Chapter 422: Resolving Doubts

Chapter 422: Unraveling the Mystery

Emperor Xingyuan stopped before Kou Tianming, studying him intently but couldn’t connect him to the person in his memory.

In truth, as one of his ministers, Kou Tianming had always been hazy in Emperor Xingyuan’s recollection. Not only had nearly seven or eight years passed since the news of Kou Tianming’s death, but even before that, the emperor and his subject had rarely met.

“Summon Tai Pu Temple Shaoqing Duan Wensong.”

Of course, Emperor Xingyuan wasn’t about to take the Minister of Rites’ claim that this man was Kou Tianming at face value.

Soon, Duan Shaoqing arrived.

The high-stakes chaos of the day was known to all the officials and nobles, and Duan Shaoqing was no exception. Given his rank, he had no place being there in such a setting.

The entire way, Duan Shaoqing puzzled over why such turmoil would require the summoning of a minor official like himself—the Tai Pu Temple Shaoqing. When he caught the weighted stares of the senior ministers, his legs trembled.

What was going on? Did someone among the rebels have ties to his family?

Impossible. His family was no great clan, just an ordinary farming and scholarly household that had moved to the capital after he passed the imperial exams.

“Your humble servant, Tai Pu Temple Shaoqing Duan Wensong, greets Your Majesty.” Duan Shaoqing hit the floor kneeling before the throne.

Emperor Xingyuan waved him up and pointed at Kou Tianming. “Duan Shaoqing, do you recognize this man?”

Following the emperor’s gaze, Duan Shaoqing’s eyes went wide. “Your Majesty—”

The name burst out before he realized something was amiss. He jerked his head up to look at the figure seated on the throne.

The emperor!

Then the other—he whipped his head around to stare at the bound man, blinking hard.

Emperor Xingyuan sat sternly on the throne, watching Duan Shaoqing’s head swivel back and forth like a metronome, a vein pulsed at his temple.

In the past twenty years, his ministers had never stared at him as much as they had today. This was getting ridiculous!

“Duan Shaoqing.”

Hearing the emperor’s call, Duan Shaoqing pulled himself together. “Your servant is here.”

“Get a good look. Is this man your brother-in-law, Kou Tianming?”

“No way. My brother-in-law passed away long ago—” Realizing this was no jest, Duan Shaoqing fixed his gaze on Kou Tianming.

He looked again.

Step by step, he approached the bound man, looking him up and down for a solid minute. Suddenly, it hit him—he raised a hand to cover the lower half of Kou Tianming’s face.

Focusing solely on the eyes and brows, Duan Shaoqing choked out. “You’re really Pingxi?”

Pingxi was Kou Tianming’s courtesy name.

Kou Tianming had been like a statue since being restrained, but now, his eyes finally showed life as he met Duan Shaoqing’s gaze. “Brother-in-law.”

Duan Shaoqing reeled back, bumping into the Minister of Revenue.

The Minister of Revenue steadied him with a hand. “Get it together, young man.”

Duan Shaoqing halted, hand over his heart, face full of disbelief. “Brother-in-law, didn’t you already die?”

Emperor Xingyuan had summoned Duan Shaoqing not for a reunion, asking indifferently, "Can you confirm this?"

Duan Shaoqing hurriedly knelt down: "Your Majesty, this person is indeed my brother-in-law, Kou Tianming."

"Did it never occur to you that he resembles me?"

Duan Shaoqing quickly shook his head: "I never dared consider such a thing."

Emperor Xingyuan frowned: "I have no patience for empty words now."

Duan Shaoqing paused, then answered honestly: "I was always immersed in my studies. When my sister got married, I was serving my observation period in the Six Ministries and couldn’t return home. The Kou family and mine were not in the same city. Later, my family moved to the capital, and it wasn’t until my brother-in-law made the exam list and came to the capital that we met more often. At that time, he had a full beard, and I had almost no opportunity to see Your Majesty up close. It truly never crossed my mind."

Emperor Xingyuan turned back to Kou Tianming: "Kou Tianming, you were also a scholar of the Son of Heaven, living on imperial stipends. Yet you colluded with those who harmed you, just to become a puppet?"

Faced with the emperor’s question, Kou Tianming’s gaze fixed on one person.

Following his line of sight, Emperor Xingyuan noticed Kou Tianming staring at Xin You.

The hatred in his gaze puzzled the emperor: "Kou Tianming, why do you refuse to answer me but stare at Xin You this way?"

"I must avenge Qingqing," Kou Tianming murmured.

He spoke too softly for the emperor to hear: "What?"

"I must avenge Qingqing! She killed Qingqing to take her place!" Kou Tianming stared at Xin You with a look that seemed ready to tear her apart.

Emperor Xingyuan's demeanor changed: "Kou Tianming, who told you this?"

His question made everyone realize—who else but those who'd imprisoned Kou Tianming?

The Minister of Revenue sighed and shook his head: "Kou Tianming, how could you be so foolish? Those people plotted your drowning and imprisonment, yet you still believe their words?"

Kou Tianming stared blankly at the Minister of Revenue.

The minister sighed again: "Your daughter died in a mountain climbing accident. Whether it was an accident or not, it had nothing to do with Lady Xin. If you don’t believe me, ask Duan Shaoqing."

Kou Tianming turned to Duan Shaoqing.

Duan Shaoqing looked uneasy, his eyes flickering: "Minister Yu is right. When Qingqing fell, our family searched high and low. Wenbo found Lady Xin recuperating in a small village and brought her home, mistaking her for Qingqing. You can’t blame Wenbo—look how much Lady Xin resembles Qingqing!"

Kou Tianming stood frozen for a long moment, repeating, "That’s not what they told me. That’s not what they told me..."

Emperor Xingyuan watched Kou Tianming’s emotional breakdown expressionlessly, feeling no sympathy.

"Kou Tianming, you realized long ago that you resemble me, didn’t you?" the emperor asked when Kou Tianming had quieted.

Kou Tianming lifted his head slightly, meeting the emperor’s gaze.

Such direct eye contact was rare and improper to Emperor Xingyuan, but he was more curious than angered now.

The hall grew deathly quiet. After what seemed an age, Kou Tianming finally spoke: "It was before I passed the exams. I once came upon Your Majesty during my travels."

"You met me?" Emperor Xingyuan was taken aback.

Kou Tianming sank into memory: "Your Majesty was traveling with minimal escort, seemingly searching for someone. I was shocked to see our resemblance and heard the guards call you ‘Your Majesty.’ I took to my bed in fright when I returned home."

Any sensible person would be terrified, hardly pleased, to discover they resembled the emperor.

"After that, I purposely grew out my beard, let myself go with food, and tanned my skin dark..."

In Great Xia, men typically waited until they were thirty to begin growing facial hair, primarily mustaches and goatees, which they kept meticulously groomed rather than cultivating a full beard across both cheeks.

Emperor Xingyuan listened as Kou Tianming recounted his story, his demeanor shifting subtly.

No questions were needed—he knew instantly the year in which Kou Tianming had encountered him.

That was the year Xinxin fled the palace. Refusing to accept her departure, he personally led his guards out of the capital to search for her. But fate was cruel; he returned empty-handed, only to reunite with her in death, her body lying cold within a coffin, forever separated by life and eternity.

The emperor's mood plummeted abruptly. He issued an edict ordering a thorough investigation into the faction under the Minister of Rites' leadership, jailing those deserving imprisonment and sending the rest home.

By then, the sky had grown heavy with darkness.

"Changle Marquis, see that Ayou returns safely on my behalf."