ITF Chapter43

“Why have you come at this hour?”

Bai Yi leaned against the carved imperial bed with a hint of displeasure audible in his tone. The Omega in his arms was completely unclothed, glaringly white in the flickering candlelight.

Bai Heting immediately lowered his eyes.

Bai Yi dismissed the Omega, stood up, and let an attendant dress him in a robe before sitting back down at the edge of the imperial bed. He said to Bai Heting, “Speak. What is it?”

“Your Majesty.” Bai Heting kept his eyes cast down, his tone respectful and cautious. “While investigating church corruption, I discovered a slight anomaly.”

Bai Yi nodded, looking somewhat tired. “Go on.”

“The Pope and General Shao, the two of them,” Bai Heting said, his expression grim as he weighed every word, “have been in excessively close communication.”

Bai Yi said nothing. After a long silence, he let out an ambiguous chuckle. He waved his hand and told the personal attendants serving him, “All of you, dismiss.” Once everyone had left, he walked unhurriedly over to Bai Heting before sweeping his eyes scrutinizingly over his face. “You ran all the way here in the dead of night just to tell me this? You don’t seem like the type of person who cares about such matters.”

His voice was gentle, yet a chill surged up Bai Heting’s spine. The king’s response gave him a feeling that he… already seemed to know everything.

Taking a deep breath, Bai Heting continued, “I also looked into Pei Ming’s old case.”

Bai Yi fell silent again.

“Why look into that?” His face is cold now too.

“I remember Pei Ming was a staunch anti-clericalist. Not long after he was executed, the Church began openly selling indulgences. If, at that time, General Shao was also maintaining close private ties with the Church…” Bai Heting pressed his dry lips together. “As for Pei Ming’s collusion with Ximo, is it possible that…” He paused for a moment before lowering his voice and uttering the last four words, “there are other hidden circumstances.”

Bai Heting lifted his eyes, summoning his courage. “Back then, was that intercepted secret letter presented by General Shao?”

Bai Yi looked at him and asked, “What are you trying to say?”

“I remember Pei Ming was a staunch anti-clericalist. Not long after he was executed, the church began openly selling indulgences. If General Shao was also in close, private contact with the church at that time…” Bai Heting parted his dry lips. “Is it possible that the matter of Pei Ming colluded with the Ximo…” He paused, then quietly muttered the remaining words, “…had more to it than meets the eye?”

Bai Yi asked slowly, “Are you trying to say that I wronged a meritorious official who helped me win the world?”

Bai Heting lowered his head and dropped to his knees with a thud.

Yet, he did not refute it.

“Heting.” The voice coming from above was majestic, devoid of joy or anger. “Do you think the answer to whether Pei Ming was wronged or not actually matters?”

Bai Heting did not reply immediately.

Before coming here, he had firmly believed that this answer mattered. Back then, he hadn’t been cautious enough; he had left too many traces when he took Pei Yan away, traces that could not withstand a detailed investigation. However, if Pei Ming really had been framed, perhaps Pei Yan’s identity could be cleared because of it. Perhaps Bai Yi, out of consideration for his loyalty all these years, would overlook the absurd thing he had done in his youth.

But Bai Yi’s reaction had already told him explicitly that this answer did not matter.

At the same time, another terrifying conjecture surfaced in his mind.

Bai Yi had known the answer all along.

“Urdan’s rebel forces are now an obstacle that must be eliminated. Your focus is completely misplaced.” Bai Yi said. “So, can you tell me now—why are you investigating this?”

Bai Heting kept his head lowered, but he quickly reined in his emotions. “He once helped me and my mother,” he replied calmly. “When I was very young.”

The candlelight flickered, but the shadow of the person in front of him remained perfectly still. It was a long time before the Alpha’s deep, resonant voice sounded again, “Intelligent, loyal, and grateful are the qualities I appreciate most about you.”

He did not seem to suspect anything, and Bai Heting secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

“Pei Ming and I,” Bai Yi’s tone was no longer as cold and solemn as before; on the contrary, it now carried a hint of warmth from reminiscing about the past, “and your mother—the three of us grew up together.”

Bai Heting looked up in shock, his eyes instantly widening.

Bai Yi looked down at the face that was just as beautiful as Luo Wanyin’s. He had never explained to Bai Heting his reasons for bringing him back, and Bai Heting had never proactively inquired about it either.

“Are you afraid of me?” He asked softly.

While Bai Heting was still dazed, Bai Yi reached out, placing his hand on his tense shoulder, and said reassuringly, “There is no need for you to be afraid of me.”

After a pause, he asked again, “Why do you think I bestowed Urdan upon Shao Cheng’s eldest son?”

Bai Heting’s mind was a complete chaotic mess.

“Because he performed exceptionally well during the autumn hunt.” He replied mechanically.

Bai Yi smiled, withdrew his hand from his shoulder, and stood up straight.

“This country faces no external threats, but it is troubled by internal unrest. I know very well that Jiashu is not suited to ruling a nation. Still, I will remove all obstacles for him. The rebel forces are one such obstacle, and any power that slips beyond control is another.” His tone was very patient. When he finished speaking, he asked once more, “Now, do you understand?”

Bai Heting forced his wandering thoughts back.

At this moment, he could be certain that Bai Yi truly knew everything. He not only knew about the unspeakable, murky undercurrents within the imperial court, but he also knew how to quietly use someone else’s blade to do his killing, killing two birds with one stone.

He had been far too naive.

Bai Yi sighed and said softly, “No king ever lives to see his own son wear the crown with his own eyes. When the day comes Jiashu is crowned king…”

Bai Heting quickly said, “Your Majesty will live a long and healthy life.”

“Save those insincere words for outsiders to say.” Bai Yi waved his hand and turned to walk back to the bed. “I am old. I can feel the changes in my body over these years.”

He sat down on the bed, leaned against the headboard, and finished what he was saying, “When the day comes that Jiashu is crowned king, you must assist him with all your heart and soul.”

“I will spare no effort—”

“You must do so at all costs,” Bai Yi interrupted him. “Guard the world I won for you all.”

“I will definitely…”

Bai Heting’s voice grew lower and lower until, finally, he slowly shut his mouth.

He seemed to catch an underlying implication in Bai Yi’s words.

But how could that be possible?

He was surely being too sensitive—

“I always said you were exceptionally smart.” A look of satisfaction appeared on Bai Yi’s face.

Intelligent, loyal, and grateful.

These were the qualities he appreciated most about Bai Heting.

Yet, Bai Heting’s expression looked as if he had been struck by lightning.

“Because by then, he will be…” Bai Yi slowed his speech, looking at him as he enunciated every single word, “…your only living relative left in this world.”

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