Chapter 53

Chapter 53

With the entire network of Yong's internal spies purged, save for those who now obey only Mu Jian Shu, the Ying dynasty faces Yong like a blind man with covered eyes, unable to see anything.

So much so that Xue Hongwen, with a large force, arrived at the border between Dingzhou and Tongxiang unnoticed, poised to unleash war at any moment.

The border defenses of the Ying dynasty are as fragile as paper, thanks to the chaos of their court's internal strife.

On the eve of Xue Hongwen's arrival, a secret letter also reached the hands of Xue Fuguang.

Xue Fuguang waited two days, and when the dispute in the Ying court reached its peak, and the youngest of the adult princes died, he released the news that Xue Hongwen was at the border with his troops, ready to start the war.

This news spread rapidly through all ears like a wildfire.

To give the rebels of the Ying dynasty a dose of reassurance, Xue Fuguang personally made an appearance to meet one of them.

The Chancellor of the Right of the Ying dynasty.

A high-ranking official, he held equal rank with the Chancellor of the Left.

He was also the protector of countless corrupt officials in the Ying dynasty.

Following him, and also present at the meeting, was a young man with a particularly familiar face.

Zhao Zhiyuan looked at Xue Fuguang in shock, his mouth agape in surprise, "Qu Mu, it's actually you?"

The Right Chancellor scolded in a low voice, "Impudent boy, show your respect and greet His Majesty properly!"

He bowed to Xue Fuguang, saying, "Your Majesty, please excuse my son's lack of manners. He's been unruly since childhood."

He played his part well, presenting himself as a subject in the presence of Xue Fuguang.

Xue Fuguang looked at Zhao Zhiyuan with a smile that was not quite a smile: "No matter, I have met young master Zhao before."

The Right Chancellor did not inquire further but looked at Xue Fuguang respectfully: "Had I known earlier that Your Majesty was within the imperial city of the Ying dynasty, I would have invited you to my residence much sooner to avoid any discomfort in this humble inn."

They were all masters of superficial pleasantries, with Xue Fuguang handling them with effortless ease, exchanging the usual courtesies.

Zhao Zhiyuan was still reeling from the surprise and couldn't collect himself.

He had not expected the new emperor of Yong to be so young, bold enough to appear so conspicuously within the imperial city, seemingly unafraid of walking into a trap.

Watching the sharp, yet subtly veiled exchanges between Xue Fuguang and his father, as cunning as old foxes, he was even more astonished.

There was no denying the stark contrast with the demeanor Xue Fuguang had previously displayed; yet, surprisingly, it didn't seem out of place. It was as if any guise was his true nature.

Zhao Zhiyuan stood quietly by the side, feeling that Xue Fuguang did not resemble an emperor, yet the aura he now exuded was undeniably regal, and he could think of no one but an emperor who could possess such a presence.

He did not display the pompous dignity typical of an emperor, and even seemed casually lazy. But it was precisely this demeanor, as if he were in his own palace, that gradually made the Right Chancellor put aside his excess thoughts and become more respectful.

Any underestimation due to youth was dissolved in just a few sentences.

Zhao Zhiyuan's gaze lingered on Xue Fuguang for a while, when suddenly he felt as if a gaze was brushing against his face.

Looking up, he suddenly realized that the person who had been addressed as his brother by Xue Fuguang was staring at him. The man had a pair of pitch-black eyes, looking utterly indifferent, especially when looking at him, it was almost frightening.

Zhao Zhiyuan didn't know why, but he dared not look at Xue Fuguang any longer, and he respectfully fixed his eyes on his father's robe.

In his mind, he speculated about the man's identity.

The conversation between Xue Fuguang and the Right Chancellor did not last long.

The longer he stayed here, the more likely it was to arouse the suspicions of the Ying emperor.

By now, the Right Chancellor had already shown his hand to the Ying emperor, having nothing left to fear.

But with Xue Fuguang still present, he didn't plan to let such a minor slip cause a complete failure.

After the Right Chancellor and Zhao Zhiyuan left, Xue Fuguang disappeared without a trace in the imperial city.

Everything and everyone he brought with him vanished as if into thin air.

On the frontier, Xue Hongwen truly ignited the flames of this war.

Perhaps it couldn't even be called a war.

On their journey here, the Kingdom of Ying had its gates wide open.

Any resistance met with swift orders, as defense plans were rapidly delivered into Xue Hongwen's hands, leading to their immediate collapse.

The imperial city of Ying was instantly filled with panic and fear.

The Emperor, in a daily fury in the court, was intent on purging the traitors in his midst, yet it was at this time his son showed him the meaning of a "succession struggle", also reminding him of the historic examples of patricide for the sake of power.

Another army of the Ying Dynasty was resisting the barbarians in the south, and now it was too late to retreat north for reinforcement.

It was possible that by the time of their encounter, the combined forces of Yong Country and the barbarians might crush Ying even more swiftly.

On the day Xue Hongwen reached the gates of the Ying imperial city, the Ying Emperor could never have dreamed that his vast and powerful kingdom could collapse so quickly.

There were clearly no signs beforehand.

Angry and unwilling, he nonetheless had no choice but to flee the imperial city, becoming a dog of a lost home.

Once he regrouped with the southern army, he would certainly return with a vengeance to reclaim his imperial city!

Xue Fuguang cared little for when he would come back to reclaim the city.

He held the advantages of timing, geographical position, and unity of his people.

Conquering a nation was never easy, but the insides of Ying were already hollowed out, strong on the outside but weak within. Moreover, he had the support of Mu Jian Shu.

As the leader of Ying's clandestine organization, with the most powerful intelligence network at his disposal, the information he controlled was enough for Xue Fuguang to accomplish countless feats. Such conditions were key to his successful conquest.

On the day the Ying imperial palace was emptied, Xue Hongwen stationed his large army in the city and met with Xue Fuguang.

Upon seeing Xue Fuguang safe and unharmed, Xue Hongwen visibly relaxed.

Xue Fuguang, on the other hand, smiled and said, "Brother, you've worked hard."

Xue Hongwen had fought his way here with unstoppable momentum. Though his forces suffered little loss, months of battling through wind and sleeplessness had left him gaunt and unkempt.

He was so concerned that, without a second thought for himself, he rushed to meet with Xue Fuguang to ensure his safety in the imperial city of Ying.

Xue Hongwen, a man of few words, shifted his gaze to Mu Jian Shu standing beside Xue Fuguang.

Mu Jian Shu had removed his mask, revealing his true face.

His features bore a striking, sharp resemblance to Xue Hongwen's, which at that moment seemed to carry a hint of confrontation.

Of course, Mu Jian Shu knew well who he was facing, so he kept his composure, despite Xue Hongwen's pointed attention.

Xue Hongwen spoke with a heavy voice, "Your relationship with him, Wan Xi has told me about it. She said you are very fond of him."

Xue Fuguang's eyes widened slightly at his words, then he understood that although Xue Wan Xi claimed she couldn't help him, she had actually managed to persuade Xue Hongwen first. A glimmer of mirth twinkled in his eyes, "Yes, brother, I am indeed very fond of him."

He was merely echoing Xue Hongwen’s words, yet there was a pronounced emphasis in his tone—a strong fondness. The stress was on "very."

A fondness so profound it necessitated a formal family introduction, bringing him forth to meet his family... Although he hadn't been introduced to Xue Hongwen and the Prince of Gong yet, according to Xue Wan Xi’s letter, once the matters of Ying were settled, that day would soon come.

Xue Hongwen had, of his own accord, expedited that day considerably.

His gaze was fixed on Xue Fuguang.

Xue Fuguang’s face was full of undisguised laughter, his eyes shining with hope, hoping Xue Hongwen would reciprocate the affection he felt.

Xue Hongwen's eyes softened gradually; he could never resist Xue Fuguang's hopeful gaze, it had been so since they were young.

Reaching out, he gently touched the top of Xue Fuguang's head, saying warmly, "As long as you’re happy, that’s all that matters. Your brother is here for you."

Whatever the consequences, Xue Hongwen would be there. Be it the outside world's rumors or other obstacles, even if much later Xue Fuguang’s affection for this man waned, longing for the way things were, Xue Hongwen would always have his back, supporting him against all resistance.

There was a certain indulgence in his attitude.

But isn't Xue Fuguang exceedingly handsome?

With a smile in his eyes, Xue Fuguang responded, "I know. Thank you, brother."

At this moment, Mu Jian Shu also spoke, his voice tense and somewhat stiff with nervousness, "Thank you, my lord." There was a hint of bewilderment in his eyes, stunned that Xue Hongwen could agree, allowing his secret affections to gradually surface and become openly acknowledged.

The change in Xue Hongwen’s expression was swift; the tender, indulgent look he gave Xue Fuguang was full of brotherly tolerance and affection.

In the very next moment, his gaze shifted to Mu Jian Shu, taking on an edge sharp enough to slice through wheat.

Mu Jian Shu felt none of this targeting, even attempting to muster a fraction of his affection for Xue Fu Guang to squeeze out a restrained smile for Xue Hong Wen.

Xue Hong Wen gave a cold glance and strode away.

Were he not so reticent, at this juncture he might have tossed a derisive snort at Mu Jian Shu before departing.

"Haha," Xue Fu Guang couldn't help but laugh aloud.

Mu Jian Shu finally sensed some of the responsibility of becoming part of their family, not just with Xue Fu Guang, but also with the entire Xue lineage, his voice stiff as he asked, “...Did I say something wrong?”

Xue Fu Guang, lips curled, found Mu Jian Shu's unexpectedly clumsy demeanor rather amusing, blinking as he said, “Think it over yourself.”

Mu Jian Shu hadn't figured it out yet, and the Emperor of Ying had yet to lead the southern armies in their advance.

Xue Fu Guang led his people into the imperial palace first, purging those left behind by the Emperor of Ying.

Xue Fu Guang became intrigued upon hearing about an old wet nurse who had been in the palace for over forty years and ordered her to be brought to him.

The wet nurse, who had entered the palace as a young girl and was now over fifty, approached Xue Fu Guang with a trembling, reverent kneel.

Xue Fu Guang commanded her to rise, "Rest assured, I will not kill you. You have been in this palace of Ying for many years; surely, you know its secrets better than most."

The old wet nurse understood decorum well, daring not to look around carelessly, and hurriedly responded, "Your Majesty, please ask."

The guards by Xue Fu Guang's side were Xue Hong Wen's personal soldiers. At this moment, Mu Jian Shu was not by Xue Fu Guang's side but was instead purging the Ying spies and reassigning those loyal to them, while cleaning out the rest.

Xue Fu Guang asked her, "Do you know whether the prince abandoned in the cold palace since childhood by the Emperor of Ying is dead or alive?"

The wet nurse hesitated, "Are you asking about... the fourth prince, or the eldest prince?"

Xue Fu Guang's sharp senses detected something amiss, "Didn't the queen mother's eldest son die young?"

The wet nurse shook her head, "Your Majesty is uninformed; it was the fourth prince, born of the queen's sister, who passed early. The emperor loathed him for his mother's status and actions. Hence, when the fourth prince fell severely ill at three, the emperor ordered the court physicians to abandon the mother and child, leading to the prince's death from sickness."

Xue Fu Guang was stunned, "Then, who grew up in the cold palace?"

The wet nurse said, "The legitimate eldest prince. Ever since he was sent to the cold palace, this old servant has not seen him for many years, and I do not know whether the eldest prince survived there... Perhaps, he too has perished."

Xue Fu Guang's complexion turned visibly worse, his voice lowered, "How could the legitimate eldest prince be sent to the cold palace? If my memory serves me right, his mother, the former queen, grew up with the Emperor of Ying, and it was with the Quan family's support that he ascended the throne. Even after the former queen's death and the decline of the Quan family, his noble status was unalterable. How did he end up alone in the cold palace?"

The old nanny couldn't help but lift her head in surprise and looked at Xue Fuguang, upon seeing his youthful appearance, she spoke respectfully: "Your Majesty is young and thus not well-informed about matters from over twenty years ago. The rightful heir was doomed because of his identity as the son of the Quan family's daughter. And to my knowledge, the previous Empress did not pass away from illness. After her death, the once powerful Quan family began to decline, and with the new Empress's entrance into the palace, their fall accelerated. Later, when the Fourth Prince died young, rumors of the rightful heir's death spread through the palace. However, as a servant close to the previous Empress, I had seen the elder prince and personally witnessed him being taken to the cold palace; I could never mistake him for another."

Indeed, the rightful heir was just over a year older than the Fourth Prince. The previous Empress passed away shortly after giving birth to the rightful heir. With just a year's difference, swapping two children and killing those privy to this affair would be enough to deceive the heavens and conceal the truth.

A flicker of bewilderment touched the countenance of Xue Fuguang.

His mind raced, piecing together the old nanny's words into a coherent narrative of the events from over twenty years ago.

The Emperor of Ying needed support to ascend the throne, and at that time, the Quan family's renown was unparalleled in the entire dynasty; their involvement in a succession struggle could tip the scales decisively.

As the legitimate daughter of the Quan family, the former Empress boasted an illustrious status. Raised among princes and nobility, wasn't she childhood friends with them all? Clearly, the Emperor of Ying had capitalized on this advantage. He won the former Empress's affection, and with one stroke, he secured the allegiance of the entire Quan family.

Subsequently, he ascended the throne without a hitch, and the former Empress bore him his firstborn legitimate son.

Had fate not intervened, this child would have assumed the role of Crown Prince, backed by the most powerful maternal family, boasting the most distinguished lineage, his claim to the throne beyond dispute.

But how could the Emperor of Ying be content? He harbored the same concerns as the former Emperor Jingguo. Unwilling to see his subjects so imperious, his son more noble than himself, and loath to remain beholden to mere vassals despite being sovereign.

What he had once coveted with all his heart had turned into his greatest aversion.

He first orchestrated the demise of the isolated Empress within the palace walls, publicly declaring it a natural death. Then he took control of the infant, using him to dismantle the Quan family, causing the once-mighty house to decline precipitously within a few years, vanishing from public view.

When he finally consolidated all power within his grasp, with the authority to manipulate anyone and choose his heir at will, his firstborn son became an inconvenient presence.

With a heart intent on mocking and devaluing the bloodline of the Quan family, he concealed the child's true identity under the guise of the deceased and tainted Fourth Prince, relegating him to the cold palace. To the world, he announced the death of his firstborn and donned the mask of a bereaved father.

Perhaps deeming that insufficient, he then extracted the child from the cold palace and cast him into the brutal training of the Shadow Guard, where the boy had to fight relentlessly to survive. He was subjected to every conceivable hardship, spending nights in fear that someone might plunge a knife into his heart as he slept, growing up with such terror ever-present. In this way, the emperor could vicariously savor the downfall of the Quan family through the sufferings of a child of their lineage, crushed and mired in agony.

Instead of perishing, the child grew stronger with each passing day. Thus, the Emperor of Ying altered his approach, extracting him from the Shadow Guard and assigning him control of covert operatives, sending him to assassinate the crown prince of a rival nation.

Should the child die in enemy territory, the emperor would relish the extinction of the bloodline that the Quan family so desperately sought to protect.

If the child survived and succeeded in his assassination, the emperor would use him like a hound, commanding him to charge into battle, to continue undertaking the most perilous tasks, always skirting the edge of death.

Alive or dead, the child was merely a pawn in the hands of the Emperor of Ying, to be manipulated and disposed of at will, a testament to the emperor’s unbridled control.

This could well explain the emperor's obsession with dispatching waves of Shadow Guards to seek out Mu Jian Shu, making more sense than a mere betrayal by a spy leader.

Suddenly, Xue Fuguang was overcome by a suffocating wave of rage and anguish.

All of this is merely his speculation, but the truth is probably not far off.

Mu Jian Shu is the legitimate eldest prince, the scion most valued by the Quan family, the prince who by rights should have the most distinguished status in the Ying dynasty.

Yet he was mired in the mud, feeling so lowly that he deemed himself unworthy of Xue Fu Guang.

His plight might have been worse than Xue Fu Guang surmised, given that the latter had never undergone the so-called Shadow Guard training and knew only of the soldiers' drills on the battlefield. His sole knowledge came from the few fragmented sentences he happened to hear from Mu Jian Shu.

Perhaps his experiences were better than what Xue Fu Guang imagined, but they were not much to speak of.

In the previous life, Mu Jian Shu died, didn’t he?

His end was tragic; as the greatest villain, he perished at the hands of Xiu Jin and the Crown Prince, with his corpse left unclaimed, gnawed upon by beasts and birds, his body clean, without even a grave to conceal it.

Xue Fu Guang clutched at his chest, feeling breathless, and lowered his eyes to hide the bloodshot tendrils.

But his mouth slowly twisted into a smile: "Really? Have you seen the eldest prince as a child?"

It was probably Xue Fu Guang’s gentleness that relaxed the old nanny, prompting her to realize his level of interest in the matter. She said, "Indeed, the late Empress was the foremost beauty of the Imperial City back then; all who saw her were captivated. The eldest prince greatly resembles the late Empress. If he had been well and grown up, he would surely have... shared the remarkable appearance of His Majesty.” The old nanny pondered this description, and after some thought, used Xue Fu Guang as a reference.

She did so with the intent of lightly flattering Xue Fu Guang.

Xue Fu Guang, holding his forehead, took a breath, inhaled the biting, cool air, and laughed, "You’re right."

He is indeed very handsome.

Xue Fu Guang stood up and said to the old nanny, "Go with this soldier. Don't worry, he will take good care of you."

The old nanny immediately expressed her sincere gratitude with a deep bow.

Xue Fu Guang had the other palace attendants take charge and went to the cold palace the old nanny had mentioned.

It was a place where Mu Jian Shu had once spent some time.

Inside, wild grass stretched far and wide, a desolate no man's land. The grass grew taller than a person, and perhaps in a few more years, it might even surpass the palace walls in height.

This imperial palace had been thoroughly cleansed, bearing no trace of the former Empress of the Quan family, nor of the young child from before.

Xue Fu Guang turned and left, coldly saying, "Leave the palace."

He ordered, "Inventory the palace treasures and record them. Then, take down the palace walls."

The soldier responded, "Yes." Now that His Majesty has unified the two nations, a single capital city and imperial palace suffice; this palace is indeed superfluous.

Xue Fu Guang had wanted to visit the former Quan residence, but upon learning that it had been refurbished and occupied by other officials for many years, he decided against it.

It would be better to seek out Mu Jian Shu.

……

Mu Jian Shu was in the midst of killing.

Among those people were many he had grown up with since childhood.

But Mu Jian Shu felt no sentiment towards them.

They were less companions of his youth and more rivals vying for a chance at life, always on guard against a stab in the back from the other.

Upon seeing Mu Jian Shu, each of those people howled accusations of treason and betrayal against the emperor.

Mu Jian Shu, with eyes downcast and an indifferent chill, let his long sword lightly drop. Blood splattered, and heads rolled to the side, silencing the clamor of voices.

As he was about to behead another captive, Mu Jian Shu caught sight of someone. The cold in his eyes dissolved instantly, replaced by bewilderment and disarray, "Master, why are you…"

Xue Fu Guang stood too close, and a few droplets of bright red blood splattered on his face.

Mu Jian Shu stepped forward, intending to wipe the blood from Xue Fu Guang’s face, but upon raising his hand, he realized it was covered in blood and had to abstain.

This only intensified the sense of helplessness in his demeanor.

Mu Jian Shu didn’t quite like Xue Fu Guang witnessing him kill, nor did he like Xue Fu Guang to be stained with blood.

If it could be avoided, it should; one person covered in blood was enough, Xue Fu Guang should stay clean.

He completely disregarded that some of these deaths had been orchestrated by Xue Fu Guang himself. The blood on Xue Fu Guang’s hands, invisible as it might be, could perhaps outnumber his own.

Xue Fu Guang thought, what's there to be flustered about?

In the eyes of others, Mu Jian Shu was a cold, decisive leader who, even when trampled into the mud, climbed his way up to a position of power step by step, becoming the "Lord" spoken of by many.

He shouldn't feel inferior, nor should he appear so abject in front of Xue Fu Guang as if he had sullied him.

Xue Fu Guang felt that suffocating pain envelop him once again.

The Emperor of Ying Dynasty had succeeded to some extent. He had crushed Mu Jian Shu’s dignity in front of those he cherished; he had succeeded in making Mu Jian Shu truly believe himself to be as lowly as dirt.

Xue Fu Guang’s eyes suddenly reddened, and taking Mu Jian Shu’s hand, he wiped it across his own face, whispering with a smile, "I've just come to realize something. Would you like to hear it?"

Mu Jian Shu, still holding the knife in his bloodstained hand, softened his expression remarkably, "Hmm, I would like to hear it."

Author’s note: Save me, this writing brought me to tears! Our little Mu is truly so pitiable, sob sob sob, how did it come to this!

A big thank you to the little angels who cast their Kingly vote or nourished me with their nutrient solutions from 2021-12-25 23:59:32 to 2021-12-26 22:43:28~

Thank you to the little angels who nourished with nutrient solutions: Bian Cheng Lang Miao, Bao Bao 1 bottle;

I am deeply grateful for everyone’s support, I will continue to work hard!