375 Failure

「Inside the Heavenly Prison.」

Pei Yuanqing sat calmly, showing no sign of the despair common to prisoners. He raised his wine cup to Zhao Zhitong and Qiao Muchen. "Thank you for the wine." With that, he took a sip and praised, "Hmm, good wine."

Zhao Zhitong and Qiao Muchen stood outside the cell, observing the composed Pei Yuanqing within. Zhao Zhitong finally couldn't help but ask, "Why did you have to do this?"

In her memory, Pei Yuanqing was still Uncle Pei, who cared for them and always encouraged them with a smile. He was Prince Liang, who loved to travel and enjoy his leisure time. When they discovered that the mastermind behind everything was actually Pei Yuanqing, she had refused to believe it, feeling a crushing sense of disappointment.

Pei Yuanqing chuckled softly and said casually, "The Pei Family took the Xiao Family's territory. Now, it's time for the territory to return to the Xiao Family. Do you think the Xiao Family will spare the Pei Family, who once seized their land? I just wanted to protect myself."

Zhao Zhitong fell silent. This was what their Teacher had once told them: many things in the world do not have a simple right or wrong, good or bad; it's merely a matter of perspective. Once the territory returned to the Xiao Family, their treatment of the Pei Family would likely mirror how the Pei Family had treated the Xiao Family. However, there might have been other ways for Pei Yuanqing to alter his fate, but he chose the most extreme and high-risk approach. If successful, he would be supreme; if defeated, he would lose his life.

Pei Yuanqing took another sip of wine, then looked at the two young people he had watched grow up. He couldn't help but praise them with a smile, "You two truly live up to my expectations. You have a bright future ahead!"

Qiao Muchen spoke indifferently, "It's not that we are exceptional, but rather, you became too impatient and eager for quick success."

After hearing that the emperor was critically ill and intended to abdicate the throne to the Crown Prince, Pei Yuanqing, uncharacteristically anxious, launched a military coup. He acted so hastily that he didn't even have time to properly assess the forces he had newly acquired. Failure was inevitable.

Lastly, Qiao Muchen added, "And, you chose the wrong person."

Pei Yuanqing looked surprised. He turned to Qiao Muchen, a specific person coming to mind, and asked, "You mean, Ding Chen?"

Qiao Muchen nodded. "Ding Chen, originally named Ding Chenguang, or perhaps, more accurately, Xiao Chen."

Pei Yuanqing pondered for a long time, then his eyes suddenly widened. "The son of the traitor Prince Li Xiao Yan, Xiao Chen? Wasn't he supposed to have died on the way to exile?"

Qiao Muchen shook his head.

The frequent meetings Ding Xiang had with a mysterious person in black, followed by her deliberate efforts to get closer to Liu Yian, made them realize that the Ding Family siblings were not as simple as they seemed. When Qiao Muchen sent people to investigate their supposed hometown, Bozhou Lixin County, it was discovered that the siblings were indeed suspicious. They were not originally from Bozhou Lixin County but had moved there suddenly thirteen years ago. Later, by having people secretly tail Ding Xiang, Qiao Muchen finally uncovered the siblings' secret.

Years ago, King of Chu Pei Siqing had accused Prince Li Xiao Yan of colluding with the Liao Country and plotting rebellion. The evidence was irrefutable, and the emperor was already wary of the Xiao Family's potential ambitions for his throne. Consequently, Prince Li was stripped of his title almost without a trial, and his entire family was exiled to the remote northwestern frontier. However, due to the harsh conditions, the entire family reportedly fell ill and died en route. Presumably, this was an escape plan devised by Prince Li. His children survived by lying low, only to return to the Capital City more than a decade later to fulfill their ambitions.

Under the alias Ding Chen, Xiao Chen impressed Prince Liang Pei Yuanqing with his extraordinary strategic talents, joined his inner circle, and gained his trust. After he and Prince Liang planned together, Ding Chen deliberately approached King of Chu Pei Siqing, gaining his trust as well. Then, he forced Pei Siqing into a corner, leading to his desperate rebellion and capture.

Afterward, Ding Chen returned to Prince Liang Pei Yuanqing's side. He then advised Pei Yuanqing to conspire with people from all corners of the country, intending to use their power for another rebellion. However, behind the scenes, Ding Chen was also manipulating events. He first contacted his younger sister, Ding Xiang, instructing her to deliberately leak evidence to Qiao Muchen and the others about Pei Yuanqing's collusion with Lingjian Villa. His aim was to use Qiao Muchen's group to bring down Pei Yuanqing. After that, he planned to strike at the palace, assassinate the emperor, and avenge his family.

Learning the truth, Pei Yuanqing did not react with the anticipated anger or any other strong emotion. Instead, he faced his end calmly.

...

Pei Yuanqing's rebellion failed, and he was imprisoned. Gongsun Wan, who had betrayed the emperor, was also arrested. However, the emperor hesitated to pass a final judgment on Gongsun Wan. She had entered the palace at eight or nine years old and, by ten, had gained the emperor's favor, remaining by his side ever since. Decades of unwavering favor, it seemed, made the aging emperor reluctant to condemn her. Nevertheless, a sentence eventually had to be passed.

Pei Yuanqing was stripped of his title as Prince Liang and exiled to the Miasma Land in the Southwest. As for Gongsun Wan, the emperor decreed that she accompany Prince Liang to the same fate. In the end, the emperor spared her life, thus preserving some semblance of their master-servant bond.

Now, regarding Ding Chenguang. After his schemes were exposed, he was captured by the emperor. Perhaps feeling some guilt for the near extermination of the Xiao Family years ago, the emperor did not execute Ding Chenguang—or rather, Xiao Chen. Instead, he was imprisoned for life in the Western Palace.

「At the same time.」

With the failure of the palace coup, Master Liu received the news and immediately abandoned his troops to flee. Liu Baixue and Bai Siyuan pursued him out of the Capital City. After Zhao Yu quelled the palace coup, he also mounted his horse and hurriedly joined the chase.

Eventually, in a bamboo forest ten miles outside the capital, Liu Baixue and Bai Siyuan were found fighting Master Liu. By then, both were being steadily beaten back by him. With a powerful strike, Master Liu sent them flying several meters and declared confidently, "You two youngsters are simply overestimating yourselves!"

Bai Siyuan was thrown against a tree and immediately lost consciousness. Liu Baixue, after skidding several meters across the ground, managed to steady herself. Wiping blood from the corner of her mouth, she confronted Master Liu, "Was my father's death related to you?"

No longer feigning ignorance, Master Liu laughed. "Yes, I killed him! He discovered my secret and was too stubborn, refusing to agree with my methods.

"I struck him, and he fell right off the cliff. It seems even heaven disapproved of him!"

Hearing the truth firsthand, Liu Baixue's eyes reddened with rage. She gritted her teeth. "It really was you! Did you steal my father's corpse as well?"

Master Liu scoffed, "Steal a corpse? I wouldn't stoop to such a thing."

Since he admitted to killing Father, he wouldn't lie about stealing the corpse. Someone else must have taken it, Liu Baixue thought.

Then, she raised her gaze, lifted the sword in her hand, and pointed it at Master Liu. "I will avenge my father."