SGSHE138

Having settled matters at home…

Just before leaving, Jing Heguang glanced at Jing Ya’an and said to Xing Qi, “I leave the house in your care.”

Seeing that Jing Heguang was still thinking of Jing Ya’an even as he headed out, a sense of sullen frustration rose within Xing Qi.

Yet, not wanting to make things difficult for Jing Heguang, he forced a smile. “Come back soon. I’ll be waiting for you.”

“No need to wait up, get some sleep early.”

Jing Heguang added this, gave Xing Qi’s hand a firm squeeze, then let go and turned to leave.

His black cloak swept through the air in a sharp arc, seemingly deepening the gloom of the night.

Even after Jing Heguang had walked far away, his shadow seemed to linger in the courtyard.

Xing Qi was usually mild-mannered, but today his expression was cold when addressing Jing Ya’an.

“Let’s go inside, it’s cold out here,” Xing Qi said coolly.

With that, he walked ahead.

Jing Ya’an felt a bit unsettled by the change in demeanor, but, preoccupied with worry for her husband and son, she didn’t dwell on it and followed hurriedly, her mind a blank.

Xing Qi pressed his lips together, his mood foul.

He knew what Jing Heguang was setting out to do, to take heads.

Even though the people on that list were corrupt officials, the bureaucracy had its own rules. Killing at will meant breaking those rules.

Those who broke the rules would eventually find themselves ostracized by the invisible, unspoken codes of the official world.

Moreover, the assignment had passed through several hands before finally landing on Jing Heguang, as if he had been specifically targeted for it.

Combining the memories of his two lifetimes, Xing Qi realized there were far too many coincidences.

The two of them sat together in the main hall.

The lamplight flickered, and neither broke the silence.

***

Meanwhile, after leaving the house, the men Jing Heguang had brought with him split into two groups.

One group, led by Chi Xiu and carrying the Phoenix Talisman and the military tally, set off to claim the heads. The other group headed toward the West Ward, located near the Imperial Palace.

Before they parted ways, Jing Heguang handed Chi Xiu a new list featuring three major corrupt officials. The plan was to fleece these three tonight and then call it a night.

Meanwhile, Jing Heguang took his men to the West Ward, where they shook off their tails and vanished into a hidden location.

They hadn’t truly vanished, they had simply entered a secret passage.

The Emperor was not an extravagant man, nor had the imperial palace been newly built. He resided in the old palace.

In other words, the palace he lived in had once been the home of the Jing family.

Naturally, only the family members themselves knew the secrets of their old ancestral home.

As the last remaining male heir, Jing Heguang knew of several secret passages, including one that led directly to the Emperor’s own palace chambers.

The passage had long been unused, so Jing Heguang and his party proceeded with caution.

Up above, within the palace grounds…

The Emperor cradled his son, whom he had drugged into unconsciousness, with a look of melancholy.

The ‘Yellow Flower Sect’ was, of course, a sham, a fabrication of his own making.

Tonight’s events served multiple purposes: testing the Empress and her brother (the imperial brother-in-law), allowing the Yellow Flower Sect to ‘disappear’ naturally, and conveniently eliminating some of the state’s corrupt parasites. For the Emperor, it was a move that yielded many benefits at once.

Yet, as he held his son and thought of the Empress, he found himself feeling a twinge of regret.

“One must not succumb to womanly sentimentality,” the Emperor murmured inexplicably, though it was unclear whom he was addressing.

Only the Emperor himself knew that he was speaking to his own heart.

The Empress was, in fact, a princess of the fallen dynasty, while Jing Heguang was a prince of that same lineage.

When a princess of the former dynasty, the most beautiful woman in the realm, consented to be with him, how could he not harbor suspicions?

Had Jing Ya’an been merely a great beauty, he could have taken pride in his current status and the prowess with which he had conquered the empire, confident that he had won her heart through his own merit.

But Jing Ya’an was also a princess of the old regime, and he held the very throne that had once belonged to the Jing clan.

Could the members of the Jing clan truly harbor no designs on the seat of power he occupied?

How could the members of the Jing clan not harbor resentment or a sense of grievance?

A single moment of negligence could cause the realm to change hands.

It wasn’t just his own head on the line, the lives of those who followed him would also hang in the balance.

The weight of the dynasty was never a matter for one man alone.

He could not afford to take that risk!

But as for her…

The Emperor closed his eyes, forcing himself not to dwell on the thought.

Yet, he had barely closed them for a moment when the sound of a barrier being breached, like a heavy wooden door being pushed open, suddenly reached his ears.

The Emperor opened his eyes and saw Jing Heguang, wrapped in a large black cloak.

The Emperor was utterly astonished: “You — how did you get in here?!”

His cloak dusted with grime, Jing Heguang removed it with unhurried grace.

Handing the cloak to a guard, Jing Heguang smiled and replied, “Perhaps because…this place was originally my home?”

He deliberately swept his gaze around the hall, acting as though he were intimately familiar with the place and filled with nostalgia.

In reality, however, he was not familiar with it at all.

The Emperor sat in a massive chair, cradling a child.

Weariness was etched across his brow. He had been preoccupied with too many concerns of late.

He had been hiding away in his palace, dressed in nothing more than a simple, comfortable padded robe, with no one else present in the hall.

Jing Heguang, on the other hand, despite having traversed a secret passage, exuded an air of noble authority. He had been living well recently, and his complexion was radiant with health.

Coupled with his deliberate posturing and the entourage following him, he cut a far more imposing figure than the Emperor at first glance.

Startled by the intrusion, the Emperor shouted toward the doorway, “Guards! Someone come quickly!”

At his command, the doors were pushed open.

Two eunuchs stood on either side of the entrance, backed by two rows of guards wielding blades.

The cold glint of their steel, reminiscent of winter frost, seemed to blanket the area outside the doorway.

Jing Heguang clicked his tongue inwardly and spoke up: “Brother-in-law, I’ve only come to have a heart-to-heart talk with you.”

As he said this, Jing Heguang sat down in the chair positioned just below the Emperor’s throne.

The Emperor said coldly, “Barging into zhen palace uninvited, is this how you go about having a heart-to-heart with zhen?!”

Jing Heguang looked right back at him, his gaze fearless: “So, having my sister come to me in tears in the middle of the night to save your majesty, is ‘that’ how your majesty welcomes his brother-in-law?!”

Hearing the mention of the Empress, the Emperor was momentarily rendered speechless.

Catching the look on the Emperor’s face, Jing Heguang grinned even more broadly.

To be honest, Jing Heguang had been waiting for this day, one might even say he had been looking forward to it.

Why look forward to it?

Men who become emperors are generally calculating by nature.

Even if an emperor has a generous temperament, he inevitably fears being deceived or outmaneuvered.

Regarding the marriage between Jing Ya’an and the Emperor, the Jing family had indeed engaged in schemes and deception. Even now, they had not revealed their true origins to the Emperor.

From a moral standpoint, Jing Heguang felt his family owed the Emperor a little something.

That was precisely why Jing Ya’an was so exceptionally gentle and attentive, dutifully fulfilling her role as the ‘Mother of the Nation’.

But the stunt the Emperor pulled today was truly underhanded. He had thoroughly exploited Jing Ya’an, and Jing Heguang, too.

Now, neither side owed the other anything. It was a case of six of one and half a dozen of the other.

But once Jing Ya’an figured it all out, things would get interesting. A heart full of devotion, misplaced…

I can’t wait.

The mere thought of it made the corners of Jing Heguang’s mouth curl upward.

Watching Jing Heguang look increasingly pleased, the Emperor felt a deep sense of frustration.

He was the one who had been deceived by the siblings, yet somehow, it felt as though ‘he’ was the one in the wrong.

Wait. Jing Heguang had snuck into his palace in the dead of night.

There was no way he had come just for a heart-to-heart talk!

His guard instantly raised, the Emperor barked, “Bind the imperial brother-in-law!”

“Hold on,” Jing Heguang said, raising a hand to stop them.

Looking at the Emperor, Jing Heguang smiled and asked, “There is a massive firework down below, would Your Majesty care to see it?”

Fireworks were, after all, highly flammable and explosive.

Recalling how Jing Heguang had suddenly appeared right before him, the Emperor found the claim credible.

It made sense too: Jing Heguang had dared to show himself and even allowed time for the Emperor to summon guards, he clearly felt confident that the Emperor wouldn’t dare lay a finger on him.

After a moment’s thought, the Emperor ordered his closest guards into the hall and had the doors shut once more.

Jing Heguang rubbed the back of his neck and said, “Your Majesty, I really did come here to have a heart-to-heart talk with you.”

The Emperor: …

Gritting his teeth, the Emperor said, “Speak, then. I am listening.”

Jing Heguang nodded and spoke seriously: “Your Majesty is aware of the true background of my sister and myself.”

The Emperor frankly admitted, “I am.”

Jing Heguang continued, “When I married my sister off to be your wife, I originally harbored ambitions for the throne.”

“But…” Jing Heguang paused, deliberately keeping the Emperor in suspense before adding, “Alas, a sister married off is like water poured out. Her heart had already turned entirely toward Your Majesty.”

“My sister and I grew up together, without parents, to her, I was both a brother and a father figure.”

As he spoke, the image of Jing Ya’an flashed through his mind. How she had once taken the initiative to strike up a conversation with the Emperor (who was traveling incognito) to further the original owner’s grand ambitions.

At first, Jing Ya’an had indeed intended to use the Emperor, but — contrary to expectations — she had fallen in love with him. The love that followed was genuine, and her intentions at the very beginning had been pure.

Jing Heguang smiled faintly. “I didn’t want to put her in a difficult position. The child she bore carries the blood of the Jing family, so I thought…well, let it go.”

“Your Majesty is a capable ruler, the country is peaceful and prosperous, and I, Heguang, am truly impressed.”

Jing Heguang’s words were logical and well-reasoned, and the Emperor could tell he was being sincere.

Yet, the Emperor also knew that not everything could be the whole truth.

Jing Heguang might be soft-hearted, but his subordinates certainly weren’t.

The Emperor remarked, “I’m not so sure about that.”

“Very well,” Jing Heguang admitted frankly. “I prefer men.”

The Emperor frowned, recalling the various rumors surrounding Jing Heguang.

For the first twenty-plus years of his life, his brother-in-law had remained chaste and disciplined, never engaging in frivolous affairs, a stance that had captivated countless young ladies.

Yet, despite the endless stream of women vying for his attention, Jing Heguang had remained unmoved — his resolve stronger even than that of a monk!

It was only when rumors surfaced that he admired Yi Qingxue, the talented daughter of Grand Tutor Yi, that those peculiar speculations finally died down.

But judging by Jing Heguang’s tone now…was he…’incapable’ with women?

The Emperor’s gaze involuntarily drifted toward Jing Heguang’s nether regions.

Jing Heguang, noticing the look: “…”

He gritted his teeth. “I am perfectly capable.”

Finally, I’ve managed to stump the lad! The Emperor felt a surge of satisfaction. Lifting his chin, he replied, “I never said you weren’t up to the task, did I? Why did your mind jump straight to that?”

Jing Heguang stood up in anger. “And to think I was actually worried Your Majesty had been taken hostage, I crawled out of my warm bed in the middle of the night to come to your rescue!”

The Emperor caught the implication and asked in astonishment, “Y-you…you didn’t know beforehand?”

“Know what? How could I have guessed Your Majesty would pull a stunt this wild?”

Jing Heguang’s lingering anger was still evident on his face. “When I saw Ya’an come to me in tears in the middle of the night, looking so disheveled, my mind was in a complete panic. If the cold wind hadn’t buffeted me on the way, allowing me to realize the truth halfway there, I’d probably be smashing down doors and lopping off heads right now!”

The Emperor suddenly felt a twinge of guilt. “I had left people to look after Ya’an.”

“Hah.” Jing Heguang gave a dry, scornful laugh. “She held a knife to someone’s throat to force them to come back and save you, she even dispatched the ‘ace up her sleeve’, the trump card for survival I’d given her, to join the effort.”

To ensure the situation in the palace was clearly understood, Jing Ya’an had sent a few of her trusted aides that Jing Heguang sent to accompany her.

He had gathered all these details during the journey.

The Emperor was left dumbfounded by Jing Heguang’s words.

He whipped his head around to look at the commander of the imperial guards, his gaze sharp as a blade. “Have they returned?”

The commander kept his head lowered. “Most of them have. We reported it, but it seems Your Majesty didn’t hear us.”

The Emperor panicked. “What about the Empress’s people?!”

“We were afraid that eunuch might run off, so we’ve got him tied up.”

The Emperor slumped back against his chair, feeling the strength suddenly drain from his body.

A moment later, he clenched his fist and slammed it onto the table beside him.

A loud ‘bang’ rang out, knocking over the teacup on the table.

The child in his arms let out a soft whimper, seemingly disturbed by the noise.

The Emperor hurriedly pulled his arm back to cradle the child, gently patting his son’s back.

Watching the Emperor’s fluid movements, clearly the actions of someone well-practiced in soothing a baby, Jing Heguang felt that perhaps the man was not beyond redemption after all.

As for whatever antics his sister might get up to in the future, Jing Heguang was more than happy to see it happen.

If the Emperor had his hands full, he wouldn’t have the time to fixate on him.

Having said his piece and played his part, Jing Heguang said, “My family is terribly worried. Since Your Majesty is busy, I shall take my leave.”

With that, Jing Heguang strode nonchalantly toward the main entrance.

The door was opened from the inside.

The guards outside, tense and on edge, instantly drew their blades with a flash of cold steel.

The Emperor sighed. “imperial brother-in-law has rendered a great service by rescuing zhen. Have a carriage arranged to escort him back to his manor.”

Jing Heguang rode the carriage home in comfort.

The Emperor’s men searched the secret passage but caught nothing more than a scrawny rat, thus, the Emperor placed his full trust in his brother-in-law.

***

Back home.

Jing Heguang told Jing Ya’an that he had rescued the Emperor, and the Crown Prince was safe, so she could rest easy.

After seeing his sister, the Empress, off, Jing Heguang climbed back into bed, holding Xing Qi.

Under the covers.

Xing Qi asked, “How did you rescue the Emperor? Did he even need rescuing?”

Jing Heguang smiled and planted a kiss on him. “Ya’an doesn’t need to know the details. Too much has happened tonight, so I just told her a little white lie.”

Xing Qi wrapped his arms tightly around Jing Heguang’s waist. “So…you really don’t want to be Emperor anymore?”

“No.”

“Why obsess over the empire? There are plenty of things that bring me far more joy than ruling the world!”

Naturally, what followed was the joyful act of being with the person he loved.

Author’s Note: There should be a bonus chapter coming up.