#194: Clouds and Fog (2)

He sneered, his expression shifting from disdain to ruthlessness as he coldly stated, “He thinks himself clever, lingering in Shangjing to aid Qi Er. You’d best call him back immediately and make it clear—Qi Jingchen’s death is inevitable. No one can save him!”

Hearing this, Han Shousong was utterly shocked.

He had indeed known beforehand that Han Shouye was colluding with Northern Wei to secretly arrange Qi Jingchen’s assassination. This aligned perfectly with the Wei emperor’s interests, so naturally, they agreed. The massive fire during the Buddha Bathing Festival had been a smokescreen.

But what Han Shouye was implying now… could it be that Qi Jingchen wasn’t dead?

Han Shousong furrowed his brows and pressed further, “What do you mean? Is he still alive?”

Han Shouye let out another cold snort, his eyes darkening.

Assassinations were a common affair for those in high positions like them—they were well-versed in the craft. A fire that obliterated all traces of a body often concealed ulterior motives. Han Shouye was dealing with monumental matters and wouldn’t settle for uncertainty. Unless he personally witnessed Qi Jingchen’s corpse, he would never believe the man was dead.

At this moment, he could even declare with certainty that Qi Jingchen was still alive. As for why, there were two possibilities: either the Wei emperor, driven by greed, had secretly spared Qi Jingchen’s life after receiving bribes, intending to negotiate further with Liang, or Qi Jingchen himself had anticipated the plot and gone into hiding to preserve his life.

Though Han Shouye wielded immense power, his influence was confined to Jiangzuo. Shangjing was far away in a foreign land, beyond his reach. If Qi Jingchen remained hidden in Northern Wei, Han Shouye could do nothing. But if he returned to Jiangzuo, Han Shouye was certain he could eliminate him.

Qi Jingchen must die.

To be fair, though past conflicts between Qi Ying and Han Shouye had arisen over official matters, they hadn’t escalated to outright hostility. Yet, Han Shouye’s urgent desire to kill him stemmed not from Qi Ying himself but from their emperor—Xiao Ziteng.

Despite his brutish nature, Han Shouye wasn’t a fool. He could see that the new emperor was no benevolent ruler. Though Xiao Ziteng shared half his bloodline with the Han family, he harbored no loyalty to them. His sole focus was consolidating absolute power. Over the past decade, he and his father had successively toppled the Shen and Qi families. While outwardly maintaining peace with Han Shouye, Xiao Ziteng secretly sought to seize control of his military forces.

Qi Jingchen was now a broken man, reduced to little more than the emperor’s puppet. Though granted the empty title of Left Chancellor, he was merely a target used to constrain the Hans and Fus.

Yet, even so, Han Shouye couldn’t deny that Qi Jingchen was still Qi Jingchen. The renown bestowed upon him by the lands north and south of the Yangtze wasn’t unfounded—he truly deserved it. Even in his current diminished state, he continued to empower common-born civil and military officials, gradually eroding the noble families’ grip on power. Take, for instance, Pei Jian, a minor commander from Shicheng ten years ago, whom Qi had elevated to General of Chariots and Cavalry. Several branches of the Qi family had also been strategically placed within the military, some rising to the rank of Colonel.

As for civil officials, the situation was even clearer. Li Wei, the top scholar of Qinghua Year 17 and a disciple of Qi Jingchen, had initially been transferred out of Jiankang, seemingly rendered irrelevant. Unexpectedly, he implemented reforms in the provinces that Qi Yun and Zhang Cici had failed to complete years prior. Once these bore fruit, Qi Jingchen recommended him back to Jiankang, where he now served in the Ministry of Personnel, frequently obstructing the Fu family’s plans.

This new Left Chancellor was thoroughly isolated. Among the high-ranking officials of noble birth, not a single one sided with him. Outwardly, they maintained a facade of civility, but behind closed doors, all spoke ill of him. Conversely, his reputation among scholars and commoners was stellar. Candidates from humble backgrounds hailed him as the epitome of governance in Jiangzuo. But what did that matter? Jiangzuo was the nobility’s domain. Having offended the elite, Qi Jingchen stood alone, unable to achieve much. Those of humble origins lacked roots and influence; at most, they could voice support to earn their mentor an empty reputation.

Worthless.

Even so, Han Shouye was determined to kill him—for he harbored rebellious ambitions.

Han Shouye had grown weary of living cautiously under the unpredictable and capricious emperor, constantly locked in a struggle with the astute Qi Jingchen. Rather than endure this daily torment, he resolved to overturn the board and establish his own realm—he intended to depose Xiao Ziteng and rename the land of Jiangzuo.

The noble families had endured enough concessions, allowing the imperial house to repeatedly overstep its bounds. If they didn’t retaliate, all would be lost. Han Shouye believed he was closest to seizing power—with thirty thousand troops under his command and his network of disciples controlling two-thirds of Liang’s military strength, what was there to fear? With unwavering resolve, he could succeed!

The only obstacle was Qi Jingchen.

Han Shouye knew that while Xiao Ziteng and his empress possessed some cunning, their schemes were trivial compared to Qi Jingchen’s strategic brilliance. Only Qi posed a genuine threat to Han Shouye’s ambitions. To overthrow the board, Qi Jingchen had to be eradicated; otherwise, he would surely thwart his plans.

After the decline of the Qi family, however, the emperor’s attitude toward Qi Ying had drastically shifted. Once eager to eliminate Qi Ying, Xiao Ziteng now feared losing such a capable subordinate and ensured his safety daily. Coupled with the Secretariat’s protection, no one could approach Qi Ying. To kill him, Han Shouye had to wait until Qi left Jiangzuo.

After countless days of waiting, the marriage alliance finally arrived.

It was widely known that Princess Xiao Ziyu had long harbored feelings for Qi Ying. Unfortunately, fate intervened, and she was forced to marry into the Wei royal family for the sake of peace. Heartbroken, she confided in Yan Hui, Han Shouye’s concubine, who subtly encouraged her to request that her beloved escort her personally. Princess Xiao succumbed to this suggestion and pleaded with the emperor, threatening self-harm if denied. Unable to resist his sister’s persistence and their mother’s sympathy, Xiao Ziteng relented, allowing Qi Ying to serve as envoy.

This presented Han Shouye with the perfect opportunity.

Once Qi Ying left Jiankang and entered Northern Wei territory, he would lose the emperor’s and Secretariat’s protection. With the Wei emperor’s support, Han Shouye could easily eliminate him, clearing the final obstacle to his grand plan.

He swiftly sent envoys to negotiate with the Wei emperor.

The Wei court, having suffered repeated defeats at Qi Ying’s hands, eagerly agreed to Han Shouye’s proposal. However, Han Shouye hadn’t anticipated Qi Ying escaping the trap alive. What extraordinary abilities did he possess, and where was he hiding now?

Han Shouye had already devised his plan. Upon confirming Qi Ying’s death, he would execute his long-prepared scheme—forcing the emperor’s abdication, killing him, and seizing the throne. He had planted spies around Xiao Ziteng, even bribing Su Ping to monitor every move. Without Qi Jingchen’s interference, Han Shouye was confident of success.

Everything hinged on Qi Jingchen. He had to confirm his death. If the Wei emperor deceived him, he would take matters into his own hands—no room for error.

With his mind made up, Han Shouye’s voice grew colder as he addressed Han Shousong: “I’ll handle his assassination. Your task is to recall your son and ensure he doesn’t interfere. Let me make this clear—if Zhongheng chooses to oppose me for an outsider, I won’t hesitate to kill him too.”

Even someone as brutish as Han Shouye exercised caution when it came to rebellion. Han Feichi’s prolonged stay in Shangjing ostensibly to search for Qi Ying’s remains raised suspicions. Han Shouye suspected collusion, believing Zhongheng stayed to assist Qi Ying and relay messages.

Rebellion carried the penalty of exterminating nine generations. Faced with life-and-death stakes, Han Shouye couldn’t afford mistakes. He wouldn’t tolerate anyone jeopardizing his plans, not even his nephew. If Zhongheng willingly returned and distanced himself, fine. Otherwise, Han Shouye wouldn’t hesitate to act ruthlessly.

Seeing the murderous intent flash in Han Shouye’s eyes, Han Shousong’s brows furrowed deeply.

Grabbing his brother’s arm tightly, he stared at him intently, saying, “I know what you’re planning, but have you truly thought this through? Setting aside whether you can successfully force the emperor’s abdication, even if you kill him, can you guarantee stability? Will the Fus submit to us? It’s impossible!”

His words were heavy and incisive, but Han Shouye’s resolve was firmer still.

Shaking off Han Shousong’s grip, he grabbed his brother’s arm in turn, leaning close until their faces nearly touched.

“Failure means death,” Han Shouye’s hand trembled slightly, but his gaze turned feral. “Why did the Shens and Qis fall? Because they hesitated and retreated! The imperial blade has already descended. Xiao Ziteng isn’t merciful. If we surrender, our fate will mirror theirs—or worse!”

Every word dripped with blood, every sentence brimmed with killing intent.

It was… a desperate gamble, burning bridges behind him.

Looking into his elder brother’s eyes, Han Shousong broke into a cold sweat.