history hasn't had three palaces and six courtyards? It's not just to nurture more and better imperial heirs to inherit the throne, but also to prevent powerful families from monopolizing authority, even to win over capable ministers...""I never knew you were so versatile," Yixiao snapped in frustration, shaking off his hand as she stood up. "Why don't you just say that marrying three palaces, six compounds, and seventy-two concubines will bring peace and prosperity to Su Sha? Let me tell you—all this talk of imperial succession, monopolizing power, and political alliances means nothing to me compared to a simple thatched cottage, a few close neighbors, and children playing at my knees. These so-called royal traditions are just excuses made up by shameless men like you!"
Feng Suige suddenly burst into laughter. "Ah, I think I smell something very sour," he teased. Yixiao glared at him furiously for a moment before turning on her heel to leave. Feng Suige scrambled up from the ground and chased after her. "Hey, don't be angry again. I promise, okay? As long as you don’t agree—what, even a promise won’t do? Then tell me what you want!"
Yixiao abruptly stopped, planted her hands on her hips, and spun around. Feng Suige nearly crashed into her before barely managing to sidestep, eyeing her warily. A strange, triumphant smile curled on Yixiao’s lips as she declared, "How about this—you find one, I find one, and no one loses out. What do you think?"
"You dare!" Feng Suige’s furious roar echoed across the entire camp. "If anyone dares lay a finger on you, I’ll cut them down!"
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