That evening, the figure of the passerby in the setting sun had swept by like a gust of wind, leaving no trace behind—until three days later, when Yang Yun arrived at the Zhen family’s residence to request an audience with Jiafu. After paying his respects, he presented a letter with both hands and said respectfully, “Madam, this is a letter that Lord Pei previously instructed me to deliver to you.”
Jiafu stared fixedly at Yang Yun. The indescribable unease that had lingered in her heart all this time suddenly surged over her like a tidal wave, engulfing her completely.
She gazed at the letter resting in his palm for a long moment before asking, “Has something happened to Lord Pei, hasn’t it?”
Yang Yun slowly knelt down, lowering his head as he raised the letter high above him.
What was destined to come had finally arrived—inescapable as fate, no matter how unwilling she was to read this letter.
Jiafu closed her eyes briefly, steadying herself before finally opening them again and reaching out to take the letter.
...
Half a month after Jiafu received the letter, Pei You’an and Li Zhong’s party finally arrived at the capital, stopping outside the southern gate.
It was already late at night, and the city gates had long been closed. When they opened, a figure stood in the darkness of the opposite watchtower.
Li Yuangui’s expression was solemn as he stared at Pei You’an outside the gate.
Pei You’an dismounted, his footsteps echoing across the stone pavement as he passed through the deep archway of the city gate and approached Li Yuangui, stopping before him.
“Eunuch Li, I’ve troubled you,” he said, removing his official cap.
“Come with me, Lord Pei,” Li Yuangui replied coldly before turning and boarding a sedan chair waiting nearby. The eunuchs lifted it, and the group soon vanished into the night enveloping the imperial palace.
The palace gates groaned heavily as they slowly opened. Pei You’an stepped inside, traversing the vast courtyards and halls swallowed by the pitch-black night until he was led before the emperor’s study, stopping outside the threshold.
Li Yuangui did not speak further. Having arrived, he led the attendants waiting outside away, leaving the surroundings in utter silence. A night breeze drifted in from some unseen corner, stirring the palace drapes in the distance.
Pei You’an lifted the hem of his robe and knelt properly outside the threshold, bowing deeply toward the door until his forehead touched the ground. “Your guilty subject, Pei You’an, pays his respects to Your Majesty.”
The door remained shut, the light within as deep as the night. No response came for a long while, yet Pei You’an remained kneeling motionless.
Finally, a voice emerged from within, as if dredged from the depths of the throat: “Enter.”
Pei You’an rose and pushed the door open.
At the far end of the chamber, behind a long desk, sat a figure, his silhouette as steady as a bell under the candlelight.
Pei You’an approached the desk and knelt once more, pressing his forehead to the ground without rising.
Xiao Lie’s gaze fell upon the crown of his head as he spoke in a heavy tone:
“To forget one’s kin is unfilial; to abandon one’s sovereign is disloyal. You call yourself a guilty subject—do you know your crime?”
“Years ago, I brought you back to Wuding. All these years, I have treated you well, regarded you as a nephew, and placed great hopes in you. Yet you betrayed me with secret dealings—and not only that, you have now committed such an act. What gives you the audacity to come before me today?”
“Why did you not abandon me as well and leave with those people?”
Three relentless questions, the last of which carried a hint of mockery.
“To face difficulty without evasion, to bear punishment without escape—such is the duty of a subject,” Pei You’an replied, his tone as calm as ever, devoid of any fluctuation.
The atmosphere slowly congealed.The corner of Xiao Lie's mouth twitched slightly, as if in faint mockery, but soon it twisted into a cold smile that could no longer conceal his overwhelming rage.
He stared at Pei You'an kneeling before him, letting out a low, chilling laugh. The muscles at the corners of his eyes twitched uncontrollably. Suddenly, he stood up and swept everything off the table with a furious flick of his sleeve. Amidst the clattering noise, the Haiyan River Inkstone, the Yunlong rectangular ink slab, the vermilion seal, and a stack of half-reviewed memorials were all scattered across the floor, leaving a scene of utter disarray.
"What fine loyalty to your sovereign! Do you even remember you are my subject? In your heart, you probably serve another ruler, don't you?"
After sweeping everything to the ground, Xiao Lie clenched his fists, trembling slightly. Then, with a loud thud, he slammed both hands heavily onto the edge of the table, leaning forward abruptly to glare down at Pei You'an. His face contorted with barely suppressed fury, his voice a low growl, like an enraged tiger.
A nearby candle flame flickered from the gust of wind stirred by his robes.
Pei You'an straightened his posture.
"In this guilty subject's heart, there is only one sovereign—Your Majesty. These words come from the depths of my soul."
Pei You'an spoke slowly, raising his eyes to meet Xiao Lie's piercing gaze.
Xiao Lie's chest rose and fell slightly as his ragged breathing gradually steadied. The two locked eyes for a long moment.
"Then why do you still defy me?"
Pei You'an remained silent.
"Speak!"
His voice dragged out, trembling faintly.
Still, Pei You'an said nothing.
Xiao Lie slowly straightened up.
"In ancient times, King Wen buried the bones of the dead, and Duke Liu showed kindness even to withered reeds—acts praised as benevolent. It is said that noble men seek reputation, while petty men chase profit. You are certainly not acting for gain. So, by defying your sovereign like this, are you trying to emulate the sages of old, to win a name for righteousness?"
"Reputation is to me as fleeting as dust or a feather. My actions are not solely out of duty to my former teacher, nor merely to repay the late Emperor Tianxi. There is no other reason—it is simply for my own conscience."
"He does not deserve to die."
Pei You'an finally spoke, his voice calm.
Xiao Lie was taken aback, then sneered. "You act for your conscience—but have you considered mine? You once said the Young Emperor is now just an ordinary boy. True, that may be so now. But who can guarantee he won't change his mind in the future? For the sake of this throne, brothers have killed brothers, and my own son sought my life. What assurance can you give that the Young Emperor won't rise again to reclaim the empire? The victor becomes king, the loser a bandit—such is the way of the world since ancient times!"
He paused.
"Since we've come this far, I ask you again: if I spare that boy now, and one day he does rise to reclaim the throne, how will you justify yourself then?"
"Your Majesty, even if that day were to come, this guilty subject would never aid him against you. I still remember when Your Majesty ascended the throne, the civil and military officials presented the people's petition, which bore the words: 'The Great Path is followed when all under Heaven is for the public good.' I deeply believe in this. The world does not belong to one man alone—nor does it belong to that boy. Your Majesty, having ascended the throne by Heaven's will, governs diligently and loves the people, proving yourself a wise ruler. Since the people now live in peace and prosperity, how could I dare, for my own selfish reasons, openly oppose the will of the masses?"Xiao Lie stared at Pei You'an's calm expression for a long time before the turbulent anger in his eyes gradually subsided, though his face remained frosty. "It's good that you understand this principle. I won't blame you this time. Saving him once fulfills your teacher-student bond, so you've done him no wrong. Even if you truly don't know his current whereabouts, you must have a way to contact him. Tell me, and our relationship as ruler and subject will remain unchanged as before."
Pei You'an seemed not to hear.
The atmosphere froze again. Xiao Lie stared fixedly at Pei You'an, and the anger that had just subsided slowly returned to his eyes.
"You'an, you've always claimed loyalty to me alone, yet even now you deceive me! Clearly, you're of two minds, wavering in your allegiance! I've repeatedly yielded, yet you show no remorse! I know you—you don't fear death, and this time you're resolved to die. But for the crimes you've committed, exterminating your entire clan wouldn't be excessive! What baffles me is—do you truly not fear the Zhen family suffering because of you?"
"Your Majesty, this guilty subject has served you for many years and knows a wise and enlightened ruler would never vent anger on the innocent. This subject trusts Your Majesty."
Xiao Lie's brow twitched slightly as he replied coldly, "You seem adept at reading people, but this time, I tell you, you may be mistaken! You overestimate me!"
Pei You'an remained silent. Xiao Lie also fell quiet, staring at him with flickering shadows in his eyes. After a long pause, he slowly exhaled, stepping over a jade-handled purple brush that had rolled to the ground earlier, and stopped before Pei You'an.
"You'an, listen well. You are different from others. I will never tolerate divided loyalty. I'll give you three more days to reconsider. After three days, if you still refuse to pledge undivided loyalty to me, I won't touch you—I'll first make you witness the calamity that befalls the Zhen family because of you!"
"Think carefully. When you've made your decision, I'll see you again."
Pei You'an kowtowed toward the empty throne ahead, then rose and walked out.
...
Late that night, the return of that man outside the southern city gates went unnoticed by anyone in the capital. The court officials all believed he was still in the southwest.
Like a drop of water falling into the ocean, he vanished without a trace.
Three nights later, Li Yuangui arrived at the secret prison in the West Garden. Unlocking the door, he entered to find a dim lamp in the corner. The brush and ink laid out on paper remained untouched, without a single character written. Pei You'an sat cross-legged on the floor, eyes closed, his robes neat and uncreased. Apart from a slightly haggard face, he appeared no different from usual.
Hearing Li Yuangui's footsteps, he slowly opened his eyes—clear and composed as ever.
He nodded at Li Yuangui.
Li Yuangui gazed at him with mixed emotions and said quietly, "Lord Pei, you must know how much His Majesty has trusted and relied on you over the years. Others might be forgiven, but how can he tolerate discovering your divided loyalty now? These past few days, His Majesty hasn't slept a wink. Despite the gravity of your crimes, he's willing to pardon you. Why must you oppose him to the end? Speak up, demonstrate your loyalty, and this will pass. Besides, can you truly disregard the fate of the Zhen family?"
Pei You'an smiled faintly. "The guilt is mine to bear. I trust His Majesty is not one to punish the innocent."
Li Yuangui studied him for a long moment, then shook his head and turned to leave the prison.Xiao Lie had not slept well for several nights, his face now shadowed with fatigue, bloodshot eyes betraying his exhaustion. Upon hearing Li Yuangui’s report, his expression darkened with anger. "Does he truly believe I would hesitate to act against the Zhen family?"
Li Yuangui hastily replied, "Your Majesty, please reconsider. Allow Lord Pei a few more days to think it over. This servant will also return to persuade him further."
Xiao Lie clenched his teeth. "My word is not a jest! Throw them into prison first—let’s see if he still refuses to speak!"
As Li Yuangui was about to plead further, Xiao Lie’s face turned cold. "Enough. Go now and relay my decree. The local authorities are to carry it out without delay."
At that moment, hurried footsteps of a eunuch echoed from outside, signaling urgent news. Li Yuangui quickly turned and stepped out, where he saw another of his adopted sons approaching, his face alight with joy. The young eunuch knelt before him and exclaimed, "Father, great news! A divine omen has descended from heaven! A divine omen!"
Half a month earlier, while expanding the Shipyard in Quanzhou, the Zhen family had dredged the silted-up entrance, which had grown increasingly shallow over the years. Beneath the mud and accumulated sand, they unearthed a square imperial seal. After cleaning it, they discovered the inscription "Mandated by Heaven, Longevity and Eternal Prosperity" engraved in seal script. Crowds gathered to witness the marvel, and those knowledgeable in such matters identified its significance. The people knelt in reverence before heaven, then escorted the auspicious relic to the local authorities. The prefect of Quanzhou recognized it as the long-lost imperial seal that had vanished during Prince Shun'an’s reign. Wrapping it in red cloth and placing it in an ornate box, he, along with representatives from the Zhen family and esteemed local gentry, paraded it with fanfare to the Fujian Provincial Governor’s office.
Gao Huaiyuan, overjoyed, personally escorted the seal day and night to the capital. Without explicit orders, he dared not enter the city and now waited outside the gates with his entourage, ready to present the divine omen.
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