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No wonder... She had been wondering how this little bastard and her mother, who were left with nothing to rely on, managed to survive the great calamity of those years, just like she did—and seemingly lived a life of wealth and luxury. It turns out they had climbed high by attaching themselves to the Qi family!
This little vixen truly lives up to her mother’s legacy; her skills in bewitching men are unmatched. Even Qi family’s second young master was ensnared by her, to the point that he changed his name and concealed his identity for her sake!
No… it couldn’t be so simple… What kind of lowly creature is this bastard? How could she possibly have connected herself to the Qi family on her own? It must be Shen Qian! That heartless wretch who deserves a thousand deaths! He’s the one helping his illegitimate daughter!
He didn’t care about me, nor his legally wedded wife, nor his younger brother, and not even when the Shen family fell did he bat an eye! All he cared about was rescuing his beloved and the bastard child they bore together!
Good! Very good!
Fu Zhen was enraged, and at the same time overwhelmed by self-pity.
Her entire life had been one of absurd loneliness: born into a family that appeared prosperous but was declining, married to a husband who didn’t love her, living with a man who wasn’t sincere, and her children dying one after another…
She had nothing, not even a shred of warmth left in her heart.
Only desolation.
That little bastard… Her and her mother stole all the love from her husband, and now even Shen Cheng, who gave her some comfort, was killed because of her… How could she tolerate them taking everything from her over and over again?
If this can be endured, what cannot?
At that moment, within the Great Buddha Pavilion, the light of the Buddha illuminated everything. The Amitabha Buddha, along with Guanyin and Dashizhi Bodhisattvas, were filled with compassion, while Fu Zhen’s face was twisted with hatred.
Distorted like a demon.
________________________________________
The next day, Princess Consort of the Fourth Prince, Fu Rong, heard this interesting news from her brother, Fu Zhuo.
Her meeting with her brother was originally to inquire about the recent private debts of Qi family’s third young master, but unexpectedly, she received such delightful news.
Her aunt, Fu Zhen, was indeed useless. Back then, she couldn’t hold onto Shen Qian’s heart, gaining no benefit for the Fu family, only pleading for help when in trouble. Now that she found her enemy’s daughter, though filled with anger and hatred, she, being powerless, still needed the family to step in.
Fortunately, this time, she finally sought help correctly.
Fu Rong smiled lightly, her eyes brimming with endless joy and satisfaction: the blade she had been desperately searching for had finally appeared.
________________________________________
Year Qinghua 17, November 12th , the battle of Jianshan Pass concluded, and Wei suffered a major defeat.
By that time, Liang’s army had already deeply penetrated the central plains, and Wei’s forces retreated to Jianshan Pass, led by the Gu father and son.
Wei’s army was short on supplies, and Gu Juhan initially planned to intercept Liang’s supply line at the end of November, cutting off their supply route to secure victory. However, due to numerous defeats in the past six months, the Wei court was dissatisfied. Moreover, Lady Zou slandered the Gu family before the Wei Emperor, accusing them of cowardice. The old Duke, already in his twilight years, was suspected of using this opportunity to consolidate power over the Gu family.
Believing the slander, the Wei Emperor ordered the Gu family to launch an attack before mid-November or risk being replaced. Left with no choice, the old Duke commanded his only son to defend the rear while he personally led the main force into battle against Liang’s army on November 12th.
Caught off guard, Wei’s army was lured into a trap at Jianshan Pass, losing nearly 100,000 soldiers. The old Duke narrowly escaped capture, but at the last moment, Gu Juhan arrived with elite troops, risking everything to save his father, though unable to reverse Wei’s defeat.
This was Liang’s only major victory against Wei since their southern crossing. When the news reached Jiangzuo, the entire nation was elated.
Meanwhile, the imperial palace of Liang was shrouded in tension—
The Emperor of Liang was critically ill.
In truth, this emperor had reigned for a long time, especially considering his body weakened by prolonged use of the Five Stones Powder. He had lived longer than expected. But the emperor’s impending death meant both palace servants and officials had to feign sorrow, lest they appear indifferent.
Since early October, His Majesty had been bedridden, seemingly on the verge of death every day. Yet on November 17th, his condition reportedly improved dramatically—he could even sit up from his bed.
While everyone cheered, they secretly thought: the end was near, likely within these few days.
On this very night, the emperor summoned a few individuals. Among the royal princes and princesses, he only met with his fourth son:
Xiao Ziheng.
That night, the emperor’s chambers were as bright as daylight. Outside the hall, the royal progeny knelt in rows. When Su Ping emerged from the inner hall and announced the summoning of the Fourth Prince, the faces of those kneeling outside immediately changed. Especially the Third Prince, whose expression darkened, his temples pulsing visibly.
But the Fourth Prince remained unperturbed. Calmly responding to the summons, he slowly rose and entered the hall.
Most of the architecture in Jiangzuo was delicate, and the imperial palace was even more resplendent. The Taiping Hall, where the emperor resided, transcended mere ornate carvings—it exuded luxury everywhere. Unfortunately, the thick smell of medicine now permeated the air, accompanied by an undeniable sense of decay and death.
All of this emanated from his father—the bloated, aged, and dying emperor propped up against the headboard.
Xiao Ziheng approached his father, intending to kneel, but the emperor stopped him. Tonight, the emperor’s eyes burned brighter than ever, as if consuming his final moments of life. Trembling, he extended his hand and said, “Fourth son… come.”
He wanted Xiao Ziheng to sit beside his bed.
How could anyone dare sit by the emperor’s bedside? Naturally, Xiao Ziheng declined. The emperor chuckled, saying, “No need for such formalities. Soon enough, this palace will be yours…”
The emperor’s usually cloudy eyes now sparkled with clarity. The succession issue, which had hung unresolved since the former crown prince’s removal, was casually settled with these words.
Yet the Fourth Prince, Xiao Ziheng, remained perfectly calm, sitting obediently beside the emperor’s bed as if he had expected nothing less.
Of course, he wasn’t surprised.
The competition for the throne was merely a show for outsiders and the Third Prince. In reality, the emperor had long decided to pass the throne to his fourth son.
Jiangzuo was ultimately governed by powerful families, making it impossible for a ruler without ties to these clans to ascend. Simplifying matters, the throne had effectively been Xiao Ziheng’s all along. For years, the emperor pretended to favor his third son, but it was all part of a larger plan.
Throughout his reign, the emperor had been constrained by these influential families, unable to govern freely like a puppet ruler. This court was dominated by aristocratic families, leaving no room for commoners. As emperor, he couldn’t openly promote those of humble origins, so he used his third son as a pawn to charge ahead.
Xiao Zihuan was destined to be a sacrificial piece.
His background was poor, and over the years, he had offended too many noble families. Even if he ascended the throne, the aristocratic clans wouldn’t let him remain there. He was merely a target set up to shield the future true ruler.
But Xiao Zihuan’s role went far beyond this.
As long as there were two potential heirs, the three great families would have to choose between them. The Han family, being Xiao Ziheng’s maternal clan, naturally supported him. The Fu family, pragmatic as always, aligning with Xiao Ziheng was unsurprising.
The only variable was the Qi family.
A family too upright and proud, its current patriarch, Qi Zhang, was a man who looked down on others. He no longer valued the so-called merit of supporting a rising star. But precisely because of this, the Qi family gradually distanced itself from the other two families.
Meanwhile, the emperor showered the Qi family with increasing honors: three high-ranking officials within one family was unprecedented. He deliberately humbled himself before the Qi family, behaving more like a servant than an emperor. He allowed Qi Ying to preside over the spring examination at a young age, expanding the Qi family’s influence to its peak…
What would the other two families think?
The aristocratic families weren’t monolithic—they maintained a balance of power among themselves. With the Qi family disrupting this equilibrium, they inevitably faced criticism.
Such was the nature of court politics, such was human nature.
The court of Liang had been controlled by these families for too long, but now, things were changing imperceptibly. Four years ago, the emperor capitalized on disputes among the families to bring down the Shen family. Now, it was the Qi family’s turn.
These vast, greedy families would devour each other until one fell, leaving behind nothing but drained corpses—how satisfying!
The emperor’s eyes grew brighter.
He gripped Xiao Ziheng’s hand, struggling to control his trembling, and spoke word by word: “Don’t rush, don’t show mercy… Let them all… accompany me to the grave…!”
Xiao Ziheng gazed coldly at his father. Those once flirtatious peach-blossom eyes were now filled with ruthless sharpness.
Word by word, he replied, “Father, rest assured. I will ensure none of them have an easy time.”
The emperor clutched him tighter, saying, “Not just the Qi family! Don’t trust your maternal clan or your in-laws either… They’re all… all… blood-sucking leeches…”
The emperor coughed violently, his complexion growing darker—a sure sign of impending death.
Xiao Ziheng stared at his father’s hands, now rotten and bloody, his eyes filled with both sorrow and cold resolve. Gently patting his father’s back to ease his breathing, he responded, “I understand…”
The hall was frigid, opulent, and suffused with the stench of death, matching the biting cold of winter.
At that moment, the emperor still had much to say. For instance, he wanted to tell his son that although the Qi family, as the leader of the three clans, had to be eliminated, Qi Ying himself could be spared. Qi Ying was a man of integrity and wisdom, uninterested in greed or contention. When the emperor appointed him as the examiner for the spring examination, he intended only to elevate the Qi family’s status, making them targets for the other aristocrats. But he hadn’t anticipated Qi Ying’s ultimate decision.
Though born into an aristocratic family, Qi Ying’s character and foresight were admirable.
Let him marry Zi Yu. Even if the Qi family crumbles, he can survive… Liang still needs people like him…
But by then, the emperor’s strength was depleted. These words remained unspoken. With his last ounce of energy, he gripped Xiao Ziheng tightly, staring at him with labored breath, and said, “Your third brother…”
Don’t kill your third brother.
He may have competed with you, but he also helped cultivate support among the commoners. Those people will be valuable allies in reshaping the court.
I’ve already lost one son in this struggle—I don’t want to lose another… So, my fourth son, I beg you, don’t kill your third brother.
Though the emperor lacked the strength to voice these final sentiments, his meaning was clear. How could Xiao Ziheng misunderstand?
Without replying immediately, he gently laid the emperor back down. Then, looking down at his father’s increasingly labored breathing, he said meaningfully, “Father, Crown Prince didn’t kill Bo Ren.”
I won’t kill Bo Ren, but Bo Ren will die because of me.
After I ascend the throne, even if Prince Duan doesn’t rebel, someone might exploit his name to disrupt the court.
The situation is perilous, and I can’t afford any mishaps.
The emperor understood his fourth son’s implication, and his old eyes clouded over once more.
His breathing grew shallower, his sorrow deepened, and finally, it transformed into a wry smile.
The emperor’s last words were: “Alright… Perhaps this is why you’ll go further than I ever could…”
With that, he closed his eyes.
Year Qinghua 17, November 17th, night —the Emperor of Liang passed away.
On the 19th of the same month, the Fourth Prince, Xiao Ziheng, ascended the throne, renaming the following year the first year of Jihe.
End of Qinghua Era, the first day of the twelfth lunar month —Prince Duan, Xiao Zihuan, attended a banquet with friends, fell off his horse while drunk, and died.
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