Chapter 368: Do You Believe Your Own Words?

Chapter 368: Do You Believe Your Own Words?

The Empress left with an unhappy expression and, upon seeing the nonchalant Xiao Yuming standing there, she clenched her teeth in anger. Without Xiao Huai's interference, the Third Prince would have been the definite successor.

Xiao Yuming felt the Empress's hatred towards him and grinned back at her with bared teeth. What could her hatred do? If she had the ability, she should try to kill him!

The Empress clenched her fists tightly and walked away with her head held high and a proud stride. Xiao Yuming continued to stand casually in the corridor.

Inside the Emperor's sleeping quarters, Consort Liang was massaging the Emperor's head, her face full of sympathy as she spoke, "I'm not afraid of Duke Dingguo's retaliation. From now on, I'll stay here to serve you. I worry about you being alone here; it keeps me awake all night."

The Emperor patted her arm, sighing, "I appreciate your feelings for me, but for now, do not confront Xiao Huai directly. Let's wait until I have resolved everything."

"It's just that I feel aggrieved for Your Majesty, sob sob sob..."

Consort Liang began to cry, and upon hearing her words, the Emperor also felt a profound sense of grievance, his eyes reddening once more, "I am the sovereign of this nation; there's no place for grievances. For the sake of Da Qi, I can endure."

Consort Liang dabbed at her tears with a handkerchief when Jiao Kangsheng hurried in, bowing as he said, "Your Majesty, Duke Dingguo has arrived."

The Emperor straightened up, summoning his spirit, and said to Consort Liang, "My dear, please return to your quarters."

Consort Liang nodded, and as she untied the forehead cloth from the Emperor's head, she said, "Your Majesty, you are the ruler of this nation, and he is your subject. When the king commands, the subject must obey even unto death."

The Emperor glanced at the handkerchief in her hand and nodded, "I am aware, you may go back now."

Consort Liang rose to leave and at the doorway, she spotted Xiao Huai standing there. She looked down her nose at Xiao Huai and remarked, "Duke Dingguo seems to be growing more and more imposing."

Xiao Huai gave her a faint glance, "The Consort's act becomes ever more convincing."

A slight change flickered across Consort Liang's face before she huffed and turned to leave. Xiao Huai's expression remained unchanged as he stepped into the sleeping quarters, walked over to the Emperor's bedside, and without a bow, pulled up a chair to sit down.

"Xiao Huai, you are audacious," the Emperor, although aware of his vulnerable position, still felt a surge of rage at Xiao Huai's blatant disregard.

Xiao Huai lowered his gaze to straighten his robe and said, "I have done deeds far bolder, this is trivial in comparison."

"You... you traitor..."

"Your Majesty, perhaps some tea would be good for you."

At this moment, Jiao Kangsheng approached, placing a cup of tea in the Emperor's hand. The Emperor took a deep breath, sipped the tea, then handed the cup back to Jiao Kangsheng, who after receiving the cup, bowed to both the Emperor and Xiao Huai before leaving.

"What does Your Majesty wish to discuss with me?" Xiao Huai inquired.

The Emperor closed his eyes briefly, suppressing the irritation in his heart, then asked, "When will you withdraw the troops?"

Xiao Huai looked at him with a smile, "What do you think?"

The Emperor clenched his fists, "I grant you an imperial amnesty, ensuring the prosperity and honor of your Xiao family."

"If my father and I were not fighting on the battlefield, my Xiao family would naturally continue to prosper," Xiao Huai stated.

The Emperor was momentarily speechless, after a while, he managed to say, "I acknowledge the meritorious service you and your father have rendered to the great Qian dynasty."

"And how exactly do you treat a subject who has rendered such service?" Xiao Huai asked.

The Emperor fell silent, and after a pause, he continued, "I realize I have made some mistakes in the past and will strive to make amends. You wish to have Xiao Qi succeed my throne, do you not? I agree."

Xiao Huai looked at him with a half-smile, "You wouldn't grant the throne to Prince Kang, or to your foolish third son, would you? If the Li dynasty were to fall because of him, how would you explain yourself to our ancestors after your death?"

The Emperor: "........."

"As the ruler of a nation, you don't even understand the principle that certain advantages cannot be monopolized by a single person. That the Li dynasty hasn't been ruined under your reign is a stroke of luck," Xiao Huai continued.

"Cough, cough, cough..."

The Emperor coughed, and Jiao Kangsheng, who stood guard at the door, made to attend to him, but halted at a glance from Xiao Huai.

"You... cough cough... what exactly do you want?" the Emperor asked Xiao Huai, eyes bloodshot.

Xiao Huai looked at him indifferently and said, "Draft an edict of self-admission of guilt, and abdicate yourself."

"Don't even dream of it," the Emperor said, trembling, pointing at Xiao Huai, "I am already like this, can't you let me be? I thought about killing you, but I haven't killed you, have I?"

"It's because you couldn't kill me," Xiao Huai stood up, stepped forward, and leaning in, he said to the Emperor, "The sins you've committed aren't limited to merely wanting my life. How did your sixth brother, the Carefree King, die?"

The Emperor's eyes widened in horror as he looked at Xiao Huai, "You... you're spouting nonsense. I didn't kill my brother; he died from falling off a cliff. You are slandering me."

"Do you believe that yourself?" Xiao Huai countered.

Xiao Huai's gaze was fixed on him, frightening him into involuntarily shrinking back.

Xiao Huai continued, "Even if you believe it yourself, would the former Emperor believe you? What were the exact terms of the former Emperor's will? How were you instructed to treat the Carefree King? Li Chengyi, do you truly feel no guilt?"

"How... how do you know of the former Emperor's will?" The Emperor looked at Xiao Huai in terror, realizing he had spoken out of turn.

The Emperor, pointing at Xiao Huai and shouting, said, "You are spitting blood. I did not kill my brother. Our brotherly love was deep. After his death, I cared for his mother, and I even adopted my own sons to him."

"My brother and I shared a deep affection. I never killed him; I didn't kill him..."

As he spoke, the Emperor's voice grew fainter, and he eventually started crying, "Was it not enough that I merely harbored thoughts of killing you? I've already said I would grant you an imperial amnesty. Why can't you let this go? Your father and the former Emperor were like brothers as they fought for this empire. How will you answer to your father, to the former Emperor?"

Xiao Huai was not inclined to indulge him further, taking a step back, he stated, "My demand stands. Draft an edict of self-admission of guilt and abdicate. Otherwise, I will expose your misdeeds to the public and depose you myself."

"By what right do you depose me?" the Emperor suddenly regained his vigor, pointing at Xiao Huai, he said, "How can a mere subject depose me? You are a treacherous official, Xiao Huai, a traitor indeed."

Xiao Huai looked at him coldly for a moment and said, "Consider for yourself what choice you ought to make."

After speaking, he turned and walked away. The Emperor rose from his bed, pointing at Xiao Huai's retreating figure and cursed loudly, "Xiao Huai, you are a rebel! I will have you executed, I will have you killed..."

Xiao Huai seemed not to have heard his words, continuing on without stopping. The emperor watched his retreating figure disappear, then collapsed to the ground and burst into tears once again.