Chapter 59: I Am Qingu, The Youngest Son of Marquis Dingbei

Chapter 59: I Am Qingu, The Youngest Son of Marquis Dingbei

When Hai Changqing arrived at the Ministry of Justice, he was already beyond recognition.

His skin, seared and swollen from the application of hot chili oil on his wounds, had turned a ghastly white, with underlying tissues engorged with blood, giving his skin an eerie red tinge.

His entire body had swollen to four or five times its original size, the flesh stretched to its limits as if the blood and flesh were desperate to burst through the skin.

The Ministry of Justice was no stranger to the use of severe punishment in interrogations, but this was the first time they had seen someone treated so brutally that their humanity was stripped away.

Witnessing this, many retreated to the corners to vomit.

Even the interrogator of the Ministry of Justice dared not look at Hai Changqing, as if one glance would haunt them with nightmares.

That rogue Shang Rongyu indeed had a violent nature, employing such cruel methods to torment people that it was shocking.

Perhaps due to unbearable pain and a desire for death, Hai Changqing confessed to plotting against the Crown Prince without hesitation.

He knew that his confession was now irrelevant; Shang Rongyu had forced him to sign a confession, leaving him with no chance of retracting it. Rather than endure further suffering, he might as well take all the blame upon himself. As long as he did not implicate the Second Prince, his entire clan would remain safe. For him, death would be a release.

Upon receiving his confession, the Ministry of Justice ordered strict surveillance over Hai Changqing, fearful that he might die under their watch, complicating matters.

On the morning of the third day, the Ministry of Justice handed over Hai Changqing to the Censorate, who brought him to the interrogation hall only for him to draw his last breath.

The Minister of Justice tried to shirk responsibility, "He was already in bad shape when he arrived at the Ministry of Justice; this has nothing to do with me."

Having served as Minister for over a decade, he had seen countless cases of severe punishment, but never before had he witnessed such brutality.

The Censor of the Censorate frowned deeply, knowing that with the man dead under his watch, he would have a hard time explaining himself.

Shang Rongyu entered to find the two men with somber expressions, whispering to each other.

He handed the confession of Hai Changqing to the Censor of the Censorate, saying, "I received word this morning that Hai Changqing passed away early in the morning. He had already confessed at the Royal Clan Temple and the Ministry of Justice. Now that he is dead, there is nothing left to interrogate. Please review this confession carefully. If you have no objections, sign the case document for the joint trial by the three departments, and we can share the credit equally."

Only then did the Censor of the Censorate and the Minister of Justice realize they had been duped.

What credit? This was a ploy to make them shoulder the blame.

Shang Rongyu had used his power to kill Hai Changqing, and now they were implicated. While Shang Rongyu had inflicted the most severe torture, the Ministry of Justice had also applied some punishment, making them equally culpable. With the man dying under the watch of the Censor of the Censorate, even if they had nine mouths, they could not explain themselves clearly.

If they reported the truth to the Emperor, at best, they would lose their positions; at worst, they would lose their lives.

They were now inescapably implicated, and could only follow Shang Rongyu's lead.

Moreover, they knew nothing about the dark forces involved in this case. By pinning the blame on one person and closing the case quickly, everyone would be relieved. Over the years, Hai Changqing had not hesitated to use various means to harm loyal officials of the court, and his death could be considered just.

After some thought, the Censor of the Censorate and the Minister of Justice signed the document.

Shang Rongyu smiled, "There are three copies of the document. If you have no objections, the Censor of the Censorate should draft a memorial to submit to the Emperor, concluding this case."

The Censor of the Censorate nodded, "That seems reasonable."

Leaving the Royal Clan Temple, Shang Rongyu was in high spirits.

The Emperor had ordered a joint trial by the three departments to prevent any one party from abusing their power. The Censor of the Censorate was a stubborn old man, while the Minister of Justice was unyielding. Coupled with him, a troublemaker, none of them were easy to deal with, creating a balance of power where no one could act unscrupulously in this case, falsely accusing officials or eliminating rivals.

Since the Emperor had ordered a joint trial by the three departments, it was to utilize their checks and balances to uncover the murderer of the Crown Prince.

Therefore, the final result presented by the three departments would certainly be believed by the Emperor.

Hai Changqing's confession would inevitably implicate the Second Prince.

Even if the Emperor did not believe the three departments, he would still harbor doubts when he next saw the Second Prince.

With such a suspicious nature, what did it matter whether the Second Prince had done anything or not? As long as the Emperor doubted him, innocence would be as good as guilt.

The steps outside the Royal Clan Temple were unusually numerous, and Shang Rongyu descended them step by step until he encountered the Second Prince, Shang Zhi, at the bottom.

Shang Zhi raised his eyes, his gaze heavy as he met Shang Rongyu's, "I heard that the Heir has been working tirelessly these past few days, arriving at the Royal Clan Temple before dawn every day to handle cases and returning to the palace late at night. The Heir has always been carefree and unrestrained, why are you so concerned about this case?"

Shang Rongyu smiled, "How could I not be concerned? I feared someone else would get to him before me. What's this? The Third Prince is only now coming to the Royal Clan Temple to clean up? Isn't it too late? That 'chili oil braised human meat' is already cold. If you had come earlier, you might have caught it while it was still warm."

Shang Zhi was startled by the phrase "chili oil braised human meat" and questioned Shang Rongyu sternly, "What exactly are you trying to do?"

Shang Rongyu's methods were indeed crude, but they usually involved breaking limbs, extracting bones, and peeling skin. His use of torture was as ruthless as others', swift and decisive.

When had he ever thought of using such a cruel method to kill an official of the court, torturing him to death slowly?

Moreover, Shang Rongyu and Hai Changqing had no grudges or enmity between them. Why go to such lengths?

This method reminded him of one person.

The remaining scion of the Qing family, yet to be captured.

Shang Rongyu chuckled, "Such a smart person asking such a foolish question. It was you who made the first move against my people. If it weren't for you, my Heir Consort..."

Shang Zhi countered, "The miscarriage of the Heir Consort had nothing to do with this Prince. She was already weak that day; are you going to blame this Prince for that as well?"

Shang Rongyu sneered, "Whether it has anything to do with you, the Second Prince knows full well. If you hadn't deliberately targeted and troubled my Heir Consort, she wouldn't have miscarried."

Shang Zhi said coldly, "So, the Heir is determined to oppose this Prince?"

Shang Rongyu replied, "It sounds like we've fought side by side before."

Shang Rongyu laughed, shook his head, and walked away.

Shang Zhi turned around, watching Shang Rongyu's retreating figure with a cold eye.

The most pressing issue now was not the remaining scion of the Qing family, but Shang Rongyu.

With the Crown Prince now deceased, he was the only candidate for the throne, and the Emperor would undoubtedly choose him. At this critical juncture, they couldn't afford any mishaps.

Thus, Shang Rongyu had to be eliminated.

Situ Feng approached, "Your Highness, Hai Changqing is dead. Should we still proceed inside?"

Shang Zhi replied, "Whether we enter or not holds no significance. Shang Rongyu isn't one to be underestimated; if Hai Changqing is dead, it means he's already obtained his confession. Trying to make the Chief Censor retract his statement is out of the question."

Situ Feng anxiously said, "But if Hai Changqing confessed and signed the confession, in the Emperor's eyes, Your Highness will never be cleared of suspicion. Isn't that too unjust for Your Highness? Shang Rongyu's move is truly malicious."

Shang Zhi softly chuckled, "Then we'll give him a taste of his own medicine. At this moment, we mustn't shake the Emperor's resolve regarding me."

Situ Feng was puzzled.

Shang Zhi explained, "We've been nurturing our troops for a thousand days, and now is the time to use them. We've given Consort Liu so many benefits; it's about time she shows some sincerity."

==

The day the Crown Prince was buried in the Imperial Mausoleum was the Winter Solstice. The weather was gloomy, with large snowflakes drifting down from the sky.

Chun'er delivered clothes early in the morning. The undergarments were thick winter robes, but the outer garment was a very thin white mourning robe.

As it was inappropriate to apply makeup today, he merely dabbed some ink on himself, giving him a healthier appearance.

Ran Qinggu sometimes found fate to be quite ironic.

His entire family had died tragically, yet he hadn't worn mourning attire for his father, brothers, and mother. Now, as an executioner, he was donning a white hairpin and a plain white mourning robe to pay respects at the grave.

Shang Rongyu carefully placed the white hairpin on Ran Qinggu's head, smiling, "It looks beautiful."

Chun'er was secretly startled.

It was the first time she saw someone place a hairpin directly above their forehead. The Heir's sense of aesthetics was truly indescribable.

Ran Qinggu removed it, "Stop fooling around. If we miss the timing, neither of us can bear the consequences. With the King absent, you're the head of the household. At least try to look serious."

King Cheng had led his troops to suppress banditry in the southern regions before the Winter Solstice and hadn't returned to the capital. Therefore, Shang Rongyu had to represent Cheng Wang Palace, leading everyone to the Imperial Mausoleum to mourn the Crown Prince.

And this head of the household clearly didn't take the national mourning seriously.

Shang Rongyu held Ran Qinggu's hand, smiling, "What's un-serious about me? Governing the family, state, and world—shouldn't the first principle be governing the family? Why are your hands so cold?"

Feeling Ran Qinggu's icy hands, he questioned Chun'er, "Didn't I tell you to have the Heir Consort wear more winter clothing? How could he be so cold now?"

Chun'er hastily replied, "Heir, I don't know. The Heir Consort wore six or seven layers of winter clothing."

Ran Qinggu smiled, "Heir, I'm fine. I'm particularly sensitive to the cold during winter. Fortunately, the Crown Prince's burial won't take long, and we'll return soon."

In a heavy snowstorm, he had once suffered severe bodily damage, with bones and tendons broken. As a result, every bone in his body ached faintly during winter or damp weather.

The Crown Prince's interment, observed by the Imperial Astronomer, was scheduled for the last hour of the day, so they would only spend two to three hours at the mausoleum.

Shang Rongyu took a cloak from the table and draped it over Ran Qinggu, "Keep it on until we reach the mausoleum. It's freezing outside."

Ran Qinggu nodded.

Three or four carriages were parked at the entrance of the palace, with snow falling heavily and the ground frozen.

Shang Pianfeng angrily kicked the carriage tracks, impatiently shouting, "Truly lacking decorum. It's one thing to skip morning court sessions for sleeping in, with Father covering for him. But now that Father is suppressing bandits, he's indulging in pleasures. What if there's a mishap during the mourning of the Crown Prince? If the Emperor punishes him, can he bear the responsibility? Don't let him drag all of us down, including Father..."

He couldn't understand why Father doted on such a good-for-nothing wastrel?

Clearly, he was more ambitious and filial than Shang Rongyu.

Second Sister-in-law Su Xibai rolled her eyes, "Enough talk. He's the legitimate son; how can we, the illegitimate ones, compare? On this snowy day, the entire palace is waiting for the couple. Who knows if they've even woken up yet?"

Jian Zuihuan's face darkened, "If you can't wait, go ahead and mourn. No one is stopping you."

Liu Xuemo feigned a smile, "Children speak without restraint. Why should the Princess Consort be angry?"

With the King absent, the Heir was the head of the household. If the head of the household wasn't present and they, the illegitimate branch, went ahead, wouldn't it be a laughingstock among the officials of the capital?

Jian Zuihuan calmly said, "Consort, you've been married to the King for several years. Born into a prestigious family, you should understand the hierarchy between legitimate and illegitimate. Since you're illegitimate, you should abide by your role. If you continue to speak without restraint, is it unintentional or deliberate?"

Liu Xuemo turned red from embarrassment, nodding, "Princess Consort, you're right!"

"Mother, you did nothing wrong. Why should she lecture you?" Shang Pianfeng shielded Liu Xuemo behind him, challenging, "Princess Consort, I didn't say anything wrong. The Heir is indeed incorrigible. Everyone has been waiting for him while he indulges in pleasures. You shouldn't scold my mother but rather educate the Heir properly so he doesn't cause trouble for our palace again."

"Second Brother, are you here to mourn the Crown Prince or to rush to be a filial son?" Shang Rongyu walked over, holding Ran Qinggu's hand.

Shang Pianfeng angrily pointed at Shang Rongyu, "You..."

Shang Rongyu glared sharply at Shang Pianfeng, "Why are you more anxious than if your own father died? Do you really think being the Crown Prince's filial son makes you the Imperial Grandson?"

Shang Pianfeng felt uneasy under the glare and was flushed with anger from Shang Rongyu's words.

This rascal had always been disrespectful and defied conventions, spouting unspeakable words.

He truly wondered why Father cherished such a thing as a treasure?

Ran Qinggu squeezed Shang Rongyu's hand.

Shang Rongyu looked back at Ran Qinggu, patted his hand, signaling that he understood.

Ran Qinggu was telling him that his second brother was acting strange.

Even if it was an act, Shang Pianfeng would usually put on a show of brotherly affection for King Cheng and outsiders.

But now, Shang Pianfeng was openly displaying his true colors.

In short, it was the triumph of a petty person.

But the question was, where did the "ambition" of the small-minded lie?

==

When the Wangfu's entourage arrived at the imperial mausoleum, there were many officials and their families outside, all dressed in mourning clothes, their faces filled with sorrow, each one looking as if they had lost their own mother.

White paper money was scattered into the air, falling together with the snowflakes, swirling and dancing, making it impossible to distinguish whether they were paper money or heavy snow.

The fog was so thick it could not be dispersed, Emperor Xianyuan aged more than a decade overnight. He was sickly pale, his steps unsteady, supported by an old eunuch.

The Crown Prince's Empress and his concubines knelt on both sides of the coffin, weeping until their livers and intestines were torn apart.

Shang Rongyu supported the Wangfei, Ran Qinggu and Consort Liu followed closely behind, walking up to the altar where the coffin rested. Palace attendants immediately presented several incense sticks.

The Wangfu's party accepted them and bowed three times before the coffin.

The palace attendants took the incense and inserted them into the incense burner beside the coffin.

The snow fell heavily, the cold wind howled fiercely, swirling up the snowflakes in a frenzy. The incense burned very quickly, and before long, the incense ashes in the burner were full.

Ran Qinggu's lips turned white from the cold, he sneezed softly, sniffing his frozen red nose.

Shang Rongyu reached out, tightly grasping Ran Qinggu's hand, pulling him closer to himself.

At this moment, the northwest wind blew, Shang Rongyu stood in the northwest direction of Ran Qinggu, blocking part of the howling cold wind.

A warmth spread through Ran Qinggu's palm.

Shang Yuzhou turned around, only to see a pair of beautiful people huddled together and hands tightly clasped in the midst of the flying snow.

This snowfall was heavy, yet ironic.

When his mother died, it was such a heavy snowfall.

When he met Ran Qinggu, it was also such a heavy snowfall.

Now, when he saw Ran Qinggu's face, calm and happy, huddled with another person, it was still such a heavy snowfall.

He hated this expanse of white, and he hated this cold.

As if he was the only one in the world who felt so cold, as if only his world was ravaged like this dark sky.

In the past, he had someone to accompany him, that person by his side, though he was lonely, he wasn't truly alone. Though he was cold, someone was there to share the cold with him.

It was as if as long as that person was there, he feared nothing, he dared to brave any fire or sea of swords.

The two of them were like companions walking through the night, trudging through the snow-covered sky, with no ancient travelers ahead and no future ones behind.

He once thought that this person would accompany him until the end of time.

However, he was just a companion for the night, while Shang Rongyu was the light.

He abandoned him, seeking his own light.

Shang Yuzhou watched quietly, in the misty fog, under the snowflakes, Ran Qinggu's expression was so gentle, no longer icy like the silent snow.

But he should have been accompanying him.

The funeral horns had already sounded, the Master of the Astronomical Bureau raised his whisk and shouted forcefully: "Arise."

Shang Jue's coffin was lifted by the palace attendants, the paper money was thrown into the sky, and the snow fell even harder.

The Crown Prince's Empress and concubines cried uncontrollably.

After the Crown Prince's burial, the concubines of the Eastern Palace would be sent to a nunnery outside the city, spending the rest of their lives there. They said they were crying for the Crown Prince, but more so for their own remaining years, after all, in the prime of their youth, their remaining years would only be spent with the sound of morning and evening bells, the light of an oil lamp, and the image of an ancient Buddha.

And the Crown Prince's catamites were all killed by Emperor Xianyuan.

Shang Qianxian looked tearfully at the coffin being carried into the imperial mausoleum, covering his mouth, coughing in the icy wilderness.

Ever since Shang Jue's death, his body had deteriorated rapidly.

Shang Zhi handed over a handkerchief, respectfully saying, "Your Majesty, take care of your health, Eldest Brother wouldn't want to see you so heartbroken for him."

The handkerchief was a cotton handkerchief, warmed in his bosom, he held it out, full of hope waiting for Shang Qianxian to take it.

Shang Qianxian didn't take it, he just looked at Shang Zhi indifferently.

He couldn't say whether it was disappointment, or disgust, or perhaps expectation.

He had high hopes for the Crown Prince, hoping that the Crown Prince would act decisively, but the Crown Prince failed to do so, and his favorite second son succeeded.

The warm handkerchief was soon soaked through by the heavy snow, turning icy cold.

Shang Zhi took the umbrella held by the eunuch, saying, "Father, your health is poor, please don't..."

Shang Qianxian spoke calmly, "Jue-er has already gone mad, why are you in such a hurry to destroy him?"

Shang Zhi was taken aback, as if he had already understood something, laughing self-mockingly, "Indeed, in Father's eyes, your son is indeed so wicked, wicked enough to not spare even his own eldest brother... Ever since the Censor-in-Chief submitted a memorial to Your Majesty, your son has been hoping, hoping that Father would believe your son, hoping that Father would not suspect your son... As long as you gave your son even a sliver of trust, your son would be willing to do anything for you... But you didn't, you suspected your son, shutting the door and refusing to see me."

The umbrella in Shang Zhi's hand fell to the ground, rolling around in the snow: "Ever since childhood, as long as it was something Father liked, your son would strive to do it. You liked outstanding sons, so your son would stay up all night, diligently practicing. You wanted brotherly love and respect, so your son would always yield to the Crown Prince, putting him first in everything. If you wanted someone dead, your son would spare no effort to present their head to you... All these years, in which way am I not better than the Crown Prince? Why do you always focus your attention on him, never considering your son? I share the same womb with him, I'm so much stronger than him."

Shang Qianxian looked up at the heavens and laughed, the heavy snowflakes falling, larger than the paper money.

Like a sacrifice, and like a joke.

The feng shui of the imperial family was really bad, he had killed all his brothers to ascend to the throne, betrayed his closest friend, and now it was his sons' turn.

The heavy snow continued to fall, everyone was silent.

Suddenly, Shang Pianfeng stepped out of line, kneeling before the dais, shouting loudly, "Your Majesty, the Crown Prince died unjustly, please bring the true murderer to justice."

Shang Qianxian looked down at Shang Pianfeng on the steps with eyes as cold and merciless as the bone-chilling wind: "What makes you say that the true culprit is him?"

Shang Pianfeng pointed at Shang Rongyu: "It was the Heir who murdered the Crown Prince."

At these words, the crowd erupted in an uproar.

Shang Rongyu remained composed, calmly stepping forward from the ranks, lifting his robe to kneel before the Emperor: "Your Majesty, your humble servant has been wronged."

Was this the "ambition" of Shang Pianfeng, the small man triumphant?

It seemed he had long conspired with the Second Prince to frame him.

The Second Prince, seeking to restore his standing in the Emperor's heart, would certainly need a scapegoat.

"Do you claim to be wronged?" Shang Pianfeng sneered. "The Crown Prince humiliated the Heir's Consort at Zhongming Temple using ten old and infirm beggars, nearly killing the Princess in the process. You adore the Heir's Consort with your life, so naturally, you harbored resentment. Thus, you bribed someone from the Royal Clan Temple to secretly inform the Crown Prince that abstaining from food would make him thinner, and the Emperor would praise him for it. That's why the Crown Prince starved himself to death without eating or drinking."

Shang Rongyu asked calmly: "Who was that person?"

Shang Pianfeng clenched his teeth resolutely: "Lord Hai. I saw Lord Hai in civilian clothes conversing with you at the back gate of the estate. After his fall from grace, you killed him to silence him, torturing him to death. Shang Rongyu, how could you have such a cruel heart? Do you not fear retribution for your actions?"

Shang Rongyu swept a glance over everyone present, laughing carefree: "Shang Pianfeng, do you know how to write the character for 'stupid'?"

Once he fell, the entire Estate of King Cheng would follow suit.

Under a collapsed nest, how could there be intact eggs? Did Shang Pianfeng truly believe that by bringing him down, he would remain unscathed?

After hearing this, Shang Pianfeng raged: "Shang Rongyu, you..."

Shang Rongyu's expression soured: "Second Brother, quickly present the evidence you will use to frame me before the Emperor. Stop beating around the bush with your accusations. Who doesn't know about your wolfish heart and dog-like lungs, your desire to seize the position of Heir? Do you really think that by framing me to death, you can become the Heir?"

Emperor Xianyuan was overwhelmed with a headache: "Shang Pianfeng, do you have any evidence that Shang Rongyu colluded with Lord Hai to harm the Crown Prince?"

Shang Pianfeng shot a dangerous glare at Shang Rongyu before bowing respectfully: "Shang Rongyu gave Lord Hai a chest full of gold bars. Your Majesty should summon Lady Hai and ask if the gold bars in her residence were given to her husband by the Heir."

In no time, Lady Hai arrived.

Because Lord Hai had plotted against the Crown Prince, the Hai family was stripped of their wealth, the men exiled to military service, and the women reduced to official servants.

Thus, she wore coarse hemp clothing, shivering from the cold, pointing at Shang Rongyu as she wept uncontrollably: "It was him, he gave my husband a chest full of gold bars, asking him to do something for him. But who would have thought...in the end...he would use such means to kill my husband."

Her family's downfall was all due to Shang Rongyu. In her lifetime, she had been given a chance for revenge; indeed, heaven had eyes.

Shang Qianxian glanced at Shang Zhi with an indiscernible look, then said coldly: "Bring the physical evidence."

Soon after, a chest full of gold bars was carried up.

Shang Qianxian looked sharply at Shang Rongyu: "Shang Rongyu, what do you have to say about plotting against the Crown Prince?"

Shang Rongyu's expression was somber: "Your Majesty, when one wishes to impose a crime, they need not lack for charges. Your humble servant did not commit this act, and I will not admit to it. To try and punish your humble servant based solely on a few words and two chests of gold bars is surely not enough weight..."

Now that his father, the king, was absent, the Emperor was clearly aiming to take him down, thereby restraining King Cheng.

This was his opportunity to make a move against the Estate of King Cheng.

What did it matter whether there was evidence or not? Whether the evidence was solid or not?

Evidence could be fabricated even without it, let alone now when he still appeared respectable, and they had concocted both witness testimony and physical evidence.

"Shang Rongyu, add this person to the mix, do you think that's enough weight?" Shang Yuzhou stepped forward.

Ran Qinggu looked on in surprise.

Shang Yuzhou's gaze fell upon Ran Qinggu, their eyes meeting. For a moment, his gaze wavered, but soon, his eyes hardened, and he said coldly: "Bring him forward."

Two guards escorted the servant responsible for delivering meals up.

It was the same servant who had coaxed the Crown Prince into abstaining from food and drink.

Upon seeing the Emperor, the servant, frightened, fell to his knees with a thud: "Your humble subject greets the Emperor."

Shang Yuzhou barked: "It was he who delivered the meal to the Crown Prince that day and told him that abstaining from food and drink would make him thinner. Bold and wicked commoner, tell the Emperor the truth."

The servant trembled in fear: "It was the Heir who found me and told me that the Crown Prince was mad, that he would die with just a little provocation. My sister was beaten to death by the Crown Prince, and I wanted revenge. The Heir gave me a chance...he also gave me a gold bar...he said not to be afraid, that he had already taken care of everyone at the Royal Clan Temple..."

Shang Zhi didn't understand why Shang Yuzhou was helping him.

But since the situation was advantageous for him, he could only go along with the flow: "Shang Rongyu, you have quite the audacity to dare plot against the Crown Prince. Guards, seize him!"

Ran Qinggu stood amidst the falling snow, watching coldly.

Just as the Princess was about to step forward to proclaim his innocence, Ran Qinggu suddenly grabbed her hand.

Jian Zhuixuan was puzzled: "Yu'er?"

Ran Qinggu: "I'll handle it."

The Emperor had long wanted to move against the Estate of King Cheng. Now that King Cheng was absent, he was determined to seize his opportunity.

So pleading for mercy or proclaiming innocence was no longer important. If they wanted to save Shang Rongyu and protect the Estate of King Cheng, there was only one way.

Why cleanse the bell with blood? Use a sheep instead!

"Foolish ruler, how does it feel to send off your black-haired son as a white-haired man? I never expected that my scheme would incite such a dogfight among you!" Ran Qinggu removed his hairpin and discarded his mourning attire, ascending the steps one by one.

As soon as he spoke, everyone was stunned.

His voice wasn't as soft and delicate as before, but rather mixed with a neutral tone, somewhat like a man's.

Dressed entirely in white mourning clothes, Ran Qinggu's waist-length ink-black hair was dampened by the heavy snow. The biting wind blew his hair wildly, tugging at his robes, causing them to flutter dramatically.

Only two colors adorned his entire being, black and white, blending so faintly into the vast expanse of heaven and earth that he nearly became one with the mist.

He ascended slowly, with an air of composure.

As he reached the final step, Shang Yuzhou suddenly extended his hand to halt him.

Lifting his gaze, arching his brow, in the moment their eyes met, he saw, to his surprise, tears streaming down Shang Yuzhou's face.

Shang Yuzhou's eyes were filled with unbearable pain, shock, fear, and warning...

He prevented Ran Qinggu from taking the last step up the stairs.

He knew him well; he was about to take the blame for Shang Rongyu.

He had saved Ran Qinggu's life, and had been by his side for so many years.

He wanted Ran Qinggu back at his side, for which he would do anything, even if it meant killing his father or his brother, he did not care...

Thus, he made his move against Shang Rongyu.

He once believed Ran Qinggu's heart was as hard as iron, fantasizing that this was for the best, they could stay together forever, at least Ran Qinggu wouldn't fall for him, nor anyone else.

But now, he finally understood, it wasn't that Ran Qinggu's heart was as hard as iron, but rather, it was only towards him that his heart was as hard as iron.

He had already lost his mother, he had finally found someone, he couldn't lose him, he didn't want him to die.

What did this heavy snowfall foretell?

Shang Yuzhou panicked, gritting his teeth fiercely, almost pleading, "Go back, I beg you."

In Ran Qinggu's eyes lay pity and regret, but no hint of retreat.

Pushing away Shang Yuzhou's hand, he spoke in a firm male voice, "I am Qinggu, the youngest son of Marquis Dingbei. Tyrant, you have harmed your own kin, murdered the former crown prince, framed Marquis Dingbei. Under the clear light of heaven, karma will come around. How does it feel to be the old sending off the young?"

The author has something to say: It's half past two again, I'll correct any typos when I wake up, I'm dead tired!

Thank you to the little angels who cast their overlord tickets or watered nutrient fluids for me from 01:48:41 on September 8, 2020 to 17:49:44 on September 8, 2020.

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