The clamorous streets echoed with the urgent clatter of hoofbeats, but what poured through the city gates were no longer fragrant carriages or prized horses—instead, columns of armored soldiers bearing weapons streamed in.
The soldiers advanced toward the prince’s residence, fanning out across the city, rushing up the walls on all sides as the city gates slowly began to close.
The joyful crowds in the streets fell into panic. What was happening?
“Has Western Liang invaded?”
“Is the imperial court attacking?”
The chaos in the streets was blocked by the heavy military presence outside the prince’s residence, but inside, the panic ran even deeper—because everyone had witnessed a horrifying scene.
The overwhelming shock and terror were quickly contained as the prince’s guards surrounded and isolated the crowd outside the main hall. Inside remained only Prince Zhongshan’s trusted aides, his sons, and the newly arrived physicians. The prince lay on the ground, blood still slowly trickling from his mouth, nose, and eyes. Xiao Xun knelt beside him, striking his head against the floor.
“Father, I came too late, I came too late,” he sobbed, repeating the words.
“A Xun, what in heaven’s name happened?” the princess consort cried out, rushing forward as if to throw herself over the prince.
“Mother, don’t come near!” Xiao Xun shouted.
The princess consort halted abruptly, staring at Xiao Xun.
“It’s poisoned,” Xiao Xun said, pointing at the scroll that had fallen onto the prince’s body. While blood flowed from his mouth, nose, and eyes, the prince had still been holding the scroll, so numerous drops of blood now stained it. At this moment, the densely written characters for “longevity” appeared eerily and glaringly vivid. “The poison is on the characters—colorless, odorless, and extremely potent. Inhaling it penetrates the organs.”
Hearing this, those who had gathered around immediately took a step back, instinctively covering their noses and mouths.
Ning Kun rushed over, removed his outer garment, and wrapped the longevity scroll in it.
“Physicians, physicians!” he called out.
Someone took it away to test for poison, while others crowded around Prince Zhongshan, checking his pulse and examining him—but their expressions were grim, clearly indicating there was little hope.
The princess consort knelt beside the prince, weeping mournfully.
Prince Zhongshan was still conscious but unable to speak, breathing rapidly.
“Heir Apparent, what exactly happened?” the officials of the residence pressed anxiously. Their gazes lingered on Xiao Xun, hesitating repeatedly before finally asking, “How is it that you’ve returned?”
Although everyone knew that the heir apparent, held as a hostage in the capital, lived without harsh treatment, leaving the capital was considered impossible.
There was another question they hesitated to voice, though it hung heavily in the air:
How could your birthday gift… be poisoned?
Xiao Xun looked dazed and disheartened, collapsing to his knees as if he had heard the officials’ questions—or perhaps not.
“When the palace offered to deliver my birthday gift on my behalf, I didn’t think much of it,” his hoarse voice echoed through the hall. “I assumed they were worried I might secretly send messages to Father. I didn’t mind—as a hostage, I knew that staying quiet and obedient was the greatest help I could offer Father. I wasn’t sending him anything anyway, so I followed their suggestion and wrote a thousand longevity characters, respectfully entrusting them to the palace. But—”
At this point, he clenched his fists tightly, and the hearts of everyone in the hall seemed to clench along with his.
But what?
“But someone suddenly warned me that the birthday gift I sent to Father would cost him his life.”
“He said that the thousand-longevity text I wrote had been soaked in poison—because they knew Father would disregard the court’s congratulatory gifts but would carefully examine the gift I sent. He would look at it closely, leaning in, bringing it near—”Why? Because the characters were written very small, and to see them clearly one had to lean in close. Everyone in the hall thought this simultaneously, having just witnessed Prince Zhongshan scrutinizing the letter in exactly that manner.
"If you get close enough, you inhale the poison on the characters, and then—"
"That person helped me escape the capital. I rushed day and night to stop Father, but—"
It was still one step too late. Just one step.
Xiao Xun let out a mournful cry and slammed his head against the floor.
The surrounding crowd was both shocked and bewildered. Everything had happened too suddenly, leaving everyone's minds in disarray. They stared blankly at Prince Zhongshan. Even as the physicians tried again with needles and wiping, the blood flowing from his mouth, nose, and eyes would not stop. Not only that, but one of the physicians who had been wiping the prince's blood suddenly collapsed.
"The prince's... blood... is also poisoned—" he rasped, then vomited a mouthful of blood after speaking.
This startled the crowd even more. Their first instinct was to retreat, but they couldn't do so too overtly.
"Protect the princess consort—"
"Protect the Heir Apparent—"
Amid the shouts, people surged forward, pulling the princess consort, Xiao Xun, and the other princes away from Prince Zhongshan's side.
The princess consort and the princes were both grief-stricken and terrified.
"What are we to do now?" the princess consort wept. "How could anyone be so vicious? They want to wipe us all out!"
"Heir Apparent, since you knew about this, do you know how to save the prince?" the officials asked urgently from the side.
This seemed to jolt Xiao Xun back to awareness. He scrambled up and stumbled toward the door, shouting, "Grand Tutor! Grand Tutor! Save my father! Grand Tutor, please save my father—"
His words sent another shockwave through the hall. Grand Tutor? What did he mean by "Grand Tutor"? Had the Heir Apparent found a miraculous physician named Tai Fu?
Yes, that must be it. Surely it couldn't mean... that Grand Tutor.
While everyone was still stunned, Xiao Xun had already rushed out. Because it was him, the guards outside the door didn't stop him, clearing a path. The crowd blocked in the courtyard also fell silent, their eyes following Xiao Xun.
Among the densely stationed guards outside the hall stood two men in ordinary robes. Since the soldiers hadn't expelled them, no one had paid them much attention, assuming they were part of the prince's household.
One of them was indeed from the prince's household—Xiao Xun's guard, Tie Ying, whom almost all the officials and noble families of Zhongshan Commandery recognized.
The other man was in his early thirties, his face weathered by travel, wearing a worn blue robe. At first glance, he seemed unremarkable, but when one's gaze settled on him, an aura of sharp intensity became palpable, making others hesitant to look too long.
Xiao Xun stopped before him, stumbling to his knees and grabbing his hands. "Grand Tutor, save my father—"
Grand Tutor? The people in the courtyard stared in bewilderment. Did he mean... that Grand Tutor?
Most officials and gentry from Zhongshan Commandery rarely went to the capital. Almost none had ever seen the Grand Tutor or knew him personally. That Grand Tutor didn't come from a prominent noble family either—he had no reputation or connections.
Just then, someone rushing out from the hall provided the answer for everyone.
"Deng Yi!" Ning Kun shouted. "What are you doing here?"
Deng Yi! No one could conceal their shock any longer. It really was that Grand Tutor!
What was going on? How could Deng Yi have come here?
This wasn't the imperial court, nor was it the capital. The gazes directed at him held no flattery or fear, only astonishment and, following that, resentment and cold indifference.
Of course, Deng Yi didn't care. He hadn't even glanced at these people, his attention fixed solely on Xiao Xun.
"Seize him—" Ning Kun was still shouting.Xiao Xun turned and shouted, "Don't misunderstand—it was the Grand Tutor who helped me return.Ning Kun froze, and the officials of the Wangfu who had followed him out were also stunned. Could this mean—?
"Heir Apparent." Ning Kun stepped forward. "Are you saying it was him?"
Xiao Xun nodded. "Yes, it was him. It was the Grand Tutor who helped me—" Without another word to them, he looked up at Deng Yi, his deep dimples filled with pleading. "Grand Tutor, save my father."
Deng Yi's expression remained indifferent as he glanced toward the front hall.
"Grand—Grand Tutor, please save the Prince," Ning Kun was the first to change his address, bowing deeply in entreaty.
Following his lead, the other officials also began to speak up, and even the Princess Consort rushed out and knelt. "Grand Tutor, Grand Tutor, save the Prince."
Deng Yi glanced at them, then returned his gaze to Xiao Xun. "Heir Apparent, please rise."
Xiao Xun grasped his hands, using the support to stand, but then weakly swayed and collapsed against Deng Yi.
Tie Ying called out "Heir Apparent!" and reached out to steady him, his voice and movements blocking the others' view.
As Xiao Xun leaned close to Deng Yi, he whispered, "I have done as you wished, Grand Tutor. You must keep your promise."
Without waiting for Deng Yi's response, he straightened up with Tie Ying's support and stepped aside to clear the path.
Deng Yi felt a scroll being slipped into his sleeve. He didn't need to look to know what it was, and he couldn't help but let out a soft, bitter laugh.
Well done.
Well done, Xiao Xun.
What a touching display of fatherly kindness and filial piety.
How fitting for a son to inherit his father's ambitions.
Without a word, Deng Yi stepped past Xiao Xun, ascended the steps, and passed through the hall's entrance.
……
……
Though he already knew, standing inside the hall and seeing Prince Zhongshan lying neglected on the ground still left Deng Yi somewhat dazed.
The memory of his meeting with Prince Zhongshan three years ago involuntarily resurfaced.
That had actually been his first time seeing Prince Zhongshan in person; their previous dealings had all been through subordinates.
The prince's arrogant, spirited demeanor couldn't be concealed even by his cane and limping, crippled leg.
And now? The splendid royal robes still adorned him, but he lay like a fish thrown ashore to die.
Ah, humanity—in the hands of fate, it truly amounts to nothing.
As his mind wandered, noisy questions filled his ears: "Deng Yi, was it you who told the Heir Apparent the Prince was in danger?" "Did you escort the Heir Apparent back?" "What exactly is going on?" "Who wants to harm the Prince?" "Grand Tutor, please save the Prince."
Deng Yi collected his thoughts and said calmly, "I cannot save him."
"Who wants to kill the Prince?" Ning Kun asked again.
Everyone's eyes were fixed on Deng Yi.
Deng Yi looked at them without speaking, then smiled faintly.
"You told the Heir Apparent and helped him escape—you must know something," Ning Kun pleaded. "Grand Tutor, who exactly wants to kill the Prince?"
"The Prince has already sent the Heir Apparent to the capital as a hostage and dispatched a hundred thousand troops. Now that the Border Army has achieved a great victory, how could anyone want to harm the Prince?" An official in the hall beat his chest and stamped his feet in frustration.
This wasn't a question anymore—it was practically pointing fingers.
Deng Yi had no patience for their clamor. "The Late Emperor."
The Late Emperor?
This left everyone stunned—completely unexpected.
Ning Kun frowned, his expression shifting to anger and disbelief. "I don't believe it! Impossible!"
"If the Late Emperor wanted the Prince dead, why would he wait until now?" another official cried out.
Deng Yi said, "What I mean is, it is because of the Late Emperor that the Prince faces death today."
With that, before anyone in the hall could ask more, he continued."Do you know who the late emperor designated as Crown Prince to inherit the throne when the capital fell into crisis three years ago?"
"It was the imperial grandson," one official blurted out.
Everyone knew this—the only son of the Crown Prince.
Deng Yi surveyed the various faces and expressions in the hall, inexplicably recalling that night when he looked down from the palace gate. But this time, the girl was no longer in his sight.
Perhaps this was how it should have been all along. He was originally meant to open the gate for another person.
Deng Yi's gaze fell upon Xiao Xun.
"No," he shook his head and gently pointed, "It was Heir Apparent Xiao Xun."
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