Just as the youth was about to hurl the jade seal into the surging tides with all his might, a voice suddenly rang out behind him: "Three years apart, how fares the Young Emperor? Wang Jin pays his respects to the Young Emperor."
The youth's hand froze, and he slowly turned his head.
A figure emerged from the gloom of the night—hooked nose, long face, dressed in plain blue clothes and a small cap, an utterly ordinary attire. Though his words spoke of bowing, he merely gave a shallow bend at the waist, his expression half-smiling, his eyes gleaming coldly under the moonlight like those of a venomous snake, all the more terrifying in the darkness.
The youth's expression shifted slightly, his shoulders barely moving when the man spoke again: "Young Emperor, if you dare jump into the sea or smash that thing in your hand, the little girl from the Zhen family will suffer a fate far worse than the Jin family ever did. You should know my methods well."
His tone was sinister, sending chills down the spine.
The youth's figure stiffened.
Wang Jin was usually reserved and inscrutable, but now, as he gazed at the frozen back of the youth before him, he couldn't suppress the surge of wild joy in his heart, his eyes gleaming even brighter.
"If the Young Emperor obediently comes back with me now, I swear I won’t make things difficult for you. I can even vow to heaven not to lay a finger on the Zhen family. If I break this oath, may heaven strike me dead! Speaking of which, the Zhen family has rendered great service this time and should be rewarded by His Majesty. If not for that little girl from the Zhen family, the Young Emperor might already be no more."
Had this youth—the former Young Emperor Xiao Yu—been thrown into the sea by the Jin family to feed the fishes, the current sovereign would indeed have one less thorn in his side. But how then would the Imperial Seal of the Realm, which the Tianxi Emperor had long coveted, ever see the light of day again?
Who could have imagined it had been hidden by Xiao Yu in such a place?
Xiao Yu slowly turned around, facing Wang Jin directly.
"Young Emperor, you never imagined all of this was a trap I, Wang Jin, set up, did you?"
This scheme had even satisfied himself, and he couldn’t help but reveal a hint of smugness in his eyes.
"Young Emperor, you are clever. After you narrowly escaped back then, you hid in a place like Quanzhou. Lingnan was already far from the emperor’s reach, and Quanzhou was a den of chaos. Finding someone determined to hide themselves was truly like fishing for a needle in the ocean. But you still underestimated me. Over these years, to find you, I sent out countless men—disguised as sailors, laborers—searching every possible hiding place in the south. Heaven rewards the diligent, and last month, I finally learned that someone resembling a mute youth matching your description had been seen at the Jin family’s Shipyard in Quanzhou. So I came here myself and, with little effort, discovered you had been taken in by the Zhen family at death’s door. I could have taken you away long ago, but at the time, I wasn’t certain you were the Young Emperor. After all, your appearance has changed somewhat over the years, and you played the fool so convincingly, you nearly deceived even me. More importantly, if you were indeed the Young Emperor and I took you away then, I’d have the man—but not the treasure seal..."
He glanced at the object in the youth’s hand and couldn’t help but swallow—as if seeing wealth and glory beckoning to him from ahead."...It would have been quite difficult to extract anything from you directly. So I set a trap—deliberately spreading the word about searching for unregistered youths, then targeting the Jin family. Sure enough, you were alarmed and slipped away quietly. But before leaving, you naturally wouldn’t forget this precious seal of yours."
"Little Emperor, you’re clever, but still too green. Not that I blame you..."
His eyes fixed tightly on the object gleaming under the moonlight, he stepped closer to the youth, extending his hand coaxingly. "Little Emperor, hand it over! After all, the Emperor is your own uncle. If you come back with me, the worst that’ll happen is you won’t be emperor anymore. These years hiding in the filth must have been hard for you. Surely you’ve realized there are plenty worse off than you. Return, live out your days peacefully as a prince—what’s so bad about that?"
Xiao Yu fell silent for a moment before suddenly letting out a derisive laugh. "How considerate of my second uncle. Though he sits on the throne, during every grand sacrificial ceremony these years, he must’ve felt something lacking, no? Never mind. My life was already forfeit months ago. Since he’s taken the throne, why cling to this thing? If he wants it, let him have it!"
He flung the jade seal toward Wang Jin. The treasure traced an arc through the air. Overjoyed, Wang Jin leaped to catch it and stowed it in his satchel, then added, "Little Emperor, come with me too. I swear, as long as you don’t try to escape, I won’t lay a finger on you."
Xiao Yu smirked coldly, his wrist twisting to reveal a dagger. Moonlight glinted off the blade, icy and sharp.
Wang Jin froze. Xiao Yu’s expression turned fiercely proud. "Better to die by my own hand than by another’s! After I’m gone, cut off my head and take it back. That should put my uncle’s mind at ease. The Zhen family in Quanzhou has nothing to do with me. The sun and moon bear witness, as do the gods of heaven and earth. If you break your oath after my death, may you meet a wretched end!"
Once a sovereign who ruled the realm, now fallen into the dust, living among the lowly—yet in this moment, his piercing gaze made even Wang Jin shrink back, unable to meet his eyes, and slowly lower his head.
Xiao Yu turned toward the distant, unfathomable darkness of the northern sky, his expression solemn. He performed the ritual of three kneelings and nine prostrations, then rose, standing tall and straight.
Under the moonlight, the youth’s face was elegant yet solitary, his eyes resolute.
He closed his eyes, tilting his head toward the starry sky above. With a flash of cold steel, the dagger swept toward his own throat—just as a voice carried by the wind rang out:
"With head raised, I am unashamed before heaven; with head bowed, I am unashamed before men. Wang Jin, now a fourth-rank commander and rising star among the Brocade-Clad Guards—if memory serves, you ranked thirty-sixth in the military examinations of the tenth year of Tianxi, when only thirty-five were to be selected. Originally, you had failed. But the late Emperor, hearing of your filial devotion—how you refused to leave your aged mother alone in the countryside and brought her to the capital for the exams, how you and she lived under a bridge when your funds ran out, how you begged for scraps in the market yet went hungry yourself to feed her first—was moved by your piety. He made an exception, adding your name at the bottom of the list, thus beginning your official career. The late Emperor showed you first the grace of a ruler, then the kindness of a mentor. Times change, and now Prince Shun’an sits the throne. That you’ve forgotten the late Emperor’s favor might be understandable. But to hound his flesh and blood for your own ambition—"
"Wang Jin, do you not fear heaven? Are you unashamed before men?"The surroundings were pitch black, the roaring tides and howling night winds carrying every word clearly to Xiao Yu and Wang Jin, both of whom were visibly shaken.
Xiao Yu opened his eyes and turned toward the voice. There, several yards away by the seawall, stood a man clad in dark attire. If not for careful observation, his silhouette would have blended seamlessly into the night.
"Who are you?" Wang Jin drew his blade and barked sharply.
The man ignored him, striding purposefully toward Xiao Yu before stopping in front of him, shielding him protectively.
Turning his face toward Xiao Yu, who was staring at him wide-eyed, he said gently, "It's been many years, Your Majesty. Do you still remember me? When I left the capital, you were still the Crown Prince, barely six or seven years old. The last text I taught you was 'Wang Sun Man's Reply to the Prince of Chu' from the Zuo Zhuan. I recall you hadn't yet submitted your reading notes at the time."
His voice was calm, unhurried, and under the moonlight, the handsome features of a young man were revealed.
Xiao Yu's eyes widened in shock. "Shaofu! You're Pei Shaofu!"
The man smiled faintly and nodded. "Indeed. Pei You'an has arrived late, causing Your Majesty undue hardship."
In that instant, the young emperor's eyes brimmed with boundless excitement and light.
He had been named Crown Prince at three and began his studies at four. Among the tutors selected by his father, the Tianxi Emperor, his favorite had been Pei You'an, who was only fourteen at the time.
"Shaofu, where have you been all these years... I finished those notes and waited for you to review them, but you never came... After I ascended the throne, I searched everywhere for you but found no trace. I thought you were already..."
He rushed toward Pei You'an, his voice trembling slightly.
Pei You'an patted him lightly in reassurance.
"Pei You'an? Pei You'an! Is it really you? How are you here?" Wang Jin finally recognized him, staring fixedly with a strange, shrill cry, his face a mask of astonishment. "You have some nerve! His Majesty has been on the throne for three years, and the realm is at peace. The entire court supports him. Do you dare openly defy imperial orders? A wise man submits to circumstances. If you pledge loyalty to the Emperor, with your talents, he would surely employ you in high office. But if you persist in your folly, do you not fear that I will report this to the Emperor and implicate your entire Pei family?"
Pei You'an replied, "Do you think I would let you leave alive tonight?"
His tone remained even, but the icy threat beneath was unmistakable.
Wang Jin paused, sizing him up before sneering. "Pei You'an, you overestimate yourself. I know you trained under a swordsmanship master in your youth to strengthen your body and followed the Duke of Wei to the battlefield. But if you think you can kill me, you're dreaming."
Pei You'an smiled faintly, his gaze steady. "Who said I need to do it myself?"
Wang Jin's expression shifted. He glanced around and let out a sharp whistle.
But after the whistle faded, the surroundings remained silent, with only the sound of wind and waves in their ears.
"Don't bother looking. Your men are already dead," Pei You'an said.Wang Jin gritted his teeth, drew his blade, and charged toward Pei You'an with the speed of an eagle. In the blink of an eye, he closed the distance to just a few steps when suddenly another figure came rushing toward them. A hearty laugh echoed through the wind: "The young master was right! Wang Jin, all the lackeys you brought have been taken care of by my brothers!"
The man was tall and imposing, his voice deep and resonant, suggesting middle age. His face was concealed behind a mask that gleamed faintly bronze under the moonlight, revealing only his eyes—an odd sight indeed. In an instant, he was upon them.
Wang Jin was startled once more: "The Golden-Masked Dragon Lord?"
The Golden-Masked Dragon Lord was a notorious pirate leader who had risen swiftly in recent years across the southern seas, amassing followers and seizing islands, wielding immense power on the waters. Unlike other pirates who plundered and slaughtered, striking fear and hatred into the hearts of seafarers, the Golden-Masked Dragon Lord only demanded protection fees from merchant ships passing through his controlled routes. Once paid, he guaranteed their safe passage. Rather than risk detours and deadly encounters with other pirates, shipowners gladly paid his toll for smooth sailing. The authorities could do nothing about him. Since he never revealed his true face, always wearing a bronze mask, seafarers dubbed him the Golden-Masked Dragon Lord.
The man chuckled. "You’ve heard of me? Killing scum like you isn’t worth the young master’s effort. I’ll handle it."
Wang Jin gnashed his teeth and lunged with his blade. After a fierce exchange, a scream tore through the air—his sword-wielding hand was severed clean off, the limb still gripping the weapon as it flew away.
Wang Jin collapsed in agony, clutching the spurting stump of his arm, his eyes wide with fury and venom as he glared at Pei You'an.
Pei You'an crouched before him, retrieving the imperial jade seal he had stowed away earlier. He wiped the blood from its surface, cradled it in his palm, and examined it under the moonlight for a moment before standing. Turning to the Golden-Masked Dragon Lord, he said, "Uncle Dong, give him a quick end."
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